Best Commercial Safes for Small Businesses 2024

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If you run a small business, then investing in a commercial safe can not only increase security but also provide you with peace of mind.

Small businesses have several valuable possessions, most notably free cash that they can store temporarily every week. In fact, deposit safes are quite common for businesses that deal in cash and can help them secure the money throughout the week until it is moved to either the bank or a larger safe.

Small businesses can also benefit from safes because they can help store important documents, jewellery, valuable collectables, and much more.

Read below to learn more about the best commercial safes for small businesses and our updated guide on how to pick the right safe for your small business!

SAFES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

Safes come in many different forms and sizes. From small tabletop safes to larger cabinet-style safes, there are several ways that you can integrate these strongboxes into your business. It is also possible to safely hide these safes away from sight as they can be installed right into certain types of furniture.

Here are some popular types of safes for small businesses:

Multi-Purpose Office Safes

Safes can be either freestanding where they are supported using a strong foundation or they can be bolted or mounted to existing furniture. The configuration of the safe will depend on your requirements, however, in most cases, a free-standing safe is the best way to go for offices.

These safes provide security and can be used for multiple purposes. For example, you can use the safe to store customer data, private files, cash, jewellery, and other valuable possessions.

You can also invest in a specific-purpose safe such as a deposit box which is designed to work just like a regular safe but with an opening on the top that allows authorised people to deposit cash (more on this below).

Office safes are made with strong materials and are designed to withstand a lot of damage. They can also have various authentication methods. Keep on reading to learn about these unique and convenient authentication methods for safes.

Data or media safes

Modern businesses deal in more than just currency. They also handle private and confidential customer data that includes payment information, addresses, and more. Since 2023, statistics show that hackers have upped their attempts at targeting vulnerable businesses to steal customer data.

This data is then sold on the dark web for money or cryptocurrency. Several small businesses have suffered both in the context of money and legally due to these thefts. This is why it is important that small businesses, especially digitally inclined businesses, invest in a data or media safe.

These safes work like any other safe except that they can have a special lining inside that prohibits outside wireless signals. You can think of these safes as a mini-Faraday’s cage that blocks some electromagnetic fields, including RFID.

Businesses can store a copy of this information on hard drives and USBs and store them in these safes for protection and worst-case scenarios, such as a complete system wipe due to digital breaches.

Deposit or drop safes

Commercial deposit or drop safes are used to temporarily store items until they can be transferred to a bigger and more secure safe. Ideally, deposit boxes have a cycle where money is deposited for a certain time before it is then taken out for a bank deposit.

These safes are ideal for small retail stores, foreign exchange businesses, and even restaurants, where deposits are made at regular intervals.

Fire-rated safes

If your small business is focused on storing documents, then we recommend that you go with fire-rated safes.

These safes can not only protect money and other valuables from fires, but they also work in the same way as any other safe.

These safes are made from fireproof materials and are designed to withstand extreme temperatures. However, keep in mind that these safes aren’t indestructible, and their function will depend on the intensity and duration of the fire – but in most cases, they are excellent at keeping valuables safe during emergencies.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST SAFE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES – A 2024 Guide

There are several factors that small business owners must keep in mind to get the most secure and budget-friendly safe for their needs.

Here are some common factors that go into choosing the right type of safe:

The type of item that requires protection – to determine the type of safe,
The internal dimensions of the safe – to determine where to place it,
Burglar protection – to determine the safety standard required,
Insurance cover – to determine the cash rating of the safe,
Fire ratings – to determine the specific requirements of the safe,
Types of locks – to determine the best type of locking mechanism.

Let’s go over each factor in detail:

Type of Safe

As mentioned above, safes come in several form factors and configurations. The best type of safe will be the one that fits your budget needs and provides all the security benefits that you expect.

While you can go out to a store and purchase a safe by doing your preliminary research, it is always advised to first consult with a professional security company like Calder Security.

This is important because this step covers all the basics and gets you a safe that will fulfil all your needs for the entirety of your business. Remember when we mentioned how online hackers can wipe systems and steal data? Well, these events happened because the businesses were not prepared and had several vulnerabilities.

By consulting with a professional security company, you can have professional consultants run a security risk assessment of your business that can help reveal vulnerabilities and allow you to purchase the right type of safe for your particular needs.

Size of Safe

The size of the safe depends on what you want to store. If you are looking to store large items or even large stacks of paper, then you must get a safe that is adequately sized.

For most small businesses, a three- to four-foot-tall square safe is the best way to go because it allows you to futureproof yourself and get the best protection with ample space inside the vault.

It would be best if you consult with a security company like Calder Security to figure out your exact needs. Investing in a safe is usually a one-time purchase so you need to get it right the first time. A security consultant can conduct a security audit, figure out your needs, and recommend the best type and size of safe for your business.

Cash Rating

Cash ratings are designed to protect the unlikelihood of theft. Safes may be a great way to store valuables, but if you don’t have adequate security measures to protect your business then chances are that thieves may be able to breach your business and access your safe.

