Best Handgun Safe for Nightstand Use

Our top nightstand handgun safe picks at a glance

A nightstand handgun safe has one job: keep kids and visitors out, then open in a second or two in the dark. Most bedside guides agree that quick access matters more than heavy security here; a bedside gun safe deters smash-and-grab theft and curious hands, and it is not a burglar safe or a fire safe.

This table compares the five picks on lock, backup entry, steel, power and exterior size (W x D x H), the measurement that decides whether a safe fits your drawer.

None of the five carries a published fire rating, and none of the sources we read lists an independent burglary rating from UL or Intertek (ETL). Four of them are called California DOJ approved by the maker or a retailer (Fort Knox via Dean Safe, Hornady, SentrySafe, GunVault via Adorama). That is a state approval of a firearm safety device, not a measure of fire or pry resistance, and we did not find each model on the DOJ’s searchable roster.

How we picked nightstand handgun safes

We kept only bedside safes that at least two of the top-ranking nightstand guides or forum threads recommend, then checked each spec against the maker or a retailer listing. That rule put the Fort Knox FTK-PB (Pew Pew Tactical calls the PB1 by that item number), the Vaultek 20 Series (the guides reviewed its earlier VT20i and VT20 versions), the Hornady Night Guard, the SentrySafe QAP2EL and the GunVault SpeedVault on the list.

Some popular bedside pistol safe names missed the cut. The ONNAIS biometric safe and the Steelhead Fast Access Pistol Box each had only one strong recommendation, and RPNB appears under different model names on different pages, so we couldn’t confirm one product. If you shop budget biometric brands, check for recalls first: the CPSC recalled certain Awesafe biometric safes in 2024, which our biometric gun safe guide covers.

Our scores weigh security, access and capacity from specs and owner reports; fire is left out because none of these safes makes a fire claim.

The best handgun safes for a nightstand, reviewed

Each bedside pistol safe below wins on a different nightstand problem: dead batteries, fingerprint access, darkness, two guns or no drawer space. We report owner praise and complaints with where they were posted, and we flag single reports as single reports.

Fort Knox Original Pistol Box PB1: Best no-battery pick

3.9Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)9/10
• Access (speed and ease)8/10
• Capacity6/10
• Value7/10

No fire claim, so fire is left out. Security 9 for 10-gauge steel, a reinforced lock and a California DOJ listing with no electronics to fail; access 8 because the mechanical code is quick once learned but is still a code in the dark; capacity 6 for one full-size pistol; value 7 for a premium box with bolt holes and a lifetime warranty included.

How we score

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What we like

• Simplex mechanical push-button lock needs no batteries and can be pre-entered at bedtime so the lid opens with a turn of the knob (per Pew Pew's reviewer)
• 10-gauge steel body with a 3/16-inch wrap-around door and a lock-reinforcing back plate
• Four 3/8-inch mounting holes and a gas strut; limited lifetime warranty

What we don't like

• 22 lb and about 12.5 x 10.25 x 4.35 in outside, so it needs a sturdy drawer or nightstand top
• Only about 1,081 Simplex combinations, which Pew Pew flags as a weakness around kids

What owners and reviewers say from 2 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Simplex lock needs no batteries and is quick to open
• An r/CCW owner (search excerpt) says the 10-gauge Simplex box has no batteries and is quick to get into

Common complaints

• Heavy and not cheap
• A small number of Simplex combinations (Pew Pew's reviewer's main worry around kids)

Read on: The Firing Line: Best handgun safe for night stand? (jad0110, a Fort Knox owner) · Reddit r/CCW: lowest-end pistol lockboxes thread (PB1 owner, search excerpt only)

Who it's for: For a homeowner who wants one full-size handgun behind a battery-free lock on a nightstand or in a drawer; the Simplex code has about 1,081 combinations, so it suits keeping a gun from curious kids and smash-and-grab thieves rather than a determined attacker, and it is heavy at 22 lb.

The Fort Knox Original Pistol Box PB1 is the answer to the dead-battery problem. Its Simplex 5-button mechanical lock and knob need no power, and per Dean Safe the body is 10-gauge steel with a 3/16-inch wrap-around door and a back plate that reinforces the lock. A gas strut lifts the door, and four 3/8-inch holes let you bolt it down.

