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Best Fireproof Safe Under $2,500 12. Honeywell’s 1103 costs the same as our runner-up, but offers less interior space, and doesn’t have a digital keypad. First, you can use the combination (a personal code you set) plus the master key. A fire has the ability to completely destroy everything you’ve worked for, and yet there is very little you can do once it starts. Get the latest in-depth ratings, reviews, and buying advice on money products, shopping, and personal finance from Consumer Reports. Or, you can bypass the personal code and use the master key and emergency key together (the emergency key access is hidden under the Tigerking logo). These are both independent tests, not something UL looks at. The SentrySafe HD2100 and CFW20201 both have the same design flaw. The safe has an electronic keypad with a total of 4 reprogrammable (4-16) digit combinations and non-volatile memory. 10 Best Fireproof Gun Safe Reviews 1. Its interior is long enough and wide enough that you’ll be able to fit documents of any standard size, including letter, A4, and legal. 1. It’s large enough to hold unfolded sheets of paper. 4. If you’re going to invest in a safe, you want to know the safe will actually work. When you don’t need anything large and bulky, the SentrySafe 0500 Fireproof Box is a great option. With fireproofing, the safe is fireproof for a certain time and at a certain temperature. It takes up only about 60 percent of the floor space that the Honeywell does, or 1.4 square feet compared with 2.4 square feet. Naturally the hotter the temperature and the longer the time the better. AmazonBasics Fire Resistant Safe – 1.24 Cubic Feet, 4. This is a sturdy safe that is not going to be messed with. That makes it tough to move around even with small grips carved out along its outer edges. We can’t vouch for how burglarproof the lock is, but it is secure enough to not pop open when you don’t want it to, and the latches provide an extra degree of security. *At the time of publishing, the price was $173. Additionally, Honeywell promises digital-media protection, and waterproofing under a meter of water for up to 24 hours. Steelwater AMSWEL-310 2-Hour Fireproof Safe, 8. This 80-pound behemoth is designed to hold both letter- and legal-size hanging file folders, which is convenient if you have a lot of documents or simply want to keep your things organized. This is a small box that is easy to pick up and travel with. It is also one of the heaviest safes on the list at 374 pounds, so the chances of anyone stealing the safe without the aid of a mechanical dolly are slim. Phoenix Datacare 2 Hour Key Lock Fireproof Safe. SentrySafe 0500 Fireproof Box with Key Lock, 2. The safe is also not waterproof, so it’s best to keep your documents within waterproof containers within the safe, just in case. The safe is also fireproof at 1400 degrees for 30 minutes. It has a door clearance of 17.5 inches and weighs 125 pounds. Three major brands make most of the fireproof safes you’ll find for home use: First Alert, Honeywell, and SentrySafe. So you may need something light and easy purchase. We stand by our current picks, and will keep an eye out for any new models from Honeywell or First Alert. ETL Verified fire endurance protection for documents, records, and valuables provide peace-of-mind that your items … The lock comes with a preset dial combination (not all too different from the locker combinations you’ve likely used). For this guide, we didn’t look for expensive professional installations or gun safes, but rather smaller, fireproof safes that fit under a desk or in a closet. The Steelwater AMSWEL-310 is exactly the kind of safe you should consider. As we went hands-on with them, some of the safes literally fell apart. Instead, you need to protect your important documents with a fireproof safe. If you have a lot of documents and want to organize them in folders, the Honeywell 1108 is the best choice. But unlike the models we tested, it is not fireproof or waterproof. It’s impossible for him not to mentally catalog any case he sees. You might have time to grab something on the way out, but you may also not. The fire department will also use high powered hoses. It features a code lock that is durable and feels nice to the touch. It’s not a bookshelf worth of storage space, but it’s more than enough for most basic needs. The best fireproof document safe to protect belongings from fire and water is the Honeywell 1104. According to Larry McKenna of the U.S. Fire Administration, a room will remain on fire for about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes if it’s not otherwise put out, and temperatures can reach up to 2,000 °F, so the protection the 1104 offers is worth it if you can afford it. That might be exactly what you’re looking for, or it may mean you want something that needs to be heavier to avoid easy theft. Its faceplate came right off with a tug, and water damaged the contents in our fire test. This design is perfect for when you have a number of documents and valuables you want to protect without purchasing a much larger safe. Compared with the Honeywell safes, this is not rated to last as long in a fire, but it’s still certified to withstand fires at temperatures up to 1,550 °F for 30 minutes. Some features of the SentrySafe 0500 Fireproof Box to consider include: If you need a safe that has more room than the previous option, the AdirOffice Security Safe with Digital Lock is a great step up. Then we filled it with flammable couch cushions, a carpet, cardboard, and some wood, put the safes in, and lit it. However, it is ware resistant to prevent water from pushing into the safe. Some of the features of this safe include: In terms of fireproof features, few safe manufacturers are able to