Homekit Weekly: Upgrade your interior doors with the ThorBolt MK1 smart lock

If you’re looking to upgrade one of your interior doors to a smart lock, you’ll want to check out the ThorBolt MK1 with Thread support. It offers an excellent combination of sleek design, advanced technology, and easy integration with Apple HomeKit, particularly leveraging Thread. With remote management capabilities, you can lock or unlock your doors, monitor activity, and set automation via the Home app, Siri, and Shortcuts app.

HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything to do with Apple’s smart home framework.

Access options with the ThorBolt MK1

One of the key things I like about the Thorbolt MK1 is its multi-method access. Beyond HomeKit control, users can choose to unlock with their fingerprint, passcode, traditional keys (included), Siri commands, and USB-C power backup if the batteries die.

I really like fingerprint recognition technology, thanks to its intelligent learning capabilities. It has really fast response times, which is said to improve accuracy and speed with repeated unlocks with the same fingerprint. This makes it convenient for families, office environments, or shared spaces, where up to 50 people can be granted access with 100 passcodes and 100 fingerprints available for easy management via the app.

Installation process

Overall, installation is straightforward and only requires a Phillips head screwdriver. The manual mentions that an automatic drill-based driver can break the device, so tightening everything manually is essential. It’s no different than installing a traditional door knob as well. It’s designed to be done in under ten minutes once you have all the right tools and everything is unboxed.

The ThorBolt MK1 is built to fit most standard U.S. doors and, with 4 AA batteries, offers up to a year of use before new batteries are needed. As I mentioned earlier, should the batteries die while it’s locked, you can unlock the door by connecting a USB-C power bank or using a backup key, adding another layer of convenience and security.

HomeKit support

Although it supports Thread, it doesn’t support Matter over Thread, so HomeKit is the only smart home platform it supports. For my use cases, that’s not a problem, though. The doorknob has a HomeKit code on the underside, so once it’s installed and powered on, you can scan it to add it to your HomeKit environment. Once it’s in there, you can monitor the status of it as well as lock/unlock it remotely.

Use cases for interior doors

While most smart locks are built for exterior doors, the ThorBolt MK1s are ideal for improving security and convenience in various interior spaces. Here are a few key use cases:

1. Bedrooms: Especially in shared living spaces, it’s extremely helpful
2. Home office: Safeguard confidential documents or expensive computer equipment.
3. Rental Properties: Ideal for Airbnb hosts or house rentals, offering easy access management for guests.

Wrap up on ThorBolt MK1

In conclusion, the ThorBolt MK1 Smart Fingerprint Door Knob offers a feature-rich, user-friendly experience, combining advanced security with the convenience of Apple HomeKit integration over Thread. Its multiple unlock options, DIY installation, and ergonomic design make it a top choice for HomeKit fans looking to upgrade the security of interior rooms. Whether for a bedroom, office, or shared living space, the Thorbolt MK1 is a reliable and great looking option.

You can buy the ThorBolt MK1 from Amazon.