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This safe is anything but safe!

First of all, let me say it looked like the shipper dropped the box during transit. Landing on a corner. When I opened the box I was immediately aware there was a problem.

The door is made of a plastic material filled with fireproofing material which was leaking out of a split seam in the outer plastic material. The seem is visible all the way around the door of the safe.

If someone intended on damaging this unit it would be extremely easy to do so. They could use a screwdriver to pry the outer plastic apart and you would have a mess on your hands.

This unit was returned for full refund and I purchased an all steel fireproof safe from another company. Cost for new was only slightly higher and I have double the capacity and all steel construction.

If weight is critical and you don't mind poor quality construction, buy the Honeywell safe.

This safe would not open using either the combination lock or the key. We called Honeywell to problem solve. We were told to use a "butter knife" to break the seal. It didn't work. I ordered a replacement and five days after receiving the original item it finally opened. I was thankfully able to cancel the delivery of the new safe. Since that time the safe opens easily. Another issue is the strong chemical smell in the safe. It is necessary to air it out for at least a week to minimize the odor.

Yes mine also came with a dent in the corner. You can't bolt this down so it isn't the safest safe. Find something else.

I was fortunate to get the unit undamaged (unlike many other reviewers). However, there are two significant issues with this safe.

First, it should NOT be advertised as "anti-theft". It can not be bolted to a floor like most other brands, meaning that the thief simply has to pick it up and walk away with it. Yes, it's heavy, but the UPS man lifted it out of his truck, I carried it in the house, etc.

Secondly, the combination instructions are (as many users have pointed out) quite confusing, and different in the book and on the sticker. I did get it after a couple of tries, but now use only the key to open it.

One other observation. I had stored some papers in the safe without opening it for a number of months. When I opened the safe, the documents were actually damp and starting to mildew. I don't see how any humidity in the air when I closed it could have done that. Perhaps the "water proof" aspects of this safe cause an issue with trapping any moisture that happens to be present. Anyway, I collected some silica gel packets and placed them in the safe... hopefully that will prevent a repeat problem.

This safe arrived in good condition with a large amount of packing foam around it, and it opened just fine. I left it open to air out for a couple weeks to let all the plastic fumes and stuff die down (I'm storing some photo negatives).

The instructions are slightly inconsistent with regards to how many "turns" for each number, and whether the first turn counts or whether it means full rotations, and in one case an insert to the instruction manual had different counts than the combination sticker that came on the safe. I did what the sticker said and it works. On a scale of "bad manuals for China-made products" I'd give this a 7, 10 being "good" and 1 being "makes no sense at all."

I'm not about to light my house on fire to test this, so cross your fingers. The seal seems solid enough. Here's hoping I never find out.

This safe is mainly made of plastic, but the combination lock, 4 locking bolts and the internal gears (sounds like) are heavy-duty metal. There is a generous amount of room inside, unless you have a great deal of papers and other valuables to protect. I tried following the directions to open the safe door via the dial, but I could not until I found some better directions further back in the manual. I was able to open the safe. I memorized the combination, then practiced over and over again. After 1 day, I was able to open the safe every time, by memory. I can get into the safe, using the dial, in about 20 seconds. Read the directions. I would only use the keys in an emergency. If you do not learn how to use the combination and you should lose the keys, you will be locked out. Learn the combination and put the keys in a safe place away from the safe, not in the safe by any means. I recommend this safe; it is well-built.

I bought this safe at Lowe's for a great price 108.00$, so no shipping hassels and no damage. It took a couple of times to understand the combination order to be able to open the safe, but I got it and it worked.

The most stark thing I noted though, was that after some practice I could open the safe without looking at the number dial. I just used the feel of the 'clicks' and 'stops' and understood the number of turns one needs to make in certain directions to open the safe. I have never owned a safe before and have never 'cracked' a safe before. I was amazed at how easy it was to learn to open it!! My concern is a burgler who only knows the instructions on page 2 of the 'Operation and Installation Guide' (which can be viewed online) and uses a little patience can be inside of one of these fairly quickly. With practice I have opened this one in about 15 seconds, without looking at the numbers. I have not tried to open a like safe with a different combination, but I feel that if given the opportunity I could actually open it. If you have the opportunity, try it on a safe of this brand and model.

