So yeah, I dove headfirst into “smart home” stuff last month. Started with a Tuya bulb. Works kinda okay? Turns pink when I tell Alexa “sunset”… which is weird. But anyway, I needed a new lock. Saw the LS-S61, looked cool. Raj said his worked with Google Home. But I’m Team Tuya! (Mostly ’cause the bulbs were cheap on that Prime deal). Big question: Would this fancy lock talk to my Tuya app? Or just ignore it completely like my smart plug sometimes does?
Ad claimed ”WiFi Connectivity!” and ”Works with Smart Life!”. Smart Life? Tuya’s app is often called Smart Life… I think? Or is that another app? Ugh, confusing. Bought the LS-S61 blind. **Price was 182? Def under $200, felt like a win after the expensive groceries last week. Does WiFi cost extra? Hope not.
Install… painful enough. Drilled into doorframe, dust bunnies everywhere. Took longer than assembling that patio grill last summer (instructions blew away!). But okay, lock’s on. Setup time! Excited to add it to Tuya! Scanned QR code… nothing. Tried adding “smart lock” manually in Tuya app. Searched for “LS-S61″…. no results. Searched “smart lock”. Lists like 50 cheap no-name locks, a few Yales maybe? No LS-S61. Panic rising.
Went to the lock’s own manual. Tiny print. Said “Use Tuya app?” with a link to a page… page was 404 Error. Broken? Typical. Found online forums… people arguing! Some said “YES! Use S61 Hub Model!”. Others yelled “NO! ONLY works with lock’s own app!”. Total mess. Download lock maker’s app? Called “LockSmartPro” or something? App store reviews… 2.7 stars? “Constantly disconnects!!!” User reviews are brutal. Didn’t inspire confidence. Saw one reviewer mention they got it paired with Tuya…maybe? Said “added as generic device.” What does THAT mean? Can you unlock your door “generically”? Sounds dangerous!
Reset everything. Router plugged in? Check. Lock blinking blue? Sorta? Tuya app open? Yep. Trying the “Bluetooth” setup this time? Lock app wants Bluetooth first THEN WiFi maybe? Tuya just stares blankly. Error codes flew past: ERR_TUYA_TIMEOUT, then ERR_PROTOCOL_UNSUPPORTED. Sounds bad. Like, language barrier bad. Maybe the lock speaks Chinese WiFi and my router speaks Texan? Did it need 2.4GHz? Checked router settings… page loads… nevermind. Too complicated.
Spent 45 minutes. Nearly kicked the router. Gave up. Used the lock maker’s app (LockMaster? LockBoss? Whatever). Painful setup, looks ugly. Remote unlock works… sometimes. Takes 30 seconds to refresh. Door log? Shows timestamps, but calls everyone “User #3”. Cool. Very useful. My bulbs still look pretty in pink though.
Honestly, comparing it to other top rated smart locks I read about later, the LS-S61’s Tuya compatibility seems… fictional for most people. Or needs magic tech skills I don’t got? Or maybe the specific “hub” version works better? I dunno. Mine won’t play nice. Works fine as a lock with its own janky app. Fingerprint & keypad still function. Tuya dream? Shattered. Like that cheap Tuya camera that stopped working after 3 weeks. Smart homes are dumb sometimes. Now, where are my real keys? Oh right, they’re gone, thanks to the smart lock upgrade. Irony.