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Yale Night Latch 706 Bronze 40mm
by SoadFan
~Trust in Yale~
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Yale are a brand that I know well and have trusted over the years as being of a good quality when it comes to home security. The product I am reviewing here replaced a very similar Yale lock that had been happily working for a good number of years before failing and requiring replacement. I ... turned to Yale to look for a replacement lock and am happy to say that the product picked out remained working for a good length of time once fitted in place. Upon inspecting the components of the lock system I would say all the moving and non moving parts seemed well made and fitted together well, so as make a good connection once fitted in place.
This Yale night latch was something that I had fitted at a previous home when the locks on an exterior wooden door needed replacing. At the time of having had this fitted I felt that as it was very similar to the lock it was replacing it would do a fair job at keeping access via that particular door at least as secure as it had been with the previous lock. I recall that this lock was easy to fit in place (although I didn't fit it myself) as it was simply swapped with the older defective lock and then slotted into the space that the other lock left behind. I would have perhaps picked out a slightly different lock had the space available been bigger or easier to adapt, as I feel this lock only offered a basic degree of security when compared to the 7/ 8 lock and bolt system on the newer doors I have now.
The lock barrel worked well enough once in place and didn't stick too much when new, although I recall that a little silicone spray was added at the fitting stage, so as to help the key turn more easily once in place which seemed to make the barrel work better. The lock has a night latch system which has a press down button on the main body of the lock that I feel always worked as it could once the lock and all components were fitted in place. This lock is suitable for doors of a variety of sizes/ thickness from 38mm to 57mm and whilst I cannot recall the exact measurement of the door this was used with I can say that it fitted well and worked as it should.
~Price~
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In use I had this lock fitted along with a further slide style lock that could be operated from lower down the main body of the door in question and I feel that the combination of the two products worked well enough. I would say that this lock offers a basic level of security when used as a stand alone item, although it can be helped with the addition of a further look for extra security or a slide style bolt system if wanted. The cost of this lock is no more than £17/£18 which I feel is more than fair for it, as it is quite a basic lock. You can still buy this product from a number of outlets at the same price which I feel offers good value for a basic lock system ( as this includes everything required to use and set up the lock including the main body, barrel and 2 keys).
~Product rating~
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I didn't have any problems with this lock that I had in use for some time, although I do feel there are better safer locks you can buy which may be a more secure option on a new door. As I had to replace a broken system with the same size and style of lock I opted for this one, as it was the easiest option at the time. I would like to give this lock a mid way 3 star product rating as whilst I had no issues with it when it was in use, I do feel that had I been able to opt for something more substantial I would have done, as I did have to fit other safety products to the door in order to feel that everything was safe and secure.
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Dicon SA900 Smoke Alarm
by northernlovely
There is another review on here which highlights what a badly made and potentially dangerous (in fact not potentially - this IS dangerous) this so called smoke alarm is. I wish to add a second.
The Dicon SA900 Smoke Alarm is available in a lot of cheaper shops like Quality Save and Pound Stretcher but I actually bought it on ... Amazon which I do a lot of things, I paid £17.50 which I thought was fair for a smoke alarm, I mistakenly thought if I 'cheaped out' then I might get an inferior product.
The unit is really really easy to install (instructions are included), it has a 10 year warranty and a long life battery. You can tell that the battery is working because the red LED blinks every 45 seconds. It has a very sharp shrill alarm, and I was confident we were doing everything we could to stay safe.
Now, I didn't find out in too hard a way how wrong I was - luckily, I only set pasta on fire - the packet of dry spaghetti I had rolled onto my gas hob and set alight. Not too many flames but a helluva lot of smoke, which had me running back into the kitchen. It filled the house! My husband was worried that it hadn't triggered the smoke alarm so he checked it - to find the battery had leaked and the unit was totally broken and useless!
Obviously this was really worrying because I have a 13 month old baby and I bought the unit to keep my family safe. We have since had a mains operated alarm professionally installed. It really opened my eyes and I will never ever use one of these alarms again or recommend one to my friends and family. Given the experience I and the other reviewer had with the Dicon SA900 Smoke Alarm I think it is a dangerous and misleading item which should be banned from the shops.
I wish I could give this less than 1 star.
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Master Lock Aluminium Padlock with Long Shackle 50mm
by bilbobaginz
Do you have a shed / garage / allotment /gate that needs locking overnight, during differing weather conditions, with a wide catch or swing? Master (developer of locks) have produced a range of outdoor locking systems which can solve your problem - offering a secure and easy way to keep possessions safe. This version is probably the best ... in the range, due to the length of its shackle, but what about the product as a whole? Let's explore its material / locking / shackle build quality and usability...
MATERIALS:
You can buy this product with a chrome or black finish to the locking section (the rectangular bit at the base containing the locking mechanism). Both colour ranges come with a standard polished metal shackle (aluminium). The materials don't have the best finish - because Master know that padlocks are not required to look good; if they open when the correct key is used that's good enough. Some parts of the padlock are jagged, though not rugged enough to cut skin, and certain sections of the twisting aluminium shackle are blotchy and distorted. None of this compromises the products strength, rigidity or durability. The design of the padlock allows for the rugged materials to slip past each other neatly when locking and unlocking. Also, when the weather turns wet or cold, the lock will carry on working in almost the same way as during calm conditions. Not only are the materials and the locking system water-proof, but due to the design, ice and snow doesn't seem to compromise the product as much as with other models.
LOCKING:
Although hidden within, the locking mechanism seems reliable and incredibly strong - turning the key and locking the shackle in place produces a relatively loud clicking noise, and the level of resistance on the rotating key is sufficient enough to satisfy my mind that the lock will/can not be breached. Apparently the product has a security level of 5, whatever that means - either way I'm happy with the strength - not having tested it much, mind.
The lock comes with two keys (so I recommend keeping them separate - I.e. one in a safe / secret place in the event of the other being lost). Don't leave the key(s) under a plant pot near the shed the lock is protecting - I'm pretty sure this is the first place robbers look! The keys are very small and fiddly, but they slip into the locking mechanism easily enough, and when turned 90 degrees, release the shackle effortlessly.
THE SHACKLE:
The long (64mm) shackle creates a greater than average circumference from which to attach the lock. As the locking section is quite small in comparison to the shackle (36 x 50 x 14.5mm), it doesn't seem to get in the way anywhere near as much as with other models. Despite the shackles length, the aluminium bar diameter is kept at standard size; so strength isn't improved, but flexibility isn't reduced either.
OVERALL:
My opinion of this product is good. I would rely on this lock to guard and protect my most valuable possessions, though thinking about it I'm sure there's some powerful sheers out there. The materials are strong and (though a bit rugged) good quality - especially with regard to changing weather conditions. The locking system is straight forward, and Master provide you with an additional key. The best thing about this product however is its shackle - at 64mm in length.
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