SentrySafe 3.4 cu Ft Fireproof Safe and Waterproof Safe with Digital Keypad Review

SentrySafe is one of those companies that have been around for what feels like forever. They make excellent water and fire rated safes but always include a fatal security flaw and low quality locks. With a few small changes, they could easily be the top safe company in the United States. Unfortunately, they were purchased by MasterLock nearly a decade ago and began only focusing on profits instead of the customers needs and security. In this SentrySafe 3.4 cu Ft Fireproof Safe and Waterproof Safe with Digital Keypad Review, I will help you understand why this is one of the best safes in their lineup.

Lock – SentrySafe 3.4 cu Ft Fireproof Safe and Waterproof Safe with Digital Keypad

Un-Rated Electronic Lock

First and always most important for any gun safe is the lock. SentrySafe uses an un-rated electronic lock with two fail safe override keys included for emergency use. Normally, I would never recommend an un-rated electronic lock and while it doesn’t compare to a UL Rated high security electronic lock, for the price it is far better than competing products.

Key Override

Finally, Sentry uses a good quality key on their safes. Nearly all of their models come with a tubular override key that can be picked open with a tubular lock pick or BIC Pen. However, this model includes a double-bitted high security override key which is very secure and high quality. You can trust this key to offer solid protection against picking attacks.

Security – SentrySafe 3.4 cu Ft Fireproof Safe and Waterproof Safe with Digital Keypad

The SentrySafe Fireproof & Waterproof Safe with Digital Combination Lock is California Department of Justice certified as a firearm safety device. This means it can withstand the most basic security tests and is adequate for keeping a handgun away from children. They advertise this as “maximum security” and it is anything but that. It does include 1″ live action locking bolts and a pry-resistant hinge bar. Take one quick look on Youtube and you’ll find a video showing how to break into any SentrySafe in under 2 minutes with only a hammer and a crowbar. This is not adequate for home security and these safes are made with the thinnest 14-18 gauge steel.

Fire and Water Rated – SentrySafe 3.4 cu Ft Fireproof Safe and Waterproof Safe with Digital Keypad

Fire Rating

The SentrySafe 3.4 cu Ft Fireproof Safe and Waterproof Safe with Digital Keypad is both fire and water rated which is not common on home safes. The fire rating is ETL certified for 30 minutes at 1400 degrees which is 200 degrees hotter than the standard 1200 degree rating. It also includes an intumescent door seal. This seal expands to multiple times its size during a fire to keep smoke and heat out of the safe. This is a high quality, verified fire rating by an independent agency. Sentry is one of the very few companies to have their products tested by ETL and UL and I definitely admire them for that.

Water Rating

The water rating is ETL Certified for 24 hours in up to 12 inches of standing water. SentrySafe is now the only brand that offers an ETL certified waterproof home safe. Keep in mind that it is only 12 inches so it will not survive a full flood but is much better than no water rating at all.

Style and Function

The SentrySafe Home Safe line is loaded with features. It’s finished in a light gray hammer-tone powder coat finish which is both durable and sleek. It has a black L shaped handle, SentrySafe logo and dark gray keypad. The interior is soft plastic with internal locking drawer that also acts as a shelf. The back of the door features key hooks and a document tray. A motion sensor interior light illuminates once the door is open to provide instant lighting to the internal contents. It is very important to note that the interior of this safe collects moisture due to the fire insulation material. If you purchase this safe, I highly recommend combining it with a strong dehumidifier. The EVA-Dry dehumidifier uses Silica Gel to absorb the moisture and needs to be renewed every 6-8 weeks.

Warranty

SentrySafe offers a lifetime fire warranty where they will replace the safe at no cost to you if it ever goes through a fire. They also offer a 1 year product warranty where they will repair or replace the safe for defects in materials or workmanship. In my experience, SentrySafe is a long-standing and reliable company that is easy to work with and honors their warranties.

The Bottom Line

Would I buy the SentrySafe 3.4 cu Ft Fireproof Safe and Waterproof Safe with Digital Keypad for my valuables? Personally, no I would not. Having a UL rated high security lock and UL RSC burglary rating is the absolute minimum I would purchase.

You can refer to this list of the Top 3 Home Best Home Safes under $1,300 to see which models I recommend as best in category. All of these models feature a high quality, UL Rated high security lock and thick steel construction.