How Secure Are Key Safes?

If you have valuables or cash that need to be protected from theft, a safe provides a secure place to store these items. However, many people find it difficult to choose the right safe for their needs. Key safes are the most traditional and best known type of safe. But with so many different types of safes now on the market, how secure are key safes compared to safes that use other types of locking mechanisms?

Advantages of Key Safes

Key safes are very simple to use. A key operated safe is opened by inserting the correct key into the lock and turning it to draw back the bolt and allow the door to be opened. As the locking mechanism of a key safe is entirely mechanical, the safe does not require power to be supplied from a battery. Key locking safes can keep valuables safe for years or even decades without needing any maintenance.

Disadvantages of Key Safes

Valuables stored in a key safe are only as well protected as the key to the safe. If you leave the key to the safe in a place where it can be easily found and taken, you might as well not bother putting your valuables in a safe at all. Also, it is possible for someone who gets their hands on the key to make copies of it without your knowledge. Experienced thieves have also been known to successfully pick the locks of key safes, drawing on their knowledge of common interior locking mechanism types to allow them to carry out this task.

How do Key Safes Compare to Digital Safes?

Digital safes are a modern alternative to key operated safes. The door of an electronic digital safe will open only when the correct code is entered using the keypad on the door. A digital safe is potentially more secure than a key safe because once the code has been memorised there is no way for the thief to steal it as they could steal a key. However, many people write down the code to the digital safe, or use a combination that is easy to guess such as their date of birth or a sequence of numbers such as "1234". Using such codes compromises the security of a digital safe.

How do Key Safes Compare to Dual-Locking Safes?

Some safes have more than one locking mechanism. For example, a digital/key safe requires both a key and a code to open the door. This type of safe is obviously more secure than a safe that uses only one type of locking mechanism, as it will be difficult for a thief to get hold of both the key and the code needed to open the safe. Some key safes need more than one key to open the safe. This adds extra security as the two keys can be stored in different locations - for example, two partners of a business could each have a key. That way, neither safe user can open the safe without the other's knowledge and cooperation. Safes that use multiple dual locking mechanisms offer the best possible security for storing valuables, important documents and cash. Photo credit: Some rights reserved by RLJ Photography NYC