I'll never buy a Kwikset deadbolt!

Rental Property Investor · Northern NJ · Member since 2019 · 672 posts · 677 votes

Long story short, I got locked out of my apartment for over 2 hours last night. The 6 month old Kwikset deadbolt wouldn't turn all the way. While waiting outside I googled some stuff and came up with people saying they were junk. When the 3rd locksmith I called showed up, he said these were junk and he's always responding to lockouts for these. He recommended Schlage locks. I close on my first duplex in a month and I'm going to look into changing them if they happen to be Kwikset locks. Anyone else have issues with these things? Turned a crappy situation last night into a learning experience.

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Bob H.

Rental Property Investor · Cedar Park, TX · Member since 2014 · 414 posts · 272 votes

It seems pretty obvious that locksmiths say Kwikset Smartkey locks are bad because they eliminate the need for a locksmith to rekey them every time.

I have Smartkey locks in one rental and no problems. For the others I rekey them myself, sometimes with a kit you can buy at home improvement stores or online.

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Eric X.
Real Estate Agent · Naperville, IL · Member since 2014 · 196 posts · 130 votes
6y
Kwikset is better than most store brands. I have kwikset and even crappier brands like gatehouse and defiant on all of my rentals and very few have issues. You probably just got a lemon.
The elitists will tell you schlage is the bare minimum.
6 Reply
Marc Winter
Real Estate Broker · Northeast PA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
We use Kwikset and Defiant on all our lock changes. Never had a problem with either, although the Defiant is a bit more pick-resistant, and harder to drill out as well.
One product we stay away from is the Kwikset "Landlord" locks--the ones that you can re-key on the fly. Very easily defeated, and any tenant with the little fob key can change the key and you'll be locked out yourself!
3 Reply
Mark F.
OP
Rental Property Investor · Northern NJ · Member since 2019 · 672 posts · 677 votes
6y
@Marc Winter That's the one I have on my current apartment, that can be rekeyed on the fly. I had issues when I first moved in with the first kwikset that was already installed. They put a new one in and here I am.
@Erik X I might have bought a lemon but I'm on #2 and the locksmith, knowing I wasnt buying any products from him, still said they were junk. Guess I'm bias by experience but so far I haven't seen a great product. Btw my best friend lives in Naperville!
1 Reply
Karl B.
Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
I had locks rekeyed in a new multi-family a week ago and the locksmith told me Kwikset Smartkey locks are garbage. Though from what I recollect I don't think he had an issue with the company overall, just the Smartlock.
3 Reply
Timothy Doenges
Real Estate Agent · Mount Nebo, WV · Member since 2017 · 174 posts · 68 votes
6y
@Karl B. I have also heard that when my locksmith finds a foreclosure that needs rekeyed and it has a Kwikset smartlock, if he doesn’t have a key he just replaces the lock with a Schlage. Near impossible to rekey without breaking it, for some reason.
2 Reply
Bob H.
Rental Property Investor · Cedar Park, TX · Member since 2014 · 414 posts · 272 votes
6y
It seems pretty obvious that locksmiths say Kwikset Smartkey locks are bad because they eliminate the need for a locksmith to rekey them every time.
I have Smartkey locks in one rental and no problems. For the others I rekey them myself, sometimes with a kit you can buy at home improvement stores or online.
8 Reply
Ross Kalmbach
Rental Property Investor · Plano, TX · Member since 2016 · 65 posts · 54 votes
6y
I've also had no problems with Kwikset Smartkey locks. Three SF rentals one being rented for over four years the last only one - but all have the locks and haven't had issues yet. People with more units or longer rental periods might have different stories though. Sticking with them till they fail me :)
1 Reply
Mark F.
OP
Rental Property Investor · Northern NJ · Member since 2019 · 672 posts · 677 votes
6y
@Bob H. That reason definitely makes sense, but the ones he recommended also eliminate his services as they were keyless and could be reprogrammed when a tenant leaves.
1 Reply
Bill B.
Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 10k+ votes
6y
13 properties, x 20 years, all smartkey kwikset, not the landlord version. Zero lockouts, zero failures, zero locksmiths...
Sorry you got a lemon, especially in such a weird way. Maybe the person that programmed the new key did it incorrectly?
insert old key and turn halfway. Insert the free tool that comes with each one and remove old key. Insert new key and turn back. Done. All doors use same key that way. (Front, back, garage, entry.)

5 Reply
Account Closed
Specialist · Paradise Valley, AZ · Member since 2018 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Mark F.:
Long story short, I got locked out of my apartment for over 2 hours last night. The 6 month old Kwikset deadbolt wouldn't turn all the way. While waiting outside I googled some stuff and came up with people saying they were junk. When the 3rd locksmith I called showed up, he said these were junk and he's always responding to lockouts for these. He recommended Schlage locks. I close on my first duplex in a month and I'm going to look into changing them if they happen to be Kwikset locks. Anyone else have issues with these things? Turned a crappy situation last night into a learning experience.

Someone squeeze some glue into the keyhole for giggles?

