Thinking of upgrading your door security? Getting a better deadbolt or padlock? Getting a new frame or better hinges? Not sure what brand or model to go with for your particular application? Need a recommendation? Feel free to ask for advice here!
I'm looking for a decent keysafe that I can store a spare key in outside my apartment. I see dozens of youtube videos talking about how easy these tend to be to decode or bypass with nothing but a small strip of metal. Are there any that aren't total garbage? I'm not looking for super high security or cut resistance or anything. I just want to know that getting the key out of the box isn't going to be something the neighborhood kids will be able to do in 2 minutes after watching a youtube video.
I'm in the Midwest US, cheaper is better as long as it fits the bill, but lets say $50ish ideally. Most likely a coded sesamee lock or dial combo, but anything that only requires knowledge to open it is fine. And I would prefer a padlock style that can lock around a fence or something, but If you have recommendations for surface mount options please share those as well.
I use this, it's really beefy metal, mounted outside apt to a wooden beam with 3 inch screws. Put in the code and key pops out of the bottom, when done pop the key back in.
very low profile, painted beige, can mount it in a place so it cannot be seen from the street or from some one walking up to the door, depending on your layout of course. and it doesn't hang off your door knob looking silly.
Appreciate the reply, but I'm not a big fan of locks made by companies that don't make locks... The amazon one you posted for sure is the type that it doesn't matter which order you enter the numbers of the code in so there are only about 200 possible combinations. Not sure about the ebay one but for only $15 and made be GE... I would bet it's got the same issues.
there is a version that has a digital audit trail to let you see the last x times a key was accessed, but the less parts the better in my opinion so I didnt buy that one.
Here is a video though of someone using theirs in case you want to check it out
Was gonna hit send but just saw your reply...
I have to ask, why do you *need* to leave a key to begin with? dog walker? contractors?
Perhaps a deadbolt with a digital keypad on your door would be better and you can give people the code and change it any time you want versus leaving a combination lock out side.
GE Supra locks are very well known for their key safes, it's not like Kenwood or Motorola jumping into the lock game. And yes the link I posted is on ebay, but no that doesn't mean it's cheap junk. On this forum, we buy a lot of locks on ebay because it's smarter than paying the $29 that lock normally costs.
I can't give specific advice but both suggestions already given are reasonable given the criteria. Yes these locks can be decoded if this worries you get a different approach: hide your lock in plane sight. If you need inspiration I would encourage you to do some (city) geocaching.
As for the combinations on the push locks is 2^n, in this case 2^10 = 1024. You can choose a combination from 0 to 10 buttons pushed. The total combination is 10 choose 0 + 10 choose 1 etc. 4 and 6 buttons will give you 210 combo each. 5 buttons will give 252 combinations.
Supras are good, very well made structurally, though some of the older models have the vulnerability OP may have been referencing, with respect to being able to decode the combination using a specific button-pushing technique (won't say more than that on the open forum). I've heard that that has been fixed in later revisions of the lock. It's my understanding that the dial combination ones have a decoding vulnerability also, though it takes somewhat more skill and time to exploit. I do not know if that is still present in current revisions of that model.
