Best Home Safes of 2023 - The Definitive Guide to Finding the Best Safe For Your Home Or Apartment

Top 8 Things to Look for When Buying a 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 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 home 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 home safes,  click on one of the links below…or visit us online at thehomesecurityadvisor.com

 

 

 

 

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

• Contents – What is it that you are looking to protect? How large and how many items do you want to store within the safe?  Make sure that the safe has adequate capacity for the required contents. 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 – If you are looking to conceal the safe under the bed, on a closet shelf or mount it on a wall, this will restrict the size of the safe.
• Portability – Storage capacity is minimal. While they may be convenient for you to take with you while away from the home…a portable safe is equally convenient for a thief to carry. If you opt for a portable safe, make sure that it is well hidden.

 

Once again, where to place a home safe is largely dependant 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 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 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 home safes that we feel represent the best overall value in a home safe for specific categories, and have selected the SentrySafe SFW123GDC as our #1 pick overall as we feel it offers the best combination for the average person and comes in well under $300.

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.

When it comes to home safes, the term fireproof is somewhat misleading.

Even the best fire proof safes for the home are only fire-resistant.  The fire ratings on a personal safe are determined by its ability to keep the internal temperature below 350°F for a period of time when exposed to fire.

For example, a fire rating of 1 Hr @1700°F  will maintain an internal temperature below 350° in a fire less than 1700°F for up to 1 hr.

350° is the temperature at which paper will burn. 

The construction of a home safe that is fireproof requires the use of 3-layers. There will be 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 the quality of materials used will determine how well a personal safe can protect the contents from fire.

The best safes for the home will be rated for at least 1 Hr @1700°F.  A portable home safe box may be less – as most small home safes. personal safes or document safes that are fireproof are constructed so that they are portable and can be easily taken with you when necessary.

The best safes for the home that are fire proof 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.

 Will Home Security Safes Protect Photos and Hard Drives in a Fire?

 

Sadly, even the best small safes for the home will probably not do a good job of protecting your photos or other sensitive media during an actual fire.

Our best home safe that is fireproof is rated for 2 hours of fire protection. This sounds awesome….but, it is only rated to keep the internal temperature below 350°F.  It is adequate protection to 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.

Our best small safes for home, offer even less protection, but, at least they are portable and could be quickly retrieved and removed in the event of fire.

While there are small home safes that are specifically designed to protect sensitive media and data.  However, many would find them cost prohibitive. They are most commonly used in commercial applications and 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 one of the small home safes that can be carried out in an emergency. 

 

What is considered “Sensitive Data or Media” that would fit in small home safes?

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, even the best home safes are not designed to protect these types of items.  if you elect to store them in one of the small home safes, make sure that you keep it in an area where you can easily grab it in the event of an emergency.

Protecting Valuables in Your Home Safe

 

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.

 

If your safe isn’t fire and water-resistant, you may want to consider a fireproof pouch for added security against these threats.

Handgun Safe Features… found in the Sentry Gun Safe

 

There is no question that handguns should be stored in a gun safe to protect against unauthorized use.

The QAP2BLX, Sentry Gun Safe is a good example of a safe that includes some of the most important features.

• Biometric Access – Being able to quickly gain access in an emergency is critical.  The  QAP2BLX Sentry Gun Safe has the latest fingerprint recognition scanning technology to ensure the fastest and most accurate 1-second biometric performance. 
• One-handed operation. The updated gas compression strut discreetly opens the safe automatically for fast gun retrieval. 
• Visibility – Interior lighting provides visibility without the need for an external light source.
• Capacity – The QAP2BLX, Sentry Gun Safe has the capacity for 2 handguns…or space for additional items you want to keep secure.
• Bolt Down Kit – For optimal security, this hun safe can be bolted down to prevent theft of the safe.
• Back-Up Access – The System should have a backup means of access if fingerprint scanning fails.  The Sentry gun safe also has a digital keypad and backup keys if the batteries are dead.
• California DOJ certified – All quality handguns safes should carry this certification. 

