If you need a smart drop down handgun safe that you can rely on, I'm here to help you make the best choice on your next purchase.
FYI, Prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. VAULTEK Smart Gun Safe with a Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
Top-rated: 419 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Can hold max firearm length of 8.875” + a spare magazine.
Helpful review: "It's a tight squeeze, but it does manage to fit an full sized HK USP 45 Tactical with a flat plate magazine, despite it being 5.9" at it's tallest. Since there are few handguns larger than the USP Tactical, this safe is more than adequate for the vast majority of handguns. I also have the smaller VT10i with the biometric sensor and find that the Slider biometrics is much more accurate/responsive, likely due to the larger sensor. It can detect the fingerprint no matter the angle you apply your finger. I've also added the same fingers multiple times to increase readability. The app and web dashboards are incredibly slick, allows you to delete fingerprints or disable/activate different fingerprints on the fly. It immediately notifies you if the safe has been opened, tampered with, failed authentication, really anything that can happen to the safe. The only thing the app cannot do over WiFi is open the safe remotely, which I imagine is a security issue and honestly probably for the best. However while the WiFi features are neat, it's pretty extraneous to the actual function of the safe. None the less, you can tell from just about every aspect of the safe design that a lot of thought and care went into it. If cost is no object, this is hands down the best smart gun safe on the market." — R. Crawford
Trending review: "After shopping for a while on handgun safes, I decided on the VAULTEK. This safe is absolutely amazing. Packaged with care, protective plastics and all that. It’s super easy to set up, and the steel construction is very rugged. The keypad lights up when your hand comes near it, so it can be easily read in the dark. A huge plus for me is that it uses a standard 18650 Lithium Ion battery, so if it ends up croaking in future years, you know you’ll be able to find a replacement easily. The drawer slides completely open when the correct code is input, and there’s a nice LED light so you don’t have to fumble in the middle of the night. Great product!" — Nick Anderson
Reassuring review: "This safe is heavy and seems well-made. The online instructions were better than the print, which had some errors. Even so, it didn't take very long to set up. I have to be a little careful putting my Taurus PT 92 in (with Pacmayr grips) because if the gun isn't sitting just right, it will cause the door to jam. Very happy with this purchase! Just installed this safe in my truck with Vaultek's car mount kit. It wasn't an easy install and required several modifications, and it's not as sturdy as it could be as I had to put in two large spacers underneath the seat-bolt. The safe works great though and today my third slider safe is being delivered. I'm looking forward to having all three set up" — Curtis Campbell
Get it from Amazon now: $369.99 & FREE Returns
2. LANGGER V Slider Handgun Safe with a Biometric Lock
Top-rated: 1,013 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Anti-theft mechanism.
Helpful review: "I rarely write reviews for items I purchase on amazon even though I'm an avid user of reviews (I know, I should be better about this). I was so impressed with this handgun safe that I had to leave a review. When looking for a handgun safe, my requirements were: 1) Be able to properly secure a large handgun (1911) from children and other unauthorized people; 2) Be quickly accessible in the middle of night without having to get out of bed and/or fumble around in the dark. This safe hit those two "must haves" right out of the park! This handgun safe is big enough to comfortably hold my Springfield 1911 and one mag. The foam insert in the safe can be removed and cut if needed to accommodate larger guns although I did not have to do that for mine. The battery pack is on the back side of safe and easily removable. Four AAA batteries are required and are not provided. I found the simplicity of the safe's operating functions very desirable. I had the safe open and programmed with a new code in under 5 mins from unpacking and most of that time was me installing batteries and reading the manual it comes with. I had up to 15 fingerprints (certain fingers I put in multiple times to increase the readability) within the first 10 mins. The program button to input a new code and/or new fingerprints is located in the safe under the #3 key. The safe allows you to put a code that is 4, 5, or 6 digits long using the numbers 1-4. There is also a quiet feature to silence the loud beeping that is heard every time you enter a number or fingerprint. The safe comes with two physical keys that can unlock the safe from the keyhole found on the underside of the safe. Now, the mounting bracket was very simple to screw on to the nightstand with the four screws provided and it can be switched from the left or right side of the safe to accommodate different mounting positions. The bracket has a small safety screw that screws on from the inside of the safe. I did find it a little challenging to get this small safety screw on but only because I have overly large hands and the safe is too small for me to get my giant meat hooks in there while also having the dexterity needed to properly fit this screw. So I just got my wife to do it instead. Overall, I am very impressed with this safe. While it is a little pricey compared to other handgun safes, I find it to be worth every penny. With a small child running around and more to come, this safe gives me peace of mind that my gun is both safe from children and easily accessible for authorized users." — Russell Law
