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Schlage Z-Wave Connect Camelot Review

A high security rating only slightly makes up for limitations in remote access sharing
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Schlage Z-Wave Connect Camelot Review
Price:  $275 List
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Manufacturer:   Schlage
By Max Mutter and Steven Tata  ⋅  Sep 29, 2022
62
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#9 of 9
  • Smart Features - 35% 5.2
  • Keyless Entry - 25% 5.2
  • Security - 25% 9.2
  • Installation - 15% 5.2

Our Verdict

Designed for use with Z-Wave smart hubs, the Schlage Z-Wave Connect Camelot is geared towards people who have already adopted a Z-Wave platform for their smart home setup. If you're mainly looking for a smart lock that lets you quickly and easily share access to your home with others, we think it's worth spending the extra money on the Sense. But if you already have a Z-Wave hub and just want a smart lock that lets you check its status remotely and get into your house without a key, the Schlage Camelot will fit the bill and save you a little money.
REASONS TO BUY
High security rating
Convenience of a keypad
REASONS TO AVOID
Cannot easily grant time-limited access
Smart hub not included

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Bottom Line High security with keypad functionality, but remote access sharing options are somewhat limitedAn easy to install option with great security, good connectivity, and is easily used with just about any smart home systemStreamlined smart features in an easy to install and high-security packageAn affordable home device that works well with the Wyze smart home ecosystemOne of the best options for people that want to be able to share access to their home and check on the status of the front door remotely
Rating Categories Schlage Z-Wave Conn... August WiFi Smart Schlage Encode Wyze Lock Schlage Sense with...
Smart Features (35%)
5.2
7.4
7.2
6.4
8.4
Keyless Entry (25%)
5.2
8.4
6.3
8.4
5.2
Security (25%)
9.2
10.0
9.6
6.4
6.0
Installation (15%)
5.2
8.4
7.2
8.4
6.0
Specs Schlage Z-Wave Conn... August WiFi Smart Schlage Encode Wyze Lock Schlage Sense with...
Apple HomeKit No Yes No No Yes
Amazon Alexa With Hub Yes Yes Yes Yes
Google Assistant No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Smartphone Compatible With Hub Yes Yes Yes Yes
Z-Wave Yes Yes No No Yes
Zigbee No No No Yes No
ANSI Rating Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 3 Grade 3
Uses Existing Deadbolt or Full Replacement Replacement Existing Replacement Existing Replacement
Deadbolt Included Yes No Yes No Yes
Backset 2 3/8" or 2 3/4" 2 3/8" or 2 3/4" 2 3/8" or 2 3/4" 2 3/8 or 2 3/4 2 3/8" or 2 3/4"
Door Thickness Range 1 3/8" - 2 1/4" 1 3/8" - 2 1/4" 1 3/8" - 1 3/4" 1 3/8" - 1 3/4" 1 3/8" - 2 1/4"
Face Bore Hole Diameter 1 1/2" or 2 1/8" 1 1/2" or 2 1/8" 2 1/8" 2 1/8" 2 1/8"
Power Requirement AA Batteries Pre-installed batteries AA Batteries AA Batteries
Hub plugs into the wall
AA Batteries
Hub plugs into the wall

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Schlage Z-Wave Camelot is a full replacement smart lock that completely takes the place of your existing deadbolt. It's compatible with Amazon Alexa and other Z-Wave hubs.

Performance Comparison


schlage z-wave connect camelot - the schlage camelot earns a high ansi grade but lacks a lot of the...
The Schlage Camelot earns a high ANSI Grade but lacks a lot of the remote access features we want in a smart lock.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Smart Features


The Schlage Z-Wave Camelot is one of many smart locks we tested that does not come bundled with a smart hub. As its name suggests, this lock is optimized to work with Z-Wave enabled smart hubs, and in our testing, we used the Wink 2 Hub. This lets you access smart features and even use the lock with Alexa. However, we found these smart features to be somewhat limited. You can do all the basic things like checking the status of the lock and unlocking/locking it remotely as well as view an activity log of what the lock has done. Beyond that, this lock feels more like a dumb keypad lock than a smart one. You can make keypad codes to share with specific people, but from the app you can only share those codes via email, not via text. Also, you can't put time constraints on those codes, so you're essentially providing 24/7 access until you remember to delete that code. In our opinion, this doesn't feel much better than just texting someone the code to a dumb keypad lock.

schlage z-wave connect camelot - the schlage camelot's keypad is its best 'smart' feature.
The Schlage Camelot's keypad is its best 'smart' feature.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Keyless Entry


When it comes to keyless entry, we almost always prefer keypad locks. Punching in a code feels more convenient to use than having to take out a phone and open an app. This greatly endeared the Schlage Camelot to us when it came to keyless entry. Unlocking via the app was also smooth, so if you prefer to go that route, we found the Camelot to be completely reliable.

schlage z-wave connect camelot - in our opinion, the best smart lock feature is a keypad, like those...
In our opinion, the best smart lock feature is a keypad, like those on all of the Schlage models we tested.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Security


This is the only area where the Schlage Camelot performed very well in our testing. In fact, the Camelot is one of the most secure locks we tested, boasting a commercial level ANSI Grade 1 security rating. This means it can stand up to lots of use, abuse, and multiple attempts to kick the door in. It also has an auto-lock feature that engages the deadbolt after 30 seconds of inactivity. We found this feature to be reliable.

schlage z-wave connect camelot - the camelot carries a commercial grade security rating.
The Camelot carries a commercial grade security rating.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Installation


The Schlage Camelot generally fits into standard doors, but it has fewer tolerances than some of the other locks we tested. That means it's likely you can install the Camelot into the vacated hole left by your old deadbolt without any modifications, but there's a slightly higher chance you might need to do a little extra DIYing than there is with some other models. The installation itself is also a bit more involved than with other locks. It took us 20 minutes to install the Camelot, while the average install time for our locks was around 15 minutes. Setting up the app and smart hub was fairly straightforward. In general, we wouldn't let the installation process of the Camelot dissuade you unless you tend to shy away from home DIY projects.

schlage z-wave connect camelot - we found the schlage camelot to be relatively harder, but still not...
We found the Schlage Camelot to be relatively harder, but still not difficult to install.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Should You Buy the Schlage Z-Wave Connect Camelot?


The Schlage Z-Wave Camelot lists for less than many of the others but requires a smart hub to be able to use its smart features, adding to its overall cost. That means that getting it up and running is not any less expensive than many of the smart locks we tested that we think have far more usable features. However, if you want a lock with the highest security rating and are willing to sacrifice some smart access-sharing ability to get it, the Camelot may be a decent value.

What Other Smart Locks Should You Consider?


The Schlage Z-Wave Camelot offers a top-notch security rating but falls short when it comes to remote access sharing. If you want all the smart features you can handle, check out the Schlage Sense instead. But if you already have a compatible smart hub and want a high-security but simple top-rated smart lock that provides you with an activity log, this may be a good choice.

Max Mutter and Steven Tata