Okay, so you’re thinking about ditching the keys, right? Smart move. Keys get lost, copied, it’s a whole thing. But now you gotta choose – fingerprint door lock thingy or just a good old PIN pad? Let me tell you, I lost my own house keys like three times last year. Embarrassing. Had to call the locksmith guy, Dave, every time. Nice bloke, overcharges though.
So, PIN codes. Seems simple. Punch in numbers, door opens. Easy peasy. Unless you’re like me and forget the code you set yesterday. Happens more than you think! Or someone watches you type it in – “shoulder surfing” they call it. Saw it in a movie once. Creepy. And if you use a dumb code like “1234” or your birthday… well, duh. Anyone could guess that. Even my grandma. Though she wouldn’t, she’s lovely.
Now, the fingerprint door lock. Feels fancy, right? Like spy stuff. You just press your finger and whoosh, open sesame. No codes to forget. Supposedly unique to you, like a snowflake, but for your thumb. That’s the big sell. Biometrics, they call it. Sounds impressive. But is it really safer? I dunno. What if your finger is greasy? Like after eating pizza. Mine never works then. Super annoying when your hands are full of groceries. Or worse, what if you cut your finger? Or burn it making toast? Then you’re locked out! Talk about frustrating. Gotta have a backup PIN anyway, kinda defeats the point maybe?
Security-wise… hmm. I read somewhere that really determined thieves can copy fingerprints. Like, lift a print off a glass you used and make a fake finger thing. Gummy bears or something? Sounded weird. Probably rare though. Most burglars are lazy, just kick the door in or smash a window. A solid deadbolt is honestly more important than the lock type, but nobody talks about that much.
fingerprint door lock systems also need batteries. Imagine it dying in the middle of the night! Awful. PIN pads need power too, obviously, but maybe simpler tech? Less to go wrong? Sometimes the sensor on those fingerprint ones gets finicky. Doesn’t recognize you for no reason. Makes you feel rejected by your own front door! Happened to my neighbour last Tuesday. He was fuming. Had to use the keypad backup.
Speaking of phones, my phone unlocks with my fingerprint. Works mostly, except when my hands are wet. Then it’s useless. Same problem for doors, I guess. Back to doors… PIN codes are cheap. Those fingerprint scanners add cost. Sometimes a lot. Is the extra cash worth it for the “wow” factor? Depends if you like showing off to guests. “Check this out, fingerprint entry!” They’ll be impressed for five minutes.
Also, fingerprints… kinda permanent, right? If someone really wants yours, they can get it. You leave them everywhere! PINs you can change. Like, every week if you’re paranoid. After you watch a spy thriller, you know? Change all the codes! Fingerprint is stuck with you. Forever. Feels… less flexible? More vulnerable somehow? But then again, changing PINs constantly is a pain and you will forget the new one.
Honestly? Both have pros and cons. PINs are simpler, cheaper, but forgettable and snoopable. Fingerprint is convenient (when it works), feels high-tech, but can be glitchy, expensive, and has this weird permanence thing. Neither is foolproof. If a pro wants in, they’re getting in. A good fingerprint door lock is probably slightly more secure against casual snoops than a basic PIN pad, but only if it’s a decent quality one. Cheap ones are junk, apparently. Do your research. Or just get a big dog. Best security system ever. Barks loud. But then again, dogs need walking… ugh. Everything’s a trade-off. Just get something better than a rusty Yale lock, meh.