A Closet Safe for Guns

 

When most people think of a gun safe, they envision either a small, portable biometric handgun safe by the bedside or a giant 500 lb. behemoth of a safe designed to store an extensive collection of firearms.

Somewhere in the middle of those two extremes resides a closet gun safe designed to be space-efficient, hidden out of the way, wall-mounted safe that can house both hand-guns, a couple of long firearms, and perhaps a few valuables as well.

Many of these closet safes for guns are designed to be flush-mounted, between the wall studs.  However, this greatly reduces the capacity of the safe. Our favorite pick for the best closet gun safe, the V-Line Closet Vault II Gun Safe, created a safe with about 50% more capacity, by allowing for a 2″ protrusion from the wall.  This greatly enhances its usability as a traditional closet safe, without significantly reducing the space efficiency or the aesthetics of the safe.

The additional space affords sufficient capacity for “up to 4 long guns, handguns, documents, jewelry and ammunition.”

Hiding in plain sight…an alternative to our traditional choice for Best Home Safe

 

Sometimes…less is more.  And depending on your situation, how often you intend to access the safe, and what you are looking to store… a diversion safe might be a cost-effective solution for you.

Essentially, a diversion safe is a common item that can be used to hide and safeguard smaller items in plain sight.  Common examples might be hollowed-out “books” that contain a small lockbox inside or a soda can or water bottle that unscrews to reveal a repository for small items. 

These diversion safes masquerade as common household items that a potential thief would not suspect held a treasure trove of cash, jewelry or other valuables. 

Of course, the diversion safe is not typically waterproof or fireproof.  And if they have locks at all, they are pretty flimsy and are only meant to discourage a curious guest or family member. 

One advantage of a diversion safe is that it can easily be taken with you when traveling.  It will serve the same purpose in a hotel room. It provides storage for items that you wouldn’t want tempting guests or chamber persons.

Of course, it is important to select items that wouldn’t typically be opened inadvertently, discarded or forgotten. (i.e. opening a soda can or water bottle might seem harmless to a thirsty guest)

The most popular might be a book, such as listed in our best home safes list…or one of my personal travel favorites- a hanger. This one even includes a fireproof pouch…ingenious!

 

 

 

Just make sure you don’t leave them behind!

Best Home Safes for Jewelry… Closet Jewelry Safe or Wall-Mounted Jewelry Armoire?

 

If you are concerned with protecting that Audemars Piguet watch, a family heirloom set of pearls, or a Tiffany necklace from thieves, a lockable jewelry armoire is not going to do the trick.

Jewelry armoires are better suited for organizing, storing, and protecting everyday jewelry from more common threats such as roommates, babysitters, and housekeepers.

While they aren’t designed to protect against an intruder whose intent on robbing you, they are secure enough to eliminate temptations for most of the more common scenarios.

More expensive jewelry, which is typically worn less frequently, should reside in a closet safe, home safe, or jewelry safe box.

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.

The Safest Lock Mechanism Used on the Best Home Safes

 

There really is no best answer to this question. 

There are pros and cons to any type.  The real question is…which lock type are you going to find most convenient to use on a consistent basis. If you have difficulties accessing the safe, you are far less likely to use it. 

It is a good idea to make sure that there there is a backup way of accessing the safe in the event that you have difficulty opening the safe.  For instance, if you injured a finger and the biometric lock won’t recognize the print, (Hint:  It is best to enter multiple prints into the storage history) it is best to make sure that you have a secondary option – a backup set of keys.

Some of the best home safes may require the use of a key in conjunction with a code. 

 

Smart Home Safes – The Best Safes for Home Use?

 

For many years, the best safes for the home were home security safes that were secured with either a key or a combination lock.

Then, the best home safes had electronic digital keypads that required the entry of a 4-digit code.

That became cumbersome…so biometric locks became popular on many safes for home use.  Now, it is not uncommon for even a small safe for home use to be equipped with fingerprint scanners. As a result, even some small home safes can be opened at the touch of a finger.

