Paying by phone is now the norm. paper tickets? And who needs it? The number of supporters of virtual documents is also growing; in June 2021, the Polish government revealed that more than 1.5 million Poles already use the electronic driving license alone.
In other words — every day we have less and less reason to put something more than a phone and keys in our pockets when we leave the house. And you can get rid of the latter thanks to smart locks.
Gerda tedee: what does the kit include and how much does it all cost?
There are actually two answers to these questions. Let's start with a look at the richest set offered by Gerda, which includes:
a smartphone-controlled lock with three keys;a special door insert;a Wi-Fi bridge.
The whole set costs PLN 1849, which is — let's not hide —& ;hairsp;a high amount. If memory serves me right, my front door cost less.
On the other hand, a lock — even the smart one — is a purchase for many years, and the cost can be spread over several household members. So, taking into account the numerous advantages of this solution, it may turn out that this amount is less terrible than it initially seems.
In addition, the tedee bridge is optional and not necessarily necessary
To open the door with a smartphone, all you need is an insert and a lock, so you can close yourself for about PLN 1,500.
What does a bridge do? While the lock itself is limited by the Bluetooth range, the Wi-Fi bridge gives access to all functions from virtually anywhere in the world.
This may be useful in some circumstances. For example, if you have a child who tends to forget their keys, being able to open the door remotely (or make sure it's locked) can be a blessing.
In addition, the bridge gives remote access to the full history of events with dates and times. tedee can also be programmed to send notifications whenever someone opens or closes the door.
Mostek also ensures compatibility with external platforms such as Google Home or HomeKit. Thanks to this, the lock can be controlled from Google or Apple apps. Yes, tedee also works with the Assistant, although — due to security issues — it is not very convenient. Each time, in addition to saying the command "OK Google, open the front door", you must enter at least a 4-digit PIN.
The advantages include the fact that the bridge is slightly larger than a regular power supply and placed directly in the socket. So you don't have to look for a place for it on the desk and drag another cable through half the apartment.
I don't need a bridge to be happy, because the lock itself meets my requirements in 100%, but — as I mentioned — this is a very individual matter.
How does Gerda tedee's smart lock work?
The main function is the ability to lock and unlock the lock from an Android or iOS phone. Just run the application and click on the appropriate icon.
In fact, you don't even need to open the app, because Gerda has prepared three widgets (open, close and a full control panel of a specific lock with the current status). In the android version I tested, they are smart enough to require a double click. This minimizes the risk of accidentally opening the door.
The lock can also be operated manually, treating it as a knob or using the button on it. One click closes/opens the door, and a longer hold causes closing with a delay (the time can be set in the application).
I set the tedee to close 10 seconds after holding down the button, so I don't have to take my keys or phone out of my pocket when I leave the house.
The lock can also close automatically when left open for too long. Time can be defined in settings.
If the knob or handle is on the outside of the door, tedee can even pull back the latch. Then he can not only unlock, but also open the door without having to pull the handle. This is an optional feature.
Of course, the lock can also be opened with an ordinary key. Three are included in the set.
Opening the door with the phone is addictive
The Bluetooth range — according to my tests — allows you to open the door from a distance of about 10 meters. I always reach for my phone to turn off the music and vibrate mode anyway, so in the meantime I click the widget and the door opens. Fairy tale.
What I appreciate the most is the fact that when I go to the store or — most of all — for training, I don't have to put my keys in my pocket at all.
tedee also gives psychological comfort. If I lose my keys with a regular lock, I am grounded and will have to change the cylinder. When I lose my smartphone with tedee, in the worst case I will borrow a phone from a neighbor, download the app and log in to it.
It's also useful to have access to your activity history. For example, recently I wasn't sure what time they had to leave the house to get to the clinic on time, so I quickly looked in the application at what time I left the house the day before.
tedee can even open the door automatically
The lock can be programmed to open automatically when a paired phone comes near it.
This works flawlessly; I enter the staircase and about 3 meters in front of the door I hear it unlock. For my taste, this works all too well, because a possible phone thief can gain access to the apartment without any additional security.
Certainly using the app is much safer. Especially since you can block access to it with a PIN or biometrically.
Tedee's brilliant feature is the ability to share a virtual key with other users
Going on vacation and planning to ask your neighbor to occasionally water the flowers and feed the cat? You no longer have to leave him a physical key and wonder for the rest of your life whether the neighbor might get it and abuse your hospitality. Just ask him to download the Gerda tedee apk.
The app gives you full control over permissions. Access to the apartment can be granted to individual users permanently, temporarily (date range) or only on certain days and times. Don't worry — tedee has a pre-programmed time zone, so you can't fool him by changing the time and date on your phone.
In addition, — in conjunction with the Gerdy bridge — , the smart lock can send notifications to the phone when a person has opened and closed the door. Revelation.
Assembling the Gerda tedee lock is as simple as it could be
After selecting the type of tedee cylinder for a specific door, its installation is basically no different from replacing ordinary cylinders. An experienced person will be able to do it in 3 minutes and probably won't even have to watch video guides prepared by Gerda, which can be found on YouTube.
The assembly of the lock itself takes even less time and anyone can handle this task. As with the configuration, the app with the Polish interface is stuffed with clear animations that guide the user through an otherwise very short process.
It basically boils down to pairing the tedee with your phone and calibration, which consists in manually setting the lock in the open and closed positions so that the software knows what rotation to make.
The battery of the Gerda tedee lock will last for many months
The manufacturer declares that the built-in battery is enough for half a year of work on a single charge and this result is not only at your fingertips, but also easy to beat.
When I started testing, the battery indicator showed 90 percent. After 16 days of testing, there are still 85 percent left. And my lock is opened on average six times a day.
Loading? There is a microUSB socket on the lock, but Gerda adds a 2-meter, high-quality braided cable with a magnetic tip to the set. When someone opens the door while charging, the tip detaches itself, preventing damage to both the lock and the cord.
Yes, Gerd Tedee's smart lock also has a few flaws
So far, I've mostly described the castle in superlatives, because I'm generally delighted with it, but there is a spoonful of tar in this barrel of honey.
First of all, the automatic mechanism is noisy. Maybe no louder than the lock itself, but using the key at night can turn it slower to minimize noise. tedee, on the other hand, is heartless; regardless of the time of day, it makes a quick turn, generating a mechanical rasp and two taps. If the door is close to the bedroom, the lock can wake up the household.
For some, the appearance of the lock may also be a downside. The silver bulb-sized knob with a white button, brand logo and LED looks quite gadgety and may not visually match all types of doors and handles. It is a pity that Gerda did not prepare different patterns or at least some stickers that would allow you to match the lock even in color.
It's also a pity that tedee uses a microUSB charging connector. The consumer electronics industry is already moving away from this standard in favor of the more future-proof USB-C. And since the lock is a purchase for many years, in 5 years it may turn out that tedee is the only device in your home that requires a cable with an old-type connector.
The smart lock begs to be opened with the watch, but tedee is only compatible with the Apple Watch. It is a pity that Gerda — so far —  has not become interested in Wear OS or Tizen platforms, not to mention the fledgling HarmonyOS.
Is it worth buying Gerda tedee?
I really like the idea of such a lock and consider it one of the most practical and life-enhancing gadgets that can be equipped with a smart home.
Although tedee is not without its faults, I haven't encountered any technical problems during over two weeks of testing. Neither at the setup stage nor during everyday use. Everything works exactly as  — according to the manufacturer's declaration — is supposed to work. And trouble-free operation is crucial for this type of device  — nomem omen — .
So if someone is not afraid of the price and the range of declared possibilities satisfies him, he should be satisfied.
