When it comes to gun ownership, you can never be too careful. That’s why we think that if you choose to be a gun owner and keep a weapon in your home, a biometric safe is the most responsible and secure way to ensure that your gun does not get into the wrong hands. Biometric safes use the owner’s fingerprint to open. This extra level of protection helps to prevent kids, teens, intruders and others from gaining access to the gun.
In addition to added security, biometric safes also make it possible to quickly access the contents of the safe. While many people use biometric locks for weapons, they can also be used for the contents of a traditional safe, like money, passports, important documents, and medication. In the case of a medical emergency, having the ability to easily and quickly retrieve the contents of your safe, including a bottle of life-saving pills or an Epi-Pen, is faster thanks to the biometric safe’s fingerprint feature.
Most biometric safes allow for multiple fingerprints to be entered and recognized, making the safe and its contents available to as many or as few users as you want. Biometric safes mean you don’t have to worry about remembering a combination code or keeping track of a key, which intruders or children may find and use to open the safe.
If your home includes a small firearm or you want a safe that has an added level of security to keep essential items like medication, identification, money, or jewelry safe from young children, teens or intruders, we recommend spending a bit more money and getting a biometric safe.
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What to Consider Before Buying a Biometric Safe
What will you be storing within it? Biometric safes are all more secure than simply having your objects lying round, but some are made with more security features than others. If you’re thinking of storing jewelry, handguns and other valuable items no one else should have access to, we recommend going for one with more intensive security features.
Where will you keep it? Do you want one you can carry with you? Keep in your car? Or store semi-permanently underneath your desk or bed? Consider where you’ll be keeping your biometric safe most of the time, and you can then narrow down what size and dimensions yours should be.
How quickly will you need to access it? Biometric safes are better than other options because a fingerprint scan is a much quicker point of entry than a keypad entry or a lock and key, and you can do it with one hand. Plus, an intruder could steal your keypad code or get ahold of your key, but it’s going to be much harder to steal your fingerprint.
How We Chose the Best Biometric Safes
When looking for the best biometric safes, we looked at several key factors:
Protectiveness
Durability
Security Features
Size, Portability and Dimensions
After considering all of the above, we decided on the below selection based on reviews, usability and included options for a variety of users. We’ve got biometric safes made to be kept in a permanent place at home, more portable options you can keep in your car and everything in between.
Here are the best biometric safes for securing your valuables.
1. Vaultek Biometric Handgun Safe
The Vaultek features Smart Safe Technology which allows users to view their safe’s battery life, check for tampering, view a history log, manage pre-programed fingerprints (up to 20), toggle the sound and unlock feature, and more all from a smartphone. The Vaultek also includes physical anti-theft protection, including anti-pry bars, anti-impact latches, and interior security brackets that prevent against break-ins. The Vaultek is made with heavy-duty 16-gauge carbon steel and runs on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which last up to four months on a single 2.5-hour charge through the included USB. The Vaultek is easy to access and view the contents thanks to a backlit keypad and interior LED light.
Pros: Upgraded with added anti-theft protection and featuring Smart Safe Technology that allows you to control your safe with your phone, the Vaultek Biometric Handgun Safe is one of the most advanced options in the biometric safe market.
Cons: The Vaultek has a big price tag.
2. BARSKA Safe with Fingerprint Lock
Designed to sit inside a drawer, the BARSKA opens from the top and easily displays all the safe’s contents. Made with pre-drilled holes for easy mounting, the BARKSA also has a protective floor mat and emergency back-up keys. With access in 2.5 seconds, the BARSKA runs on four AA batteries that last up to one year. The BARKSA can store up to 30 fingerprints, more than Vaultek’s 20 fingerprints and SentrySafe’s four fingerprints.
Pros: Built to hold any small personal belongings, the BARSKA Safe with Fingerprint Lock has two solid steel locking bolts and a motorized deadbolt lock for added security.
Cons: The BARKSA doesn’t have an interior light like the Vaultek.
3. ONNAIS Biometric Gun Safe
This biometric gun safe from ONNAIS allows for super quick access and can store up to 30 individual fingerprints, so a bunch of trusted users can store valuables inside. It uses Advanced Biometric Technology that’s more accurate and secure than your average keypad, and allows for singled-handed, discrete access to your firearm. It’s made with anti-corrosion, solid steel, the lid is pry resistant and it’s powered by four AA batteries. It’s portable and comes with three other access points, including a keypad lock and two backup override keys as well.
