Review: Nuki Power Pack – a battery for your smart lock

What is the Nuki Power Pack

The Nuki Power Pack is a rechargeable battery for the company’s smart lock, so you no longer have to buy and throw away batteries. You charge the Power Pack via the included USB cable and one of the two USB ports. Then why are there two USB ports available? So that you can also charge the battery when it is in the lock. Two USB ports ensure that you could lay a USB cable to the lock in any direction of rotation of the door. That way you can provide your lock with a constant power supply. When the Power Pack is fully charged, it can power the Smart Lock itself for up to twelve months, according to Nuki. Via push notifications in the Nuki app you will receive a warning if the battery level drops below twenty. The Nuki Power Pack is available for a retail price of 49 euros.

Design and installation

As far as the design is concerned, we can be quite short: there is little striking to report here. Most of the Power Pack is slid into the slot so you don’t see it. A small piece will stick out further than if you were working with batteries, but this will not be a problem for anyone. The accessory fits perfectly and is no longer noticeable after installation.

The installation is therefore child’s play. First of all, you ensure that you charge the Power Pack. This can take about 10 hours and is done via the supplied USB-C cable. You need a USB port or a USB adapter, because that adapter to use a power outlet is not included. Once charged, remove the batteries from your Smart Lock and insert the Power Pack. The lock will start up and you will immediately see that the Power Pack has been installed in the Nuki app.

As mentioned, there is a USB port on the left and right side. This would theoretically allow you to provide the lock with continuous power. For this, the USB cable must be able to go somewhere near your door, which is probably difficult for most users. But, it is possible if you want to. You can also charge the battery at the door, with a power bank. This way the lock is never inactive.

Use

In terms of use, only two things are really important: does the Power Pack work reliably and does it last a long time on a full charge? We can immediately answer the first question positively. In the four weeks that the Power Pack is on the lock, we have not experienced a single jam or other malfunction. In this regard, the accessory does exactly what it should do.

The battery life is a bit more difficult to estimate since we will only be able to say in a few months how long the Power Pack will last on a full charge, and even then that is only specific to our use. Four weeks ago we installed the accessory with 100 percent charge, but immediately after installation the app already indicated 96 percent. That does not have to be a problem, as long as the batteries last long enough. Now, four weeks later, the percentage is 78 percent. This is when opening and closing the door 8-10 times per day. If the percentage continues to drop at this rate, we arrive at 5-6 months of battery life. According to Nuki itself, the Power Pack should last about a year with 8 opening and closing times a day. For the time being, the performance is well below that, but only when the battery is empty can we really say something meaningful about it. As soon as the battery is empty, we take stock and update this article.

Incidentally, we previously used standard AA batteries. Initially the Alkaline variants that were empty within 2-3 months. Then we switched to the Lithium variants that last between 6 and 8 months. Lithium batteries are a lot more expensive than Alkaline batteries and are not rechargeable, so if the Nuki Power Pack can match this performance, it is in any case a better choice for both the environment and – in the long term – the wallet. On the other hand, you can also use rechargeable Alkaline batteries, which are cheaper but last less and therefore need to be charged more often.

Nuki Power Pack Conclusion

The conclusion that we can draw about the Nuki Power Pack is partly a provisional one, as we still have to wait for the total battery life, but for the time being the battery life is below the 12 months that Nuki states. At this rate we reach about 6 months. However, the accessory does what it should do. The Power Pack is an almost invisible accessory that is quick and easy to install, immediately recognized in the app and works together with the lock without any problems. In addition, you can quickly charge the battery, also at the door. If you have a socket or USB connection near the door, you can also provide the lock with continuous power, although visually that is of course a less attractive solution.

Is the Nuki Power Pack a necessary accessory? No, because with rechargeable Alkaline batteries you do have to charge more often, but you ultimately achieve the same. However, you cannot charge the batteries at the door, and the lock cannot be continuously supplied with power. If you still work with disposable batteries and want to do as long as possible with one charge, then the price of 49 euros for the Power Pack is justifiable, both for your wallet and for the environment. Isn’t it a problem to change and charge more often? Then you can buy rechargeable Alkaline batteries with a charger for half the money.

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