Try searching for "Defiant locks" and you'll end up on the Home Depot website, because that's the only place they exist. Defiant is manufactured by Taiwan Fu Hsing Industrial Co. Ltd — one of the world's largest lock manufacturers — exclusively for Home Depot's retail channel. They've been making them for close to 25 years. The locks come in brass, satin nickel, and matte black, available as standalone deadbolts or in combo packs with matching knobsets keyed alike. And for the price, they're not terrible.
They're also not good. And the difference between "not terrible" and "actually good" costs about fifteen dollars. But let's break it down honestly.
What You Actually Get
The Defiant deadbolt is ANSI/BHMA Grade 3 — the lowest residential rating. Grade 3 means it'll survive basic daily use and provides minimal forced-entry resistance. It's the grade your landlord's maintenance crew installs when a tenant moves out and the old lock needs replacing fast and cheap.
Inside the cylinder, you get 5 pins on the KW1 keyway (Kwikset-compatible). Three of those pins are spool security pins, which is actually better than we expected from a lock at this price. Spool pins create false sets during picking — the plug rotates slightly and then stops, tricking the picker into thinking they've set a pin when they actually need to release tension and try again. For a budget lock, three spools is a respectable showing.
There's a drill-resistant plate behind the cylinder face. In theory, this slows down drill attacks. In practice, locksmiths who've tested it report it's fairly easy to remove or drill through. It's better than nothing — but it's closer to the "nothing" end of that spectrum than we'd like.
Three spool pins in a $20 deadbolt is honestly surprising — in a good way. Everything else about the Defiant is exactly what you'd expect from a $20 deadbolt.
The Kwikset Connection
One genuinely useful detail: the Defiant uses the KW1 keyway, which is the same keyway used by Kwikset locks. This means a Defiant key will physically fit into a Kwikset lock and vice versa (though it won't operate it unless the bitting matches). More importantly, if your house is already keyed on Kwikset, a locksmith can rekey a Defiant deadbolt to match your existing keys without changing the entire lock.
This is actually a meaningful advantage for renters or anyone moving into a home that's already on the Kwikset platform. Swap the old deadbolt for a Defiant, have it rekeyed to your existing keys, and you've changed your locks for under $20 plus a rekeying fee. It's not the most secure solution, but it's the most affordable one.
Five pins (same count as the Schlage B60N). Three spool security pins. KW1 keyway — compatible with existing Kwikset key systems. Available in combo packs keyed alike (deadbolt + knobset). Lifetime warranty from Home Depot. Drill-resistant plate (basic). Available everywhere Home Depot exists. Cheap enough to buy multiples for an apartment.
The $15 Question
Here's where the review gets uncomfortable for Defiant. The Schlage B60N — which we've reviewed separately and recommend as our default deadbolt — is Grade 1 for roughly $35–$40. The Defiant is Grade 3 for roughly $15–$25. That gap of $10–$15 is the most impactful small purchase you can make for your front door.
| Category | Defiant Deadbolt | Schlage B60N |
|---|---|---|
| ANSI Grade | Grade 3 | Grade 1 / AAA |
| Pins | 5 (KW1) | 5 (SC1) |
| Security Pins | 3 spools | Anti-pick pins + shield |
| Bolt | Standard | 1" oversized + spinning anti-saw pin |
| Strike Plate | Basic — short screws | Reinforced — 3" screws into studs |
| Drill Resistance | Basic plate (easily defeated) | Anti-drill plate |
| Key Control | None (KW1) | None (SC1) |
| Installation | Standard | Snap & Stay one-person |
| Warranty | Lifetime (Home Depot) | Lifetime (Schlage) |
| Price | ~$15–$25 | ~$35–$85 |
| NoPryZone Score | 4.0 / 10 | 7.5 / 10 |
The Schlage gives you Grade 1 instead of Grade 3 — roughly double the tested security and durability standards. It gives you an oversized bolt with a spinning anti-saw pin. It gives you a reinforced strike plate with 3" screws that reach the wall studs. And it gives you Schlage's Snap & Stay installation system. The Defiant gives you three spool pins and a lower price tag.
Both have lifetime warranties. Both have five pins. Both lack key control. The difference is everything around those pins — the bolt, the strike plate, the grade certification, and the overall build quality.
Grade 3 — minimum residential rating. Basic strike plate with short screws that only reach the door frame. Standard bolt — no oversized diameter, no anti-saw pin. Drill-resistant plate is easily defeated. Loose tolerances compared to Schlage. No anti-pick shield. No brand infrastructure — no Defiant website, no technical documentation, no locksmith support network. Taiwan Fu Hsing makes good locks — but this isn't one of their better efforts.
Who Should Buy This Lock
The Defiant deadbolt makes sense in a narrow set of circumstances: you're a landlord replacing locks on low-risk rental units in bulk, you're a renter who wants to swap locks cheaply and can't justify spending $40, you need something that functions as a deadbolt right now and the Schlage section is sold out, or you're buying the combo pack to get a matching keyed-alike deadbolt and knobset for under $40 total.
If none of those describe you, spend the extra $15 and get the B60N. We can't make this clearer: the Schlage is one of the best value propositions in home security. The Defiant is one of the most compromised. The distance between them is small in dollars and enormous in actual protection.
The Spec Sheet
| Category | Defiant Deadbolt |
|---|---|
| ANSI Grade | Grade 3 |
| Cylinder | 5-pin, KW1 keyway |
| Security Pins | 3 spool pins |
| Drill Resistance | Basic plate |
| Strike Plate | Basic — short screws |
| Key Control | None |
| Keyway | KW1 (Kwikset-compatible) |
| Manufacturer | Taiwan Fu Hsing (for Home Depot) |
| Price | ~$15–$25 |
| Warranty | Lifetime (Home Depot) |
| NoPryZone Score | 4.0 / 10 |
The Deadbolt Equivalent of "It'll Do"
The Defiant deadbolt isn't a scam. It has five pins — more than some budget competitors. Three of them are spools — genuinely better than expected. It uses the KW1 keyway, which makes it compatible with the most common residential key system in North America. And the lifetime warranty from Home Depot means you can always get it replaced.
But it's Grade 3 in a world where Grade 1 costs $15 more. The strike plate doesn't anchor to the studs. The bolt is standard where the Schlage's is oversized with an anti-saw pin. The drill plate is a gesture more than a barrier. Every dollar you save on the Defiant is a dollar of security you're leaving on the shelf — and the shelf is right there, with the Schlage B60N sitting on it.
If $15 matters, buy the Defiant and sleep fine. If $15 doesn't matter — and for most people it doesn't — walk ten feet to the right and pick up the Schlage. Your front door will notice the difference even if your wallet doesn't.