Top 3 Best Drop Safes

Overview

Drop Safes are an essential part of any business. Business owners rely on them to access their deposits on a daily basis and it’s essential that they open when needed, every single time. That’s why it’s so frustrating to see so many low quality options advertised as high quality and reliable. But don’t worry, I’ve tested all of these drop safes and compiled this list of the Top 3 Best Drop Safes that you can trust. All of these models have solid steel construction, high quality UL Rated locks, advanced security features and are sold by companies who actually honor their warranty.

Lock – Top 3 Best Drop Safes

First and always most important for any wall safe is the lock. All three of these drop safes from Stealth, American Security, and Hollon feature high quality UL Rated High Security Locks. UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories and they are an independent agency that certifies that the locks are both secure and high quality. I always recommend to purchase a UL rated lock and all three of these options are very high quality.

NL UR-2020 Electronic Lock – Stealth DS Drop Safe

Included in the price of the Stealth drop safe is the NL UR-2020 UL Type 1 Electronic Lock. NL is one of the three major lock brands I recommend with SecuRam and S&G being the other two. I highly recommend this lock and it is very high quality. The parts are globally sourced with the electronic boards and lock body produced in Europe and the keypads coming from Korea.

Big Red Mechanical Lock or ESL10XL Electronic Lock – American Security BWB Drop Safe

First up is the Big Red Type 2 UL Approved Mechanical Lock. S&G is the oldest and most reputable lock company in the United States. This three number combination lock is built to last forever and is known for its longevity and reliability.

The second lock option available is American Security’s own UL Approved high security lock, the ESL series. These locks are UL approved as type 1 which is the highest security rating possible. I don’t typically recommend American Security ESL locks and prefer ones made by NL, SecuRam and S&G. However, the ESL10XL and ESL20XL are built very high quality and typically used in commercial applications lasting decades. All three locks have over 1 million possible combinations and the ESL10XL adds Time Delay function while the ESL20XL adds multi-user and Time Delay.

UL Listed Key, S&G Mechanical or S&G Electronic Lock Options – Hollon FD Drop Safes

UL Listed Dual Key Lock

Included in the price is a UL listed dual key lock. This is a high quality key lock and pick resistant. When it comes to depository safes, I always recommend going with an electronic lock. Drop safes are accessed very frequently, often multiple times a day, so requiring a combination or keys can become tedious whereas an electronic lock just requires the 6 digit code.

UL Approved High Security Mechanical Lock – S&G

Second, Hollon offers the classic S&G Type 2 UL Approved high security Mechanical Lock. S&G is the oldest and most reputable lock company in the United States. This three number combination lock is built to last forever and is known for its longevity and reliability.

UL Approved High Security Electronic Lock – S&G

The final lock option is is the S&G UL approved high security electronic lock. This is an excellent quality lock made by a longstanding and reputable company. S&G has a premier reputation and makes very high quality locks. UL Approved type 1 is the highest security rating available. Finally, this lock features one user code and over 1 million possible combinations.

Hard Plate and Re-Locker

All three drop safes are 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 these drop safes.

Security – Top 3 Best Drop Safes

When it comes to security, all three models use identical methods. They all start with a thick piece of 1/2″ steel plate door. They then use the traditional round style solid steel locking bolts measuring 1″ in diameter on the Stealth and American Security and 1.2″ on the Hollon. Finally, the bodies consist of 12 gauge steel on Stealth and American Security and 1/8″ steel on the Hollon. These are high quality, beefy steel doors that can withstand sophisticated burglary attacks.

Style and Function – Top 3 Best Drop Safes

The Stealth Drop Safes are finished in textured black paint with chrome hardware. American Security uses a charcoal gray and Hollon is finished in textured blue. Considering drop safes are meant to be used in commercial business applications, the finish is not particularly important. All three brands include adjustable and removable shelving.

Warranty

All three brands provide a parts and labor warranty where they will pay for a locksmith or safe technician to come out to your business and repair the safe on site and at no cost to you. American Security and Hollon provide a 1 year warranty while Stealth doubles it to two years. In addition, Stealth also includes a 5 year warranty on the hinges and welds. Simply put, the longer the warranty, the more the company believes in the product.

The Bottom Line

All three of these models are easily the Top 3 Best Drop Safes in the industry. While the Hollon FD Series has a thicker steel body and bolts, I chose the Stealth DS drop safes as the best of the best for a couple reasons. It is Made in USA, has double the parts and labor warranty, a higher quality electronic lock and a more secure hopper. All in all, I recommend the Stealth made in USA DS drop safes as the best in category.