1. I found there is some play in the numbers, one does not need to be exact when hitting a 'click' or 'dip', it just requires that you are close to it.
2. KEY POINT: Understand the minimum number of complete rotations one must make in between numbers.
3. Once past the minimum rotations feel and listen for the 'click', 'dip', or slight 'stop'.
3. The last number is the easiest to find. It seems as if there is a sloping hole that the dial drops into.

I do not write this so that burglers may know how to open your safe, but that you may know and try it for yourself to see that it is rather easy.
I am going to return this safe and take more time in choosing my next one. I bought a safe to protect my valuables and I absolutely do not feel that this one does the job of safely securing them. First Alert needs to to much better than this!!

The safe is nice. We can't open it because the combination won't work. We even called the company and it was the same combination as on the safe. Still won't open. We just use the key.

The outside shipping box was a little damaged, but I opened it while the delivery guy was there and the inside box containing the safe was undamaged so everything seemed fine.
Of course, it's somewhat hard to really test a "one-hour fire water proof" safe, but it seems decent. Note that the safe itself is definitely heavy -- not something easy to pull outside in the event of a fire, so you're definitely counting on it working :)

The product shipped damaged and is probably no longer water or fireproof. The combination is hard to use, so don't expect quick access. I lost the instructions and could not find the correct product documentation on Honeywell's website. I had to use another model and do many trials before figuring out the direction and # of passes.

I ordered this safe and it came in damaged due to poor packing. I contacted Amazon and they credited my account and sent me a replacement. Amazon paid for the UPS pick-up return. Then the replacement arrived and it too was damaged in shipping. I refused shipment and it went back to Amazon. Again, I was not charged any money for shipping. THIS IS WHY I SHOP AT AMAZON. The problem is in the lack of almost any padding material surrounding the safe, other than a thin layer of styrofoam on 2 sides and cardboard on the rest. It is an accident waiting to happen and no fault should be assigned to UPS since the slightest bang to the carton would have to cause damage.

The safe's combination did not work. I called Honeywell and waited 30 minutes for customer service so I gave up. Choose a different company

I think I got the exact same safe delivered to me. Dropped on corner with insulation coming out. Seems like Amazon is trying to find someone to buy it. I sent mine back too and will find something better.

i found myself with many of the problems listed in other reviews.until i read the manual! the safe combination dial worked with ease and its last number almost fell into place by itself, (just like the movies)..........it is awesome although for my ease the handle in back for a hand grip is nice...i do not want it to be so nice for a thief! any moron thief given enough time alone at his own place could eventually crack this safe! in my home it is part of an integral security system...which would involve a thief needing to get out through a window( the same he came in) i dont see a thief humpin a 77 lb box over broken glass then over window bars. all the while sirens blaring..etc

The safe is very heavy and a good size for the money. My only complaint has to do with the combination. The orginal combination was unreadable and hand written. (Typed would have been nice.) It is easier to use the key than to do the combination. Overall the safe is good compared to the cost.

I did a Google search and found this safe available at [...] for $[...]. I ordered it on line and picked it up today at a Lowe's store. The safe was in perfect condition with no damage as reported by others. The locking system worked perfectly. Like some others, I bought the safe for safe storage of important documents, not necessarily for security, and it fits the bill. The amount of space in the safe is perfect for my needs. I made a good choice.

I blame the packaging issue on Honeywell, not on the carrier. There isn't any packaging to protect the extremely heavy unit! What are they thinking?!?! They are wasting their money in all the returns and claims on the new units.

My unit came with the packaging half ripped. There are two small dents in the upper corner due to the poor packaging but the unit seems workable (just hoping that it remains waterproof should any thing actually occur).

I am glad I took the advice to get the digital unit as opposed to the combo lock as the combo lock combination cannot be changed (whereas the digital lock ID can be changed and also has an override key).

I would rate this 5 stars if Honeywell replaced their current Packaging Deptartment with competent packaging engineers. This complaint isn't new.

I returned mine because the plastic exterior and insulation arrived severely damaged from bad packaging, shipping and handling. If this safe can't even survive UPS I doubt it can survive a real life fire and water.

This is a nice, heavy safe.

The method for opening with the combination given in the manual was contradictory to the method on the sticker, and I could not get it open either way. Called the manufacturer to verify the combination. Still could not get it open.

I opened the safe with the key and remove the plastic cover that protects the lock mechanism. I watched the mechanism as I dialed in the combination. Turns out that two of the numbers they gave were incorrect. Close, but incorrect. Now that I determined the correct combination, it is easy to open.

