Nuki Smart Lock (4th generation)

Better to keep than to buy at the listed price

The standard fourth-generation Nuki still does the essential job: it turns a suitable existing cylinder, adds app-controlled entry and shares lock control with Matter platforms. If it already operates your door reliably, there is no compelling reason to replace it just because Nuki now sells smaller models.

Its purchase price tells a different story. On September 10, 2026, Nuki's legacy pages listed it at €189 in the euro store and £169 in the UK. The current Smart Lock Go was €149 or £139. Paying €40 or £30 more for the older standard model is hard to defend.

Those are manufacturer listing prices, not a verified clearance deal. Compare the actual delivered basket and included accessories before treating an older model as the cheaper option.

The familiar shape brings a useful battery choice

This lock keeps Nuki's older layout: a round manual turn above a large battery compartment. It is a conspicuous object inside the door and has one motor speed. The newer Pro's compact cylinder and choice of motor modes are a visible and practical upgrade, but we have not measured comparative noise, speed or reliability.

Four AA batteries are included with the standard model. They are easy to replace without sending the lock away for battery service. Suitable rechargeable AAs or Nuki's removable Power Pack offer alternatives to disposable cells.

The Power Pack can charge outside the lock or while fitted, using USB-C. That flexibility is a reason an owner might prefer the older shape to the fixed battery in the fifth-generation Pro. Go also uses replaceable batteries, though, so this advantage does not justify paying more than Go for a new lock.

Matter does not mean the €49 fee is compulsory

This standard fourth-generation model has Bluetooth and Thread, but no built-in Wi-Fi. That is a real difference from Go, which includes Wi-Fi hardware with optional paid Nuki Remote Access.

Ordinary Matter lock control works through a suitable controller and Thread border router. The separate €49 activation is for Nuki's own Remote Access via Thread: remote administration through Nuki's app and services. Do not confuse that with paying to activate Matter itself.

An existing Nuki Bridge is another way to bring this generation online. If it already gives you the access you need, replacing it or paying for a different connection may save no useful work. Conversely, do not buy the old standard lock expecting a direct Wi-Fi fallback built into the motor.

At the listed €189, adding €49 Remote Access and a €49 Power Pack totals €287 before a keypad or hub. The same Go additions total €247, and the compact current Pro includes remote access and rechargeable power for €269. The old standard's value depends heavily on the actual discount and what is already included.

You can add better entry without changing the motor

Fourth-generation locks support Keypad 2 NFC. An existing owner can add supported wallet taps, fingerprints and PINs without replacing the indoor lock. The €179 keypad is still a separate purchase, and wallet mode needs qualifying phones and ecosystem hardware.

That can solve a more specific annoyance than buying a faster motor. Phone-based Auto Unlock rearms after leaving and re-entering its home geofence; a short garden trip may not do that. A keypad offers deliberate entry on return.

If an existing keypad already handles this well, keep it. More entry methods are only useful when someone prefers using them.

A used bargain still has to suit the door

The fourth generation launched in November 2023. Older Nuki models can look very similar, so a photograph of the familiar white body does not establish that a listing has Matter. Confirm the exact generation and included mounting parts.

Keeping the cylinder also requires suitable hardware. An outside key must still work with a key inserted inside; Nuki calls this the emergency function. If the cylinder needs replacement, add that work to the price comparison rather than assuming every retrofit preserves your keys.

For an owner, retaining a sound installation is the sensible starting point. For a new buyer, Go sets the price to beat. A vague “legacy discount” is not enough when the newer entry model already costs less.