What better place to store your important documents, cash, expensive jewelry and even ammunition than in a home safe?
A quality home safe protects the contents from prying eyes and hands, burglars, accidental loss, and even the elements such as fire and water.
You may have never thought about the benefits of a home safe, but these “boxes” are a necessity. Anyone who is serious about the safety and accessibility of their valuables – as opposed to a storage box far from home – will have one.
Safes are not a recent invention. They’ve been around for centuries. Chubb Locks, now Chubb Safes, was one of the first safe-deposit box manufacturers, beginning production in 1835.
People have been using safes for over a thousand years. An ancient safe unearthed in Nanjing is said to be more than 1,200 years old in Jiangsu province, as it dates back to the Han Dynasty in China.
Our Top Home Safes:
Best Fireproof Safe for Cash: SereneLife SLSFE14 Digital Home Safe
SereneLife SLSFE14 Digital Home Safe
- Product weight: 9.25 pounds
- Material build: Reinforced Solid steel
- Steel thickness: Body 2mm, Door 3mm
- Lock type: Dual Lock (Electronic lock and Manual Key)
- Dimensions: 12.2 x 7.8 x 7.8 inches
- Brand: SereneLife
SereneLife’s SLSFE14 Digital Safe is a rugged home safe made of reinforced solid steel.
Easy to use, this digital home safe features dual security – electronic lock and manual/key override. The SereneLife safe is easy to install as it comes pre-drilled and you can mount it on the floor or wall.
There is a fingerprint sensor technology for added security. You’ll love the powder-coated finish of the SereneLife SLSFE14 safe, which makes it resistant to stains and corrosion.
Best for Documents: SentrySafe X125 1.2 Cubic Feet Digital Home Safe
SentrySafe X125 1.2 Cubic Feet Digital Home Safe
- Product weight: 27 pounds
- Material build: Steel
- Siz:e 1.2 cubic feet
- Lock type: Digital safe
- Dimensions: 14.6 x 16.9 x 10.6 inches
- Brand: SentrySafe
Although this Sentry safe is not waterproof or fireproof, it will still protect your valuables, especially against theft. The safe is made of steel, weighs 27 pounds, and can be bolted down.
It uses two live-locking bolts to lock the safe’s door and keep unauthorized people out. This Sentinel Safe is a digital safe with a keypad. It comes with AA alkaline batteries and has a life expectancy of 8-10 years.
SentrySafe 2.05 Cubic Feet SFW205GQC Home Safe
SentrySafe SFW123DSB Fireproof Safe and Waterproof Safe with Dial Combination 1.23 Cubic Feet Gray
- Product weight: 125 pounds
- Material build: Steel construction
- Size: 2.05 Cubic feet
- Lock type: Digital combination with secondary lock
- Dimensions: 18.6 x 19.3 x 23.8 inches
- Brand: SentrySafe
The SentrySafe SFW205GQC safe can withstand 1 hour and 24 hours of fire and water resistance respectively, securing those irreplaceable documents. This is a rugged steel construction safe with 6 live-locking bolts.
The safe also features a pry-resistant hinge with bolt-on hardware for easy installation. There is also a locking drawer and interior light. It weighs about 125 pounds and is a bit difficult to move around. It can also withstand drops of up to 15 feet without opening. It uses a digital combination, but has an auxiliary locking key.
TIGERKING Digital Live Locking Home Safe
TIGERKING Digital Security Safe Box Solid Alloy Steel Construction Large Safe for Home Office Hotel 1. 34 Cubic Feet
- Product weight: 50.2 pounds
- Material build: Steel
- Size: 1.34 Cubic Brown
- Lock type: Dual Lock (Electronic Passcode and Manual Key)
- Dimensions: 15 x 12.6 x 18.9 inches
- Brand: TigerKing
TigerKing digital steel safes are sturdy home/office safes made of thick steel. It also weighs about 50 pounds.
With a spacious interior to accommodate a variety of valuable items, from documents to jewelry and even firearms, you are sure to have enough room for anything you need.
This sturdy safe uses a combination of digital locks and manual keys. Security is high with four (4) 1″ bolts that lock the safe in real time, keeping your valuables out of the wrong hands.
Best Home Gun Safe: RELIANCER Electronic Home Gun Safe
RELIANCER Electronic Home Gun Safe
- Product weight: 7.89 pounds
- Material build: Carbon steel
- Steel thickness: Body 2mm, Door 3mm
- Lock type: Dual Lock (Electronic key code and Analog Key)
- Dimensions: 12 x 9 x 5.5 inches
- Brand: RELIANCER
The RELIANCER Gun Safe is the premier gun safe for protecting your handgun. The rugged safe is made of sturdy carbon steel.
There is a protective layer of scratch and corrosion resistance. The solid carbon steel safe is very resistant to prying with a strong locking system. There are two keys for manually overriding the keypad lock.
This gun safe is battery powered and you can rest easy with the powerful Alarm U alert system that ensures you receive an alert if someone enters the wrong keypad code on the safe. The interior has foam padding to prevent rattling and damage to your valuables.
