The All About Safes’ Guide to Safe locks

As safe suppliers and engineers for over 20 years we know our stuff when it comes to safes for the home, office or commercial premises. The safe market is huge, and until you buy one for the first time you’d be forgiven for thinking that they’re very simple.

Modern safes now come in so many shapes, sizes, ratings, styles and purposes that choosing your new safe can be tricky without the right guidance. One question that often confuses people is the lock, and which option to choose. It’s probably the most important part of the safe from a user’s perspective, so getting it right is important.

To help you choose, here’s our simple safe lock guide

Safes with a key lock

A key lock is the most traditional and least expensive option. Keys for safes come in all shapes and sizes, and some keys can be quite long. Keys are able to be replicated after you buy your safe but it’s a better idea to order spares at the time (most safes come with two keys). Key locks are favoured amongst many users as they don’t need to remember a code to get into the safe. In a world of passwords for this, that and the other, it’s nice to have a simple key to get into your safe!

The benefits of a key lock

• Key locks don’t require a code for you to remember.
• Key locks don’t need batteries.
• Spare keys can be cut by a specialist safe engineer if you need more.
• Key locks rarely fail as they have less technology.
• The keys can’t be copied without the skills of a certified locksmith.

The downside of a key lock

• Keys can be lost easily and it’s expensive to open and then replace.
• Keys can be misused or damaged when handled by multiple users.
• Keys can be bulky and awkward to carry around.
• Keys can break and it’s not unknown for people to break them in the lock, which will mean an expensive engineer call out.

Safes with a electronic lock

Electronic locks are easy to use keypads, and are more expensive to buy than a key lock. A keypad can be programmed to have any code and is battery operated. Electronic locks are very popular on modern safes as we are all living in a digital world and it seems almost everything has to be digital too. Electronic locks are popular with people who need to allow multiple users to gain access to the safe without having to have loads of keys.

The benefits of an electronic lock

• Electronic locks are reprogrammable. This suits multiple users as you can change the code regularly, or when you need to restrict access in the future.
• Electronic safes only need a code so you don’t have to carry a key around (with the exception of low end safes which have an override key in case of a lockout).
• You won’t have to worry about losing a key or costly repairs if you do.
• Electronic locks are user-friendly and simple to use.

The downside of electronic locks

• You can forget the code for an electronic lock.
• You’ll need to replace the batteries (but the lock will warn you before you need to).
• Electronic locks are more expensive to buy and replace if you lose the code.

It’s very often a choice taking into account personal preference and the way that you’ll use your new safe. If you have multiple users you may find an electronic lock much easier to manage or you may prefer the traditional key lock. Whatever you decide make sure that it’s the right decision for you and the day-to-day operation of the safe. If you’re planning on giving access to people in the future then an electronic lock would give this ability really easily whereas a key lock wouldn’t.

If you need any help or advice just give one of the All About Safes team a call. We’ll ask you the right questions and help you find exactly what you’re looking for, with no fuss.