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.

Fireproof Home Safe model SM-030 by Cobalt is the same safe as the model SM-020 only its put on its side and the hinges are are now on a different side.  Still uses the key to pull back the bolts after the combination has been dialed open. Don’t loose the keys.  I have also noticed some people leaving the safe dial in the dialed open position and only using the key to get in and out.  Though this can be done its not good to not relock the safe with the dial. 

There is also a handy pull out platic tray on this model and comes with a bolt down kit.Â

 This is a picture of the Cobalt SM-020.  One hour fireproof safe.  Comes with a steel lined predrilled hole in the center and mounting hardware.  Dial lock is secure but it is not a Group II lock.  You will not be able to change the combination on this lock easily like a Group II.  Though it can be changed by a locksmith but not set to any specific group of numbers.  It just comes up random because the way the safe is designed.

You will also notice it comes with a key and no handle.  This is because the key acts as a handle and adds an extra security measure to the safe.  Security aim is to keep sticky fingers off your schtuff!  It will hold up to a small tool attack but that is not its main purpose. Fireproof and stopping sticky fingers is.