Trending review: "The safe is well built. It is easy to screw the mounting plate to the side of the bed, nightstand, under a desk or just sit the safe directly on the floor. Then attach the safe to the mounting plate by hanging it on. I mounted mine by the bed so it does shift around if I’m trying to open it and is always in the same position. The foam holds a stock Glock 17 and 19 firmly so there’s no moving around. There’s an extra slot for a magazine. I have a light on my g17 and it wouldn’t fit without cutting the foam slightly, which was easy to do and now it fits great. I have a surefire x300 light. Customer service is also great. They sent me a new foam insert for free that I could cut (same as the original foam but I guess this way I can store a stock gun and the surefire light gun if I wanted). The safe holds 20 finger prints so I did a few prints for each finger I might need while in bed or kneeling by the safe. So all in all I’m happy to have a safe right next to me that I can open quickly at night if needed." — Carson Millar
Reassuring review: "First off: My safe arrived without a key. Strange but humans make mistakes, even packaging a product. A simple email to the company and I had a new set of keys in a week. Awesome Customer support! Second: The price is competitive with the competing "Like" modals. Third: The finger Print Scanner... Add one or two fingers from each hand 4 or 5 times EACH FINGER. Scanning a single finger only once was not enough. The safe opened maybe 8 out of 10 times. Scanning multiple fingers multiple times and the safe opens 10 out of 10 times. It does say this in the instructions and they are correct. Verry important. Fourth: When I purchased the safe My pistol was a FNH FX .45 Tactical with no attachments. The Fit was SNUG and I had to cut the foam insert a bit to get it to fit. No issues and the safe worked fine. I now have a Viridian light/laser combo under the barrel and a RMR replacing the top sight. The pistol WILL NOT FIT with attachments. I called customer support and they suggested I cut the foam insert. Well, I butchered the foam insert and the Pistol fits, but very loosely now. I ordered another foam insert from the company and I will re-cut the insert, this time with MUCH more care and report back. Did I mention the customer support? It is so needed in todays world, where everything is mail order. Having poor support or none at all, leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth. This company is NOT one of those. Minty Fresh! I will be needing another safe once I work the kinks out of this one (I will have sights on my next pistol also) and this company has my patronage just for the excellent care they give their customers." — Ron Boyd
Get it from Amazon now: $228.00 & FREE Returns
3. GLORYFIRE Biometric Pistol Safe with a Fingerprint Pad and a Key Lock
Top-rated: 381 ratings | 62 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Can store handguns up to 9.06" long and 5.91" wide.
Helpful review: "This is just what I was looking for. It is a great gift to give to husband. It is great to have by the bedside, He also carries, and this is a great way to keep our firearms from lying around. I am actually surprised at the quality of this box. It’s really heavy and well-built for the safe it is. The setup was easy, and I had it set up and working within 10 min. I can access my firearm within seconds when required in case of an emergency! I would also like to add that I tested this with my small frame S&W 9mm as well as a full-sized Glock for good measure. I can fix it and a magazine in the safe. I am thinking about picking one up my office too." — Kiesha Johnson
Trending review: "Great case easy to install, program and operate. Note I have a Canik TP9SfX handgun with a 20-round magazine which just barely fits the safe. I have to clock the gun 15 or 20 degrees when inserting or removing from the gun chase which isn't an issue it definitely fits firmly in the safe. I do recommend when installing the safe to place the door at a 10-to-15-degree downward angle this will help make sure the door slides completely open. I would recommend this gun safe to anyone who is in need of protecting their family in more ways than one." — Ronald Finley
Reassuring review: "The Gloryfire gun vault is almost a copy of the VAULTEK Slider Series $339.99 Vaultek is on the Calif DOJ roster. The Gloryfire is $199.00. This is well built. Same gauge steel as the VAULTEK Slider Series. Nice paint finish. Drawer opens smoothly. The gun and mag fit is great. Highly recommend. The vender reply's fast and follows up." — S. Orlando
Get it from Amazon now: $189.99 & FREE Returns
4. RPNB Drop Down - Carbon Knight Series
Top-rated: 373 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Expertly crafted using sturdy steel construction.
