After conquering Europe with over 800,000 users, Nuki is finally making its move on American soil. The Austrian smart lock company just dropped its retrofit solution into the US market, complete with a fancy 2025 CES Innovation Award to make things official.
Here’s the thing that sets Nuki apart from the crowded smart lock circus. No drilling. No permanent modifications. No angry landlords. The device literally straps onto your existing deadbolt and calls it a day. Installation takes under 15 minutes, which is less time than most people spend choosing what to watch on Netflix.
The secret sauce? A brushless motor borrowed from electric vehicle technology. This isn’t your grandmother’s smart lock motor. It opens doors in one to two seconds flat, runs quieter than a library, and should outlast most relationships.
The rechargeable lithium-ion battery keeps things running for up to 12 months, and magnetic USB charging means no fumbling with tiny ports. However, heavy Wi-Fi usage can cut battery life by approximately half, so choose your connectivity wisely.
Connectivity options read like a smart home bingo card. Wi-Fi, Thread, Bluetooth, Matter compatibility. It plays nice with Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and Home Assistant.
There’s even Wear OS and Apple Watch apps because apparently we need to open doors from our wrists now.
Privacy nerds will appreciate this part. No mandatory account creation. Bank-grade encryption. Local operations that don’t phone home to some corporate server farm. The pre-installation assessment can prevent common security vulnerabilities that exist in many smart locks. Nuki’s philosophy? “The safest data is never shared.” Groundbreaking concept, really.
Pricing starts at $159 for the basic lock or $299 for the full bundle with keypad accessories. That’s positioned to undercut established players who’ve been charging premium prices for basic functionality. You can snag one on Amazon right now, with Nuki’s dedicated US web store launching fall 2025.
The company adapted their European design for American single-cylinder deadbolts because apparently we do things differently here. Smart move. The compact lock measures just 2.2 inches in diameter with a durable stainless steel body that won’t dominate your door’s aesthetic.
The exterior stays completely unchanged, so your door maintains its original charm while gaining 21st-century smarts. Your manual key still works too, eliminating the classic smart lock nightmare of getting locked out when technology fails.
