Tired of missing out on the smart home of your dream because you rent? SwitchBot has the answer, with their new retrofit smart door lock (and more!)

If you are a renter, you may not be able to install smart locks, thermostats, wall switches, and other products. SwitchBot's mechanical smart solutions may be the answer. With its products, you can have a smart home without permanently changing your dwelling. Lock a deadbolt, turn on lights from a wall switch, and turn on a fan when the room gets too warm without rewiring or even putting holes in your walls.

If you have a key fob for your car and don't need to take keys out of your pocket or purse to get in and start your car, it's annoying to have to find them to unlock the front door. With the SwitchBot Smart Lock, you can unlock the door from the SwitchBot smartphone app or with a voice command from Google Assistant or Alexa. With the optional SwitchBot touch keypad, you can wave your wallet with an NFC card, touch the keypad with a finger, or give a one-time code to others.

The best part is that it's non-destructive: you don't even have to remove your current door lock to install it. And it even attaches to the door with super-strength double-sided tape, so you don't have to drill holes. Is this the ultimate retrofit smart lock for renters? Let's find out—and we'll be looking at how the rest of the SwitchBot ecosystem can interact.

If you follow the instructions step-by-step, it's easy to install the door lock, but be sure you don't skip anything. Install the SwitchBot app on your phone and create an account. Setup instructions are in the phone app or the quick start guide.

First, you must be sure there is space above or below the deadbolt handle (called a "thumbturn") where you can attach the SwitchBot Smart Lock.

Also, check that your deadbolt turns smoothly. If it sticks or requires force, see if the bolt is lined up with the hole in the doorjamb. If the deadbolt was poorly installed, you might need to check for splintered wood or other obstructions in the hole.

The Lock comes with three different-sized lock turners. Find the one that will fit over the thumbturn. You don't want it to wiggle, or the Lock won't get the leverage it needs to turn the handle.

Follow the instructions to determine the unit's best position so it lays flat against the door and can turn the thumbturn. You will need to adjust the screws to create the right angle.

After making adjustments, hold it in place, and test it. If everything looks right, use the double-sided tape to attach the Lock to the door over the thumbturn.

You must follow the directions to calibrate the Lock. Every time the Lock performs a firmware update, it will display an error and won't lock. Although there is no notification, you'll need to re-calibrate the Lock, which will fix the problem.

If the deadbolt partially locks, the app may register that your door is open. If the app thinks the Lock is open, it will not unlock it, and you will need a key to open the door. In that case, the Lock should be recalibrated.

As long as you take your time to adjust it correctly when you install it and calibrate it, the SwitchBot Lock works well. Even a slightly sticky or difficult thumbturn can be operated by the SwitchBot Lock.

The app is handy if you forget to lock your door before you leave, as it sends you a notification that your door is unlocked. If the Lock is paired with a SwitchBot mini hub, it can connect to the internet, and you can lock the door from the app when you are away.

The app logs the date and time the door is locked or unlocked and the method used—manual, Alexa, keypad, fingerprint, etc. This could be useful to learn when someone entered your house and how they got in.

SwitchBot also offers keypads that let you enter or lock the door from outside. They work by setting up a six-number code that you can punch in to unlock the door. It can be attached to the outside doorjamb with screws or the included strong, double-sided tape.

There are two keypad models—a basic model and a touchpad version. The touchpad adds the convenience of recognizing a fingerprint to open the door. You can set it up to identify more than one finger and more than one person.

It worked very well. It's likely to become the way you'll unlock the door since you need a free hand to turn the door knob and touch is the fastest way to unlock it.

Use the lock button to lock the door when you leave. It never failed, even when forgetting things in the house and locking and unlocking the door several times in a row.

The touchpad also comes with an NFC card that can be waved near it to open the door. Temporary codes can be set up that only work for specific dates.

At first, it may seem that the touch keypad is unnecessary, but it's handy when you:

Voice assistants can control the SwitchBot Lock. Be sure that cloud services are enabled to use Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, or Siri Shortcuts.

