The new Aqara U500 Gate lock

Aqara

Aqara has announced a new trio of smart locks for the UK market, with the Chinese smart home specialist expanding its compatibility for more awkward doors and closures.

The new Aqara U500 lineup includes three separate models designed for different installations, including glass doors, iron gates and more traditional doors where retrofitting a smart lock can sometimes turn into a DIY nightmare.

The range consists of the Aqara Smart Gate Lock U500, Aqara Smart Rim Lock U500 and Aqara Smart Glass Door Lock U500.

The Gate Lock U500 is aimed at metal gates and grille-style entrances, while the Glass Door Lock U500 is designed for frameless and glass door setups where most smart locks usually can’t be installed.

The Rim Lock U500 takes a more conventional route, using a surface-mounted design that avoids the need for a mortise lock body, which should make installation far less painful.

All three versions share the same core smart features, including fingerprint unlocking, NFC access, passcodes, app controls, voice assistant support and old-skool physical keys for backup access.

Apple users get one of the bigger headline features as the U500 series supports Apple Home Key functionality, letting users store their house key directly inside Apple Wallet and unlock the door by tapping an iPhone or Apple Watch against the lock.

Like Aqara’s most recent smart home launches, the U500 series is Matter over Thread, meaning the locks can connect directly to platforms including Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant without requiring a dedicated Aqara hub, assuming you already have a compatible Matter controller and Thread border router in place (they are built into a bunch of smart speakers, routers, TVs and more… so you may well do.)

Built-in auto-locking uses an onboard gyroscope rather than a separate door sensor, while a Do Not Disturb mode lowers prompts and sounds during quieter hours. There’s also a “One Tap, Dual Unlock” feature that can unlock a second Aqara smart lock automatically when paired together.

The locks are designed for outdoor installations too, with an IP65 weather resistance rating for protection against rain, splashes and dust. Power comes from four AA batteries, with Aqara claiming battery life of up to seven months between replacements.

The U500 series is also Aliro-ready. Aliro went live earlier this year, with the likes of Apple, Google and Samsung all on board through their digital wallet offerings on smartphones and smartwatches.

The U500 models are all available now, with the Rim priced at £279.98, the Gate at £289.99 and the Glass at £299.99.