There is nothing worse that finally making it to your apartment after a long trek to get home, and when you reach for your keychain inside your purse/pocket/wallet, finding that there are no keys there. I have locked myself out of my apartment after wading through rain and snow, to feel the relief of dry pants and my couch only a few stairs away only to have to turn around and go back out into the elements again, and retrieve a set of keys from my roommate. It’s a devastating feeling, and one that we all take great precautions to avoid.

There are doormats that read: Phone, Keys, Wallet to remind us. We give keys to close friends, or hide them somewhere around the neighborhood. Because the only thing worse than locking yourself out, and having to go retrieve the spare? Not having access to a spare and having to call a very expensive locksmith to let you into your own home. Not only are you defeated, now you’re a couple hundred in the hole- until now (at least if you live in Manhattan).

KeyMe has come to the rescue (I read about it in today’s Daily Candy). Its an automated kiosk that will make you a fresh copy of your lost, misplaced, or locked inside keys for a small fee of $20. While it’s more than the $1 it takes to copy your own, it’s a heck of a lot less than having new locks installed. You can go to a kiosk or download the app then scan your key. The machine stores it in the key inventory until you need it. Then, when you find yourself locked out while your roommate is away on vacation, your super is MIA, and it’s pouring rain, all you have to do is scan your fingerprint at a kiosk, pay the little fee, and you’re off. If you’re feeling like splurging while you’re at it, you can pick out a snazzier option like a key that is also a bottle opener, has the logo of your favorite sports team, or is the shape of a character or tool. Now that is a wonder of technology.