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It may be a little unusual to point out how a modern product benefits by not having WiFi, Bluetooth, Alexa, or really any connection to the internet or other devices at all. But sometimes, you can’t beat the old school feeling of physical touch — and the security of a can’t-be-duplicated fingerprint. That’s where a fingerprint lock comes into play.
How Do Fingerprint Locks Work?
As the name suggests, the best fingerprint padlocks use your unique fingerprint to unlock the device, meaning you can bypass annoying digital codes or passwords you never remember.
That’s far from the only benefit though, as a smart-padlock immediately eliminates the hassles of traditional locks — no more forgetting where you put the keys, or forgetting the combination altogether. With a smart-lock, the key was in your hands all along. One registered fingerprint is all it takes to pop it open, then close it back up and feel assured that your stuff is safe from being stolen.
While some smart padlocks are more secure than others, both in their mechanical design as well as fingerprint scanning quality, most are able to hold at least a few hands’ worth of prints. Not only is this more than enough for an entire family to have full access, but it’s also advised to get at least a couple of your own prints recorded into the unit, for the times when your initial fingerprint may not be recognizable. This can be a huge help when your main finger is covered in dirt, paint, or bandaged up.
There’s a varying degree of how much of the outdoor elements these locks can weather, but most are rated an IP65 on the Ingress Protection code scale, meaning that generally they can hold up to dust, wind and water. But before you buy a lock that’s going to live outside, or guard something important, always make sure it’s up to the task.
These four options are all fingerprint-friendly, and completely disconnected from anything that could leak your data.
