Best Front Door Handlesets | Top 8 Picks

The entrance of your house says something about you, even to strangers.

With that, people build their impressions on you that may either be true to reality or very far from it.

But whatever the case, handlesets play a role in this perception. Nowadays, these are not only a requirement but also a part of home decor. There are many styles and types of handlesets, and they will each complement your house uniquely.

So let’s look at some of the best front door handlesets in this article. We’re going to help you find something of quality that won’t need to be replaced after a few days.

So, here you go. Take a look at the list below.

Top 5 Front Door Handlesets Comparison Table

Top 8 Best Front Door Handlesets Reviews

Handlesets are a hassle to replace. In this list, we have only included the ones that are really worth your money. Hope you find your pick very quickly.

1. Kwikset 96870-099 Belleview Single Cylinder Front Door Handleset

This handleset has a smooth, cool-toned metallic color that gives it an interesting look. If you have a door that’s not the plain old dark or light wood, but something more vibrant like yellow, blue, red, then this handleset would look absolutely mind-blowing on it.

On regular wood colors, this handleset will look decent, but it could also be a bit boring.

There are three parts to this handleset – a single cylinder deadbolt of traditional design, and the handleset itself along with a polo knob for the interior.

The design is not too fancy, but it’s stylish and elegant. It’s pleasant to the eyes, and there’s no way you could have nothing bad to say about it.

In terms of security, you’re getting the best. The door can be locked from both the inside and the outside. When you’re outside, you’ll need a key to lock and access the handleset, and if you’re inside, you can simply turn the knob to open the door and also to lock it.

This deadbolt handleset is reliable. You can trust the ANSI/BHMA certification that rates it appropriate as a Grade 3 door. This particular rating is a reference to the fact that this handleset does indeed provide the highest level of security on all types of residential doors.

So, when you install this to your main entrance, you can be quite sure that no intruder will break into the house through here. Although, you might need to do something about your windows if we might suggest tighter security.

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2. Schlage LOCK FE285 CEN 619 LAT Century Front Entry Handle Latitude Interior Lever

If you think it’s time to go in with the new and out with the old, then stop right there! And look here, this might just be the handleset that you’ve been searching for. Anyone who sees this handleset from the outside will know what kind of household to expect inside.

This handleset has a hard-edged rectangular design that just looks all the more modern because of the complementary brushed metallic color and matte finish. It has a big handlebar, which makes it extra convenient to pull and open the door. This is a very sturdy handleset, and you can tell not just by the look of it but also by how it feels that it will last you many long years.

If you have the standard US door, that is, in the thickness range of 1-⅝ inches to 1-¾ inches, then you can be sure that this handleset will fit perfectly. And you have a thicker door; then you will need to use the thick door kit that will allow for an extension of an extra 2-¼ inches.

It has an adjustable through-bolt that can be used to install this in the existing knob hole of your door. For the installation, you will need center-to-center boreholes.

The adjustable through-bolt can be operated by an up and down sliding motion, and this is a patented technology that you won’t find anywhere else but with Schlage front entry handlesets.

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3. Schlage Lock Company Century Single Cylinder Handleset and Latitude Lever

If you’ve seen enough of the regular brushed metallic handleset and want a taste of something new, then we have a suggestion for you. This handleset you see here is the obvious exception. It’s black, as you can see, and it will go very well with front doors of almost all colors.

Another aspect we love about this is the clean design of its body. The clean rectangular edges always make things look modern! And of course, there are no markings or curvings over it, and you won’t see any dust collecting in any crevice – it’s one of the best door handles that you can find.

These handlesets are from F-series Schlage, which basically means that they are made for residential homes with the ergonomic design of a big handle that’s comfortable and easy to grip.

The size of doors that this handleset is compatible with has to be within the range of 1-⅝ to 1-¾ inches. To simplify, that’s basically the size of any regular US door. So, if you’re currently living in the US, you can buy this set for your front door without any further hesitation.

By merit of the adjustable through-bolt that allows a shift of 1.5 inches up or down in orientation, you can make necessary adjustments and install it into pre-existing holes in the door to replace your existing handleset without any drilling.

The screw holes of the handleset align automatically with the boreholes in the door and thus make the installation quite a hassle-free endeavor.