Helpful review: "IThe seller is on point. Super fast shipping. Superb packing. Quality and beautiful presentation from RPNB. The RPNB safe is of a very high quality. Crafted product and works superbly. The only flaw was the rubber feet had come loose from the bottom. I figure that was because of the very high temperatures we have been having. I put them back on and they stuck. The drawer opens smoothly and every time. The fingerprints must be registered at different angles if you're not going to use the exact same angle every time. The RPNB company should be commended for this product. This is an initial preview after receiving and testing the unit for 45 minutes after receiving. If something comes up negative I will review again. If you see nothing further all is well.
MY NEIGHBOR’S REVIEW:
I have been shopping around for a while to seek a gun safe that could easily hide next to my bed. I want it to be safe but at the same time easy to reach. It has a locker with passcode/fingerprint option, which could automatically open in a second with a ready to pull and shot position. There is an option to manually open it with a key, the key lock seems tough, so others won't reach my gun easily. Plus it's a heavy metal case, which could also prevent others from opening it by force. It also has enough space for one pistol with an extra bullet or magazine. The G-17 fits it well. Maybe the only two cons: It could be over the budget to some people, get it when it's on sale, AND it does not open very quietly, but I guess this is the tradeoff if you wanna it open quickly.
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
have been looking for a nightstand drop down or slider safe for some time. Most on the market could not accommodate my pistol with a mounted red dot. This one fits the bill. I was also worried about the fingerprint reader not always recognizing my print, but I have been surprised how accurate it read. I did take the advice to have it read my prints at different angles while setting it up. Looks pretty well made. It is heavy, which is good. So my only con is that when it opens, it is a bit loud. So only time will tell how it performs in the long run." — Trent Bailey
Get it from Amazon now: $199.00 & FREE Returns
5. VERProof Sturdy Steel Gun Safe with a Biometric Option
Top-rated: 971 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: This steel mountable gun safe is tough, durable and corrosion resistant.
Helpful review: "As a professional that uses a firearm daily, I found this to be a decent little handgun safe considering the price. I have used handgun safes for decades, and needed a new little one next to the bed, after my "higher end" one I had before gave me issues. After lot's of research, I decided to give this one a try. Be aware, most handgun safes (if not all) like this are primarily to keep the firearm out of the hands of children and keep unauthorized persons from accessing it quickly and easily. With a little bit of time and know how, every one of these, including most of the higher priced ones, can be broken into quite easily if someone wants to bad enough.
In reading reviews I saw that the keypad and biometric fingerprint reader had a mix of good and bad reviews. The unit that I received works quite well, and I have had no problem with either the keypad or the biometric fingerprint reader. I did however scan my primary fingers numerous times, once fully centered, and again more of a side press for each side of my finger, just in case I did not get it perfectly square on the reader the first time. I even put some chalk dust on my fingers to see how it worked and tried it with wet fingers as well, and it still opened for me. Unlike several other low priced units, this only opens to scanned fingerprints, and after having all my family try to open it with unscanned fingerprints multiple times, not a one could get it open. That's an important requirement, considering some other brands in this price range seem to open at the touch of any fingerprints, even those that were not scanned and saved.
I will tell you that the release latch is very LOUD, when it opens the handgun safe. Loud enough, that I don't know why they put a keypad silence option on the unit, as the release is louder than the keypad beeps. If you don't want to give your position away with noise, this is not the handgun safe for you! However I have also found, over the years, that ALL brands make some noise. For me this is not a major problem, as I have taken steps to harden entry points to my home, to give me notice and time to be prepared if someone did try to enter.
For a full size handgun, it fits well in the unit and is easy to grasp. However of you are going to put a smaller concealed carry handgun in the unit, you better have really tiny hands in order to be able to grasp it. My hands are not overly large, and with my small P365 handgun, I could not easily get a good grip on the handgun when drawing it from the unit. With my H&K VP9, I can readily get an immediate and secure grip on the handgun as soon as the unit opens.
