I guess 2013 was the year when the fingerprint scanning technology goes mainstream. Apple’s iPhone 5S is leading the way, but there are numerous other devices that are now taking the advantage of this increasingly accessible technology. I am really impressed that it’s now available even in a simple padlock. I’ve tested this padlock for a few days now and so far I have been really impressed.

The padlock looks and feels really robust and sturdy. At 10 ounces it is currently the heaviest padlock that I own. It features a small push button on front, the fingerprint scanning area, and two compartments at the bottom – one for two AAA batteries (included) and one for the setup/reset access. The padlock also comes with a small mini USB “key” that is used to reset the lock.

The battery compartment is easy to open. The lid of the compartment indicates the orientation of the batteries, but within the compartment there are none of the usual visible indicators of the way batteries should be positioned.

The setup compartment needs to be accessed with the phillips screwdriver. It houses the setup button as well as the mini USB port used to reset the padlock.

The padlock comes with a small instruction booklet, which could be clearer at a few points. Nonetheless, I was able to set up the lock fairly easily. It takes about three to five swipes of your finger in order for the lock to record it. The recordings should remain intact even in the case of loss of power. The padlock is capable of storing up to ten different fingerprints, which should be enough for all of your fingers, or different fingers from each member of your family or a small organization.

Once the padlock is setup it’s extremely easy to use. You just press the button on the front and then you have about fifteen seconds to swipe your finger. I’ve tested it dozens of times already and so far it has worked without a hitch. Not a single false negative or a false positive in all of my tests. I am really impressed with its performance.

There are a few things that could make this padlock even better. The instruction booklet could most certainly use a rewrite. I would have liked to be able just to press my fingertip against the fingerprint scanning area, instead of having to swipe it. Furthermore, this padlock doesn’t really look weatherproof. I would definitely not use it outdoors, which is a shame as this would be an ideal padlock for my backyard shed.

This is a cool product that works just as advertised, but there is definitely room for improvement. I hope to see an improved, and hopefully a cheaper version, in the not too distant future.