Under the Bed Safes Ranking Factors: Security, Accessibility, Reliability, Price
#1 Best Under the Bed Safe – Monster Vault
Review
Long considered the top under the bed safe for a few years now, the Monster Vault is a Made in USA beast and while its price tag is a bit out of touch with the market, there is no denying it’s the best option. A bit of a disclaimer, this safe is big, it’s 28” deep nearly double that of the nearest competitor and it’s significantly heavier at 140 lbs. in total weight. With full cold rolled galvanized steel, the safe is extremely secure and pry resistant with my only fear in security vulnerabilities is the lock. It appears they are using an older GABA Solenoid electronic lock which is very susceptible to the bump attack. If properly installed under a bed, this attack would be difficult to perform but in the back of your vehicle it would be too easy.
When it comes to accessibility, the Monster Vault is the clear winner. By placing easy grab handles on the front of the product and sliders on the drawer, it’s very simple and easy to get this safe open after entering the correct combination. With the massive internal capacity, this safe also has the highest storage capacity of any Under the Bed Safe.
While the GABA lock has its weaknesses in the bump attack, it lasts forever. This electronic lock has been used for years and years and years and years and has a very high reliable open rate.
Where this safe absolutely sucks is the price tag. At the same price, you could buy a full size made in USA gun safe, but if you want the best of the best in Under the Bed Safes, the Monster Vault is the clear choice.
#2 Best Under the Bed Safe – Stealth Defense Vault
Review
With a bit of a more manageable price tag, the Stealth Defense Vault AKA the AMSEC Defense Vault is a close second for the top under the bed safe. In terms of security, the Stealth DV652 is built with a 14 gauge steel body and a 5 point locking bar. Add a UL approved lock and you will not be able to break into this safe with simple tools. It’s the only safe in this category to be CA DOJ approved and is a great secure safe.
Where this safe is the weakest is its accessibility. When we think Under the Bed Safes, we think discreet, quick access home defense. We want our weapon fast and we want it quietly. The Defense Vault requires you to enter the code into a 10 digit keypad, slide a locking bar, drop the door down, slide out a try and then access your weapon. This takes time and makes noise making it the least accessible product in this category.
While I don’t particularly love any lock on any safe in this category, it’s kind of a situation of the lesser of evils. While the GABA Lock on the Monster Vault is the most reliable, it’s the easiest to break into. The ESL5 on the Stealth Defense Vault is the most secure but not so reliable. AMSEC has had several issues with these locks over the last few years and while they have claimed to fix the problem you never really know until a few years later. If possible, I would recommend upgrading the lock on this unit to an ESL10XL, SnG 2006, LaGard Basic or NL Lock for a higher level of reliability.
This safe is not the cheapest but per usual you get what you pay for. The Defense Vault ranks 2nd in pretty much every category and the price reflects that perfectly.
#3 Best Under the Bed Safe – Hornady Rapid Safe AR Gun Locker
Review
This is by far the most bad ass safe in this category. Hornady pretty much ripped of Secure-IT Tactical entire product concept and made it Tacti”Cool” by adding a RFID Entry system. However, Hornady cheapened the product in areas most notably the 16 gauge steel body that can be cut with any handheld grinder. It weighs a total of 45 pounds and only Exceeds ASTM International safety standards for child and pry resistance which means it’s gone through no real testing. It’s definitely the weakest safe on this list from a security standpoint.
What I like most about this safe is it’s accessibility. By wearing a bracelet or any other RFID registered product you simply press it against the sensor and the spring assisted lid pops open for immediate access. No handles to slide, no doors to pull out, just a touch and go system. Hornady includes two foam barrel rests that allow you to slide two rifles or shotguns in and out with ease. This is by far the fastest under the bed safe on the market.
This safe is perfect… as long as everything goes right. There have already been numerous complaints across Amazon with this safes reliability where the RFID sensor sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. When accessing and protecting firearms, reliability is of the upmost importance. My personal recommendation on this product would be to wait for a more reliable RFID option to come out.
The AR Gun Locker is a low low low price for this type of product. But per usual, you get what you pay for, a 45 pound unreliable hunk of metal that might open when you need it.
Comparison Chart
| Security | Accessibility | Reliability | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monster Vault | #2 | #1 | #1 | #3 |
| Stealth Defense Vault | #1 | #3 | #2 | #2 |
| Hornady AR Locker | #3 | #2 | #3 | #1 |
