You may recognize MSAFE from our top picks for the best home safes. In the review, we selected one of the PSB lines as the best safe for apartment dwellers. In this review, we went hands-on with the newly upgraded PF line of fire safes.
But, to back up for a moment, there are a few things worth knowing about MSAFES.
We spoke to Dov Israeli, Principal at Precision Lock & Safe, Inc. and MSafes about the refreshed PF line and fire safe buying in general. To say they know their stuff is a bit of an understatement. They’ve got a combined 80 years of experience in the business. One of the things that comes through loud and clear is that because the team behind MSAFE also sells and services safes, they see the issues people have with existing (and often low cost) safes. Avoiding these common headaches is built into their line of safes.
For this review, we went hands-on with the PF 32.
Hands-on Notes
“Man, this thing’s heavy.”
That was the first thing my husband said when hefting the PF 32 in our front door. Despite knowing that how a safe “feels” can be very deceiving, the unboxing process certainly left me feeling like items would be safely stored.
Some more cheaply priced brands are basically built like a cooler, with latent moisture in the less dense fill between the double walls forming a steam barrier. MSAFE’s PF line uses ‘gas concrete fil’. It’s not the density of say, sidewalk concrete, but you can feel the bulk and protection it adds. (I’d recommend having another person help, especially if you go any bigger than the PF 30 which clocks in at just under 70lbs.) This denser fill does have latent moisture in it as well, but also microscopic air pockets that act as a fire barrier.
The other perk for this type of fill is that it avoids humidity problems that some other brands can face. The less dense fill can sometimes increase humidity issues, which can lead to mold growing inside the safe (especially if there’s paper being stored.) This means with some models you’ll have to periodically air the safe out, or toss in a few packets of silica gel. This isn’t the case with the MSafe models.
The other thing I noted immediately was, as Dov mentioned when telling me about the upgrades, the lock and handle were very familiar. The design matches the PSB safe we’d previously reviewed, and is very easy to use. Based on his experience doing safe repairs, Dov mentioned it’s common for folks to come in with a fire safe that’s had issues with the lock or boltwork. This is generally due to budget providers saving cost on the locking components and taking the cheapest route they can while still getting the coveted one hour fire rating. Certainly not the case here.
The size on the PF 32 is great – not massive, but at 13-3/8″ wide by 11-5/8″ deep inside it fits documents comfortably. The pull out drawer at the top is also ideal for passports as well. I likely wouldn’t go larger than this in an apartment, but given the space I don’t know that most folks would ever need to.
Pros
1 Hour of Fire Resistance
All the safes in the PF line are tested under the EN 15659 standards. This series of tests are meant to determine the ability of a fire storage unit to protect paper from the negative impacts of fire. The two levels correspond to the exposure lengths – LFS 30 and LFS 60 (30 and 60 minutes, respectively.) All the PF line from MSAFE are LFS60P rated, meaning you can be confident that even in conditions of 1,700 degrees for an hour, the internal safe temperature won’t get above 338°F – well below the temperature needed for paper to combust.
Upgraded Lock
As I mentioned, the new change with the PF line is an upgrade to a EN-1300 Class B lock. Just like the PSB line, the ring pull handle and electronic keypad are easy to use and feel very high quality. The prior lock on the PF line didn’t have a rating assigned, so this is a great step up.
Water Resistant
While not waterproof (since waterproof would mean the entire safe can be submerged, which would rule out the option of bolting down the safe) the PF line is water resistant. In a high heat condition, the gaskets around the opening expand to seal out water and smoke. So in the event of a fire, the fire suppression system isn’t going to ruin your documents (or cash.) If you want extra water protection, you can always put your documents in a ziplock inside the safe.
Cons
Cost
Like we noted in the PSB review we’d previously done – the cost may initially seem high. However, the sticker-shock is really a result of seeing cheap items offered at Amazon or WalMart that don’t bring the same level of quality that MSAFE is putting into their safes. When doing a true head to head on material and third party standards, the cost is actually very reasonable.
