Fire Safes Ranking Factors: Fire Rating, Price, Storage Capacity, Reliability
Overview
All Fire Safes are absolutely not created equal and there is a huge difference between a fire safe and a burglary and fire safe. Just because something has a lock and some bolts does not make it a burglary safe or provide any burglary protection whatsoever. It is very important to know this difference when shopping for your needs. In this review, I will rank the Top 3 Low cost fire safes.
#1 Best Low Cost Fire Safe – Stack-On Personal Fire Safe PFS-1608
Review
Little in size and little in price, the Stack On Personal Fire Safe is the absolute best choice for a low cost fire safe for several reasons. A safe this small with a fire rating has never been seen before, Stack-On had to reengineer the fire material to get it up to 30 minutes and considering the standard house fire lasts for 20 minutes, this is the perfect safe for those on a budget. While this safe is the lowest fire rating in total time in this category, it’s the only choice in this size.
For its price, no safe even comes close to this size with the available features. I challenge anyone to find a fire safe at this price and size, you won’t, it just doesn’t exist.
When it comes to storage capacity, the Stack-ON Personal Fire safe is perfect for storing documents, passports and other items of similar size. It comes with a removable foam padded shelf, all carpeted interior and external hinges that allow the door to swing open 180 degrees providing more accessibility.
Stack-On recently revised their entire electronic lock line of products due to the classic Solenoid Bump attack that was able to be performed on every electronic safe they sold. While Stack-On doesn’t have a great reputation in reliability, they’ve invested considerable R&D into this new electronic lock and I have high hopes for it.
#2 Best Low Cost Fire Safe – Steelwater AMSWD-500
Review
Starting to look like a more traditional fire safe, the Steelwater AMSWD-500 boasts a kick ass 2 hour fire rating at 1850 degrees. To give you a comparison, the Stack-On is only rated for 30 minutes at 1400 degrees. That’s an additional 450 degrees for an hour and a half and it’s actually tested by an independent laboratory in Korea. Koreans have been famous for making high quality fire safes and their testing laboratories are very reliable.
This safe is a great value for the quality you get. You get more size and more protection than the Stack-On and rightfully so.
This safe has a respectable internal storage capacity considering the 2 hour rating. The have to add more and more material to increase the fire rating and unless a different material is used, it decreases the amount of usable space inside the safe. It comes standard with a removable shelf and removable storage tray making it perfect for envelopes, paperwork, birth certificates and passports.
It doesn’t get any more reliable than a mechanical dial lock. These locks have been used for well over 100 years and there is a reason why they’ve stuck around. Unique to this safe is the use of a key to retract the bolts, After you’ve dialed in the correct combo you turn the key and gain access to the safe. It actually makes it more secure and is definitely the most reliable safe on this list.
#3 Best Low Cost Fire Safe – Sentry SFW205UPC
Review
Sentry Safe is the largest seller of Fire Safes in the World. They have sold millions over the years and have definitely learned a thing or two about safes. Since they are the biggest seller, they have absolutely sold out to the big box store model of cheaper, cheaper, cheaper. I’ve researched all of their safes and would highly recommend you stay away from anything you find in Costco, Home Depot or any other big box store.
The Best safe I’ve been able to find from them is the SFW205UPC with a UL approved 1 hour fire rating. The UL test is unique to all other testing agencies in that it puts the safe through a 15’ drop test after it has been in the oven for an hour. They are replicating a fire in a burning multi-story building. Typically the floor will fall out and the safe will drop up to 15’ if it is on the second floor. If the safe still holds after that drop, it is UL Classified for one-hour fire endurance and in the safe industry, that is an extremely difficult test to pass. The SFW205UPC has passed this test and is a great option for multi-level buildings.
Considering it costs a lot to create and test a UL approved Fire safe, this safe has the price tag to match (check current price here). While I don’t find a 1 hour fire safe with no burglary protection worth it, if you are looking for a safe in a multi-level building, it may be your only option.
I will give credit to Sentry for making a classy looking safe. It includes two trays inside this safe, with one having the option to place dividers and is really a great way to store paperwork organized and neatly.
Finally, Sentry includes a touch screen electronic lock on this safe with a backup key override. As I’m not a fan of electronic locks in general, I wouldn’t recommend the Sentry electronic locks as being reliable, however the reviews that have come in so far have been favorable, so it may be worth giving it a shot.
Comparison Chart
| Fire Rating |
Price | Storage Capacity |
Reliability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stack-On PFS1608 | #3 | #1 | #3 | #2 |
| Steelwater AMSWD-500 | #2 | #2 | #1 | #1 |
| Sentry SFW205UPC | #1 | #2 | #2 | #3 |
