We tested 29 different home safes for various parameters like size, locking system, design, etc. In addition, we also consulted six experts from the home security industry. After 112 hours of testing and evaluation, we found that First Alert 2087F is the best home safe. It has a size that allows you to install in spaces like shelves, floor, wall, etc. The built quality is much better than other home safes and can withstand flood or fire. For more details on our testing process and the product list, please navigate down.
Top Picks
Best Home Safe
1. First Alert 2087F – Best As Fire Proof Option
A home safe should be capable of saving your valuables from fire, water, and thieves. Besides, it should have enough space to accommodate items of any shapes and sizes. The First Alert 2087F has the required quality.
Overall, built is sturdy and can withstand temperature as high as 1700 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. It is also well sealed to keep the water away in case of a flood. We took the safe and submerged it completely underwater. Not even an ounce of water made it to the storage.
As for the lock, you can set your own unique combination. If, by any chance, you forget the key, you have two emergency override keys. The built of lock is sturdy. In addition mounting hardware is included in the package.
- Strong and durable design.
- Can be fixed to the floor.
- Has enough space for all kinds of items.
- Adjustable Shelves.
- Completely fire safe and waterproof.
- pry resistant
- Strong locking bolts
- No electronic keypad
Bottom Line
If you are looking the best large fireproof home safe, we recommend you to get First Alert 2087F. It can just store anything.
2. SentrySafe SFW123GDC – Best For Electronic Lock
First Alert does not have an electronic keypad but if you are looking for safe with one, then SentrySafe is a good choice. SentrySafe is a huge name in the safe industry. It has been offering quality safes for almost 80 years. As a package, it offers everything. It is fireproof home safe and it can stand the heat of 1700 degrees Fahrenheit.
As for space, it has plenty of space. With adjustable shelves, you can store items of any shape and size. In addition, you get a firebox with key holder and document holders. Overall, it is perfect for your valueables.
One thing that makes it one of the best in the market is its smart home features. You get a bright LED light for the interior when the door is opened. In addition, it has a backlit keypad. Thus the efficient lighting allows you to open the safe even in the dark.
- Lot of storage space.
- Dual electronic lock for better home security.
- Nicely lit interior and the keypad.
- Ideal for offices.
- pry resistant
- strong locking bolts
- gun safe.
- Not 100 percent waterproof.
Bottom Line
This lock box allows you much better modern features like an electronic lock and the backlit keypad. If you are looking for similar features, it is probably the right home safe for you.
3. Viking Security VS-20BLX Mini – Best For Budget Conscious Users
When we were looking at different home safes, we found that Viking Safe is one of the most advanced safes. And the great thing is it doesn’t cost as much as the other home safes.
We specifically tested the responsiveness of the fingerprint sensor, it works fine but makes sure you clean your hands as well as the sensor. We also observed that if your finger is wrinkly which is often the case with old people, the fingerprint sensor may not respond properly.
It weighs only 20 lbs which is very light. So advise you to bolt it to the floor if you want to make completely theft-proof.
- It comes with a fingerprint lock.
- Very light.
- Nice military look.
- It can be opened by different users even with a fingerprint.
- Motorized locking door.
- pry resistant
- Not fire safe or waterproof.
- No suitable as gun safe.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for something high tech and within budget but does not compromise on home security, then we suggest you get the Viking home safe.
4. Verifi Smart Storage – Best For Gun Storage
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As far as the technology for safe is concerned, it has come a long way. And you do not want a lock box with a keypad or a dial why not look at something more advanced. Now almost all the major safe brands offer fingerprint locking but not all reliable. But Verifi Smart home Safe is 100 percent fingerprint-based safe.
As for the construction is concerned, it is made up of steel and has an elegant look to it. However, it is not fireproof or waterproof. In addition, it does not offer as much space as the other safe offer on our list.
- FBI certified fingerprint sensor.
- More advanced features like self-check, stealth mode etc.
