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The Honeywell 1106

Our Top Choice as Best Fireproof Document Safe Box

 

 

 

Key Takeaways

• The Honeywell 1106 Document Fire Safe is designed to provide protection from fire and water damage, with a 30-minute UL fire protection rating and a 24-hour waterproof seal.
• The safe can store a variety of items, including letter and legal documents, USB flash drives, DVDs, CDs, and more.
• It features a key lock system and comes with a 5-year limited warranty, including a lifetime after-fire replacement guarantee.
• Honeywell International Inc. is a Fortune 100 company.

 

 

Product Summary and Specs

The Honeywell Fire and Waterproof Safe offers reliable protection against fire and water damage, making it a secure choice for storing important documents and personal possessions. That is why it was chosen as our #1 document safe in our Best Fireproof Safes round-up review.

With its 30-minute UL Fire protection rating of up to 1550°F and a 24-hour waterproof seal, this safe ensures the safety of your valuables even in extreme conditions.

The exterior dimensions of the safe are 12.9 in H x 15.9 in W x 12.6 in D, providing ample storage space for various items such as letter and legal documents, USB flash drives, DVDs, CDs, and more. It features an electronic and key lock system, ensuring secure storage for important documents and personal possessions. When compared with other brands, Honeywell stands out for its commitment to integrity, high standards, and innovative technologies.

The Honeywell Fire and Waterproof Safe is designed to meet the needs of both home and office environments, offering peace of mind and a sense of belonging to its users.

 

 

 

Rating the Honeywell 1106 Fireproof Document Safe 

Summary of Some Common Features of Home Safes 

 

When trying to choose safes for home use, there are a host of factors to consider.

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 at the bottom of the page 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…Many people elect to keep documents in a smaller portable safe and use a larger safe to protect guns and valuables. The chice is your. 

 

 

Top 6 Considerations When Choosing a Document Safe or Traditional Home Safe

 

 

The Size and Weight

 

Fireproof document safes come in a variety of sizes. For the average homeowner, a portable safe that is fireproof and waterproof, yet still affordable, will meet their needs.

However, when it comes to safes overall – 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 Honeywell 1106 is an affordable document fire-safe option designed for the average homeowner. To make an informed decision, it is good to know some basic information regarding available safe options.

 

 

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 of 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  Honeywell 1106 document safe is both fire and water-resistant and is portable enough to be taken with you.

 

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 as 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 Honeywell 1106 is a simple waterproof and fireproof safe for documents-without a lot of bells and whistles…at a wallet-friendly price!

Home Safe FAQs

OUR #1 Pick as the Best Fireproof Document Safe

Honeywell 1106

 

 

 

Of course, if you have more specific needs and requirements, we have selected other alternatives that might be better suited to your individual needs and tastes.

 

 

Alternatives to the Portable Fireproof Document Safes

 

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 Honeywell 1106 – Best Fireproof Document Safe  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.