Biometric gun safes are one of the more controversial gun safe styles on the market today. These safes can range from cheap knock-off safes to the much more expensive style locks.
These locks are normally in the form of a fingerprint scanner that is generally placed directly on the keypad that is used as a backup to the scanner.
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend purchasing a lower end biometric safe. Why? Because the failure rate, and quality of these lower end biometric safes tend to be prevalent, as costs are cut to keep the price lower on these models. If you are going to own a biometric safe, do it right. The last thing you need is a safe that won’t open when you need it most.
| Our Favorites | The Product | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | Vaultek VT10i | 5 / 5 |
| Best Budget | Gunbox Echo | 4 / 5 |
| Best Multiple Handgun | Vaultek MX Series | 5 / 5 |
| Best Compact Full-Size | Vaultek RS500i | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best Full-Size | Browning Pro Steel Safes | 5 / 5 |
1. Vaultek VT10i
Vaultek in my mind is one of the leading pistol safe companies. While they are a young company, they have built out some awesome products packed with great features.
While they may have a hefty price tag, as I had mentioned before, it is worth it if you are going to rely on a biometric lock in a life or death situation.
I actually was able to do a full hands-on review of the VT10i specifically, and you can check out my review here. A year later, they are still one of my favorites.
A great thing about these safes, is there are many other ways to get into the safe if for some reason the biometric portion doesn’t work.
Pros
- High quality
- Great reliability
- Multiple ways to access the safe
- Lighted interior
- Easy to use keypad
Cons
- Very expensive for the size
2. Gunbox 2.0
GunBox has been around for quite a bit longer than Vaultek, Gunbox is a quality brand with a quality product. With the higher price tag, again comes higher quality locking mechanisms.
Much like the one above, the GunBox has a couple options, and the newer 2.0 actually addresses my main concern in my review, and includes both the keypad, RFID and the biometric to allow for some redundant options for access, instead of keeping the keypad and biometric as a separate unit.
With a built in keypad, biometric, quality build and a great look, this safe sits near the top of the list as one of the best biometric safes on the market today!
Pros
- Looks really cool
- High quality
- RFID access is great
- Unique design and build
Cons
- Slower to access than competitors
- High price point
3. Gunbox Echo
The Gunbox Echo is a rugged, lightweight and water resistant safe for concealment of up to two firearms. The Bio-metric Fingerprint Scanner located on the front lid provides commanders with emergency access in even high stress environments.
Sophisticated design features like contoured shoulders which protect firearms from scratches and scuffs round out this compact biometric pistol safe!
Equipped with enough foam inserts to accommodate most pistols, and some of your valuables makes this a great option for if you want something a bit less expensive than the above Gunbox 2.0.
Pros
- Great price for what you get
- Reliable scanner
- Very portable
Cons
- Wish it was as sleek as the 2.0
- What is a biometric safe?
- Top 10 Best Quality Handgun (Pistol) Safes
- The Vaultek RS800i: How it stacks up to the other RS series
4. Liberty HDX-150
Liberty HDX-150 Biometric safe is incredbily quick at reading your fingerprint which makes it one of the fastest opening biometric safes out there.
A stand-out convenience, speed counts allows entry into your premises within 1 SECOND using the AC Adapter. Under 2 seconds when utilizing a 9V battery (included).
Built from 14 gauge steel and mounted to stay firmly shut this firearm rated lock box has an auto opening door, just swipe your finger and the door conveniently opens to give you access.
It also is a big upside that this is made by one of the most reputable gun safe manufacturers on the planet right now. What more could you want right?
Pros
- Backed by Liberty Safes
- Tried-and-true product
- Made in America
Cons
- Doesn’t look great
5. Vaultek MX Series
The MX Series is a high capacity, modular security cabinet integrating a best-in-class biometric lock and uniquely designed interior with the needs of valuables protection.
The durable carbon steel exterior ensures security, and is also also able ensuring a sense of safety for your belongings.
With (8) handgun slots and holster clips in each slot, you have enough space to store up to 12 handguns at any given time.
The spacious interior will accommodate pens, wallets, documents as well as your other essential carry items which are organized by specific foam cutouts for guns or knives.
Pros
- Fits many handguns
- Multiple entry options
- Quality is top notch
- One of the only pistol safes like this
Cons
- Very expensive
- Large for a pistol safe, and makes it difficult to place on night stands
So what about Full Size gun safes?