Best with Key: TIGERKING Double Safety Digital Security Home Office Safe
TIGERKING Double Safety Digital Security Home Office Safe
- Product weight: 59 pounds
- Material build: Steel
- Size: 2.05 cubic gold
- Lock type: Digital lock plus key override
- Dimensions: 15.8 x 13 x 23 inches
- Brand: TIGERKING
This is another TIGERKING home/office safe worth considering. Like earlier models, this is a digital safe made of durable steel.
It has a spacious interior that can accommodate a 14-inch laptop and other valuables. There are six (6) live-locking bolts to secure the safe door in place.
With a digital locking system with a manual (emergency key) override, you can access your safe whenever you need to.
Best Hotel Safe: Yuanshikj Electronic Home Safe
Yuanshikj Electronic Deluxe Digital Security Safe Box Key Keypad Lock Home Office Hotel Business Jewelry Gun Cash Use Storage money
- Product weight: 5.45 pounds
- Material build: Reinforced steel
- Size :17E
- Lock type: Digital keypad with Manual (Key)
- Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.6 x 7.4 inches
- Brand: Yuanshikj
Made of reinforced solid steel, this small portable safe provides tight protection for small, important items.
It uses an easy-to-program digital locking system. In addition to the digital lock, there are two emergency keys in case you need immediate access or to override the keypad.
Two steel locking bolts keep the door closed, keeping your important stash out of reach. The body of the safe is powder coated to make it corrosion and stain resistant.
Best Biometric Safe for Home: TIGERKING Biometric Home Safe
TIGERKING Security Fingerprint Biometric Safe Digital Safe for Home, Office- Black
- Product weight: 24.2 pounds
- Material build: Solid Steel
- Size: 13.7 x 11 x 9.8
- Lock type: Fingerprint and keypad with Manual (key) override
- Dimensions: 5.4 x 4.3 x 3.9 inches
- Brand: TIGERKING
This TIGERKING biometric home safe uses your lightning fast fingerprint scan to access your valuables. The safe weighs 24.2 pounds and is made of solid steel.
As a safe determined to keep intruders out, it features an invisible tamper-resistant hinge design. The safe can hold up to 32 fingerprints, and as a backup, you can have a key and keypad ready for rescue.
When you decide you need a home safe, the first step is to decide what type of safe you need. Consider the different features, pricing and what you want to protect.
A buying guide will help you connect the dots to make an informed buying decision. Here are some features you need to consider before deciding on your perfect home safe
Home safes come in different sizes and of course different weights. There are small and
Home safes come in different sizes and of course different weights. There are small and portable ones that fit in a cabinet or other small space, and then there are larger and more spacious ones.
The weight will determine how you secure the safe. You don’t want an intruder coming in and bringing your house safe out. If it is a small, lightweight safe, it should be hidden or mounted. A larger safe can be placed without securing it.
You may also decide to choose a home safe with mounting hardware. These safes are easy to hide so intruders and thieves don’t know where they are and can’t get into them
There are many safes on the market that are also equipped with different features to keep thieves away from your valuables.
Dual locking options (using digital and manual key bypass), biometric safes that use fingerprints and dedicated digital touchpads (password entry).
All of these are just some of the features, and the hidden hinge bars are some of the most prominent features that prevent any unauthorized person from accessing the contents of your safe.
Some safes come with extra protection, especially against fire and water. Some are able to withstand extreme heat for about 60 minutes, while others prevent water from penetrating them even when they are underwater.
How do I choose a safe?
You need to consider several things, including the type of protection you need, do you live in a flood-prone area or do you need a safe that can withstand high temperatures?
For example, for fire resistance, you need to consider the type of content to be stored. Is it paper or electronics? You need to store paper in a safe that can withstand up to 350°, and electronic devices such as DVDs need to be below 125°.
Typically, fire resistance is measured in hours, and a typical home should have about 30 minutes of protection time.
You should also consider theft protection, i.e., type of material, thickness and locking system. Combination locks are usually the most difficult to access.
Other important things to consider are size, portability, brand and ease of installation.
Where should I keep my home safe in my house?
Your home safe should be strategically located to provide maximum support and protection. This is why the corner/junction where two walls meet is the best. The heavy side will benefit greatly from this location.
If you live in a multi-story house, consider placing your safe on the first floor.
Should I bolt my safe to the floor?
This is totally preferred, but it is best to keep your safe locked. If you bolt your safe to the floor, your valuables will get an extra layer of protection because it will be difficult to move it and therefore difficult to break into it.
However, removing it from there will present problems. Therefore, think it through before deciding whether to proceed.
How heavy should a home safe be?
Your home safe should be made of sturdy construction and made of hard-to-break materials such as carbon steel, steel, etc. This is of utmost importance. In terms of weight, it should be at least as heavy as one person can easily carry.
On average, smaller home safes weigh less than 200 pounds, however, they should be mountable and therefore not easily carried away.
Should I buy a fireproof safe?
It depends on what you plan to keep in the safe. But one thing should be clear. While fireproof safes (30 minutes and above fire rating) are great, they can’t always keep your valuables away from burglars, i.e. they are not always damage-proof.
So, you should be looking towards burglar-proof safe if you’re after safeguarding your valuables from thieves.