Burglary Safes Ranking Factors: Price, Lock, Security
Overview
The term “Safe” has been so convoluted over the last decade with companies like Stack-On and Sentry producing piece of shit after piece of shit and calling it a safe. Stack-On creates the thinnest steel “safes” possible with solenoid locks that can be broken into in less than 5 seconds and Sentry makes Fire Chests with 3 bolts that can be opened also in 5 seconds or less with a magnet. If it can be opened in less than 5 seconds, it’s not a fucking safe, I mean come on.
Fortunately for those of us who still know a thing or two about safes outside of the big box retail world know that there are ratings. The bare minimum safe you should purchase to protect your valuables is classified as a B-Rate. It goes up to C-Rate, E-Rate, TL-15, TL-30, and TL-30X6 among others but in this article, I’ll be reviewing the top 3 B-Rated, Burglary Only Safes. So what qualifies a safe as a B-Rate you ask? A minimum ½” steel door, body less than ½” thick and the presence of a locking mechanism. Please note, none of the following safes have a fire rating, if you are looking for a safe with a burglary rating and a fire rating, please check my review for the top 3 Burglary and Fire Safes.
#1 Best B-Rated Burglary Safe – Stealth B1414
Review
With all 3 of the Top 3 safes nearly identical, there are very few factors to consider where they differ. They all boast a 1/2” solid steel door, full steel body, turn handle, electronic lock 1 shelf, relocker and external hinges making the security on these safes near identical. The Stealth B1414 is slightly less secure with only two 1” solid steel locking bolts versus three on the other two options but where the Stealth wins in this near identical comparison is the price and the lock. Stealth features the Intellock Electronic Lock on their products which is a Type 1 UL Approved Electronic Lock that has proven to be extremely reliable and will last for years to come. The Stealth B-1414 is cheaper than the AMSEC and the Hollon, making it the clear choice for the Top Burglary Safe of 2018.
#2 Best B-Rated Burglary Safe – AMSEC MS1414
Review
Add one extra bolt and you have the AMSEC MS1414. The one thing I hate about this safe is the ELS5 Electronic Lock. AMSEC knows this lock is a piece of shit and does absolutely nothing about it. I would highly suggest you request the upgraded version of an ELS10XL or a Combination Dial Lock so you can avoid the headache the ESL5 Lock will surely provide you. With an upgraded lock, this is a great B-Rate Cash Safe making it my second choice for the Top Burglary Safe of 2018.
#3 Best B-Rated Burglary Safe – Hollon B-1414E
Review
At near double the price of the Stealth B-1414, you would expect double the security, right? WRONG! You get 1 extra bolt and an extra ¼” in size which effectively does nothing. The one thing Hollon got right on this safe is the SnG Spartan Electronic Lock which kicks ass. It’s been around this industry longer than I have and still works like a champ. If you want a slightly better safe at double the price, go with the Hollon, but if you want the same level of security at a fraction of the cost, don’t be an idiot, just go with Stealth.
Comparison Chart
Stealth B-1414#1#1#3
| Price | Lock | Security | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMSEC MS-1414 | #2 | #3 | #2 |
| Hollon B-1414E | #3 | #3 | #1 |
