| Security is as important today as it's ever been; | | | | the market, many of them are constructed to stand |
| perhaps more-so. Rising regional criminal activity, | | | | up to the toughest of tests. Electronic locks listed in |
| economic downturn, and the constant threat of | | | | UL's (Underwriters Laboratories - security product |
| natural disaster has people seeking personal | | | | testing leader) Type 1F Group are endorsed for |
| accountability over the protection of their valuables. | | | | approval by federal standards. While a lock of this |
| A safe is the most effective, practical way of | | | | caliber may be a bit overkill (both in price and |
| guarding the material belongings that you care about, | | | | function) for personal need, the possibilities for |
| and the industry is constantly making improvements | | | | security are virtually endless. |
| to cater to prospecting safe owners. | | | | To elaborate on the point of possibility, electronic |
| Arguably the most important feature on a safe is the | | | | locks open the door for more supplemental security |
| lock. After all, without it, it would simply be a steel | | | | integration than any other brand of safe lock in the |
| chest waiting to be emptied. Safe locks can be | | | | industry. Many high-end models can be seamlessly |
| incredibly complex, and range in a variety of | | | | integrated into alarms, motion detectors, video |
| accessibility. Most common on smaller safes are | | | | cameras, and remotely accessible locations. The |
| keyed entry locks. On generally larger units, from | | | | boundaries of adaptable personal security can be |
| personal gun safes to bank vaults, the security | | | | pushed as far as you need them to go. |
| gamut is filled with a range of traditional combination | | | | All of their strong suits aside, electronic locks certainly |
| locks and hi-tech biometric scanners. However, the | | | | have a few relative shortcomings, particularly when |
| lock that strikes the perfect balance between | | | | stacked up to their mechanical counterparts. Though |
| dependability and usability is the keypad-entry | | | | they simply run on batteries, which need to be |
| electronic lock. | | | | changed very rarely, their lifespan doesn't hold a |
| Access to electronic locks, as mentioned, is nearly | | | | candle to a well-maintained combination lock (some |
| always governed by a keypad system, storing a | | | | 100 year old models are still functioning today). |
| numerical (in some cases alphanumerical) pass code - | | | | However, longevity remains a goal of high priority, |
| generally six digits in length. This allows the safe user | | | | and manufacturers continue to invest their efforts in |
| to open the door significantly faster than the trusty, | | | | improving resilience. |
| but slow rotating dial, while providing more accurate | | | | In conclusion, trusting an electronic lock to secure the |
| access security than the sharp, but imperfect | | | | valuables in your safe is a wise choice, as reflected |
| biometric scanner. | | | | by their proven dependability and ever-flexible |
| While there are certainly sub-spectacular models on | | | | versatility. |