Medeco and Mul-T-Lock are the two dominant names in high-security locks in the U.S., and either is a major upgrade over standard cylinders. Both offer patented key control (keys can only be cut by authorized dealers with your signature on file), hardened components against drilling, and pick-resistant mechanisms. The right choice usually comes down to your existing hardware and the shape of your key system.
Medeco uses angled, rotating bottom pins plus a sidebar, a design that has defined American high security for over 50 years. It is especially strong in retrofit cylinders for American commercial hardware (mortise, rim, key-in-knob/lever) and is a frequent specification for government, institutional, and utility applications.
Mul-T-Lock uses a telescoping pin-in-pin mechanism and offers one of the broadest product lines in the industry: cylinders for nearly every lock type, plus high-security padlocks, cam locks, and complete keyed ecosystems. If you want one patented key operating everything from the front door to the gate padlock to the cash drawer, Mul-T-Lock's range is hard to beat.
In practice we recommend choosing based on three things: which platform your local institutional standard or insurer references (if any), which product range covers all the openings you need on one key system, and dealer support for fast key and cylinder service. E.D. Locks & Security is an authorized dealer for both. We can key either platform into a master key system, supply registered keys, and advise which fits your mix of doors, gates, and padlocks.
Browse our high security locks, including Medeco and Mul-T-Lock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are high-security locks worth it for a small business?
If you have ever paid to re-key after a lost key or employee departure, yes. Patented key control means no unauthorized copies, so staff turnover stops being a security event.
Can I upgrade just the cylinder without replacing my locks?
Usually. Both Medeco and Mul-T-Lock make retrofit cylinders for most commercial mortise locks, rim devices, and key-in-lever locksets. You upgrade the security and keep the existing hardware.
Which is more pick-resistant, Medeco or Mul-T-Lock?
Both far exceed standard cylinders and carry UL 437 ratings on their high-security lines. Real-world security depends more on key control discipline and proper installation than on marginal differences between the two.
Can both brands be master keyed?
Yes. Both support large, controlled master key systems, and we can design the system, keep records, and cut registered keys as an authorized dealer.
What does key control actually mean?
The key blank is patent-protected and unavailable to hardware stores. Duplicates can only be cut by an authorized dealer for signatories you designate, with every copy on record.