Tossing your house key for a keyless entry lock.

If you ask my wife, my boss or anyone else that knows me, they will probably tell you that I am not the most organized person that you Will ever meet. My tools are usually scattered throughout my garage, and my desk has three mounds of paper work on any given day.

The problem usually comes when I realize that my truck and house keys are buried somewhere under all that mess, and that I will be spending most of my day looking for them. The other thing I will admit to you is that I am also not the most punctual person either, which leaves me racing out the door without my keys on a daily basis. This then leaves me crawling through a window or smashing my new key lock box (that I forgot the combination to) with a hammer to get the spare.

The point is, I always knew there were better locks on the market that would make my life easier, but guys are a strange bread. Not carrying a pocket full of keys is a strange feeling for me. Think about it, whether it's a car, house, boat or safe, everything that is valuable to you takes a key. That being said, by the time you add up all the metal you have hanging from your key chain, you probably won't even remember what key works with what. Not to mention, replacing you prison guard key ring would be a real pain in the butt.

So now that I decided to go keyless, I needed to figure out which type of lock I wanted. The market has many different styles of locks that you can choose from. The wifi smart lock were among the first I looked at. They seemed really cool, but what happens if the electric goes out? (your back to using a key I guess). Not to mention, I am starting to accumulate more apps on my phone than keys in my pocket, so I kept looking. The other two types I looked at were the Kwikset 909 SmartCode push button lock, and Kwikset SmartCode 915 lock. They both seemed easy to use, and I really liked how they looked, so in the cart they went.

The first lock I installed was the SmartCode 909. this was the 909 dead bolt lock. The lock was pretty straight forward when it came to install. There are a few online videos to show you how to get this done, but what I really liked was how easy it was to enter the pin, and actually use.

Now The keypad is nothing fancy, but once you set your pin, you have a four digit pin that you will need to remember to lock and unlock it with. The keypad is a basic push button style that lights up when the buttons are pushed, and they are large enough that you that you can tell which number is being pushed without squinting. Now, the 909 lock may not be the most modern looking lock on the market, but it's extremely well built.

Before I installed this on my side door, I literally dropped it down two flights of steps (Not on purpose), and it never left a scratch. Even if someone were determined enough to get through this little mini tank of a door lock, it would take them a very long time (If ever) while displaying great patience while swinging a very large hammer.

The second lock installed was the Kwikset SmartCode 915. This lock is a bit for expensive, but its a lot cleaners looking than the 909, and it comes with a touch screen rather than buttons. What I really like about this lock is how nice it looks. It's a bit bigger than most other locks, but the beautiful design (with hard tempered glass will not only look good on you garages back door, but a high end home's front door.

The touch screen also makes you enter two random numbers first before you enter you code to prevent someone from looking at you finger prints and guessing the code. what is also great about these locks is that you can change the car anytime you need to, and even set up to six other codes for visitors to use if they are coming to visit.These codes can also be changes or deleted once you guest are gone.

So now that I had these locks installed, it was time to toss my keys. I will admit, it really felt like I was locking myself out every time I closed my door. Now this may sound strange, but after about a week, I really felt a sense of freedom. I did not need to carry my keys with me everywhere, or need to worry about my two kids locking me out of the house as a joke. Even the garage door that I always forget to unlock before I go in the back yard can now be opened by a touch of a button.

These locks truly are great when it comes convenience, looks and security. As for those who worry about the batteries found dead, there is a light that blinks yellow and alerts you that a new battery needed installed. They also have a flashing green and red light that lets you know if your door in locked or unlocked (flashing red= locked / flashing green unlocked). As for price, the 909 is a great buy for around $100.00, and the 915 will run you closer to $180.00.

Both of these lock are also weather resistant, but I have to say that I have a 915 and a 909 that has survived the elements without any protection (snow, rain, wind, sun), and show no signs of wear or fading. They also work as well as the day I installed them.

Kwikset has earned a great reputation in the Home security industry, and now I understand why. Check these locks out at the Home Depot, and let us know what you think.