The unit is one of the smaller units of its kind, making it easy to attach almost anywhere. The drawback to that is that other than the gun, not much else will fit in the safe. I like to keep a quality tactical flashlight and a spare magazine with all my home defense handguns, and this safe just won't allow it, due to it's small size. Luckily I have always kept a high quality tactical flashlight on the nightstand that this safe is attached to. Many people that have reviewed this safe stated that it is flimsy, loose fitted and clunky in design. I honestly found it very similar to numerous others I have tested and tried over the years. For the price, it's not that bad. Come on people, do you expect all the parts to be hand fitted? The only other thing I wish they had done, is to have used a little bit denser foam for holding the gun, and possibly a pluck and pull option to customize it to your firearm, with replacement foam sold separately, so you can customize for different firearms that you might want to place in the safe. I would have given this handgun safe only three stars, however based on the price, the options and comparing it to others on the market, it's not a terrible unit for what you are paying for. If you want something better, you are going to be tripling this price, and even many of those have some of the same or similar issues as well." — D.B.
Reassuring review: "We bought this to make sure our fire arms were stored safely away from our kids but also quick to access if needed. Well, the other night we needed it. We had a person on our property trying to break into a vehicle, the safe did exactly what we needed it to do, opened quickly without an issue. We were able to get our gun quickly and safely without adding pressure to the already intense situation. I love that it can be opened with a finger print or access code quickly! Last thing you want is to be fumbling around trying to get to your gun when seconds matter. Great product, easy to install the directions are a bit wordy and could be simplified, In my opinion but we figured it out." — Tracy Vasquez
Get it from Amazon now: $110.99 & FREE Returns
6. RPNB Mounted Smart Handgun Safe with a Biometric Fingerprint Lock
Top-rated: 5,468 ratings | 286 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: The 500 DPI Semiconductor Biometric Fingerprint Sensor immediately captures fingerprint images, with excellent match speed of less than ONE second.
Helpful review: "All I needed was a screw driver and within minutes, I have attached the gun safe. To give it a sturdier hold, however, I used nails that are a bit longer than the ones received with the gun safe. While the installation was quick and easy, I had a bit of issue setting the password and registering my fingerprints. So I contacted the seller via email and within minutes, I got a response back, which was to make sure the battery used is alkaline. I changed the battery and was still getting "five red flashes" as opposed to two green ones which would have meant that the settings are being done correctly. After several failed attempts at setting the codes and registering my fingerprints, I realized that I wasn't pressing the program button for 3 seconds, as required, before releasing it. Hence the five red flashes kept occurring. This issue was fixed and in the end, I registered all 10 fingers and set a passcode. Overall, it was a great customer service, and easy installation. The passcode settings and fingerprints registration are simple to do if the required timing are followed." — Josey
Trending review: "I have this mounted to my night stand and when the bed is made it's not obvious. It's fairly sturdy and I don't think it will loosen up over time. If I were to take a vacation I would definitely put my pistol in my large safe because this is just for keeping casual people from having access (kids, guests etc...). But the programming was easy and the finger print reader works really well. It's a whole lot safer than keeping your firearm in your night dresser draw or under a pillow or something. And access is super quick. If this unit has one downside it is that the release mechanism is a little noise. If someone broke into your home there's a very good chance they'd hear the noise.....but fortunately you'd have your firearm in hand. I'm still giving 5 stars though because it works so well and is so sturdy." — Mark in NY
Reassuring review: "It is a gun safe for easy and rapid access. Period. Fingerprint reader works about 95% of the time, and I figured when it fails is simply because is not "smart" enough to read the finger if it is placed a little bit off or rotated... but you cannot complain since you can program plenty of fingers so I programed all my 10 fingers. It also has a code you enter manually (either finger or code will open it) and it also has a regular key as backup (make sure to store the keys in a secure place). WARNING: I would not recommend this to leave your weapon in it while you are out. If you must leave your weapon locked, I suggest you put it in a better safe. This safe is mostly to have your weapon in a safe place while being handy and ready to be used. As for my application, I use it to keep one of my weapons next to my bed but secured as I have small kids. It works perfect for that purpose. If I have to leave my house without it, I lock it on my big gun safe with my other weapons... Very happy with the product." — DannyTechSavy
Get it from Amazon now: $109.99 & FREE Returns
7. Dalmbox Mounted Gun Safe for Pistols
Top-rated: 327 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Soft rubber raffle designed to reduce the noise caused by opening the safe.
