Best Fireproof Safes of 2024 - The Definitive Guide to Finding the Best Fireproof Home Safe

Top 8 Things to Look for When Buying a Fire Proof Home Safe

 

If you are looking into getting a safe for your home, you may have found that the task can be a bit overwhelming.  We have outlined what we feel are the top 8 considerations…and have linked to our top picks in the links below.

The first thing to determine is:

 

 

Budget

 

Many people used to think that fireproof safes are expensive and mostly for the rich.  Nothing could be further from the truth.   We ALL have things we hold dear…and there are a myriad of affordable options available.

While it is true that there are safes built like Fort Knox that can cost many thousands, the vast majority of us will find a modest investment between $50 and $500 can provide substantial protection and will give us greater peace of mind.

 

 

The Size and Weight

 

The size of the best home safe for your situation is determined by what you are looking to keep in it. It should be large enough for the items you want to keep in it now and provide room for any valuable items you might purchase in the future.

An average-size 1.3-cubic-foot safe typically weighs in the 60-100lb range.

 

Construction

 

Construction standards vary depending on the type of safe.   However, here are a few things to look for in a fairly standard-sized 1.5 cubic foot safe.

Heavy-duty Steel – The walls of the safe should be constructed of 14-6 gauge steel.

Concealed Hinges – Many of the top-rated home safes will use concealed hinges and/or deadlocks.  These make the safe more pry-resistant.

 Live Door Bolts –  These are the motorized or mechanical bolts that lock the safe.  Look for 16mm-20mm bolts. (larger is better) Most safes will have 2-4 on the side of the door

 

 

Types of Safes

 

A quality safe for your home can protect against theft, fire, or even water. Not all models protect against all these risks. When choosing your home safe, prioritize the risks that concern you most and determine which type will best afford you the protection you want within your budget.

The most common types of safe are:

Portable – A small fireproof safe to bring the safe with your valuables and important paperwork with you.

Wall Safe – Installed in between the wall studs, they can be easily concealed behind furniture or prints and paintings.  However, they are usually not very spacious.

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 an arsenal.

 

Fire Resistance

 

While they are typically called “fire-proof” safes, a more accurate term would be fire-resistant. They keep the inside of the safe below 350°F when the exterior is exposed to fire-level temperatures.

Most fireproof home safes can maintain temperatures of less than 350°F for a minimum of 30 minutes after being exposed to flames. Higher quality fireproof home safes can protect valuables for up to 2 hours against temperatures as high as 1850°F.

 

 

Lock Type

 

Another important consideration is the type of locking mechanism used to access the contents of the safe.

There are pros and cons to each.

 

• 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 protect your valuables from water damage resulting from flooding, broken pipes, leaks, and water damage caused by extinguishing a fire.

For protection from water-related damage, look for a safe that has an ETL waterproof certification

 

Premium Features

 

The best home safes may offer additional features to enhance the security, usability, and convenience of the safe, such as:

• 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.

 

If you found this information helpful, give us a thumbs up and subscribe for more home security information in the future.

For more in-depth information on what to look for in the best fireproof home safes,  click on one of the links below…or visit us online at thehomesecurityadvisor.com

 

 

 

 

The best brand of fire proof safe really depends on your individual needs and budget.

Our top 2 picks are Honeywell and SentrySafe.

The Honeywell 2605 is our top choice with a fire rating of 1800 degree protection for 2 hours.

The size of your fireproof home safe depends  on a number of factors:

• Contents – What items are you trying to protect?  The size and volume of items to be stored will determine how much capacity is necessary.   Be sure that the safe is adequate to hold the items you are looking to protect. Safe capacity is often expressed in terms of cubic feet or inches, but you may need to check the specific internal dimensions to accommodate certain items.
• Location -Do you wish to hide the safe under the bed, place it on a closet shelf, mount it on a wall, or bolt it to the floor?  The placement of the safe will often determine the size.
• Portability – If you are looking to transport the safe, the storage capacity will be limited. While it may be convenient for you to take a small fireproof safe away from the home…portable fireproof safes are equally convenient for a thief to carry. If you opt for a fireproof lockbox, make sure that it is well hidden.

