Eufy's 3 New Matter Smart Locks: Which One Should You Buy?
Eufy just dropped three Matter smart locks at once, and they’re not playing it safe. The FamiLock E32, E35, and E40 range from $140 to $300, each with a different biometric trick. Here’s which one actually deserves your money.
The FamiLock Lineup at a Glance
Eufy’s FamiLock series was first teased at CES 2026 and is now available at Home Depot (Amazon availability coming shortly). All three locks share Matter compatibility, meaning they work natively with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, and SmartThings. No Eufy hub required. No monthly subscriptions.
The differentiator between models is biometric approach:
- E32 ($139.99): Fingerprint sensor. The budget option.
- E35 ($299.99): Palm vein identification. The unique option.
- E40 ($299.99): 3D facial recognition + 2K camera. The premium option.
All three process biometric data on-device. Your face, palm, and fingerprint data never leaves the lock. Never hits a cloud server. That’s a strong privacy stance, and it means these locks work even if your internet goes down.
Eufy FamiLock E32: The Budget Matter Lock
At $139.99, the E32 is the cheapest Matter-compatible smart lock I’ve seen. Period. Most Matter locks start at $170+ (Aqara U200) or jump to $400 (Schlage Sense Pro). The E32 undercuts everyone.
What you get: a solid fingerprint reader, keypad backup, physical key backup, and full Matter integration. The fingerprint sensor stores up to 100 prints and unlocks in under 0.3 seconds. It’s fast. Not life-changing, but fast.
The build quality is typical Eufy: metal body, IP65 weather-resistant rating, and a design that doesn’t scream “smart lock” from the street. That’s a good thing. You don’t want to advertise to potential intruders that your lock has electronics inside.
Who should buy it: Anyone who wants Matter lock/unlock automations without spending $300+. If you just need “unlock when I arrive, lock when I leave” through Apple Home, the E32 does that for $140. Done.
Eufy FamiLock E35: Palm Vein Biometrics
This one’s interesting. The E35 uses palm vein identification, which scans the vein pattern beneath your skin using infrared. It’s not reading your palm print (surface features). It’s reading your internal vascular structure.
Why does this matter? Palm vein patterns are nearly impossible to spoof. You can lift a fingerprint from a glass. You can potentially fool facial recognition with a photo (though not 3D systems). But replicating someone’s internal vein pattern? That requires medical imaging equipment and materials science that don’t exist outside a lab.
The practical experience: you wave your hand 3-5cm above the sensor. No touching required. That’s actually useful in winter (gloves off, wave, done) or when your hands are dirty or wet. Fingerprint readers fail when your fingers are wet. Palm vein works regardless.
At $299.99, it’s the same price as the E40 but with a completely different value proposition. No camera. No video. Just an incredibly secure, contactless unlock method.
Who should buy it: Security-focused buyers who want the most spoof-resistant biometric available. Families with young kids (their palm veins work fine, unlike some facial recognition systems that struggle with children’s faces). Anyone tired of wiping their fingerprint reader after cooking.
Eufy FamiLock E40: Facial Recognition + Security Camera
The E40 is Eufy’s showpiece. It combines a 3D facial recognition system with a 2K HD camera, effectively turning your deadbolt into both a smart lock and a doorbell camera.
The 3D facial recognition uses structured light (similar to Face ID on iPhones). It maps the depth of your face, so photos won’t fool it. Unlock time is about 1 second from detection to door release. It works at night thanks to infrared illumination, and the wide-angle lens means it catches faces even from oblique angles.
The 2K camera pulls double duty. When someone approaches who isn’t recognized, it records and sends an alert. You get a video doorbell built into your lock. Night vision, two-way audio, and motion detection are all included. No subscription fee for local storage.
At $299.99, the E40 is genuinely impressive value. You’re getting a Matter lock AND a security camera for what most brands charge for just the lock.
Who should buy it: Anyone who wants lock + camera in one unit. Apartment dwellers who can’t install a separate doorbell camera. People who value hands-free unlock (just walk up, it sees you, it opens).
