A sense of safety is one of the things that makes a house feel more like home. One aspect of that sense of safety is the ability to trust the locks on your doors. Kwikset has been an industry leader in locks for decades and is a name that many people associate with security. They sell more Kwikset deadbolts than any other brand by providing tough deadbolts that are secure, affordable, and easy to use. In this article, we review the best-selling Kwikset deadbolt—the 660 model—and compare it to several others available on the market.
Comparison Table |
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What Is Kwikset Deadbolt? |
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A deadbolt is a lock designed to provide extra security beyond that of a handle lock. It functions by driving a locking bar mechanism into the door frame to prevent the door from being pushed open even if the knob is turned. Deadbolts are usually opened on the interior of the door by a hand-turned deadbolt, and the outside by keyed entry only. There are many variations on this, but the basic design of the deadbolt remains.
Kwikset is a company that has been making door locks for over seventy years. They claim to be “committed to delivering unmatched security features.” Their products always meet the standards of the industry and often exceed them. Kwikset deadbolts feature SmartKey Security technology which protects against the most common forms of lock break-ins, lock picking, and bumping. Their locks are designed to allow the homeowner to re-key without the aid of a locksmith.
Product Specs |
The Kwikset Deadbolt 660 model is a traditional colonial design, meant to be used for an exterior door where the homeowner wants to have keyed entry on the outside and a bolt on the inside. Lock bumping is a break in technique that uses a special key to open traditional pin and tumbler locks and the Kwikset deadbolt 660 integrates a side-locking bar which helps protect against bumping. Additional protection includes a lock resistant to picks, saws, drills, and being kicked-in.
SmartKey Security technology is another incredible feature of the Kwikset deadbolt 660. There are many reasons to re-key a lock and locksmith’s services can be very expensive. If tenants turn over, you have moved recently, you have loaned your keys to someone who you do not wish to have them, you or your household members have lost their keys, or you want to integrate all locks into one keying system you can re-key your locks on your own.
The homeowner can re-key their deadbolts on their own in just a few steps. First, you insert your current key and rotate it 90 degrees clockwise. Second, insert the SmartKey tool into the SmartKey hole. Remove both the current key and the SmartKey. Third, insert a new key and rotate it 180 degrees and then 90 degrees back to the start position. No further steps are needed. It is fully compatible with the Kwikset KW1 Keyway.
The Kwikset deadbolt 660 installs in minutes with just a screwdriver and will fit any standard door setups because of its adjustable latch and exposed screws on the interior face. The 660 model reviewed here is available in four colors: Polished Brass, Satin Nickel, Satin Chrome, and Venetian Bronze.
Pricing |
Pricing varies considerably for deadbolts for home use, and you can find them for as little as $5 and as much as several hundred. The products we reviewed here ranged in price from $14 to $95. The Kwikset deadbolt 660 is available on Amazon for about $14 which is on the low end for deadbolts.
How It Compares |
We picked a few similar products available on the market to see how they compare to the Kwikset deadbolt, 660 model.
- Honeywell 8111309 Single Cylinder Deadbolt
- Lockye M210AB Mechanical, Keyless Deadbolt
- Mortise Lock Entry Lockset Deadbolt
Kwikset Deadbolt 660 |
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| Price ($) |
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The Kwikset Deadbolt 660 is available online on Amazon for about $14. |
| Installation – ★★★★★ (5 Out of 5 Stars) |
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Installation is easy and can be completed with just a screwdriver. The deadbolt fits any standard door setups because of its adjustable latch and exposed screws on the interior face. |
| Re-Keying – ★★★★ (4 Out of 5 Stars) |
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Re-keying a Kwikset deadbolt 660 with SmartKey technology is easy to do yourself and requires just a few steps. Kwikset has polished the self re-keying technology, and for most, this process is simple. Some users express that the re-keying process is tricky to complete and that if a mistake is made it is hard to recover from. |
| Protections – ★★★★★ (5 Out of 5 Stars) |
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What good is a lock if it does not protect? The Kwikset deadbolt 660 does a good job of integrating a myriad of protections including a side-locking bar which helps protect against bumping, a lock that is kick-in resistant, pick resistant, saw-resistant, and drill resistant. |
| Warranty – ★★★★★ (5 Out of 5 Stars) |
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The Kwikset deadbolt 660 and all Kwikset locks come with a lifetime mechanical and finish warranty against material and workmanship defects for the original users in the original installation location. It does not cover scratches, abrasions or deterioration that is caused by the use of chemicals or abuse. Kwikset will replace the deadbolt or refund the purchase price if there was an issue. |
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Honeywell 8111309 Single Cylinder Deadbolt |
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The Honeywell 8111309 Single Cylinder Deadbolt is available in satin nickel, polished brass, oil-rubbed bronze, or antique brass. It comes with two identical large-head keys and can be installed on left- or right-hand doors. A bolt is on the interior side and a keyed lock on the exterior side.
