If you want a place to store spare or shared keys to the house, a key safe (also called a key cabinet) is a better choice than under the mat or a rock.
Burglars know most of the hidden places people leave their keys including under fake rocks. Unless you want to give the burglar an easy time breaking into your home, the most secure place to store your spare keys is in a key safe.
A key safe is just that; a secure metal safe that holds keys. Most key safes use combination codes to secure access to the keys. So only you and people you give the code to can access the keys.
A key safe is a safe and convenient way to share keys with other family members, guests and house cleaners. It’s also great for people who don’t like carrying their house keys around. You can leave your keys behind without leaving your home vulnerable to burglary.
In this buying guide, we recommend the top rated key safes you can order online in the UK. We also give you a few tip on how to choose the best key safe.
What To Consider When Choosing A Key Safe
A. Secure
Buy a strong metal key safe. A plastic or thin metal sheet safe will be easy for a burglar to break into.
In addition to a strong metal construction, make sure the combination lock is secure as well. For extra security, buy a safe with a 4-code or higher combination lock. The longer the code you can set, the more secure the safe.
We prefer key safes with a number pad lock. This lets you set a longer code that’s very difficult for a burglar to crack. For low-security situations, you can get a cheaper safe with a 3 or 4-digit dial combination lock.
Don’t forget to mount the safe securely on the wall using the right kind of screws. This prevents a burglar from taking off with the entire safe to where they can break into it easily.
B. Size
Key safes range in size from small cabinets that hold a dozen keys or fewer, to large cabinets that can hold over 50 keys.
Unless you are getting a key safe for your business, a small key safe will do. Just make sure it’ll fit the number and size of your keys.
C. Weatherproof
Most key safes are designed to be installed outside where a guest, mailman or another family member can access the keys.
So it’s important that you get a weatherproof key safe that doesn’t rust or fade. We especially love key safes that come with a rubber or plastic outer cover to keep out elements.
But even with a weatherproof safe, try to install it where it’s shaded from direct elements like rain. Direct contact with water can jam up the combination lock or corrode the keys inside.
It’s also a good idea to spray the inside and outside of the safe with silicone spray regularly to prevent corrosion, especially if you live in a coastal area.
Best Key Safe Reviews
1. Defender Wall Mounted Key Safe
The Defender wall mounted key safe is the best choice for most homes. It is large enough to fit your spare keys, has a strong metal construction and it’s protected by a secure locking system.
The Defender key safe measures 13cm high, 6cm wide and 6cm deep. That’s big enough to hold four large keys, more if your keys are small. It’s also a great place to store your key cards.
The safe is made from thick metal. As long as you’ve mounted it properly on the wall and set a secure code, your keys are safe.
The safe is weatherproof, so you can install it outside. For added protection from the elements, the Defender key safe comes with an outer rubber cover to keep out the elements.
Open the cover to reveal a number pad from 0 to 9. With these many numbers, you can set a long and secure code that a burglar will take forever to crack.
The buttons are large and wide, making it easy to enter the right code especially for seniors or when you have gloves on.
For installation, the Defender safe comes with 4 thunderbolt screws for mounting the safe on the wall. The safe is pre-drilled, so you only need to drill into the wall.
What we like about it:
- Large key safe.
- Weatherproof.
- Secure combination lock.
2. Supra C500 Key Safe
If you are looking for an extra-secure key safe, we recommend the Supra C500. It is also one of the most secure key safes in the market and one of the few to carry a police-approved Secured By Design certification.
The C500 key safe is made from heavy gauge steel and zinc alloy. A double wall construction and a clutch mechanism protects against forced entry.
To ensure there’s no weak point, the buttons are surrounded by a steel plate.
The locking system itself is pretty secure. You can set between 5 and 7 characters as a code, ensuring no one can guess the right code.
Similar to other key safes that use a number pad instead of a dial, the Supra C500 has one weakness. You can enter the numbers in any order. If you set your code as 2867, a 7268 code will also open the safe. That’s why the manufacturer recommends setting a longer code of 5-7 characters.
Because it increases possible combinations into the thousands, a long code drastically reduces the risk of a correct guess by a burglar.
Size-wise, the Supra C500 is big enough to fit 5 large keys. It has a hook to hang keys.
Installation requires a drill to make mounting holes in the wall. Mounting screws are included with the key safe.
For weather protection, the C500 includes a weatherproof rubber cover.
What we like about it:
- Extra-secure.
- Secured by Design certification.
- Weatherproof.
3. MASTER LOCK 5401EURD Key Safe
Shopping on a budget? The Master Lock key safe is one of our cheaper picks.
One reason it costs less is the simpler dial-style combination lock. It’s not as secure as a number pad. But the 4-digit combination is good enough for most people’s needs.
The safe itself is solid metal and weatherproof. A shutter door protects the dials from water and dust, ensuring they keep working smoothly.
Size-wise, the Master Lock safe is on the small side, another reason for the low price tag. It measures 11.9cm high, 8.5cm wide and 3.6cm deep. It works best for storing one or two large keys or several smaller keys.
Wall mount screws are included with the safe and the metal body is pre-drilled for easy installation.
What we like about it:
- Low price.
- Weatherproof.
- Secure metal construction 4-digit combination.
4. Silverline 542519 Combination 20 Key Cabinet
The Silverline 542519 key cabinet is the best value key safe among our picks. It’s bigger than other keys safes, and cheaper as well.
If you want an affordable high-capacity key safe, we highly recommend the Silverline 542519 key cabinet.
Measuring 20cm tall, 16cm wide and 7.5cm deep, the Silverline key cabinet has plenty of space to hold up to 20 keys. The large capacity is handy if you have lots of keys to store. It’s also great for businesses such as car dealers, apartment lobbies, motels and offices.
For easy organisation, the inside contains 20 integrated hooks to hang up key rings. The safe also comes with labels that you can attach to the interior of the cabinet.
Security-wise, the Silverline 542519 key cabinet scores a fair rating. Construction is solid metal, though it’s thinner than we would like. The combination lock is 3-digit, so a determined burglar would crack it fairly quickly.
We recommend the Silverline for low-security situations such as storing keys inside the house or if your purpose is to keep your kids from accessing the keys.
The Silverline key safe comes with screws and pre-drilled holes. Note that while the metal body is powder-coated to prevent corrosion, the dials are exposed. There’s no weather cover like in other key safes, so be careful where you mount it. Keep it shaded from rain and dust.
What we like about it:
- Inexpensive.
- Large capacity.
- Hooks and labels for easy organisation.
5. Sentinel Push Button Wall Mounted Key Safe
The Sentinel Key safe is a great choice if you don’t mind paying a bit more for an extra-secure key safe.
Instead of a dial combination, the Sentinel safe has a number pad. Set a code that is at least 5 digits long to ensure no one can guess it. Remember that the code can be entered in any order, hence the need for a longer code to reduce the chances of someone guessing it correctly.
A burglar doesn’t have hours to try out thousands of combinations.
The safe itself is very secure. The body consists of steel and aluminium, making it light but secure. A weatherproof cover keeps dirt and elements from the number pad.
The Sentinel safe is big enough to hold about 10 Yale keys.
What we like about it:
- Weatherproof cover.
- Secure locking mechanism and metal contruction.
- Easy to install.
I wouldn’t recommend Master Lock for anything. The lock box can be opened almost as fast as you can dial the numbers – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2LvDHobpNc