Top Rated High Security Safes
High Security Safes by Brand
High Security Safes have been a staple in the safe world for over 80 years. They used to be the only safes that were considered safes before the explosion of gun safes and residential home safes. These safes are mainly used for high values and commercial applications so there really isn’t a lot of quality information available on the internet. So what should you look for when buying a high security safe you ask? I’m here to help break down the most important features and point you in the right direction because ultimately the high security safe you choose depends on your specific needs and budget.
Lock – High Security Safe Reviews
The lock is the absolute most important component of any high security safe. Think of the lock as the engine to the car. It doesn’t matter if you have the nicest seats, radio, wheels or body if the engine doesn’t work.
In the safe industry, Underwriters Laboratories also known as UL, tests and certifies the security and quality of locks. To achieve a TL high security burglary rating the safe must have a UL rated high security lock so every safe in this category will have one. There are two main types: UL Type 1 High Security Electronic Locks which are the most secure and UL Type 2 High Security Mechanical Locks.
UL Type 1 High Security Electronic Locks
In my 30 years of experience in the safe industry, locks made by NL, S&G and Securam are the highest quality and most reliable electronic locks. Ideally, look for one level up from the cheapest option such as the NL UR-2020, SecuRam Basic or S&G Spartan Direct Drive lock.
The reason Electronic Locks are a higher security rating is because they have significantly more possible combinations and can not be manipulated by feel the same way mechanical locks can.
UL Type 2 High Security Mechanical Locks
Mechanical Locks are the traditional “old school” style that don’t have any electronics or require any batteries. They use a three number combination and use a dial to spin a spindle into the lock body which is located on the inside of the safe. Some customers prefer these locks because they believe an EMP attack can wipe out their electronics. Most electronic locks are now EMP tested and they all operate on replaceable batteries, so at this point it’s really not a relevant concern. The highest quality and most reliable mechanical locks are made by S&G and Big Red.
UL Type 1 High Security Redundant Locks
The last lock option and my favorite are the UL Type 1 High Security Redundant Locks. The only one is made by NL and features both electronic access with mechanical override. This means you will always have access to your safe with the mechanical fail-safe. The rating is still UL Type 1 High Security which is the same as the electronic locks mentioned above.
Hard Plate and Re-Lockers
All TL Rated high security safes will feature both a hard plate and re-locker. The hard plate is a thick piece of hardened steel that is placed in-between the first layer of steel in the safe and the lock body to add additional drill and punch resistance. The re-locker is a mechanism that usually operates as a pin and metal bracket placed behind the lock. If the lock is punched through, the re-locker pin drops in-between the mechanism that retracts the bolt and the lock. It creates an additional layer of security because now the burglar has to spend the time to drill another hole and punch out the re-locker.
Security – High Security Safe Reviews
You should look for certifications when it comes to the security of a high security safe. There are three main levels of high security safes tested and verified by Underwriters Laboratories, also known as UL. These ratings are TL-15, TL-30 and TL-30X6. To achieve these ratings, manufacturers often use an amalgamation of different high density materials like steel nuggets and fibers in a concrete composite mixture in-between two steel plates. Insurance companies use these ratings to determine how much value they will insure in these safes.
TL-15 High Security Burglary Rating
TL-15 is the first rating in the high security category and means that the safe successfully survived an attack of at least 15 minutes on the door. For reference, RSC which is the most common gun safe rating means it survived a 5 minute attack. This isn’t just any simple attack though, it’s an attack with tons of different tools and multiple people who know where and how to attack the safes. It survived a net time of 15 minutes which each tool. If the attackers get tired, they stop the clock and only start it once they begin the attack again. While the body is not attacked, it does have to meet minimum strict requirements as well. TL-15 burglary rating is insurable up to $125,000.
TL-30 High Security Burglary Rating
The next rating in the high security category is TL-30 and retains all of the same security as TL-15 but increases the net attacking time with each tool to 30 minutes on the door. TL-30 burglary rating is insurable up to $250,000.
