Kwikset 99080-006 Signatures SmartScan Biometric Deadbolt, Venetian Bronze

by Kwikset

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Elegantly subtle in appearance, the SmartScan Biometric deadbolt is the first residential biometric deadbolt designed to match your home decor. The Venetian Bronze finish is hand-rubbed to reveal unique bronze highlights to provide a rich and warm complement to the product's style. Using subdermal sensors, the groundbreaking Biometric deadbolt operates with the swipe of your finger, providing keyless entry. Features Kwikset's revolutionary SmartKey customized security, allowing you to control who has access to your home. You can re-key your lock in 3 easy steps. This improved key control, combined with an ANSI Grade 1 highest residential security rating and patented locking sidebar for Bump Guard protection, means superior security and convenience. Kwikset's patented pre-assembled design guarantees hassle-free installation – all you need is a screwdriver. Look for Kwikset handle sets, entry, privacy, passage and dummy knobs and levers in coordinating finishes.

Product Description

Venetian Bronze Finish, Smartscan Deadbolt With Smart Key Re-Keying, Open Deadbolt With Fingerprint Identification, Keyless Biometric Scanning Deadbolt, Stores 50 Fingerprints, LED Indicator, Uses 4 "AA" Batteries, 1 Year Battery Life, Temperature Tolerant -40 To 180 F, Three Levels Of Access, Continuous Temperature Controlled, Fits 2-1/8" Diameter Bore Hole, 1-3/8" To 2" Thick Adjustable Backset, 2-3/8" To 2-3/4" 1" Deadbolt Latch, Clear Pack.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001007OSA
• Item model number: 99080-006
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,823 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Space-age lockdown (but keep your keys on hand), June 7, 2008

By 

Natter (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kwikset 99080-006 Signatures SmartScan Biometric Deadbolt, Venetian Bronze (Tools & Home Improvement)

Initial impressions:

* Installation is fairly straightforward. If you're replacing a deadbolt, this shouldn't take much time at all (maybe half an hour). Kwikset even has an online tutorial to help out. If this is a new installation, as it was for me, having a 1" wood bit really helps (rather than using a 5/8" twice and boring those snowman-lookin' holes that you need to chisel out). Even with new installation, it's easier than installing a double-cylinder deadbolt.

* Once installed, this thing is fun to mess around with. When your fingerprint is recognized, it sounds like a coffee burr grinder for about a second, as it locks or unlocks the door.

* Because this unit scans deeply, if your finger is cut or dirty, you will still be recognized. Because of the deep scan, a photocopy of your fingerprint will not be recognized.

* "Swiping" technique is a learned trait. It took me 5 tries before it learned my fingerprint. It took my wife 7 tries (Ha! I win!). Our 4-year-old son still hasn't been able to do it. The device needs 3 good scans, with all of your finger "swipes" at relatively the same speed. Once recognized, you need to be able to replicate that motion to get the door to unlock. This can be troubling at first (even though the key will let you in, should you get sick of trying). On the first day of operation, getting this thing to work was sort of a grab bag. Today (1 day after installation), neither my wife nor I have had failures. Our son doesn't want to try anymore (he's still not recognized in the system).

* If you are installing this on an exterior door that has windows, you might want to consider a double-cylinder lock instead. A thief could smash the window and easily open this lock, due to the interior lock being a turnbolt. Of course, that's why you have a big, angry dog in your house.

* The interior unit may be larger than most would like, although it accommodates the Intel chip and programming functions. Not too bad though. It looks very similar to one of those screwy little door-mounted doorbell ringers... the kind where you turn a twisty-knob on the outside, and the inside box makes a mournful, yak-choking-on-an-apple sound.

* The interior turnbolt is stiff. This is due to your turning not only the bolt, but the gears that drive the automated lock function. Our child, who is really strong, cannot turn the inside bolt to leave the house without a ton of grunting, leverage, and requests for a ball-peen hammer. In case of fire, this could preclude a smooth exit from the house for young ones.

* I've gone through the easy-to-follow menu on the lock, and can't wait to scan in friends/family who visit from out of town. They'll have access for as long as I want them to, then I'll disable their scan. Our babysitter is scanned in, and has access only on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3PM to 9PM. You can modify each user's settings to give them the access you want (or don't want).

