Burton SafesKey Safe, Metal

Having recently purchased and installed this for my elderly mother who needed to have access for her carers I decided to buy one for myself on the basis that I wouldn’t have to leave keys with neighbours when I go on holiday etc. I found it easy to install and easy to operate. A very sturdy key safe.

A very solidly built product that works well. You do have to be careful to mark where the fixing holes need to be, and then drill them accurately as the holes in the back of the case do not have that much clearance. I put the wrong drill bit in the drill and drilled them to the final 5mm and deep enough to accommodate the bolts, rather than doing it in stages as instructed but it worked fine. The instructions could do with improving as they seem to suggest drilling the holes deeper than they need to be, and deeper than a standard drill will allow you to. You need a good socket set to do the bolts up though, as they are special bolts that cut directly into whatever you are mounting it on and if it's hard brick they need quite a bit of torque. Make sure you add some margin onto the holes you drill, and make sure there is not too much debris in them, as once the bolts are done up it will also be difficult to get them back out. The numbers for the buttons are just embossed on the black metal face plate, so are difficult to see in poor light. I painted them with a silver paint marker to make them easier to read. In practice I think you only need to slide the central slider to reset the mechanism, if somebody has tried entering the wrong numbers. The space inside is not that big so if the keys are on a fob you need to make sure the box is fully closed before you lock it.

Very sturdy easy to fit. I only marked this down by one start because it a bit tricky to set the combination. The buttons used to do this are a bit small and hard to set.

This is the most heavy duty key safe I have ever come across. I was previously wary of key safes because there are videos on line showing how to easily crack the code for many of them, but I haven't managed to find a video for this one (and I carried out a very thorough search because I forgot the combination, but fortunately it came back to me!)

The instructions to set up your code and test before you fix to the wall are very clear. You can choose a code using digits 0-9 and A/B. You can’t use the same digit twice in the code.The lock is encased in a rubber protective cover and this also acts as the template for marking the holes. The safe box came with concrete screws.The instructions are very clear on how to fix.Once you have drilled the four holes you offer the rubber cover up and place the open box on the back plate to secure the cover and box to the wall. You need a decent drill such as an SDS type with a 5mm bit. You also need 8mm socket head and enough of an extension to make it easy to turn outside the box. I used a screwdriver with a socket head and as you got 2/3 in it became very stiff to turn. It would be even harder if you don’t drill the holes accurately. The box was secure once fitted and has plenty of space inside. I purchased one on the off chance I leave without a key but if it is being used regularly then the only thing I can see failing is the rubber hook on the cover as you have to pull the eye over the hook to secure the cover over the safe box.

A very sturdy and secure keysafe. Easy to hang and simple to programme

Product was weighty and sturdy in appearance. However, in practice, when operated on a daily basis for carer access, a number of deficiencies became apparent. Finally, as it approached 3 years old, it failed catastrophically.Firstly, the code numbers were raised, cast in relief in the door. Whilst legible in daylight, it became necessary to pick them out with typing correction fluid so that they could be seen in low light conditions.There was nowhere to hang the key internally, which meant it often slipped down and obstructed the closing of the door.The plastic flap which offered some degree of weather protection to the keypad, was really on the flimsy side and often came off in the hands of its operatives. I can’t say how often, I only had the pleasure of refitting it when it was reported ‘broken’. Eventually, I stuck two white labels on the ‘pinch points’ that made operation clear.Ultimately, the keypad failed, with the key safely inside. It’s replacement seems to have addressed all the above issues, with painted, engraved numbers, an internal hook, for the key, and a rubber weather shield, at half the price of this offering.The final piece of the puzzle shows the internal thermoplastic mechanism which failed. One leg of the spider had broken off, the one above about to do the same. Changing the code on a regular basis might have delayed this failure, as long as digits were redistributed.Access to the internals, and rescue of contents, were carried out with a diamond blade in an angle grinder. Took about a minute, as it slid about a bit on the decking.

This product is tough and secure, worthy of the police accreditation it carries. Easy weather proof mechanical keypad to access keys. Easy to change code. I would recommend this if you have a need to admit carers to visit elderly relatives that are housebound.