The Best Fireproof Document Safe for 2023
Protect your documents for extra security in any circumstance with the best fireproof document safe available this year.
The best way to store important documentation is in a fireproof document safe. A fireproof document prevents documents, digital media, and jewelry from going up in flames in the event of a fire. There is no shortage of such safes on the market. However, they are not all the same. We’ve worked hard to ensure that you settle on the right safe to secure your documents from fire — and at times moisture.
From the wide range of fireproof document safes, we’ve narrowed down the top four!
Everything We Recommend
1. Best Product
SentrySafe with Digital Keypad Lock
2. Runner Up
SentrySafe with Key Lock
3. Cost Effective
Honeywell 6104
4. Almost Made the Cut
Honeywell 1114
1. Best Product
Best for professionals
SentrySafe with Digital Keypad Lock
Protect your valuables from potentially devastating damage.
Specifications
- Product Dimensions
- 11.9"D x 12.6"W x 13.9"H
- Lock Type
- Dial Combination
- Capacity
- 1.23 Cubic Feet
- Material
- Alloy Steel
- Control Type
- Push Button Control
Pros
UL & ETL certified- Aesthetically slick
- Portable
Cons
Slow to open- Customer Feedback Claims This Safe Is Water-Resistant, Rather Than Fully Waterproof
Previous Customer Experience
| Value for money |
  |
4.4 |
| Water resistance |
|
4.2 |
| Sturdiness |
|
4.1 |
| Security features |
|
4.1 |
| Easy to use |
|
3.9 |
Who It’s For
SentrySafe SFW123GDC is the perfect fireproof document safe for any professional willing to store all types of documents.
Why It’s Great
With a U.L. Classification in fire safety to endure 1,700°F, this fireproof document safe will protect all your documents from fire. The fireproof document safe is E.T.L. verified to withstand fire by remaining closed after a 15-foot fall, meaning that this safe is very strong against hazardous fire circumstances.
Potential Flaws
Due to the mechanical lock bit of this fireproof document safe and a slow opening process, it’s possible that the safe may not open once you insert your code and the light turns green, but we advise that if you’re patient enough to wait for a full second after entering the code, this shouldn’t be too big an issue as the lock takes approximately a second to unlock.
Despite this, customers praised this fireproof document safe for being reliable and extremely efficient, helping to keep water out, shutting documents away from the world, and offering the same build quality offered by SentrySafe for the last 20 years.
Other Features
This professional-looking gun metal gray fireproof document safe may seem expensive in comparison to some others on this list, but the undeniable quality of these extremely effective fireproof document safes more than makes up for it, as proven by previous buyers of this fireproof document safe, who voted above 4.6 out of five for overall quality.
2. Runner Up
Best For Value For Money
SentrySafe with Key Lock
A good balance between functionality and price.
Specifications
- Weight
- 38.85 Pounds
- Dimensions
- 15.5 x 13.5 x 14.3 inches
- Size
- 0.65 Cubic Feet
- Shape
- Square
- Alarm
- Lock
Pros
- In-Lid Storage
- Spacious Interior
- Can Withstand 1550°F for 30 Minutes
Cons
- Basic Key Lock
- No Handles
Previous Customer Experience
| Value for money |
|
4.8 |
| Water resistance |
|
4.2 |
| Easy to lock |
|
3.9 |
| Sturdiness |
|
3.7 |
| Lock Feature |
|
3.6 |
| Security features |
|
3.4 |
Who It’s For
This product from SentrySafe promises to be fireproof and waterproof, withstanding 1550°F for up to 30 minutes and up to 72 hours of water submersion. This resistance relieves any fears in situations of house fires or floods.
With a capacity of 0.65 cubic feet, standing at 15.5 x 13.5 x 14.3 inches, this safe can hold up to 40 standard hanging folders and offers space to protect irreplaceable documents, DVDs, or USBs from fire damage.