Alexa requires enabling the SwitchBot skill, and you'll need to set up a PIN. You'll have to give you that PIN when you ask to unlock the door.

By the time you have asked Alexa, replied with the PIN, and the door has unlocked, you'll probably be at the door. Still, it could be helpful if you want to unlock it for visitors without having to go to the door.

Pairing an optional mini SwitchBot Remote with the Lock allows you to unlock or lock the door from anywhere in your home. The remote can be attached to a wall, or multiple remotes can be paired and mounted in various rooms of the house.

SwitchBot makes several smart home devices that can be combined to work together. Pairing devices to a mini-hub allow them to be connected to the internet and controlled from the app when you are away from home.

The Plug Mini is genuinely mini. It can be turned on/off, thereby controlling the power of anything plugged into it. It's for indoor use only, and the Plug Mini is useful in Scenes created in the SwitchBot app.

The bot is a unique smart device that combines digital connectivity with physical, mechanical action. The SmartBot Bot has a small lever that can push a button or push/pull a switch. This works well for wall rocker light switches or small buttons on appliances but doesn't work on tall push buttons.

The Bot unit is a bit bulky to place on appliances like a Keurig coffee maker, and it gets in the way of some appliance displays.

However, it fits on a floor-standing fan. Its little lever arm extends and pushes the button when you tap on it in the SwitchBot app.

SwitchBot devices can be combined into Scenes triggered by voice or started automatically when an action happens. For example, turning off the lights connected to a Plug Mini in the living room could trigger the front door to lock. You can another example of SwitchBot Scenes in our SwitchBot Curtains review.

While SwitchBot doesn't currently have a thermostat to start your heater or air conditioning, you can heat or cool a room automatically in other ways.

The SwitchBot Thermometer and Hygrometer Plus (Weather Meter) can be used to trigger a Scene. The small Weather Meter measures and displays a room's temperature and humidity. Create a Scene where a SwitchBot Bot presses the button to turn on the room fan when the Weather Meter registers heat above 80 degrees, or turn on a room heater when the temperature dips below 68 degrees.

SwitchBot also offers a Smart Humidifier. You can compare it to other smart humidifiers. Its four speeds include an Auto mode that will turn off once the room reaches 40-55% relative humidity. The Humidifier also has an essential oil diffuser.

The Humidifier can also be set up in a Scene. For instance, set up a condition where the Humidifier will turn on when the Weather Meter registers humidity below 20%.

The SwitchBot Alexa skill does not understand a push button command and may also have a problem with Plug Minis. The workaround for this issue is creating a routine in the Alexa app. Learn more about Alexa routines.

First, be sure to enable the SwitchBot skill. Go to New Routine > When This Happens in the Alexa app. Type in a phrase that you will say to start the action. For example, to start the fan, say, "It's too hot."

When testing, the fan was connected to a Plug Mini (so it could quickly turn off automatically with other lights in the room). "It's too hot," turned on the Plug Mini, then pressed the button on the fan.

This unassuming company has created an eco-system of smart home devices accessible to those who can't permanently install devices. The strong adhesive used to attach various devices reliably holds it in place with minimal effect on walls.

The SwitchBot Lock, the SwitchBot Smart Humidifier, and the SwitchBot Bot make a variety of smart tasks available to everyone. While you may have to put a little thought into setting them up to work with Amazon Alexa, your home will be smarter when you are done. Best of all, these products work, and there are frequent firmware updates to keep making them better.

We hope you like the items we recommend and discuss! MUO has affiliate and sponsored partnerships, so we receive a share of the revenue from some of your purchases. This won’t affect the price you pay and helps us offer the best product recommendations.

Barb Gonzalez started writing about technology when she looked at the back of an AV receiver and thought, “How will anyone be able to figure this out on their own?” She’s written and illustrated two books, “The Home Electronics Survival Guide,” and “Home Theater Made Simple,” and worked for numerous websites reviewing and simplifying technology. Barb has an insatiable curiosity about tech and a goal to make it accessible to everyone. When she’s not writing, she loves going on long hikes with her corgi, photographing stunning nature photos.

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