Aqara's little vibration sensor can detect glass breaking, tampering, unexpected movement of objects and more. Tyler Lacoma/CNET
Testing a home safe is similar to other smart home products, but with a couple of important additions. Here are the steps we take we finally lug a model inside and open it up.
Setup and installation
First we dive into how easy it is to set up an account for the safe, program in our own passwords and fingerprints, and shift or lift the safe into the right position (for most home safes, we suggest you get some help for this part). Safe instructions and setup should be straightforward and speedy, even when an app is involved -- these aren't especially complicated smart home devices.
Installation is also more about more than just finding the right place on the floor or shelf. We also like seeing home safes that have attachment options for walls or floors so they can't be lifted up and carted away.
Durability and protection
Is the safe easy to grapple with? Is the design of the keypad and biometrics compact and easy to use? This is the time where we study the overall design the safe and how well it functions from a practical perspective. That includes everything from how the door swings to how smoothly the bolts unlock -- and if there's any noticeably cheap parts.
The unlock logs from part of my tests, showing in Lockly's app. CNET/Tyler Lacoma
App controls and smart features
If the safe uses an app for any of its functions, we bring out our phones and tablets and run through the settings to see how the app works and if it's intuitive. That can include testing Bluetooth connections and remote controls or fingerprint management, as well as how accurate tampering notifications are. If we keep a safe around long enough, we may even be able to test battery warnings.
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