Who hasn’t lost their keys? Time for a tech solution

I’ve lost my keys more times than I’d care to remember. Not because I’m a wild drunkard with a penchant for mid-week benders, but because I have young children who seem fascinated by them. As a result I’ve found them everywhere, from the toy box to the vegetable compartment in the fridge! Fortunately, Keymate now helps me keep track of my keys.

Key finders are nothing new. The difference with today’s products is the ability to register your device online, which gives you a higher chance of having them returned if someone else finds them.

It’s a simple process: You buy Keymate, then attach the main unit to your set of keys. KeyMate is a bulky little unit with the keymate return phone number printed on it, as well as an embossed personal device number – similar to the raised numbers on your credit card.  A small bonus is the tiny LED light in the keyring for helping to find the keyhole on dark nights.

Along with the keyring itself is a credit card sized transmitter which, when activated, makes your key beep quite loud (and annoyingly) up to 40 meters away.  So for someone like me, who loses their keys at home all the time, it’s a winner.  No matter where the keys are within the house, I will find them. I just have to hope they are not hidden near a sleeping child because the sound is piercing enough to wake the dead.

If worst comes to worst and you lose your keys in a public space, you are at the mercy of the general public. If someone does find them, the phone number on the keyring gives you a way to get your keys back, so long as you have the KeyMate Plus service (a one year subscription to this is included in the cost of the key).

The Plus service ‘seems’ like a great Idea, but I for one won’t be paying $20 a year just to locate my keys. The good news is, just like the NRMA or other roadside assistance programs, if someone finds your keys and contacts KeyMate and you are not a subscriber – they will still contact you, you’ll just be asked to re-subscribe. Given the convenience of having your keys returned to you, that isn’t too unreasonable.

It’s a basic service but if you’re prone to having things go missing, it works.

My only advice is to not lose the electronic keyfinder… The system doesn’t work in reverse.

Price: $29.95 $39.95
Web: Keymate