Gardall 1612-2 UL 2-Hour Fire and Burglary Safe Review

Gardall used to be a major player in the safe industry. While they are nowhere near as big as they once were, they still make quality burglary and fire safes at affordable prices. In this review, I will explain why the Gardall 1612-2 UL 2-Hour Fire and Burglary Safe is perfect for a business or the home.

Lock – Gardall 1612-2 UL 2-Hour Fire and Burglary Safe

UL Approved High Security Mechanical Lock

First and always most important for any safe is its lock. The Gardall 1612-2 UL 2-Hour Fire and Burglary Safe comes standard with a UL Approved High Security Mechanical Lock. This is the S&G mechanical lock which is my top recommendation and the best in the industry. This high quality lock is designed to last forever and uses the traditional 3 number combination.

UL Approved High Security Electronic Lock

There is also a second lock option that is the SecuRam UL approved high security electronic lock. This is an excellent quality lock made by a longstanding and reputable company. SecuRam is the exclusive partner of Liberty Safe, has a premier reputation and makes very high quality locks. UL Approved type 1 is the highest security rating available and you would do great with either lock option.

Internal Re-Locker and Hard Plate

Regardless of the lock you chose, it is thoroughly protected by both an internal spring loaded re-locker and an internal hardened steel hard plate. If a burglar decides to drill through the front steel plate and concrete composite, they would then hit the hard plate which absolutely destroys drill bits. Then, if they get through that and attempt to punch out the lock, the internal re-locker breaks causing the spring loaded pin to drop down and stop the bolt-work from opening. It’s two more layers of defense and security for your protection.

Security – Gardall 1612-2 UL 2-Hour Fire and Burglary Safe

The Gardall 1612-2 UL 2-Hour Fire and Burglary Safe is UL approved as a Residential Security Container. This means it can withstand adequate burglary attacks for a period of up to 5 minutes with several different tools.

However, this safe is so much stronger than just your average RSC rated home safe. Gardall builds this home safe with concrete composite material in-between two layers of steel. The door and body feature a steel plate followed by the concrete composite mixture and then an additional inner steel liner. Also included are three-way 1″ solid steel locking bolts that provide significant pry resistance.

Fire Rating – Gardall 1612-2 UL 2-Hour Fire and Burglary Safe

The Gardall UL 2-Hour home safe is fire rated for 2 hour at 1850 degrees. This is significantly hotter and longer than nearly every competitor. This fire rating is the UL fire rating which is an independent laboratory who verifies the claims of safe companies. This is the hardest fire test to pass and includes a 30 foot drop test after the safe burns in the furnace. Gardall is one of only three companies to build a safe that passes this test. All the other companies only perform factory tests where we have to trust them and take their word for it.

An intumescent door seal is included that expands up to 7 times its size during a fire to seal out smoke and heat from entering the safe.

Style and Function

The Gardall UL 2-Hour Home Safe series are finished in a textured granite or sandstone paint. Hardware includes a brushed silver L shaped drop down handle. Inside you’ll find one adjustable or removable shelf. This interior lined with plush velvet carpeting. Overall, I think the styling is pretty good, it’s significantly better than FireKing but not quite as good as American Security. Finally, a counter sunk bolt down hole is located on the bottom of the safe with all mounting hardware included.

Warranty

The Gardall UL 2-hour series comes with a lifetime warranty on fires where they will replace the safe at no cost to you if it ever experiences a fire. Gardall also provides a 1 year warranty. Unfortunately, the warranty is very unclear on what is covered or who pays for installation and service. For me, that is a red flag and usually the company will only provide parts but then not pay for drilling, installation and other various labor.

The Bottom Line

Would I buy the Gardall 1612-2 UL 2-Hour Fire and Burglary Safe to store my valuables? It seems like a great safe and I definitely want to. With a solid steel construction, concrete composite material, UL RSC burglary Rating, 2 hour high temperature UL verified fire rating and UL approved high security lock, this is a good option for security and fire protection. However, the parts and labor warranty is so unclear. If something were to go wrong, I don’t know what would be covered. Thus, I can not recommend this product and would not buy it.

There is a safe with a detailed product warranty that has even better features and is Made in USA. The American Security BF Home Safes feature a thicker 1/2″ steel plate door, thicker steel plates in the body, a much more attractive finish with multiple color options and is made by a reputable and long standing American company. I would recommend buying an American Security BF home safe instead of this.