lockpickinglawyer safe recommendations
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LockPickingLawyer Recommended 13 Best Safes

So we have done our best to find the safes that the LockPickingLawyer would recommend. We have combined his recommendations with others from BosnianBill and industry certifications to find a list of safes you can trust to be secure and high quality that will meet any need.

We have also included a buying guide for choosing the best safe at the end of the article so be sure to check that out before making your decision.

Why is a Good Quality Safe Important?

There are around 1.1 Million burglaries in the United States every year. Obviously, some areas are better than others but this is still a huge number and one of the best ways of dealing with this is to get a safe to put all your valuables in so that they are safe in the event of a theft or a fire.

Burglary Statistics in the United States

  • 88% happen in residential homes
  • Average breaking only lasts 8-12 minutes
  • The average loss is $2800 
  • 85% of Burglaries are done by non-pro thieves
  • 87% of burglaries are never solved so you will most likely not get your belongings back

Top 5 Items Stolen in a Burglary

  1. Cash 
  2. Jewelry
  3. Electronics (phones, computers, televisions, etc.)
  4. Medications
  5. Guns

Best Handgun Safes, a.k.a. Best Lock Boxes

There are very few safes that the LockPickingLawyer says anything positive about and we understand that. He is trying to find safes that have major issues and stop people from buying them. And while he does find major issues with a lot of safes there are almost none that he has given a clean bill of health. For what it’s worth we have gathered the few that he has spoken positively about for you here.


Best Lock Box – Stealth SwiftVault 2.0

best portable gun safe

This great little portable gun safe has been tested by BosnianBill a veteran lockpicker that worked in the military for over 30 years. He gave this one his approval and we agree with him.

With its great digital combination lock on the front, it’s a strong sturdy box that will keep someone out for a decent amount of time. Perfect for use in a car or as a quick access box anywhere in your home. Secure enough to keep kids out and if secured to something so it cant be taken it would keep a thief at bay for quite a while.

The whole lockbox feels very strong and well-built, it would put up with quite a bit of punishment before giving in. Obviously, this box is not designed to withstand someone with an angle grinder. But it will stop anyone trying to get in non-destructively. this means that if you have kids this is probably one of the best options you can have to keep a gun secure from them while remaining accessible.

Also if you just want a lockbox for general use this is a great option if you need a secure place to keep your valuables, a portable safe for an RV, in your car, or any other time you need a small lock box this is a great option.

We think this is the best small lockbox on the market right now!

Good Stuff

  • Fingerprint reader
  • Electronic code access
  • High-quality key lock

Bad Stuff

  • Nothing we can find

Specs

  • Locking: Fingerprint, key, code
  • Capacity: 2 Pistols
  • Body: 12 Gauge Steel
  • Features: Internal light, Silent mode
  • Weight: 10 lbs / 4.5 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 3 stars bosnianbill California department of justice firearms safety approved

*Paid Links

Quick Access Handgun Safe – American Security Hide-A-Safe

best handgun safe American Security Hide-A-Safe Handgun Safe

If you just have a handgun that you want to keep protected from the kids and have available easily then this could be what you are looking for. What it loses in overall security it makes up for in being discreet.

With a combination lock, it’s going to keep out someone who is serious for a long period of time but that’s not the point. It will keep your kids and most people from getting in.

The construction of this safe is great, it is so solidly built you know that no one is going to be getting into it easily at all. The runners for the drawer are high quality too, strong, and have a super smooth glide to them.

This is the best fast-access gun safe because of 2 very important points.

  • First is the fact that this safe doesn’t have any electronics in it. This means that the batteries will never die. Any time you want to open it you punch in the code and away you go. No danger of dead batteries or needing to be plugged in.
  • The second is how it can be mounted. With the bolt holes on the top, this can be discretely mounted under a desk, in a cupboard, or anywhere else out of sight yet easily in reach to allow for fast and discreet access.

Good Stuff

  • Very strong construction
  • Drawer-style mounting under a desk
  • Easy fast access Gun safe
  • All mechanical lock – no batteries

Bad Stuff

  • Quite heavy at 20 lbs

Specs

  • Locking: Mechanical Code
  • Capacity: 1 Pistol (75 lbs 😂)
  • Body: 10 Gauge Steel Body
  • Features: Under-desk mounting, all mechanical operation
  • Weight: 20 lbs / 9 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 4 stars California department of justice firearms safety approved

*Paid Links

Best Portable Safe – Colion Noir Vaultek LifePod 2.0

colion noir gun safe life pod 2.0

One of the only waterproof and floating safes on the market this little lock box can be used for almost anything not just holding your gun. While it is a great option for keeping a handgun safe in your vehicle or really anywhere you go, this portable safe is great as a lifestyle safe.

