Mesa MFL25E-ILK Drop Safe Review

I’m honestly surprised Mesa is somehow still in business. They sell the lowest quality products with false advertising and have horrible reviews. The owner has been in and out of jail multiple times and if I were you, I would stay as far away as possible from this company and their products. In this review, I’ll help you understand why the Mesa MFL25E-ILK Drop Safe is a product you should avoid.

Lock – Mesa MFL25E-ILK Drop Safe

First and always most important for any safe is the lock. Included in the price is an un-rated Solenoid electronic lock. These locks are the lowest quality in the safe industry and can be bounced, picked and opened in a variety of ways. All in all, this lock will inevitably fail causing you to have to pay a locksmith to drill it open. Behind the lock is a key override that completely eviscerates your security. Finally, these key locks are easy to pick and are not recommended or needed with a high quality UL rated electronic lock.

This lock option does not include a re-locker or hard plate which are essential security features. They actually falsely advertise this on their listings. Also, Solenoid locks can not have a re-locker as it is not compatible with the mechanism. All in all, don’t fall for their tricks.

Security – Mesa MFL25E-ILK Drop Safe

The Mesa MFL25E-ILK Drop Safe is equipped with a 1/2″ thick solid steel door. Mesa then adds three 1″ solid steel locking bolts covering the door along with a full steel dead bar on the hinge side that locks behind the external hinges. Lastly, the body is constructed of 1/8″ steel. This certifies the depository safe as B-Rate construction which is consistent with it’s competitors. Considering the weight of the safe, the steel thicknesses listed should be accurate.

Style and Function

The Mesa MFL series is finished in a two-tone powder coat paint featuring a textured gray door and textured black body. Hardware includes a chrome T-shaped handle and silver dial. Finally, the interior is all metal and features a gray carpeted bottom.

This model is unique in that it features an inner locking compartment with tubular cam lock. This allows employees to be able to access the main compartment to store the cash tray without having access to the drops.

Warranty

The Mesa MFL series is covered by their one year limited warranty. In writing, this warranty is actually not that bad. It covers the cost of sending out a technician to your location to repair the safe and includes the cost of shipping for all replacement parts. However, getting a hold of Mesa’s customer service department and getting them to actually honor the warranty is an entirely different issue. All in all, I would be very surprised if they actually follow through with the warranty and help you out.

The Bottom Line

Would I buy the Mesa MFL25E-ILK Home Safe to store my valuables? No, not a chance. With an un-rated lock and an unreliable company for service and warranty, I would stay as far away from Mesa safe as possible.

With that said, there is a drop safe I do highly recommend. The Stealth Drop safe series is made in USA, has a high security UL Approved electronic lock and is built to the same steel construction. All things considered, I would recommend the Stealth drop safe over this.