Ultraloq Bolt Fingerprint

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When we gave the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro Wi-Fi our Editors' Choice award in 2022, our only gripe was its lack of Apple HomeKit support. Its successor, the Ultraloq Bolt Fingerprint ($249.99), remedies that and not only works with HomeKit but nearly every smart home platform out there. Like the earlier model, the Bolt doesn't require a hub because it has built-in Wi-Fi, and it gives you several ways to lock and unlock your door, including fingerprint scanning, voice commands, your phone, a keypad, and a traditional key. It also has support for third-party integrations via IFTTT applets. All of these factors help make it our new Editors’ Choice winner for smart locks.

Design and Features: Fully Equipped

For this review, we tested the $249.99 Bolt Fingerprint with HomeKit and Wi-Fi support, but Ultraloq also sells a version with just the latter for $199.99.

Regardless of which model you choose, the Bolt Fingerprint is a complete lock set that comes with interior and exterior escutcheons, as well as deadbolt, latch, and strike hardware, assorted mounting hardware, and a mounting template. You also get a door sensor, a pair of traditional keys, eight AA batteries, and a user/installation guide in the box.

The exterior escutcheon is made of zinc alloy and has a satin nickel trim and an IP65 weatherproof rating. It measures 2.9 by 2.9 by 1.2 inches (HWD) and features a circular backlit number pad with a capacitive fingerprint scanner, a traditional keyway in the middle, and an Ultraloq button at the bottom. The Ultraloq button can be used to lock the door or illuminate the keypad.

Four small LED indicators reside along the top of the keypad. The X indicator lights up when you enter an incorrect PIN or an unregistered fingerprint is used for entry, while the check mark LED indicates a successful keypad or fingerprint entry. A Communication indicator lights up when the lock is paired with the app or connected to the internet, and a battery LED illuminates when it's running low on power.

The interior escutcheon measures 5.3 by 2.9 by 1.3 inches and has a matte black finish with stained nickel trim. There’s a thumb-turn knob on the bottom and a removable panel at the top that slides up to reveal the battery compartment and a Reset button. The included AA alkaline batteries are not rechargeable but are expected to last up to a year before requiring replacement.

Features are plentiful. The Bolt Fingerprint supports up to 50 one-time, recurring, permanent, or custom user codes, and will register up to 100 fingerprints. It also supports timed-based automatic locking and location-based automatic unlocking. As a safety precaution, it lets you add random digits before and after your PIN to prevent onlookers from stealing your code.

The lock is equipped with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) radios for connecting to your phone and your network. Although it does not support Matter, it works with nearly every major home automation platform out there, including Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. It also works with IFTTT applets that allow it to integrate with numerous third-party devices. As is the case with most HomeKit-compatible devices, you’ll have to use an Apple HomePod or an Apple TV device to control the lock remotely with the Apple Home app.

The lock also integrates with U-Tec’s own UHome ecosystem, which includes smart plugs, lighting, cameras, and more. It uses the UHome mobile app for Android and iOS devices and appears in its own panel on the app’s My Devices screen. The panel tells you the current state (locked, unlocked) and has buttons for settings and users. Tap the settings button to view battery life, enable sounds (beeps), set up Auto-Lock and Auto-Unlock, change the direction of the lock, configure Wi-Fi, add the lock to HomeKit, and pair it with a door sensor. Tap the user button to add users, register fingerprints, and assign permanent, one-time, or time/day-specific access codes.

When you tap the lock panel, it opens a screen with a large color-coded circle that tells you whether the door is locked (blue) or unlocked (green). Tap the circle to lock or unlock the door. The user access button at the bottom of the screen takes you to the previously mentioned user screen, and the log button opens a screen with an event timeline for all lock activities.

Installation and Performance: Straightforward and Reliable

Installing the Bolt Fingerprint lock was easy in testing. I removed my old lock assembly and installed the new deadbolt and strike plate. I attached the exterior escutcheon to the outside of the door using the mounting plate and screws and pulled the data cable through the hole in the mounting plate. After attaching the cable to the interior escutcheon, I secured the interior escutcheon to the mounting plate and installed the four AA batteries. I opened the UHome app, tapped Add Device, and selected the Bolt Fingerprint. I entered the Program Code found on the back of the battery cover, created an Admin code, and gave the lock a name. I followed the instructions to configure the direction of the deadbolt and add the door sensor, then entered my Wi-Fi credentials to complete the installation.

The Bolt Fingerprint worked wonderfully in testing. It responded instantly to app commands to lock and unlock the door, and both the keypad and fingerprint scanner were very responsive. Alexa and Siri voice commands to lock and unlock the door also worked without issue.

I created an Alexa routine to have an AiDot Linkind Bulb turn red when the door was unlocked, and it worked perfectly every time. The Auto-Unlock and Auto-Lock features worked as intended, and the lock always adhered to my one-time and time-specific access schedules.

Verdict: A Convenient, Secure Door Upgrade

With the Ultraloq Bolt Fingerprint smart lock, you can lock and unlock your door with your phone, voice, fingerprint, a backlit keypad, or a traditional key. It's easy to install and performed flawlessly in our tests. This model offers everything that we loved about the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro Wi-Fi, but this time around, it works with Apple HomeKit as well as Alexa, Google, and SmartThings. At $249.99, it’s fairly expensive, but you get a lot for your money. That makes it our latest Editors’ Choice winner for the smart lock category.