Hollon has been one of the fastest growing safe companies in the United States over the last decade. They have a full product lineup ranging from residential to commercial. While they don’t actually manufacture anything themselves, they do bring in a lot of different high quality products. In these Hollon Home Safe Reviews, I will explain why the FB and Continental Series are a great option for the home safe category and why the HS and HDS series are safes you should avoid.
Lock – Hollon Home Safe Reviews
UL Approved High Security Electronic Lock
Included in the price is is the S&G UL approved high security electronic lock. This is an excellent quality lock made by a longstanding and reputable company. S&G has a premier reputation and makes very high quality locks. UL Approved type 1 is the highest security rating available.
S&G UL Approved Type 2 High Security Mechanical Lock
There is also a second lock option that is the S&G UL Type 2 Mechanical Lock. This is one of only two mechanical locks I recommend as it is high quality, reliable and known for longevity. It uses a three number combination that rotates into the lock body on the inside of the safe.
Un-Rated Locks
The Hollon HDS-500E and smaller HS Home Safe comes standard with an electronic lock and LCD display or mechanical lock. These locks carry no certifications or burglary ratings. I always recommend purchasing a safe with a UL Rated high security electronic or mechanical lock from NL, SecuRam or S&G. There is no second best. Unfortunately this safe does not have that and automatically moves it to my not recommended list. In addition, it does not have a hard plate or internal re-locker which are two essential security features. Definitely buy a Hollon model with a UL rated lock.
Hard Plate and Re-Locker
Regardless of the UL rated lock option you choose, it will be protected by both a hard plate and tempered glass re-locker or spring loaded internal re-locker. The hard plate is a thick piece of hardened steel that destroys drill bits. The glass re-locker shatters when drilled and keeps the bolts locked in place if the thief were able to drill through the hard plate and attempt to punch the lock out.
Security – Hollon Home Safe Reviews
The Hollon FB Fire and Burglary Safe, HS and HDS safes are built with two layers of steel in the door and body. Then, they add a fire clay material which provides additional drill and cutting resistance. The FB home safe also has up to six 1.5″ thick solid steel locking bolts. The hinge side includes a vertical steel locking bar that runs along the entire heavy duty vault style hinges. None of the safes have been tested for the UL RSC burglary rating but in my opinion, both the Continental and FB series would easily pass.
Fire Rating
The Hollon Home Safes have up to a 2 hour fire rating at 1700 degrees. This is accomplished with the fire clay material and considerable hotter than the standard 1200 degrees. Keep in mind this is a factory test and not independently verified by ETL or UL. It also has a Palusol door seal that expands 7 times its size during a fire and prevents smoke from entering the safe.
Style and Function
The Hollon Home Safes have either an off-white powder coat finish or two-tone gray. Hardware typically includes a chrome tri-spoke handle or L Shaped handle with chrome keypad or black dial with chrome fascia plate underneath. The interior is all metal with no carpeting with the exception of the Continental series. Once inside, you’ll find adjustable or removable shelves. All in all, these safes are styled very well and will look great in any environment.
Warranty
The Hollon home safes come with a lifetime warranty on fires where they will replace the safe at no cost to you if it ever experiences a fire. Hollon also provides a 1 year warranty. Hollon is a great company to work with and they really care about the customer. All in all, this is a reliable warranty from a good company.
The Bottom Line
Would I buy a Hollon home Safe to store my valuables? Yes, I definitely would buy both the FB and Continental series. With the UL rated high security lock, solid steel construction and up to a 2 hour high temperature fire rating, these are definitely a solid home safe. I would not recommend the HS or HDS series with the un-rated electronic locks. The HDS series is a great data safe with the S&G lock only but not meant for burglary.
With that said, there is an even better safe series with a UL RSC burglary rating that has even more features. The American Security BF Home Safes feature a UL RSC Burglary Rating, UL Approved Lock, thick 1/2″ steel plate door, thick steel plates in the body, concrete composite insulation, a much more attractive finish and is made in the USA by a long standing American company. I would recommend buying an American Security BF Home Safes instead of this.
