Sentry OA3817 Reviewed

For this ‘Expert Staff Review’ I’m going to be taking a closer look at the Sentry OA3817.

The Sentry OA3817 has been designed by Sentry to be a multi-purpose safe offering fire protection, water protection and security for home or office use. The safe is fitted with an electronic combination lock, so you can programme your own code, as well as a key lock and is rated for protecting cash of up to £2,000 or valuables of up to £20,000.

Lets take a closer look to see if it’s any good…

What's good

  • Fire protection This safe boasts a massive 120 minute fire protection which is one of the highest levels of protection available. It’s highly unlikely that your contents will be damaged in a fire and Sentry will even replace the safe for you under their ‘lifetime after-fire replacement guarantee’.
  • Price You’re not likely to find this safe cheaper anywhere else and compared to other fire safes, the Sentry OA3817 really does provide exceptional value for money. Similarly priced fire safes are generally smaller with less fire protection.
  • Ease of use The code is really easy to set up and the instructions are clear and easy to follow so that the safe can be in use within minutes.
  • Locking This safe comes with both a key lock and an electronic lock. Both need to be used together for the safe door to open. This is an added security feature so that security is not compromised if the key falls in to the wrong hands.
  • Storage There is plenty of room to store a variety of items. The internal space will allow you to fit in a couple of standard A4 folders or photo albums. There are 2 shelves, handy storage pockets and key hooks. If you need to use the full internal height, the shelves can be fully removed.

What's not so good

  • Installation Installation is not simple as there are no pre-drilled holes. There are weakened points that you have to drill through. It is unclear how this affects the water protection as the safe is no longer water tight once you’ve drilled through the safe floor. For extra piece of mind, I recommend you to place any mechanical objects, that you are storing in the safe, in an air tight bag.
  • Handle The handle is a little bit flimsy and can be moved up and down slightly, even when the door is locked.
  • Construction The interior is made form plastic which doesn’t fill you with confidence. Although it’s on the inside and can’t effect the security it does make the safe feel a little bit less quality.

Verdict

If your looking for the best possible fire protection at a great price, then this is the safe for you. This safe really is the ultimate fire protection safe for home use. The safe is easy to use and there’s plenty of internal space to store your valuable items. There is a little bit of a grey area regarding the installation and its effects on waterproofing. You will need to take extra precautions, such as placing mechanical items in an air tight bag.

For more information or to purchase the Sentry OA3817 click here.

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