Home Safes: How to Choose One That’s Right For You

Home Safes and the Purchasing Dilemma

When choosing a home or office safe, how do you know which one will suit your needs? With so many options out on the market, it's difficult to decide. Let's go over some of the options out there.

As with all things, you get what you pay for. By this I mean, the more expensive the safe, the more features and protection you will most likely be investing in. You don't want to sink a couple hundred dollars into a safe that won't hold up to a burglar as well as the expensive safe would. Make sure you weight the options and take your time deciding. Nothing it worse than needing to upgrade a few months down the road when you find that the cheaper safe just doesn't cut it.

So where should you purchase your safe? The two main options are to buy from a local dealer or go online. When shopping locally, you are going to be limited to the stock on hand unless they can order a specific model or color for you. You'll also be charged sales tax and then have to figure out how to get the beast home. When shopping online, you can compare prices, models, and features with ease and get it delivered right to your curb or even to the exact spot you want to keep it. Most online stores offer price matching as long as they can verify it. So if you can find the model you want but don't like the site, you can probably get it for the same price on a more reputable online store.

It really pays off to haggle or shop around. You'd be surprised at the amount you can save just by asking for a discount. And, if they can't extend you a discount, sometimes you might get a service or feature tossed in for free.

What Kind of Protection Do I Need?

Many manufacturers now offer safes with fire protection which is perfect for all of your important paper work or digital information. Most that offer the fire protection are also waterproof so you can rest assured that if anything were to happen, you're valuables would be safe and sound. This feature is especially helpful when you'll be storing CD's or external hard drives; you don't want to have to worry that these may melt in case of a fire. If you live anywhere in the world, you will need at least one of these features to protect your assets.

We should probably cover the lock options as well. The two types of locks available are the classic combination lock or the electronic lock. Both of these work equally as well, but it all hinges on your preference. A combination lock is exactly like the one you used on your locker in highschool. You just turn the dial to the correct numbers and then turn the handle and your in. Many customers would balk at the electronic lock, simply because that's what it is. Electronic. I would have to urge you to consider this option as well. The lock runs on batteries and you just punch in your combination on the keypad and open the door. When the batteries die, you can take off the face plate of the lock and change out the battery. The lock remembers your combination so if anyone tries tampering with the lock to reset it, they'll still need the code. Also, most safes with the electronic lock, have a lock down system in the event of tampering. Meaning, that if someone takes the face plate off and tries to mess with the wiring or drill into the safe, the release mechanism will shut down, making it impossible to remove the dead bolts. In addition, if you need to get into your safe in a hurry, the electronic lock is the quickest way. You don't want to have to worry about stopping exactly on 23 when you need to get into your safe NOW!

Where Should I Put It?

Depending on where you want to store your safe, there are many options for sizes and colors so you can easily disguise your safe to have it blend in nicely with your decor or hide it in a desk drawer. You could even get sneaky and hide your safe in the floor or wall behind a nice oil painting. Many people store their safe in a closet, out of the way and out of view of any guests. The whole idea behind a safe is to offer protection of your guns or valuables, and sometimes hiding your safe is safer than having it in plain sight.

Home Safes: Various Styles

When I think of a safe, I think of something big and bulky with a combination dial on the front and the hefty star handle that you have to turn to get it open. However, when shopping for home safes, I found that each manufacturer has its own unique design and style. For instance, I found a data storage safe that was designed and made specifically for CD's and electronic information. I also found a "safe" that was actually a very heavy duty filing cabinet that allowed you to store your paperwork and files in the locking drawers. Of course, they both have fire protection and a good warranty. There are even a couple safes on the market that open using your fingerprints! You can't get any more secure than that, and you don't have to remember any combinations.

Almost all safes have customizable interiors that allow you to add or remove shelves and drawers. This is especially handy for storing ammo, jewelry and other valuables without them rolling around the bottom of your safe. Some safes even allow you to modify the felt color or type that upholster the walls and shelves of the safe.

Key Tips To Remember

Now that you know a little more about how to make your selection, lets quickly go over the main points.

What will you be storing in the safe? You may not need a safe with water protection if your storing jewelry and trinkets. You will definitely need fire protection for any kind of paper work or data storage devices.

How much should you spend? You really don't want to buy the cheapest safe out there just to save a couple bucks but you also probably don't need the Cadillac of home safes either. Make sure the safe you select has all the features you need but also fits in your budget.

What style should I choose? This one really depends on where you will be keeping the safe. If you're going to have it in your office, you might want to pick a color that coordinates with the rest of the furniture so it won't stand out too much. If you're going to store it in a closet or storeroom, you don't need to worry too much about what color or style, as long as it's the right size for your needs. You could even have a amoire or cupboard to enclose the safe in that will make it invisible to anyone. If you get a wall or floor safe, you can easily hide it under a pretty rug or behind your favorite painting.

What type of protection will I need? Again, if you're storing anything of importance, get a safe with fire protection! Water damage is unfortunate but not as bad as opening your safe to see a pile of ashes! The lock type is all about your preference. Obviously battery costs will add up, but if you need to access your things quickly, this is the best route.