* This thing comes with SmartKey technology. It took me a while to figure out what this meant, but in about 6 seconds, I was able to key both of my new deadbolts to a Kwikset key that I already have on my key ring. The keys that came with these units are now worthless (by design). This turned out to be very handy.

Overall, a very techno-cool functional lock that offers ANSI-1 and bump-guard protection. The only modifications I would prefer to have would be to do away with the interior turnbolt altogether and use a scanner/key to throw the bolt from the inside.

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Follow-up (1 month after installation):

* Still a pretty cool lock, but I've deleted my fingerprint twice (on purpose) to load an image that is more in line with how I've been scanning my finger. My wife has little trouble getting these locks to recognize her imprint on the first or second go, but I sometimes try 4 or 5 times unsuccessfully, and then just use the key. When I rescan my finger, I tend to have better luck for a while thereafter.

* Based on the above, I wonder how quickly I could get into the house in an emergency. My wife could probably pop right in, but I'm slightly perturbed by either my inability to scan correctly, or the unit's inability to recognize my print. My finger is large and doesn't "fit" along the scanning window as well as her does, which *may* be related to success rates. Still, I know that the unit works well enough for my wife to be happy with it. I'll keep trying.

* All in all, I'm still happy with the purchase.

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Follow-up (>1 year after installation):

* Still having difficulty getting the lock to recognize my finger swipe, and still carry keys whenever I leave the house (I have one unit on the house and one on my office/studio, 50' from the house). I find that when I reprogram the unit with a new finger swipe, all goes very well for a month or two, but then need to reprogram again. Also, if my hands are damp (even slightly) it will not recognize my scan, and will sometimes not engage the lock (unless I use a dry finger after wiping off the "eye" of the unit), which is something that anyone can do, regardless of whether their scan is in the unit (3 taps on the eye engages the lock).
* I am no longer enthusiastic about the unit, although I will say that there have been many times where I've been very happy with its functionality, especially when I'm carrying packages and can't dig around for my keys. Conversely, when it refuses to unlock the door, I cuss it up and down.
* I am happiest about the general ease of locking the door with a series of taps, but grow tired of trying to unlock the door with my fingerprint.
* Initially, I couldn't help but think that I was doing something wrong, but after a year of use, I can only conclude that the unit needs improvement.

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Follow-up (>2 years after installation):

This lock is not my friend. My success rate is 10 - 15%, and I only use its features to lock the door. I cannot recommend this lock.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars OK until the weather turns bad, January 5, 2009

By 

Forde B. Swan "Fswan" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kwikset Signatures SmartScan Biometric Deadbolt in Satin Nickel Finish #908 15 SMT CP (Tools & Home Improvement)

I have had this lock for about 6 months now. As long is the weather is good, the lock works OK. Installation instructions were good and programming was easy. However, the lock seems to be influenced by changes in the weather. Normally, it takes me 3 or 4 swipes to get the lock to open but if it is in direct sun on a hot day, it takes 10 to 15 swipes before the lock opens. If it is wet - forget swiping altogether and just use the key! I would not recommend this product unless the door is completely protected from the elements.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful to not use keys... but need patience, April 10, 2009

By 

David Pringle (Harrisburg, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kwikset Signatures SmartScan Biometric Deadbolt in Satin Nickel Finish #908 15 SMT CP (Tools & Home Improvement)

This is a very nice product, but it does have some drawbacks. It was relatively easy to install, but I had a few difficulties in getting it working completely properly. First problem was that I had difficulty getting the software to recognize the bolt position (it's all motorized, obviously). Once that was done (it's in the settings) it worked properly. The biometric part of this is amazing and frustrating at the same time. You have to be very consistent or it does not recognize you. My children had a very difficult time getting three consistent scans. Sometimes it takes three or four swipes for it to recognize me. I would consider the biometrics to be a backup for a lost key, not vice-versa. The software for programming is a little cumbersome, but not impossible. I like this lock, but would suggest that if you don't absolutely need the 'no key' function that you wait for the biometrics to get better.