Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is the ONLY acceptable locking entry knob sold in the USA now. Only Kwikset offers knobs that must be unlocked before you can exit. Thus, if you step out on to pick up the newspaper you won't find yourself locked out by accident. That is not true for any knob made by Schlage or Arrow (who makes knobs for many others, including Medeco and US Lock). Schlage knobs do not lock the inside knob ever, so you can always exit without unlocking the door, the worse case. Arrow knobs are dual function, they will unlock on exit (popping the button) but if someone turns the button instead of pushing it, lockout mode (called "store room" mode) is enabled. I have had long arguments with locksmiths about this. Either they don't recommend locking knobs at all (but they still sell them at high prices), or they say that UL requires that functionality for ease of exit. However any knob could, in principle, be always open on the inside but auto-unlock upon exit. That is one of the functions offered by Arrow, whose knobs might be marginally acceptable if you could permanently disable store room mode, but you can't, and you can also get accidentally locked out by Arrow knobs if something you are carrying pushes the button by accident. To lock the Kwikset you need to turn a thumbturn, which is almost impossible to do by accident. And if UL requires always allowing exit without manual unlocking, what about deadbolts?
And this model, the Kwikset Signature, is Kwikset's best, carrying an ANSI class 2 rating. It could be better, but it is ultimately no worse than any knob made by anyone else. Locksmiths like to point out that the cheap metal used in the Kwikset latch can easily be popped out of its retaining clip. But their favored knobs made by Arrow break just as easily, the latch twists and pulls out from the mechanism. That's what I discovered when I was forced to break into my own home (after being locked out because some guest turned the button). It took only a strong push to break my Arrow-made lock. Of course, no keyed-only system is lockout proof. You can always lose your keys (though I haven't done that in decades, thanks to having pockets). There are now many choices for keypad pushbutton entry locks, the only truly lockout-proof design. However, because they are much bigger and would interfere with an existing deadbolt, actually installing one of those will likely require getting an entirely new door, a big expense. Also, I agree with the locksmiths that the real security comes from a deadbolt, not merely a locking knob. However it is nice to have both, using the locking knob only when you wish to allow access for friends when you are home. You can give them a key for that and not worry about compromising your deadbolt (which should include a high security cylinder).
Frankly I don't care much about Kwikset's hyped smartkey feature, in fact I see more downside than upside to it. Locks are cheap enough that if I needed to re-key, I can just get another lock, probably want one by that time anyway, since none appear to be made to last anymore. With the smartkey system, someone you give the key to could potentially rekey the lock to lock you out! I'm going to try to find some way to deactivate it. Or, over time, the rekey system might degrade, it's one more mechanical feature which could eventually fail. I'd much rather have the ability to replace the mediocre factory cylinder with a true high security cylinder with duplication proof keys by BiLock or Abloy. But unfortunately, locksmiths cannot or will not fit high security cylinders to Kwikset locks.
The finish choices Kwikset offers aren't my favorite. I'd much rather have Satin Chrome, which is an uncoated finish. The Kwikset Satin Nickel looks like Satin Chrome, but is actually a coating which is likely to degrade over time. Schlage knobs look like they have slightly higher quality materials and finishes, including a real satin chrome.
Another stupid feature that OTHER locks have is some kind of hole in the outer knob stem that allows the outside knob to be taken off. In theory, this can only be done if you have the key also, but I have seen locks where the mechanism malfunctions so that the outside knob can be taken off at any time by a prankster with a paper clip. More often than not, however, the hole simply doesn't work even when it's supposed to with a key, ask any custodian. Kwikset doesn't bother with that stupid kind of hole, which I like. Maybe that's why the cylinder can't be replaced, but it seems that a knob release function could be located elsewhere, such as on the inside.
I wish there were other acceptible entry knobsets to give Kwikset a bit of competition. I can imagine a much higher quality entry knob. If there were serious competition, I'd give this knobset, at most, 3 stars, because it basically looks and feels mediocre to me. But at this time, there isn't any competition, since no other locking entry doorknobs are acceptable.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Kwikset 740J 15 SMT CP Juno Entry Knob Featuring SmartKey, Satin Nickel
Grade 2 security entry knob with Smart Key cylinder. Smart Key cylinder eliminates traditional pins and springs. Cylinder design provides instant re key functionality. Smart key cylinder is a bump resistant, higher pick resistant lock. Included with each
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