Mechanical vs Electronic Safe Locks

Last Updated on January 7, 2025

Ease of Use | Which Fail More | Which Are More Reliable | Lock Security | Best Safe Locks Reviews | FAQ

The debate between combination vs digital safe locks isn’t just one of personal preference. When evaluating mechanical vs electronic safe locks you must also consider reliability, ease of access, and the ability to get into the safe if the code is forgotten or lost.

The best safe locks are dual electronic and combination safe locks. Dual safe locks have the advantages of a digital lock’s ease of use and ease of repair, and also the advantage of having a secure backup method of entry should the electronic lock fail.


Which Safe Lock is Easiest to Use

Digital safe locks are the simplest safe locks to open. Simply enter a code sequence on the pin pad and you are in. Newer electronic biometric locks allow entry via fingerprint. For fast entry, when time is of the essence, there’s no better way than a PIN code or fingerprint.

Dial locks require you to remember a safe opening dialing sequence. This is complicated and easily forgotten.

Which Safe Lock Fails Most Often

Dial Locks

Dial locks have been around for well over a hundred years and for good reason, they are reliable.

However, they do fail. Unless the lock has been hit or bumped, failure is most often the result of drift where the numbers of the combination drift slightly from their set number. Regular safe service will prevent dial drift.

If a dial is struck, the spindle can bend and this will change the combination as well.

However, when a dial fails badly, it will need to be drilled and replaced. This is the most expensive safe service you can have.

Are Electronic Safe Locks Reliable?

Digital locks are reliable but more prone to failure than mechanical safe locks. However, electronic locks are less expensive to repair. In almost all cases, the external keypad of the lock can be easily replaced, and the safe will not need to be drilled to gain access. Avoid digital safe locks that have a key override as this will be the easiest way to break into the safe.

Battery failure is possible, but most high-end digital safe locks have the batteries stored on the face of the lock so they can be replaced when the safe is still locked from the outside of the safe.

If your safe has a dual safe combination lock (both a digital and mechanical method of entry) even if the electronics fail, you’re still getting in, and the lock can then be easily replaced.

Electronic locks that contain a key override in case of failure should be avoided, as the keyhole becomes the easiest way to get into the safe.

Are Digital Safe Locks Secure?

Current electronic safe locks are no more at risk than dial locks. A 6 digit code has 1 million possible combinations, which is more than a dial lock which has 800,000 usable combinations.

Old bypass techniques that relied on jumping wires are no longer valid.

There has been a recent concern with digital locks because reset codes for digital locks may be kept on file with safe manufactures and/or lock manufacturers. Two main points here. First, mechanical combination safe codes are also kept on file with safe manufacturers when they are set by the manufacturer. Secondly, that information can only be retrieved by licensed personnel showing the authority to retrieve the combination.

The debate on this second point is whether or not someone with authority should be able to obtain the reset code. Keep in mind reset codes serve a valuable service. If a combination is lost, or the person that had it has passed, the safe can still be opened, once ownership verification is achieved, so that the safe does not need to be drilled.

The Three Best Electronic Safe Locks

#1 LP Rotobolt

A dual safe lock

The LP Rotobolt is a dual entry lock, meaning there is a redundant method of entry should one method fail.

You can either use a 6-digit PIN code to open the safe or the dial located on the front of the lock. The dial has a 4-digit combination.

Ease of Use: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Durability: 4 out of 5 stars

Replacement Cost If Fails: 3 out of 5 stars

Will You Need to Drill Safe if Fails: Never. If one method fails, use the other method.

The LT Rotobolt electronic components are UL-listed Type 1, the highest electronic grade available and the dial mechanism is UL-Listed Group 2, the most common professional rating for residential safes. The safe allows for 2 digital codes. One code is for a manager, the other code is for a user who doesn’t get programming access.

The lock has a low battery warning to prompt users to change the battery. The 9v battery is easily accessed from the bottom of the face plate.

PROS

Never get locked out.

Quick access via PIN code.

1-year limited warranty

Easy to change PIN code

CONS

Only supports a right-handed door configuration.

More expensive than other safe locks.

