A safe is a secure lockable steel box used for keeping your valuables out of reach of thieves and from being damaged. The body and door are usually made from cast metal and virtually impregnable to all but the most skilled safe crackers. The average burglar will not be bothered wasting time as the less time they spend inside a house the less chance they will be caught.

Most valuable possessions are irreplaceable, by virtue of the cost or of the memories which they hold. To have them taken can be devastating. Keeping these items in a bank vault is an option, but it might not be the right choice. Now, more than ever before, there are a lot of security safes that are affordable and can easily be installed in the home. Don't be the one who regrets not having the foresight to do what needs to be done to protect your precious personal items.

In choosing the right safe for you there are certain criteria and specifications you need to consider. Also keep in mind the more you need, the greater the cost:

Burglar-resistant (that goes without saying), fire-resistant, environmental resistance to such things as dust and water, the type of lock (combination, electronic keypad, fingerprint recognition, time delay lock, key), the physical location of the safe (wall safe, sunk in floor safe, just sit on the floor safe, or hidden?).

And what will it be holding? Handguns? Digital Media? Photographs or film? Prescription drugs?

If it is going to hold firearms it may need to be internally heated, to prevent rust. But if it's heated it may damage film or spoil drugs.

The average home security safe has to serve a few different purposes. So that's why on first glance you'll be overwhelmed by the selection. Different shapes, different sizes, and a few other unique specifications thrown in. They all have their pros and cons. Which one is right for you will depend entirely on the reason why you need it.

Even when it's number one job is to protect you from uninvited visitors, the safe can also be there for you when disaster strikes, be it flood, storm or fire. The elements can do as much irretrievable damage as an unwanted burglar. What's worse is you can't be angry at another person, the only person who could have prevented it is yourself.

Knowing your prized possessions are secure gives peace of mind. This is particularly helpful when you need your wits about you when protecting members of your family. You don't have to worry about the other stuff, just your loved ones.

Plan for a worst case scenario, and look at your options and costs from there. If there is a fire, can you rely on the fire brigade to get there and have the fire contained within an hour? If not you may have to pay more for a safe that is rated to withstand the extreme heat for up to 2 hours instead of just one. If it's a two story house will it need to be impact resistant if the house falls on top of it.

Will there be handguns inside? And ammunition? If it's not fireproof it will still be relatively safe by containing the blast of the ammunition exploding, but you may as well say goodbye to everything else inside. If it's not waterproof you may end up with a soggy passport and damaged negatives.

What sort of access do you prefer? Remembering a password for a keypad or the combination for turning the dial may not be a latent talent. Losing a key could be a hassle. Maybe having your own fingerprint as the key is a hassle free alternative?

Biometrics refers to the method of recognizing humans based on a physical or behavioral trait. It's like something out of a science fiction movie, but it's already being used in government offices and large corporations.

There are commercially available home security safes that use fingerprint recognition. Biometrics aren't just limited to fingerprint technology, it also includes retina scans, palm geometry, face recognition and even DNA sampling. But those aren't available, at least not yet, for home security safes.

It isn't cheap technology, but it is effective. Though surprisingly it could be more affordable than you think.