Buying the right safe can seem like a hopelessly daunting task. You've researched the confusing multitude of different fire and burglary ratings, but still aren't sure what safe is right for you. You know you want some fire protection and, of course, good burglary protection. The TL-rated safes seem like overkill, more fit for commercial duty at a bank or jewelry store rather than the closet in your master bedroom. It doesn't help that the TL-rated safes you've seen all have price tags in the several thousand dollar range or higher! So it looks like an RSC (Residential Security Container) burglary safe is what you're after.
There is only one problem. The market is flooded with dozens of different RSC rated burglary safe models. Additionally, the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) RSC rating encompasses a huge range of different levels of security. The RSC rating is a basic burglary certification that means a validated safe can successfully resist entry for a minimum of 5 minutes with small, common hand tools. However, the RSC rating is a minimum bar, and the next highest UL rating - TL-15 - is a true commercial safe rating. There is a massive gap in between the UL RSC and TL-15 ratings.
But not all RSC certified safes are equally secure though. Some RSC burglary safe models are head and shoulders above others. Knowing which safes are at the very top of the RSC category is vital if you want to protect your valuables without spending a small fortune on a TL rated unit. So I've put together a list of outstanding RSC safes that I call "RSC+" safes.
Although not nearly much money as TL rated safes (which generally start at over $2,000 and rapidly increase in price from there), RSC+ safes are still expensive compared to poor-quality, inferior RSC safes. You do get what you pay for with safes! Please note that all prices given are current MSRPs as of 2016. These RSC+ safes are sometimes available at discounts, so with a little persistence you may be able to buy one for less than the listed price.
1) The AMSEC BF Series
The first high quality RSC+ safe to consider is the AMSEC (American Security) BF Series. This superlative RSC safe has a 3-1/2" thick door consisting of a solid 1/2" steel plate reinforced with a proprietary fire and burglary resistant amalgam. The door also has a 1/4" thick carburized hardplate to hinder attempts to drill the lock. The body is constructed of two 1/8" thick inner and outer steel plates that enclose 2-5/8" of AMSEC's proprietary fire and burglary resistant amalgam.
The AMSEC BF Series is proudly made in the U.S.A and is one of the few RSC safes in the market today with true "B"-rated burglary construction! It is fire certified to withstand temperatures of 1700 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour. Pricing starts at $1,350, making this safe a good value for those looking for serious, yet still affordable protection. AMSEC also has an excellent line of BF gun safes for those with larger storage needs, although they are not built to exactly the same specifications as the smaller BF line talked about here.
2) The Sturdy Safe Stainless Steel Cube
The next excellent RSC candidate is Sturdy Safe's Model 2020, otherwise known as The Cube. This robust safe is fully constructed from stainless steel. Stainless steel is uniquely suited for use in safes because it is exceedingly difficult to cut or drill with power tools due to its extreme work-hardening characteristics.
The Sturdy Safe Stainless Steel Cube has a body made from 3/16" thick 304 stainless steel while the door is forged from a solid plate of 1/4" 304 stainless. The door also sports an 8" by 12", 3/16" thick stainless steel plate welded over the core of the locking mechanism, making the total stainless steel thickness in this area an impressive 7/16". An anti-drill hardplate comes standard too.
Don't let the relatively thin steel gauges of the Sturdy Safe Stainless Steel Cube deceive you into thinking this safe isn't incredibly rugged, either. Stainless steel any thicker than 1/4" is so tough that it is usually fabricated via industrial plasma cutter! As an added bonus, stainless steel is also cutting torch resistant, eliminating yet another avenue that sophisticated criminals sometimes use to crack safes.
The Stainless Steel Cube is priced at $1,562 including optional ceramic and glass fiber fire insulation. Sturdy Safe makes no time or temperature claims related to the fire resistance of its safes. If you don't want or need fire insulation, the price is even lower.
Sturdy also has larger gun safe models, although they do not have the option of full stainless steel construction like The Cube. All of Sturdy Safe's products are fabricated onsite in Fresno, California.