- It alerts you when the battery is low.
- It can add up to 40 fingerprints.
- Expensive than most of the safes on our list.
- pry resistant
Bottom Line
The biggest plus of this safe, is its fingerprint sensor. So if you are looking for something more secure technology for safe, you can trust Verifi Smart home Safe as it is one of the home safes with biometric.
5. Protex Electronic – Best For Wall Installation
Every house needs a wall. It is the best place to keep valuable items. When we looked at the Protex safe, we had a doubt if it will fit into an average wall or not. To our surprise, it wasn’t deep enough to cause any issue during installation. It took us just 2 hours to install the safe. Mounting hardware is included in the package.
If you look at the overall built of it, it is sturdy and doesn’t pop out of the wall. It is made out of steel, hence you can be assured that nothing will get through it. The locking system is electronic. It requires four AA batteries but if the batteries are dead there is back up power. We loved the fact that it has a motorized locking bolts that opens the door automatically.
As far as space is concerned, there is plenty of it. In addition, it comes with two removable shelves allowing to manage the space much easier.
- Easy to install.
- An automatic door opening.
- Removable shelves.
- Power back up for the electronic keypad.
- LED light when door is open.
- May be expensive compared to other safes.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a sturdy home safe that can fit into your wall, the Protex electronic wall safe is trustworthy safe.
6. Honeywell 5207 – Best For Organizing Items
Honeywell is known for innovation and quality products. With 5207 safe it offers the best large home safe. This variants boasts 2.7 cubic feet of storage space which is really high among the safes we have tested.
Safe scores good numbers when it comes to safety. It does use dial like other traditional safes but it has an LED screen that shows the code you have entered. So, prefer confirming the number after you enter it. In addition to dial, you also require a companion key to open the door after the combination is entered. In case batteries die or you forget the combination, it comes with two backup keys.
As it offers large storage space, it looks bigger compared to other safes and it is heavy. We suggest you should fix it to the floor for more home security. We also tested safe with fire and water, the items were unharmed. However, it cannot be completely submerged into water.
- Offer a huge storage space.
- LED display to show the entered combination.
- Uses companion key, in addition, to dial to unlock the door.
- Fireproof and Waterproof.
- pry resistant
- No light inside the safe.
Bottom Line
If storage is the only factor you are considering while buying a safe, Honeywell’s 5207 safe offers exactly that.
Buyer’s Guide – What to Consider ?
You can see there are a number of variants of home safes on our list. So the question is how do you choose the one that fits your requirement and budget? Here we will look at the different factors that will help you decide on the perfect home safe.
1. Size
The average size of safe is around 1.2 cubic feet. If you want smaller safes, there are few options. But if you are looking at large or medium-sized safes, 1.2 cubic feet is perfect. This size will be able to fit most of the valuable items like laptops, firearms, important documents, etc. Besides, it won’t look so big that it could attract anyone’s attention. If you are looking for a gun safe, be sure to check the related specifications.
Another advantage of having large safes is that they are heavier as well. Hence, even if someone tries to run with it, it will be tough to carry. When looking for the right size for the safe, examine the place where you want to install the safe and the things that you want to store. If you want the largest safe, get Honeywell 5207 Safe.
2. Water And Fire Resistance
Beyond theft, safe is prone to flood and fire. You don’t want your valuables to be ruined by natural disasters. You will get safes that are water-resistance as well as fire safe but the issue is that all have limits. For instance, the most safe can keep the water of a certain depth away, but if submerged completely the contents of the safe may be compromised.
The same goes for the fire. Most safes can withstand the temperature of 1700 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour or so. Beyond that, valuables will be compromised. So the best way to find the right safe, is to know the conditions around you. If you live in an area prone to floods you require the best waterproof home safe like First Alert 2087F. If you live in an area more prone to fire, you want a safe that has good fire rating like Protex Electronic Wall Safe.