Size is the catch. Dean Safe lists 12.5 by 10.25 by 4.35 inches outside, plus an inch of depth for the knob, and it weighs 22 lb, so it needs a deep, sturdy drawer or the nightstand top. Inside, 11.75 by 9.75 by 3.5 inches holds one full-size handgun and a spare magazine; Pew Pew’s reviewer thinks a second full-size pistol may fit.

On The Firing Line, a Fort Knox owner recommends it for exactly this job, and a PB1 owner in an r/CCW thread (search excerpt) says the Simplex lock has no batteries and is quick to get into. The complaints are weight and cost. Pew Pew’s reviewer also flags that the Simplex lock has only about 1,081 combinations, a worry around kids.

Pew Pew’s reviewer pre-enters the code at bedtime so a turn of the knob opens it. We’d only do that in a house with no children or guests, because anyone can turn that knob. Dean Safe lists a limited lifetime warranty and California DOJ approval.

Vaultek 20 Series Essential Biometric: Best biometric pick

3.4Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)7/10
• Access (speed and ease)8/10
• Capacity6/10
• Value6/10

No fire claim, so fire is left out. Security 7 for 16 ga steel and anti-pry latches with a key backup but no independent burglary rating or DOJ listing confirmed; access 8 for three fast entry modes and lighting, held back by battery dependence; capacity 6 for one full-size pistol; value 6 for a premium price.

How we score

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What we like

• Fingerprint (up to 20), 5-digit backlit keypad and manual keys as backup (Vaultek)
• 16 ga steel, anti-pry bars and dual anti-impact latches (Vaultek)
• Backlit keypad with proximity sensor and interior LED lights for low-light access (Vaultek)

What we don't like

• Biometric sensors can need re-registering and are not every owner's choice; a keypad or key backup exists, but all three need power or the key on hand
• Higher priced than the other electronic picks here, and older VT20i, VS20i and VT20 listings are earlier versions with different specs

What owners and reviewers say from 1 review and posts we read

Praised for

• A 1911Forum poster calls Vaultek a good biometric safe (one line, no model named)

Common complaints

• Forum posters in the 1911Forum thread distrust fingerprint readers for a bedside gun in general (no Vaultek-specific failure read)

Read on: 1911Forum: Quick Access Bedside Pistol Safe (biometric debate, owners of other brands)

Who it's for: For a nightstand or drawer owner who wants fingerprint, keypad and key entry on a low-profile lid and is happy to swap AAA batteries; one full-size pistol with a spare magazine fits, and older VT20i, VS20i and VT20 listings are earlier versions with their own specs, so check the model on the listing.

The Vaultek 20 Series Essential Biometric suits a shallow drawer: Vaultek lists it at 11.5 by 9 by 2.75 inches and 7.2 lb. A fingerprint reader stores up to 20 prints, with a 5-digit backlit keypad and manual keys as backups. The keypad has a proximity sensor and the interior LED lights come on when the lid opens.

Naming needs care. The top-10 guides reviewed earlier versions of this series: American Firearms names the VT20i, Gun University the keypad-only VT20, and pages also use VS20i; Vaultek’s support page groups NV20i, V20i, VS20i, VS20, VT20i, VT20 and VE20 as one series. Those guides’ claims describe the earlier versions, and the specs we quote are from Vaultek’s current 20 Series page: 16-gauge carbon steel, anti-pry bars, dual anti-impact latches and three AAA batteries. Banks Safe’s VT20i listing instead shows a rechargeable battery and a Bluetooth app, so check which model your listing shows.

The interior is 11 by 5.75 by 2 inches, enough for one full-size pistol and a spare magazine. Vaultek lists pre-drilled holes with included hardware, or a steel security cable.

Owner feedback is thin. The doubt comes from 1911Forum posters who distrust fingerprint readers for a bedside gun in general, not from a reported Vaultek failure. Biometric sensors can need re-registering, so we’d learn the keypad code too.

