Now you can use Apple’s Home Key to get into your garage or home office

Aqara has launched its first-ever smart lever lock, the U300 we saw earlier this year at CES. Available in black or silver for $229.99 on Amazon, the U300 is one of the first smart lever locks to support Matter-over-Thread and Apple Home Key.

You can unlock these doors through Aqara's app or Matter apps like Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home, but Aqara also offers a wide range of other entry options, including the built-in fingerprint reader, keypad, or physical keys. Apple Home Key support also means you can just tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to enter, even when they've run out of power.

Lever locks are typically found on doors for garages, side entries, and home offices. The Verge's smart home reviewer, Jennifer Tuohy, is still in the process of testing the U300, but so far, she has found it incredibly easy to unlock. One reason is that the fingerprint reader is located within the handle, so all you need to do is grab it as you normally would, and it automatically unlocks.

Other notable features include weatherproofing and an IPX4 rating, so you can install the smart lock on interior and exterior doors. Aqara also promises a battery life of up to 10 months. There's also a USB-C Emergency Port.

The U300 lever lock is available now on Amazon in North America, with availability will expand to other retailers in South America, South East Asia, and Oceania soon.