You will be given two keys with each of these handlesets, and the locking mechanism operates by the use of a 5-pin tumbler for maximum security.

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4. Berlin Modisch HandleSet Front Door Entry Handle and Deadbolt Lock Set

Be ready to be blown off! Doesn’t matter whether you’ve previously been into black handlesets or not. You are going to be into them now. Behold this beautiful black elegance from Berlin Modisch. This company has outdone all other handleset designs for sure!

We can’t believe there could be front door handles and locks as elegant as this one! The black matte finish is amazing; yes, we love it. But when you see the thin straight rose-gold line bordering the corners of the front faces of each of the components of the handleset, you are going to lose your head!

You won’t be able to stop looking at it. We guarantee this. This is the perfect design, color, and minimal elegance for the smart modern house of this era.

And we could stop there – we are sure by now you’re already considering this for your house. But wait till to see the features it has that makes it so much more worthy of your money!

This handleset is heavy-duty. It’s for the utmost security of your house. In the package, you’ll find a doorknob for entry, a deadbolt set, and a reversible handle that can be used for both left-handed and right-handed doors.

The exterior door handle has a backset latch that measures about 2-⅜ inches to 2-¾ inches and is fully adjustable. It also comes along with a square corner striker plate.

Entrance across this handleset will require a KW1 key that’s to be accessed from the exterior. This beautiful black matte handleset with the thin bronze rose-gold perimeter tracing line will fit just about any regular US door.  So, you’re in luck here. This beautiful all-rounder handleset could be yours today!

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5. Kwikset 98150-002 Avalon Exterior Handle Only with Tustin Levers

After the exterior door handle sets we just discussed above, this one might seem a bit less exciting, but don’t underestimate it yet. This is a simple handleset that has been more traditionally used throughout the years. It doesn’t scream modernity per se, but it does say that it’s timeless.

The satin nickel finish is the one that we have seen so many times before! You could now get this one for yourself if you’re not too fixated on making your house particularly modern in every detail.

The subtle color of this lever will go well with every shade of wood there is. Moreover, the Avalon exterior handle and the interior Tustin handles will give your doors the beauty of simple elegance that you will grow to love as time goes by.

However, there is one problem here – the set doesn’t come with a deadbolt. So, if you need one, you would have to make the extra effort to buy it separately.

You can install this handleset on both right-handed and left-handed doors. As long as you live in the US and have a regular door, this handleset will be pretty much a perfect fit for your space.

If you are thinking of adding an extra layer of easing security onto the mechanism of this handleset, then you can buy a Kwikset Smart Code Touchscreen with deadbolt keypads, and then you can get access into the house without needing a key.

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6. Baldwin Spyglass Single Cylinder Front Door Handleset

We love this added feature of the best quality exterior door handles, and we’re convinced that you will too! This handleset that we’re now looking at is made with special Baldwin spyglass that has antimicrobial protection on its surface. And this is simply the best idea ever!

In a time infested with the danger of coronavirus everywhere, it will greatly do us good to have such handlesets like this that can kill 99.9% of germs from your hands. So, whoever is entering your space will not have any dirt on their hands, at least.

But make sure your neighbors don’t get to know about this – otherwise, they may start using the handleset of your door more than they come to visit your house.

Also, this handleset has a matte black rectangular design that looks really good with any kind of door because it gives a great touch to the simplistic version of modern elegance.

This is quite a low-profile single cylinder deadbolt set that will keep your house ultra-secure with the use of the SmartKey that comes with it. With this SmartKey comes a special SmartKey door handle, which can be used to key yourself in or out with just 3 simple steps in a matter of seconds.

This is designed as an exterior door handle that will fit onto doors with a thickness in the range of 1-⅜ to 1-¾ inches. This is the regular US door size, and you won’t have to make extra adjustments if you live in the US.

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7. Berlin Modisch Entrance Lever Door Handleset and Single Cylinder deadbolt combo

This one is a black handlset that looks modern and yet it carries a bit of elegance in the curve of its exterior body.

In this set, you’re only going to get the entry handlebar and the deadbolt, both of which are a beautiful matte black and color with a thin line of rose-gold lining the perimeters.