 

When evaluating fireproof safes, it is important to define what you are looking for.  If you are just looking to protect a few important papers, a fireproof lock box like the Honeywell 1104,  might be adequate.  If you want to safeguard a number of files, you might opt for a fireproof document safe that will accommodate hanging file folders.  Either of them can be hidden away or transported in an emergency.

A small fireproof safe that can be hidden away or mounted might make more sense for one who also wants to store a handgun and a few valuables as well.

A fire proof safe with between 1 and 2 cu./ft. capacity will provide adequate storage for most homeowners and is still compact enough to be hidden away.  The best fireproof home safes come in a variety of configurations to fit almost any space.

Not really. If the fire exceeds and sustains 2000 degrees contents will likely be damaged.

However, they will afford protection in a typical home fire.

Typical fireproof home safes will provide protection for at least 30 minutes at 1500 degrees. This will help protect the contents in an average home fire.

More robust fire safes can provide 2-hour protection when the temperature does not exceed 1850 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once again, where to place a home safe is largely dependent on what you are protecting, how often you will need access, the size, and type of the safe, and the size and room available in your home or apartment.

For the handgun safe, it might be tucked under the bed or mounted to the bedstand.

A portable safe, like the Honeywell 1104,  might be hidden on a shelf in the closet.

A wall-mounted safe could be concealed behind a print or painting.

And a larger safe might be bolted to the floor in an unused closet.

The possibilities are endless, but the common denominators are typically to make it as accessible as you need to for your own access and as difficult to locate or steal for an intruder or anyone else for whom you don’t want to grant access.

The best home safe that is fireproof really depends on individual needs, budget and features required. Some of the most important considerations, aside from budget are:

• Size – How much capacity do you require for storage?
• Type – Are you looking to bolt it to the floor, mount it on the wall or take it with you?
• Locking Mechanism – Do you prefer an old-school key or combination lock or biometric finger scanning?
• Water Resistance – Are you concerned with protecting contents from flooding or water damage?
• Fire Resistance – Do you have important documents to protect against fire?

 

We have selected a number of fireproof safes that we feel represent the best overall value in a home safe for specific categories, and have selected the Honeywell 2605 as our #1 pick for the Best Fireproof Safe. It is reasonably priced and protects your valuables at a higher temperature, for twice as long as comparably priced fireproof safes!

While most people think of a safe as a means to protect valuable property against burglaries or thieves, fire and water damage can be just as much of a threat if you are planning on storing important documents.

Fire-rated safes can maintain internal temperatures below 350 degrees for a specific period of time when exposed to extreme temperatures. This provides limited protection against documents charring or even igniting.

Water-resistant safes can provide some protection against partial submersion for a period of time.

If it is within the budget, both of these can be important considerations.

How do the best fireproof safes work?

 

As noted elsewhere…the majority of the safes listed in this article are fire-resistant, not fireproof.  In the vast majority of home fires, a 1 or 2-hour fire-rated safe should provide sufficient protection.

Storing items in a fire safe can be a great way to keep them safe from harm. However, it’s important to choose the right specification for your needs. If you don’t, you could end up destroying your items due to internal moisture levels rather than the heat of the fire.  This is why we highly recommend the use of a fire-desiccant.

Fire safes are designed to keep the interior as cool as possible throughout the fire. They feature a double-walled steel body with a special fire-resistant composite filling the cavity. This composite can vary between brands, but it usually contains a hydrate like alum or gypsum that releases water vapor when heated.

The water vapor serves two purposes. Firstly, it regulates the internal temperature of the safe. Secondly, it creates a pressure seal against the external heat of the fire. The pressure and humidity levels are controlled by vents or external release holes strategically placed in various parts of the safe. These features reinforce the fire resistance of the safe and seal all gaps when the materials inside react to the fire.

It’s important to note that humidity protection is not the same as water resistance. While some safes offer water resistance, protecting against critical levels of humidity inside the safe is a different matter. Water resistance refers to hazards from outside sources like sprinklers, hoses, or flooding.

