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A fireproof safe is one of those things everyone needs, but may put off buying. After all, they can be bulky, and (hopefully) you’ll never see the resulting benefit of having one. But even if you don’t have expensive valuables like diamonds and jewelry, there’s plenty around your house right now that should be kept inside a safe, including wedding albums, heirlooms, passports, emergency cash, and maybe even hard drives with important data on them, to name a few.
Fire Safe Buying Guide
The best safes can protect your stuff at some insane temperatures, often over 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or more depending on the material it’s made from. Since heat rises, it’s best to put these on a first level of your house or even in the garage.
A fireproof safe can usually handle debris falling on top of it, but keeping it at a lower level will prevent it from falling through the floor entirely. A few cinderblocks on top can provide some added protection too. Here are a few other key considerations to keep in mind.
Easy to Access: Though a safe should be tough against anyone trying to break in, it should be easy for you and your family to quickly access and grab what you need. Having a built-in LED light inside can be an enormous help in an emergency, so if your safe of choice doesn’t already have it, we advise getting a separate one, or at least having a charged flashlight nearby. Hooks inside can also come in handy when you need to grab small items fast without shuffling through your safe’s contents to find it.
Keys and Digital Keypads: Keys to open the door are still an old-school option, but modern safes more often offer a digital keypad. This not only lets you open it without needing a key, but in some safes, can also let you see a user history of who’s opened it and when, since everyone has their own code. Or if keys and codes are a pain to remember each time, fingerprint access is available, too.
Thick-locking bolts can protect against any attempted forced entry, and most feature a pry-resistant door that shuts tight. Since many modern safes can hook up through USB, make sure it can fit under your desk comfortably if you’re planning on connecting a laptop.
Waterproofing: To take it an extra step against the elements, many safes can also protect against rising water. Especially if you live in an area that’s prone to flooding, it’s highly advisable to go for a safe that can handle being submerged, is anti-rust, or can at least handle the fallout from sprinklers during a fire. Similarly, if you live in an area with high humidity and hot temperatures, a safe that’s made with these conditions in mind is a must to protect things like hard drives, laptops, and magnetic video tapes.
What Are the Best Fireproof Safes?
There are a lot of options for safes out there, each with various levels of harsh testing to make sure it can stand up during any situation. These four offer varying levels of security, protection and features to guard your valuables and provide peace of mind even if the worst case scenario happens.