Full size gun safes are a little bit different of an experience than the others. This more comes down to the brand of the lock itself, and not so much the brand of the safe.
When you are shopping around for a biometric full size gun safe, and don’t find a name brand on the face of the lock, I recommend passing it up… if you don’t know the brand of the lock you will have to rely on the manufacturer of the safe, and won’t be able to get secondary support from the lock manufacturer.
That said, there aren’t many full size gun safe manufacturers that have biometric as a “stock” option, however many biometric locks can be added after the fact by an experienced lock smith.
However there are some notable manufactures such as the below! There are of course others, however these are the ones I tend to trust.
6. Vaultek RS500i
Simplicity, capability, quality, and security at its finest. Vaultek’s newest addition to the family of safes- RS500i Rifle safe!
With eight different interior layouts, it is tailored towards all your storage needs from storing handguns in a studio apartment (of which this safe finds itself on our list of best apartment safes) to holding several rifles with an entire arsenal for protection.
The exterior has one door, but many entry options for more ways to enter your vault. It hasa high-quality textured steel construction that will last a lifetime.
A fully modular interior offers heaps of versatility while still keeping everything neat and tidy- not easy with 2-3 guns!
Pros
- Many ways to access
- Monitors many different things
- Compact design works well for smaller houses
Cons
- High price point
- No fire rating
7. Browning Pro Steel Safes
Hooah! Get your hands on a Border Pro-Steel gun safe and protect that most precious of personal belongings, your firearm.
These safes come with biometric access as an option, and the fire protection is one of the best in the industry. Choose from USA made or imported safes for those people that are on a bit of a budget.
Browing’s Biometric Pro-Steel Gun Safes are touted one of the strongest, most versatile safes available. That’s where the company’s focus lies—offering top security while being delivered in a convenient design that is guaranteed to suit any pistol tastes or needs.
Superior fire protection and made in America are just two of other features that make them stand out among competitors.
Pros
- Very heavy duty
- High quality locking mechanisms
- All of the traditional full-size upsides
- Backed by Browning
Cons
- Very, very heavy
- Very expensive
What to think about when buying a biometric gun safe?
Size and Capacity
Before you go too far into buying any gun safe, you should be thinking about what size and capacity you need. You will want to think about how many firearms you have now, and how many you plan on buying in the next couple of years. Thankfully, most people that want biometric locks are looking at pistol safes, which can be replaced down the road easily if you want something different and bigger.
However if you are looking for that full-size safe, you might want to buy bigger than you think you will need, as you likely will fill it right up.
Locking mechanism
Biometric safes are known to be one of the least reliable lock styles (which is why many people buy Simplex style safes). So making sure that your biometric lock is one of the best out there, is going to get you the most reliable option. Unfortunately, to get those better locks, you have to spend plenty of money to do that, which is why all of the safes on this list are rather expensive.
That is just the name of the game.
Reputable brand
Going back to a reliable locking mechanism, you also will want a reputable brand. Biometric locks introduce an electronic component, that may need warrantied, and having a good brand like Vaultek, Liberty, or Gunbox behind it makes all of the difference when you need them.
Where are you going to put it?
Think about where you are putting the safe. Are you putting it on your nightstand? You won’t want a huge safe. Are you putting it in the closet, or in the basement? You can get a larger safe without being in the way.
Price point
Plan on spending more than you think you are going to when it comes to price point on biometric safes. To get a good lock, you need to spend the money, to keep yourself safe when you need to access it. If you opt for a low end biometric safe, you are asking for trouble.
Frequently Asked Questions
Just like anything else in this world, there are good biometric fingerprint gun safes, and there are bad versions of those safes. If you get a bad one, you might get locked out when you need to access your safe most. Instead you should do your research, and pick a good one, its worth it.
Anything that is electronic can be hacked, however the likelihood of someone hacking your biometric sensor is lower than someone just taking the safe with them. That said, always bolt your safe down or at least tether it to something heavy.
The reason so many people like biometric safes is purely for ease of access. It is much easier in a time of distress to put your fingerprint on a sensor, rather than having to remember a password for your keypad. However the trade-off is definitely reliability.
Conclusion
Biometric gun safes are a hard topic in the gun safe industry, as you are trying to walk that line of capability with the need for something that will open every time, and whenever you need it to.
The safes above are some of the best quality biometric gun safes on the market today, and you should do great with any of these options at your home!
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