Full Comparison Table
| Feature | FamiLock E32 | FamiLock E35 | FamiLock E40 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.99 | $299.99 | $299.99 |
| Primary Biometric | Fingerprint | Palm vein | 3D facial recognition |
| Matter Compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Home | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Google Home | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No | No | 2K HD + night vision |
| Contactless Unlock | No (touch required) | Yes (wave hand) | Yes (face detection) |
| Monthly Fees | None | None | None |
| On-device Processing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Keypad Backup | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Physical Key | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| User Capacity | 100 fingerprints | 50 palm veins | 50 faces |
| Weather Resistance | IP65 | IP65 | IP65 |
| Battery Life | ~12 months | ~10 months | ~8 months |
How They Compare to Other Matter Locks
The FamiLock series doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Here’s how they stack up against the current Matter lock competition:
| Lock | Price | Biometric | Matter | Camera | Monthly Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eufy FamiLock E32 | $139.99 | Fingerprint | Yes | No | None |
| Eufy FamiLock E35 | $299.99 | Palm vein | Yes | No | None |
| Eufy FamiLock E40 | $299.99 | 3D face | Yes | 2K | None |
| Schlage Sense Pro | $399.99 | None (UWB) | Yes | No | None |
| Aqara U200 | $169.99 | Fingerprint | Yes | No | None |
| SwitchBot Lock Vision | $129-229 | Fingerprint | Via bridge | Optional | None |
The Schlage Sense Pro uses Ultra-Wideband for proximity unlock (no biometric needed, your phone unlocks it), but at $399 with no camera and no biometric backup, the value proposition is harder to justify against the E40.
The Aqara U200 is the closest competitor to the E32 but costs $30 more. SwitchBot’s Lock Vision needs a hub for Matter support, which adds cost and complexity.
For a full rundown of all options, check our best smart locks 2026 ranking.
Privacy and Security: The Chinese Lock Question
I know what some readers are thinking. Eufy is Anker’s sub-brand, which is a Chinese company. Is it safe to put a Chinese smart lock on your front door?
Fair question. We’ve written extensively about whether Chinese smart locks are safe, and the FamiLock series actually addresses most concerns directly:
- On-device biometric processing. Face, palm, and fingerprint data never leaves the lock. There’s no cloud upload to verify.
- Matter protocol. Lock/unlock commands travel over your local network. No Eufy cloud server in the loop for basic operation.
- No subscription model. Eufy has no financial incentive to harvest your data. They made their money when you bought the lock.
- Physical key backup. Even if electronics fail completely, you can still enter your home.
Is it perfect? No lock is. But the architecture here (local processing, Matter’s local protocol, no subscription) is about as privacy-respecting as you’ll find in any smart lock, Chinese or otherwise.
Eufy is one of the best Chinese smart home brands we track, largely because of this local-first approach.
Matter Integration: What It Enables
All three FamiLock models support Matter, which means:
- Apple Home: Lock/unlock from iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac. Create automations (lock at bedtime, unlock at sunrise). Share access with family members through Home.
- Google Home: Voice control, routines, family access.
- Alexa: Voice lock/unlock (with PIN confirmation for security). Routines integration.
- SmartThings: Full integration, automations with other SmartThings devices.
- Home Assistant: Works via Matter integration. See our beginner’s guide to Home Assistant if you’re just getting started.
The big win: you’re not locked into the Eufy ecosystem. If you switch from Apple to Google next year, your lock moves with you. That’s the entire point of Matter-compatible devices.
My Recommendation
Tight budget? E32. It’s $140 for a Matter lock. That’s genuinely hard to beat.
Want the most secure biometric? E35. Palm vein is the hardest biometric to spoof, and contactless entry is underrated convenience.
Want the best overall value? E40. A Matter lock + 2K security camera for $300 is frankly ridiculous. You’d spend more buying a basic Matter lock and a separate doorbell camera.
If I’m buying one for my front door, it’s the E40. The camera integration alone justifies the $160 premium over the E32. For a side door or garage entry, the E32 at $140 is perfect.
See how we compare products for our full methodology.
FAQ
Do the Eufy FamiLock smart locks require a hub? No. All three models connect directly via WiFi and support Matter natively. No hub, no bridge, no extra hardware needed. Just connect them to your WiFi network and add them to your Matter controller (Apple Home, Google Home, etc.).
Is palm vein recognition safe for children? Yes. Palm vein patterns are formed before birth and remain stable throughout life. The E35 can register children’s palm veins, and they’ll work as those children grow. This is an advantage over facial recognition systems that sometimes struggle with children’s rapidly changing faces.
Can someone unlock the E40 with a photo of my face? No. The E40 uses 3D structured light facial recognition (similar technology to Face ID). It maps the depth contours of your face, so 2D photos and even high-quality printouts won’t work. It requires a real, three-dimensional face at the correct distance.
What happens if the battery dies? All three models include a physical key as backup. You can also use an emergency USB-C power connection (hold a power bank to the external port) to power the lock temporarily and unlock with your code or biometric.
Are these locks compatible with Home Assistant? Yes, through Home Assistant’s Matter integration. Once your FamiLock is added to a Matter controller, Home Assistant can discover and control it. You’ll get lock/unlock entity controls and can include them in automations.