No. A flat battery does not lock you out of your own house. Every smart lock we sell comes with mechanical backup keys and a USB emergency power port on the outside, so you can hold a phone power bank against the lock and open it as normal. That is the question we are asked most often, and it is worth answering before anything else.
Of the 14 smart locks on the site, 8 are in stock today, from 25.000 KD to 65.000 KD. This guide is about the questions that come after you have picked a door type: what powers the lock, how many people it holds, whether you need Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and what fitting one to an aluminium apartment door actually involves. If you have not settled the door type yet, start with smart door locks, which sorts the range by door.
What powers each lock, and what happens when it runs down
Two kinds of power are used across the range: replaceable alkaline cells, and a built-in rechargeable lithium pack. Here is what each product record states.
| Lock | Power | Emergency power | Backup keys | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K9 | 4 AAA cells | USB port, power bank | Yes | 32.000 KD |
| A9x | 8 AA alkaline cells | Power bank | 2 keys included | 55.000 KD |
| Glass-door lock | 4 AA cells | Power bank | Yes | 35.000 KD |
| X6 | Rechargeable lithium, 4800 mAh | Power bank | Yes | 60.000 KD |
| J04 | Rechargeable lithium, 6700 mAh | Power bank | Yes | 65.000 KD |
| F11s | Cell type not stated in the record | USB port, power bank | Yes | 30.000 KD |
| QL811 | Cell type not stated in the record | Power bank port | Yes | 30.000 KD |
| F22 | Cell type not stated in the record | Not stated in the record | Yes | 25.000 KD |
We do not publish a battery life in months, because none of these product records states one. How long a set of cells lasts depends entirely on how often the door is opened and whether the lock is holding a Wi-Fi connection all day. A front door used thirty times a day and a storeroom door used twice a week will not behave the same way, and a figure invented for one of them would be wrong for the other. What we can tell you is the cell count and the two ways in that do not depend on the cells at all.
The practical habit: these locks warn you before the cells are flat, so change them when the warning starts rather than when the lock stops. Keep the mechanical keys somewhere other than inside the locked house, which is the one mistake that turns a cheap problem into an expensive one.
How many people can one lock hold?
This is the figure to check if you have a large family, a driver, domestic staff, or a chalet that cousins use. It varies more than people expect.
- J04 at 65.000 KD holds 200 fingerprints. The highest figure in the range, and the reason it suits a building door or a shared villa entrance.
- K9 at 32.000 KD, F11s at 30.000 KD and QL811 at 30.000 KD hold over 100 users each. More than any household needs.
- A9x at 55.000 KD holds up to 100 user groups.
- The glass-door lock at 35.000 KD holds over 50 fingerprints. Enough for a shop or an office entrance.
- The F22 at 25.000 KD does not state a figure. The record lists fingerprint, passcode, key card and app access but gives no user count, so ask us before you buy if the number matters.
A fingerprint is not the only way to add someone. Every lock here also takes PIN codes and RFID key cards, so a cleaner can have a code that you delete afterwards instead of a key that can be copied.
Wi-Fi or Bluetooth? It matters more for a villa gate than for a bedroom
This is the one specification people skip and then regret, so it is worth being blunt about.
Bluetooth means the app works when your phone is near the door. The A9x at 55.000 KD is the Bluetooth model in stock: its record sets Wi-Fi to false. You can unlock it and manage users while you are standing there. You cannot let a delivery in while you are at work in Shuwaikh.
Wi-Fi means the lock is on your home network, so the app reaches it from anywhere. The K9, F11s, QL811, X6, J04 and the glass-door lock are the Wi-Fi models in stock.
Two things follow for a villa gate, which is where this choice usually bites:
- Range. A gate at the end of the plot may sit outside the router's reach even though the house has strong Wi-Fi. Check the signal at the gate with your phone before you buy a Wi-Fi lock for it, and plan on an access point or a repeater if it is weak.
- Temporary access and a log. The QL811 at 30.000 KD is the one whose record spells this out: send a visitor a temporary key from the app, then read the access log to see when it was used. That is what a rented flat, a staff room or a chalet actually needs.
And the part nobody tells you: no lock here needs Wi-Fi in order to open. Fingerprint, code, card and key all work at the lock itself. If the internet is down, the door still opens. Wi-Fi only adds the remote half.
Fitting one to an aluminium apartment door: what it involves
Most Kuwait apartments have an aluminium entrance door with a narrow frame, and that narrowness is the whole problem. A lock body made for a thick wooden door will not sit in it.
In stock today for aluminium: the K9 at 32.000 KD, the X6 at 60.000 KD and the J04 at 65.000 KD. The K9 record names aluminium doors directly; the X6 and J04 records both read "PVC and wood doors, and all kinds of metal doors (steel / aluminium)". The K9 is a lever-handle lock, so it replaces the handle and the lock together in one unit, which is why it is the one we fit most often on apartment doors.
The F11s and the QL811 are for wooden and PVC doors only. Do not order either for an aluminium door, however good the price looks.
Four things decide the job:
- Door thickness. Only one lock in the range publishes a range for this: the A9x, at 45 mm to 100 mm. Measure the leaf of your door with a tape before you order anything, and send us the number.
- New holes, or the existing cut-out. The A9x record states that it needs new holes drilled, so it is not a drop-in swap for whatever is in the door now. On an aluminium door that is normal rather than alarming, but it is the difference between a twenty-minute job and an hour.
