An affordable smart lock with strong third-party platform support

The affordable Bosma Aegis Smart Lock is easy to install, operates silently, and works with lots of other smart home devices.

If your old-school deadbolt simply isn't high-tech enough for your home, a smart lock could be the solution. The Bosma Aegis Smart Lock ($119.99) is a moderately priced model that lets you lock and unlock your door with your phone or voice. It’s very easy to install, works quietly, and supports lots of other smart devices via IFTTT. However, it requires a hub (included), and you need to pay extra for a wireless keypad with fingerprint scanning, so it isn't quite as seamless as our Editors’ Choice winner, the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro Wi-Fi.

The $119.99 package we reviewed includes the lock assembly, a small plug-in Wi-Fi hub that connects the lock to your home network, four AA batteries, four tailpiece adapters, and an adhesive strip for installation. For $149.98, you can get an Aegis Smart Lock and Keypad bundle that includes everything above, as well as a wireless keypad with a fingerprint scanner. And for $249.99, you can get both the Aegis Smart Lock and a Sentry Video Doorbell.

As with the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, the Aegis uses your existing deadbolt assembly and outside cylinder; the only thing you replace is the interior thumb-turn component. The octagonal lock measures 3.5 by 3.5 by 2.6 inches (HWD) and sports a black and gray color scheme. It's slightly thicker than both the cylindrical August (2.8 by 1.8 inches) and boxy Ultraloq (2.9 by 2.9 by 1.2 inches) models.

To lock and unlock the door manually, just turn the whole lock to the right or left depending on the orientation of your deadbolt. The magnetic front cover pops off to reveal the battery compartment, LED indicators, and a reset button. The interior also houses a button that you press to lock or unlock the door. The LEDs glow blue when you lock the door and green when you unlock it.

The lock features a Bluetooth radio but lacks built-in Wi-Fi—it relies on the included Wi-Fi module to communicate with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The module, which measures 1.0 by 2.5 by 2.5 inches, plugs into an outlet and connects to the 2.4GHz band of your network. It has a pairing button and two LED indicators: one glows red during setup and the other turns blue once you connect the device to your network.

You can control the Aegis lock via Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, as well as configure it to work with other devices on those platforms. It also supports IFTTT, which significantly expands its interoperability with third-party smart home devices and services. However, the lock doesn’t integrate with Apple’s HomeKit platform.

The Aegis lock uses the same Bosma mobile app (available for Android and iOS) as the Sentry Video Doorbell. Tap the device's dedicated panel to open a screen with a large circle; it turns blue when the door is locked and gold when it is unlocked. Simply tap the circle to lock or unlock the door.

A battery level indicator, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signal strength indicators, and a gear icon sit at the top of the screen. That last option allows you to toggle features such as Auto-Unlock (which automatically unlocks the door based on your location or when you're within Bluetooth range), Auto-Lock (which immediately locks the door when you close it), Break-In Detection (which sounds an alarm when someone tampers with the alarm), and Door Security Alarm (which sounds an alarm every few minutes that the door is open). Other settings allow you to view an activity history log, enable notifications, and create guest codes that expire after a certain period (guests need to download the mobile app to use these codes).

Because you only need to replace the interior thumb-turn component of your existing lock, installing the Aegis is quick and easy.

With the door open, put the deadbolt in the locked position and place the adhesive tape over the key cylinder on the outside of the door to prevent it from falling. Remove the two bolts that hold the thumb-turn in place, remove the thumb-turn, and use the same bolts to attach the Aegis mounting plate to the exterior cylinder. Select the tailpiece adapter that fits your deadbolt’s tailpiece, slide it on, and attach the Aegis lock to the mounting plate. When the lock is flush with the plate, snap the two locking wings into place to secure it. 

Next, download the Bosma mobile app and create an account. Open the app, tap the plus icon in the upper right corner, and select the Aegis lock from the list of devices. Follow the instructions to install the four AA batteries, and tap Next to search for the lock via Bluetooth. After a few seconds, the lock pops up in the app and your Alexa device list; at this point, you can give it a name. Then, follow the instructions to calibrate the lock and select the option to pair the lock with the gateway. Plug in the gateway, and when the LED glows red, tap Next. Press the pairing button on the gateway, confirm that the LED is flashing blue, then press the main button on the lock. To complete the installation, confirm that the lock LED is flashing green, select your Wi-Fi SSID, and enter your Wi-Fi password when the app prompts you to connect to your network. 

The Aegis lock worked well in testing. The lock’s motor is extremely quiet and responds instantly to app commands to lock and unlock the door. The Auto-Lock and Auto-Unlock features worked as advertised, as did the Break-In Detection and Door Security Alarm features. Moreover, the lock didn't hesitate to recognize Alexa voice commands.

The affordable Bosma Aegis Smart lock is an easy-to-install upgrade to your existing lock that reliably responds to both voice and app commands. We like its simplicity and understated looks, though it requires a hub and you have to pay a bit more if you want extra features such as a keypad. If you require an all-in-one solution, the aforementioned Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro Wi-Fi is our Editors’ Choice winner. It’s more expensive than the Aegis lock, but it doesn't need a hub and includes both a fingerprint scanner and touchpad. The Wyze Lock is a good affordable alternative that also doesn't require a hub, but it's not compatible with as many third-party devices.

The affordable Bosma Aegis Smart Lock is easy to install, operates silently, and works with lots of other smart home devices.

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As a Contributing Editor for PCMag, John Delaney has been testing and reviewing monitors, TVs, PCs, networking and smart home gear, and other assorted hardware and peripherals for almost 20 years. A 13-year veteran of PC Magazine's Labs (most recently as Director of Operations), John was responsible for the recruitment, training and management of the Labs technical staff, as well as evaluating and maintaining the integrity of the Labs testing machines and procedures. Prior to joining Ziff Davis, John spent six years in retail operations for Federated Stores, Inc. before accepting a purchasing position with Morris Decision Systems, one of New York's first value-added resellers of the original IBM PC. For the next five years, he was responsible for buying and configuring IBM PC, XT and AT desktops for many of New York's financial institutions. He then worked for the now defunct ComputerLand chain of PC dealers before joining PC Magazine in 1987.

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