Where can you get spare keys made?

First let’s talk about why it’s a great idea to have a spare keys at a safe location for when you need it! Now let’s consider you do not have any spare keys for your home or for a car and you lock yourself out of your home or car. The cheapest it will be for you to get back into your home or car is going to be 65 dollars whereas a spare key for your house will cost you 2-3 dollars! Spare car keys can cost around 35 dollars for just simple metal keys and 120-165 dollars for transponder keys. Even without considering the hassle of finding a trustworthy locksmith, it is obvious that having a spare key will be a much cheaper and time efficient way.

Often times people think that it will take them a long time or a lot of money to make a spare key. This is not true especially with all the ways you can get your keys copied you have more than one place to go to. However where you can get specialized keys will be limited to highly skilled professionals that work at dealers or at a locksmith company. If you are in the market to get a spare key for your house, office, or car then you can go to a hardware store, use an automated kiosk, go to the car dealer, or go to a locksmith shop.

Hardware Store Spare Key

If you Google “locksmith near me or key duplication near me” you will see that some hardware stores will pop up. This is because a lot of hardware stores can make spare keys either by having a person assist you or by having a key duplication machine inside.

You can easily get a copy made for all standard house and office keys at a hardware store and they can even make some spare keys for cars as well. However it’s good to keep in mind that they cannot make special keys and they will not be able to program a car key into your vehicle. Basically they are able to clone keys and you have to have the original key with you in order for them to make you a spare key.

Now let’s talk about the downside of using a hardware store to get spare keys. I think we can all agree that not all employees who work at a hardware store know what they are doing. Remember a time when you asked a question about a part you needed and you either got sent to a completely different isle or they just simply said that the store does not have that part. Come to find out that the store does have that item and you were given false information. Well this also happens with trying to get spare keys made at a hardware store. We get customers that have tried getting spare keys from a hardware store and it did not work on their door. We also have customers that come in with a car key that is cut, but it still does not turn on their car. This is because the key is not programmed into their car so we would go ahead and program the key. It basically makes you spend way too much time to get the same job done.

Overall we believe it’s safe to say that a hardware store can be a good convenience to get a spare key for simple locks. However if you have a more special high security lock or a car key you might want to consider other options.

Automated Kiosk for Copying Keys

Automated Kiosk For Spare Keys

Automated kiosks have become really popular and if you search for “keys made near me” then there is a high chance one of these will pop up. One of the most popular automated kiosks for key copying is KeyMe. You will be required to insert your original key inside the machine and the machine will read it and create a duplicate key for you in a few minutes. These key making kiosks can be found in certain retail stores and you will be responsible to work the machine yourself by following the directions. This can be a good thing since you will not have to wait for an employee to show up in order to get a quick key duplication.

Another convenient thing about the automated kiosks is that these machines can store the code to your key so next time you use it you will not need to bring your original keys with you. This can be very useful in cases where you lose all your keys because then you can get a new copy without having the original keys. It can save you the fee of a lockout because you can simply drive to an automated kiosk near you and get a new copy made in a few minutes.

Of course there are downsides to these automated kiosks as well. First and probably the most frustrating one is that there is nobody there to help you with the machine. Therefore your chances of doing something wrong is high and you will end up with a key that will not work on your door when you get back home to try it. This can also be seen by reading the customer comments about their experience in using automated key duplicating kiosks. It is also safe to say that the scanner on these machine are not perfect therefore you will get a key copy that looks almost exactly like your original key, but it will not work due to improper reading of the codes.

Another problem with these kiosks is that there is a security concern with saving your information on their system because we all know that all systems are hack-able. Now imagine someone who can hack their system and gain access to your name and the key to your house or car. They could easily rob your house or steal your car and it will look like they are the owner since they will have a key to enter your house or car like you would normally enter using a key. You will also find out that these automated kiosks do not have the capability to make a ton of high security keys that are common. So make sure to call their customer service to ensure that your keys can be duplicated using these machines.

Example of a Do Not Duplicate Key

Car Dealer Spare Key Duplication

It is no surprise that car dealers can make spare keys for your vehicle when you need it. You local dealer can order a spare key that will be just like your original keys and once it comes in you will be scheduled an appointment to go and get your key cut and programmed properly. Dealers will have a technician and the tools to properly get you the key you need and there is no doubt that the key will be of high quality just the like original keys that came with the car.However there is one significant downside to using a dealer to get new keys for your car and that is the cost. A dealer will charge you anywhere from 30% – 60% more for standard car keys compared to the options above and compared to a local locksmith. This difference grows greater when it comes to luxury cars such as BMW, Mercedes, and Audi car keys. For these cars the dealer will charge anywhere from 80% – 200% more than a locksmith would. A lot of our customers cannot believe our prices when we tell them because of how much cheaper it is compared to what they heard at a dealer. A good rule of thumb when it comes to getting replacement car keys is to check on how much it would cost from at least three different sources in order to find the best quality service for the lowest price.

Example of a Mobile and Local Locksmith Van

Using a Locksmith for Key Replacement Services

Using a locksmith might not be the first thing that pops into your head especially when it comes to simple key duplication or even when it comes to car keys. Often times people think that a locksmiths do not make car keys, but that’s a big misconception because there are a lot of automotive locksmith that work on all kinds of car makes and models. Another misconception is that a locksmith would not do small jobs such as copying a house or mailbox key and that they would overcharge the customer if they actually did the job. Well these are big misconceptions because you can find a good local locksmith that can help you take care of any job big or small.

Most locksmiths have a shop where you can stop by to get spare keys made and usually it only take a few minutes! Locksmiths are equipped with simple metal key cutters as well as advanced laser cutters that are used for car keys. Another benefit of using a locksmith is that they are able to make a key by reading your locks code. However keep in mind that this can only be done to residential locks and not to cars. Cost for a residential spare key is between 2 – 5 dollars. Another great benefit is that a locksmith can make you a “Do Not Duplicate” key which will prevent other locksmith from copying that key without proper proof. This is because keys that say “Do Not Duplicate” require the owner to provide proof that it’s their key and anyone else who will try to make a copy of a DND key will not be successful.

What is the benefit of using a locksmith instead of the dealer? Price, price, price. You will be shocked at how much money you can save by choosing a locksmith over a dealer to get keys made for your car. For example if you have lost all your keys for your car and your car is at home then you will have to get it towed to the dealer. The dealer then will have to order keys for your car because often times they do not keep an inventory of spare car keys. Then the dealer will schedule your car in to get the key cut and programmed. Sometimes this process can take up to a 10 days! On the other hand a mobile local locksmith can come to your location and make a new key for you on the same they you request it. Most locksmith keep a large inventory of car key blanks and they have all the tools they need in their vans so they will be able to cut and program a new key in as little as 15 minutes.

Now let’s talk about the downsides to have a locksmith make you spare keys. First issue is that when you are searching for “spare keys near me” then the chances are you will not be shown a locksmith shop. This is mainly because locksmith shops do not invest a lot of money advertising their location and also because not all locksmith have a shop you can stop by.

Another issue with locksmiths is that it is a business that has some scammer that will price gouge. This can be avoided by checking the Google reviews of your local locksmith and reading real customer reviews. Unfortunately there are still some people that will end up paying more for a service that another locksmith could have done for cheaper. It is important to take a minute and google the website and Google reviews of the locksmith company you plan on hiring to do the job!