How We Research
Every guide on Flood of Dollars starts with one question: will this safe work for the person who is shopping for it? For our home safe guides, that means what you want to store, where it will sit and how you want to open it.
Here is how we answer it.
1. We start with what you're protecting
Papers, passports, jewelry and keepsakes each call for a different size. A box made for flat papers may not fit a bulky folder, and a small safe may not hold a laptop.
We check the inside size and the cubic feet the maker lists. When your space limits the choice, we say what to measure first.
2. We compare specs and features
We look at inside and outside size, weight, lock type (keypad, dial or key), shelves, bolt-down holes and the fire and water ratings the maker lists.
SentrySafe, Honeywell, First Alert and Amazon Basics describe their safes in their own words, so we name the maker for every rating or claim. We also note the warranty terms the maker lists.
3. We look at buyer feedback
We read through what buyers report after using a safe. We look for patterns, like keypads that stop responding, doors that stick, tight inside space and batteries that run down.
One angry review doesn't sink a product. A pattern does.
4. We score each product
Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. A safe that's great for one reader may score lower in a guide written for another.
Scores spread out on purpose. A 10 is rare.
5. We keep pages up to date
Products change, and some disappear from stores. Several makers sell safes with near-identical names and different ratings, so we check each model name and number, and we only link new units.
We skip any product with a known recall, and we repeat a rating only when the maker names the standard behind it. When we update a guide, the "Updated on" date at the top changes with it.
What our picks are not
Our picks are research, not lab tests. We don't claim to have used every safe we cover.
A fire or water rating describes a test under set conditions. It is the maker's claim, not a promise that papers, drives or photos will survive a real fire or flood.
We don't call any safe burglar-proof, and we give no insurance, legal or money advice. Follow the maker's manual for setting up, anchoring and caring for your safe.