This is rediculously overpriced. You can get the same safe from Lowes at their regular price of $109.00 and not pay any shipping. Pick it up at the store.

Received the safe well packaged and undamaged. Unfortunately it would not open. I was able to figure out the combination and use the over-ride key to turn the handle, but the door just wouldn't budge. I tried the 'butter knife' trick to no avail. Back she went.

Thanks to Amazon's terrific return policy I had a new one within a week, and it works fine. The combination takes more turns than I would prefer (use the directions in the manual with the combo. numbers on the tag), but for the half dozen times I'll probably open this up in a year, I'll use the key and keep the combination as a back-up. Besides, if a thief wants into this thing he's not going to fool with the combination lock or go searching your house for the key... he's either going to take a sledge hammer to it or carry it away.

As far as quality I think it is a solid safe. I like the plastic coating inside and out, and there is certainly steel underneath. It's probably not strong enough to thwart a determined thief, but will certainly make it much tougher on them. My main concern was for fire protection and a deterent for the not so determined thief. Pretty good bargain.

Looks good, haven't had chances to test it.
was confused of the instruction, such a
hard time to use the combination lock.
however, after spent two hours to
figure out, and it works fine.

The safe arrived promptly, in perfect condition, combination lock works fine, have not used the keys yet.

The sticker that was attached to the front of the unit gave opening instructions that didn't match the instruction in the manual. That was confusing. Turned out that the sticker instructions were for the first opening and the manual instructions were for subsequent openings... go figure. I would probably buy a digital one if I were to do it over. There are too many spins back and forth to track.

The Safe came quick and at a good cost. Its mostly plastic but thats ok for paper work and small valuables. The only problem I have is that it has no way to be bolted to the ground. It wouldnt be a problem if it was a heavy safe (Less than 100 lbs). I'll just have to make some type of cage to bolt over it but for the price I paid, it will do.

I purchased this safe and decided to do a custom modification. I was able to successfully bolt this safe to the ground. It is on the lower floor of my home in my office. I put the safe in the closet, so there was carpeting, underlay for the carpet, and then the cement. Doing this says it would Void the Warranty in the Owners Manual, so please be aware before proceeding with this. I decided to since the Safe was affordable ($108).

I bought the following to get the job done:
- Drill
- 3/8" Drill Bit
- 5/8" Masonry (Cement Drill Bit)
- 3/8" x 5" Lag Bolts with 5/8" metal jackets to go into cement(if your not sure, ask at the hardware store)
- 4ea 3/8" Washers

1. 3/8in Drill bit to drill approx 4-1/4" from the top and 4-1/4" from the side in each corner of the safe. This allowed enough for a drill. Be sure to measure based on your tools!!! I then drilled from the bottom into the safe the 4 holes, 1 in each corner.
2. With the 4 holes drilled, I then went and drilled through each hole into the carpet so that I would have my markings correct.
3. I then drilled using a 5/8" Masonry Bit for cement till the 5" bolt was about 1.5" above the floor, then inserted the expandable metal jackets in each hole and pounded them snug into the hole with a hammer and screwdriver, put the safe over top and tightened the bolts w/washer into the floor with a socket set and/or wrench. Note: watch that the bolts are snug against the plastic, as to not crack the plastic.
- Each Lag Bolt was good for 500 lbs, no one is going to move the safe now, that is 2000lbs a thief would have to work with.
- The bolts were tightly secured against the plastic, ensuring no fire or water would enter.

I didn't have any of the problems with openning it or airing it out that others have noted. Both the combination and the key worked right off. It came with a large silica pack inside so there wasn't any "odor" or moisture present. It obviously isn't made to be bolted down, which would be nice, but I knew that when I bought it. It's OK but not an "oh wow" experience. After I decide where to put it I might see about putting some kind of enclosure around it to deter "walking off" with it.

This unit was the perfect choice for me to protect important documentation as well as some personal values. Heavy enough to make it a fixture once set, the mechanical combination works well and makes for a space efficient, protective storage for my items. Very strongly constructed, 4 number combination, great price.

The safe was actually better when received that I had expected. I had read about the safe coming damaged in several reviews. It arrived in perfect shape. I read several reviews about the combination not working and the safe had to be opened with the key. The safe opens fine using both the combination and the key. The safe looks sturdy and has apple room for my needs. The inside is quite a bit smaller than the outside, but this is understandable when you realize that it is a 1 hour fire safe. So far very pleased.

