In under 10 years since its founding, Mygate has earned a solid reputation in the enterprise space, particularly among RWAs (Resident Welfare Association), with its community management app. After the launch and expansion of Mygate Premium in over 50 Indian cities, the company is now setting its sights on individual consumers with three new smart locks. Its most affordable model, the Mygate Lock SE – which I am currently reviewing – is designed for the masses and comes with an attractive price tag of Rs 8,450 on Amazon. After using it for nearly a month, I can safely say its lock provides simple functionalities yet solves some complex home problems.
Most importantly, the lock not only ensures keyless entry into your home, but also looks chic, which I’m sure matters to many customers. Its compatibility with doors with 32mm thickness makes it suitable for a wider audience living in decades-old houses. You can easily manage the smart lock via a dedicated app, and the highly responsive fingerprint sensor is so easy to use that even my 90-year-old grandmother can operate it.
However, the Mygate Lock SE isn’t compatible with every door, and a few features need refinements. Continue reading to know more.
Table of Contents
Design and setup
The Mygate Lock SE can be used for main entry doors if there’s proper shelter. The company hasn’t specified anything about its imperviousness to water or rough weather conditions, so it’s safe to assume it’s minimally protected. I used the lock for our second door near the indoor staircase that leads guests to other floors, ensuring it isn’t exposed to Delhi’s harsh weather conditions.
Additionally, the main entrance to the staircase is an old door frequently used by our house help. Therefore, having a lock with auto-lock functionality would require registering more fingerprints or sharing entry codes with people who don’t live in the house full-time, which isn’t ideal for security.
The company states that the Lock SE is ideal for wooden doors with a minimum thickness of 32mm. Sadly, the Mygate smart lock isn’t compatible with metal doors, which we find in old DDA apartments.
In our case, my house has several wooden doors with L-shaped metal door frames for the latch. The metal frame required extra welding work for the lock to fit. The installation was free of cost and provided by the company. We hired a local ironsmith for welding who charged Rs 1,000 for the service.
Once the Mygate smart lock is in place, setting it up via the app is pretty straightforward. The set-up via the dedicated Mygate Smart Devices app requires a Bluetooth connection. Interestingly, the app already teases the launch of a smart doorbell and security camera very soon.
Users need to select the “Add Lock” section in the app to initiate the process. Once you choose the lock model, the Mygate Smart Devices app will handle everything for you.
Overall, the Mygate Lock SE boasts a minimalist design with a mix of plastic and metal build. A more sophisticated all-metal frame would naturally be more expensive, similar to the Yale YDM7116A smart lock I reviewed a few weeks ago.
I tested the bronze option of the Mygate Lock SE – a safe bet for our white flush door. My favourite is the Champagne colour, perfect for doors with a natural or dark walnut finish. There’s also a black option, which has become a go-to choice of many builders across Gurugram and Noida.
Due to its large size, I’d recommend using the Mygate Lock SE mainly for front doors, as it might appear bulky for an office door or bedroom. I like its no-frills simple design with a door handle that houses the fingerprint scanner for biometric security. I like how the keypad blends seamlessly into the body at the top rather than being overlaid on a separate glass panel. The door handle is surrounded by a circular LED light – another neat addition to let users know whether they’ve entered the correct password.
Besides its modern design, the Mygate Lock SE also looks sturdy. But frankly, I would have preferred it to be smaller. A smaller lock would have provided a clearer size indication to customers, as the Lock SE gets positioned alongside Mygate Lock Plus and Lock Pro.
The compact form factor would’ve made it ideal not only for the main entrance but also for other doors in the house.
Performance and security
As an entry-level smart lock, the Mygate Lock SE offers almost all of the basic functionalities, which I am sure will be sufficient for most users. It supports multiple access points, including fingerprint, passcode, app unlock (needs to be within Bluetooth range), and RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification).
The fingerprint scanner worked reliably during my review and was equally straightforward to set up from the “user management” section in the Mygate Smart Devices app. The scanner’s placement and touch response, combined with the LED light around the door handle, make it intuitive and easy to use, even for elderly users. As I mentioned, my 90-year-old grandmother got used to the lock’s fingerprint scanner after a few trials and errors, which I consider a significant achievement.
Another useful feature is the auto-lock that prevents anyone from entering your home without authentication. You can adjust the auto-lock timer from the app, which is set to 5 seconds by default. The auto-lock security can be further enhanced with a door closer, which Mygate does not provide (yet), unlike smart lock makers like Yale. There are plenty of door closers available online for around Rs 2,000.
All the “smart” features are powered by four AA batteries, with the panel only accessible from inside the house. The batteries also allow the smart lock to function during power outages. During my month-long review, the battery level dropped only by 4 percent, so you can easily expect up to a six-month backup. If the battery runs out when you’re away, there’s an emergency bypass option via the USB-C port next to the physical keyhole at the bottom. Ideally, I’d recommend users carry the physical key all the time.
Overall, these various access points should meet the needs of most users. However, the Mygate Lock SE lacks virtual assistant support, which means it cannot be unlocked using voice commands or apps such as Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Home.
Additionally, Mygate does not provide an optional Wi-Fi module to control the lock remotely. Instead, you get an OTP option that allows guests to enter your home with a one-time passcode. That also means the Mygate Lock SE might not be the best option for Airbnb owners who live far from their property.
The entry-level Mygate lock even skips real-time notifications, which are only available in higher-end models. However, the Mygate Lock SE does come with an in-built alarm system in case of multiple wrong password entries. The alarm system isn’t the loudest though, and the supported app sadly does not provide an option to adjust the volume level.
App support
Instead of merging services into the existing Mygate Premium app, the brand has rolled out a new Mygate Smart Devices app for its consumer products.
I like that the app offers a clean interface and no third-party ads. Since there’s no real-time notification to monitor, users will mostly use the app to add new users via the “user management” section. However, user management only functions when the admin is within the lock’s Bluetooth range.
I appreciate that the app offers “permanent,” “temporary,” and “recurring” access options. It allows you to set individual profiles for family members and household help who might not be living with you full-time. You can unlock the door via the app when it’s within Bluetooth range (typically 10 metres).
The lock settings page allows you to adjust the auto-lock timer, temporarily turn off auto-lock with passage mode, and check the battery level.
While there’s no real-time alert system, Mygate could consider adding log support. That would still allow the admin to track smart lock activities if not in real time.
Verdict
Despite some tiny flaws, the Mygate Lock SE is highly recommended for users looking to upgrade and digitise their home security. Its straightforward features and aggressive pricing make it a compelling option against brands like Yale, Qubo, Godrej and others.
Its modern yet simple design may resonate with several potential customers, and the fingerprint scanner for biometric unlocking works efficiently.
That said, the Mygate Lock SE would only be ideal for families, while Airbnb owners not residing on-site might want to check out Qubo’s Smart Door Lock Elite, which allows for remote unlocking and management through an optional Wi-Fi module. The latter also earned a spot on our list of favourite tech for 2023.
If remote management does not matter to you, the Mygate Lock SE is a solid option for old and new homes.
Editor’s rating: 8 / 10
Pros
- Multiple access option
- Affordable pricing
- User-friendly app
- Compatible with slim doors
Cons
- No real-time alert
- Bulky design
