The eufy Security Smart Lock C34 has turned out to be one of the better budget smart locks we’ve tested for short-term rentals.

When we first reviewed it, we had only limited hands-on experience with the lock and were hesitant to recommend it. After using the C34 for several months, our opinion has improved considerably.

The lock has been reliable, Matter over Thread setup was extremely easy in our testing, and we were able to connect it directly to our smart-home platform without relying on the eufy app for day-to-day operation. For its price, that makes the C34 a compelling alternative to more expensive smart locks.

It still isn’t our favorite lock for an Airbnb or short-term rental. The hardware doesn’t feel as premium as the Yale Assure Lock 2, and we strongly prefer tactile keypad buttons over a completely flat touchscreen when different guests will be entering codes every week.

But if price matters, the C34 offers a surprising amount of smart-lock functionality for the money.

Our Experience After Several Months of Use

We’ve now had the eufy C34 installed and operating for several months. Connectivity has been reliable, lock and unlock commands have responded consistently, and we haven’t experienced recurring disconnects or other issues that would make us uncomfortable using it at a remotely managed rental property.

That’s particularly important with a smart lock.

A light switch going offline is inconvenient. A smart lock failing during a guest check-in can become an immediate operational problem.

So far, the C34 has proven much more dependable than its low price might suggest.

Matter Over Thread Setup Was Excellent

One of the biggest reasons we wanted to test the C34 was its Matter over Thread support.

In our setup, pairing the lock directly to our Matter/Thread smart-home platform was extremely easy. We did not need to depend on eufy’s app for normal smart-home operation after commissioning it.

That is exactly how we prefer Matter devices to work.

Instead of placing another device directly on the property’s Wi-Fi network, Thread allows the lock to communicate through the property’s Thread network and compatible border router.

For short-term rentals, we like separating critical smart-home devices from the guest Wi-Fi network whenever practical.

The C34 can also be used with eufy’s own ecosystem and supports integrations with major Matter platforms, but our preference is to keep the smart-home platform in control whenever possible.

Excellent Value for the Price

Value is where the C34 really stands out.

Smart locks from established premium brands can cost considerably more, particularly once you add the connectivity hardware required for remote automation.

The C34 gives you Matter over Thread connectivity, PIN-code entry, remote smart-home control, a physical key backup, and good real-world reliability at the lower end of the smart-lock market.

That doesn’t mean it feels like a premium lock.

Compared directly with something like the Yale Assure Lock 2, the Yale’s materials, exterior keypad, and overall construction feel more refined.

But the difference in price is meaningful.

For hosts outfitting multiple doors or multiple rental properties, the C34’s value proposition becomes much more compelling.

The Touchscreen Is Our Biggest Design Complaint

Our biggest criticism is the keypad.

The C34 uses a flat touchscreen rather than individual physical buttons.

That looks modern, but we think tactile buttons are a better design for short-term rentals.

A guest arriving late at night should be able to locate and press the keypad buttons without thinking about how the interface works. Physical buttons provide immediate tactile feedback and are easier to operate by feel.

Touchscreens can also be less pleasant to use with wet hands, gloves, or in poor weather.

The C34’s touchscreen works, and we haven’t experienced a reliability problem with it. We simply prefer the more traditional keypad used on locks such as the Yale Assure Lock 2.

For an owner-occupied home, this would be a relatively minor preference.

At a short-term rental where hundreds of different guests may interact with the lock over its lifetime, we think interface simplicity matters more.

Build Quality Is Good, Not Premium

The C34 feels appropriate for its price.

It doesn’t feel cheap enough to concern us, but it also doesn’t have the solid, polished feel of our preferred Yale locks.

There are more plastic components, and the exterior assembly lacks some of the premium feel you get when handling a more expensive lock.

After several months of use, however, we haven’t seen those differences translate into a reliability problem.

That’s an important distinction.

We would still choose Yale if price were not a consideration, but the C34’s lower-cost construction hasn’t prevented it from performing its primary job reliably.

Battery and Fail-Safe Design

The C34 uses eight AA batteries and includes a traditional physical key as a backup.

We like both decisions for short-term rentals.

AA batteries are easy to source locally and simple for a cleaner, maintenance person, or property manager to replace if necessary.

A physical key backup also gives the property another recovery option if there is ever an electronic or battery-related failure.

For remotely managed rentals, we strongly prefer smart locks that preserve a straightforward mechanical backup.

How It Compares With the Yale Assure Lock 2

The Yale Assure Lock 2 remains our preferred smart lock for most short-term rentals.

The Yale feels more refined, offers a better physical interface, and has a longer track record in rental installations. We particularly prefer Yale’s tactile keypad options over the C34’s flat touchscreen.

The eufy wins on price.

And after several months of testing, the gap in actual day-to-day reliability has been smaller than we expected.

That makes the decision fairly straightforward:

If we were choosing the lock we wanted on our own primary rental entrance and price wasn’t the deciding factor, we would still install the Yale Assure Lock 2.

If we were trying to reduce the cost of deploying smart locks across several properties while still getting Matter over Thread connectivity and dependable operation, we would seriously consider the eufy C34.