Longhorn is a brand owned by Rhino Metals that they use to designate their imported home safes. This home safe is made in China but is so much better than the standard imported Chinese quality. With features like a UL Rated High Security electronic lock, adequate steel construction and CA DOJ approval, the Longhorn LSB1818 Home Safe is easily one of the very best low cost home safes.
Lock – Longhorn LSB1818 Home Safe
First and always most important for any safe is its lock. The Longhorn LSB1818 Home Safe comes standard with a UL Approved High Security Electronic Lock made by SecuRam. SecuRam is a long standing company known for quality and longevity. They are the exclusive partner of Liberty Safes and make premier quality locks.
Security – Longhorn LSB1818 Home Safe
The steel thickness on the Longhorn LSB1818 Home Safe is 14 gauge. 14 gauge is too thin to test for the UL Approved RSC burglary rating so they tested it only as a CA DOJ Approved Firearm Safety Device which is far better and thicker than competing safes at this price range.
It easily passed the test and uses two solid steel door bolts 1″ thick. This is not a super high security safe that will stop a determined thief from entry but will keep your firearms and valuables safe from kids and the average smash and grab break-in.
Fire Rating – Longhorn LSB1818 Home Safe
The Longhorn LSB1818 Home Safe comes with a 60 minute fire rating at 1400 degrees which is just enough time to survive the length of the standard house fire that burns for 20 minutes. The door is fully lined with an intumescent door seal that expands to multiple times its size during a fire to keep smoke and heat from entering the safe.
Keep in mind that this is a factory test and not independently verified by a testing agency like ETL. Comparatively, American Security is the only safe company that independently tests their fire ratings which is typically why they are considerably more expensive.
Style and Function
What I love most about the Longhorn series is its styling. They designed it after the Ironworks gun safes with the antique look coming out of the 1800s. All in all, this little home safe would look fantastic in any home, man cave or garage.
The interior is fully lined with leatherette material that looks like it is out of an African Safari. Finally, the interior includes an adjustable or removable shelf.
Warranty
Longhorn safes are covered by the Rhino Metals 1 Year limited warranty. Rhino will pay for all shipping costs and repair or replace the safe. In my experience, Rhino is a very reliable and easy company to work with and really care about their customers. All in all, you can trust Rhino to take care of you.
The Bottom Line
Would I buy the Longhorn LSB1818 Home Safe to store my valuables and firearms. I think the answer to that question is that it depends. If this is all I could afford and I only needed a small safe, this is easily one of the best safes for the price.
With that said, there is a safe slightly bigger with the UL RSC burglary rating and 12 gauge steel. The Stealth HS4 is close in price but significantly better in security and would be my top pick in this price range.