Safes and lockboxes are often confused for each other, but in reality these pieces of equipment are very different in their function and level of true security, although they may sound similar. Here’s a guide to the differences between professional safes and lockboxes, as prepared by the safe installation and security experts at SOS Locksmith.
Safes
Safes are the more secure option, but of course, how they are constructed determines how, well, safe they actually are. You want to ensure that both the body and door of the safe is constructed with a high steel content, that the safe was welded together professionally, and that the safe has passed with high marks under strict fire burglary resistance testing. Furthermore, you want to make sure that your safe’s bolts have been installed with a high level of professionalism, and that the safe has a warranty. Safes need to be well hidden. They are available in combination lock or digital lock iterations. For the most part, combination locks take a longer time to unlock. They are secure, but this can work against you if for some reason you forget your code.
Lockboxes
Lockboxes are inherently weaker. They are available as personal protection boxes or standard lockboxes. Personal protection boxes are lockboxes that are specifically meant to hold guns that will only require retrieval once in a while. Lockboxes are meant to be accessed on a regular basis, and are usually meant to hold cash during a form of informal business context like a yard sale or a show. Standard lockboxes can open with typical keys or with a digital code, however personal protection boxes are created to open much faster in situations of danger. All lockboxes can be bolted down for security, but they are inherently weaker than safes as they are usually composed of less metal, and weaker metal at that. Key safes are another variety of lock box, meant to hold keys, and are usually made of plastic with a combination dial. These are usually deployed by real estate agents looking to protect their property – but they are the most insecure of all, as they are never created to be bolted down in place. While these offer convenience, they are simply no comparison to the reliable and strong security that is offered by a quality safe.