Hard to change a dial combination


#2 EMP Rated S&G Digital Safe Lock

EMP Rated Digital Safe Lock

There are some other good quality digital safe lock brands out there. We especially like those from SecuRam as well.

What sets this lock apart though is its EMP rating. Many customers we talk to, are concerned about electronics failing in the event of a large electromagnetic pulse (which can be caused by a solar flare or other weapon)

Most failures of electronic safe locks are within the keypad. When the keypad fails, it can easily be swapped out. Your code is stored on components inside of the safe, so once swapped out, you’re as good as new. This makes the S&G EMP Safe Locks very affordable to replace.

Ease of Use: 5 out of 5 stars

Durability: 4 out of 5 stars

Replacement Cost If Fails: 5 out of 5 stars

Will You Need to Drill Safe if Fails: Unlikely. Most failures are a result of the keypad and that can simply be replaced.

The S&G EMP rated Spartan lock is a UL-listed Type 1, the highest. Battery replacement is handled from the face of the lock, so you won’t get locked out. You also get a visual low-battery indication. Like the LP Rotobolt, the S&G Spartan lock supports two codes, a master and a user.

PROS

Most affordable to replace if it fails

EMP tested and resistant.

Quick PIN code access.

2-year limited warranty

Easy to change PIN code

CONS

If the electronic failure is inside of the safe, the safe will need to be opened by a safe locksmith service.


#3 S&G Dial

Sargent and Greenleaf Dial

If you’re going to go with a dial, go with the company that has been making them for over 160 years.

Ease of Use: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Durability: 5 out of 5 stars

Replacement Cost If Fails: 1 out of 5 stars

Will You Need to Drill Safe if Fails: Almost Certainly

The S&G dial is a UL-Listed Group 2 lock. You can find higher-rated combination safe dials, but they are not typically used for residential applications.

One of the options of the S&G safe dial is that it can be locked down via a key. The key cylinder is installed on the dial and when locked it prevents the dial from spinning so that the combination cannot be attempted or entered by anyone until the key is used.

PROS

Rarely fails because it’s mechanical.

CONS

Difficult to use when not used often.

Difficult to remember combination when not used often.

If it fails, the safe will almost always need to be drilled and then repaired

Hard to change the safe combination


Biometric & Smart Safe Locks

As mentioned about. There are a variety of electronic safe locks available that we did not touch because they did not have a unique feature that set them apart from the competition.

However, SecuRam also makes very good electronic locks. In particular, if you are looking for a biometric safe lock, a safe lock you can access remotely, or one that offers audit trail, SecuRam should be considered.

SecuRam Locks

FAQ

Do Mechanical Safe Locks Fail?

Safe locks do fail. Without regular maintenance, the combinations of those locks tend to drift with time and at some point, the owner can no longer get in. For example, if one of your numbers is “45” and you notice you have to dial “45 1/2” instead of “45” it’s time to get your safe dial serviced before it’s too late.

How Do I Get Into An Electronic Safe if the Batteries Die?

Most new safes have the batteries placed in the face plate on the outside of the safe. Those that don’t either have a key override or a temporary way to get power to the keypad.

Do Digital Safe Locks Fail?

We see dial and electronic safe locks fail. The main advantage of an electronic safe over a mechanical lock is that if the electronics on the keypad do fail, most can simply be swapped out by the owner of the safe. You don’t even need a locksmith in this case. If a dial fails, you are definitely hiring a locksmith to drill and repair the safe.

Are Biometric Safe Locks Secure?

Biometric safe lock technology has been improving for years, but it’s true, we still don’t like them very much, and we don’t recommend them in many cases.

We see them often result in false negatives (a registered user not being able to get into the safe) or false positives (a non-register user getting into the safe). You see biometric locks a lot in the cheaper brands of safes. If you’re paying $300 for the entire safe how good do you think the finger-scan technology can be?

The only exception we have seen to this are biometric safe locks from a German company called Burg Wachter. They use biometric safe locks in their high-end jewelry rated safes. These locks require two successful biometric scans to pass before opening the safe in order to reduce false positive results. It also requires that the finger have a pulse, to reduce…well…you know.


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