A door lock is one of the first lines of defences against burglars and intruders. So getting a good quality door lock that will keep your home secure matters is super important. We recommend buying your door locks from a reputable brand like Yale, ASSA Abloy and Asec.
Not only do these well known brands make high quality and reliable products, most of their locks have certifications to guarantee their level of security. Here are the top 10 door lock brands to consider when shopping for your next lock.
1. Yale
If you’ve ever shopped for a door lock, then you’ve definitely heard of Yale locks. The company’s history goes as far back as 1840 when Linus Yale Sr. started making high security locks in New York. Today, Yale is one of the biggest brands, in the UK and around the world, when it comes to high quality home door locks.
Yale sells a wide range of door locks from low security internal door locks to robust high security locks for external doors. Types of locks available include cylinder locks, mortice locks, rim locks, night latches, deadlocks and more.
Yale also makes different kinds of smart door locks if you want to smarten up your home security. Talking of home security, Yale doesn’t just sell door locks; they also have cameras, home alarms and safes.
Overall, you can’t go wrong with Yale whether you are shopping for a budget lock for your shed or interior doors, or you need a robust lock to protect your entire home.
2. Assa Abloy
Assa Abloy is a huge Swedish conglomerate that owns several home locks brands including Yale locks, Medeco and Chubb Locks.
The company was started when the Swedish company Assa AB merged with the finish lock manufacturer, Abloy Oy in 1994. Today, Assa Abloy has operations in just about every region in the world.
Assa Abloy’s products mostly include door hardware, door controls and electronic access systems. But they also sell a number of door locks and lock accessories. These include lockcases for different types of locks, latches and bolts, cylinder locks, sash locks and deadlocks.
Overall, Assa Abloy is the go-to brand for door furniture and hardware, while their Yale brand is the best choice if you are looking for a wide selection of door locks.
3. Asec
Asec is another big UK brand when it comes to home security. Their catalogue includes door access products, door and window furniture, padlocks and safes.
If you are specifically shopping for Asec door locks, options include cylinder locks and different kinds of mortice locks including deadlocks, nightlatches, and sashlocks. You can also get Asec garage door locks and shutter locks.
Asec was started in 2003, so it’s not as old as other brands like Yale and Assa Abloy. But they’ve proven themselves a reliable and reputable brand in the time they’ve been around. Their locks are high quality, durable and built to British security standards.
As far as we can tell, Asec doesn’t have any smart door locks. If you want to go keyless, your only option is one of their digital mechanical door locks. So if you want a smart lock, go with Yale or one of the other brands that has them.
4. Union
Back to Assa Abloy, Union is another of their brands. So their door locks come with the same stamp of quality as other Assa Abloy products. They have traditional cylinder locks as well as different types of mortice locks.
In addition, Union sells a range of door hardware including hinges, closers and handles.
5. ABS Secure With Avocet
If you are shopping for cylinder locks, ABS Secure is one of the best brands. ABS is a series of cylinders made by Avocet.
They sell two main types of Euro cylinders: 1 star and 3 star.
1 star ABS cylinders (called ABS Pioneer) are ideal for low to medium security situations. They are tested to the TS007 and BS EN1303:2015 British Kitemark standards and feature anti-drill, anti-pick and anti-bump protection.
For added security, step up to the 3-star ABS Master cylinder locks. These come with all the protections of the ABS Pioneer cylinders plus anti-snap protection. For even more security, Avocet also makes 3 star diamond grade ABS cylinders.
6. ERA Protect
While not the ideal choice if you are on a budget, ERA Protect is a great brand if you are shopping for premium high-security locks.
Some of their products include 3 star Euro cylinders, mortice locks, nightlatches, thumbturn cylinders and more. Era also sells various smart security products and accessories include alarm kits, wireless security cameras, motion sensors and others.
7. Mul-T-Lock
Mul-T-Lock is another good pick if you are looking for premium quality locks. Their products are well built and highly resistant to different kinds of burglar and intruder attacks.
On the downside, expect to spend more on Mul-T-Lock door locks. Many customers also say it can take some time to get a replacement key if you lose yours since only an official locksmith can give you a new key.
Mul-T-Lock makes security products for both commercial and residential customers. Their home door locks include cylinders, locksets and mortice locks.
Oh, by the way, Mul-T-Lock is part of the Assa Abloy group. So their locks are pretty good, secure and reliable.
8. EVVA
EVVA is one of the oldest door lock manufacturers. It was established in 1919 by three engineers and they made their first lock in 1937, a cylinder padlock. By the way, EVVA is an acronym standing for ‘Erfindungs-Versuchs-Verwertungs-Anstalt’ (Invention, Experimentation and Application Institute).
Today, the family-owned business is one of the leading residential and commercial security companies in Europe.
EVVA manufactures both mechanical and electronic locking systems. Some of the mechanical systems include the Akura 44 short cylinder lock, the MCS master key system that uses a magnetic cylinder, and the high security 4KS system.
If you are looking for an electronic door lock, options include the smart AirKey that can be operated via an app, the EMZY lock with automatic locking and unlocking, and the Xesar electronic access system.
EVVA manufactures their door locks in Vienna, Austria.
9. Legge
Legge locks are made by Allegion, a large American company that owns many other lock brands like CISA, Austral locks and Briton among others.
Legge is a great brand if you are looking for premium security locks that are not too expensive. Legge’s products include a wide range of latches, levers and locks from simple mortice latches to high-security 5-lever locks.
10. Ingersoll Locks
Our last pick is, unsurprisingly, another Assa Abloy brand — Ingersoll Locks. The history of Ingersoll Locks goes back to 1949. They are best known for the legendary lock Ingersoll SC71 that features a high security 10-lever mechanism.
Ingersoll’s range of door locks is not as wide as other brands like Yale. But the few door locks they make are high quality and provide some of the best security you can get for your home. They are a bit expensive but worth it if you are shopping for secure and reliable door locks.
In addition to traditional door locks, you can also get high security Ingersoll padlocks. These fairly pricey padlocks are designed for sensitive applications. They feature thick shackles (up to 10mm) and 10-lever cylinders.
Final Thoughts: Which Is The Best Door Lock Brand in the UK?
It depends on your budget and the kind of lock you are looking for. If you want a brand that offers a wide variety of door locks, including both budget and premium options, Yale is the best brand. They even have smart locks. Asec is another good pick if you want variety or you want affordable door locks.
If security is a priority and you don’t mind spending a bit more, some good brands include ABS by Avocet, Mul-T-Lock and Ingersoll.
And if you are shopping for an electronic or smart lock, we love the products from EVVA.
