Best Secure-but-Simple Euro Lock

[LocksportSouth]

My family are soon to be moving house into a new area and house, one which is quite secluded and fairly large. Due to this I'm a little worried about the security of the building and have been making plans to mitigate this. One of the steps is of course to change the euro cylinders - I believe there are 6 external doors in total that use Euro cylinders, and one that uses an Oval (this is in the UK, BTW).

If it were me, I'd stick a Protec2 in every one of them and call it a day. However in preparation to figuring out which locks are most suitable I've bought a Protec2, an Avocet ABS and a CISA Astral S, and installed them all (temporarily) in the current doors and gotten my family members to try them all out. Common complaints about the Protec2 are that the keys feel fiddly - hard to insert, hard to remove (that half-a-turn-backwards thing is fairly unintuitive, after all) and that the keys don't feel overly strong. No complaints with the other two, but then they are fairly simple, large keyway locks.

I'm currently using the Avocet at another property, however unfortunately it doesn't come in Oval profile and ideally I'd like -all- the locks at the new property to be keyed alike for simplicity, which means a lock that comes in both Euro and Oval. The CISA meets these requirements, but there are plenty of videos on YouTube of this lock being picked in seconds, and IIRC if there are no signs of destructive entry in case of burglary, the insurance co. won't cover it.

Money is of course an issue - the Protec2 cost me £160ish, which means it'll be around £1,000 to replace all the locks. OTOH the Avocet and CISA can be had for around £30-£35 each.
I've also looked into a few others, including the DOM Diamant (almost impossible to find here in the UK), and the higher end CISA, the RS3 (Again, nigh-impossible to find except from Italian-only sites which I can't read!)

Just wondering what you would all recommend? One of the above? Something new? Here are the requirements:

1. It must be high security (or, at least, more high security than the "normal" PIN tumbler or standard dimple types)
2. It must be simple and easy to use, with sturdy keys
3. It must be able to be keyed alike, and come in both Euro and Oval varients
4. No particular budget, but ideally less than £1,000 for all 7 locks (6 Euro and 1 Oval, IIRC)
5. I need to be able to find it in the UK! This also means a store and not 1-off eBay items, as I won't know the actual In/Out measurements until they move and I can measure the old cylinders
6. They must be hard to pick especially - I know even the Protec2 can be drilled out with some ease, but at least in case of destructive entry the insurance will cover any losses from theft.

Currently the only one I've seen that meets all of these criteria is the CISA Astral S. A second choice would be the Avocet it all doors but the Oval one, and use a CISA in the Oval lock. (there are less videos of the Avocet being picked on YouTube, my general barometer for "ease of picking". It has magnetic pins and stuff, and is BS 3-star rated whereas the CISA is only 1 star). If I could FIND the RS3 that would probably be the best bet, although they're almost as expensive as the Protec2...

[cj101]

There are lots of reasonable priced systems around with good mechanical properties.
Altough the Protec is cited here lots of times it is by far not the best lock of the world. There are better options around, if you also consider economical and technical points.
From a point of picking resistance, the EvvA MCS is one of the best option.

The Keso 4000S Omega is in its hardest version secure against drilling, core removal and breaking due to construction and not too expensive. This lock offers superiour master keying capabilities and is extensible to any length even after purchase. Furthermore it is quote affordable if you consider to secure inner doors as well, as well the standard version of the cylinder is cheaper.
Picking a modern Keso isn't childplay either.

Zeiss ikon Sk 6 is an affordable and robust 6 pin cylinder. It can be ordered in germany in Vds B variant for around 80-90 euro and is practically secure against destructive entry techniques.

If you believe you might come under burglary attack, spend a reasonable amount of money on door safety shields with core removal protection and quality fittings.

Furthermore, inform yourself about the possibility of an independent security consulting.

In germany, the police offers burglary security consulting without charge to homeowners.

[LocksportSouth]

There are lots of reasonable priced systems around with good mechanical properties.
Altough the Protec is cited here lots of times it is by far not the best lock of the world. There are better options around, if you also consider economical and technical points.
From a point of picking resistance, the EvvA MCS is one of the best option.

The Keso 4000S Omega is in its hardest version secure against drilling, core removal and breaking due to construction and not too expensive. This lock offers superiour master keying capabilities and is extensible to any length even after purchase. Furthermore it is quote affordable if you consider to secure inner doors as well, as well the standard version of the cylinder is cheaper.
Picking a modern Keso isn't childplay either.

Zeiss ikon Sk 6 is an affordable and robust 6 pin cylinder. It can be ordered in germany in Vds B variant for around 80-90 euro and is practically secure against destructive entry techniques.

If you believe you might come under burglary attack, spend a reasonable amount of money on door safety shields with core removal protection and quality fittings.

Furthermore, inform yourself about the possibility of an independent security consulting.

In germany, the police offers burglary security consulting without charge to homeowners.

Thanks for your reply .

