Posted on 06/08/2012 11:31:50 AM PDT by Lima_Two_Zero_Alpha
Push button has faster access.
I prefer combo safes.
You might check price difference for fire proof safe.
Best if you can locate it so you can drill a hole in concrete, to bolt the safe to the floor or basement wall.
Make sure all family members know to keep their mouths shut about having the safe.
Understand that most safes aren’t going to stop a thief who has any real amount of time in the premises, especially if he comes prepared. Most important rule: NOBODY knows you have a safe.
“You have to change the batteries annually that power the electronics. If you forget, then you may get locked out of your safe and need a locksmith to open it. “
That’s not true. You either replace the batteries and it operates normally or on some models you take off the pushbutton pad and use a key. I never heard of anyone needing a locksmith because the batteries went dead. I suppose it could happen if they lost the instructions on how to replace batteries, but usually it is obvious.
“Dial safes are more foolproof with a lower failure rate and you can’t get locked out unless you forget your combination.”
That’s not true either. Combo locks will get sticky over time (especially if they aren’t used often) and you can get locked out until it can get serviced. Usually though you have plenty of warning that it needs service when you have to redial multiple times. If you have the safe in an unheated space, you might notice the dial beginning to stick when the temperatures drop.
The big deal is to get one thick enough and Bolt it to the FLOOR! Combination lock works fine, is very simple and impervious to EMP. You'll need batteries probably for a digital. Most Mail Order companies provide in home delivery via moving companies. AG English is a personal friend of mine and has been in the business for 30 years. I can vouch for them. http://www.agenglish.com/
There is a simple test for this. Purchase a pad lock and learn the combination - you can even use your gym lock or your kids school lock.
Next, find a phone with a key pad.
Then turn out the lights to simulate night time, and give yourself 15 seconds to open the lock or punch in a 4 digit number.
Which ever one you can do faster and more consistantly .... that is your choice.
Thanks for clearing that up.
I have two safes. One is a small “fireproof” safe for valuable papers. The other is a gun safe. Both are key-locked.
I used to have a combination lock safe for the valuable papers. The combination lock was tricky to get to work, and got worse with time. I finally got rid of it.
I strongly recommend the key lock.
An analog lock (tumbler combination) is slower to operate and you’ll have to use the combination that is set by the factory and can only be changed by a trained locksmith.
A digital lock (push button combination) can be accessed very fast and you can change the combination any time you desire in just a few seconds. They can have thousands of different combinations and are very hard to crack.
I bought a nice 40 gun gun safe last year (Cannon Patriot) and it is like Ft. Knox.
If you are storing important papers and/or cash it is vital that you have a safe with as high a UL fire rating as you can afford. If you are not storing guns in your safe, I'd lean towards the combination lock over the electronic. If you choose to go electronic, go with the fingerprint (biometric) rather then the push button (more secure code).
Regards,
GtG
PS Do not put your safe on display in the front room. They can't steal what they cant see!
Yes to the slower operation, no to the factory set combination only. It takes about five minutes with a screwdriver to change if you have the slightest mechanical aptitude. If you do change it try to lock/unlock it several times without closing the door just to be sure that everything is working.
Hint, when selecting a new combination do NOT pick your phone number, zip code, house number, birthday. DO pick something that you will never forget like your first girlfriend's phone number...
Regards,
GtG
I've heard that there are GE Monitor Top refrigerators circa 1927 still running.
Back in the day they designed things to last, then the marketing folks figured out that they were killing their own market!
Looks like it might make a pretty good safe too.
Regards,
GtG
Virtually all push button safes come with a second method to open them. Because they will melt and become inoperable. Or lose battery power.
Real question is how much you want to spend determines which ones are good matches for you. All need to be bolted down or to a wall. Needs to be able to survive a pry bar attack. Hundreds of dollars, if not more for this.
I don't doubt it.
Before the federal government dictated efficiency standards for electrical appliances, refrigerators were basically an insulated box with few moving parts: a sealed for life motorized compressor, a thermostat, a door and a light switch. All of which could easily last 20, 30, 40 years or more without a problem.
Old refrigerators were discarded more often because the design looked dated or they began to look shabby than because they stopped working.
Now in order to make them use a little bit less electricity they are complex devices with intricate electronics, cold air doors, flow dampers, circulating fans and multiple sensors.
We might be saving $60 dollars a year in electricity when they operate correctly but they cost many times more than a simple unit to purchase, a single service call costs hundreds of dollars and their working lifetime is much shorter.
It's another case of Nanny State government meddling creating more problems than improvements.
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