Pros: Large fingerprint storage capacity, three access points, built to be portable.
Cons: Storage isn’t as large as other gun safe options.
4. Awesafe Gun Safe
Use fingerprints, a key, or a manual keypad to gain access to important items with the Awesafe Gun Safe. The biometric safe gives users three options for accessing their sensitive material, including the fingerprint reader, which can store up to 30 fingerprints. The safe is made with solid steel and pry-resistant doors that keep contents safe. A gas strut provides a fast and quiet opening and the lightweight design means the safe can be easily moved. The Awesafe comes with the necessary batteries to power the biometric fingerprint pad and it also includes hardware to secure the safe using the predrilled holes.
Pros: A bright interior LED light makes it easy for users to see exactly what is inside their safe even in dark conditions.
Cons: The inner dimensions of the safe are small.
5. Viking Security Safe
Keep all your valuables secure and in one centralized space with the Viking Security Safe. The large safe measures 20 inches high and 14 inches wide, with a carpeted interior that includes three shelves for users to separate their important documents, jewelry, and medications. We also like that the interior of the safe is lit up with an LED light for better visibility. Users have the option to quickly open the safe using a pin code entered into the keypad or through their fingerprint thanks to the safes’ biometric abilities (up to 32 fingerprints can be recorded). The Viking safe has an upgraded 500 DPI optical sensor and a motorized 20 mm deadbolt locking mechanism.
Pros: A warning beep will sound if the safe is left open, which helps to ensure that users never forget to fully close the unit.
Cons: The shelves inside the safe are thin and somewhat flimsy.
6. SafeArms Biometric Gun Safe
This biometric gun safe from SafeArms is made of solid steel and is designed to be easily set up in just two minutes. It’s designed user-friendly and give you immediate access to your gun at a moment’s notice via the biometric fingerprint scan. It’s got a large capacity and is equipped with foam lining that protects your valuables from damage on-the-go.
Pros: Quick setup makes it easy to securely store valuables fast, durable exterior, foam lined interior.
Cons: Might be heavy for some users to carry.
7. Verifi Biometric Smart Safe
This biometric gun safe from Verifi is made with top-notch security features including an FBI-certified fingerprint sensor and automatic security checks every 24 hours. Every day, it self-assesses its battery levels, the effectiveness of the fingerprint sensor and the safe lock mechanism to ensure optimal performance. It operates on a single set of batteries and has an LCD display on the front that shows the battery percentage.
Pros: Top-notch security features, adjustable LED light, can hold up to 40 fingerprints on FBI-approved sensor.
Cons: Metal is thinner and safe is more lightweight than other options.
8. RPNB Mounted Biometric Gun Safe
This biometric handgun safe from RPNB is made of alloy steel and has a vertical, desk-mounted design that’s great for discrete storage in your work area or off your nightstand. It’s got a professional black finish, making it easy to incorporate into any space, and has a high-resolution fingerprint sensor that matches in less than a second for easy access.
Pros: Mounted design, speedy fingerprint access, multiple entry points including a keypad and backup key as well.
Cons: The pre-cut foam lining the interior might not accommodate all models of handguns.
9. SentrySafe
Certified as gun safe by the California Department of Justice, the SentrySafe is a biometric handgun safe that features a pry-resistant door to keep your weapon safely stored. With enough room to store one handgun, the SentrySafe uses a fingerprint scanner and is made from solid steel to keep your handgun safe and secure. A soft interior lining helps to protect the safes’ contents and a compression gas strut means the safe opens quickly and quietly.
Pros: The SentrySafe includes a manual keypad and override key for backup access and comes with a bolt down kit to secure the safe even further.
Cons: Unlike other SentrySafe models and the Vaultek, this option does not have an interior light.
10. RPNB Gun Security Safe
Keep security and safety at the forefront of your gun storage with the RPNB Gun Security Safe. The biometric safe is designed with three access points. A fingerprint scanner provides immediate access in under one second for up to 20 individual fingerprints. Users can also manually enter a code on a keypad or open the safe using a key. The outside of the safe is designed with 18-gauge steel and an anti-impact lock latch. Anti-pry bars are also used in the safe’s design to ensure that those who should not gain access to the safe’s contents are kept out. Predrilled holes for bolting are also included in the safe’s design.
Pros: The RPNB features a built-in handle that makes this a portable option for safe gun storage.
Cons: The fingerprint reader can be unreliable.