FlipLok Review from A Home Security Pro
Updated: Jul 30
Does FlipLok Really Work?
Quick Questions about FlipLok
Q: What is a FlipLok?
A: It’s an additional (keyless) lock that mounts to your door frame to keep a bad guy from kicking in the door.
Q: Is FlipLok worth the money?
A: I personally use a FlipLok daily and I think it is.
Q: Have you ever interviewed Anna Reger the Founder of FlipLok?
A: That’s oddly specific, but yes, I have.
The Secure Dad understands how important protecting your home is to your family. With so many home security gadgets available, it’s hard to tell what really works. The FlipLok is a secondary door lock that is easy to use daily and tough for worst-case emergencies.
While this review is sponsored by FlipLok, I’m fair and honest in my review. No one asked me to plant information or overlook shortcomings. I was not given talking points. Everything in this review is my opinion as an owner of a Residential Inward FlipLok. This article does NOT contain affiliate links.
Video Review of FlipLok
How FlipLok Protects Your Front Door: A Review
According to FBI statistics, the most popular way a thief enters your home is through the front door. Most bad guys don’t want to execute an elaborate plan to break into your home. That’s why home defense starts at the front door.
Many burglaries start with a kick-in attack on the front door. When burglars kick through the door, the deadbolt doesn’t fail, it’s the door frame on the inside of your home that splinters to pieces and allows the bad guys access.
What caught my eye about the Residential Inward FlipLok is that it’s not a delicate secondary lock that you see at the hardware store. Those slide-chain locks are a joke. The FlipLok is a solid build with only a few moving parts that are all made of metal. Aside from an optional spacer, I don’t see any plastic on this thing. The FlipLok is a definite upgrade.
The Residential Inward FlipLok is crafted in thick aluminum, which makes it strong, but lite. Its sleek, curved edges make it visually appealing, and is offered in silver, bronze, and an eye-catching black. Of course, it’s more than looks that makes FlipLok stand out, its double-locking pins ensure that it will stay locked, even under stress.
The FlipLok is anchored to the door frame which helps distribute the blunt force of a boot or a battering ram along the length of the frame. In fact, the company says its device can withstand 1,300 pounds of pressure. The solid build, design, and material offer people a great way to fortify their homes.
How FlipLok Works
The team at FlipLok appropriately named their product. When installed to the door frame, the FlipLok is simply flipped into place with one finger and it falls in deep channels, locking it into place. To unlock it, just lift it slightly and swing it back to its open position. It is that simple.
It’s that simplicity that makes FlipLok easy to use by anyone in your home. From kindergarteners to senior citizens, this lock can be activated by anyone. I have personally tested this with people of all ages and they all can use it easily.
This is a major selling point as there is no key or device necessary to open or lock it, anyone can use it. Many online knockoffs require an adult with decent grip strength to use their products. This is not the case with FlipLok.
Another great feature to FlipLok is how fast it can be operated. It can be locked in less than a second and opened in about one and a half seconds. This is great to secure your door, but then it won’t get in your way if you must escape your home due to an emergency like a fire.
How To Install a FlipLok
Installing a Residential Inward FlipLok is quick and easy. The device is anchored to the door frame and stud with four provided screws. The FlipLok comes ready to be mounted to the right of an inward-opening door. But if your door opens inward from the left as mine does, then a simple fix can change the direction of the lock with minimal effort. There’s no need to order a right or left version, it’s all the same.
A spacer with double-sided tape is provided. This may be needed depending on the depth of your door. The FlipLok is made to fit flush with the door in its resting position. A spacer may be necessary to achieve the flush fit for it to repel an attack on the door.
FlipLok says their locks can be mounted on exterior and interior doors. While that is a great positive, there is a caveat. Most interior doors in homes are hollow and are made of cheap materials that will not stand up to a kick-in attack. What’s important to know here is that the FlipLok will hold, but the door will not. For the best protection in an interior room couple a FlipLok with a solid core door.
If you have an outward-opening door there is a solution for you. If you have a door that swings outside of the home, away from you, then you will need a Residential Outward FlipLok. This is a different lock that I have not reviewed but the design and build look like a quality product.
Pros and Cons of FlipLok
After owning a Residential Inward FlipLok for a few months I’ve gotten very familiar with it. Here are a few of the pros and cons of having one on your door.
Pros of the FlipLok
Locks in less than a second.
Can be used by anyone tall enough to reach it.
Will work on just about any inward swinging door.
Will not slow you down from escaping an emergency.
Made of thick aluminum.
Comes in different colors to match your existing door hardware.
Can’t be picked as there is no exterior access.
Installation is quick and easy.
Cons of the FlipLok
It has a large footprint on the door. (But that’s part of how it works)
You can’t unlock it from the outside.
If fire or EMS needs to make entry into your home, it could be hard for them.
FlipLok Final Assessment
Being the Founder of The Secure Dad, I take my home’s security very seriously. To put it plainly, FlipLok helps me sleep better at night. Knowing that it’s going to take a freight train to get through my door gives me the peace of mind I need to better protect my family.
Speaking of family, FlipLok is a family company. The Reger family of Houston, Texas owns the company. Anna Reger, FlipLok’s CEO told me in a podcast interview that she and her husband were worried about protecting their children after they grew up and moved out. The design of the FlipLok came to her husband in a dream, and they started working on it the next day.
This lock was born out of a desire for parents to protect their family. FlipLok protects my home, and it should protect yours, too. Get your peace of mind at FlipLok.com.