If you are looking for something to keep the crown jewels in I'd say you might want to drop some more cash on the high end models but to keep you average drug addled burgeler away from your important documents and jewelry I'd say this will do the trick. Quite heavy (though my teenage son who is 6'2" could lift it). My friends house was just robbed and the guy (I'm assuming it was a guy) just bashed and grabbed and so as we planned on being out of town we decided that it would be a good purchase just to keep our important documents safe. I recommend reading up on additional home safety online and taking proper measures to keep your home safe. I especially liked the combo lock this had since I'd read that the keypad style can have problems if the batteries die. Anyhoo, great price for an adequate safe but then again I won't know unless we are robbed or our house burns down.

When my wife and I got the Safe we were excited. I took a good look at it inside and out, then I took it apart the door to see what the components were made of. I was surprised to see what I found. It was all plastic. Sure the four rods are made of steel, but the rest of the parts that hold the steel rods are made of black plastic, even the gears and such. I was hoping to find more metal or something more secure and stronger. In my opinion, if you are super crazy about keeping your valuables safe then spend your money on one of the brand-named safes. But, if not, then you can get this one. It does the job very well and is very intimidating. Also, the safe weighs 87 pounds. Just to let you know.

I received this safe very fast and in perfect condition very well packed.It is much better than the pictures.For the money it can't be beat!!

This safe is heavy and it should be. I didn't have any problems with shipping or the packaging. I was a little concerned when I was reading other reviews. I was sure with my luck it would come all banged up and I'd have a nightmare getting it resolved.....but not at all.

Very happy with this purchase. It was about time we had a fire resistant safe in this house.

Now, I have the safe for 9 months. I thought I will add more information about my experience.

The mechanical combination lock is a good idea. You do not have to worry about batteries dying or electrical failures. However, after you turn the first number of the combination lock, then it automatically lands on the rest of the combinations as you turn the combination knob. That's why I changed my review from 5 stars to 3 stars. The idea behind buying a safe is privacy and protection. If the combination lock is easy to open then there is no point of using it as a safe.

The outside and inside of the safe looks like it is made out of plastic. However, the safe has good amount of weight. Therefore, it makes me wonder if there is metal under the plastic. Plastic might be used on the exterior surface to increase the longetivity of the safe (to protect it from rusting). I am just making an assumption. We need an expert from First Alert to tell us why this safe looks like it is made out of plastic.

P.S. - I am able to pick up the safe by myself (6'2" and 180lbs).


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I have this safe little over a month now. It is great for what I need. There is enough space to put important documents and other valuables.

Despite the other comments, my item was well packaged. It came with packaging material on all four corners to protect the item during shipment. I have posted a picture of it.

I also purchased an Eva-dry Renewable Mini Dehumidifier. The case was closed for a full month and the humidifier did not show any sign of moisture. All the paper documents were dry and did not indicate any sign of moisture either.

It is a great value for the price. Make sure to read the Operation & Installation Guide for proper use and maintenance.

I looked at some other safes online and at the local stores around my house. I bought mine at Lowe's Home Improvement and was happy with the purchase. I read a review for a different safe that mentioned the combination on their safe was off by 2 numbers in both directions so, I played with mine. I was able to go anywhere from 5-8 numbers off of the actual combination First Alert provided me and the safe would still open...I'm not too happy with this and it does concern me a little bit but I still think it's a good safe will protect my pistol and gun ammo just fine.

I bought the honeywell version. It does the job. But it is interesting that you can defeat the combination lock with one single key. Also it's a bit heavy for the shipping guys, cause it was a bit dinged up when it arrived.

The firesafe was delivered on time with no damage to product. The box was smashed on one corner but there was plenty of foam packaging.

I opened the door with the combination on the second try and have had no problems since.
Yes, the outer skin of the firesafe is plastic but the overall construction gives a solid feeling and the door closes tightly. I bought this for its fire and water resistant properties NOT its theft resistance. I expect it to protect my papers and other items from fire as advertised.

I left the door open for a day to reduce the odors as suggested by other reviewers. I did not notice a strong smell, but I thought it couldn't hurt.