Why It’s Great
Besides the body of the safe, this product offers in-lid storage, allowing frequently required items such as passports in easy reach. SentrySafe seals with a flat key lock, which helps prevent the lid from opening in the event of a fire.
This document safe has ETL Verified flood protection and UL Classified fire protection. An ETL (Electrical Testing Laboratory) classification states vigorous testing was underdone to ensure this product remains dry throughout extreme exposure to water. A UL (Underwriters Laboratory) protection ensures that this safe can withstand peak temperatures from 1150° F – 1850° F.
Potential Flaws
Due to the nature of the safe, simple yet effective, some previous customers commented on the basic design of the key and its lock. The key is thin, seeming easy to lose or snap, while the mechanism sports a plastic cover that received feedback of looking and feeling cheap. This safe also has no handles to aid with carrying or moving the safe.
Other Features
This fireproof safe accommodates letter-size hanging files and folders - sold separately - and features built-in straps for easy storage of passports, social security cards, or birth certificates.
3. Cost Effective
Best for small valuables
Honeywell 6104
Lightweight but still roomy enough to fit enough documents and personal items
Specifications
- Product Dimensions
- 8.8"D x 12.7"W x 4.1"H
- Locking
- Electronic, Key
- Material
- Alloy Steel
- Special Feature
- Portable
- Control Type
- Push Button Control
- Item Weight
- 7.9 Pounds
- Alarm
- Anti-theft
Pros
- Easy to move around
- Padded interior
- Solid construction
Cons
- Not water resistant
- Too small for A4 size documents to fit without folding
Previous Customer Experience
| Sturdiness |
|
4.7 |
| Durability |
|
4.6 |
| Value for money |
|
4.5 |
| Lightweight |
|
4.1 |
Who It’s For
The Honeywell 6104, made by Honeywell International Inc., is the ultimate tool for professionals willing to store their valuables, carry locked items with them, and keep their most valuable possessions under lock and key.
Why It’s Great
With a firm alloy steel material that gives you peace of mind and an anti-theft alarm, this safe allows for a secure and affordable document storage experience.
Potential Flaws
Availability is not as guaranteed as on other sites, so get it while you can! Due to this safe being only available in alloy steel, those who don't prefer the alloy steel material will not be able to use it and should look at our other entries on this list for the ultimate fireproof document safe.
Other Features
Given the feedback we received on this product and its high effectiveness, we cannot deny what Honeywell International Inc. is most proud of, which is that their products help in “transforming the way the world works, solving your business's toughest challenges.”
4. Almost Made the Cut
Best for home use
Honeywell 1114
Two compression latches and a waterproof seal keep documents dry for 24 hours
Specifications
- Interior Dimensions
- 3.8"H x 14.8"W x 12"D.
- Exterior Dimensions
- 7.3"H x 20"W x 17.2"D
- Assembled Product Weight
- 43.40 lbs
- Lock Type
- Key
- Features
- Waterproof, Fire Resistant
Pros
- Well-built
- Large enough to fit documents without folding
- Value for money
Cons
- Expensive
- Keys included are flimsy
Previous Customer Experience
| Sturdiness |
|
4.1 |
| Value for money |
|
3.7 |
| Easy to use |
|
3.6 |
| Giftable |
|
3.6 |
| Water resistance |
|
3.5 |
| Easy to lock |
|
3.4 |
Who It’s For
Honeywell marketed this safe as a lightweight waterproof and fireproof chest for safe users.
Why It’s Great
This simple and sturdy safe has two compression latches and a water seal that safeguards documents from the harmful effects of water and environmental moisture while maintaining the course of your life and career. There is only one color and one size of this safe, which is described as being likable and having good functional capabilities.
Potential Flaws
Due to the design and style of the safe, many users of this safe returned with many stories of this safe looking more like a briefcase, which created the possibility of missing it.
Other Features
This safe seems far too expensive compared to its quality. Given that it's a lightweight chest, we removed this safe from our list of the top three fireproof safes.
