Learn Me: In Home Safes

I currently rent a safe deposit box at the bank. However, due to my job change, I can no longer get to it during bank hours during the week, and it is difficult to get there on Saturdays. It mostly has documents, but if I got a safe for the house a few more items would go in it. What brand of safe is good these days. Fire and theft protection are the biggest things to look for. Anything else? I don't think I need a huge safe (no shotguns) but one with some room to spare would be nice.

Thanks!

I had a big gun safe a few years ago. Digital keypad, cost a grand, fireproof for several hours. Make sure you have placed where you want it to live, they are a royal pain to move!

Sorry, I don't remember the brand.

Just look into a large gun safe and a smaller fireproof safe to put inside it(for documents & such).....most good gun safes are rated for 3000-4500 degrees for 30-90 minutes, so a smaller fire safe inside would probably survive lava. There is one added bonus to them, they are big & heavy and can easily be bolted to your floor & wall.

I had friends who recently suffered a break in at their home while they were away for a family funeral. They had a safe that was big and heavy enough that they assumed no one could ever move it. The thieves took the safe, broke it open elsewhere, and came back with the keys to her 50th anniversary vette that she'd had less than a year. Then a week later they came back for his '75 442 that he'd owned since new. Also cleaned out all the house electronics for good measure.

Never assume it's big enough or strong enough.

I can't remember the brand I have (will look when I get home), but there was a huge difference in quality between the "big box" Lowes/Menards/Home-Depot de-contented version, and the one I actually purchased, which came from Gander Mountain.

I can't recommend anything for fire protection, but as ultraclyde points out, thieves will always find a way to make off with the safe- therefore, I suggest you keep anything valuable in one of these:

Nearly theftproof.

Once we move to our 'forever house', I'm going to build a closet in the basement with a fire door and 2 hour rated walls/ceiling. I'll probably do some extra stuff for security that I don't need to say online.

Look at the specs, not the safe. Most of the safes sold should come with a can opener in case you forget the combination. You could get the can openers with a magnet on them and just stick it on the side of the thing. 11ga steel is pretty easy to get through with a fire ax. Try to find something with 1/4" plate. Oh, all the 'fire protection?' That's 2 pieces of sheet rock. The typical safe looks real impressive with 2" thick walls, but remember that's <1/8" steel and 2 pieces of sheet rock and some carpet.

Fireproof file cabinet may be cheaper?

C'mon! This is GRM! You should build your own. Right?

Make sure it's not vulnerable to this: http://lifehacker.com/5853610/crack-almost-any-electronic-safe-with-just-a-bounce

It really depends on what you want to spend.

Firstly, fire protection is important, electronics might get damaged, but paper can survive in a decent fire resistant box.

Second, it can't be stolen if they don't know you have it, and where to look. If you are not constantly in and out of the safe, spend some effort on concealment. And don't tell anyone who doesn't need to know about it where it is.

If you are willing to spend the money, a small, used TL-15 or TL-30 rated safe, with a fire resistant box inside it would probably be a good solution, especially if it's bolted down. Locksmiths and safe stores often sell old office safes at a decent price, and they are significantly more secure than most gun store safes.

If you really want it to be secure, get a floor safe and set it in concrete. :)

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: I can't recommend anything for fire protection, but as ultraclyde points out, thieves will always find a way to make off with the safe- therefore, I suggest you keep anything valuable in one of these: Nearly theftproof.

Unless it's a junky, they love needles

As far as safes being in prominent locations......I am a FIRM believer in hidden spaces for these things. I've placed a few inside walls behind bookshelfs and such for friends. I've taken a slightly different but similar approach. I'll happily bet someone that my actual firearms safe(I keep a few lesser/high use items in my locking cabinet) will survive my house burning to the ground around it, and unless told, nobody should ever be able to find the darn thing.

I’ve got my old safe in a slightly conspicuous place to serve as a decoy.

The only thing that’s in it is an insultingly poor quality treasure map and a few rocks from the backyard I crudely spray painted gold.

I bought one of these at a auction for $60. Not this brand, but close. Made in the 40s. Weighs in at about 500#. If they want it bad enough to steal it, they can have it. They will be pretty disappointed though, all it contains is documents.