How We Research
Every guide on TallShelf starts with one question: will this product work for the person who is shopping for it? For our home safe guides, that means what you want to protect, how much room it needs and how you want to open it.
Here is how we answer it.
1. We start with what you're storing
Papers, passports, hard drives and keepsakes can each need a different size and rating. A product built for paper may not be made for drives or photos.
We check the inside size in cubic feet, the lock type and the fire and water ratings the maker lists. When your space limits the choice, like a tight spot at home, we say what to measure.
2. We compare specs and features
We look at inside size, lock type (digital keypad, dial or key), fire and water ratings, shelves and bolt-down holes.
We also note the warranty terms the maker lists. When a detail comes from the maker, we say so.
3. We look at buyer feedback
We read through what buyers report after using a safe. We look for patterns, like keypad problems, locks that stick, tight inside space or doors that are hard to close.
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 product that's great for one buyer 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. SentrySafe, Amazon Basics and Honeywell each sell products with similar names and different ratings, so we check each model name and code before we write about 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 put any safe through a fire or a flood.
Fire and water ratings are the maker's claims, and we label them that way. Fireproof usually means fire resistant for a set time, so check the rating on the maker's page.
We don't promise that anything stored in a safe will survive a fire, a flood or a break-in. Our guides give no legal, insurance or estate advice.