- Which way the door opens. Tell us left-hand or right-hand, and inward or outward, when you order. Handing is set during fitting.
- A photo of the door edge. This is the single most useful thing you can send. One photo of the edge of the door showing the existing lock and the frame tells us more than any description, and it costs nothing. Send it through contact us and we will tell you which lock fits before you pay for anything.
Installation is 7.000 to 20.000 KD depending on the door and the location, and it is not included in the price of the lock. Ask for it when you order.
Outdoors, on a gate, and the Kuwait summer
If the lock is going on an external door or a gate, two figures matter and only three products publish them.
- The X6 at 60.000 KD and the J04 at 65.000 KD are both rated IP67, with a working temperature given as up to 60 degrees Celsius.
- The A9x at 55.000 KD gives a working range of -20 to 75 degrees Celsius and a zinc alloy and ABS body.
- The other models do not state an IP rating or a temperature range, so we will not imply one. For a fully exposed gate in direct afternoon sun, ask us and we will tell you which of the three to use.
One more thing for an external door: a lock in direct sun is also a lock whose keypad is in direct sun. A shaded or recessed position is kinder to it than the middle of a west-facing wall.
In stock today, with prices
| Model | Price | Doors | App | Users | In stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F22 | 25.000 KD | Standard doors, record does not name a type | App | Not stated | 83 units, black or silver |
| F11s | 30.000 KD | Wooden and PVC | Wi-Fi | Over 100 | 45 units |
| QL811 | 30.000 KD | Wooden and PVC | Wi-Fi, temporary keys, access log | Over 100 | 46 units |
| K9 | 32.000 KD | Metal and aluminium | Wi-Fi | Over 100 | 82 units, black or silver |
| Glass-door lock | 35.000 KD | Glass, no drilling | Wi-Fi | Over 50 | 20 units |
| A9x | 55.000 KD | Wood or metal, 45 to 100 mm thick | Bluetooth only | Up to 100 groups | 4 units |
| X6 | 60.000 KD | Wood, PVC, steel and aluminium | Wi-Fi | Not stated | 9 units |
| J04 | 65.000 KD | Wood, PVC, steel and aluminium | Wi-Fi, video intercom | 200 fingerprints | 50 units |
Face recognition is on the A9x, the X6 and the J04. Fingerprint, PIN code, RFID card and a mechanical key are on all eight.
What is not available right now
Six models in the collection are out of stock as this is written, so we are naming them without prices rather than letting you plan around them:
- The J03 and the S09, both of which the collection page lists among the aluminium-door models. If one of those is specifically what you were told to buy, message us for the shipment date.
- The A9pro and the M7, the two video-intercom models other than the J04.
- The DQ02.
- The R06 rim lock, the surface-mounted model for a door you do not want to cut into.
The QL811 page also lists a second, cheaper option that is between shipments.
So the price you can actually buy that lock at today is the 30.000 KD one.
Buying from Bab Al-Saif
- Try the locks on real doors at our showroom in Shuwaikh Plaza, Khalifa Al-Jassim Street, Shuwaikh Industrial.
- In Kuwait since 1992, rated 4.7★ from more than 350 Google reviews.
- Pay cash on delivery, by card, or in instalments with Deema.
- Delivery across Kuwait, and installation at 7.000 to 20.000 KD if you want it fitted.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if my smart lock battery dies?
You are not locked out. Every lock we sell comes with mechanical backup keys, and all but the F22 state a USB or power-bank emergency power route in their record, so a phone power bank held against the lock will run it long enough to open the door.
How many fingerprints can a smart lock store?
It depends on the model. The J04 stores 200 fingerprints. The K9, F11s and QL811 each store over 100. The A9x holds up to 100 user groups and the glass-door lock over 50. The F22 record does not state a figure.
Do I need Wi-Fi for a smart lock to work?
No. Fingerprint, PIN code, key card and the mechanical key all work at the lock with no network at all. Wi-Fi is only needed to use the phone app from somewhere else. The A9x has no Wi-Fi and connects over Bluetooth, so its app works only near the door.
Which smart lock fits an aluminium apartment door in Kuwait?
In stock today: the K9 at 32.000 KD, the X6 at 60.000 KD and the J04 at 65.000 KD. The K9 is a lever-handle unit that replaces the handle and the lock together, which is why it is the one most often fitted to apartment doors here. The F11s and QL811 are for wooden and PVC doors only.
How much does smart lock installation cost in Kuwait?
7.000 to 20.000 KD depending on the door and the location. It is not included in the price of the lock, so ask for it when you order.
How thick can my door be?
The A9x is the only model that publishes a figure: 45 mm to 100 mm. For the others, measure the leaf of your door and send us the number with a photo of the door edge, and we will confirm the fit before you order.
Can a smart lock take a Kuwait summer outdoors?
The X6 and the J04 are both rated IP67 with a working temperature given as up to 60 degrees Celsius, and the A9x record gives -20 to 75 degrees Celsius. The other models publish no rating, so for an exposed gate we would point you at those three.
Can I give a cleaner or a driver access without giving them a key?
Yes, and this is the main reason people here switch. Add a PIN code or a key card for them and delete it when it is no longer needed. On the QL811 you can send a temporary key from the app and read the access log afterwards.
Compare the whole range in smart door locks, or go straight to the 17 locks for wooden doors or the 13 for metal doors. For the price tiers side by side, read how much a smart lock costs in Kuwait, and for the door question on its own, wooden door or aluminium door: which smart lock fits.
