Mul-T-Lock vs. Standard Locks: Is the High-Security Upgrade Worth It?

Walk through any hardware store in New York City and you'll see deadbolts ranging from $20 to over $300. The cheap ones look the same on the door as the expensive ones. So what are you actually paying for — and is a Mul-T-Lock or Medeco high-security lock worth the premium for a typical NYC apartment or home?

We've been selling and installing both for over 35 years. Here's the honest answer.

What Makes a Lock "High-Security"?

The term gets thrown around loosely, but true high-security locks must meet specific standards — typically ANSI Grade 1 certification and often additional ratings from Underwriters Laboratories (UL 437). These locks are engineered to resist three primary attack vectors:

1. Picking — Using tools to manipulate the pins and open the lock without a key
2. Bumping — Using a specially cut "bump key" and mallet to jar the pins momentarily into the open position
3. Drilling — Using a drill to destroy the cylinder and turn the cam directly

Standard Grade 2 and Grade 3 deadbolts — the kind found in most NYC apartments — offer minimal resistance to all three. An experienced burglar can pick a standard deadbolt in under two minutes. Bump attacks require almost no skill. Drilling takes 30 seconds with the right bit.

High-security locks are designed to make all three approaches prohibitively difficult or time-consuming.

How Mul-T-Lock Works

Mul-T-Lock uses a patented telescoping pin-within-a-pin (Interactive) cylinder design. Instead of standard single pins, Mul-T-Lock cylinders have two separate pin sets that must both align simultaneously for the lock to open. This essentially makes standard pick tools and bump keys ineffective — they simply can't address both pin sets at once.

Mul-T-Lock cylinders also feature:

• Hardened steel inserts in the cylinder to resist drill bits
• Anti-rotation design that prevents the cylinder from spinning if grabbed
• Restricted key control — key blanks are patented, and copies require a card issued to the owner and a visit to an authorized dealer

That last point matters more than people realize. In a standard lock, anyone with your key can have a copy made at a bodega key kiosk in 90 seconds. With a Mul-T-Lock key, that's not possible. Every copy is traceable.

How Medeco Works

Medeco uses a different approach: a combination of pin rotation and angled keyways. In a standard lock, pins only move up and down. In a Medeco, the key must both lift the pins to the right height and rotate them to a specific angle before the cylinder will turn. Standard pick tools and bump keys can't do both simultaneously.

Medeco cylinders are also physically hardened and come with the same restricted key control as Mul-T-Lock — your key can't be copied without the owner's authorization card at an authorized dealer.

Both brands are widely used in government buildings, hospitals, banks, and high-end residential properties across New York City. Both are authorized dealers of ASK Locksmith.

Standard Lock vs. High-Security: What the Numbers Look Like

So — Is It Worth It?

Here's our honest take after 38+ years of installing locks in New York City.

For most residential tenants: Probably not necessary, but not overkill either. A Mul-T-Lock or Medeco on your primary entry door is a meaningful upgrade that a serious burglar will walk past in favor of an easier target. Most NYC residential break-ins don't involve sophisticated lock attacks — they involve kick-ins, door jamb failures, or unlocked windows. Strengthening your door frame and using a quality deadbolt (even a mid-grade Grade 1) addresses the most common threat.

For homeowners, co-op owners, or condo owners: Yes. You're there long-term, you control the door, and the investment in key control pays dividends over years or decades. You'll never wonder who has a copy of your key.

For businesses, commercial properties, or buildings with shared access: Strongly recommended. Key control is especially valuable when you need to track which employees or contractors have access. When someone leaves, you can rekey without touching the hardware — and you know no one has made unauthorized copies.

For anyone who has had a break-in or feels targeted: Yes, immediately. A high-security lock isn't just about the physical security — it's about the psychological deterrent. Most opportunistic burglars move on when they see a Mul-T-Lock cylinder.

What About Combining a High-Security Lock with a Smart Lock?

Good question. You don't have to choose. Both Mul-T-Lock and Medeco make cylinders that are compatible with smart lock adapters and electronic deadbolts — you can have the mechanical security of a high-security cylinder and the convenience of app-based control. We install these combinations regularly in NYC.

A better lock is one of the highest-ROI investments you can make in your NYC home. You do it once, it lasts 20 years, and you never worry about it again.