Yale AU4601LNX626 Reversible Handing Cylindrical Lock, Satin Chrome Finish, Fire Listed, Windstorm Certified, 4 Trims, 8 Finishes

A heavy, solid handleset, built like a tank, but it's unnecessarily complicated for residential use.Although "grade 2" hardware, like this unit, is meant for residential use (or light commercial), the handleset feels like it means business. Since it's completely non-locking (no privacy lock, no key-lock) it's hard to imagine where a household would need such a sturdy mechanism. An extra-sturdy closet or pantry door? That seems absurd. So it's likely best suited for a busy and oft-abused office door that also has a deadbolt for closing time, like one would see at an insurance or real estate office.It's not just the handles that are solid, the cylinder that goes through the door dwarfs any "grade 1" lock I've seen. There's extra prongs on each side of the handle bases, designed to ensure the handleset doesn't twist or wriggle in a hollow door. The strike plate is almost double the size of what I consider a standard interior plate, and there's optional reinforcing bolts that can stiffen up the whole set. When you pull the set apart, there's two metal plates on each side, a decorative cover on each side, and then the handles on each side. There are no visible screws on the installed set; you have to use a pointy tool (included) to pop a release switch inside the handle to pull things apart. Again that's pretty odd for non-commercial use.All of this is quite elaborate for a mechanism that doesn't lock.Retrofitting this handleset to replace an existing handle (or when using pre-hung doors that come pre-drilled for hardware installation) will take some extra steps. Although the cutouts and required dimensions matched what I already had in place (residential construction), it still took additional lightweight carpentry to drill out notches for the "prongs", and the large strikeplate takes twice the chiseled-out area of any interior strike plate I've used before. The instructions are typical for this kind of hardware-- obtuse and nearly useless for the first-timer, and unnecessary for experts. Like most hardware companies, Yale should take a look at simplified directions such as IKEA uses and pair them with a parts list, rather than the tiny, dense, unclear insert that's really only useful for the exploded diagram.This is my first Yale handleset, although I've installed and worked with a number of Kwikset and Schlage locksets before (and one Brinks). I'm impressed with the construction and irked by the complexity. I would recommend this for residential use only if it matches your existing Yale hardware, otherwise it's best suited for light commercial applications.

This is a super sturdy lockset. It doesn't lock and is graded 2 which makes it ideal for light commercial or residential use. I am not particularly mechanically inclined and the directions gave me a headache. I was having a locksmith come to install some locks on our greenhouse and kennel and had him install this one also. It is all business and looks sleek and strong. It works flawlessly and I expect many years of use. I have it on the large kennel supply closet. It is very impressive and a good value.