I was very surprised to see 3 security pins in the Defiant, which is more than the Kwikset. It also performed better than the Kwikset in almost every test. The security pins made it extremely hard for me to pick and even the raking took much longer than I expected.
Defiant locks share the same type of keyway with the Kwikset brand, which means that a Defiant key will fit into a Kwikset lock and vice versa. If all the locks on your house are Kwikset locks, you can still buy a Defiant lock and match it to work with your current house key.
Kwikset Halo Features
Overall, both of these high-end smart locks are packed with features and offer exceptional security for homeowners. Either one can be classed as a great choice for your personal safety.
Kwikset's door products offer reasonable quality, superior lock bumping technology, and attractive style. It is one of the most common residential locks on the market. Kwikset is headquartered in Orange County, California. It is a part of the Hardware and Home Improvement division of Spectrum Brands.
Also in the non-forced entry category, there is no doubt Schlage is better. With a better, more precise manufacturing process and 2 additional security pins than the Kwikset deadbolt, Schlage locks are significantly harder to pick, bump or compromise in non-destructive ways.
In comparison to other similar locks on the market, the Kwikset Kevo is reliable but expensive if you compare it to other locks in the same category. The Yale T1L, on the other hand, is a lot more competitively priced if you look at other similar types of smart door locks on the market.
Defiant is definitely making significant improvements along the years. Just a few years ago, it would have never performed better than a standard Kwikset lock. Adding 3 security pins and a drill resistant plate shows that defiant is going in the right direction, while staying the most inexpensive lock you can buy.
Yes, it is possible to pick a Kwikset lock using different kinds of tools. According to the data, Kwikset locks had been picked in less than 2 percent of lock-picking attempts while a schlage lock had been picked over 78 percent of lock-picking attempts.
Kwikset new Halo and Aura smart locks have both made it easier to control them through mobile apps. The Wi-Fi-powered Halo lock skips past traditional low-power wireless standards like Z-Wave, Bluetooth LE or Zigbee. It connects straight to the internet with no bridging hardware.
Kwikset currently has manufacturing facilities in Denison, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Mexicali, Mexico.
Bottom line: Schlage is the most secure; as well they should be at twice the price of Defiant. They are even more costly than that because they only come with two keys while Defiant comes with four keys and anybody with a family needs at least four keys.
Kwikset®, a Black & Decker® company, has been a leader in the lockset industry for 60 years. Kwikset manufactures and markets several full lines of door hardware, including handlesets, knobs, levers, deadbolts, and pocket door accessories, for residential and light commercial markets.
Deadbolt door locks are the most secure type of key lock and are usually used on a home's exterior door. Available in single- and double-cylinder styles, deadbolts are rated according to their strength from Grade 1 to Grade 3.
Products with Kwikset SmartKey feature BumpGuard™ which uses a patented slide-locking bar mechanism inside of the lock to prevent lock bumping and other advanced home break-in techniques.
Basically, you cannot re-key the lock from Schlage to Kwikset, but you can change the lock cylinder from Schlage to Kwikset. A locksmith will be able to do it for you. Changing the lock cylinder will still cost less from changing the lock itself.
Thanks to the two-cylinder Key Control Deadbolt with SmartKey Security, you can have one master key for all your units and unique keys for all of your tenants.
You can call a locksmith to rekey your lock for you with a fee, or you can do it yourself with the purchase of a kit. You can find rekey kits at major hardware or home improvement stores. Once you have a kit, you will be able to rekey your lock anytime. To rekey a Defiant lock, you will need its original key.
CR's take: The Medeco Maxum 11TR503-19 is the strongest deadbolt across all of our lock categories. It rates Excellent for drilling, withstands kick-ins very well, and is designed in a way that makes it very difficult to pick.
About Spectrum Brands
Kwikset is part of Hardware and Home Improvement (HHI), a major manufacturer and supplier of residential locksets, residential builders' hardware and faucets with a portfolio of renowned brands, including Kwikset®, Weiser®, Baldwin®, National Hardware®, Stanley®, FANAL®, Pfister™ and EZSET®.
You will not be able to use your current Kwikset keys in your new Yale lock. We can custom cut new Yale KW1 keys (available at checkout) to your existing Kwikset KW1 keyway number, so you can use one set of keys in both your new Yale locks, and existing locks with KW1 keyways.