compete with SentrySafe. It is also fully padded on the inside so nothing will be scratched while sitting on a hard surface. It is not an override lock. With its size and higher fireproof rating comes weight as well: At 56 pounds, moving this safe around isn’t going to be as easy as it would be with smaller, less protective options. The safe is on the smaller side but it is incredibly durable and heavy. The safe is UL Classified at 1550 degrees for 30 minutes, so it should hold up to the average house fire. Although we didn’t test them, the brand’s CHW20101, CHW20201, CHW20221, and CHW20121 models are all variants on the same design, so we wouldn’t expect different performance. The safes on this list range from under $50 to over $2,000, but if you’re only protecting Social Security cards and passports, you don’t need to drop a few thousand dollars. Although it’s small, it comes with an interior capacity of 0.52 cubic feet. We lifted the safes, loaded them with paper and folders, and looked for weak points, such as cracks, or parts that might break off. However, more expensive usually means larger and heavier. Steelwater AMSWEL-310 has an active rectangular locking bolt, as well as stationary rectangular locking bolts on the hinge side. Plus, it has a pre-drilled 1/2″ diameter anchor hole. If you want to fit full-size documents and folders inside you’ll need to invest in a safe that is smaller. Not only can it keep your documents safe but it’s about as low as you can get in terms of price point. You can find entry level safes for well under $100. There is much to consider when picking out the right safe because you’re not only talking about protective features you’re also talking about a price tag. The Fire Alert safe uses four live door bolts and backlit digital keypad. Measurements: 12.75 by 16.1 by 8.5 inches (LWH)Weight: 27 poundsUL fireproof rating: 30 minutes at 1,550 °F. The door on this safe automatically locks and it has an upgraded electronic keypad. The safe uses 10 locking points to keep the door secure and there is a bolt down design, even though the safe already weighs 225 pounds. Unfortunately, the company has discontinued many of its models over the years that we’ve been maintaining this guide. © 2021 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company, Smaller and cheaper for hanging file folders, A document-sized runner-up: First Alert 2602DF, A bigger option for file folders: Honeywell 1108, A runner-up for hanging files: First Alert 2037F, petroleum-based furniture burns faster and hotter than traditional wooden furniture, How to Safely Charge and Store Lithium Drone Batteries, 5 Cheap(ish) Things for Backing Up and Protecting Your Stuff. However, it is not fireproof. Humidity will vary in different regions and seasons, of course, but we recommend following the manufacturers’ instructions. It has all of the same attributes as our main pick, the Honeywell 1104, including the ability to survive a fire up to 1,700 ºF for an hour. There are smaller safes that are fireproof and have enough room to store your documents. It’s similar to “waterproof,” where a device is waterproof up to a certain depth and for a certain length of time. Our expert walks you through how to set up and take advantage of the features in our favorite, 1Password. Which safe would you pick, and if you’ve already purchased a safe what made you go with it? SentrySafe SFW123DSB Fireproof Safe and Waterproof Safe, 5. It is fireproof for up to one hour at 1700 degrees. The result of that extra space is that the 1108 is the single heaviest safe we’ve tested, weighing more than 80 pounds. The AmazonBasics Security Safe Box comes in sizes ranging from 0.5 to 1.2 cubic feet. Because there are plenty of safes out there that are nothing more than boxes or cabinets with a simple lock. Measurements: 17.2 by 20 by 7.3 inches (LWH)Weight: 56 poundsUL fireproof rating: one hour at 1,700 °F. Overview. If you want a safe that is a bit more elegant in design, the Safe Box Digital Security Safe is the way to go. In total it weighs 67 pounds. The CHW30100 also let water in during our burn-room test. Some of the highlight features for the safe are: Check Price on Amazon Directly Add to Cart on Amazon. However, you can fit USB flash drives, DVDs and CDs inside. We also tried to submerge them in a bathtub to test if water would seep through, but, well, safes float. *At the time of publishing, the price was $110. On the interior, there are key hooks for keeping your spare keys, plus pockets to hold passports and other documents. It can survive hotter fires for longer than any other home or office document safe, and Honeywell claims that this safe should keep water out for 24 hours. 3. The interior adjustable shelves and one interior drawer make it easier to organize the items you keep in the safe. Honeywell’s instruction booklet says to air its safes out once a week for 30 minutes. The safes’ fireproof ratings—which we found to be totally accurate last time—and physical build quality determined our recommendations this time. But the size is worth it because it gives your stuff a greater chance of surviving a disaster. The HS-1400E measures 52″ x 27.56″ x 25″ on the outside and 45″ x 20.86″ x 18.11″ on the inside, with plenty of storage for all the important documents. Of course, you may not want to pay this much, which is more than alright. Humidity can be an issue with these safes, as they tend to capture and hold in moisture, which can damage their contents. Some features of the AdirOffice Security Safe with Digital Lock to consider include: The AmazonBasics Fire Resistant Safe gives you a well built safe that features a digital dial pad and solid handle lock. If you work in a small business, especially a business that deals with daily cash drops, you understand the