Burglary rating
The PF line is not a burglary safe, for reference none of the fire safes we have reviewed are. The locking mechanism has been upgraded to a ECBS Class B lock. However, like all safes that only have a fire rating, the sheet metal used for the walls is thin. This keeps the weight and cost down, but does mean that a determined person with a set of tools and a little time can pierce the wall and access the contents. If you want the fire protection of the PF line with the burglary rating of the PSB line, you’re in luck – that’s what the PFB line offers.
PF Line Specs
The PF line from MSAFE is the most affordable fire safe line the company offers. They’ve also been recently upgraded, making them an even more attractive option. The recent change was to take the existing keypad and lock, and swap them for the higher level options like the ones from the PSB line or burglary safes. (Check out our hands-on review of the PSB 200.) All the safes in this line offer:
- Modern design equipped with a flush ring pull handle and an electronic, high-security EN-1300 Class B lock
- 60 minutes of fire resistance – LFS60P in accordance with European standard EN 15659
- Built with inner and outer steel walls filled with fire-resistant concrete
- Anchor bolt holes provided to securely anchor the safe to the floor
PF Line Options
Here’s a rundown of the different options in the PF fire safe line:
MSAFE PF 30
- Fire Protection: 1 Hour Fire Protection
- Exterior Dimensions: 11-5/8″ H x 16-7/8″ W x 14-3/8″ D (+1 inch for the handle and hinges)
- Interior Dimensions: 7-3/8″ H x 12-7/8″ W x 9-1/4″ D
- Interior Cubic Inches: 880 Cu. In.
- Interior Cubic Feet: 0.5 Cu. Ft
- Weight: 68 lbs.
MSAFE PF 32
- Fire Protection: 1 Hour Fire Protection
- Exterior Dimensions: 12-3/8″ H x 17-1/2″ W x 16-3/4″ D (+1 inch for the handle and hinges)
- Interior Dimensions: 8-1/8″ H x 13-3/8″ W x 11-5/8″ D
- Interior Cubic Inches: 1,270 Cu. In.
- Interior Cubic Feet: 0.573 Cu. Ft
- Weight: 84 lbs.
MSAFE PF 49
- Fire Protection: 1 Hour Fire Protection
- Exterior Dimensions: 19-1/4″ H x 14-1/4″ W x 16-3/4″ D (+1 inch for the handle and hinges)
- Interior Dimensions: 15″ H X 10-1/8″ W X 11-5/8″ D
- Interior Cubic Inches: 1,773 Cu. In.
- Interior Cubic Feet: 1.03 Cu. Ft
- Weight: 101 lbs.
MSAFE PF 51
- Fire Protection: 1 Hour Fire Protection
- Exterior Dimensions: 20-1/8″ H x 17-1/2″ W x 16-3/4″ D (+1 inch for the handle and hinges)
- Interior Dimensions: 20-1/8″ H x 17-1/2″ W x 16-3/4″ D
- Interior Cubic Inches: 2,477 Cu. In.
- Interior Cubic Feet: 1.43 Cu. Ft
- Weight: 119 lbs.
The Bottom Line
When looking for a fire safe, you want to know that you can trust your important possessions and documents are going to be protected if the worst were to happen. Given the extensive testing done to attain the European standards rating, you can feel confident with the PF line. Despite it not being a burglary safe, the upgraded lock and keypad is a notable step up compared competitors in that area for the PF series of safes. If you want both fire protection and enhanced burglary protection, MSAFE has options for that as well, though they will come at a higher cost. But at this price point, the protection you’re getting along with the reliability of the upgraded lock and keypad is hard to beat, making it our top pick for the best fireproof safes.
This article has been reviewed and approved by Officer Banta.
Officer Banta is the official SecurityNerd home security and safety expert. A member of the Biloxi Police Department for over 24 years, Officer Banta reviews all articles before lending his stamp of approval. Click here for more information on Officer Banta and the rest of our team.
