Austria-based smart lock company Nuki has today announced its latest offering, the Nuki Smart Lock Ultra. This new lock, whilst still working in much the same manner as its predecessors, has significantly upped its game (finally…). It has achieved this by both redesigning the look of the lock (incidentally also reducing the size), and adding Matter over Thread to the mix.
Gone is the bulk of the unit that sat behind the doorknob which was for the batteries, leaving just the knob itself. This is akin to the take that Polish company Tedee took with their own smart lock offering. The Ultra still retains the signature LED ring, however, which has always looked great.
Inside the unit is a new brushless motor, which not only reduces noise, but is more energy efficient. The body is made of stainless steel, but also comes with a base ring that can be switched out, with a choice of black or white. Rechargeable built-in lithium polymer batteries are also included, with full charging lasting 2 hours. The built in batteries should last around 10 years. Recharging is achieved via a magnetic charging connector.
The Ultra offers three unlock speeds, the fastest of which is 3.4 times faster than previous generations of Nuki lock, with even the slowest speed being 1.5 times faster.
The package also comes with an included, newly designed Universal cylinder to not only offer maximum compatibility, but one of the highest security marks available in Europe, namely EN 1303 and DIN18252. This of course includes the emergency function that allows a key to be installed in the outside half of the lock even when there’s a key inserted on the inner half. This eurocylinder is required in order for you to use the Ultra.
Even though the Ultra offers Matter over Thread, which allows it to work directly with Apple Home, Samsung SmartThings, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa, there’s also the option to use WiFi without the need for an additional hub. WiFi in this case is built into the lock itself.
One small but important note is that, unusually for many smart home products these days, the Ultra is designed, but also manufactured in Europe.
If you opt for Matter over Thread, you will of course need both a Matter Controller and a Thread Border Router for complete control, but for many users these are already in place; The HomePod mini, 2nd Gen HomePod, and Latest Apple TV (128GB) all take on both of these roles. This is a welcome change, given that Nuki has clung to Bluetooth (and old versions to boot) for way too long now.
Nuki has also stated that they plan to release a separate keypad in 2025, that should support the upcoming Aliro standard, allowing the Ultra to unlock as you approach, using UWB (Ultra Wide Band) technology found in Apple’s own AirTags. Existing Nuki keypads will work with the Ultra, however.
Although the lock is not yet available for purchase, the final price will be €349 – an increase of €60 on the previous Smart Lock Pro, although when you factor in Matter over Thread, the new smaller footprint, and the eurocylinder, the price is actually pretty reasonable by comparison. Whether this will be enough to sway European users away from Aqara’s U200 remains to be seen, which also offers Apple HomeKey and a keypad for a lot less, remains to be seen.
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