I am satisfied with my purchase of First Alert 2087F .94 cubic ft safe. Reviews had me worried a bit but the safe came unharmed and the only time the combination didn't work was the very first time before I read the instructions. You just have to turn knob several times in a certain direction to zero it out before you do step 1. The only reason I did not give it a 5-star is I haven't seen it go though a fire or flood. I hope I never have to test that part of the safe.

It is spacious, I like the shelf and hooks, and it fits well in the closet. My only issue is that it's kind of difficult to open. I've never used a more difficult combination! On the bright side, I'd like to see someone try and break into it...

We were very happy with the safe and the price was great! It came in a very short time and we were delighted that shipping was free!

I bought this item to protect my sensitive documents from fire and water, not necessarily from theft. One person can easily carry this safe and it does not come with any way to bolt it down. I am satisfied because I just wanted something to protect against fire since until now I had the stuff in a random drawer (this also helps as to not losing any papers since they are in there). Even my diploma fit in it on a diagonal (after removing the shelf, which is pretty flimsy plastic).

Before ordering I was concerned after reading reviews here that it came dented, busted, or damaged in some other way. I did not want to deal with this sort of hassle, so I found a better way. Searching on froogle found me the best price on walmart.com (with MASS tax still lower than anywhere online by a few bucks). Free site to store shipping so I was able to inspect it before accepting it. Anyway I thought I would mention this since it removed the danger of receiving a damaged product and having to pay for shipping back. The packaging (I do not know if this is walmart packaging or from honeywell direct) was quite good. The retail box contains very limited Styrofoam around the safe, but this retail box was in a bigger cardboard box with sizable chunks of styrofoam on the corners and heavy duty tape and staples to hold it all together. It came entirely intact with no scratches, dents, or holes.

Still not sure about the manual, with different people here saying different things. There is a sticker on the safe with a number on it and the manual says the safe-specific combination is on the inside back cover of the manual. None of the three language manuals have a combination in them although they do have a template for a combination and the serial number/model number/key number in them. I used the combination on the sticker on the safe to open it the first time, and then since there was nothing in the manual I closed the safe and then opened it with the same combination again (someone here had said the sticker combo was for first time opening only). So it seems that for me the sticker combo is the real combo.
Oh and yes the safe stinks from inside upon receipt, it does have a drying bag in it though like shoes do for what thats worth.

I can't really rate the product because the first one came damaged because the box and packaging was totally inadequate for a heavy safe, and the safe was scraped and dented. I ordered a replacement and the same thing happened. For this type of product, it's better to drive to your local office supply store.

The safe appears to be very nice and should serve my needs. Service from Amazon was as expected; however, the safe I received was defective and the combination did not work. Dealing with Honeywell became a nightmare. After a month of many phone calls to verify the combination and not receiving calls back (communication was poor and at times frustrating); they picked up the defective safe and sent me a replacement which arrived within a couple of days after picking up the defective one. Now that I have a working safe I guess time will tell if this safe is truly as they say. I am satisfied with my purchase and hopefully if I should every need to contact Honeywell again their service improves.

the item arrived as stated. i haven't had a chance to use it yet but i am sure it is very secure.

If you live in the land of earthquakes, Los Angeles, experts recommend you place important papers and documents in a fire-proof safe. This safe is sufficiently large enough to hold documents and even personal items. It's sturdy and built well. Highly recommended.

This is a relatively good safe, and I think it works well for what I need it for. Heavy enough that most wouldn't bother to steal it, and quality is good, but not exceptional. Good entry level safe I think for the money.

I really wanted this safe. I really wanted to buy it from Amazon. After reading a review about someone else purchasing it and the safe arriving damaged due to poor packaging, I called Amazon to share this concern. I placed the order. It arrived dented in several spots. AND, packaged in nothing more than a thin cardboard box with Styrofoam on only two of the six sides. I called Amazon immediately and was reassured that the next order would be packaged much better. NO. It wasn't. I'm done.

I just got this exact same safe at lowes for just under $110. And it's a pickup in town on my way to work. Worth saving $50 over, especially with poor shipment reviews! Buy this item at Lowes.com!!

It's not overpriced on Amazon, but check out Lowes!

According to the factory specification, the above-mentioned safe protects against a moisture and fire. Various kinds of items should be protected... However, instead of protecting of my documents and values, such as coin and post stamps collections, this safe ruined my staff because, I cannot explain why, appeared a mold.