Hornady RAPiD Safe Night Guard: Best RFID pick

3.5Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)7/10
• Access (speed and ease)8/10
• Capacity7/10
• Value6/10

No fire claim, so fire is left out. Security 7 for a key backup, 14 ga steel and a California DOJ listing with no independent burglary rating; access 8 for RFID entry that reviewers call rapid, held back by a flush keypad and a power dependence; capacity 7 for a deep drawer; value 6 for a premium price and an owner report of early electronics failure.

How we score

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What we like

• RFID tag, user-set code and mechanical key give three ways in; four RFID tags included (Hornady)
• Pre-drilled mounting holes and a 1,500 lb-rated security cable included
• Two USB-A charging ports and AC power with four-AAA backup (Hornady)

What we don't like

• The flush keypad is hard to feel in the dark (Gun University), so the RFID tag is the fast route
• An owner on Reddit reports two Hornady units failing inside two years (electronics, then screen), and the RFID tags need to be kept out of reach of anyone who shouldn't have them

What owners and reviewers say from 1 review and posts we read

Praised for

• Fast RFID entry and several access methods (reviewers)

Common complaints

• One Reddit poster says two Hornady units failed within 2 years: electronics died on one, a screen on the other

Read on: Reddit r/tacticalgear: Bedside gun with little kids (search excerpt only)

Who it's for: For someone who wants hands-free RFID entry from a watch band, key fob or sticker beside the bed, with a clock-radio look; it is plug-in powered with a battery backup, the flush keypad is hard to feel in the dark, and Hornady's page says not to store loaded firearms in any safe or lock box.

The Hornady RAPiD Safe Night Guard looks like a bedside alarm clock and opens when you hold an RFID tag to it: Hornady includes four tags, plus a user-set code and a mechanical key. It plugs into a 12V AC adapter, keeps four AAA batteries (not included) as backup, and adds two USB-A charging ports.

Hornady lists the exterior at 3 by 12 by 10.5 inches and the interior at 2.2 by 9.2 by 6.9 inches, with an 18 lb weight. Gun University says the drawer holds a full-size handgun, a light and extra magazines; Top Firearm Reviews says compact guns fit easily. Top Firearm Reviews also gives the steel as 14-gauge, which Hornady’s page doesn’t state. Pre-drilled mounting holes and a security cable rated to 1,500 lb come in the box.

Reviewers praise the RFID speed. Gun University found the flush keypad hard to feel in the dark, so the tag is your fast route. On the owner side, one r/tacticalgear poster says two Hornady units failed within two years, one with dead electronics and one with a failed screen. That is one report, but it argues for a fresh AAA backup and a known key spot.

Hornady’s page says not to store loaded firearms in any safe or lock box, which Top Firearm Reviews says the instructions repeat. Follow the manual, and keep the RFID tags on you, because a tag left on the nightstand opens the safe for anyone.

SentrySafe QAP2EL: Best two-pistol pick

3.5Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)6/10
• Access (speed and ease)7/10
• Capacity8/10
• Value8/10

No fire claim, so fire is left out. Security 6 for solid steel and a California DOJ listing but a gas strut and keypad that are known wear points; access 7 for a lit keypad with a wake-up step; capacity 8 for two handguns; value 8 because bolt-down hardware and interior light are included.

How we score

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What we like

• Illuminated digital keypad, programmable 1-8 digit code, quiet gas-strut lid and interior LED lights (SentrySafe)
• Bolt-down hardware included and California DOJ certified (SentrySafe)
• Wide interior, 14 x 6.5 in, for two pistols or one large one with magazines

What we don't like

• The compression gas strut can lose power over time (American Firearms; a 1911Forum owner of the sister QAP1E and Reddit posters report the same)
• You must press a button to wake the keypad before entering the code, and there is no biometric or RFID entry

What owners and reviewers say from 3 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Quiet gas-strut opening and a sturdy feel (reviewers and an owner of the sister QAP1E)

Common complaints

• Gas strut stops lifting the lid after some years
• Weight limits drawer mounting

Read on: 1911Forum: Quick Access Bedside Pistol Safe (QAP1E owner, replaced the strut after 5-6 years) · Reddit r/homedefense: gas strut on my Sentry pistol safe stopped working (search excerpt) · Reddit r/Safes: SentrySafe pistol safes, struts failed (search excerpt)

Who it's for: For a couple or a gun owner with two pistols who wants a bolt-down box that fits a drawer; the gas strut is the known wear item and the safe is 15.75 lb, so use a strong drawer.

