Holding out for a sub-$100 smart lock? Check out Sesame

By Drew Prindle February 25, 2015

Last year was a big year for smart locks. 2014 saw the release of a wide variety of different models, including ones from big-name brands like Kwikset and Schlage, as well as ones from up-and-coming smart home startups like Lockitron and August.

This week, yet another company is joining the fray. Palo Alto-based startup Candy House has just launched a crowdfunding campaign to kick-start the launch of its Sesame connected deadbolt.

Based on the information on the company’s website, Sesame does all the same tricks that we’re used to seeing from smart locks. It syncs up with your smartphone to free you from the burden of carrying physical keys and comes bundled with a mobile app that allows you to do things like: track usage, send virtual keys to guests, or even remotely unlock your door.

It’s definitely not the first lock to offer this kind of functionality, but being late to the game does have certain advantages. It appears that Candy House has cherry picked all the best design features from the competition and brought them all together in Sesame.

Unlike other locks that are Bluetooth-only, Sesame boasts both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, meaning it offers both proximity-based and remote activation. So long as you’ve got a cellular data connection, you can control the deadbolt from anywhere.

Candy House’s lock is also quite smart in terms of physical form. Similar to Lockitron’s Bolt, Sesame is designed to fit over your existing deadbolt, so the installation process presumably won’t be very difficult.

You’d think that all these nifty features and functionality would come with a high price tag, but Candy House is currently offering preorders for as low as $89 on Kickstarter. It’s expected to retail for $149 once its past the crowdfunding stage, so if you’re looking for a deal, you’ll need to strike while the iron is hot.

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Drew Prindle is an award-winning writer, editor, and storyteller who currently serves as Senior Features Editor for Digital…

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