Home Safe Buying Guide
Quick tips for choosing the best home safe for your needs Purpose Tip: size up. As time goes on, you'll likely want to add more items than your current floor or wall safe will be able to accommodate. You should also look for wall safes or free standing safes that feature well-organized interiors (drawers, shelves, compartments, etc.). Safety Features |  |
Biometric safes, safes with electronic keypads, or safes with a key-protected combination lock will offer the most security. Other safety features to consider include steel thickness (for enhanced protection, go up to 3/16 or 1/4 inch), hidden hinges, dehumidifiers, and the use of lock bolts for extra security.
Tip: in addition to fire- and flood-resistance ratings, other ratings to look for include drill resistance (DR), torch resistance (TR), and tool and torch resistance (TRTL).
Type
If concealment is your highest priority, then wall safes and in floor safes may be your best choice, as they can be hidden behind a picture or beneath a rug. Free standing safes could be hidden in a closet or safe room, and most come with pre-set holes for bolting the safe into the floor.
Tip: an expensive safe pays for itself if it prevents just one theft or property loss. Check with your insurance company to see if having a home safe will get you a lower premium.