TL-30X6 High Security Burglary Rating
TL-30X6 is the last rating in the high security category and retains all of the same security as TL-30 but the attack is conducted on all six sides of the safe. It has to survive the same attack as the door but on every side of the safe. This is the highest quality and most secure of all of the high security safes. There are security ratings even higher than this such as TRTL which adds torch resistance but these safes are not commonly found and are extremely expensive. TL-30X6 burglary rating is insurable up to $500,000.
The level of security needed is dependent on the value you are placing in the safe. Base the high security safe you choose on how much an insurance company will insure the contents for.
Fire Rating – High Security Safe Reviews
A high security safes fire rating is also an important feature to consider when reading high security safe reviews. Similar to the lock and security ratings, high security safes can also have certified fire ratings by UL. Independent Lab tests certify that the manufacturer isn’t lying about their rating and proves that it was actually tested in a fire.
Typically, Chinese factories just claim their safes can survive the fire without actually testing it. Whereas, an independent lab like UL actually verifies this claim. There are also two main types of fire insulation material that vastly vary in quality. All high security safes use high density fiber or concrete composite for their fire insulation material.
Concrete Composite Fire Insulation
High Security safes use a concrete composite material in their safes. This material is a significantly higher quality fire insulation material than Gypsum board. It also provides additional burglary protection making these high security safes high quality for both fire and security. As always, this high quality burglary and fire protection comes at a cost because with safes, you get what you pay for.
Intumescent Fire Expanding Door Seal
Another essential feature for any fire rated safe is the intumescent door seal. This seal expands to multiple times its size during a fire to keep smoke and heat out of the safe. Double check that the safe you are buying has this feature.
Warranty – High Security Safe Reviews
The high security safes warranty is very important to consider when thinking about while reading gun safe reviews. The longer the warranty, the more the company believes in the product. The shorter the warranty, the more likely things will go wrong sooner rather than later. It’s also important to note if the warranty applies to just the safe or also the lock.
Transportation Cost
Another important factor to consider is who pays for the transportation. Some manufacturers like American Security, Hollon and Inkas will pay for the locksmith or safe technician to come to your home and fix it on site. Other companies like Gardall keep it very vauge on wether they require you to physically send the product to their warehouse for repair at your cost. So while that lifetime warranty sounds great, it’s not really practical to send a bolted down 2,000 lb across the country for repair.
Take a hard look at the warranty before buying just in case you have to use it. In my experience, American Security, Hollon and Inkas provide the best warranty and service on high security safes.
Additional Features
Interior, lights, door panel organizers and other bells and whistles are usually important to consider when buying a safe but with high security safes, they are all just metal interiors with shelves. Paint schemes are often only textures or smooth powder coat because the safes are just too heavy to carry through a paint line. These safes are also typically only used for commercial applications so you won’t find carpeted interiors or fancy jewelry drawers inside. American Security does offer high gloss options on the two smallest sizes of TL-15 safes in the CE series.
The Bottom Line on High Security Safe Reviews
To summarize, here are the most important factors to think about when you ask the question: What should I look for when reading high security safe reviews:
- UL Rated High Security Type 1 Electronic or Type 2 Mechanical Lock from NL, S&G, SecuRam or Big Red
- Minimum UL TL-15 Burglary Rating
- Concrete Composite Construction In-Between Two Steel Plates
- Hard Plate Protecting the Lock
- Re-locker Protecting the Lock
- Minimum 1.5″ Thick Locking Bolts
- 4-Way Bolt work is Not Essential With Doors This Thick
- Independently Verified Fire Rating from UL
- Minimum 1 Hour Fire Rating at 1200 Degrees
- Intumescent Door Seal
- Concrete Composite Fire Insulation Material
- Reliable Warranty
- Minimum 1 Year Parts and Labor Warranty
- Company Pays Locksmith or Safe Tech to Fix it in Your Home and Not at Their Factory