3. Locking System
This is probably the biggest question you will ask yourself while buying the home safe. Which locking system do you want? There are four types of locking system that you will come across:
All you have to do is choose the best locking system that you will be comfortable with. Whatever you choose make sure it is high-grade and works smoothly every time you open the safe.
4. Safety
Here safety means, being theft-proof and making your home security good. If you look at the weakest point of any safe is door hinges which can be easily by a crowbar. That is why most of the manufacturers use pry resistant hinges. This leaves no room to insert crowbar.
5. Durability
You want to keep your valuables safe at all times. Any sign of corrosion either in the locking bolt mechanism or on the body means your safe is compromised. So, you have to get a safe that is corrosion free like safes made out of steel. Even with steel, make sure the outside coating is maintained.
6. Price
There are so many varieties of safe with different price ranges. The price depends on factors like size, features, and the brand. You need to decide the size of the safe and the features. Based on that decision draw out a price range for yourself. There are many other safes that are budget friendly like Amazonbasics home keypad safe but if you are just looking for the most budget-friendly option than we would recommend Viking home Safe VS-20BLX Mini.
FAQS
1. Where can I hide a safe in the house?
There are a lot of places in the house where you can hide the safe. You can hide it under a staircase. You can even hide it in a bookshelf and the best place you can install it in a wall and hide it with some painting or furniture.
2. How heavy a safe should be?
A home safe should be as heavy as possible so that an individual with an even good physique should not be able to move it.
3. Is fireproof home safe worth it?
Yes. In case of a fire emergency you would want to keep the most important documents, cash, and other valuables safe.
4. For how long a safe can withstand fire?
There are some safes that can withstand high temperatures for almost two hours. On average a normal safe can withstand high temperatures for a half-hour.
5. Does money burn in safe?
Yes money will burn if it comes in contact with fire until then it is safe.
6. Who makes the top home safes?
While testing we found that there are two biggest manufacturers – First Alert and Sentry Safe.
7. How much does a home safe costs?
Considering the current market scenarios, good quality fire resistant 20″x20″ home safe costs around $600-800. And bigger home safes may go upto $1200.
8. Is there a master combination code for home safes?
No. All has a master key that is included in the package when you buy a safe.
How We Conducted The Tests?
We tested 29 different safes for 112 hours on parameters like safety, durability, storage, and features. We tried to test each and every safe as if we are using it for ourselves. This way we had a good hand-on experience for each product. In addition, we consulted 6 experts who have years of experience in the home safe industry. Their view and experience also helped us to understand the product in a much better way.
In addition to our test and experts’ view, we wanted to know what the users think about the product. So, we went through several review sites where users express their views. This helped us to understand how the product has performed after a certain period of sales.
Based on all tests and evaluations, we scored all the 29 home safes. Here is the scorecard for the safes we mentioned above:
| Product Name | Safety | Durability | Storage | Overall | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Alert 2087F | 97.2 | 98.3 | 97.4 | 97.63 | Check Price |
| SentrySafe SFW123GDC | 97.2 | 97.4 | 96.8 | 97.13 | Check Price |
| Viking Security Safe VS-20BLX | 98.2 | 96.3 | 96.5 | 97.00 | Check Price |
| Verifi Smart Safe | 98.4 | 95.4 | 95.8 | 96.53 | No products found. |
| Protex Electronic Wall Safe | 95.4 | 96.4 | 95.8 | 95.87 | Check Price |
| Honeywell Safes & Door Locks 5207 | 95.8 | 94.8 | 96.4 | 95.67 | Check Price |
Final Thought
There are so many different types of home safes that you can buy. But you must know your needs. Know where you want to install. Know what you want to store in a safe. This will give you the idea of the features and capacity that you want in a safe. Now look at the amount you can spend on the safe. Within that budget, simply look for the safe that offers the features you require. If you think that’s too much to do then go for editor’s pick it’s the best in every way.
Tnx for your great post on home safe. This one helps me find the product i am looking for.
We are glad that you find this useful.