The color of this handleset is quite modern, but its design isn’t something that’s ultra-modern by itself. A combination of this modern color and this traditional curvy body thus gives this set a unique elegance that is preferred by many.

If you like this handleset, just remember that it comes with a backset latch and a square striker on the corner and is fit for installation on doors that are 2-⅜ to 2-¾ inches.

Getting access through this handleset when it’s locked will require a key that works both to open the door from the outside and from the inside.

This handleset looks quite formal, and so you can use this for your commercial areas as well as for residential purposes. No matter where you install it, rest assured, you will be completely protected because of it.

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8. Camelot Front Entry Handle Georgian Interior Knobs

We end the list with this reliable yet good-looking interior knob that’s made with the inspirations of Georgian styled interior architecture of the later 18th century.

Well, you can tell already – this handleset has quite some heft to it. You can only install this on your front door tastefully if the rest of the furniture can carry forward its subtle elegance.

This handlset has the power to give your household a true identity of its own standing. The brushed clean nickel finish of this handleset will be amazing for your house.

And fortunately, this handlset will fit universal latches of 2-⅜ to 2-¾ inches. Regardless of whether the door is made with wood or metal, as long as it’s a door with a thickness of 1-⅜ to 1-¾ inches, you’re good to go!

Like other Schlage handlesets, this one also will come with through-bolts that have the mechanism of being slid up or down by 1.5 inches – this amount of extra flexibility will ensure that the handleset can be mounted through pre-existing holes without the need to re-drill the door.

The handleset itself supports direct-key access, although this is also compatible with the Smartkey system, so you can also buy that for your convenience.

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Buying Guide: How to Choose the best door handle for your entry door

There are four types of exterior door handles: entrance set, mortise sets, deadbolts, and knob levers.

Before you venture out to buy the handleset in the real world, you need to know what these are, so let’s learn about them below to help you find the best outside door handles.

Entrance Set

There are two variations here – one comes with the single-piece of full-plate design, and another comes with a double-piece handle. These are often operated with a physical key, and they are quite decorative pieces as well.

Mortise

We haven’t put this style of handleset on our this list here because it’s usually more hassle to work with. You will need a pocket-sized hole drilled into the door in order to install this fancy piece of locking handleset, and that’s not too practical for daily use.

Deadbolts

This is the most common type of door handleset, and it will provide great security to your house. Most residential doors will support the installation of this type of lock. Deadbolts also have two variations – it can be a single keyed entrance (the key can be unlocked only from the outside) or a double keyed entrance (where the key can unlock from both inside and outside).

Knobs/Levers

These are also quite popular because they are easier to use, and they are a bit more durable for that reason. If you have children or the elderly in your house, then you know exactly what we mean. And in that case, you might just be the sort of person who’d have the most benefit out of this kind of handleset.

Before you buy this type of handleset, determine whether your door is left-handed or right-handed, and then choose your knob/lever accordingly.

Durability

No matter which type of handleset you pick, ensure that it’s durable. You can find out about the durability by looking at what kind of materials have been used. Also, buying from a reputed brand will also ensure durability.

Ease of installation

Make sure that you are buying a product that’s easy to install. Otherwise you’ll need professional help, which means additional cost.

FAQs about Door handle set:

1. How to choose a handleset design that’s coherent with my home decor?

Follow the tone of colors most used in your home. If you have warm-toned furniture, go with a warm-toned handleset and if you have a cool-toned theme, then choose such a handleset.

2. What is the most timeless design for handlesets?

Brushed metallic or bronze finishes have been quite timeless when it comes to handlesets.

3. How can I make my existing door handleset more secure?

You can install a SmartKey system – then you’ll have a digital barrier to burglars along with a physical locking barrier.

4. Are Schlage handlesets better than Kwikset?

Schlage supports extra security pin codes that Kwikset doesn’t have the technology for. So, yes, they are a bit better because they can provide tighter security.

5. What do I do if the existing hinges on my door don’t match the new handleset of my choice?

Well, you can paint the hinges with a similar color using high-quality spray-paint.

Final Words

That’s the end of our article today. We hope you enjoyed going through these best front door handlesets with us. Our aim is to help you find the best item for your money’s worth. If you have any further inquires about this, let us know.

We hope you won’t have to keep looking for the right front door handleset and that our list here helped. Best of luck!