Suggestions for a good entry doorknob lock set with deadbolt

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Solarguy3500

Feeling the Heat
Dec 3, 2020
362
Western MA
I need to replace the entry doorknob and deadbolt on my front door. While I'm at it, I'd like to replace the one on the walkout basement door, as well as the one on the detached garage. It would be great to get them keyed alike so I don't need a whole ring of keys for all the doors.

Suggestions for a good lock set?
 
Too many variables. Go to Home Depot. You get what you pay for. They sell keyed alike. If you really want to get quality go to a retail locksmith and spend some real money.
 
I have soooo many doors at my place. They all turned out to be Kwikset, or one of their fancier brands that uses the same lock parts. They weren't all keyed alike, and there was a crucial key or two I didn't get when I bought the place.

My answer was to buy a used Kwikset re-pin tray off of ebay and redo them myself. It's pretty easy to re-key them as I see fit, and when I need a new lock for whatever reason, Kwikset has a part for almost every application, and it's easily keyed to match the rest.

I will admit that I was pressed for time on the day I decided to re-key everything, so I only did all of the deadbolts. I just don't use the knob locks, and that made sense at the time because the german shepherd I had apparently had gone to locksmith school, so the only thing he couldn't open was the deadbolts he didn't have a key for. If I could have just got him to shut the door when he was done using it, I wouldn't have had a problem with it.

Some nice warm day, I'll have to go around and do the knobs.
 
There is you tube creator called the lockpicking lawyer. He has many videos on how easy it is to defeat most standard house locks and locks in general. There are devices called bump keys that do not even require picking tools. Quickset makes bump key resistant locksets which seem to be a logical upgrade. They can still be picked using picking tools but that takes longer and more skill.

Quickset also has a line that can be rekeyed anytime without having to mess with taking the lock apart and messing with tiny pins.

I used to like Schlage locks as I thought they were beefier but I think the brand has been bought and sold to the point where they compete with Kwikset but not a lot of difference.

Standard door installations by contractors are quick but frequently the gap between the door frame and the door casing is large. A good kick or sledge hammer can pop the door open They install shims to fill the gap but frequently not enough of them or over the years the framing dries out and the gap increases. Ideally the lock plates on the door casing are beefed up with thicker plates and the screws used to secure it the frame are bigger diameter and longer to tie into the framing. The thicker plates mean some chiseling is needed. Keep an eye out, if the door casing starts to pull in (opening up the gap between the door and casing, it means the casing should be re shimmed which means pulling trim boards and putting in new shims. If you have the trim off, do the same thing with the door hinges, reshim and install longer screws that go through the casing and into the door framing. There are also things called security pins that can be added door hinges that prevent the door from being removed when closed even if the hinge pins are pulled (mostly a concern with outward opening doors.
 
I need to replace the entry doorknob and deadbolt on my front door. While I'm at it, I'd like to replace the one on the walkout basement door, as well as the one on the detached garage. It would be great to get them keyed alike so I don't need a whole ring of keys for all the doors.

Suggestions for a good lock set?
Describe good as in good enough or ???

So many options and so many levels within brands. I developed a nice relationship with a local shop when I was back in MA and it worked out great.
I don't make it a habit to shop at box stores.
I'm working on a new front door for the house now and will install it come spring. Knotty Alder with a rubbed bronze mortise lock set and ball bearing hinges.
 
Of the common brand names Schlage is better than many. Weiser is ok but quality has slipped from what it once was.....ithe hardware stores will key the deadbolts or any lock alike free of charge if you ask, some brands you are able to do it yourself.
The electro ic deadbolts eliminate keys all together
 
I switched my house over to programable locks so i don't have to have any keys with me. I was going to get locks that were triggered by a fob or my phone but they were not onsale at the time and with the sale price i got the programable cheaper than a good keyd lock Best thing i ever did. If you want keyed alike you can take your door locks to your local lock smith and get them all keyed, or look on the box for a key number nd try to find another box with the same number. Or go to your local lock smith and tell them what you want and buy a good quality from them.. You get what you pay for.
 
On our house and our last house we just used electronic deadbolts. Just a simple pin number and its opened. Also its great with the kids. We don't have to worry about them losing a key. I only carry car keys anymore. No need for a house key.