Safety features include a pin and tumbler system that is anti-bump and meets grade-3 security standards for residential security. The Honeywell 8111309 Single Cylinder Deadbolt has been tested by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The Honeywell 8111309 Single Cylinder Deadbolt is re-keyable by a locksmith with KW-1 keyways.
| Price ($) |
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The Honeywell 8111309 Single Cylinder Deadbolt is available online on Amazon for $14 for two deadbolts. |
| Installation – ★★★★★ (5 Out of 5 Stars) |
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Included in the Honeywell 8111309 Single Cylinder Deadbolt package are an adjustable latch, mounting hardware, instructions, and a drilling template that makes installation easy with just a Phillips head screwdriver for pre-drilled doors, and a drill if you are creating your own deadbolt hole. It has an adjustable latch that fits 1-3/8″ to 1-3/4″ thick doors and 2-3/8″ to 2-3/4″ adjustable backset. |
| Re-Keying – ★★★★ (4 Out of 5 Stars) |
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The Honeywell 8111309 Single Cylinder Deadbolt is re-keyable by a locksmith with KW-1 keyways. Unfortunately, the user cannot re-key it themselves. |
| Protections – ★★★★★ (5 Out of 5 Stars) |
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The Honeywell 8111309 Single Cylinder Deadbolt is anti-bump and meets all grade-3 residential security standards. However, users report that the lock is weak and easily broken. |
| Warranty – ★★★★★ (5 Out of 5 Stars) |
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The Honeywell 8111309 Single Cylinder Deadbolt is backed by a limited lifetime warranty. |
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Lockye M210AB Mechanical Keyless Deadbolt |
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The Lockye M210AB Mechanical Keyless Deadbolt comes in antique bronze, bright brass, jet black, oil rubbed bronze, satin chrome, satin nickel, and white. There is also a marine-grade finish specifically designed for homes near saltwater. This is a mechanical, keyless push-button lock that has a programmable code. It does not use batteries to unlock, but rather a mechanical tumbler that is coded for up to 6 different codes. It can accommodate most standard doors and thicker doors with an available extension kit.
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The Lockye M210AB Mechanical, Keyless Deadbolt is available on Amazon for about $85. |
| Installation – ★★★ (3 Out of 5 Stars) |
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Installation can be more tricky than a traditional deadbolt. You will want to carefully read and follow the instructions, have some mechanical skill, and take your time. Be sure to code the door before installation as you will have to remove the deadbolt and disassemble it to change the code. |
| Re-Keying – ★★★★ (3 Out of 5 Stars) |
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Here, re-keying means re-coding. To recode this deadbolt, you must remove the deadbolt and disassemble it. This is a little cumbersome for most as installation is difficult, to begin with. The pins and slots where codes are changes are very small and require good close-up vision. |
| Protections – ★★ (2 Out of 5 Stars) |
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Security is not the high point of this deadbolt. The security code that is used to unlock the deadbolt is not dependent on the sequence. If you choose 1234 as your code, any other combination of those numbers, such as 2341 or 1243, will also open the deadbolt. |
| Warranty – ★★★★ (4 Out of 5 Stars) |
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Lockey USA offers a lifetime mechanical warranty. However, users have reported difficulty getting through to customer service. |
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Mortise Lock Entry Lockset Deadbolt |
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The Mortise Lock Entry Lockset Deadbolt is the last of the deadbolts we are comparing to the Kwikset deadbolts. This solid brass lock is an all-in-one deadbolt and doorknob. It is available left hand, right hand, left-hand reverse, and right-hand reverse which provides good installation flexibility. It installs easily with screwless knobs and plate. It can be re-keyed with a 1-1/8″ 5-pin ease to re-key the Schlage SC1 keyway cylinder.
| Price ($$$) |
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The Mortise Lock Entry Lockset Deadbolt is available online on Amazon for about $95 plus shipping. |
| Installation – ★★★★ (4 Out of 5 Stars) |
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Installation is easy with screwless knobs and plate in the Mortise Lock Entry Lockset Deadbolt. The edge faceplate is 1″ x 7-5/8″ with 2-1/2″ backset and a 1″ deadbolt. The exterior plate is 2-3/4″ x 10,” and the interior plate is 2-1/4″ x 7″. |
| Re-Keying – ★★★★ (4 Out of 5 Stars) |
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The Mortise Lock Entry Lockset Deadbolt can be re-keyed by a locksmith with a 1-1/8″ 5-pin ease to re-key the Schlage SC1 keyway cylinder. |
| Protections – ★★★★★ (5 Out of 5 Stars) |
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Mortise locks are often rated commercial-grade for increased security. The Mortise Lock Entry Lockset Deadbolt is a one-piece knob and deadbolt back with a plate design to increase security even further. |
| Warranty – ★★★★★ (5 Out of 5 Stars) |
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The Mortise Lock Entry Lockset Deadbolt comes with a lifetime mechanical warranty. There is no cosmetic coverage. |
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Conclusion |
After reviewing the Kwikset deadbolt 660 and comparing it to some others on the market, we favor the Kwikset with no hesitation and give it an overall 5 out of 5 stars. Although there may be something exciting about new lock types, keypad locks, and smart locks, there is little that compares to a good solid traditional deadbolt. If your focus with a deadbolt is preventing others from entering your home without your permission, the Kwikset is the way to go. The Honeywell 8111309 Single Cylinder Deadbolt is not as high-quality in the ways that matter; the lock is easily damaged. The Lockye M210AB Mechanical, Keyless Deadbolt is similarly cheaply made, breaks with hard usage, and has a security code that is not as secure as we would like. The Mortise Lock Entry Lockset Deadbolt is a good lock, but the higher price point cannot be justified unless you need a specialty door direction or hand position. The Kwikset deadbolt 660 does what a deadbolt lock is primarily meant to do; it keeps your door securely locked and prevents break-ins from occurring. Beyond being a great, secure deadbolt, the Kwikset deadbolt is re-keyable by the user which means you avoid high-cost locksmiths. Finally, the Kwikset deadbolt is very inexpensive at about $15 a piece. Kwikset can achieve this combination of features at a low price because of decades of practice in making the best locks.
Featured Image Source: Unsplash.com
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Growing up with Law and Order and CSI shows taught Isabelle Landau one thing: if people back then had high-quality home security systems, those series would have been way shorter. In our modern world, technology helps us keep burglars away easily, and this is what Izzy studies and writes about: alarm systems, home security, protection systems, and more.
Last update on 2023-05-14 at 03:33 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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