 

The best fireproof safes will carry UL and or ETL certification ratings as previously noted.  The actual process used to rate the safes is well described in the following excerpt from the NY Times:

“Most fireproof safes are tested and rated by UL and by the inspection firm Intertek, which uses the “ETL” mark. We spoke to John Drengenberg, consumer safety director at UL, about the organization’s testing procedures. He said UL tests to different ratings depending on what kind of rating the manufacturer wants. Testers put the safes in a furnace at a specific temperature, for a specified amount of time; a safe-maker can request tests at different temperature and duration marks. Then the testers drop the safes three stories before placing them back in the furnace for more heat testing. Most household safes are rated to last 30 minutes at 1,550 °F, a standard based on modern firefighting response and how a fire typically moves through a house. This is a common certification from both UL and ETL. The next level up is 60 minutes at 1,700 °F, which offers a greater degree of security. Part of the testing evaluates how suitable the safes are for different kinds of contents: The internal temperature must stay under 350 °F to keep paper safe, while digital media has a failure threshold of 125 °F. Tape recordings and film slides fall in between at 150 °F. Larry McKenna, a fire protection engineer at the US Fire Administration, an entity of FEMA, told us that the temperature at a room’s ceiling can reach 2,000 °F during a fire, though there’s a gradient, with the highest temperatures at the top. He also said that a room will burn for about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes if not addressed.”

The term fireproof is something of a misnomer, even the best fire proof safes are only fire-resistant.  Fire safes are rated based on how well they keep the internal heat below a specific temperature, most commonly 350°F, for a period of time when exposed to fires of varying temperatures.

Thus, a Fire Rating of 1 Hr @1700°F rating will keep the internal temperature below 350° when exposed to temperatures less than 1700°F for up to an hour.

This will typically prevent papers from burning.

The construction of a fireproof safe will usually include an outer steel wall and an inner wall of steel or other material which can expand to form a seal when exposed to heat.  The space between the two walls is filled with fire insulation material such as gypsum, perlite, vermiculite, cement, or diatomaceous earth.

The thickness of the walls and quality of materials used will dictate the safes level of protection.

The best fireproof safes for the home will be rated for at least 1 Hr @1700°F. A portable fire safe box may be less – as most small fireproof safes or fireproof document safes are designed with the idea that they are lightweight enough to grab and go.

The best fireproof safes for the home will be rated for 2 Hr.  @1850°F.  These will weigh considerably more as they use heavy-duty steel construction and a superior layer of fire-resistant materials.

Protecting Valuables in the Best Fireproof Safes

 

The items you choose to protect in your home safe will often dictate the size, weight, and capacity of the safe that you choose.  This can vary greatly, but some of the most common items are:

 

• Guns –  Guns should be secured against unauthorized use.

• Cash – Even in this digital age, having an emergency stash of cash tucked away in a safe can provide some peace of mind in times of trouble.

• Valuables –  For Instance- jewelry, silver, gold, or family heirlooms.

• Computer Backups-  A large capacity flash drive or backup drive can be periodically updated to preserve digital data and photos if you don’t want it on the cloud.

• Keys- A set of spare house or car keys, or keys to a safety deposit box at your bank.

• Identification – Documents such as passports, social security cards, birth certificates, or a marriage license should be kept in a safe place that can withstand fire or flood.

• Important documents- I.E. a property deed,  car title, a will, home and health insurance, bank account information, medical records, etc.

 

 

Probably not if it is left in the home during an actual fire.

Most small fireproof home safes or fireproof document safes are rated for 30 minutes of fire protection. Moreover, they are only rated to keep the internal temperature below 350°F.  This will keep most important documents or cash from igniting…but, in most cases will not provide sufficient protection against damage to sensitive media.

Any sensitive data or media will be badly damaged or destroyed at or above 135 degrees F or 85% humidity.

Even our best fireproof safe recommendations will not provide sufficient protection in most situations.

While there are safes specifically designed to protect sensitive data, to many they are cost-prohibitive for use as a fireproof safe for the home.  Usually used in commercial applications, they typically run upwards of $1000.

Consequently, most people find it more cost-effective to convert photos or sensitive media to digital and store it in the cloud, and/or purchase a small fireproof document safe that can be easily be quickly retrieved and carried out, in the event of a fire.

 

What is considered “Sensitive Data or Media” that would fit in a small fire proof lock box?