It’s a lightweight waterproof lock box that can be taken anywhere to keep your valuables. Whether it is in your car in a parking lot in the US or you are backpacking around Thailand and need a portable safe where you can lock up your valuables this is a good option.

While the original version of this box was picked with a fork by the LockPickingLawyer, this newer 2.0 version has had that issue fixed and is a decent security option. Especially if you are traveling and want to keep your stuff safe on the go.

Good Stuff

  • Light for easy transport
  • Waterproof
  • Great for travel

Bad Stuff

  • Not as strong and secure as others on the list

Specs

  • Locking: Key, code, and optional fingerprint scanner
  • Capacity: 2 Pistols up to 9.25″ long
  • Body: Proprietary polycarbonate/plastic material
  • Features: Internal light
  • Weight: 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 2 stars lockpickinglawyer best

*Paid Links

Budget Gun Lock Box – Hornady TriPoint Gun Box

lockpickinglawyer gun safe recommendations

This is from the LockPickingLawyers video [456] where he picks this lockbox open, surprise surprise… But he does mention in the video that the box is quite strong and has some good features for being relatively secure.

So while this lock box does use one of the low-end locks for security, the manufacturer made some modifications in the way of using different springs in the lock so that it is more secure than many others of the same type. This also eliminated the worst security flaw of all for these locks, being able to open them with a simple impression tool.

It passes his litmus test for a curious teenager not being able to gain access easily. So we think this one earns a mention here on this list.

From a security point of view, this is one of the lowest on the list. But if you are looking for something cheap and simple that will also keep your kid’s hands off a gun or a simple lock box then this is a good option.

Good Stuff

  • Simple
  • Cheap
  • Upgraded lock

Bad Stuff

  • Low overall security

Specs

  • Locking: Tubular Lock
  • Capacity: 1 Pistol
  • Body: 14 Gauge Steel
  • Features: N/A
  • Weight: 5.2 lbs / 2.4 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 2 stars lockpickinglawyer best

*Paid Links

Tradeoffs When buying a Safe

This diagram will help you visualize the relationship between the main aspects of all safes. The two main tradeoffs with almost any fixed safe are the relationships between fire resistance and security. You can get a safe that has both but this is likely to be a very expensive safe.

history of locks

You are better off working out what is more important for you. To do this you need to work out your risk and what is most important for you.

  • A Budget Safe (Low Fire Resistance, Low Security)
    If you want something with a very low price then you will likely get something that is not very secure and does not have a lot of resistance to fire. It will be better than nothing but you should limit what you want to keep safe in it. This is the kind of safe a renter or university student would be looking for.
  • Home Safe (Great Fire Resistance, Moderate Security)
    This is the type of safe you want if you are a homeowner, something secure enough to stop a burger but fire is a much higher threat so you want something that will survive a bad house fire.
  • Commercial Safe (Security First)
    For a commercial safe you really want the highest level of security you can get. Then you can look at what level of fire resistance you want.
  • Top of The Line (High-Security and Great Fire Resistance)
    These are the top-of-the-line safes and they are the ones that are going to cost the most. But then they will protect your valuables from almost anything. These are for the people who just want the best security from everything or a high-value business that also has a high fire risk.

Best Gun Safes

Are you looking for a gun safe we have some great options for you!

Here are some of the things you should consider first when looking for a gun safe.

  • Security Rating
    You should only buy a safe that has a security rating. If you are going to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a safe then you should have some assurances that it has at least passed some security testing.
  • Dimensions
    It needs to fit in the place that you want to put it. We know it’s very basic but it’s also very important.
  • Capacity
    Again very basic, but think about how many guns you have and that you are likely to have this safe for 10, 20, 30 years, or possibly longer so make sure you get one that will future-proof you for at least a while.

Best Small Rifle Safe – Stealth EGS14

Stealth 14 Rifle Safe EGS14

Stealth safes just look cool, not flashy just matte black and awesome, or we think so anyway. With many of the great features of the bigger stealth safes, this one comes in at a perfect size and price for most people who want a good quality rifle safe that won’t break the bank.