The SentrySafe QAP2EL is the wide, flat option for two handguns. SentrySafe gives the interior as 14 by 6.5 by 2.2 inches (0.115 cubic feet), enough for two pistols or one large pistol plus ammunition. An illuminated keypad takes a 1-8 digit code, interior LED lights show the grip, and a compression gas strut lifts the lid quietly.

Outside, it measures 16.4 by 9.8 by 3.2 inches and weighs 15.75 lb, so many nightstand drawers will be too narrow; measure before buying. SentrySafe calls the body solid, pry-resistant steel, American Firearms lists it as 12 gauge, and bolt-down hardware plus a California DOJ certification come with it. Gun University says a backup key is included, but SentrySafe’s page doesn’t list one, so confirm it on the box.

The known weak point is that strut. American Firearms flags it, a 1911Forum owner of the sister QAP1E replaced the strut after five to six years, and r/homedefense and r/Safes posts describe struts on other SentrySafe pistol safes that failed after about 4.5 years or “a few years”. You also press a button to wake the keypad before typing the code, which adds a step in the dark.

GunVault SpeedVault SV500: Best side mount

3.3Best Safe Spec Score out of 5

• Security (lock and build)6/10
• Access (speed and ease)8/10
• Capacity5/10
• Value8/10

No fire claim, so fire is left out. Security 6 for 18 ga steel, a backup key and a DOJ listing but thinner steel than the box-style picks and battery-dependent; access 8 for a two-second grip-ready drop-down; capacity 5 for a single handgun that must fit an 8.5 in cavity; value 8 given the mount hardware and mute button.

How we score

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What we like

• Mounts left, right or rear on a nightstand side, wall or desk and drops the gun into a ready grip position (Pew Pew, GunVault, Steve Jenkins review)
• Mute button for silent entry and backup keys (Steve Jenkins review, Pew Pew)
• 18-gauge steel; sold as California DOJ approved (Adorama)

What we don't like

• Needs to be mounted to be worth having, and holds a handgun about 8.5 in tall inside; some lights won't fit (Pew Pew)
• Reddit and Firing Line owners report GunVault safes failing, and one SV500 owner says it started eating batteries

What owners and reviewers say from 8 reviews and posts we read

Praised for

• Mounted beside the bed it takes up no nightstand space and opens quickly (Firing Line posters)
• Lit and reliable for owners who change batteries (Firing Line)

Common complaints

• Reddit threads (search excerpts) mention low-battery warnings and trouble opening, and one SV500 owner says it started eating batteries
• One Firing Line poster had two of three GunVaults stop working

Read on: The Firing Line: Best handgun safe for night stand? (5 GunVault owner posts) · Reddit r/CCW: Picked up the SpeedVault SV500 (search excerpt) · Reddit r/Firearms: trouble with GunVault safes (search excerpt) · Reddit r/guns: Test your GunVaults (search excerpt)

Who it's for: For someone with a crowded nightstand top and drawers who wants the gun off-surface and in a ready position, mounted to something solid; it fits a pistol up to about 8.5 in and some weapon lights won't fit, and owner complaints center on batteries and electronics.

The GunVault SpeedVault SV500 solves the full-drawer problem by leaving the drawer alone. This 18-gauge vertical safe bolts to the left, right or back of a nightstand, a wall stud or the underside of a desk, and GunVault describes a gravity-assisted drop-down drawer, and Pew Pew says it opens to an easy grip position and calls it its ready-position pick.

The trade-off is capacity. The cavity is about 8.5 inches tall, 2.6 inches wide and 5.75 inches deep (per Pew Pew), and Pew Pew warns that some weapon lights won’t fit. The exterior is 6.5 by 3.5 by 13 inches per a retailer listing, and the safe weighs 7 lb. A mute button silences the keypad, an owner review says it ships with two backup keys, and GunVault says repeated wrong codes trigger a lockout.