I've looked into the EVVA MCS, unfortunately it seems pretty hard to get here in the UK. The one reliable source I've found is SecuritySnobs, and I'm not sure about their reputation - I wasn't able to come up with anything on Google searching whether they are legit or whether anyone has had any experience dealing with them. I sent them an email a few months back asking some general questions about cylinder sizing but they never replied, which makes me a little dubious on their reliability. Also, the price for an MCS on there is around $280 - not sure if that is the "standard" but it's more than I want to spend per lock really. As I say, I can get Protec2s for £160 each and while the MCS is certainly a worthy contender on that front, It's a bit beyond budget really. I'm also dubious about the reliability of their technology as I haven't seen it tested or reported widely elsewhere, I do wonder whether the magnets would be at risk of becoming demagnetised or falling out of the key, and how reliable the lock technology actually is.

I've just looked up the KESO, can't find any sellers in the UK, the only reliable looking page I've found is This site which is entirely in German.. However clicking that first drop-down shows Euro priced between 89 and 144 EUR, minus any add on options (Not sure what those other drop downs mean but I'm guessing things like hardening options), International postage and taxes, which, again, is a little more than ideal considering the Avocet and basic CISA locks can be found in the UK for £30ish each. Also if I had to source from a German site I wonder whether I'd be able to communicate my needs effectively with the seller (such as needing a keyed alike system, etc).
I have to say though, that's a beautiful, beautiful lock. Look up the bitting on some Google Images, madness!!

Zeiss ikon Sk 6 - Not had any luck Googling this. Mostly comes up with a camera! However the sites I have found that mention it are all in German, and I've not seen one actually selling this lock sadly, so I've been unable to check pricing.

Really I was hoping for something I can source easily within the UK, for a cheap(ish) price with high security - I realise that many of these requirements are at odds with each other and likely nothing will fit all the criteria, so it's going to be a case of sacrificing price for security or vice versa. Possibly I've already found all the UK options that are available for easy purchase - in this case I'd ask whether people would recommend the Avocet ABS or CISA Astral S more highly when it comes to pick resistance?

Thanks though, those would certainly be some lovely options if not for price and/or availability

[GWiens2001]

Security Snobs is very, very reputable. Have bought from them many times, and without doubt, will buy from them again. Their service and support is outstanding. Have also referred quite a few people to them, and never heard of anyone I referred having any difficulty or problems with their order.

I do not have any affiliations with Security Snobs. Just a very satisfied repeat customer who trusts them.

Gordon

[LocksportSouth]

Security Snobs is very, very reputable. Have bought from them many times, and without doubt, will buy from them again. Their service and support is outstanding. Have also referred quite a few people to them, and never heard of anyone I referred having any difficulty or problems with their order.

I do not have any affiliations with Security Snobs. Just a very satisfied repeat customer who trusts them.

Gordon

Thanks - good to know! They're the only place I can find to buy BiLocks, another option (and something I'd like to collect regardless) and one of the few that offer the MCS as well, so it's good to hear from others that they are reputable .

[Hedgehog]

How about Kaba pExtra cylinders?

They are high security, have a reputation for great quality, can be keyed alike between Euro and Oval cylinders, cost less than Protec, and are available in the UK.

For the euro cylinders, you could get the pExtra Guard variant that's BS 3-star rated.

[LocksportSouth]

How about Kaba pExtra cylinders?

They are high security, have a reputation for great quality, can be keyed alike between Euro and Oval cylinders, cost less than Protec, and are available in the UK.

For the euro cylinders, you could get the pExtra Guard variant that's BS 3-star rated.

Hmm - interesting! I can certainly get it in the UK, and it's about the same price as a CISA or Avocet. On the other hand, it seems to be a fairly standard pin tumbler design:



I'm wondering how they claim pick resistance? I mean, it clearly uses security pins, but.. Would that make it more secure / obscure than a dimple lock? I realise security through obscurity is a terrible idea, though..

Edit: Also, which I can find Euro profile versions easily, I can't find any oval ones, which would put it in the same category at the Avocet ABS - i.e. I'd have to use a different oval lock on that one door, which means they couldn't -all- be keyed alike.

[kwoswalt99-]

That's a Gege lock. I wouldn't worry about anyone picking those. It's got security pins and a wicked keyway. They also have some extra key control features: passive pins, geared wheels, etc. Drill protected as well. I don't know if their blanks are factory restricted though.

[LocksportSouth]

That's a Gege lock. I wouldn't worry about anyone picking those. It's got security pins and a wicked keyway. They also have some extra key control features: passive pins, geared wheels, etc. Drill protected as well. I don't know if their blanks are factory restricted though.

Ah fair enough . It's a nice looking lock and very reasonably priced, just a shame there aren't (or at least, I can't find any) Oval cylinders in that brand - I've done a fair bit of Googling with no luck. So if I went down that route the Oval lock door would have to have diff keys.

I've also taken a look at the Mul-T-Lock MT5 (Not MT5+; can't find those too easily) which I can get in both Euro and Oval, about twice the price as the Kanba which is about half the cost of a Protec2. They looks pretty awesome too so that's another option. They don't seem to be anti-snap though...

