After being one of the major companies to introduce smart locks to the market a few years ago, Yale launched the Linus™ L2 smart lock in Israel, through Mul-T-Lock. This is a new generation of smart locking technology that allows door opening without the need for a key. According to the company, the new model offers improved performance compared to its predecessor, with a more powerful motor, a rechargeable battery, and an integrated internet bridge (built-in Wi-Fi), enabling remote control and monitoring. The installation is simple and done on the existing cylinder with an internal button, with no need for drilling or modifications to the door.
With the Linus™ L2, the door can be opened in different ways: Fingerprint, keypad, dedicated app, or proximity reader, and the lock automatically engages. The Yale Home app allows real-time viewing of the door's status and event logs, as well as granting permanent or temporary permissions to users from anywhere in the world. The DoorSense™ technology provides feedback on the door's status, ensuring complete control over home access. The lock is equipped with a removable rechargeable battery, making charging simple without the need for cables to the door. For Shabbat and Jewish holiday observers, the lock includes a manual mode, approved by the Tzomet Institute, allowing manual opening with a key.
Especially because of the Shabbat mode mechanism, we chose a traditional tester, a father of a family with five members. Here is his impression.
"Every parent knows that stressful phone call from the kids, 20 minutes after school ends. Even before you answer, you suddenly remember: I forgot to return their key to the bag. Now they want to get into the house, but you're in a work meeting, and Mom's in the office and not available, and the older sister is in high school.
"Thank God (actually, thank you, Yale), this problem has disappeared from the map of potential disruptions in our lives. Three weeks ago, we installed the Linus™ L2 smart lock, and our lives have changed. No more keys, no more planning, and most importantly, no more losses and forgetfulness. In less than half an hour of simple installation, downloading the user-friendly app, and a short, friendly lesson, a new world opened up before me: No more need for a key. Well, you still need one, but only as a backup to be kept in a fixed place and used only in emergencies. From now on, entering and exiting the house is done via fingerprint or code. Forgot to lock? No worries, you can program how long after closing the door it will automatically lock.
"You're not home and need someone to enter without giving them a code—babysitter, helper, or anyone else—you can open the door remotely via your cell phone. And if you want to give them a temporary code, you can do that in a moment. The lock has a rechargeable battery that should last for a few months (so far, we haven't heard complaints), and removing and replacing it is easy to do. The whole system is connected via built-in Wi-Fi, and there's even a solution for Shabbat observers."
And now, to the issue at hand: "On Friday afternoon, just before lighting the candles, I stood with the phone by the door, connected to Bluetooth, and simply switched the lock to Shabbat mode. The only downside is with the keypad, which detects movement and lights up when someone approaches; I removed its (regular) battery, and the company promised that in the next product update, this function will be eliminated, and the Shabbat mode will include this feature as well.
"My kids, whether because they are well-behaved (not really) or because they haven't yet learned the world of hacking, don't know that there's another surprise waiting for them. From my cellphone, I can track every opening, closing, and locking of the door. Yes, even when they're supposed to be at school. But I haven't told them that yet. Let it stay between us."
The lock is available in silver and black. The recommended retail price for the base package, which includes the lock, the Yale DOT proximity reader, and the rechargeable battery, is NIS 1,100 (including VAT, excluding installation).