Viking Security VS-15L Floor Safe
Pros
- Electropolished Double-Bitted Key Lock
- 3/8" Thick Solid Steel Door
- Fully Carpeted on All Sides and Lid Covered in Foam
- Hydraulic Lift Allows The Quick & Smooth Opening Of The Door
- Interior Light and Reliable Company with Service and Warranty
Cons
- Made in China
- No Hardplate or Relocker
- Not Suitable for Concrete
“Excellent Product, excellent customer service. Really. I thought long and hard about what could be wrong with this floor safe. Nothing came to my mind.”
Amaonica Customer from Amazon.com
Viking Security took all of the deficiencies and complaints from the Barska AX12656 Floor Safe and made major improvements. In the safe world, you nearly always get what you pay for and if you want cheap crap, you can get that, but if you want something of decent quality, it will cost a bit more. Even though the Viking Security VS-15L Floor Safe is 50% more expensive than the Barska, it is worth every single penny and in this review, I’m going to help you understand exactly why.
Lock – Viking Security VS-15L Floor Safe
Viking read all the reviews of customers complaining about the Barska keys not working or needing the burr to be filed down to work properly and decided, they just weren’t going to allow that on their product. They use a similar double-bitted key mechanism but opted to pay a little bit more money and went with an electropolished key for smooth opening. You won’t run into the same issues as the Barska and the key lock is very secure.
Security – Viking Security VS-15L Floor Safe
Another improvement on the Viking Security VS-15L floor safe is the steel thickness, particularly in the door. Viking used a 10 mm or 3/8″ thick steel door. That is nearly as thick as the high end models from Stealth and American Security. In addition, it is significantly thicker than the 12 gauge steel used on the Barska. They did use a thinner body at 14 gauge but considering the body is encased in the wood floor or concrete, the thickness really has no effect on the overall security. Also included are two steel locking bolts that install under the lip of the safe. Overall, this is a strong little floor safe for the price.
Style and Function
This is where the Viking Security VS-15L Floor Safe really stands out from its Barska competitor. The Viking floor safe comes with a fully carpeted interior including all sides and the bottom. It has a hydraulic gas strut that helps assist the door open and keeps it in place. It also has an interior light that helps brighten up the internal contents while looking inside. All three of these features really should be included on all floor safes and Viking really stepped up in creating a high quality feel in this little floor safe.
If properly installed in concrete, floor safes are not affected by fire as heat rises. If you have perishable items, it is still advised to purchase a fire rated home or gun safe. However, for burglary protection only, floor safes are the most secure option. I also recommend placing your items in waterproof bags or ziplock compartments for additional water protection, especially cash.
The Bottom Line
The Viking Security VS-15L floor safe is significantly better than it’s closest competitor the Barska AX12656 floor safe. If you need a small floor safe that installs in a wood floor, this is the option I would recommend. Viking has proved to be a reliable company that backs their products and offers excellent customer support.
If you are going to all of the trouble of buying and installing a floor safe, I would still suggest going with a higher quality product such as the Stealth Made in USA Floor Safes, the AMSEC C Series Floor Safes or the AMSEC B Series Floor Safes but if this is the style you need, the Viking Security VS-15L Floor Safe is definitely the best option.
