What is the most fundamental step to protect your home from invaders? Let us tell you that it is locking the door. However, if you want some extra peace of mind while you sleep, there is no alternative to picking the best front door lock. Now you may ask, What type of lock is best for a front door?
A five-lever mortise lock is hands down, the best choice for home security. The second choice can be the euro cylinder deadbolt lock with the double cylinder lock following close behind. For a key-free option, smart locks are also available.
So, how do these lock systems work? And, most importantly, which one will suit your front door the best? We have answered all of these queries in the article. Keep reading till the end to find out.
What Is The Most Secure Type Of Front Door Lock?
The best protection for your front and the back door would be a five-lever mortise lock. How do you identify it? Well, the term “5-levers” is engraved clearly on the plate.
The lock is embedded into the door instead of the surface only. Plus, it only works on wooden doors. So, if the door material is something else, it’s not for you. You can also unlock it from both sides of the door using a key.
Because of its ability to defeat any duplication trick, insurance companies tell you to install it. However, there are standard and BS3621 approved versions of this lock.
Normally, the BS3621 certified lock is more secure. If you get this lock for your front door, you can get away by paying less insurance premium. That’s a huge plus point, isn’t it?
What Type of Lock should Be Used on Exterior Doors?
Five-lever mortise locks are expensive and not suitable for every door type. That’s why we have prepared this list of locks for exterior doors. Just go through the details, and you will find the perfect match for your door.
Quick Preview of the Best Door Locks:
| Points of comparison | Five-Lever Mortise Lock | Double Bolt Locks | Standard Deadbolt Locks | Knob Locks | Smart/ Electronic Locks |
| Keys (both side or one) | Both sides work with key | Only the outer side requires keys | Euro cylinder: one side Double Cylinder: Both side | Only the outer side requires keys | Key-less |
| Security level | Highest | Medium | High | Weak | High |
| Door Type | Wooden doors | uPVC or glass sliding doors | Mostly wooden or steel doors | Doors with Knob or handle | Material doesn’t matter. |
Also read my recent article where I explain how to choose the best keyless door locks.
Double Bolt Locks
Since you can’t install the previous lock in a uPVC door, we have come up with an alternative to that. Double bolt locks are also known as sliding door locks. That’s because it is a highly popular choice for glass sliding doors.
Another version is the keyed lock. It is also for glass sliding doors. If you want to operate the lock from both sides of the door, you can pick this one.
The best part is that this lock doesn’t let anyone lift the door from the tracks.
Standard Deadbolt Locks
Deadbolt locks can be termed “springless” locks. If you can’t go for the top-notch five-lever mortice lock, opt for a Double cylinder or a Euro cylinder deadbolt. You can open the lock only using a key or some other access control system.
It has two forms: euro cylinder and double cylinder. The euro-cylinder lock doesn’t require a key to open from the inside. Just turning the knob would be enough. It is the oldest and simplest version.
However, the double cylinder locks require keys to open from both sides. That’s why we prefer the Euro cylinder lock more. Because it would be tough in the event of a fire emergency to leave the house if you can’t find the right key. But you can choose to lock the door only when no one is inside to avoid such incidents.
Knob Locks
This is perhaps the most common type of door lock. A cylinder runs through the knob to the door frame. Inside that cylinder, you will find pins of different patterns and heights. All the parts work together as you insert the key. The key has notches to push every pin and unlock the door.
Both the knobs can repeal the lock. However, if you are inside, turning the knob is enough in terms of unlocking the door. The key is needed for the outside knob to retract the latch.
The door must have a handle or knob on the outside part to install this lock. We should remind you that such locks are vulnerable to various picking methods.
For example, bobby pins, paper clips, and even flathead screwdrivers can penetrate the pins through the keyhole. It is not the safest lock out there. But you can enhance the security by including CCTV cameras and alarms in the system.
Smart/ Electronic Locks
Living in a digital world has its perks. Smart locks are one of them. No need to stand outside the door digging your bag for the key. A smart lock system allows your smartphone to act as a substitute for the key. You can type the password in the smartphone app and the door will unlock automatically!
Suppose you are having guests and no one is at the house to welcome them. You will get a notification through the app whenever someone is at the door. Or, you can create up to 30 unique passwords and assign them to certain persons.
For example, the babysitter, or the house cleaner will have separate custom passwords to unlock the door for them. It saves you from hiding the key in weird places every day.
Some smart locks work perfectly fine alongside the existing traditional lock. Or, you might opt for a new keyless smart lock system.
Did I Answer Everything You Wants to Know About What Type of Lock is Best for Front Door?
The cameras, security alarms, etc will fail miserably without a strong lock on the door. That’s the shield to keep your possessions and your family members safe. So, there should be no compromise while picking the perfect fit for your door!
That’s why we tried to clear up your confusion regarding what type of lock is best for a front door. Hope you have decided by now which one to pick.
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q’s):
What Type Of Door Lock Is Most Secure for front door? Mortise locks are the most secure form of deadlocks. Try to go for the five-lever models. Also, the BS3621 certified ones are built a little differently and are safer.
Which Brand Is The Best For Locks? There are various reputable brands that you can trust. But the most famous ones are Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, and Baldwin.
What Is A Grade 3 Door Lock? Grade 3 lock is the most unreliable one among all the grades. This type of lock can tolerate 200000 cycles and a weight test of 150 pounds.
Can You Pick The Deadbolt Using Cards? You can’t pick the deadbolts with credit cards as they don’t come with spring latches. You may push those latches through the carding technique.