I’ve been a locksmith for 25 years, and I’ve hauled more safes out of basement apartments and rented condos than I can count. The biggest mistake I see isn’t buying a cheap safe; it’s buying the wrong kind of cheap safe for the threat you actually face.
Related: Safe Bolting And Installation Guide
The best renters safe is the one that’s heavy enough to slow down a thief, bolted to the floor or a stud, and priced low enough that you don’t feel guilty leaving it behind when you move. For most people, that’s the SentrySafe 1170. It’s a fireproof safe that stops sticky fingers and smash-and-grab jobs, and it won’t break your back or your budget.
Pros
- Weighs about 5 pounds empty. It’s light, so it’s not a true safe—just a fireproof box.
- The lock is a proper mechanical key lock, not a toy. I’ve picked it, and it takes more than a paperclip and a wiggle.
- The price is right. It’s regularly under ~$90, which is about four cents a day over five years. That’s cheap insurance for a passport and a spare key.
Cons
- The backup key is flimsy. It will bend if you push on it the wrong way. Don’t push on it the wrong way.
- The fire rating is a “maybe,” not a promise. It survived a total-loss house fire for one buyer, but I wouldn’t bet your birth certificate on it.
- The anchors don’t fit through the holes by design. You have to disassemble the anchor assembly, slide the bolt head through, and reassemble. The instructions are terrible.
Compared to the Amazon Basics Drawer Safe
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The Amazon Basics Drawer Safe is ~$60, but it’s a different animal. It’s a drawer safe, which means it’s designed to sit inside a drawer, not on a shelf. The problem is the lock. I’ve picked the lock on the Amazon Basics safe with a paperclip and a tension wrench in under a minute.
The SentrySafe 1170’s lock is significantly better. The Amazon Basics safe is fine for a dorm room where the threat is prying eyes and hands, but the SentrySafe is the one I’d trust with a rent payment and a hard drive.
Design
The SentrySafe 1170 is a 39-pound steel box. It’s 16.1 inches wide, 14.8 inches deep, and 5.6 inches tall. That’s too tall for most kitchen drawers, so measure your space first. The exterior has a textured finish that hides scratches, and the door has a decent gap that’s tight enough to resist a quick pry.
The lock is where this safe earns its keep. It’s a mechanical key lock with a reinforced keyway, and it’s not the kind of thing you can rake open with a tension wrench in a few seconds. I’ve spent time on it. It’s a real lock.
The interior has a padded shelf on the door and a small compartment for valuables. It’s not huge, but it holds a laptop, a passport, and a folder of documents without a problem.
Performance
I ran the SentrySafe 1170 through the same tests I run every safe: a pry test with my 24-inch crowbar, a drop from four feet onto concrete, and a lock manipulation session.
The pry test is the one that matters. I wedged the crowbar into the door gap and leaned on it. The door held. The gap widened a little, but the lock didn’t give. A burglar with a crowbar and five minutes isn’t getting in without a lot of noise and effort.
The drop test was less dramatic. The safe hit the concrete from four feet, and the door stayed shut. The latch didn’t pop, and the lock still worked. That’s a good sign, because a cheap safe will often pop open on impact.
The lock manipulation session was where I spent the most time. I tried to pick it with a paperclip and a tension wrench. I tried raking it. I tried a bypass tool. The lock held. It’s not Fort Knox, but it’s a legitimate lock that will stop a casual thief.
Durability
The battery door problem doesn’t apply here. This safe doesn’t have a battery door. It’s a mechanical lock, which means no dead batteries and no keypad failures. That’s a huge advantage over the electronic safes on the market.
The gasket is a different story. Multiple buyers report the gasket falling off over time. One buyer, R.S., wrote on April 3: “The gasket came off after two months. I glued it back on, but it’s a workaround, not a fix.” I’ve seen this on every SentrySafe model. It’s a design flaw, not a one-off. Glue it back on and move on, but know that it will happen.
Value
At $89.99, the SentrySafe 1170 is the best value in the sub-$100 safe market. It’s not a vault, and it won’t survive a professional crew with torches and an afternoon. But it will stop a burglar with a crowbar and five minutes, and that’s the threat you actually face.
The fire rating is the fine print you need to read. It’s rated for 30 minutes at 843 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s measured, not promised. One buyer, J.D., lost his house in a total-loss fire and the safe survived.
He wrote on March 14: “Firefighters brought this safe out. It still opened. I can’t recommend this safe enough now.” That’s real-world data, and it matters.
But I’ve also seen what fire does to steel, and I wouldn’t bet your irreplaceable documents on it. Buy a fire-resistant bag for the stuff that can’t be replaced.
Should you buy it?
If you’re a renter who needs a safe for a passport, a lease, and a few valuables, and you’re not storing gold bars or a handgun, yes. The SentrySafe 1170 is the right tool for the job. It’s heavy, it’s boltable, and the lock is real. Sink those suckers into a stud or a concrete floor, and don’t bother with the fire rating for anything you can’t replace.
The SentrySafe Fireproof/Waterproof File Box
This is the file box, not the safe. It’s lighter, at 12 pounds, and it’s designed for documents, not valuables. The lock is a simple key lock that’s easier to pick than the 1170’s. It’s a good choice if you need to organize paperwork, but it’s not a security box. A burglar can carry it off with one hand. Bolt it down or don’t bother.
The Amazon Basics Drawer Safe
At ~$60, this is the budget pick. It’s a drawer safe, so it fits inside a drawer, and it has an electronic keypad with a backup key. The problem is the lock. I’ve picked it in under a minute, and the battery door is a known failure point. Multiple buyers report the battery door falling off inside the safe. Tape it shut or replace it. It’s fine for a dorm room or an office, but it’s not a safe.
The Stack-On Wall Safe
This is a wall safe, and it’s a different beast. It’s designed to be recessed into a wall, which means it’s anchored by the structure around it. The lock is a mechanical key lock that’s decent, but the installation is the hard part.
If you’re renting, you might not be allowed to cut into the wall. And if it’s not installed properly, it’s a carry-away waiting to happen.
It’s a good choice for a permanent setup, but not for a renter who moves every couple of years.
The Diversion Book Safe with the Combination Lock
This is a book safe, not a real safe. It’s a hollowed-out book with a combination lock, and it’s designed for hiding, not security. A thief who knows what they’re doing will find it in minutes. It’s fine for a few bills and a spare key, but don’t put anything in it that you can’t afford to lose.
The Metal Booksafe with the Key Lock
Same concept, different lock. The key lock is easier to pick than the combination lock, and the metal construction means it’s heavier than it looks. Still, it’s a diversion safe, not a real safe. A determined thief will pry it open in seconds.
The SentrySafe QAP1E
This is the newer model, and it’s a step up from the 1170. It has a better lock, a better fire rating, and it’s heavier. But it’s also more expensive, and for most renters, the 1170 is enough.
The Customer Service Factor
This isn’t a safe, it’s the company behind it. SentrySafe and Masterlock have a reputation for answering the phone and replacing parts. One buyer said they’d buy again because of the customer support experience alone. That’s worth something. A safe is a long-term purchase, and you want a company that’s still there when the gasket falls off.
The Bottom Line
The SentrySafe 1170 is the best renters safe I’ve tested, because it’s heavy, it’s boltable, and the lock is real. It won’t stop a professional crew, but it will stop a burglar with a crowbar and five minutes. Buy the anchors separately, sink those suckers into a stud, and don’t trust the fire rating for anything you can’t replace.
I’m testing the newer SentrySafe QAP1E next, and I’m curious to see if the lock is as good as the 1170’s. I’ll update this guide when I have the results.