Data and media include the following materials:

• Negatives & Photographs
• CDs & DVDs
• Hard Drives
• Zip and Jazz Disks
• Tape Backups
• Thumb Drives/Flash Drives
• Diskettes
• Cassette Tapes
• Microfiche

 

All of these types of items need to be kept rated for 125°F and 85% humidity. Sadly, these types of safes are expensive, and typically not particularly good at protecting against burglary.

In summary, the average small fireproof waterproof safe is not designed to protect these types of items, if you elect to store them ins a small document safe, make sure that you keep it in an area where you can easily grab it in the event of an emergency.

Why the Best Home Safes are UL or ETL Listed

 

Most of us are familiar with the term UL Listed.  UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories.  They create safety tests and develop standards for about 1500 classes of products.

ETL stands for Electrical Testing Laboratories, which is the testing and certification division of Intertek…a UK-based corporation.  While they do not develop the tests and standards, they perform the same tests to ensure that products meet UL standards.

Either label is a good indicator that the product exceeds common industry standards of safety and performance.

Safe Features – The Best Lock Type for a Fireproof Home Safe

 

The best locking mechanism for a fireproof safe is the one that you will find easiest to use.  When considering the type of lock on a fireproof safe, you will want one that you prefer to use on a consistent basis. In the event of a fire, the real concern is the protection level of the safe.  The minimum protection of a fireproof safe is typically 30 minutes at above 1400ºF.

The best fireproof safes offer 1-2 hours of protection against fires that run as hot as 1850ºF.

The best lock for your safe will depend on your preference.  Some people still prefer the old-school combination lock. These are often found on the most cost-effective safes.

The more common locks are the electronic keypad style.  These are increasingly popular and many come with an LED light.

If you are looking for a safe that is quickly accessible, such as the Viking Security safe and many biometric gun safes, you may want to look into a safe that has s fingerprint sensor.

Regardless of which style lock you choose, it is a good idea to make sure that the safe has a back up key.

 

Are There Smart Fireproof Safes for The Home 

 

For many years, fireproof safes for the home were constructed of a strong fire safe box that opened with either a key or a combination lock.

Then, electronic digital keypads emerged. This required the entry of a 4-digit code.

That became cumbersome…so biometric locks became popular.  Now, it is not uncommon for even a small fireproof safe box to be equipped with fingerprint scanners, so that even a fire proof lock box could be opened at the touch of a finger.

This led to the evolution of smart fireproof safes…which takes it to yet another level.

Now, even small fireproof safes for the home can be opened with an app…or even with a voice command using Alexa.

 

Top 10 Benefits of Choosing One of the Best Fireproof Safes for the Home with Smart Features

While some people consider biometric safes to be smart safes, strictly speaking, we are defining smart fireproof safes for the home as a smart home fire safe that can be controlled with an App.  As such, we do not currently have an entry that meets the criteria for the best fireproof safes for home use.

However, with the addition of a fireproof bag, one could enjoy the benefits of a smart home safe that still provides a degree of fire resistance. 

The benefits of the smart safe would include. 

Easy Step by Step Set Up  -The App will walk you through setting up smart fireproof safes for home use.

Tamper Alarm – Smart home fireproof safes can alert you if the safe is moved or if there is an attempt to force it open.

False Attempt Alarm – A smart fireproof home safe will alert you when there are 5 consecutive failed attempts to open.

Low Battery Alert – With a small fireproof safe for home use that has smart features, an App will keep track of the status of the battery and let you know when it is time to replace the batteries.

Kidnap Alert – If an individual is forced to open the safe, in the best small fireproof safe for home use a real-time notification can be sent to emergency contacts.

Voice Command – Some of the latest smart small home safes can be controlled with Amazon Alexa and Google Home Assistant.

Safe Opening Times – Parameters can be set controlling what times the best small fireproof safes can be opened.

Notifications -Receive real-time notifications of all home safes that are fireproof activities.

Safe Activity History – A history of all of the small fireproof home safe activities can be archived.

Remote Access – A few of the best home safes can allow one-time emergency access for a guest or family member.

 

Should a Home Safe Be Bolted Down?

 

It is considered a best practice to bolt a safe to the floor.  If intruders break into your home and locate your safe,  they may very well just remove it from the property if they can.

Taking extra steps to secure your safe will help prevent this from happening.

Additionally, it can increase stability. A taller shallow safe designed for firearms could tip over with the weight of the door when opened if it is not properly secured.