[Poolsharks1]

Dont know if you get cisa astral locks where you are but i have them on my house and i cant fault them. Decent price too

[LocksportSouth]

Dont know if you get cisa astral locks where you are but i have them on my house and i cant fault them. Decent price too

Yup, I have a CISA Astral S - check my first post .
That's currently in my top running for this purpose because it's cheap, (reasonably) secure, snap-resistant and comes in both Euro and Oval spec. And it's easy to get in the UK. The only "downsides" for me are that it's only BS 1 star rated, and that there are picking vids on YouTube of it being picked fairly quickly. However in the absence of anything better, I'll probably go down that route.

The CISA higher end model, the RS3 looks really nice but I can't find them anywhere, and they're pretty pricy.
I've also considered the BiLock and EVVA MCS as I can get both of them fairly easily from SecuritySnobs, but they're both hella expensive.
Another option is the Mul-T-Lock MT5 but it's about twice the price of the Astral

[cj101]

The CISA Astral S is equivalent to the Abus EC 750, The picking resistance is in my opinion quite low. The Abus EC550 is equivalent, but only with two passive of the mostly useless profile pins, but considerably cheaper. CISA should have the same lock under some name as well.

I would recommend the Kaba Gege P Extra more. It is a tradition 6 pin tumbler lock, but with very tight tolerances, a very tight and narrow keyway and security pins. Like the locks from Zeiss Ikon, which are quite similiar in my view, the locks are a pain to pick.

[Hedgehog]

Dont know if you get cisa astral locks where you are but i have them on my house and i cant fault them. Decent price too

Poolsharks1, I see you're a locksmith, so you know lots more about this than me. The Astral S didn't pass the TS007 test for snap resistance. Hence it's only 1-star rated. Do you think TS007 is a bad test? Have you tried to snap an Astral cylinder and it's resisted OK?

I can't find any oval ones

Why not simply ask a couple of Kaba stockists if they could order the Oval cylinder and key it alike to Euro cylinders? I'd expect a decent Kaba stockist should be able to do this for you. (I'd ask a couple of different stockists, because some are more helpful than others.)

[LocksportSouth]

I can't find any oval ones

Why not simply ask a couple of Kaba stockists if they could order the Oval cylinder and key it alike to Euro cylinders? I'd expect a decent Kaba stockist should be able to do this for you. (I'd ask a couple of different stockists, because some are more helpful than others.)

I certainly may go down that route, if that's the cylinder I end up choosing . Worst case scenario, just one door would have to be not keyed alike. That said there are quite a few options now; it's hard to select a "best" one but the way I see it, it goes something like this:

Abloy Protec2
+ High security
+ Comes in Euro and Oval
+ Easy to get hold of
- Doesn't have sacrificial snapping resistance (may be "snap proof" due to construction though?)
- High price
- High difficulty of use

Avocet ABS
+ Cheap price
+ Medium-High security
+ Easy to use
+ Easy to get hold of
+ BS 3-star rated
+ Sacrificial snap resistance
- Not available in Oval profile

Cisa Astral S
+ Cheap
+ Easy to get hold of
+ Easy to use
+ Comes in Euro and Oval
+ Sacrificial front piece for snap resistance
- Not overly secure - picked in seconds on YT
~ 1 star BS rated

Kaba pExtra Guard
+ Cheap-ish
~ Obtaining tricky but not impossible
- May not be able to track down oval profile
- Pin tumbler rather than dimple
+ Seems highly rated by members here
+ 3 star BS rated
+ Easy to use for people used to "normal" keys
+ Sacrifical front piece

Bi-Lock and EVVA MCS
+ Highly secure
+ Easy-ish to obtain via SecuritySnobs
- Probably way overpriced for their purpose, hence "no"

Cisa RS3, DOM Diamant
+ Highly secure
- Very hard to obtain
- Priced exorbitantly especially for my purposes

Mul-T-Lock MT5
~ Tricky but not impossible to find
+ Highly secure
~ High, but not unreasonable price (about twice the Avocet, and half to 1/3 the Protec2)
+ Comes in Euro and Oval
- Doesn't seem to have sacrificial front piece for snap resistance
- No BS rating AFAIK
+ Should be as easy to use as any dimple lock

Keso 4000S Omega, Zeiss ikon Sk 6
- Hard to get hold of (only on German language sites)
+ High security
- No snap-proof break
- No BS rating (as not British locks)

Lots of pros and cons, lots of options.. Thank you all for your feedback though, it's great to know that there are lots of options out there! As always it's a war between price vs security vs easy of use vs difficulty to obtain vs features provided

[kwoswalt99-]

Mul-T-Lock MT5
~ Tricky but not impossible to find
+ Highly secure
~ High, but not unreasonable price (about twice the Avocet, and half to 1/3 the Protec2)
+ Comes in Euro and Oval
- Doesn't seem to have sacrificial front piece for snap resistance
- No BS rating AFAIK
+ Should be as easy to use as any dimple lock

I guess it may be different accross the pond, but some locksmith shops near me carry Mul t lock as their high security line, making them pretty easy to get.