0 Reply
Account Closed
Rental Property Investor · Oakland, CA · Member since 2014 · 730 posts · 1k+ votes
6y
Landlord Locks all day. Expensive but have never given me an issue
2 Reply
Jill F.
Investor · Akron, OH · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 4k+ votes
6y
I love the kwikset landlord locks. 33 units for 3.5 years, one problem lock.
1 Reply
Joshua Tessier
Rental Property Investor · Manchester, NH · Member since 2019 · 186 posts · 156 votes
6y
@Mark Franks I install Yale Nest locks in all my units. They are WiFi enabled battery backup and locked and unlocked with a smart phone. So far no issues.
0 Reply
Nick Gann
Real Estate Agent · Murfreesboro, TN · Member since 2019 · 194 posts · 181 votes
6y
@Mark Franks teflon or carbon goes a long way on keeping your locks operating properly
3 Reply
Kevin Manz
HVAC Tech · Fort Wayne, IN · Member since 2015 · 423 posts · 223 votes
6y
Ive had great luck w kwikset. I use kwikset for all my units, have the pin kit, so 1 master fits all. 40 units, 3 yrs, never 1 issue. I did try using the landlord set for a few units, but couldn't figure out how to master them. Does anyone know if they can be mastered?
0 Reply
Shawn JohnsonPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Farmington, NM · Member since 2017 · 49 posts · 28 votes
6y
@Mark Franks
We have Kwikset Smartkey locks on almost 400 rentals and have had very minimal issues. Not enough to ditch them as a product.
Locksmiths opinion of them seem really biased. Why would they like them, it eliminates the need for locksmiths to a certain extent.
If you’re thinking of ditching Kwikset, you might as well go to smart locks where you can reset the code from an app and not have keys to manage at all.
0 Reply
John Warren
Real Estate Broker · 3412 S. Harlem Avenue Riverside, IL 60546 · Member since 2015 · 6k+ posts · 5k+ votes
6y
@Mark F. I have 32 apartments that I manage here in the Chicago western suburbs and I have used kwickset locks from landlordlocks.com for all of them. I have had zero performance issues with them. I will say that any competent handyman can break into a lock set in under 15 minutes with a drill, hammer and crowbar. I had a tenant change a lock set on me in a new building and I was into it in 5 minutes.
It is interesting to hear the lock smith's opinion in this case. I have never used a lock smith, and honestly I would think that the job of a lock smith is probably going away. Most of these technologies are designed so that you never have to call them, which I can can imagine would be frustrating if it was cutting into your business.
1 Reply
Jim K.
Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes
6y
One more voice for Kwikset. I use the regular models and carry a big key ring, makes me feel more manly on days when I wonder. I've had trouble with Defiant entry knobs.
For deadbolts, it doesn't matter.
1 Reply
James WilcoxBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Bowling Green KY ~ Lexington, KY · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 602 votes
6y
@Mark Franks look into Landlordlocks.com. Will solve most of the issues you are having when you get your duplex.
REI James w/ eXp Realty54 Reviews
Website View Page
2 Reply
Tony F.
Investor · California, CA · Member since 2016 · 117 posts · 26 votes
6y
@Mark Franks
If reoccurring issue it’s very likely your door is incorrectly hung, knob bore is off, strike plate wrong... something along those lines.
They are all made in China, I’m sure Schlage is better quality but I have 40ish smartly key sets and haven’t had any issues. And with all these other people saying they haven’t had any issues..
Good luck
0 Reply
Dave GrimsonPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Enfield, CT · Member since 2015 · 54 posts · 27 votes
6y
Anyone use the kwickset smart code models? Started using a couple years ago and no issues so far. When a tenant leaves I have the master code and can wipe all other codes. Also a nice feature I just found out about is I can assign a temporary code for contractors to let them in and code automatically wipes
Get good feedback from the tenants too!
Anyone else using these?
0 Reply
Daniel Stoddard
Real Estate Agent · Fort MIll, SC · Member since 2018 · 1 post · 1 vote
6y
@Mark Franks I wish I could add a picture, but I had a core break in half in my deadbolt. I still don’t understand how it happened. I could lock it from the inside, but couldn’t get back in. So I I decided I would use my back door. Granted it has been maybe a month since it has been opened, I found it seized. Luckily I had a side door to use. Not a fan.
1 Reply
Bill B.
Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 10k+ votes
6y
@Kevin Manz
Kevin Manz HVAC Tech from Fort Wayne, Indiana

replied about 15 hours ago

Ive had great luck w kwikset. I use kwikset for all my units, have the pin kit so 1 master fits all. 40 units

hey Kevin, what’s the “pin kit”? Does it work with their standard “smart key locks” or is it part of their landlord series? I’d love the idea of a master key, I’ve just been rotating mine
0 Reply
Dan H.Pro Member
Investor · Poway, CA · Member since 2015 · 7k+ posts · 8k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Marc Winter:
We use Kwikset and Defiant on all our lock changes. Never had a problem with either, although the Defiant is a bit more pick-resistant, and harder to drill out as well.
One product we stay away from is the Kwikset "Landlord" locks--the ones that you can re-key on the fly. Very easily defeated, and any tenant with the little fob key can change the key and you'll be locked out yourself!

Have you tried the landlord locks?   The “fob” landlord key is unique to each landlord. The only way someone can get it is the LL loses their key and the tenant finds the key.

Second, the tenant can already swap your lock set to lock you out. The primary difference is one minute versus 10 minutes. The Landlord cylinders take less than a minute to swap compared to about 10 minutes to swap traditional lock set.

I have had kwikset fail, but not resulting in a lockout. the failure I see is the knob turns but does not engage the latch. I need to investigate the cause of this issue.
I agree Schlage is higher quality but their rebuild kits are more costly than a new kwikset handset. In addition, I have had two Schlage failures (and why I know the cost of their rebuild kits). So quality is better but so far I have not found them to be noticeably more reliable.

The kwikset quality is sufficient and they are pretty reliable

No affiliation with LL locks other than a user and mostly customer.

0 Reply
Ryan Webster
Member since 2019 · 89 posts · 65 votes
6y
@Mark Franks
Schlage is the brand you want for the money. Abus is the next best but you'll pay for it.
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I'll never buy a Kwikset deadbolt!

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Kevin Manz HVAC Tech from Fort Wayne, Indiana