This led to the evolution of smart home safes…which takes it to yet another level.  The best home security safes of the future will be networked into the modern smart home.

Already there are some small safes for the home that can be opened with an app…or even with a voice command using Alexa.

It likely won’t be long until most of the best home safes can be controlled with a smart app.

 

Top 10 Benefits of Choosing the Best Home Safe with Smart Features

 

 

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

Tamper Alarm – Smart home safes can notify you if there is an attempt at forced entry or the safe is moved.

False Attempt Alarm – When there are 5 consecutive failed attempts to open, the smart home security safe will alert you.

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

Kidnap Alert – If someone is forced to unlock the safe, in some small safes for home use a real-time message 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 home safes can be opened.

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

Safe Activity History – A history of all of the small 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.

 

Top 10 Smart Home Safe Features – Video Summary

 

 

 

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. 

Best Home Safe FAQs – Live vs Dead Bolts

 

When researching home safes, you may come across the terms live and dead bolts.

Live bolts are the retractable bolts that are engaged by the safe’s mechanical handle or electronic locking mechanism.  They are typically located on the left side (the side that opens) and top of the safe.

Dead bolts are stationary bolts located behind the door that enhance the security of the hinge side of the door.  They do not retract but fortify the door by making it more pry-resistant

 

Top Home Safe Rating Issues

 

For the most part, less than stellar ratings for home safes fall under a few basic categories.

One of the most typical concerns is safes being damaged during shipping. Typically they are relatively heavy, which can result in getting dropped somewhat more often.  Nonetheless, that doesn’t justify a subpar buyer experience.  Amazon continues to enhance its shipping and logistics efforts…and reputable manufacturers of the best safes for the home are responding with upgraded packaging.

Another familiar criticism about even the best burglary safes is moisture build-up.  This is especially prevalent with waterproof and fireproof safes. While that is certainly regrettable, t is important to recognize that moisture issues are unavoidable in a safe that must be sealed.  Whether is a gun safe for the apartment or one of the large safes for the home, a waterproof safe that seals out moisture will also seal it in. 

For this reason,  fire and waterproof safe companies will usually suggest that the safe be opened and aired out periodically.  Furthermore, to eliminate dampness from building up and control unwelcome musty smells, it is a good practice to use some sort of desiccant.

Yet another complaint is that the safe can be readily defeated by a burglar.  Although this may be a valid criticism, it is important to recognize that a committed criminal can break into nearly any safe…given sufficient time.  Standard safes are designed to furnish the typical homeowner with a measure of protection against ordinary crooks looking to break in and grab your valuables.

In order to defend against a genuinely skilled thief, it would require a substantial investment in a sophisticated home that could cost many hundreds or thousands of dollars.  

For this reason, it is a best practice to try to conceal the location of the safe when practicable. One of the advantages of small home safes over large safes for the home is that they can easily be concealed. Additionally, our top picks for the best small home safes can be easily carried off in the event of a fire or flood. 

Additionally, the best safes for the home and apartments are fire and waterproof. So you also get the peace of mind that they will also provide a level of protection against minor flooding and typical house fires.

So…keep in mind, that those leaving many of the negative reviews may have somewhat unrealistic expectations of safes costing just a few hundred dollars.

Best Home Safes Maintenance Tips

 

Home 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, if you have a fireproof or waterproof safe that is sealed, it is a good idea to use some sort of desiccant to prevent moisture build-up and keep things from smelling musty.

Other than dusting and cleaning it out once in a while, we do recommend opening it up and airing it out a bit every couple of weeks to prevent moisture build-up.  This is especially important if it is a sealed waterproof safe.

Top 5 Tips to Keep the Best Home Safes Secure

 

 

 

• Keep it Locked – If the safe isn’t locked, it is nothing more than a centralized display case for 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 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 safe to yourself. Never advertise the whereabouts of your safe or what you are keeping in it 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 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.