Mortice, Deadbolt, or Smart Lock: How to Choose

If you're replacing the lock on your entrance door, you're choosing between three families: mortice locks, deadbolts, and smart locks. They're not interchangeable, and the right choice depends as much on your door as it does on your security preferences.

Mortice locks

A mortice lock fits inside a pocket cut into the edge of the door. The lock body, latch, and bolt all live inside the door itself. From the outside you see only the keyhole and handle.

Best for: traditional timber entrance doors, double doors with concealed bolts, and high-end joinery where the door's appearance matters more than installation simplicity.

Trade-offs: requires a precise pocket to be routed into the door edge — not a DIY job. Once installed, very secure and visually clean.

Deadbolts

A deadbolt sits in a circular bore through the door face, separate from any handle. It throws a solid steel bolt into the doorframe when locked.

Best for: retrofit security on doors that already have a passage handle, holiday homes, secondary entrance doors.

Trade-offs: always visible on the door face. Most cost-effective option per unit of security gained.

Smart locks

Smart locks combine a deadbolt or mortice mechanism with electronic access — PIN, fingerprint, app, RFID card, or a combination. Most also retain a physical key as a fallback.

Best for: households with multiple users, short-term rentals (set a PIN for each guest), homes where you regularly let in tradies or cleaners, and anyone who's been locked out one too many times.

Trade-offs: battery dependent — 12 months typical, higher upfront cost, slightly more complex installation. Our KS-series smart locks retain a physical key cylinder as backup.

Quick decision guide

• Heritage timber door, no electronics wanted: mortice.
• Modern home, want to never carry keys again: smart lock.
• Existing handle that's fine, just want better security: deadbolt.
• Short-term rental property: smart lock with PIN access.
• Aluminium door with existing mortice cut-out: smart lock with mortice body — most of our KS range.

What about insurance?

Most NZ home insurance policies require a lock that meets NZS 4220 for entrance doors. All of our locks meet or exceed this standard. If your policy specifies a particular brand or rating, check before you order — and contact us if you're unsure.