If you have a garage and you keep expensive tools or equipment in it, then buying a garage safe has probably crossed your mind on more than one occassion.
In this article, we look at at exactly what a garage safe is, what it’s used for, the benefits of having a garage safe and take a look at the best garage safes for your money.
We’ll also look at what you should do before buying a garage safe.
Below is a handy table of contents for this page – click a link and it will take you to the relevant place on this page. We are Amazon Asscoiates, and we make a commission from qualifying purchases.
(ARTICLE UPDATED OCTOBER 2022)
Table of Contents
The 30 Second Brief – Garage Safes
- If you have expensive tools in your garage, it is absolutely worth it to lock them away in a safe.
The 3 safes we recommend in this article are:
What Is A Garage Safe?
A garage safe is a safe that is located in your garage (different from your home safe), where you can secure all of your most expensive equipment and tools.
For example, if you have expensive cordless drills, it’s recommended that you keep them in a garage safe.
It’s another layer of protection over what you already have, so if the unthinkable does happen and your garage is broken into, a thief won’t simply be able to walk in and then walk back out again carrying your expensive cordless drills.
Garage Security Audit
Before contemplating buying a safe for your garage or shed, it’s important that you get the rest of your security arrangements in order first.
No good spending £200 on a garage safe if your garage door is only protected by a 12 year old, flimsy, rusty hasp and padlock.
A criminal or even an opportunist thief is always on the lookout for an opportunity that offers the path of least resistance.
Show these people a path of little resistance, and they’ll try and probably succeed at burgling your property and stealing your possessions.
So do an audit of your garage security today, by following this checklist:
- Check locks and padlocks on your garage (replace old padlocks)
- Lighting – if your garage is detached from your house, invest in motion detection lighting or floodlights
- Access – install gates if someone can walk straight up to your garage (if possible)
- Windows on garage? – use blinds or one way mirror screens
It’s worth looking at the contents of your garage as well, because some things you just won’t be able to fit in a safe.
The Metropolitan Police say the number one item stolen from a garage is a bike, followed by lawn mowers.
So if your bike isn’t secure in your garage, make sure they are all secure by using anchors or locks anchors or locks.
Of course, if you have a garage that is attached to your property, with a door leading into your property, it’s extra important to ensure that the security of your garage is up to scratch – you don’t want it being an easy route into your home.
Benefits Of Having A Garage Safe
The benefits of having a garage safe are clear to see:
- Another level of security protection
- A single place of storage for expensive items
- Helps protect items from the environment in your garage (dust, mites, damp etc)
- Peace of mind
Something that isn’t talked about much after a burglary is the pyschological impact a burglary can have on you and your family. Victims of burglary often say that this impact is the worst, because it often leaves long lasting fears and anxiety surrounding security and safety.
If you’re here after having your garage burgled, be sure to check out the after burglary checklist here.
Best Garage Safes – Our Top 3
Here’s our top 3 best garage safes based on quality and pricing. We are an Amazon Associate, and we earn a commission through qualifying purchases. All links go to Amazon and open in a new window for your convenience:
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1. Armour Guard Tuff Box
Simply the best, toughest, most secure garage/van safe you can buy, the Armour Guard will fend off even the most persistent of thieves and send them packing.
Be warned though, you’ll have to dig deep into your pockets for this.
The Armour Guard Tuff Bank comes with a solid 5 lever deadlock as well as steel plates and steel reinforcements, including an anti jemmy system. Little touches like holes for cables So you can charge stuff even while it’s secure) are also included meaning the design of this has been thoughtful and well designed.
Of course, it can be bolted down to the floor for extra security.
Sold Secure and Secure By Design are independant testing houses that have both tested the ArmourGuard and certified it. Meaning that this safe has got the seal of approval from people who have tested this product to the hilt.
The Armour Guard is the best safe for your garage hands down (it also doubles up as a van safe, and comes thoroughly recommended as a van safe too) , and it’s a great choice if you are looking to keep your tools ultra secure. Even if the unthinkable happens and a scrotebag breaks in, the Armour Guard will have left them scurrying off to their hole with nothing to show for their efforts.
2. Job Site/Garage Tool Box
This tool safe is an ideal safe for your garage or shed (it can also be used on construction sites etc.). It’s made of high quality, durable material, and represents huge value for money. And that’s a big factor in this being number 2 on the list. It’s a quarter of the price of the above Armour Guard.
Money talks, and this does a good job at protecting your valuables in your garage at an excellent price. It comes with pre-drilled holes so you can fix it to your garage floor, but you will need a padlock to go with this as there isn’t one supplied.
Do check the dimensions of this tool safe, because it is on the small side – it’s more long and shallow than tall and deep. Measurements can be checked for your specific needs on the Amazon page here.
Really excellent value for money.
3. Clarke 2 Piece Van/Truck/Garage Safe Box
The Clarke Van/garage Safe tool box comes in at number three, simply because it combines a decent amount of security with a very, very attractive price. You also get 2 of these, a bigger one and a smaller one, which is a huge bonus.
It has a flush lid with a waterproof seal, so you can rest assured your tools will stay dry. There’s also four pre-drilled holes in the bottom which you can use to either bolt into your garage floor or use the supplied rubber feet.
The Clarke Safe Box is excellent value for money, and although not as robust as the Armour Guard, it’s a good choice if you are on a budget and want real value for your money.
Windows?
If you have windows or doors with windows on your garage, then it’s advisable to cover them.
But don’t block them altogether – instead, use this clever film to stop people looking in, but still allows you to look out.
Key Takeaways
When thinking of buying a garage safe for tools and equipment, it’s a great time to be thinking about your security in general.
Do make sure you do a quick security audit of your garage (and your whole property come to that).
It’s a great way to target harden your property, and doing it now will prevent you having to do it after experiencing a burglary. Unfortunately, most people only do a security audit and bolster their security after experiencing a burglary.
Be pro active rather than being reactive.
Links
In case you missed them, here are all the links contained in this article:
- Met police Advice and stats
- One way mirror screen for windows
- Armour Guard Van/Garage Safe
- Job Site Box
- Clarke Box x 2
- 3 Simple Ways To Improve Garage Door Home Security
Questions & Comments
As always, we welcome your questions, comments and thoughts about garage safes. Maybe you have a garage safe for tools, and you can share your experiences with it?
Or maybe you can share bad experiences. Let us know in the comments below!
Stay Safe. Stay Secure.
