In this article, we look at the best van tool safe for your works van or vehicle.
You know it’s time for a van tool safe in your vehicle when you come to the realisation that the tools in your work van are worth more than the van itself.
Or when you turn a corner a little too sharp and quick, and the £800 drill shoots from one side of the van to the other.
Not a nice feeling is it?
Sounds like it’s time to buy a tool safe for your van to keep those expensive tools safe and secure.
Below is a handy table of contents. Clicking on any of the headings will take you directly to that piece of content on this page, for your convenience. I am an Amazon Associate, and I earn commission on qualifying purchases.
(Last Update: June 2022)
Table of Contents
What Is A Van Tool Safe?
A van tool safe is a safe that has been designed to fit in work vans to keep tools and other expensive equipment secure.
Tool safes can be secured within a locked van or lorry, or on the back of an open vehicle such as a tipper.
It protects your expensive and cherished tools from being stolen and pawned by the local smack rats, in whatever run down area you’d rather not be working in.
A tool safe will also help you organise your tools in the back of your van, and keep them safe and prevent accidental breakages when in transit.
A van tool safe will keep your tools safe, and it will give you a lot of peace of mind whether you are on a job, or parked up overnight.
Leicestershire police also have a good article of keeping your van safe, with a lot of good information on additional measures you can take to protect your van being broken into.
Should I Install A Tool Safe In My Van?
Quite a simple question indeed.
If you’re happy to face your missus and tell her your tools for making a living have been stolen from the back of your van, and you can’t make a living for the next two weeks because you are waiting for the insurance payout, by all means, don’t buy a Van Tool Safe.
If you want a happy wife and a happy life, go and invest in a decent tool safe for your van, and get it installed ASAP.
But, what’s the best van tool safe for your work van?
Here’s 5 of the best van tool safes for your work vehicle.
Best Van Tool Safe – Top 5
(Please bear in mind – these items tend to go out of stock quite often – simply because they are the best van tool safes you can buy. Sorry in advance if you go to a link that is out of stock).
1. Armour Guard Tuff Box
Simply the best van tool 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 are also included meaning the design of this has been thoughtful and well designed.
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Sold Secure and Secure By Design are independant testing houses that have both tested the ArmourGuard and certified it. Meaning that this van tool safe has got the seal of approval from people who have tested this product to the hilt.
The Armour Guard is the best van tool safe for your van hands down, and it’s a great choice if you are looking to keep your tools ultra secure and have the confidence that when leaving your van, 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. Van Vault
The Van Vault pushes the Armour Guard close, but comes a respectable second.
It’s strong, it’s sturdy and it’s got enough room for your most expensive drills and other power tools. It’s also a little cheaper than the Armour Guard.
It’s got all the security you need, and it’s accredited by Sold Secure (an independant testing house) and SBD (an official police initiative), so you know that this van tool safe is going to keep those pesky theives out.
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One thing we would recommend when purchasing this work van safe is to make sure exactly where you are drilling when you install it. It requires fixing bolts bolted to the foor, so do make sure you read the instructions for this product instead of binning them immediately.
You can check out all the features of this work van safe here (opens Amazon in a new window).
3. Job Site Tool Box
This tool van safe is an ideal safe for backs of work vans, trucks, tippers and lorries. 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.
However, that being said, 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.
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But, money talks, and this does a good job at protecting your valuables in the back of your van at an excelent price. You’ll need a padlock to go with this as there isn’t one supplied.
4. Clarke 2 Piece Garage Safe Box
The Clarke Van/truck Safe tool box comes in at number three. It’s cheap and cheerful, and you get two seperate boxes to store your tools.
Bear in mind when I used this for the first time, I wasn’t overly excited about the construction. The metal does seem flimsy, and could be easily breached using the correct tools. But it’s value for money, and it’s better than nothing.
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Yet, most thefts from vans are opportunist – and most are an in and out job, taking place in literally seconds. So this is a good all round choice if your budget doesn’t stretch to the far superior Van Vault.
5. Van Vault Stacker
My personal favourite, but comes in at number 5 in the list due to the pricing. This is the best van tool safe for practicality.
If you are an installer and carry high priced components from job to job, then the practicality of this van tool safe is excellent – this van safe is a pull out drawer that is modular, meaning buy 2, 3 or 4 of them, and you can stack them on top of each other.
You can also use them in conjunction with other products from this brand.
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It’s called the Van Vault Stacker. Yes, it is expensive. But yes, it is high quality, it is highly practical and it just has an all round premium feel to it, from the way the draw slides out to the satisfying look of it in your van, this is a premium product at a premium price.
Again, this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, or indeed budget. But if you do have a decent budget for a van tool safe which doubles up as neat and tody storage, then this is the one for you.
No Tools Left In This Van Overnight
Don’t forget this simple sticker. It’s cheap and easy, and just another way to tell people you’re security conscious and you’ve not made it easy.
Stick this on the side back and side windows to gain a quick pyschological advantage over all those dregs of society who want to break into your van to steal your tools.
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Not In Stock or Too Expensive?
This van tool safe is a firm favourite for tradepeople and commercial vans across the UK.
It doesn’t get in our best van tool safe top 5, because it is essentially a chest with a lock on made of aluminium.
But if any of the above are out of stock or too expensive, don’t worry about buying the best van tool safe – buy within budget at a cost that is reasonable to you, and remember, some security is better than none at all, and it might just mean the difference of a few seconds between a thief walking away with your tools, or giving up and walking away empty handed.
Take a look at it here and use a decent padlock for a great, cheap alternative (and it comes in a variety of different sizes too).
Key Takeaways
If your expensive tools and power tools are just thrown in the back of the van, and you are simply ‘hoping’ that your work van doesn’t get broken into, then you are running the risk of disrupting your business and your cash flow.
You don’t even have to go out and buy the best van tool safe.
Even the cheapest van tool safe would be better than no safe at all, because lets face it, these types of thefts are usually opportunist thefts, where a window is broken or a door is jemmied, and whatever is at hand is stolen.
If you have expensive cordless drills and other expensive tools, spend the fifty or sixty quid and get the cheapest tool safe, alongside a decent padlock, and secure them.
If you want the best van tool safe money can buy, then buy the Armour Guard.
Nothing is worse than coming back to your vehicle to find your valuables have been stolen. You’ve then got the nightmare of reporting it to the police, getting a log number for your insurance company, finding receipts for the items that have been stolen, and then waiting for the insurance money to come through.
Links
In case you missed them, here are all the links to the products above that we consider to be the best van tool safe selection for your van or works van. We are an Amazon Associate and we earn a commision from qualifying purchases. All links go to Amazon and they open in a new window for your convenience.
- Armour Guard
- Van Vault
- Job Site Box
- Clarke Safe
- Van Vault Stacker
- No Tools In This Van Sticker
- Cheap Tool Chest For Vans
Here’s some other useful articles from this website:
- 75 Ways To Improve Home Security
- 25 Ways To Make Your Garage More Secure
- 5 Free Ways To Make Your Home More Secure When Away On Holiday
- Vanlife Security – Making Your Van More Secure
- 3 Of the Best Safes For Your Garage or Workshop
- 5 Best Home Safes For Homes In The UK
Questions & Comments
We hope you found the article ‘Best Van Tool Safe – 5 of the Best‘ helpful. If you have any questions or comments on the article, please feel free to leave them below, and I’ll try and reply as soon as I can.
Stay Safe. Stay Secure.
LOL @ SMACKRATS