Not sure what types of safes would work best for your business? There are a number of different options, with differing capabilities. The best safe for you will depend on what you specifically need to protect - whether it’s cash, sensitive documents, or other valuables. Here are some of the different safe types you might consider.
Depository safe
Most business will buy a depository safe - designed to hold deposits of cash or important documents for a limited amount of time. These safes are built to safeguard against theft, rather than fire. Businesses who own a depository safe will periodically transfer the contents of their safe to a bank or other, more secure location. As the name would imply depository safes are ideal for making quick deposits. Restaurants or retail offices may have large depository safes with drop slots for daily drops. Good depository safe models include the Hayman CV-F20-C Depository Safe and theHayman CV-f30W-2-CC Double Door Depository Safe. Also, floor safes with a drop slot are sometimes chosen by businesses. One significant advantage of a floor safe is that a criminal cannot haul it off and break into it at a more secure location. However, floor safes do require more space and are less commonly used than free-standing safes. One example of such a floor safe is theHayman FS2300B with drop slot.Burglar safe
Businesses that don’t make regular deposits but still want to protect cash and other valuables will be better off with a burglar safe. Burglars safes have strong locks that are difficult for professional burglars to crack, thick steel walls, and solid construction. These features make them very secure against theft. AMSEC MS1414K Security Safe and theHayman CV-20-C Burglar Safe are both excellent choices for a burglar safe.
Burglar & fire safe
If you want fire protection as well as theft protection, there are safes that are built for both. With strong locks, thick steel walls, and doors, plus fire material, these safes offer total protection. If you’re concerned about the risk of fire in addition to the risk of theft, these are good choices. When judging the fire rating of a safe, you will see a measurement written in the form “x degrees for y minutes.” This measurement explains how long a safe can withstand a fire of a given heat before the contents are destroyed. For context, a typical office fire will burn at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit or more. You will want a safe that can hold out for up to 1 hour or greater against such a fire. Anything less, and the contents may become vulnerable. Two fire reliable models for combination burglar/fire safes are theGardall 1812-2 and theAMSEC CSC1913. There are also fire-only safes, which provide fire protection without theft protection. However, these are built with such thin steel that they are not a good choice for business, being very easy to break into.
High-security safes
Jewelry stores, pawn shops, and other establishments that have to safeguard valuable items for long periods of time often invest in high security safes. Think of these as burglar/fire safes but beefier. With strong fire ratings, UL Listed locks, and very thick steel, high security safes provide very great protection. Examples include theMutual AS-1 and theMutual AS-2.
Types of safes your business doesn’t need
There are a few types of safes that are not suitable for businesses. They include:- Fire-only safes: These provide fire protection without the theft protection, and are usually a bit cheaper than composite safes. However, these are built with such thin steel that they are not a good choice for business, being very easy for even a novice burglar to break open.
- Wall safes: These are a good choice for home, but are almost never used for business because they require so much space, and are not rated against fire. A freestanding safe or perhaps a floor safe will be a better bet.