Please note that as of July 2016, it appears that the Stainless Steel Cube has been removed from Sturdy Safe's website. It may still be possible to order this safe by special request, however.
3) The Gardall GBF Series
The last outstanding RSC+ safe I'd like to highlight is the Gardall GBF Series. This American made burglary & fire safe has a "B"-rated door, containing a total of 1/2" of solid steel along with fire resistant material. The door also contains a drill resistant hardplate. The body is composed of an outer 1/8" steel plate enclosing 2-1/2" of fire insulation and another inner metal shell. These safes have been fire rated for 1 hour at 1700 degrees Fahrenheit. Starting at $1,423, the Gardall GBF Series offers substantial fire and burglary protection at a reasonable price point.
Even though the preceding three safes are significantly less expensive than most TL-15 safes, their $1,350 and up price range may still be beyond the means of some people. Therefore I'm going to list a few other safes that are a bit cheaper. Although not quite on par with the top tier RSC+ safes in terms of security, the following RSC burglary safes still deserve an honorable mention.
4) The Hayman MagnaVault EX Series
Our first alternative is the Hayman MagnaVault EX series. These stylish safes sport a 4-1/2" thick door and 2" body manufactured from a proprietary fire and burglary concrete composite. They also have between 3 and 5 hardplates that guard the boltwork against drill attacks. Additionally, these Hayman safes have been fire tested to withstand a 1,200 degree Fahrenheit inferno for 105 minutes. The formidable Hayman MagnaVault EX series easily exceed UL's minimum RSC requirements. Pricing starts at a modest $1,225.
5) The AMSEC CSC Series
The next possibility is the AMSEC CSC series. These economical safes have a 4-5/8" door with a fully 2" thick defensive layer composed of inner and outer steel plates sandwiching a proprietary fire and burglary resistant material. The body is manufactured from two sheets of 2.5 millimeter (0.098 inch) thick steel enclosing 2-2/3" of fire/burglary composite. The AMSEC CSC series is also fire certified for 2 hours at 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pricing starts at an almost unbelievably low $795, which is only possible because the safes are produced offshore. Although manufactured in China, production is strictly monitored by safe industry veteran AMSEC, ensuring a consistently good quality product. The AMSEC CSC Series represents exceptional value in an RSC burglary safe for those who cannot stretch their budget.
6) The Sturdy Safe Cube (popular package)
The final runner up in our RSC contest is Sturdy Safe's Cube again, this time without the all stainless steel construction. The "popular package" option on The Cube comes with a 3/8" thick steel plate door and a 4 gauge (0.2242 inches thick) steel body. It also includes the same 8" by 12", 3/16" thick stainless steel door plate found on the Stainless Steel Cube version, located over the locking mechanism to deter drilling or torch attacks. As always, an anti-drill hardplate comes standard. Fire protection is the same as on the Stainless Steel Cube as well.
Pricing begins at $1,270, without the optional fire liner. Sturdy Safe's "popular package" Cube may not have specifications that are quite as jaw-droppingly impressive as its all stainless steel big brother, but it is still quite intimidating on its own.
The six safes listed above are all high quality products that will provide you with decades of top-notch fire and burglary protection. They are definitely not your average RSC safes. I would be comfortable storing $40,000, $50,000 or even as much as $60,000 worth of valuables in the AMSEC BF Series, the Sturdy Safe Stainless Steel Cube or the Gardall GBF Series in a residential setting.
The other, less expensive RSC safes listed above - the Hayman MagnaVault EX, the AMSEC CSC series or the Sturdy Safe "popular package" Cube - could reasonably accommodate $30,000 to $40,000 worth of cash, bullion, jewelry or investment-grade antiques. These RSC+ safes may seem expensive to the uninitiated, but a good safe is worth every penny of its price. A cheap $500 RSC burglary safe from Wal-Mart or Costco could end up costing you far more in the long run.
If you are interested in additional information on RSC burglary safes, then I recommend two other articles I have written on the topic: Understanding Hand Tool Safe Cracking and Understanding Power Tool Safe Cracking.
