Fireproof Data Media Safe for DLT LTO Tapes, 0.26 cu ft

EDIT: I’m happy to report the company responded to my outreach in less than 24 hours. Not only did a representative message me through the Amazon app, I also got a phone call, voicemail, and text! I connected with the rep and he gave me two options: I could send the safe back and they’d ship me a new one (they’d cover all shipping costs), or they would issue a partial refund relative to the damage. I opted for the latter and the refund hit my account within a few days. At first I was concerned the process would drag on and be a battle, but the seller stood behind the product and handled the issue quickly and effectively, requesting only that I text them pictures of the damage, the product box, and the shipping box. Simple and easy! I highly recommend both the product and the seller. I’m changing my review from three stars to five. END EDIT ORIGINAL REVIEW Overall, I’m really happy with this safe. My only complaint is that there were two chips in the finish when I opened it (see pics). Neither the safe’s manufacturer box nor the shipping box were damaged, so the chips must have happened either during transport from vibration or when the safe left the manufacturer (or seller). Bummer. I just sent the seller a message in the Amazon app, so we’ll see what happens (I’ll keep you posted on how they handle it). I just noticed the seller is Keystone Safe Company. Perhaps I should have ordered it directly from Phoenix’s website. Who knows. Anyway, aside from the paint damage, the safe is awesome! It’s small, compact, and weighs a little over 100 lbs. There isn’t much room inside, but that’s ok for me because it’s only going to hold my backup media, and that’s to be expected from a media safe that can truly protect media from high temperatures. Everything feels smooth: the hinges, the key lock, the inner door latch, etc., and the safe feels very well made and robust (except the paint lol), so I would recommend it. However, I would say to probably order it directly from Phoenix, since the one I received was damaged and I’m not sure how the seller will correct it. All that said, I really like this safe and I highly recommend it for your backup media! I have it three starts here because of the damage. I’ll update that rating accordingly, depending on how the sellers responds to the damage issue; I’ll update this review, as well. END ORIGINAL

I'm not quite sure how to review a safe; it's one of those things that you ignore when it works, and is very difficult to "test". However, after learning about the particular industry differences between a proper *DATA* safe and a general purpose fireproof safe, I was keen to get the right product. A usual "fireproof" safe will not stay cool enough and dry enough inside during a fire to protect magnetic media. This safe will protect a removable hard disk for an hour in a fire. Although it's a relatively small safe (in that a reasonable fit person can move it by hand, and it would fit under a desk), it seems to built to the same standards as their much larger brethren, quite solid with smooth hinges and smooth locking action. The high security key cylinder is a nice touch. It's constructed in such a way that even if the hinges were defeated, the door would remain locked. If you need to open the inner door a full 90-degrees, you'll want to make sure you have a location for the safe where the outer door has freedom to open quite past 90-degrees, since the outer door is quite thick. As indicated by Phoenix (and is obvious once you understand the nature of the safe), this safe has no mechanism to fasten it to the floor, as that would require a penetration of the case. However, if you have the need, a creative type could fathom other methods of keeping the safe in place. (In my case, it's going in a custom-sized nook in the wall, where you'd have to open the door to get enough leverage to pull the safe out.) In any case, it's fully recommended. It feels as solid as a tank, and communication from the manufacturer is quite good, too.

There really aren't many options in the sub 150 lb weight range for small/home office backup media protection. This fits the bill. Seems to be of high quality, though I did many to chip the paint with only a slight ding. I would not rely on it for security though. The dimple lock key looks basic (it sure isn't a Mult-T-Lock!) though I did not disassemble the core to see if there are at least some non-standard pins. It also doesn't appear to be easily replaceable with a better cam lock bec of the way the tail piece fits). There are also no bolt down holes. But if you encrypt your backups, it's not a huge concern.

First off this is a data media safe that is rated to with stand high temps during a fire with a rating of 125 -1.5 hr. Not sure if it’s UL rated though. Most regular fire rated safes are just for documents and will melt plastic items like cds or PCBs on internal drives. My usage: I personally use the safe to store one of my backups of my NAS. The other backup is in a safety security deposit box at the bank. I rotate my backups from the bank to my safe at home once a month and during the time the safe is at my home I perform 2 backups, once when I get it back from the bank and once before I send it off to the bank. Durability: The item is solid as a tank and really heavy at 322 lbs. So invite a friend over and have them help you move this, even with a dolly I was struggling. When you knock on it, the item feels solid, probably a mix of cement and metal. Capacity: The safe is big enough for lots of 3.5 inch internal Harddrives in cases as I show in my picture. You can fit about 24 internal hdds with cases inside the safe. Maybe 26 with no cases or if you remove the shelf. The safe can be left unlocked and the door will close and latch. I haven’t tested the safe in a fire, but I can say the quality is there. Lastly, a word about shipping: I got my order canceled 2 times because I didn’t realize that the seller has to contact you to setup shipping details and a delivery date for the safe. If you miss the calls, the emails, or the msgs on Amazon they’ll cancel your order. So make sure you respond to them. It makes sense that they’d have to set up special shipping details because of the weight of the item and the high price tag. Although the price of this is expensive, it’s still less expensive than some other companies, but maintains being a data media safe which most safes are not rated for. It took me a few days to do research on the best data media safes and I settled on this one. Also most safes on Amazon are not data media safes so be aware.

This is a heavy duty media safe as advertised. I hope to never test the fire rating but the safe appears to be built to withstand long periods of high temperature exposure without significant heating to the inside contents. Inside the main safe door there is another sealed door to provide double layers of insulation and protection from water. The safe arrived quickly and in perfect condition. The driver was willing to put the safe anywhere on the first floor desired. I also found it easy to move the safe using a motorcycle floor jack and later moved the safe to the basement of my house.

Great Safe. Usable storage space is always small compared to the actual safe size but this unit makes the available space very usable and convenient to access. Well made and delivered and placed right were I needed it.

Real quality item. Would definitely recommend for anyone who needed it.

Excellent safe.