Hmmm, good question right?  You will often find that Home Safes are in two catagories. Factory Rated 1 hour fireproof home safes or UL listed 1 hour fireproof home safes.  Factory rated means that the factory has designed the safe for what they think it would take to pass a UL test or had a less reputable testing facility test the safe. 

The guys at Underwriters Labratory are the most abusive on a product.  I have seen some factory rated products pass at half the “factory rated time!”  Such as a 2 hour rated safe lasting for only 1 hour. 

I have also seen some companies that make a fireproof home safe sent to UL for testing then get passed at 1 hour. The design gets sent off to an ultra cheap overseas manufacture facility that cuts corners and doesn’t produce the safe properly so it would never pass the UL test again.  I often find these in the big box retailers.  I challange them to take one off the shelf and get it retested and see if it passes.

Always get the advise of an expert.  Start with your local locksmith and work your way out from there. Remember, even my opinion is just that…an opinion.

 Cobalt Safes model EM-016 1 hour fireproof Safe.  Is designed the exact same as the SM-016 1 hour fireproof safe.  Except it has a keypad on it.  You will notice on the left is the turn handle to pull back the bolts.  On the right side of the keypad is the battery compartment.  It holds 4 AA size batteries.  Also has a non volatile memory.  Which means if you remove the batteries and then put them back in, you had better remember the combo because the keypad will!  Great theft deterant.

Excellant value for protection against theft and fire.  Be sure to bolt it down to your floor so it will not be carried away or leave the through bolt hole exposed.  Below is some good information on it or you can follow here to for more. EM-016

EM-016

Outside Dimensions

Height: 15 3/8″ Width: 11 5/8″ Depth: 12 5/8″

Inside Dimensions

Height: 12 1/4″ Width: 8 1/2″ Depth: 8 1/2″

Weight

54 lbs.

1 hour fireproof Pre-drilled anchor hole (2) 6 number digital lock (1) steel shelf 1 1/2″ wall thickness 2 1/2″door thickness (2) 5/8″ solid steel chrome plated bolts (1) stationary hinge side bolt (4) AA external batteries Non-volatile memory

Cobalt Safe model SS-031D. Is the most  popular in the line up of Fireproof Home Safes.  Its also the largest.  Why is it so popular? I’m not 100% sure.  But the comments I get on it range from “Most size for money”, “Pull out drawer and adjustable shelf”, “Its big but its not too cumbersome”.

I will say this, the picture is a fairly acurate picture of the safe except you can’t see the black pull out tray that is also included.  You can see the adjustable shelf with the door open.  You also get a good view of the bolts on the door opening side.  However, there are also fixed bolts on the hinge side to add support and strength against crow bar attacks.  Though its primary purpose is not strength against burglary but it is strength against fire!  A solid 1 hour fire rating. 

The Cobalt Safe SS-031D is steel lined hole in the bottom of the safe to bolt down to your foundation to keep the safe from being carried off.  It is important to note that when you buy a safe you are buying “Time” time against fire and time against theft.  If you live in a high crime area and you want to keep 50k of cash and jewelry in this safe, then this is not the safe for you.  This safe is made it hold important papers, some cash, some jewelry, a pistol or other medium size items.  It will hold up against a prybar attack in that it would be classified as “resistant” but not for an extended period.  You will notice I like to “under sell” most safes.  Which means I’m not going to push a safe like some kind of late night infomercial selling Ginsu Chopping Knives!  But hopefully give you as realistic picture of the safe and its intended purpose. 

That being said this is an excellant Fire safe to protect against fire and protect against “light” theft or sticky fingers as I like to say. Go here to see a model SS-031D or the rest of the fireproof home safes.