When it comes to the best door locks to keep your property safe and secure, there is an ongoing debate about mechanical vs. electronic door locks. No doubt, both have their distinct features, and most people have their preferences. But it’s time we find out which one is more secure than the other. So let us break down Mechanical Vs Electronic Door Locks to reach the final verdict!
Overall, both mechanical and electronic door locks are pretty much on par when it comes to keeping your property secure. Mechanical door locks are traditional, simple, and durable, whereas electronic door locks are advanced, user-friendly, and multi-functional. Both door locks have similar mechanics as well and keep your property perfectly safe and secure.
As both locks have quite similar mechanics, a bit more information can help to let us decide which one provides better security. So In the rest of the article, we will dig deeper into this topic and take a look at all the different features of both door locks to reach our final verdict. Let’s jump right into it!
An Overview of Mechanical Door Locks
Whenever we think of a door lock, more often than not, the image of a mechanical lock might pop up in our minds. We have all seen these types of door locks in old movies on bank safes. These conventional lock installments have been around for more than a thousand years. They might even continue to be our go-to choice for security when we want a simpler lock installment.
These handy door locks don’t require any electricity to operate, unlike electronic door locks. To open a mechanical door, you need to spin a dial and enter the correct combination. This combination unlocks the door by putting the lock tumblers in their proper position. It’s a simple but effective manual lock system.
An Overview of Electronic Door Locks
Electronic door locks, or E-locks are more modern and user-friendly than mechanical door locks as they are easier to operate, multifunctional, and have more features. These lock systems don’t require any key and also include automation features like remote unlocking and locking. You can simply use a smartphone to control and monitor these door lock installments.
These lock installments are a step above traditional locks. Rather than rotating around a dial, you need to enter a four to six-digit code on a battery-powered keypad to unlock it. This keypad stores your unique combination even if the battery runs out. When you enter the correct combination, the lock triggers the mechanism and allows you to unlock the door simply by turning the handle.
Mechanical Vs. Electronic Door Locks: Which One Is Better?
Choosing between a mechanical and electronic door lock for your property can be an interesting and continuous topic. However, both of these locks have their advantages and disadvantages that make one of them more preferable than the other to some, and vice versa to others.
So when it comes to the best security for your home, office, or any other property, it’s always best to take a look at the whole picture and decide which lock is better. Let’s take a look at all the major benefits and drawbacks of both of these locks in certain aspects so you can see for yourself which one is better
Usage
One of the best advantages of electronic door locks is that they are extremely user-friendly. With a mechanical lock, you must land on the exact number of your combination. So by chance, if you spin the dial a bit too fast or if your hands are shaky from cold, landing on the right number can be a bit difficult.
Then again, if you have poor eyesight or if it’s dark out, a mechanical lock can be quite difficult to work with as well. But electronic codes come integrated with lights which makes them a better user-friendly option.
Convenience
With an electronic lock, you can change its combination at any moment and all by yourself. Most users can service their locks with no problem even if they come from different models. Since most e-lock models follow a basic mechanism, it’s extremely easy for even new users to figure out.
But if you want to change the combination on your mechanical lock, you must contact a locksmith. If the wheels or tumblers get misaligned, you might need to call in a locksmith for its service and get the lock fixed. So in most cases, mechanical locks aren’t as convenient as e-locks.
Fast Access
Electronic door locks are simply faster than their mechanical counterparts. Entering your combination code is easier and faster. It’s even faster with biometric or fingerprint electronic locks.
When compared to e-locks, unlocking a mechanical lock can take a lock time. Especially higher security mechanical locks can take an even longer time. Then again, if you end up making a mistake when making the combination, you might need to start over. This makes this lock unsuitable for emergency safes, such as gun safes. When even a second counts.
Price
Both e-locks and mechanical door locks come in a wide range of prices. However, mechanical locks tend to be far less expensive than electronic ones. The cost of most electronic door locks can range from $200-$2,500 or more.
Mechanical door locks, on the other hand, can cost anywhere between $50 – $1,500. Furthermore, some manufacturers include a variety of features that cater to different needs. So the prices can vary but are always more affordable than electronic locks.
Access Control
Electronic door locks are easier to access because you only need to program a unique access code rather than struggle with different keys. Electronic keypad locks can also provide a general overview of who has entered and exited the building.
When you need particularly detailed metrics on who is entering and exiting a building, you can provide employee-specific proximity cards. But with a conventional mechanical door lock, there’s always the issue with access control. Fumbling around with multiple keys can be quite inconvenient. If you end up losing your key, it can jeopardize your security.
To add, if you want to give access to someone other than yourself, you need to give them extra keys. This can also put your security at risk as they may lose the key or use it for ill purposes. There’s also no way to tell who enters or exits your property as there’s no record of it.
Functions
Electronic locks are a more advanced, easy-to-use, and multi-functional option than a conventional mechanical door lock. These locks come with various functions such as dual control mode, time delay mode, time lock mode, wrong try penalty, duress mode, one-time password (OTP) among many others. Depending on the model, the e-lock can come with more or less functions.
However, nowadays most e-locks come with these advanced features to make its user feel more safe and secure. Compared to e-locks, mechanical locks tend to be more traditional and have not kept up with such advanced security demands.
Smart Home Compatibility
If you want automation, there’s no other answer than electronic door locks. These door locks meet most of the modern security demands and come with automation, convenience, and added security.
As long as the door lock is compatible with all the existing devices on your property, it can provide the best security for your home. But a mechanical door lock doesn’t have any automatic features and won’t be compatible if you want a smart home.
The Verdict: Which Door Lock is More Secure?
After taking a look at all the different aspects of both these door locks, it’s easy to conclude that electronic door locks can provide better security to your property. As the technology behind mechanical locks has stagnated, it could not keep up with the current security demands like e-locks.
However, do take note that this does not mean that electronic door locks are more secure than mechanical door locks. Both locks are on par when it comes to being secure. An electronic door lock simply has more multifunctional features that allow it to have more restrictions. These features in turn allow e-locks to provide a higher security performance overall.
If you have been on the hunt for the most secure door lock installments recently, you might be curious about the ongoing debate about mechanical vs electronic door locks. In this article, we break down the topic in great detail and reach a verdict that e-locks provide a better security performance overall.
As the better choice ultimately depends on the user at the end, I hope the article has provided you with a greater insight into the topic. Thanks for reading till now.