The safe is 230lbs or 105kgs, meaning that someone is not going to be carrying it away but at the same time this is light enough that you could move it around without too many problems. Most trolleys will move a safe of this weight and two people, although a struggle, could move it a short distance by hand.

The interior organization, power outlets, and fabric inside make this an awesome storage container not only for your guns but anything else you would like to put in there.

On our safe diagram this one would sit right in the middle, it has a good balance of security, Really for the normal gun owner looking for good quality at a decent price, this is the way to go and unless you have a lot of rifles then this is a great safe.

Good Stuff

  • Price
  • Fire-rated
  • Internal power outlets and USB ports
  • Door panel organizer
  • UL-rated electronic lock

Bad Stuff

  • Could have a thicker body and door steel

Specs

  • Locking: 6 locking bolts
  • Capacity: 14 guns
  • Fire rating: 30-minute
  • Door: 14 gauge steel
  • Body: 14 gauge steel
  • Weight: 230 lbs / 105 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 4 stars underwriter laboratory certification California department of justice firearms safety approved

*Paid Links

Best Medium Size Rifle Safe – Stealth UL28

Stealth ul28 Gun Vault

This gun safe is the one that BosnianBill bought to use in his own home. He featured this safe in this video. It has a number of security ratings and a 60-minute fire rating.

It has a great modular system inside so you can modify the shelving and storage easily to suit your needs. It also comes with a large number of pockets on the door so you can set it up how you want to hold all your gear.

The carpet lining the inside of the safe is great to protect anything you put in there the only thing you will need to watch out for is the shelf rails, but they are smooth and don’t cause too many issues anyway.

Good Stuff

  • Great fire rating
  • UL-rated electronic lock
  • Internal power outlets and USB ports
  • Bolt down kit included

Bad Stuff

  • Big and heavy to move (this is also a good thing)

Specs

  • Locking: 12 x 1.25″ locking bolts
  • Capacity: 28 Guns (Pistols and Long guns)
  • Fire rating: 1 hour
  • Door: 12 gauge steel
  • Body: 12 gauge steel
  • Weight: 530 lbs / 240 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 5 stars bosnianbill UL Certified Safe group 2 California department of justice firearms safety approved

*Paid Links

Best Large Rifle Safe – Steelwater Extreme Duty 45

best gun safe Steelwater Extreme Duty 45 Long Gun Fire Protection

The Best for a gun collector or gun enthusiast

If you are a collector and have some guns that are very rare and need a lot of protection from all kinds of risks this is the safe you should get. This is the ultimate in gun safes before you move to a dedicated strong room. And with a 2-hour fire rating, this safe will keep even the most precious rare weapons safe.

For the ultimate peace of mind, this one is the one to go for.

Because of its huge size and big amount of internal space, this one is a great choice for a gun enthusiast. If you have a lot of guns, you are a collector, or trade rare guns then this is the way to go.

This safe would be considered a premium safe on our list as this one has both great security and also great fire protection at 2 hours. This means that this is the kind of safe for a true enthusiast and you would want to have a lot of expensive guns to store in it to make it worthwhile.

Good Stuff

  • Lots of internal space

Bad Stuff

  • A large single door can be quite heavy

Specs

  • Locking: 20 locking bolts
  • Capacity: 45 Guns
  • Fire rating: 120-minutes
  • Door: 12 gauge steel
  • Body: 12 gauge steel
  • Weight: 530 lbs / 240 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 5 stars UL Certified Safe group 2

*Paid Links

Best Home and Business Safes

So we have done our own research for some of the best safes you can get and here is our list. All the safes below are recommended by the lockpicking and security community and we have included independent security ratings for all the safes that have them. Rest assured all the safes below are high-quality and very secure as tested.

Best Home Safe – Stealth HS4

Stealth HS4 home and business safe

The best balance of security, fire resistance, and price for the average home or business. While you could find other safes with much longer fire resistance and/or much higher security this Stealth safe is a great balance. It allows you to get the right amount of cover for a good price.

It has an awesome matte black finish on the outside and you will find that all the documents and valuables that you want to fit inside will go in there with no problems. The adjustable shelves have a lot of levels inside and we found this great for organizing the contents with containers and folders to make storing and finding things easy.

One other thing we love about this safe is that it is just heavy enough at 190 lbs that a thief would not be able to carry it away. So even if you don’t bolt it down this means that the safe is going to be much too hard for a thief who wants to snatch and grab to bother with.

