Protex RD-1612 Drop Safe Review

Protex is a company you should stay far away from. Take one visit to their website and you will not be able to find a phone number anywhere. That is a huge red flag and you can expect zero customer service from this company if something happens to go wrong. With that said, the Protex RD-1612 Drop Safe is actually built very well and in this review I will help you understand why it is a solid product.

Lock – Protex RD-1612 Drop Safe

Securam Basic UL Approved High Security Electronic Lock

First and always most important for any safe is the lock. Protex includes the SecuRam Basic UL approved high security electronic lock. This is an excellent quality lock made by a longstanding and reputable company. SecuRam is the exclusive electronic lock provider of Liberty safe who sells the most safes in the US. UL Approved type 1 is the highest security rating available and has over 1 million possible combinations. The keypad is metal and durable as well as the battery compartment is very convenient to remove from the outside of the safe. All in all, this is an excellent quality lock and the one I would recommend if purchasing a drop safe due to its convenience and ease of use.

Hard Plate and Re-Locker

This lock is also protected by both a hard plate and internal spring-loaded re-locker. The Hard plate is a piece of hardened steel that absolutely destroys drill bits. The internal re-locker fires if the lock is punched through securing the bolts in place. Both of these are essential security features and included on this safe.

Security – Protex RD-1612 Drop Safe

The Protex RD-1612 Drop Safe is equipped with a massive 1/2″ thick solid steel door. With this model being so compact, there isn’t enough room to add boltwork. Protex uses the motorized deadbolt from the lock as the locking bolt. This bolt is a piece of hardened steel that when combined with the 1/2″ plate door offers excellent pry resistance. The internal hinge removes the need for bolts on the hinge side and overall this is a very secure little drop safe.

Style and Function

The Protex Drop Safe is finished in a textured black paint. Hardware includes both a chrome electronic keypad. Finally, the interior is all metal and includes a carpeted bottom.

Overall, drop safes are not meant for overnight storage. They should be emptied each day with the deposit being taken to the bank. This drop safe is unique from the traditional front load style and uses a rotary hopper with a handle. After turning the handle half way, you drop your contents into the top hole of the safe and rotate the handle to drop the contents into the safe. All in all, this eliminates the need for jagged teeth anti-fish baffles.

Warranty

The Protex Drop Safe series comes with a 1 year parts warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. This is not a warranty where they will send a locksmith or safe technician to your residence and you must pay and arrange for all labor. This is not consistent with competing warranties from American Security or Stealth where they will pay for all of the labor cost to fix the defect. Labor is the most expensive part with drill jobs costing around $400. This is a terrible warranty and I do not recommend this product solely because of this.

The Bottom Line

Would I buy the Protex RD-1612 Drop Safe to protect my valuables? No, absolutely not. While it looks good on paper with a UL rated lock and 1/2″ steel door, the fact that they only provide parts in case of a defect is a huge red flag and shows that they do not believe in the quality or longevity of their products. In my experience, Protex is a very unreliable company and not trustworthy.

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