Door closers typically are simple pieces of hardware: You install them, make the necessary adjustments and walk away, returning only for occasional maintenance. Unlike today’s increasingly smart locks, door closers are tasked with only one chore — closing a door safely and completely.
That doesn’t mean there can’t be improvements, and the latest model by dormakaba group BEST — the EHD9000 Series — has several notable improvements for locksmiths as far as durability and adjustability.
“We’re pretty passionate about this product,” says Andrew Adams, assistant vice president of product marketing for door hardware and electronic access at dormakaba Americas. He says the door closer, which was introduced in fall 2022 at the DHI ConNextions show and now is arriving on distributor shelves, is aimed at high-traffic institutional applications but could be applicable anywhere. It was the winner in the Locks and Locking Devices category in the Security Industry Association New Product Showcase at ISC West 2023 in March.
Extra Heavy Duty
The first thing you notice about the EHD9000 is that it’s a substantial piece of hardware. Adams says the door closer body weighs 10 pounds. That’s because it’s made of cast iron — a first for BEST. (Other models are made of an aluminum alloy.)
The cast-iron construction was the main reason behind developing the EHD9000 in the first place, Adams adds.
“We evaluate our product portfolio to understand where the product gaps were and, obviously, one of the main ones [was] we don’t have a cast-iron door closer in our premium brand,” he says, indicating BEST.
The EHD9000 not only is a cast-iron door closer, but it also is a single-piece cast-iron door closer. That means there are no weak points, compared with models that might have two pieces of cast iron. “It’s pretty solid,” Adams says.
Interestingly, the door closer cover is NOT a single piece but two. This design also was made with durability in mind, Adams explains, because single-piece covers can be prone to fall off.
“We wanted two attachment pieces to ensure that when a door closer is installed in an application, the cover stays on,” he says.
The EHD9000 includes similar 30-plus arm configurations to what other BEST door closers have, including top jamb, parallel and track. The new door closer also will include self-regulating valves inside the body. These valves help to maintain operation by ensuring the consistent flow of hydraulic fluid when temperatures fluctuate, Adams says.
Continue Closure
Although dormakaba is known for its door closers worldwide, Adams says the design for the EHD900 came strictly from BEST. However, the EHD9000 was able to borrow one feature from dormakaba’s European catalog — a spring size Indicator.
The indicator shows the setting for the closing force of the door closer on a scale of 1–6, with “1” meeting the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act for accessibility. As you tighten or loosen the spring adjustment, you can see the indicator move along the scale.
That’s cool enough, but what Adams is particularly careful to note is that the indicator faces the front of door closer, so it can be read easily when the cover is off.
In fact, all of the adjustment settings for the door closer, including closing speed and backcheck, are on the front of the door closer. In addition to making maintenance adjustments easier, this placement can save time during an installation.
“When you install [a door closer], you aren’t done at that point,” he says. “You have to make sure that the door closing force is appropriate for the application. If you want advanced variable backcheck, you have to adjust it after the door closer is installed.” So, although it isn’t meant necessarily to make the installation easier, front-facing adjustments can save time during an installation.
One final thing you might notice about the door closer is it has a QR code printed on it. The QR code takes you to a webpage that has installation instructions for the EHD9000 as well as an installation video, among other pieces of information.
“It’ll be the go-to source for all digital content for EHD9000,” Adams says.
More info: www.bestaccess.com
Will Christensen | Senior Editor
Will Christensen is senior editor at Locksmith Ledger International. He has been an editor and reporter at magazines and newspapers for more than 30 years.
