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Safes are an important part of any home security system and are used to keep valuable items, such as personal documents and firearms, out of unwanted hands. The This Old House Reviews Team has researched the best home safes on Amazon to keep your belongings secure. Here are our top five picks.
Top 5 Safes
- Best Traveling Safe: Vaultek LifePod Electronic Lock Box
- Best For Mounting: Amazon Basics Home Keypad Safe
- Best For Handguns: Awesafe Gun Safe
- Best Storage Options: SentrySafe Fireproof and Waterproof Safe
- Best Digital Display: TIGERKING Digital Security Safe
Compare Top Safes
| Product | Safe Type | Material | Unlocking Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vaultek LifePod Electronic Lock Box | Traveling | Non-metal polymer | One lock and two latches |
| Amazon Basics Home Keypad Safe | Mounting | Alloy steel | Two bolts |
| Awesafe Gun Safe | Gun | Alloy steel | One lock |
| SentrySafe Fireproof and Waterproof Safe | Home | Steel | Six bolts |
| TIGERKING Digital Security Safe | Home | Alloy steel | Four bolts |
| Product | Safe Type | Material | Unlocking Options |
Best Traveling Safe: Vaultek LifePod Electronic Lock Box
Vaultek LifePod Electronic Lock Box
Pros and Cons
✔ Comes in the form of a hard case for durability and easy carrying
✔ Has a touch-activated digital keypad
✔ Meets TSA guidelines
✘ Made with material that’s not fireproof
✘ Requires a nine-volt alkaline battery to operate that’s not included
What Customers Are Saying
Customers described the product as lightweight and easy to lock. Many customers also appreciated the safe’s foam lining. Those who were unsatisfied with their purchase said that the product couldn’t accommodate full-sized handguns.
Best For Mounting: Amazon Basics Home Keypad Safe
Amazon Basics Home Keypad Safe
Pros and Cons
✔ Has concealed pry-resistant hinges
✔ Is made of carbon steel
✔ Has an eight-gauge steel door
✘ Sometimes arrives damaged
✘ Can be difficult to replace the batteries
What Customers Are Saying
Customer reviews stated that the product was easy to use and sturdy. Customers also said that the safe had plenty of room and was a good value. Dissatisfied customers expressed disappointment that the product wasn’t fire resistant
Best For Handguns: Awesafe Gun Safe
Awesafe Gun Safe
Pros and Cons
✔ Opens with fingerprint identification
✔ Can be stored in small spaces
✔ Has interior LED lighting
✘ The fingerprint reader sometimes struggles to decipher different prints
✘ Can’t accommodate larger handguns
What Customers Are Saying
Customers liked this safe’s three unlock options and storage capacity. Many reviewers also complimented the responsive touchpad. Disappointed customers said the biometric feature didn’t work well.
Best Storage Options: SentrySafe Fireproof and Waterproof Safe
SentrySafe Fireproof and Waterproof Safe
Pros and Cons
✔ Offers 2.05 cubic feet of storage space to hold a lot of items
✔ Can endure one hour in a fire with temperatures up to 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit
✔ Can withstand eight inches of water for up to 24 hours
✘ Comes with a non-optional tray accessory at an additional cost
✘ Takes up a lot of space because of its large size
What Customers Are Saying
Customers raved about this product’s easy-to-use unlocking and locking mechanisms and simple setup. A common complaint among dissatisfied customers was that the dial was made of less durable plastic instead of metal.
Best Digital Display: TIGERKING Digital Security Safe
TIGERKING Digital Security Safe
Pros and Cons
✔ Can be programmed to open with two codes
✔ Has the ability to save up to 35 opening records
✔ Comes with two override keys
✘ Only allows three incorrect entries, which can lead to owners getting locked out
✘ Some customers had difficulty setting it up
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers praised the safe’s extensive security features that protected against theft, especially considering its affordable price. Those who were unsatisfied with the product said it was difficult to set up.
Buyer’s Guide
When purchasing a safe, it’s important to understand the factors that impact each product’s function and user experience. Here are three factors to help you choose a high-quality safe that suits your needs and will give you peace of mind that your items are protected.
Size
Safes come in all shapes and sizes from small, portable safes, to handgun safe boxes to large in-home safes. Before purchasing a safe, consider the items that you want to store in it. If you only have a few personal items like birth certificates and other important documents, consider buying a small, weatherproof safe like the Vaultek LifePod Electronic Lock Box. If you want to store larger items, such as handguns and documents, consider investing in a larger model like the TIGERKING Digital Security Safe.
Weatherproofing
In addition to protecting your items from theft, some safes also protect your belongings from fire and water damage. If your safe is fireproof or waterproof, the manufacturer will tell you for how long it can withstand these conditions. For example, the SentrySafe Fireproof and Waterproof Safe is has fire protection for one hour and is water-resistant for 24 hours.
Means of Entry
Some safes require a physical key for manual entry or have a combination lock. Other safes offer more technologically advanced options, such as digital locks, keypads, dials, and fingerprint readers. Even if your safe has one or more of these advanced entry functions, it will likely still come with a manual key for emergency access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I hide my safe?
Safes should be stored away from plain sight, in a secluded area. If you can, create a designated space for your safe inside of a wall or underneath the floor. If that’s not an option, you can keep your safe hidden in a closet or behind a large piece of furniture, such as a couch. Floor safes are another option, as they can be embedded directly into your home’s flooring.
Should I bolt down my safe?
If you’re able to, you should bolt down your safe. This will prevent any potential thieves from carrying it out of your home.
Will paper money and documents burn in a fireproof safe?
If your safe is fireproof, it can protect cash, documents, and other personal belongings from fire damage for a designated amount of time up to a certain temperature.
Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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