Good Stuff

  • Great Price
  • Build well
  • Electronic lock
  • Heavy enough not to be carried away
  • Includes internal power points and USB ports to power or charge things inside the safe

Bad Stuff

  • 1-hour fire rating

Specs

  • Locking: 6 x 1.25″ Locking Bolts
  • Capacity: 4,095 cubic inches (67L)
  • Fire rating: 60-minutes
  • Door: 12 Guage Steel
  • Body: 12 Guage Steel
  • Weight: 191 lbs / 86 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 4 stars underwriter laboratory certificationCalifornia department of justice firearms safety approved DOJ Approval

*Paid Links

Premium Home Safe – Amsec UL1511

best safe for home

While not the cheapest safe around this one is big enough that you will be able to store all your valuables and important documents in it. Really this is a safe that will last you multiple lifetimes. One that your kids will be able to use and their kids too.

Its 2-Hour Fire rating and the fact that it is impact-proof just means that this safe will put up with almost anything that is thrown at it. If you are not quite sure what you should get then this is perfect.

  • It’s big enough to store all you would want at home for many many years.
  • The 2-hour fire rating means that it could potentially survive your house burning down completely around it while protecting the contents of the safe. No fire brigade required…
  • The impact rating means that if for any reason it’s dropped or anything it will be just fine. Whether this is from moving house or someone trying to get inside, it will not fail.

With all these points it really covers all bases for a good quality very reliable safe, if you really do want that forever safe then this could be the one.

And when it comes to a safe like this it’s more like buying insurance for theft and fire for whatever goes in it for the rest of your life. On top of that, it looks great with its great finish and stylish design while still being functional and with that, 2-hour fire rating your valuables will be safe from anything.

Good Stuff

  • 2-hour fire rating
  • Drop rating
  • Great build quality
  • Electronic lock

Bad Stuff

  • Price

Specs

  • Locking: 2 locking bolts
  • Capacity: 2,139 cubic inches (35L)
  • Fire rating: 120-minutes
  • Door: 5/8″ steel plate
  • Body: steel plate
  • Weight: 246 lbs / 111 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 5 stars underwriter laboratory certification California department of justice firearms safety approved DOJ Approval

*Paid Links

Budget Commercial Safe – Gardall LC1414-G-C

best safe Gardall commercial light duty safe

Looking for something a little larger with even more security than the Gardall LC1414 will be perfect. Unless you are a serious safecracker then you are not getting into this box. With a burglar B rating, it will be keeping all your stuff safe from all but the very best.

This is the kind of safe that the military uses for day-to-day operations. If you are not worried about having a safe with a fire rating but more interested in keeping people out then this is the way to go. What it loses in fire rating it gains in overall strength.

Unfortunately, this safe has no fire rating so it should only be used somewhere where a fire is not a risk.

Good Stuff

  • Very strong construction
  • Thick door
  • Compact design
  • Easy dimensions, 14″ all around

Bad Stuff

  • No fire rating

Specs

  • Locking: 3 locking bolts + Locking bar on the hinge side
  • Capacity: 1573 cubic inches (26L)
  • Drop Resistant
  • Door: 1/2″ steel plate
  • Body: 1/8″ steel plate
  • Weight: 61 lbs / 28 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 3 stars underwriter laboratory certification California department of justice firearms safety approved DOJ Approval

*Paid Links

High-Security Commercial Safe – Stealth CS25

stealth cs35 Concrete Composite Burglary Safe

Now we are getting to the safes that you hear about in the movies… This one is equipped with a tempered glass re-lock device to make drilling the safe extremely difficult for those without specific training.

While it is possible someone could get into this by choosing this you are going to some of the highest levels of safety available without getting a safety deposit box in a bank.

Good Stuff

  • Lifetime warranty against break-in
  • 90 Minute fire rating
  • Ultra-secure locking mechanism

Bad Stuff

  • Price
  • Lacks the internal features of other stealth safes

Specs

  • Locking: 6 1-1/4″ locking bolts
  • Capacity: 2.3 cubic feet (65L)
  • Fire rating: 90 Minutes
  • Door: 2 x 14 gauge steel with a concrete core
  • Body: 2 x 14 gauge steel with a concrete core
  • Weight: 465 lbs / 28 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 5 stars underwriter laboratory certification

California department of justice firearms safety approved DOJ Approval

*Paid Links

Floor Safe – Amsec B1500 Super Brute

Amsec B1500 floor safe

For something that is very strong but also can be hidden to make it even harder to get to this is a perfect choice. Floor safes are awesome for protecting some items not just in a secure way but also by hiding them at the same time. A floor safe installed well can be extremely hard to locate and even if you do locate it you still need to get into it.

