This guide ranks two smart locks and two doorbells by ClearPick score and owner sentiment together, backed by 27 tracked owner mentions across the four. (A 4-camera Blink Outdoor kit was previously included here on spec alone — it has zero tracked owner mentions, so it's been dropped as a ranked pick; check its product page directly if you're considering it.) The Google Nest Doorbell scores decently here, but 7 of its 12 tracked mentions are negative, several specifically describing failures in cold Canadian weather. The Blink Video Doorbell scores lowest, and its 5 tracked mentions are 4 negative and 1 mixed — zero positive. Where the data and a raw score might diverge, this guide reports what owners actually describe.
1. Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus — now the top score, Matter compatibility with a mixed-to-negative owner record
The Assure Lock 2 Plus scores 7.9, led by the top Matter Support subscore in this guide (9.5), which owners cite as the reason to pick it over the Schlage in mixed Apple/Android or multi-ecosystem homes. Of its 6 tracked mentions, 3 are negative, 2 positive, 1 mixed — a majority-negative split. The recurring negative theme is Bluetooth reliability: one owner describes the lock getting "flaky" if anything obstructs line of sight to a Bluetooth hub, and another reports a persistent battery-indicator bug that Yale support couldn't resolve after two hardware replacements. Against that, one owner reports 5 uses a day and 6 months of battery life with no real issues. At ~$299 CAD it undercuts the Schlage by $40.
2. Schlage Encode Plus — built for Apple households, thin sample corrected to provisional
Schlage's score was corrected to 7.0/10 after a sweep found its original number wasn't supported by its wall — only 4 tracked mentions, thin enough that neither a confident high nor low score is warranted. Its ANSI Grade 1 certification and Apple Home Key tap-to-unlock remain the two most-cited reasons owners choose it, and the 4 mentions lean positive (2 positive, 1 negative, 1 mixed): one owner calls the hardware and software genuinely impressive, while others push back on the bulky keypad design. It's also the most expensive product in this guide at ~$339 CAD, and Android households get none of the Apple Home Key benefit — Yale is the better fit there. With only 4 mentions, treat this as directional, not a settled #1.
3. Google Nest Doorbell (Battery) — owner reports skew negative despite a decent score
The Nest Doorbell posts a strong 8.2 score with the highest compatibility subscore in this guide (10.0), but its owner-report data tells a rougher story: 7 of 12 tracked mentions are negative, versus 4 positive and 1 mixed — a majority-negative sample despite the score. The dominant complaint is confusing, unreliable battery behavior on the "wired" version, which several owners describe as still running primarily off battery with only a trickle charge. Two mentions specifically describe cold-weather failures relevant to this guide's Canadian focus: one owner reports returning the unit within a week because it couldn't operate below -10°C, wired or on battery. A smaller set of owners running it fully hardwired report zero issues, including one at 10-degree nights. Read the score with that split in mind — this is not a uniformly positive product in ClearPick's tracked owner data.
4. Blink Video Doorbell — the cheapest pick, and the only one with zero positive owner reports
The Blink Video Doorbell scores 6.8, the lowest in this guide, and at ~$79 CAD it's also the cheapest. Its subscores for setup ease and value are both 9.5, but its 5 tracked owner mentions are the most one-sided in this guide: 4 negative and 1 mixed, with no positive mentions recorded. Owners describe the night vision as the worst they've tried on any doorbell, a cheap PIR sensor throwing frequent false positives with only square motion zones, and — a specific, repeated frustration — losing access to recorded clips the moment the 30-day trial ends, even with the Sync Module installed, which several owners say they didn't expect. The 2-year battery life and no-subscription-required live view are real, but the tracked owner record for this product does not currently support recommending it without that caveat front and center.
Best For
| Yale Assure Lock 2 | Schlage Encode Plus S… | Google Nest Doorbell… | Blink Video Doorbell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall ClearPick score | ✓ Highest score | Thin sample | ✓ | — |
| Price (CAD) | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ Cheapest at ~$79 |
| Owner sentiment positivity | ✓ | ✓ Best positive ratio (2 of | — | — |
| Documented cold-weather iss… | None reported in tracked me… | None reported in tracked me… | — | None reported in tracked me… |
Who It’s For
The highest score and best build-quality/security subscores here, with Apple Home Key tap-to-unlock — the clear pick if budget allows and your household is iPhone-based.
See review →
Strong compatibility and the deepest Google Home integration, but check the cold-weather reports below before mounting it battery-only somewhere exposed.
See review →
The right call for mixed Apple/Android homes, but budget time for possible Bluetooth range troubleshooting based on owner reports.
See review →
The cheapest option here, but every tracked owner mention so far is negative or mixed — go in with clear expectations on night vision and subscription limits.
See review →What owners actually say
What buyers love
“I have it and it is awesome. Really impressed with both the hardware and software. Highly recommended.”
r/HomeKit
“I have a wired battery one with a 'weak'ish transformer per the installer and haven't had a single issue, even on 10 degree nights.”
r/Nest
“Absolutely love it. Use our lock at least 5 times a day and the battery lasts about 6 months. I have the Bluetooth only version and only use it with HomeKey. Have never really had any issues with it outside of some user error with other members of the house haha”
r/HomeKit
Common complaints
Owners dislike the look
I Just dont like how the Encode plus looks...
r/HomeKitFails below -10°C in Canadian winters
Can confirm, this thing is crap. Can't operate on wire alone, battery will always come into play. I returned mine within a week because it couldn't operate in Canadian winters, wired or battery hardly below -10C and it was useless.
r/NestBluetooth range and obstruction issues
I have one of these and had similar issues. It has constant issues unless it's within eyesight of a bluetooth HomePod, etc. It literally will start getting flaky if \*anything\* is in the way. Nothing can block it.
r/HomeKitClip access needs a subscription despite the Sync Module
Now that the 30 day trial has ended in my case, I see that I don’t have the ability to see clips of who might have come by or rang the doorbell during the day, despite having the Sync Module. When I click on a clip in the app, it says I can’t see it since I don’t have a subscription plan.
r/blinkcamerasThe Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus is now the top-scoring pick in this guide at 7.9/10, the right cross-platform choice for mixed Apple/Android homes, though its own owner reports skew negative on Bluetooth reliability more often than positive — budget time for possible troubleshooting. The Schlage Encode Plus is the strongest Apple-household pick, but its score was corrected to a provisional 7.0/10 — only 4 mentions back it, too thin for a confident #1 claim. The Google Nest Doorbell's compatibility is real, but its owner data is majority-negative, and the cold-weather failure reports are directly relevant to Canadian buyers — if you go with it, plan to run it hardwired rather than on battery. The Blink Video Doorbell is the cheapest product in this guide and the one this data supports least — every tracked mention so far is negative or mixed.