The rankings and ratings expressed on this site are the opinion of thehomesecurityadvisor.com and are subject to change. To keep this valuable service free, we may generate advertising revenue from some of the companies reviewed on this site. This in no way effects our ratings. Learn more.

Disclosure: The Home Security Advisor participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The Viking Security Safe VS-50BLX

Our Top Choice for an Affordable Biometric Safe for Home Use

 

Welcome to our review of the Viking Security Safe VS-50BLX! We’ve thoroughly examined this highly secure biometric fingerprint safe and are excited to share our findings with you.

With its solid steel body, fast access capabilities, and easy setup, this safe provides convenience and the peace of mind that comes with knowing your valuables are protected in either your home or office (or both).

Join us as we dive into the features, specifications, and customer feedback of the Viking Security Safe VS-50BLX.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• The Viking Security Safe VS-50BLX is a highly secure biometric fingerprint safe for home and office defense.
• It is easy to set up and simple to use, with options for fingerprint, PIN combination, and key lock.
• The safe has a pry-resistant and tightly sealed solid steel body, ensuring maximum protection.
• Customers have praised the construction, size, biometric lock, and LED light feature of the safe, but there have been some negative reviews regarding the included bolts for anchoring and issues with broken shelf clips and scratched paint.

 

That’s why we ranked it as the Number #1 biometric safe in our roundup of the Best Home Safes.

This safe is designed to provide reliable protection for both home and office use. Its easy setup and simple usage make it convenient for anyone. The solid steel body of the safe is pry-resistant and tightly sealed, ensuring the utmost security.

The external dimensions of the safe are H20′ x W14′ x D12′, while the interior dimensions are H19.29′ x W12.5′ x D9.25′, and it weighs 43 lbs. The safe offers multiple locking options, including a biometric fingerprint lock, a PIN combination lock, and a key lock. Its black color and sleek design make it an attractive addition to any space.

With a capacity of 2230 cubic inches, the safe provides ample storage for your valuables. The special feature of a fingerprint sensor adds an extra layer of security and convenience. The safe can be freestanding or bolted down depending on your preference. Control is simple with the push button control panel.

 

 

Specifications

 

The Viking Security Safe VS-50BLX has specifications that ensure its highly secure and efficient performance.

The safe is made of pry-resistant and tightly sealed solid steel, providing a robust defense for your valuable possessions.

Its external dimensions are H20′ x W14′ x D12′, and the interior dimensions are H19.29′ x W12.5′ x D9.25′.

With a weight of 43 lbs., this safe is both compact and sturdy.

It features a fingerprint sensor for quick and easy access, as well as a PIN combination and key lock for added security.

If you are looking for a biometric safe at a reasonable price the Viking Security Safe VS-50BLX is a worthy candidate for your serious consideration.

 

 

Rating the Viking Security Safe VS-50BLX​ – Evaluating the Common Features of Home Safes 

 

When trying to choose the best home safe for your home and family, there are a host of factors to consider. There are many styles and features designed for specific applications.

The type, size, and features of the safe will vary depending on your priorities and the amount and type of items that you want to keep in the safe.

The type of safe required for one just trying to store a few documents may be very different from a safe designed to safeguard a large gun collection or priceless antiquities and jewelry.

This guide will focus primarily on finding the best home safes for everyday use.

Of course, some of the safes may be suitable for more than just keeping a few documents safe from harm. At the top of the list are a couple of safes that are fireproof and large enough to safeguard a fair amount of valuables as well- providing the best of both worlds…

 

 

Top 6 Considerations When Buying a Safe 

 

 

 

The Size and Weight

 

Home safes come in a variety of sizes. They range from smaller portable ones, for a few documents and small items, to larger units,  designed to house gun collections weighing many hundreds of pounds.  The best home safes are large enough for the items you need to store. You should also factor in a bit of space to keep valuable items you might purchase in the future.

Smaller, portable safes that can be hidden and carried when traveling.

If you are looking for a bit more versatility, there are some modest-sized fireproof safes that will enable you to store documents and some valuables as well. An average-size 1.3-cubic-foot safe typically weighs in the 80-100lb range. This is usually large enough to store important documents, a handgun or two, and expensive jewelry.

While the weight makes it difficult for an intruder to carry it off, these safes can usually be bolted to the floor for an extra measure of security.

Some of them even contain a separate smaller lockbox inside which can be transported.  Additionally, fireproof pouches can easily be taken on the road as well.

The The Viking Security Safe VS-50BLX is H20′ x W14′ x D12′ …which seems to be right in the sweet spot for the average homeowner.

 

 

Types of Fireproof Safes

 

Safes for your home can provide protection against a variety of threats – theft, fire, or even water.  Some safes do a good job protecting against all of them. However, there are typically trade-offs to be made. Not all safes are designed to address all these risks. When selecting your home safe, be sure that it is designed to protect against the risks that concern you most.

When choosing the most secure safe to use at home, there are a variety of styles to choose from:

Portable – If you travel or are away from your primary residence for extended periods, a portable safe might be a good fit. (or work well as a secondary unit). It will be more convenient to bring the safe with your valuables and important paperwork with you.

Wall Safe – Safes for walls are typically installed in between the wall studs. They can be easily concealed behind furniture or prints and paintings.  However, they are not very spacious and often provide less protection against fire and flooding.

Stand-Alone – They come in a variety of sizes and can even be bolted to the floor. These safes offer more durable construction and may provide additional protection against fire, water, and theft.

