The Safety Dance [Infographic]

When shopping for a safe, it's often difficult to decide which model gives you the best value for your money and provides the right level of protection for your valuables. There are a lot of options out there, and while a high-security burglar-fire safe will undoubtedly protect anything you put in it, it's probably overkill if you're just protecting documents.

The Safety Dance Infographic below walks you through a simple decision tree. Answer a few questions about where you'll use the safe, what you're storing, and what it's worth, and you'll land on the right type of safe for your situation.

How to Use the Safety Dance Infographic

Start at the dial in the middle of the infographic. The first question is where you'll use the safe: house, apartment, or business. Follow the path from there through questions about what you're protecting (jewelry, cash, documents, firearms), the total replacement value, and any environmental risks (wildfires, flooding). The infographic ends at a specific safe type designed for your answers.

The sections below walk through each of the three main paths in text form, with links to the safe categories you'll land on.

Home Safes

If you live in a house, the infographic asks what you're protecting: family heirlooms, jewelry, cash you don't want in the bank, or important documents. Then it asks about the total replacement value of the contents.

• Under $5,000 in valuables, mostly documents: A fireproof home safe is the right fit. If your area is prone to flooding or wildfires, step up to a waterproof safe that also handles fire.
• $5,000 to $50,000 in valuables: A burglary safe if fire isn't a concern, or a burglar and fire safe for combined protection.
• Over $50,000: Move up to a high-security burglar and fire safe. At that value, most insurance policies also require a certified TL-rated safe.

Apartment Safes

Apartment dwellers usually need something smaller and more discreet. The infographic points you to:

• Hidden storage: A diversion safe disguised as an everyday object. Great for mystery-novel fans and anyone who wants an extra layer of concealment.
• Compact freestanding safe: A small fireproof home safe that fits inside a closet without needing to be mounted to a wall. Rental leases usually prohibit cutting into walls, which rules out most in-wall options.
• College dorms: A laptop or dorm safe for a room where a full home safe won't fit.

Business Safes

Business owners get the most branching in the infographic because commercial needs vary widely by industry. The main paths:

• Cash-heavy retail or restaurant that needs register access: An under-counter depository safe for shift deposits.
• Hotels providing in-room safes for guests: A hotel safe sized for laptops and valuables.
• Pharmacies storing controlled substances: A DEA-compliant pharmacy safe that meets Schedule I and II storage requirements.
• Businesses with high-value cash or inventory: A high-security burglar and fire safe for contents over $50,000.

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About the Author

Dominic Schwebs, a home safety and security expert with over 15 years of experience, is the Digital Marketing and E-Commerce Manager at Safe and Vault Store. He thoroughly understands the art of building brand awareness and skillful product marketing using the power of social media, informative blogs, podcasts, YouTube videos, and more. Driven by the desire to provide the ultimate user experience, he has helped build safeandvaultstore.com into a top-selling, nationally recognized e-commerce site. Dominic is proud to live, work, and call Spokane, WA home.

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