House keys have been around for centuries and have evolved with the times to match the preferences of their users. Lots of nuances go into picking the perfect house key for your situation, some of which may come as a surprise. In order to make this process easier, we’ve put together the big four factors to consider when choosing the best house key.
First & Foremost: Choose the Correct Key Type
Despite all of the house keys in existence, there are only two main types of physical house keys used today: the KW1 and SC1. Each of these keys corresponds to its own lock cylinder, so you’ll need to do a bit of investigation to figure out which blank key type you need before making any serious decisions.
See a stamp on one side of your house key? That’s usually the best indicator of which key type you have, if it’s present. If not, lay your key on a flat surface and get ready to observe.
Does it have five rounded corners and smooth sides? You most likely have a KW1 house key on your hands.
On the contrary, does your key have many notches and look more diamond-shaped? In this case, you can assume you have an SC1 house key.
Once you’ve figured out which key you’ve got, you can move forward with the other pressing questions below.
Consider Functional House Key Features
The next thing to consider is what key design will be the easiest to identify as you walk up to your door. Do you need a key that’s visually obvious, shiny or eye-catching? Or are you grabbing your keys in low-light and feeling them by texture to figure out which is your house key?
No one wants to stand fidgeting at their door trying to work out which key to grab at the end of a long day. This may seem like a trivial thing to consider, but putting extra thought into your house key choice can make entering your house a whole lot quicker!
Make it a Memorable & Convenient Loaner House Key
Your bags are packed, you’re ready to go on vacation and the final step is to drop off your house key with the person looking after your place. The last thing you want is your trusted house-sitter having to try all the keys on their key ring because yours is just another basic house key.
Choosing a custom house key not only makes the process more obvious for you, it can also help others to remember which key is yours! Even choosing a simplistic geometric design will still set it apart from standard house keys that everybody else has.
Personal Preference
Personal preference reigns supreme as the dealbreaker for choosing your perfect house key. As long as you know your key format (KW1 or SC1), the design you pick should be one that suits your tastes. You’re the one having to look at your house keys and use them every day, so they may as well be a style you like!
No matter if you want a clean and simple design or a super flashy house key, we’ll help you find what you need for personalized and functional home entry!