Helpful review: "Seems to be a sturdy unit, but installation was not as easy as it should be, and the fingerprint reader is not very accurate. I picked up this unit to keep my everyday pistol out of reach of my grandkids. It fits nicely under my desk and allows me easy and quick access to my pistol. It shipped quickly enough with no delays, and all parts were in the box when it arrived. Once installed, it's not going to be a "Fort Knox" kind of unit, but it will work for its intended purpose. The grandkids (or anyone else not authorized) will not easily gain access to the pistol. However, there were a few things that kept me from giving this a 5-star rating. First, installation was not as easy as it could/should have been. I needed to drill out the hole on the vault for the thumb-screw that holds the vault to the bracket. Why? The hole on the vault didn't exactly line up with the hole on the bracket. Once I made the hole on the vault a little bigger, I was able to finagle the screw into the bracket. That was a stupid problem to have, and pretty frustrating. Now, the battery compartment is not overly easy to access. Before you mount this vault, make sure you understand where the compartment is and how you're going to get to it later. Also, the fingerprint reader is not very accurate. I've enrolled by fingerprint twice, using 2 different fingers, and both time, my fingerprint fails to open the vault. Disappointing. Generally, I'm satisfied, and I'd honestly give this a 3.5 (in my world, 3 is average / works as expected). We'll see how it goes over time." — Sean McClanahan
Trending review: "This works amazing for what it needs to do. Someone could rip it off my night stand if they used a lot of force I suppose. But I needed something to mount to my nightstand, that was easy to access and would keep children and anyone else out. This works perfect for that! With one finger tip I can access my pistol in less than a second. It is loud when it opens, so if that's a deal breaker for you, I'm sorry. It makes a beep and it makes a loud clunk as it pops open. But that's not an issue for me. Super easy to mount and to figure out how to operate with making a code and adding fingerprints. It can store up to 50 fingerprints. I suggest to do all 10 of your fingers, that way in a hurry, it doesn't matter what hand or finger you use. I also bought the one without the bio metrics just in case the bio metrics sucked. It works well too, but I'm going to give it away and buy another one with the bio metrics since I like it so much. One for my night stand and one for the husband's." — Steven Parker
Reassuring review: "I purchased this to hang in my coat closet in the event of "unwanted guests" coming to call. So far I have been quite impressed as to the functionality and quality of the unit given the pricing. It is indeed smaller than you may figure but it will certainly perform the task for which it was intended. Happy with the purchase and will most likely get another." — Crabman
Get it from Amazon now: $115.99 & FREE Returns
8. Awesafe Drop Down Safe with a Biometric Fingerprint Lock
Top-rated: 583 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Mountable from the right, left, or top side, depending on your preference.
Helpful review: "I purchased this model strictly to keep curiosity and little hands from getting to the pistol. It is adequate for its duty. When I am home the 1911 lives in this metal box mounted on a night stand. When I leave, I remove the weapon and it goes into the large gun safe where it hangs with the rest of the armory. It was easy to mount. I used a Duracell battery from the start and had no issues programming access codes nor my finger prints by following the directions. I like the temporary internal light that comes on when it opens. The mechanism presents the grip nicely. The depth works for my full size 45 government model 1911. If you had a tac rail mounted site or light it would probably fit. With the beaver tail, anything longer would not fit. I put a small Costco led flashlight in first then my 1911 over the top. There’s room on the side for an extra magazine if you carved out some foam. I haven’t seen the need for an extra mag, as I don’t want to use more than 7 rounds in the house. As previous reviewers have said, it is not Fort Knox. And a motivated thief could remove it from your mounting location. But it does do a good job of keeping it secure and accessible, which is my goal." — AH
Trending review: "This gun safe is just what I envisioned when I thought about exactly what I wanted and where I wanted to put it. I put it out of sight under my desk that I am frequently working from. It is doesn't impede nor does my leg touch it when I sitting. I can easily and quickly reach under and open it with any number of my fingerprints for which I configured it. I was also able to let other adults in the house put their fingerprints in as well. It is impressive that it can take up to 30 fingerprints. I like how fast it opens. My grandson can't see it, but even if he could there's no way he could open it. Installation was easy and quick. You can't see it in the picture, as I had to use a flash, but there's a nice blue light that lights up to help to see in the dark. As I already said, I am very happy with it. It is exactly what I wanted." — Timothy P. McClory
Reassuring review: "Update: the folks at awesafe sent me a replacement and it works like a charm! Must have been a bad one I got first. Thanks! Generally speaking safe seems great. It is not the most heavy duty item out there but for its purpose it is well built. The mount is pretty straightforward and works without issue." — Eric B.
Get it from Amazon now: $99.00 & FREE Returns