Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro + Wi-Fi Bridge Review

The Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro from U-tec ($219.99) is one of the most versatile smart locks to hit PC Labs. As with most models, it uses a mobile app that lets you lock and unlock your door from anywhere with your phone, and it has a keypad that lets you use permanent and time-based temporary pin codes. It also

has a fingerprint scanner, as well as a keyed cylinder hidden behind the keypad. As if that weren't enough, the U-Bolt Pro can be locked using voice commands, and it's one of the first smart locks we've tested that can also be unlocked using voice commands. Throw in support for third-party smart devices 

and you've got our new Editors' Choice for smart locks.The U-Bolt Pro we tested is a complete set that comes with interior and exterior escutcheons, a deadbolt assembly, mounting screws, 4 AA batteries, a screwdriver a drilling template, and a plug-in Wi-Fi bridge. You can also order it without the Wi-Fi

 bridge for $189.99. The lock fits standard doors with a thickness of 1-5/16 to 2.0 inches and a 2-1/8-inch diameter hole with a 2-3/8- to 2-3/4-inch backset.The black and silver exterior escutcheon measures 2.9 by 2.9 by 1.2 inches (HWD) and is made of a Zinc Alloy material. It has a 360-degree 

capacitive fingerprint scanner in the center, with an LED ring that briefly glows green when the device is locked or unlocked and glows red when an incorrect pin or fingerprint is used. Surrounding the scanner are 10 backlit number buttons (0-9) for entering pin codes and an Ultraloq button that will lock 

the door from the outside and illuminate the keypad. One of the coolest features is the hidden keyway, which is accessed by pulling the keypad out and folding it down on its hinge. On the bottom edge of the escutcheon, behind a rubber cover, is a micro USB port that can b

The interior escutcheon also sports a black-and-silver color scheme and measures 4.9 by 2.9 by 0.9 inches. It has a thumb turn knob for manual operation and a removable cover for the four AA batteries that power the lock. A reset button is located on the bottom edge.

The U-bolt Pro is equipped with a Bluetooth radio, but lacks an embedded Wi-Fi radio. Instead, it comes with a small plug-in 2.4GHz Wi-Fi bridge that connects the lock to your home network and allows you to control it from anywhere. It also allows you to lock and unlock it with Amazon Alexa and 

Google Assistant voice commands, and use IFTTT applets to have it work with third-party smart devices such as lights and security cameras. That said, it doesn't support Apple's HomeKit platform.

Other features include Auto-Lock, which locks the door after a preset period of time, Auto-Unlock, which uses your phone's location services to unlock the door as you approach it, and Magic Shake, which unlocks the door when you shake your phone while standing in front of the outer escutcheon

. Additionally, you can create permanent pin codes and temporary pin codes with start and end dates and configure them for certain times of the day and days of the week. You can also give temporary users scheduled fingerprint and mobile app access.

The U-tec mobile app (for Android and iOS) opens to a screen that lists all of your installed U-tec locks. Tap a lock tab to open a screen with a large lock/unlock button that shows the current time and lock status. The button is green when the door is unlocked and red when it is locked.

At the bottom of the screen are Lock, Users, Logs, and Settings buttons. The Lock button takes you back to the screen with the lock/unlock button and the Users button takes you to a screen where you can add users and give them permanent and temporary fingerprint, app, and pin code access. The Logs 

screen displays a timeline of all lock activity and shows you who locked or unlocked the door and how (app, fingerprint, voice, or manual). In the Settings screen you can check the battery level, enable