Types of Safes: Which One Is Right For You?

There’s no safe designed to protect against everything. Most safes do better against some threats than others. If you’re looking to protect your valuables, here are some of the more common types of safes on the market.

Freestanding safes come in many sizes, and they are the most basic type of safe. When buying a freestanding safe, look for one with thick metal all the way around—since burglars can access all sides of a freestanding safe, make sure that all sides can stand up to break-in attempts. In addition, a freestanding safe should always be bolted to a floor, preferably a cement floor, so burglars can’t carry it off.

Wall safes. These are installed in your wall, and on TV, they’re often concealed behind a picture or poster. This is probably the easiest way to conceal a wall safe, and also the least effective—burglars watch those TV shows, too. The best way to conceal a wall safe is by installing it behind a panel specially designed to match the wall.

Floor safes can be extremely secure. Even if an unconcealed safe is bolted to the floor, burglars can still attack it from all sides. Not so with a floor safe—only the door is accessible, and that’s the toughest part of most safes. A floor safe is installed in concrete—either in a concrete floor, or encased in a concrete block beneath the floor. While the safe itself may be less expensive—many floor safes are only reinforced at the door, because the sides are inaccessible—it can cost more to install. Floor safes offer some fire protection, and can often be concealed more effectively than wall safes, because you can position a heavy and difficult-to-move piece of furniture over it.

Drop or deposit safes are often used by businesses whose employees handle large amounts of cash, such as banks and car dealerships. Some drop safes have a simple slot on the top or the side where money can be dropped in, while others have more elaborate drawer mechanisms for depositing larger items. Some drop safes can be installed in the floor or wall, but many are freestanding. Drop safes are often relatively light, and are rarely designed to protect against serious break-in attempts. Most businesses use them for cash or valuable storage during the day and remove the items at night.

Fire safes are specially designed to shield valuables from fire. Most fire safes are designed to keep the temperature inside below the temperature at which paper chars for a certain period of time. Higher-rated fire safes can control the temperature for up to 120 minutes, while lower-rated ones protect contents for about 30 minutes. Conventional fire safes do this by converting trapped moisture into steam as it gets hot.

Media safes are designed to protect digital equipment from fire and theft. A media safe keeps the temperature inside considerably lower than a conventional fire safe does, because media equipment is more sensitive to fire than paper is. It also does not use steam conversion to control internal temperatures, so the contents won’t be damaged by moisture.

Gun safes are sized to hold guns. They come in many different sizes, and most potential buyers are encouraged to buy more space than they need in case their gun collection grows. A good gun safe protects a gun collection from theft as well as from curious children, and it should always be bolted to the floor so burglars can’t remove it from the premises. Gun safes are usually freestanding.

Diversion safes are safes concealed inside an object to look inconspicuous. Diversion safes can be made to look like books, household cleaning products, candles, bottled drinks, and more—the varieties are endless. These are usually large enough only for small items such as keys and credit cards, and are often not recommended for serious security, as once a burglar finds your diversion safe they can easily remove it.

Laptop safes are sized to fit laptop computers, and they come in many different models. Some can be attached to a desk or installed in a drawer; portable laptop safes can be carried. Many hotels provide laptop safes for business travelers in each room. They are much more effective than security straps used for laptops.

Medical safes are usually shaped like a cabinet, and are used to lock up drugs and other medical paraphernalia. They are usually used to keep drugs away from children, and are not designed to withstand serious burglary attempts. Businesses sometimes use medical safes to store drugs and equipment for employees with medical conditions, and they are sometimes found in pharmacies and doctors’ offices as well.

It’s recommended that you invest in a good safe—don’t simply pick the cheapest. It doesn’t make sense to protect valuables worth £10,000 or more in a £100 safe. Do a little research and decide which safe makes sense in your situation, and you’ll have a good chance of finding the protection you need.

A.Neary is director of http://www.thesafeshop.co.uk an online store supplying a wide range of safes and fire proof cabinets. Visit http://www.thesafeshop.co.uk/Categories/security_safes/ for more information on safes and the security product range available.