Gun safes – Are available in various sizes, from small handgun boxes to massive safes for rifles

In addition, there are different levels of protection against specific types of threats.  Keep this in mind if you are looking for safes that are fireproof.

 

Fire Resistance

 

Although they are often referred to as “fire-proof” safes, a more accurate term would be fire-resistant.  Fire-resistant safes are rated by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and other agencies based on the safe’s ability to keep the contents below a certain temperature after the exterior is exposed to fire-level temperatures. It is based on keeping the temperature below 350 degrees F for times that range between 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

This temperature was selected because these safes are commonly used to protect important paper documents.  Paper begins to char at 387°F and ignites at 421°F.

The most common UL classification system is as follows:

• Class 350-4Hr.      (formerly Class A)    4 hrs.   @  2000°F
• Class 350-2Hr.      (formerly Class B)    2 hrs.   @  1850°F
• Class 350-1Hr.      (formerly Class C)    1 hr.     @  1700°F
• Class 350- 1/2Hr.  (formerly Class E)    30 Min. @  1550°F

 

Most fireproof home safes can keep the contents below 350°F for a minimum of 30 minutes after being exposed to flames.  This is often sufficient, as house fires usually do not exceed 1200°F and are put out in less than an hour. However, for those who reside in more rural areas, where the response time may be longer, it might make sense to consider higher-rated safes.

The Viking Security Safe VS-50BLX is not fire or water-resistant, so if this is your primary concern,you way want to consider some of the other options at the bottom of the page.  We would recommend using a fire-resistant pouch for important documents.

 

Home Security Safe Rating Index

 

Not all safes have UL Ratings. However, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) rates certain safes based on the construction, design, and capability to deter forced entry attempts.  Following are some very general industry guidelines commonly used to recommend safes by specialized safe retailers.

The most common burglary ratings are:

• B-rated –      $5,000 or less worth of important items.

• Rated B/C –  Up to $10,000 worth of content.

• UL RSC  –     Up t0 $15,000 worth of content.

• C-rated –       Up to $25, 000 worth of content.

• UL TL -15 –    Up to $100,000 worth of valuables The safe can be able to withstand an attack of 15 minutes using ordinary tools and devices.

These values are typically doubled when combined with top-rated monitored home security systems!

 

 

Lock Type

 

One of the features that distinguish fireproof home safes is the type of locking mechanism it uses.  The lock type can be a simple as a key or combination…or as sophisticated as a fingerprint sensor.

A biometric safe is opened by using a fingerprint sensor that matches fingerprints that are programmed into the safe.  This can be the fastest and most efficient system, but some of them can be finicky.

Also,  bear in mind, it will require a power source-either battery or an AC outlet. (as does an electronic keypad)

Keys and combination locks are more traditional and don’t require power.  However, keys can be lost, and codes can be forgotten.  As a result, it is always best to have a backup means of opening the safe.

The most common types of safe locks are:

• Traditional lock: This safe opens with a traditional key.
• Combination lock: Uses a series of numbers like vintage school lockers.
• Electronic Keypad: Requires the entry of a personal PIN code.
• Biometric lock: Access is gained by registering fingerprints into the system.
• Dual lock: Multiple methods are required for access. For example, you may need to enter both a combination and use a key.  Some systems include the key as a backup.

 

 

Waterproof Rating

 

Water-resistant safes can safeguard important documents and valuables from water damage resulting from flooding, broken pipes, leaks, and water damage caused by extinguishing a fire.

The possibility of water damage may be much higher in areas that are prone to flooding, or when storing a safe in the basement. Also,  safes located on upper floors can end up submerged in a fire if the wood floors are compromised. The weight of the safe can crash through fire-ravaged floors and the safe can end up underwater in the basement if the fire damage is extensive enough.

For protection from water-related damage, look for a safe that has an ETL waterproof certification. This independent Electrical Testing Laboratories (ETL) rates safes based on their ability to withstand a certain amount of exposure to water for a specified period of time.

 

Premium Features to Look for in a Home Safe

 

The best fireproof home safes may offer additional features to enhance usability, security, and convenience:

• Hardware – Additional mounting hardware for securing the safe to the floor or a wall.  This provides an additional measure of protection against theft.
• Lighting – Interior lighting can aid in identifying the contents of the safe. Backlit keypads make it easy to gain access in the dark
• Adjustable Shelves – Help you optimize the interior space and customize it to your needs.  Some home safes even have a lockable shelf or box which can be quickly removed and taken with you.
• Carpet or Felt Lining – A carpeted lining can protect firearms and valuables from getting scratched or marred.
• Tamper Alert – An audible alarm that is activated if it detects vibrations due to a possible break-in attempt or if the passcode is repeatedly entered incorrectly.

 

These are some of the most common features that we evaluated in determining our list of the Best Home Safes of 2023.

 

The Viking Security Safe VS-50BLX offers premium-level features…at a wallet-friendly price!

Home Safe FAQs

 

OUR #1 Pick as an Affordable Biometric Safe

Viking Security Safe VS-50BLX

 

 

 

 

 

Alternatives to the SentrySafe SFW123GDC 

 

Perhaps you have more specialized needs or are looking for more budget-friendly options.  We have compiled a list of some of the very best safes in a variety of categories that should meet almost anyone’s needs or budget.

 

 

 

Thank you for your interest in this SentrySafe SFW123GDC Review.  We hope you found it helpful. If you are looking to enhance the protection of your valuables, home and family, click the button below for our top-rated home security recommendations.