TCL’s new smart lock squeezes four unlocking methods into a door knob

TCL has launched a new budget-friendly smart lock that incorporates all of the electronics into a door knob, making it easy to install on interior home doors that don’t have a dedicated dead bolt. The K1 is available now for $79, and TCL says it will operate for up to 12 months on a set of four AAA batteries that also squeeze inside the interior side knob.

None of the unlocking methods built into the K1 are new as far as smart locks go, but the K1 is one of the first to give you four different methods in a door knob replacement. The fingerprint sensor is supposed to unlock the door in less than a second with a simple finger tap, and the K1 can store and recognize up to 100 different fingerprints so multiple people can unlock it using multiple fingers. The door knob can also be unlocked with a key, a PIN including one-time use codes, or wirelessly using TCL’s mobile app. There’s no broader smart home support, so you can’t unlock the door using voice commands through a smart assistant, but the mobile app can track users and even set schedules for when the door knob automatically locks or opens.

For added security, the K1 can be set to automatically lock when a door is closed, and a button on the inside activates a privacy mode that disables all of the external unlocking methods. The smart door knob is also IP53-rated against dust and water so could also install it on a backyard shed door and not worry about it being exposed to the elements.