Two Firing Line posters mount SpeedVaults beside the bed; one likes that it takes no nightstand space, the other says the LED-lit units work flawlessly. The complaints are about electronics and power: Reddit threads (search excerpts) mention low-battery warnings, one SV500 owner on r/CCW says it started eating batteries, and one Firing Line poster had two of three GunVaults stop working (model not named). An owner review lists a 9V battery, so confirm the type in the manual and put changes on the calendar.

Will a nightstand gun safe fit your drawer?

A nightstand gun safe fits only if you measure the inside of the drawer, not the gun: the safe’s exterior width, depth and height must all beat the drawer’s inside dimensions. American Firearms notes of one bedside safe, “Size can make for a difficult fit bedside” (source), and Cape Fear Investigative warns, “A safe that’s too large can waste space and be harder to fit in your night stand.” (source).

Exterior vs interior size

Before you order, measure your drawer this way:

1. Measure inside width between the drawer sides, not the drawer front.
2. Measure inside depth, then subtract room for the drawer slides and anything at the back.
3. Measure the height from the drawer floor to the underside of the frame above it, since that frame is what stops a tall box.
4. Compare all three to the exterior sizes in the table above, adding the Fort Knox’s 1-inch knob to its depth.

From the listed exteriors, the Vaultek 20 Series Essential Biometric (11.5 inches wide, 2.75 inches tall) is the easiest drawer fit. The Fort Knox needs a deep drawer, and the SentrySafe’s 16.4-inch width rules out many drawers, so it may live on the nightstand top or a shelf. The Hornady Night Guard is designed as a clock-style unit, and the SpeedVault skips the drawer entirely by mounting to the side.

Pistol with a weapon light or red dot

A bedside handgun safe faces a second fit test, the weapon light or optic, and interior height is where it fails. Top Firearm Reviews says a 1911 with a large rail light “did seem to complain a bit” in the RPNB Slide-Away, which is why we only repeat fit claims with a source.

From the sources: Gun University says a full-size handgun and a light fit in the Hornady Night Guard; Pew Pew says some lights won’t fit the SpeedVault’s 8.5-inch cavity; Pew Pew says the Vaultek 20 Series takes weapon-mounted lights, but the 20 Series interior is only 2 inches tall. The Fort Knox’s 3.5-inch interior height is the tallest here. Measure your gun with the light and optic attached, then compare.

When a bedside gun safe’s battery or fingerprint fails

What fails at 3 a.m. is almost always power or a fingerprint read, so the bedside gun safe you want has a backup you can reach or no electronics at all. One r/CAguns poster who owned a nightstand safe from Amazon “had issue where the battery runs out or the finger print doesn’t work etc. tossed it after” (thread).

A bedside pistol safe with a fingerprint reader gets fussy with dust, dry skin and odd angles. One account on Top Firearm Reviews says of an older safe that “if you had a little dust on your fingers, or if you didn’t align it perfectly, it wouldn’t open for you.” The fix is to enroll the same finger several times at different angles and practice with the keypad as well.

The Fort Knox PB1 avoids the problem entirely, since its Simplex lock has nothing to charge. Every other pick here has a backup key, and the Hornady adds AAA cells behind its AC power.

Backup key placement

A bedside gun safe’s backup key only helps if you can reach it and the keyhole. Top Firearm Reviews points out that one budget safe, the BILLCONCH, has its key on the front, which you can’t reach once the safe is screwed into a drawer. Before you mount any of these, check where the keyhole sits on your unit and make sure the drawer still opens far enough to reach it. Keep the key away from the safe, never inside it, and somewhere a child won’t find it.

Battery schedule

Dead keypads that lock owners out are a recurring complaint in r/Safes threads (one example), and long-time owners on The High Road change batteries on a schedule instead of waiting for a warning. One writes, “I change the 9v battery on the keypad every 6 months whether it is needed or not.” (thread). Another suggests you “tape a date when you installed new batteries and just exchange them every year, regardless of use.” (thread).

We’d follow the same habit on the SpeedVault, the SentrySafe keypad and the Hornady’s AAA backup, and keep fresh AAA cells in the Vaultek.

