Different states have laws dictating how certain possessions need to be stored. For example, San Jose, California, recently passed legislation for Gun Harm Reduction. Other states will likely follow suit with similar rulings.

Safely securing firearms isn't the only reason you might have a safe. Other valuables, like jewelry, gold, and sentimental items like family photographs, are best kept in a high-quality safe.

With a home safe, your most important items stay protected and organized. Additionally, since these items will all be in one place, you're protected from the impact of losing something that matters to you. You also can feel secure knowing that dangerous items like firearms and medications won't get into the wrong hands.

Storing valuable items in a safe is about peace of mind and knowing that the most precious objects in your life are right where they should be. At-home safe needs vary from individual to individual. That's why the level of protection, type of lock, and fire rating are critical components when picking the best safe for your home.

Today, we'll outline what to consider when selecting the right safe for you based on your specific needs and concerns.

Safes Protect What Matters Most

When asked to describe a safe's purpose, people tend to jump to burglary protection first. From this perspective, the main purpose of a safe is to keep intruders away from things that aren't easily replaced. Owning a safe is one of the first steps you can take to protect your home, your valuables, and the people you care about.

Considering over a million burglaries occurred in the United States in 2019 alone, renters and homeowners are increasing their at-home security measures. However, having a safe is about confidence, not about fear.

A safe protects your possessions, even if an intruder were to enter your home. That extra barrier of security helps you respond quickly and effectively if a worst-case scenario ever comes up.

Safes Protect the People in Your Home

A well-crafted safe will keep potentially dangerous items away from the most vulnerable members of your household.

Confident, law-abiding gun owners know that the presence of a firearm in the home can dramatically increase the possibility of gun violence or accidents. Despite this, more than half of gun owners in this country admit to not safely storing their firearms.

If you own guns or weapons of any kind, a gun safe, especially one with sophisticated biometric technology, is an essential protection barrier for your family. Fingerprint technology helps you ensure that only trained people within a household have access to firearms.

The Biocube Professional stores up to 10 unique fingerprints for quick access. It also has a touchscreen keypad for 4-6 digit passcodes. The Bicobe, like all Mycube safes, also has a backup key lock for access in an emergency. This safe can store up to 6 rifles and house other essentials such as coins, handbags, gold, and artwork.

If you are looking to store ammo, consider using a separate, smaller safe, like the Biocube or the Biocube Mini. Like the Biocube Professional, these at-home safes feature biometric technology, reinforced steel walls, and tamper-proof bolted doors.

When you're shopping for a safe, look for a few specific attributes like the following:

1. Quality Protection

The most important question in deciding which safe to purchase is deciding which one is most effective at storing and securing your valuables. You need a safe made from high-quality materials resistant to damage or infiltration.

Below are a few features that you'll find in any high-quality safe:

• **Steel walls. **It shouldn't be easy to cut through the walls of your safe or deconstruct the bolts. Reinforced steel walls are sturdy and reliable.
• **Pre-drilled holes: **At-home safes should have pre-drilled holes so that you can bolt your safe to the floor or wall. You need to feel confident that your at-home safe will stay where you want it.
• **Powerful arming technology. **Similarly, you want to ensure that the safe is not easily broken into. As technology advances, biometric, smartphone-enabled, and keypad locking mechanisms are the new normal for keeping your valuables safe.
• **Fire protection. **Sometimes the threat to your personal items doesn't come in the form of another person. Look for safes that include fire protection, especially if you live in an area prone to wildfires. Our Firecube offers protection for up to 1 hour at 1700° Fahrenheit. It also protects from flooding if your at-home sprinkler system is triggered by smoke.

2. Site-Specific Protection

Once you've narrowed down your list of potential safe options, we recommend considering what you'd like to keep in the safe next.

Safes come in all shapes and sizes, and they can be integrated in many locations throughout your house. Ask yourself these questions:

• Are you looking for a large home safe or a more discrete option?

• Are you storing paper documents, jewelry, or other objects, like family photos, that are sensitive to light, water, fire, or humidity?

• Are you storing anything that could be dangerous if accessed by an untrained person?

These questions are determining factors for which type of safe you should purchase.

In addition, size and weight are vital attributes to consider in a safe. For renters living in smaller apartments, a more compact home safe might be ideal. Renters might appreciate a smaller safe like the Biocube In-Drawer that can slide into any desk or drawer space.

Note that renters are at a higher risk for theft than homeowners, so a high-quality safe is especially critical.

3. Legacy Protection

At a time when polished marketing and social media can make it seem like any company has value, research is critical, especially when shopping online. Look for a company with years of experience and verified reviews, that's also backed by a lifetime warranty.

In addition, prioritize safe manufacturers who are well-versed in commercial business practices and know how to make high-security, industrial-grade safes. Loss protection is a principle of the jewelry and banking industries; those skills must be acquired first-hand through years in the commercial and private security sectors.

At Mycube, we are safe manufacturers with a background in high-risk commercial spaces. We are bringing that previously unattainable level of security to the residential space with our new direct-to-consumer model.

We have 100 years of safe-making tradition behind us, and we've worked closely with the world's greatest jewelers. Now, it's our honor to bring that sophistication and unparalleled technology to your home.

4. User-Friendly Technology

Using a safe shouldn't be a confusing and time-consuming process. While locking technology has come a long way over the last few decades, some high-tech safes are still easier to use than others. The best safe should have a user-friendly interface that's easy to understand and program to fit your needs.

Whether you're looking for a safe with a biometric lock or one with a classic combination keypad, simplicity, and ease of use are top priorities. When in doubt, read customer reviews to better understand what to expect from a specific safe.

Opt for a safe with app-enabled locking for the pinnacle of simplicity and innovation. This unique feature gives you confidence that your valuables won't fall into the wrong hands - even when you aren't home.

5. 24/7 Protection

Another critical element to look for in a safe-making company is customer support. There's more to a high-quality safe than the materials and technology used in the manufacturing process. Customer service matters.

If you're experiencing an issue with your safe, you need assurance that you can reach out to a representative and get help anytime. Whether you need to reset your code, have questions about installation, or need to troubleshoot the unlocking mechanism, attentive customer service makes a significant difference.

6. Stylish Protection

Most of us imagine bulky, black boxes when we think about safes - or perhaps old-school combination locks.

While many safes are clunky and unattractive, Mycube emerged as the first safe to be design-oriented. A Mycube safe combines luxury and utility; it is just as stunning as the items it protects.

Included in the question of size is also the question of design. Do you need a wall safe or a locker safe? Do you want a safe concealed in a drawer or tucked away in the pantry or closet?

Do you want something aesthetically pleasing? Sophistication and simplicity are undervalued in the safe market. If a safe is going to take up space in your home, it should fit right in and match your personal design and style.

In short, it should add to your home rather than detract from it.

Cutting corners is understandable for some purchases, but that is not the case with safes.

It's essential to look for a safe with sophisticated arming technology, damage resistance, and a combination of form and function.

In the end, the value comes down to a personal choice. How much do you value the items you're putting within the safe, and what lengths are you willing to go to protect them?

We're here to help you find a solution that meets your home's specific needs. Visit Mycube to find the perfect safe for your home.

Sources: Burglary | Federal Bureau of Investigation More Than Half Of U.S. Gun Owners Do Not Safely Store Their Guns, Survey Finds | Johns Hopkins University Household Burglary, 1994-2011 | US Department of Justice Gun Harm Reduction | City of San Jose