Fire proof safe recommendations

amalone1013

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2016
I'd like to get a fire proof/waterproof safe for important papers items. Does anyone have any recommendations or info? I was thinking of something like this: https://staples.com/SentrySafe-Waterproof-Fire-Resistant-File-Safe/product_651875


Currently we have a small one (pencil box size) and a plastic file tote for important papers. I'd like to get a bigger safe that holds files for papers and some USB drives with photos, and then move all of the papers I rarely get into in there. And keep the plastic tote for gathering tax items throughout the year, store things I need for just a few months like ticket confirmations, etc. Then use the small safe for gift cards I'm saving for things.
 
Our daughter had one like that, (based on the picture, not necessarily the same brand). The lock did not hold up well.
 
I've had a smaller sentry one for a long time, I forget how many years ago I got it. My mom has one similar to the one you linked at least as long as I've had mine. They've both held up well. You aren't getting into it that often so I haven't had any issues with the lock and neither has she. My issue is with the key because the hole isn't that big and my keychain is fatter so it sometimes gets stuck. I have one key with my car keys and another in the house.

The one thing I keep in mine that I don't see listed on yours is a backup hard drive. Every so often I back up everything on the laptops and put the drive back in the safe.

For photo's, because you never know what will happen or when you'll need them, I actually keep them on my facebook in a private album that only I have access to. Which reminds me, I need to update my photo's and upload them with some new stuff.
 
If you really want to keep items safe such as a backup, it is probably better to store them at a different location (i.e bank safety deposit box), so that one event at your home (i.e. flood/fire) doesn't ruin everything.
 
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We have had one similar to this since we got married in 2002. It's about half the depth of the one in your link, and I would definitely get the size you linked or even splurge for an actual small safe. Ours is soooo full now. Things that come to mind that we keep in ours:

Mine and DH's parents have both sent us our medical records like vacinnation history, birth certificates, etc.
Passports
Video CD's from all of our grandparents funerals (the kind that they play with pictures on them)
All of our daughters documents like social security cards, birth certificates, etc.
Savings Bonds for all 3 of us (which probably need to have something done with them but that's a whole different story)

That doesn't sound like much, but our box is so full now it's hard to get it opened and shut, and I keep saying we are going to get something bigger, but we haven't. We haven't had any trouble out of the box itself, but fortunately we haven't had to test it for its abilities either.
 
The one thing I keep in mine that I don't see listed on yours is a backup hard drive. Every so often I back up everything on the laptops and put the drive back in the safe.

For photo's, because you never know what will happen or when you'll need them, I actually keep them on my facebook in a private album that only I have access to. Which reminds me, I need to update my photo's and upload them with some new stuff.
I have a backup hard drive too that will go in there.

I like the photo idea. I've been thinking of uploading a bunch to google photos. I have my phone photos back up there automatically now.
If you really want to keep items safe such as a backup, it is probably better to store them at a different location (i.e bank safety deposit box), so that one event at your home (i.e. flood/fire) doesn't ruin everything.
We were thinking about this, as well as trading off with a few friends/family members - each storing a backup of photos for the other.
We have had one similar to this since we got married in 2002. It's about half the depth of the one in your link, and I would definitely get the size you linked or even splurge for an actual small safe. Ours is soooo full now. Things that come to mind that we keep in ours:

Mine and DH's parents have both sent us our medical records like vacinnation history, birth certificates, etc.
Passports
Video CD's from all of our grandparents funerals (the kind that they play with pictures on them)
All of our daughters documents like social security cards, birth certificates, etc.
Savings Bonds for all 3 of us (which probably need to have something done with them but that's a whole different story)
We've been married a year, and don't have a ton of things but I've been trying to be in good habits for documents and such. Growing up the only thing we could consistently find were SS cards and birth certificates... beyond that my dad just had paper EVERYWHERE.

Right now I'd like to store passports, birth certs/ss cards, marriage license, the last several years of tax returns, back up hard drive, usbs with photos, and a few other documents that I don't ever get into but want to keep for now. I'm hoping that that size would be good for now and we could be settled in a house or something when we need more space.
 
We have a smaller SentrySafe with a carrying handle and have no complaints. It's 12 years old now and there are no issues with the key or lock.
 


All I'll say is -- if you're going to go through the bother of purchasing a safe - make sure you bolt it down into your floorboard or a wall. There is simply no point in owning one - if it can be quickly picked up and walked off with. We've had nothing but good experiences with Sentry Safe.
 
I have no real advice about safes. We have a small one with a handle so we *can* pick it up and walk away with it in the event of an emergency. (I’m not under the illusion I’m keeping anything safe from bad guys.) We keep things in it that would take awhile to replace or that we need on hand for various things, Social Security, Birth Certificates, Marriage License, Shot Records and Vehichle Titles. Everything else there are easily attainable digital records.

Anyway, I popped in here to say that if you are an Amazon Prime Member you have unlimited photo storage. Not a lot of people know that or use it. Took me about a week to get everything on it but it’s worth the time to do. I have my photo folders set up to auto back up with Amazon Drive to keep it up to date.
 
Anyway, I popped in here to say that if you are an Amazon Prime Member you have unlimited photo storage. Not a lot of people know that or use it. Took me about a week to get everything on it but it’s worth the time to do. I have my photo folders set up to auto back up with Amazon Drive to keep it up to date.
I did not realize this, I will be looking into it! Also agree on being able to carry the safe if needed... I guess for me it's more about keeping the important things gathered in a secure location and hopefully it would be okay if something happened while we were gone.
 
I have a filing cabinet type it holds a lot 4 big drawers. Found it at an office estate sale.

Kae
 
Late to the party, but we bought a safe a few years ago to hold important documents. I am glad we made the purchase. We got the Sentry Safe 2.0 Cubic Ft. Combo Fire-Safe from Costco. It cost $275 including tax. I got this one because I didn't want a biometric version that required any form of electricity to open.
 
Multiple thoughts:

- We bought a relatively large safe from Craigslist for $30 and are quite happy with it. We no longer maintain a safety deposit box.
- The safe you're showing is small enough that a thief could carry it away; I think something larger /heavier would be safer.
- With some safes, if you bolt them down (so they can't be carried away), you ruin the fireproof /waterproof benefits.
- I totally agree with the person who says don't buy a safe that is electronic in any way. Simple is best. No batteries to go dead or be damaged by a fire.
- Some papers need to be saved -- original birth certificates, passports, etc. -- but much of your paperwork could be scanned /saved to a flashdrive. A flashdrive is so small that you could make duplicate copies and keep one in another location. Remember that the chances of your original paperwork (presumably in a less-secure file cabinet) being destroyed is fairly remote, and most of that paperwork is replaceable -- though it'd be trouble.
- Photographs can also be saved to that flashdrive.
- When we build our new house, we intend to build one closet that locks. Our plan is that this'll be for the safe (at comfortable waist level -- right now it's on the floor, and we have to get a flashlight to shine on the dial), guns, and gifts purchased ahead of time.
- We are building on a slab, and we are kicking around the idea of a "sunken" safe in the floor. Obviously no one could ever carry it away, but it would be useless for water protection. Our land isn't flood-prone, but IF your house ever burns, the firemen will flood it for you. So is such a safe worthwhile?
- Our safe is so hard to open! Left, right, so many numbers -- this isn't the Master Lock from your high school locker -- we never manage to open it the first try. We keep intending to order a key for it -- the information is engraved inside the safe. We intend to put the key inside the cabinet where we keep all our other spare keys, and we'll label it "Red lawnmower". We own no red lawnmower, but we think it'd fool a thief.
 

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