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A safe is always a good investment, and if you’re looking to protect some expensive gifts you were bought this festive period, or any important documents, for example, then storing them in a safe, is a safe bet! However, knowing what type of safe to buy, is another matter, and the following brief guide may help you make a ‘safe’ investment:

Firstly, consider what you want to put in your safe

If you have smaller items of value that need to be kept protected, then you can opt for a smaller to medium sized safe, whereas for technical items or guns, for example, you may need to go slightly bigger.

If you talk to your local safe retailer, they’ll talk you through the different sizes available to you.

What level of protection do you need?

Do you want to protect your precious items from fire and water as well as from theft? If so, you can upgrade to a high security safe.

• Burglar protection – note that some safes have an insurance rating based upon their resistance to movement, the thickness and strength of the walls and door, and the security and complexity of the lock and bolt mechanisms; the higher the insurance rating, the more secure the safe.

Also note that the rating only applies to safes that have been properly installed (by a professional, ideally).

• Fire protection – depending on what you want to protect, fire rated safes offer varying levels of protection against fire damage, and if you have digital media to store, for example, you’ll need a safe with an adequate fire rating. Paper items combust at a certain temperature, so again, a different fire rating will be applicable for storing documents.

How do you want your safe to operate?

Traditional safes open with a key or a pin code, while the more modern safes open only with a fingerprint. Again, a detailed discussion with a local safe expert will help you determine which is the right safe for your needs.

Where should your safe go?

Safes are typically floor or wall mounted, or freestanding:

• Floor safes – if you want to hide not just your valuables, but your safe, too, then a floor safe is the perfect choice, as they can easily be covered by a rug, or even an item of furniture.

• Wall mounted safes – extremely difficult to remove, wall mounted safes offer an extra layer of protection as they can easily be hidden from sight.

• Free standing safes – because these safes don’t need to be professionally installed, they are a more cost-effective option than other types of safe, but consider that if they can easily be picked up and carried away, are they offering you a high enough level of protection?

Safes are undoubtedly a sound investment and the ideal way to store and protect items of monetary or sentimental value, whether at home, or at work. However, to ensure that you get the right safe for your specific needs, it pays to consult with a qualified safe specialist before making a purchase.