Southeastern F2014E Drop Safe
Pros
- 3/8" Thick Solid Steel Door
- 12 Gauge Steel Body
- Three 1" Solid Steel Locking Bolts
- Hard Plate and Re-Locker
- High Security Double-Bitted Key Override
Cons
- Un-Rated Electronic Lock
- Warranty Completely Missing
- Unreliable Company for Service and Warranty
Southeastern is an Amazon exclusive company new to the industry that only sells low quality safes. When it comes to drop safes, longevity and reliability are essential and I advise looking for a safe that uses a UL Rated high security locking mechanism. In this review, I will help you understand what makes the Southeastern F2014E drop safe a product you should definitely avoid.
Lock – Southeastern F2014E Drop Safe
First and always most important for any gun safe is the lock used. The Southeastern F2014E Drop Safe features the Intellok electronic lock. This lock is much better than the standard Solenoid style locks but is not as good as the UL rated options from NL, Securam or S&G. The lock has known quality issues where it will forget your code, drain the batteries in a day or continuously beep without explanation.
Behind the lock is a key override that uses a high security double-bitted long key. These keys are so much better than the tubular style used on most options and while I never recommend you to use a safe with a key override, if you must have this feature, it is one of the better options available.
Security – Southeastern F2014E Drop Safe
The Southeastern F2014E Drop Safe features a 3/8″ steel plate door which is just shy of the industry standard at 1/2″. The body thickness is not listed but considering the safes weight it can be estimated at 12 gauge steel. Protecting the door are three 1″ solid steel locking bolts. Finally, the door side has a full length steel dead bar that locks behind the external hinges.
Style & Function
The Southeastern drop safe is finished in a textured gray with chrome T-Shaped handle and plastic keypad. The finish is the same low quality paint they use on most of the imported safes from China. The interior is all metal and only includes a carpeted mat for the bottom.
Warranty
This is where we find the big red flag with Southeastern safes. If you check the warranty information on Amazon, they do not list any warranty information. In fact, they tell you to check the manufacturers website directly. Upon checking the manufacturers website, you will not be able to find any warranty information anywhere. They only list a plain return policy within 30 days and at your expense. All in all, this is a huge red flag. Legitimate companies that believe in their products will proudly advertise their warranty. When a company hides their warranty or doesn’t provide one at all, you can expect to be on your own when something inevitably goes wrong and the customer reviews reflect this.
The Bottom Line
Would I buy the Southeastern F2014E Drop Safe to protect my business? No, absolutely not. With an un-rated lock that features a key override and a completely missing warranty, this safe has two big red flags in the most important areas. I recommend you avoid this safe and company.
With that said, there is a drop safe I highly recommend. The Stealth DS2014 Drop Safe comes with thicker steel, a UL rated high security NL Electronic lock, hard plate, re-locker, double the warranty and is Made in USA. It’s my top absolute top pick in the drop safe category at this size and is significantly more secure.
