11 Comments

1. Joe lopez says:

   March 12, 2013 at 7:31 am

   I need a safe for money, paperwork,birth certificates passport ect. I don’t need a big one maybe a 12-15inch tall from inside. I want it to be good quality meaning I don’t want the handle to break or the mechanism from the inside to break. Iwant it to be fire and water proof not resistant. I also want keys and digital since digital can mest up and aswell keys can get lost atleast i would have a back up. My price range is $100-200 now I know there’s alot of them but I sure dont want to pay alot for some that its def going to break and lack of quality. Thanks

   Reply
2. Ted says:

   December 5, 2012 at 1:43 am

   …continued….
   Also, one more part to my question, I see small safes for sale in the stores the size of a microve, what is to keep a thief from taking the whole safe and walking out of the house? How do you secure a safe? My thinking is that a large safe about 4ft tall would be heavy enough that a thief could not just walk with it? how do you keeping a safe “nailed down?”
   thanks again

   Reply
3. Ted says:

   December 5, 2012 at 1:34 am

   hi,
   I read the questions and answers above. The info you provided is very insightful. However, if price was not an option, what brand would you recommend? my family is looking for a safe large enough to hold shot guns since we would like to protect these from theft/ fire/ and flood. Also, other items such as important documents etc. Can you tell me what is the best safe out there? and maybe name the top three as well?
   Thanks very much!

   Reply
4. Karen says:

   February 7, 2012 at 2:04 pm

   Hi,

   We are looking for a safe to place in the basement. Preference is one that is waterproof, fire resistant, a combo lock (prefer no digital key) and large enough to hold files, old coins and valuables. I am thinking at least 1 to 1 1/2 feet dimensions for the inside of the safe.

   I heard digital locks wear out that is why I was looking for a combo lock. Do I assume safes that you can bolt down are not waterproof?

   Thanks,
   Karen

   Reply
   • Andy says:

     February 7, 2012 at 5:32 pm

     Hi Karen,

     You haven’t’ mentioned a price range so I am assuming that you are looking for something in the usual average range of between $200 and $500. You are looking for a waterproof and fireproof safe and there are quite a few of these about. Unfortunately with a price range of up to $500 you may have trouble finding a safe that has the best waterproofing. There are some amazing quality safes on the market that have the best waterproofing and fireproofing but you will need to pay upwards from $1000 for one of these.

     However, all is not lost because there are some quality built safes under $500 that offer proven fire protection and water protection. There are three particular safes that seem to fit your requirements.

     All three are digital. I know you wanted a standard combination lock but these safes have been fully tested and just because they are digital that doesn’t necessarily mean that they will wear out faster than a dial system.

     Here are the three safes. Two are linked to their full reviews. All three are in fact the same safe but different sizes and of course prices.

     First Alert 2096DF – 2.14 cubic feet
     First Alert 2092DF – 1.31 cubic feet
     First Alert 2087DF – 0.94 cubic feet, (just a tad smaller than your requirements).

     The SentrySafe DS3410 has a dial combination lock but it is not as good a safe as the three above.

     Also, have you considered a wall safe? Many of these are fire and waterproof although the modern versions do tend to be digital.

     If you are adamant that a combination style lock is what you want then I have found this safe to have some high ratings although I haven’t reviewed it myself yet so you won’t find it on this website: SentrySafe SFW123DSB.

     I hope this information has helped you find the right safe.
     Andy

     Reply
5. Bryan says:

   February 3, 2012 at 1:04 am

   Hello, I am looking to buy a new safe for my home as the one I have is too small. I need something around the 1.5+ cubic feet size, but having difficulty finding the right one. I have read reviews on the Sentry safes, and found mixed feelings (handle wears out, digital keypad goes bad, moisture/mold issues, and so on).

   In a nutshell, I am just looking for something to protect my valuables, digital media, video tapes – and, I would like a digital keypad (but have easy access to replace the batteries), and of course have it be secure (not easily burglarized or taken, i.e. heavy). Lastly, and most obviously, I don’t want to spend a ton either. I would ultimately like to keep this in the $300-$500 range if possible.

   Also, I notice that Sentry only offers a one-year warranty, whereas First Alert offers 5!

