Door locks
A chain you use every day, or bolts nobody can see?
One is used at the moment somebody knocks; the other is used when the door should not open at all. They are not alternatives so much as two different questions, and most doors that want one do not want the other.
| Compared on | EFD9000-B | Concealed Bolt (pair) |
|---|---|---|
| Use | Opening the door a crack safely | Holding the door fully shut |
| Quantity | One door guard | Two bolts |
| Length | 200 mm (7.87 in) chain | 150 mm (5.91 in) bolts, throw not published |
| Material | Stainless steel, black finish | 304 stainless, brushed |
| Visible once fitted | Yes, on the face | Hidden in the edge |
| Installation | Surface screws | Let into the door edge |
| Screws | Supplied, length not published | Stainless screws supplied |
| Usable from outside | No, inside only | No, inside only |
| Doors | Wood and metal | Wood, stainless steel or aluminum, edge to be routed |
| Listed on amazon.com | No | No |
A tick marks the better answer on that line only. Counting ticks does not decide the page — the two verdicts below do, because these products answer different questions.
No amazon.com listing was found for this one. We hold references for other markets but none for the United States, so it may not be buyable here — which is the first thing to weigh against anything below.
Buy the chain for a door that gets answered by somebody who wants a gap rather than an opening — and fit it with the longest screws the frame will take, because a chain is only as good as its anchor.
No amazon.com listing was found for this one. We hold references for other markets but none for the United States, so it may not be buyable here — which is the first thing to weigh against anything below.
Buy the flush bolts for a second leaf, a French door or a door you want held shut with nothing protruding to lever against. They are a joinery job rather than a screwdriver one.
Against force, barely — chains are defeated easily and were never meant to resist a shoulder. What they do is let a door be opened a few centimeters to speak to somebody, which is a real and useful thing that no other product here does.
They need enough material in the edge to be let in, which rules out thin hollow-core doors and most vinyl. On a solid timber door or a second leaf they disappear completely, which is exactly the point.
Stainless door chain · 200 mm (7.87 in) chain · spring button · fits timber and metal · inside only
A stainless steel door chain with a reinforced link and a spring button, operated only from inside. SAYAYO states 200 mm (7.87 in) of chain, a 123 mm (4.84 in) main plate, and a complete screw set.
Best for: Opening a door to an unknown caller without opening it fully — and nothing more than that.
Two concealed flush bolts · 150 mm (5.91 in) · 304 stainless · brushed finish · fits into the door edge
A pair of concealed flush bolts in 304 stainless steel, let into the edge of the door so that nothing protrudes. Prmape states bolts 150 mm (5.91 in) long overall, a brushed finish and stainless fixings.
Best for: A double door or a French door, where the passive leaf must be held top and bottom.
