So my LS-S61 lock’s batteries died again. Third time! Feels like it’s barely been 2 years? Maybe longer? Time flies when you’re constantly changing AAs. Anyway, remembered this lock bragged about “Lifetime Service” back when I bought it. Sounded amazing! Like a magic forever promise. Pulled out the crumpled box… tiny print underneath: “Lifetime Mechanical Service Warranty“. Huh. What’s that even mean?
Panicked when the keypad froze solid last month. Fingerprint? Dead silent. Tried the emergency keys…oh right, where are those? Found one after digging through the junk drawer (behind expired coupons and a dead flashlight). Key worked, thank goodness. Emailed their “lifetime service” support. Felt optimistic!
Two days later… crickets. Third day, auto-reply: “High Volume! Please Allow 48-72 Hours.” Fourth day, another email: “Please confirm your purchase date & retailer?”. Scrambled for the old Amazon receipt. Found it! Purchase date… November 2022. Replied instantly.
Next response? “Dear Customer. Your LS-S61 mechanical warranty coverage period has expired. Would you like technical troubleshooting guides?” EXPIRED? Hold the phone! “Lifetime” my foot! Bought this thing thinking it meant my lifetime! Or at least the lock’s! Turns out “Lifetime” meant… barely over a year? Or is it the warranty on the physical parts, not the actual service? Utterly confused. Website now says something about “5 year mechanics”? Or 10? Can’t find the original ad. Memory’s foggy. Did it say “Lifetime” for electronics? Battery life stinks anyway. Point is, felt conned.
Called them. On hold forever. Nice guy finally picked up. Explained the keypad freeze. He suggested resetting it (unplug battery for 30 secs? Lock has plugs? Didn’t know that!). Worked! Mostly. He said the actuator motor might be covered under that long-term warranty, but only if it fails inside the warranty? Still murky. Battery drain issue? Nope, not covered. “Environmental factors,” he said. Whatever that means. Florida humidity? My bad luck?
Cost breakdown: Lock cost 20 a year? Premium AAs aren’t cheap! Compare that to a simpler lock at $100 with a standard 2-year warranty… is the LS-S61’s “Lifetime” tag worth double? Especially when the top rated smart locks category seems flooded with shorter warranties that actually feel clearer? Not sure. Feels like smoke and mirrors sometimes. That 5-year mechanical warranty might be decent if a major part fails… but who knows when that happens? Before the 5 years? Or after?
Verdict: The “Lifetime Service” claim for the LS-S61 smells a bit fishy. It hooked me in, sure. But in practice? It’s more like a confusing partial long warranty wrapped in marketing hype. Doesn’t cover the stuff that actually goes wrong often (batteries, finicky software). Feels less like “peace of mind forever” and more like a fancy way to charge extra. My old non-smart lock lasted 20 years with zero warranty calls! Probably just greased it once. Maybe smarter isn’t always better? Especially with “lifetime” promises. Think I need a coffee… and maybe new batteries. Again. Ugh.