Do you lack good locks? If so, this article should help. We give some advice on choosing effective locks and also ratings of area locksmiths.

Read our article and findings (available exclusively to CHECKBOOK subscribers)

Back to Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK Table of Contents.

Sample Subscriber Comments/Reviews About Locksmiths

CHECKBOOK provides subscriber comments on their experiences with the firms they use. Please remember that individual subscriber comments are informal. Subscriber comments may give you insight into the types of features and problems that exist in a service field, but are not the best basis for selecting or rejecting a specific firm. To assess the quality of a firm's performance, we recommend that you give more weight to the percentages of favorable ratings. Those percentages are generally based on much larger numbers of consumers' ratings (the number of consumer ratings is noted above).

As You Can See Below, Some Locksmiths Get High Praise from Their Customers. Some Others Don't. So Choose Carefully.
Here Are a Few Samples of the Thousands of Comments CHECKBOOK Has Collected on Hundreds of Different Locksmiths.

• Subscriber from ROCKVILLE, MD wrote Another Firm: We bought locks from this company several years ago. Recently, had additional keys made which..........
• Subscriber from BURKE, VA wrote Another Firm: Somewhat costly, but do excellent work. Have used them for years........
• Subscriber from SILVER SPRING, MD wrote Another Firm: The best service I have ever had. The quality and price was first rate. The..........
• Subscriber from GERMANTOWN, MD wrote Another Firm: Outstanding service !!.......
• Subscriber from ROCKVILLE, MD wrote Another Firm: Always up front re: cost, and prompt service on short notice.......
• Subscriber from BETHESDA, MD wrote Another Firm: Friendly and skilled lock replacements........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Firm: Baldino's service was professional, fast, accurate, and friendly........
• Subscriber from POTOMAC, MD wrote Another Firm: Arrived within 20 minutes when I locked myself out of the house. Told me upfront..........
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, VA wrote Another Firm: Very thorough. Did a great job replacing the locks on our old house. Highly recommended........
• Subscriber from SILVER SPRING, MD wrote Another Firm: Company has new staff who are NOT as knowledgeable as in past years........
• Subscriber from APO, AE wrote Another Firm: Dealing with this company was a pleasant experience. Their prices were reasonable, they were courteous..........
• Subscriber from SPRINGFIELD, VA wrote Another Firm: Very expensive!.......
• Subscriber from MC LEAN, VA wrote Another Firm: Prompt and efficient; they get work done on the first try........
• Subscriber from SILVER SPRING, MD wrote Another Firm: Installed 2 deadbolts, rekeyed 2 locks, and produced several key copies on the spot. Very..........
• Subscriber from MOUNT AIRY, MD wrote Another Firm: very disappointed in the quality of work.......
• Subscriber from SPRINGFIELD, VA wrote Another Firm: If you're in a hurry to get keys, Baldino's is your best bet--but they also..........
• Subscriber from MOUNT AIRY, MD wrote Another Firm: The customer service rep. was very helpful and friendly. The locksmith who came to my..........
• Subscriber from RESTON, VA wrote Another Firm: Just used for duplicate keys..........
• Subscriber from HERNDON, VA wrote Another Firm: Needed a "Key Keeper" to keep spare house key in garage. Of the dozens of..........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Firm: Rekeyed my home. One of the lockss stopped working after a couple of weeks due..........
• Subscriber from WASHINGTON, DC wrote Another Firm: District Lock has done all my locksmith work for years and they're wonderful........
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, VA wrote Another Firm: Great service. They installed a new deadbolt on very short notice. I called them at..........
• Subscriber from MANASSAS, VA wrote Another Firm: We have used these guys on two separate occasions. Both times, we have been more..........
• Subscriber from WASHINGTON, DC wrote Another Firm: Came quickly when needed and were very professional........
• Subscriber from ROCKVILLE, MD wrote Another Firm: Even though Dan had to come to our house three separate times to finish the..........
• Subscriber from WASHINGTON, DC wrote Another Firm: "R.C." re-keyed my entire new house. There were 9 locks in all. The previous owner..........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Firm: Cintron is an excellent locksmith with fair prices and quality work. They are a pleasure..........
• Subscriber from FAIRFAX, VA wrote Another Firm: EXCELLENT. Chris is wonderful. Hightly recommended........
• Subscriber from MONTGOMERY VILLAGE, MD wrote Another Firm: Excellent and very professional.......
• Subscriber from MC LEAN, VA wrote Another Firm: I called these people out to fix a broken lock. They charged me over $150..........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Firm: When my front door lock failed, they came promptly and replaced it, after giving me..........
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, VA wrote Another Firm: Great work. He showed up early in the window I was given. He worked fast...........
• Subscriber from BETHESDA, MD wrote Another Firm: the back lock turns a little but still he was on time - early infact..........
• Subscriber from KENSINGTON, MD wrote Another Firm: They could not have been more pleasant and professional. They could have steered me to..........
• Subscriber from BETHESDA, MD wrote Another Firm: I would rate Mr.Viriya very highly. When I have a lock problem, he comes to..........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Firm: located on duke St.......
• Subscriber from CHEVY CHASE, MD wrote Another Firm: Ask for the price of every service before the work is done. Although he did..........
• Subscriber from BEALETON, VA wrote Another Firm: Chris the owner came out to replace my locks. He did excellent work, was polite..........
• Subscriber from GREAT FALLS, VA wrote Another Firm: My wife entered Spencer's in Herndon seeking to have an Emtek lock re-keyed. Spencer's employee..........
• Subscriber from WASHINGTON, DC wrote Another Firm: Needed them for an emergency and came promptly........
• Subscriber from ROCKVILLE, MD wrote Another Firm: Went way above and beyond to help us when we were locked out of our..........
• Subscriber from POTOMAC, MD wrote Another Firm: We called at 8PM on a Thursday. The owner came within 30 minutes and fixed..........
• Subscriber from RESTON, VA wrote Another Firm: Chris was very pleasant and professional.He was able to improve the overall security and did..........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Firm: Very polite on the phone and in person. Did a great job, helping me with..........
• Subscriber from COLLEGE PARK, MD wrote Another Firm: Just awesome, simple little store with everything. All the employees are very knowledgable and likable..........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Firm: Excellent service. On time, worked quickly, friendly and professional staff........
• Subscriber from GAITHERSBURG, MD wrote Another Firm: Very pleasant, very skilled locksmith. Cleaned up after himself and installed the locks properly the..........
• Subscriber from WASHINGTON, DC wrote Another Firm: Work not yet completed.......
• Subscriber from MONTGOMERY VILLAGE, MD wrote Another Firm: I was getting my entire house re-keyed because we moved into a new property and..........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Firm: I had a new slding door installed and anoather locksmith told me there was no..........