   Any other insight into the “best” safe is much appreciated.

   Thanks for any help and assistance.

   Cheers,

   Bryan

   Reply
   • Andy says:

     February 3, 2012 at 10:00 am

     Hi Bryan,

     The good news is that you seem to know exactly what you are looking for in a safe. It is vital that you know what features are important to you because it helps in the research process. I see that you have already been doing some research and have discovered a few things that have helped you make your decision.

     Ok, let’s run through your list and see if we can find the right safe. These are the features that you require:

     1. A capacity of 1.5 cubic feet or more.
     2. Digital keypad.
     3. Easy access to the batteries.
     4. Needs to be high security, anti-theft, fairly heavy in weight.
     5. Prefer more than 1 year limited warranty.
     6. At a price of $300 – $500

     After going through your list only one safe seems to stand out from the rest that I have personally reviewed. The safe I am talking about is the First Alert 2096DF.

     Since starting my review website I have seen a huge increase in the sales of this safe. Now I know more sales don’t necessarily mean a better safe but you need to see what this safe has to offer. It has a lot of very useful features and the best part is it sells for less than $350.

     Here is the First Alert 2096DF list matched with yours:
     1. A capacity of 2.14 cubic feet.
     2. Has a digital lock with override key.
     3. Battery compartment is in the top inside edge of the door. Replacing the batteries couldn’t be easier.
     4. Is a heavy 145lbs, has 6 locking bolts, (three on either side of the door) and pry-resistant concealed hinges.
     5. Has a 5 year limited warranty.
     6. Is just under $350.
     7. Has a fireproof and waterproof verification.
     8. Is well rated by previous owners.

     These are only a few of the features. I personally think this safe fits your needs but don’t just take my word for it, read my review here.
     I hope this has helped you.

     Andy

     P.S. Regarding trapped moisture in the safe. All safes will have this issue at some point and the best way to keep moisture at bay is to use either a mini dehumidifier or Silica gel. Read my review and you will see links to these products at the bottom.

     Reply
6. Mark says:

   September 6, 2011 at 2:54 am

   Is there any reason a hand gun should not be locked in something simple like a sentry safe security box? Thanks

   Reply
   • Andy says:

     September 6, 2011 at 11:33 am

     Hi Mark,

     That is actually a very good question.
     Strictly speaking, there is nothing stopping anyone from putting a hangun in
     any kind of security safe box. However there are certain points that should be
     looked over before a decision like this is made.

     1. If all you have is a small security box which hasn’t been designed to carry handguns
     then chances are this will be fairly easy to break into.

     SentrySafe and many other brands such as Gunvault have small handgun safes just large
     enough to carry 1 or 2 handguns but because of their locking mechanisms it would take
     much more effort to break into one of these.

     As well as the tough locking systems many come with a toughened steel cord that can be
     used to secure the safe so no one can walk off with it.

     2. Do you have children in the home? If so, keeping a handgun in a standard security box
     would not be a good idea. Again, you will need something that would be tough for anyone, including
     children, to break into.

     3. Many gun safes these days are designed for quick access in case there is an intruder in the home and you
     need to get to your gun fast. With the growing popularity of the Biometric gun safes you can just scan your
     finger and within seconds the lid will open allowing you to get to your gun quickly.

     4. Depending on where you live there may be state laws that will only allow you to keep any firearm in a
     certified gun safe. This is very important and so you may want to look into this area.

     These are probably four of the main reasons. Keeping a firearm in your home is a big responsibility and so
     I believe it is wiser to pay a little extra to have it secured in a safe designed to carry guns.

     I hope this answers your question.

     Reply
7. john&walter says:

   April 23, 2011 at 6:36 pm

   I just want to post a quick review of this website.
   The truth of the matter is, this website has helped me a lot with choosing the right safe. I bought the “SentrySafe DS3410″, it gives me a lot of security and piece of mind.
   John

   Reply
   • Andy says:

     April 23, 2011 at 6:55 pm

     Hey John,

     I am glad this site helped you out. It is still young but we are adding content to it daily.
     We should have a lot more reviews available within the next three weeks.

     Andy

     Reply