importance of having a strong, secure safe. The safe is made from solid steel and has a long-lasting finish. Stack-On E-040-SB-E Elite Junior Executive Fire Safe, Stack-On Elite Junior Executive Fire Safe, 11. Although it may not survive a flood, the safe should at least keep out water used to extinguish a fire. Additionally, the first of two HD2100 units we tested arrived with cracks in its body. Are you looking to protect your documents just from fire, or do you want to protect your documents from theft as well? Perfect for small business use where cash is counted daily. Safes include a variety of locking systems to securely keep belongings out of children’s reach, thieves or protect the home against dangersome valuables. If where you live has a sprinkler system, these may kick on at any time during a fire. Honeywell offers a seven-year manufacturer’s warranty on the 1104—an improvement over the five-year warranty that accompanies our runner-up safe. It can also be bolted down. This is superior to the 30 minutes and 1,550 °F most other safes are rated for, and though it’s not an absolute promise of security, it should keep more of your stuff protected in more situations. Even if the safe is unlocked, it won’t let water in or pop open if dropped when the latches are shut. It uses a three-way locking chrome bolt construction and is even rated for up to a 30-foot impact. The safe has an adjustable internal shelf as well. A home safe is a steel lockable box designed to safely store valuables such as jewelry, money or important documents. The safe can be bolted to the ground for added theft prevention (it weighs at over 60 pounds, so it can be lifted if you’re worried about this). The right safe for you is going to depend on exactly what you want to protect. At .15 cubic feet, the interior measurements are 9.7 inches by 7.3 inches by 3.8 inches. A document safe needs to be fireproof and watertight (so “flood-proof,” too), with a locking mechanism that keeps opportunistic intruders out. The Honeywell 1503 has an even smaller volume—only 0.15 cubic feet—which we thought was just too little room. If you want to get flashy you can even opt for a few different color options, including black, blue, red, and white. Document safes are meant to provide protection from fire, water, and to a degree, theft, for people who wish to keep important belongings safe in an office or at home. There are two unlocking options to consider. We recommend this only if you’re looking to save a little money. If you want both, you’ll go for something that’s too heavy for anyone to easily lift it and take it out of the house. In terms of overall safe security and protection, we believe the money is well spent on the Phoenix Datacare 2 Hour Key Lock Fireproof Safe. Do you just need room for a folder, or are you storing every draft of the latest novel you’ve been working on? Thoughtful design features like the securely attached lid, and hydraulic hinges that prevent your fingers from getting crushed when you close it, set it apart from the competition. The interior of the Phoenix Datacare 2 Hour Key Lock Fireproof Safe measures at 19.5 inches by 15.5 inches by 16 inches. Cost There is an incredible range of costs when it comes to fireproof safes. If you need to store hanging file folders, and don’t want to spend more than $100 on a safe, the First Alert 2037F is a good choice. We let it run its course for about half an hour before asking firefighters to put it out with a fire hose. SentrySafe’s FHW40200, exhibited the same faults as the CHW30100. Interior dimensions are 13.63 inches by 13.25 inches by 12.5 inches. Basically, this is good for passports, birth certificates, Social Security documents, and other smaller forms. Whatever you’re interested in and whatever needs you to have, here are the 12 best fireproof safes for improved documents. It’s still possible to slam the lid shut, but if it’s accidentally knocked down, it’ll slow down a few inches from being closed. Everyone should use a password manager. I originally pitched this guide after having to make the decision of which safe to buy myself. Their lids are attached only by small nubs on either side of the hinge, and the material is pliable enough that with less force than you’d expect, you can actually break the lid off. There are moveable (and removable) drawers within the safe, so you can make any needed adjustments to fit what you’re storing. A safe could have failed for any number of reasons unrelated to its construction, such as how firefighters handled it. There is an emergency override key, should you forget the combination. Within minutes, the fire was up to about 1,300 °F. So with the help of trained fire professionals, we built a 4-by-8-foot room out of plywood and two-by-fours, and installed drywall inside to radiate heat. It withstands fire for 2 hours and has a 3-way locking chrome bolt. We were looking for success, not failure. After researching every fireproof personal safe from the three main manufacturers and testing more than a dozen, including burning five of them in a controlled fire with the help of two firefighters, we recommend the Honeywell 1104 as the best safe you can get for your home or office. So the safe that works for you will not always work for the next person. This is a sturdy safe that is not going to be messed with. The interior dimensions of the safe are 26 2/9 inches by 12 5/9 inches by 12 4/7 inches. Just by looking at it you’d never guess it tips the scales at 86 pounds. At a whopping 585 pounds, nobody is taking this safe off of your hands. It isn’t nearly as easy for a robber to get into a bank vault as it is for them to enter your house. It looks and feels a bit like the classic hotel safe you find in the closet. 2. 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