Many of the best home safes have pre-drilled holes and come with the necessary hardware to secure them to a wall, the floor…or both.

Are there Fireproof Wall Safes for the home?

 

While there are many fireproof wall safes on the market, most of them aren’t really the best design for the home, as they typically require a mounting depth of 8 inches or more.

At this point, we have not included fireproof wall safes in our rankings…as the majority are better suited for commercial use.

What many people do is use a standard non-fireproof wall safe such as the Paragon 7725, (which earned our top rating for best wall safe in our Best Home Safes review) and purchase fireproof and waterproof safe bags to protect cash and important documents in the wall safe.

 

 Use these waterproof and fire-resistant bags to create an affordable Fireproof Wall Safe!

 

Best Fire Resistant Home Safes Maintenance Tips

 

Safes don’t really require much maintenance. However, if it has an electronic keypad, you do want to make sure that the batteries are charged.

Also, because fireproof safes are sealed, it is a good idea to use some sort of desiccant to prevent moisture build-up and keep things from smelling musty.

Waterproof Fireproof Safe Rating Issues

 

Typically, poor ratings for fire and waterproof safes fall under a few different categories.

One of the most common problems is safes being damaged during shipping.  As they are typically fairly heavy, they likely get dropped fairly frequently.  However, that doesn’t excuse a poor customer experience.  Amazon continues to make great strides in shipping and logistics…and reputable manufacturers of water and fire proof safes for the home will respond with upgraded packaging.

Another common complaint about the fire and waterproof safe is that there is a moisture build-up.  It is important to remember that moisture issues are unavoidable.  In order to keep water out, the safe must be sealed.  Conversely, it also seals moisture in.

That is why fire and waterproof safe companies will recommend that the safe be opened and aired out every few weeks.  Additionally, one should use some sort of desiccant to eliminate moisture from building up and prevent unpleasant musty smells.

And the other common complaint is that the safe can be easily defeated by a thief.  While this may be a valid complaint, it is important to remember that a determined criminal can break into almost any safe…given enough time.  In order to protect against a true professional thief, one would likely have to invest thousands of dollars.  Typical safes are designed to provide the average homeowner a measure of protection against common burglars looking to break in and grab your valuables.

That is another reason that we recommend attempting to conceal the location of the safe when possible.

Additionally, the fire and waterproof safes will provide a level of protection against minor flooding and typical house fires.

Those leaving many of the negative reviews may have somewhat unrealistic expectations of safes costing just a few hundred dollars.

 

Top 5 Tips to Keep the Best Fireproof Safes Secure

 

 

 

• Keep it Locked – If the safe isn’t locked, it is nothing more than a centralized fireproof box to store or display your most valuable items.  You never know when you might be unexpectedly distracted or called away suddenly.  Don’t take a chance of forgetting to lock the safe and make sure to develop the habit of always locking it immediately.

 

• Use a Complex Code – Year of birth, birth dates, last 4 of social….all should be avoided. Make sure you use a code that can’t be easily guessed or that you commonly use.

 

• Bolt it Down – While 100 lbs. might seem heavy to you, thieves that are intent on stealing your most valuable treasures might find it less challenging to remove the fire proof safe entirely. By taking the extra step of bolting it to the wall or floor, it will be far more difficult to remove.

 

• Select Strategic Location – Where you decide to put the safe depends on the size, type, and your need to access the safe.  However, it is typically best to try and keep it hidden out of view and secure it to the floor or wall unless it is a portable safe that you wish to take with you.

 

• Conceal Contents – Keep the contents and the location of your fire safe to yourself. Never advertise the whereabouts of your safe, fireproof lock box or any fireproof box to others.  If you need to access the safe while others are around, ask that they remain in another area of your home.

 

Bonus Tip –  While a fireproof home safe adds a layer of protection and better secures important documents and valuables, don’t let it create a false sense of security.  There are countless YouTube videos on how to defeat common safes. At a minimum, one should monitor the safe location with security cameras.

For a higher level of protection, a top-rated monitored home security system will provide more comprehensive overall home security.  Even the best home safes can be compromised- but adding multiple layers of protection will serve as a more effective deterrent and provide greater peace of mind.

Best Fire Resistant Home Safes – Video Summary