They can also attempt to “crack” the safe by employing various brute-force and even surgical methods to bypass the security measures of the safe.

In this rare event, and to cover all bases, safes are designed with a cash rating. This is a sort of guarantee that determines the safety level of the vault.

Cash ratings are directly linked to insurance policies and can help you stay protected by following a simple formula. For example, if you have a safe with a cash rating of £15,000 and have £15,000 cash stored inside, and you had around £1,500 stolen from your business, you will be covered for the full cash rating amount of the safe.

Cost

The cost of safes varies depending on their specifications. For small business owners, you can expect safe costs to hover around £15o to up to £1,000. Please keep in mind that the exact cost will depend on your specific needs.

This is why we advise that you speak to a professional security consultant from Calder Security who can guide you on how to get the best safe for your business without over or under-spending your business resources.

Required Accreditations

Safes are rated and accredited to provide maximum security. If your safe doesn’t have the right accreditation, then it will also not provide a guarantee of safety!

Safes need to meet strict requirements when it comes to their effectiveness. These requirements are also important to fulfil to support any insurance claims that you may make in the future.

Standards for safes to look for include EN 14450-S1 and S2 and EN 1143-1.

These are European standards that determine the safe’s resistance to burglary attacks:

S1 security standard providing a cash cover of £2,000 or valuable cover for £20,000, and
S2 security standard provides a cash cover of £4,000 or valuable cover for £40,000.

The EN 1143-1 is the next level of insurance grading ranging from 0 to 5, with the:

0-grade providing a cash cover of £6,000 or valuable cover for £60,000, and
5-grade providing a cash cover of £100,000 or valuable cover for £1,000,000.

The safes must be approved by the Association of Insurance Surveyors (AIS), which is usually indicated by a purple “AIS approved” logo. Again, by going with a professional security company, you will not have to worry about these small details as the consultants will find you the best safe with all the accreditation – and at a great price!

Additional Security Measures

Safes are only as secure as the rest of the business. This is why safes are kept in secure locations inside the heart of most businesses. Even if you install a floor-mounted safe on the front gate of the business, there is a chance that some enthusiastic thief might brute-force their way and steal the entire safe.

This is why securing the business is a prerequisite for any safe installation. This includes installing additional security measures such as burglar alarms, CCTV cameras, access control systems, fire alarms, and door locks. These measures will not only boost your business’s brand image and protect your business but will also increase the security of the safe itself!

BEST LOCKING MECHANISMS FOR SAFES

Picking the right type of locking mechanism will determine the overall safety and convenience of the safe.

The locking mechanism is the heart of the safe as it controls the access of the safe. There are several types of locking mechanisms, each with its advantages. Here are some common mechanisms:

Key locks

Key locks are as simple as it gets. These safes use a regular locking mechanism that you would find for any door, except these locks are harder to breach and are designed for full security. These locks work with a lock and key system, so losing or misplacing the key can cause inconvenience and make the safe vulnerable.

Combination locks

Combination locks use a secret code which is entered through a dial mechanism on the safe door.

The dial is rotated to enter the combination and only the person who knows the code can access it. These safes are popular because dial locks provide excellent security and are extremely hard to breach.

Electronic locks

Safes with electronic locks work using a digital interface that can either use a touchpad or a trusty keypad. These safes work by connecting a physical locking mechanism to a digital interface.

When a person wants to access the safe, they will need to enter a PIN code or password to the interface. If the password is accepted, the vault door is unlocked. Most electronic safes also log entry and failed attempts making it easier for you to spot if someone has tried to tamper with the safe.

Biometric locks

Biometric locks provide next-level security by employing an almost foolproof authentication method. These safes accept facial, iris, or fingerprint authentication. This way, all you need is for yourself to access the safe. No keys or codes are required!

The important thing to note is that these safes are expensive and are usually not suitable for small businesses. However, if your business is in a high-risk neighbourhood and if you have the resources, then you might want to get the best of the best!

Dual locks

Why rely on one lock when you can double the security with two locks? Dual lock safes work by using a sort of double authentication method where you would need to verify two different forms of authentication to access the safe.

For example, dual lock safes can have a traditional key lock and a keypad safe. To access the safe, an authorised person would have to first insert the correct key to the safe and then enter the right PIN code to unlock the main vault door.

These safes are great for cash deposit boxes for small businesses and also for storing other important valuables.

CONTACT CALDER SECURITY

If you are unsure about choosing the best type of safe for your small business and are getting overwhelmed with the plethora of choices, contact Calder Security to help you make the best decision and keep you, your business, and your valuable assets safe and sound.

We are members of the Master Locksmith Association (MLA) and are familiar with a wide variety of safes, cash boxes, and strong boxes.

Our experienced engineers not only assess your requirements and suggest the most suitable safe for your needs, but can also install, repair, maintain, remove, relocate, and open a wide range of business safes.

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The Best Commercial Safes for Small Businesses: A 2024 Guide