Perfect if you are building a new house and you want to build in a safe for even more security.

Good Stuff

  • Under-floor mounting

Bad Stuff

  • The door is heavy to open

Specs

  • Locking: 3 locking bolts
  • Capacity: 1,377 cubic inches (22.5L)
  • Door: 2 x 14 gauge steel with a concrete core
  • Body: 2 x 14 gauge steel with a concrete core
  • Weight: 465 lbs / 28 kgs

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 4 stars underwriter laboratory certification

*Paid Links

Best Key Safe – Squire Stronghold Keysafe

lockpickinglawyer safe reccomendation

From the LockPickingLawyers video [1171] he was able to open this key safe relatively fast. But in the video, he does praise this as being one of the better key safes that is available due to its stronger construction and this is really the point. there are not many people that will have the know-how or patience to bother trying to find the code for the lock.

One of the overlooked features of this key safe is that its key compartment slides down from inside the body of the lock. This is much better than the competition because most of the competition uses a door on the front that can more easily be broken into by getting a screwdriver under it. Something almost impossible to do with this key safe because the key drawer is protected inside the strong steel body.

Good Stuff

  • Solid steel body
  • One of the best in its class
  • High-security slide-down key tray

Bad Stuff

  • Can be decoded easily with no tools if you know how

Specs

  • Locking: 5-dial combination lock
  • Body: Steel plate body

Ratings

lockjudge best locks 2 starslockpickinglawyer best sold secure bronze

*Paid Links

Safe Accessories

There are some things that are not included with safes and they can be very useful items to have in your safe.

Rechargeable Magnetic Motion Sensor Safe Light

safe light

Something that is very useful in any safe is light. this is something that so many people overlook and it’s one of the most useful items that you can get.

Good Stuff

  • Motion detection
  • Rechargeable
  • Magnetic attachment

Bad Stuff

  • None

*Paid Links

Buying a Safe

Choosing a safe is a hard thing to do. For a good one, they are expensive and you will most likely only purchase it once, so you want it to be the right one so it lasts you a long time.

Here is a guide and some questions you can answer that should help you choose the best one for your needs without breaking the bank.

Tips for Choosing a Safe

  • Buy a Safe with a Security Rating – Underwriter Laboratories
    The first UL rating is RSC or TL5 for 5-minute protection against power tools in the hands of a professional.
  • What fire rating do you need? When looking for a fire rating call your local fire department and ask them their response time and what they would recommend for your area and home. The more remote you live and the more difficult it is to access water for your home the better fire rating you will want. This will allow the safe to protect your contents long enough for any fire to be put out.
  • Stay away from keyed locks on safes. These are the lowest quality and will not put up much defense.
  • Find a safe with a security-rated lock. Again Underwriter Laboratories have ratings for these, so that’s always a good option.
  • Locking bolts, more and bigger is better. There should also be bolts on all 4 sides of the door.
    Bolt size starting around 12mm or half an inch thick is a good place to start. Also, you want a minimum of 3 bolts around the sides of the door and add a fixed bolt on the hinge side.
  • Weight, the heavier the better. While it makes it harder to install and move that is exactly what you want when trying to keep a thief out.
  • Hard plate protection on the front door, is for drill and cutting resistance on the door of the safe.
  • Check the gap around the door and make sure it’s equal all the way around.

LockPickingLawyer Safes that are NOT Recommended

  • SentrySafe SFW123GDC
    This safe was featured in the video [756] and is still a top seller and recommended on Amazon.
  • Amazon Basics Steel, Security Safe Lock Box
    Well in this case you get what you pay for, the Amazon basics safe is one of the ones that was opened in seconds with a very low-skill attack. See video [859] for that one.
  • Honeywell Model 5101 DOJ
    Stay away from this safe this one is a horribly bad model, as seen in the video [1176].
  • Homak Gun Safe
    This one was opened simply with a piece of plastic, a very bad design, see it in the video [1022]

Summary

I hope you found this list of the LockPickingLawyers recommended safes, best gun safes, and best home safes useful. we did our best to put together a list of the best ones we were able to find that should fit most people’s needs. If you have any comments or questions please comment or send us an email.

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