From our notes: Picture someone who keeps a handgun by the bed and wakes to a noise at 3 a.m. When we lined up these five spec sheets against that moment, the steel gauges mattered less than the backup path. The Fort Knox needs no power at all. The Vaultek and Hornady each fall back to a key, and the Hornady also holds four AAA cells behind its AC adapter. The SentrySafe asks for a button press before its keypad wakes. The forum threads we read told the same story: owners rarely blamed the steel; they blamed batteries, readers and struts.

Problems owners run into with a bedside gun safe, and the fix

The three nightstand complaints we found most often are noise, kids and a light safe that can be carried away, and each one has a concrete fix.

Loud beeps and lid slam

A nightstand gun safe that beeps and wakes a partner is a recurring complaint. One entry on Top Firearm Reviews reads, “The lock works great, but it makes some beeping noise when I push it, and I can’t turn off the noises.” (source). Look for a silent mode and a damped lid:

• GunVault SpeedVault SV500: a mute button for silent entry, per an owner review (Steve Jenkins), and Pew Pew says the key-entry sounds can be turned off.
• SentrySafe QAP2EL: a quiet gas-strut lid, per SentrySafe.
• Fort Knox PB1: a mechanical lock with no electronics to beep, plus a gas-strut door.
• Vaultek 20 Series Essential Biometric and Hornady Night Guard: the research we have doesn’t confirm a mute option, so check the manual.

Keeping kids out without losing speed

Parents in r/guns and The High Road threads ask the same thing: how to keep a nightstand gun from small children yet reach it in seconds. Replies favor a quick-access safe with a key backup over a cable or trigger lock. One r/guns parent wrote, “I also use a liberty quickvault. Keeps kids out, easy to access, and comes with a key if battery dies.” (thread). A High Road poster added, “I’d recommend a biometric safe. They’re much safer and faster to access than a cable lock or a trigger lock.” (thread).

With kids at home, we’d lean toward the Vaultek’s fingerprint reader or the Hornady with tags worn on you, never left on the nightstand. With the Fort Knox, remember Pew Pew’s warning about its roughly 1,081 combinations and never leave the code pre-entered. Store the backup key where children can’t reach it. Project ChildSafe has free safe-storage guidance for families.

Anchoring a light safe

A bedside gun safe that isn’t anchored can be carried off and opened later. One r/homedefense reply sums up the trade-off: “not really fireproof, but if you bolt them down they are reasonably secure against most casual theft attempts.” (thread).

Every pick here has a way to anchor it: four holes on the Fort Knox, pre-drilled holes and a cable attachment on the Vaultek, holes plus a 1,500 lb-rated cable on the Hornady, included bolt-down hardware on the SentrySafe, and a bracket on the SpeedVault. Bolt through the drawer bottom or nightstand frame rather than a thin back panel, or loop the cable around a bed frame.

Quick buying checklist for a bedside pistol safe

Pick the bedside pistol safe whose lock you can work half-asleep, then confirm fit, backup and anchoring. Before you buy, run through this checklist:

• Access speed: an RFID tag, a lit keypad or a Simplex code you have practiced by feel.
• Backup entry: a key or keypad you can reach after the safe is mounted, or no electronics at all.
• Size: exterior smaller than the inside of the drawer; interior tall enough for your gun with its light or optic.
• Capacity: one full-size pistol and a spare magazine is enough for most; the SentrySafe takes two.
• Interior light: the Vaultek, SentrySafe and SpeedVault show the grip in the dark.
• Mounting: pre-drilled holes or a security cable, used every time.
• Steel gauge: lower numbers are thicker, so 10-gauge (Fort Knox) beats 18-gauge (SpeedVault).

Bedside handgun safe storage rules and your next step

A bedside handgun safe is one part of safe storage, and firearm storage and child-access rules vary by state and city, so check your state’s rules before you choose where the gun lives. We don’t give legal advice. If you live in California or want a state-approved device, look up the exact model on the California DOJ roster of firearm safety devices rather than relying on a listing.

So for that noise at 3 a.m., our answer stays the Fort Knox PB1 for a lock that can’t run flat, or the Vaultek 20 Series Essential Biometric if you want fingerprint access in a shallow drawer. If the same handgun also rides in your car or a carry bag, our best pistol safe guide covers travel and portable boxes, and our fireproof safe guide covers the documents a bedside safe can’t protect from fire.