Who This Is For
Fireproof document safes are ideal for anyone looking to safeguard very important documents in the event of a fire. Besides protecting documents from flames, they also keep private information away from Peeping Toms.
Is it worth getting a fireproof document safe?
Investing in a fireproof document safe can definitely be a wise decision. While it may not be theft-proof, it provides an excellent solution for safeguarding important documents from damage due to fire or moisture.
Best place to keep a fireproof document safe
You may need to install a fireproof safe, and you may be wondering how you may place it. The best place to keep it would be at the place where two outside walls meet on the ground floor.
Why You Should Trust Us
Many fireproof document safes are marketed for traditional storage facilities, with many fireproof document safes for homes being lesser in quality, with low capacity, and less fire protective. As such, we found the best quality for protection from fire, storage of different forms of media, and any valuables required to be locked away.
How We Picked
As affordability and cost-effectiveness of a product go hand-in-hand, we looked at the cost-effectiveness of the fireproof document safe in picking what we tagged as the best fireproof document safes that we have ever encountered.
Fire protection rating
The fire protection rating of a fireproof document safe determines the efficacy of the safe in case of a fire. These ratings are usually given in terms of the temperature and duration of the fire, and they vary based on the manufacturer and model of the safe.
Size
The bigger, the better, is a saying that most attest to but we scrutinized the costs and benefits of the respective sizes to give you the best. Depending on the type of media stored, we looked at the capacity of the Fire Resistant Safes.
Contents
Each fire-resistant safe can store contents of the following nature:
Paper documents: Since paper documents are easily burnt under high temperatures, we searched for safes that could store papers.
Digital media: Digital media may get damaged whenever exposed to high temperatures, thus, we selected the best safe for digital media.
Price vs quality
The quality-price ratio was used to select the fireproof document safes of your choice.
Easy to use
Additional capabilities including the possibility of being waterproof were evaluated for each fireproof document safe. This lineup includes waterproof safes to protect against the water used to put out fires. On an ordinal scale of one to five, we looked at the ease of use of each fireproof document safe. This list is a compilation of the easiest-to-use safes.
Durability
It’s bad to have a safe that can’t offer service for at least 10 years. We, therefore, tested the durability of the safes and ascertained the manufacturer’s promises concerning the same.
Electronic or mechanical lock
As electronic and mechanical locks have their advantages and disadvantages, we checked if the locks were either electronic or mechanical and used the data in picking the best fireproof document safe.
How We Picked
-
Fire Protection Rating
The fire protection rating determines how long the safe can be exposed to high temperatures or flames without causing damage to the contents. A UL Class 350 and a UL Class 150 safe have a one-hour fireproof rating, while a
UL Class 125 has a two-hour fireproof rating. The greater the fire resistance rating, the better.
-
Size and Capacity
Safes come in different sizes and capacities. Your budget, the documents you plan to keep, and the amount of storage space you have will all influence the capacity you choose. We've reviewed small safes for documents like passports, medium ones for files and binders, as well as large ones.
-
Contents
Fireproof document safes can hold medical records, financial documents, personal memoirs, or electronic devices. Storing valuable items in a safe has been a common practice for years; however, with the changing types of content that need to be safeguarded, new concerns have arisen. We did a lot of research and carefully chose based on the outcomes in order to offer the best solution.
-
Cost-Effectiveness
When choosing the best fireproof document safes, we took into account not only their quality but also their affordability. However, we were keen not to skimp on quality.
Care and Maintenance
Maximum temperature
Paper chars at around 400°F and digital media get destroyed at temperatures of more than 122°F. Therefore, ensure your safe can protect the contents against such high temperatures.
General fire safety measures
Be sure to install fire alarms, not only in the room containing the fireproof document safe but also on all levels of your home. Besides fire alarms, always have a fire escape plan, and routine testing of smoke alarms.
According to the American Red Cross, if a fire occurs, “GET OUT, STAY OUT, and CALL FOR HELP.”
Sources and Research
Further Reading and Similar Topics
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