Sentry DA3930 Fingerprint Safe Review
Basic characteristics
For starters, the DA3930 offers anti-theft features with 6 live locking bolts. The locking mechanism is fully biometric and includes a backlit electronic keypad with a tubular key for added security. The safe is also designed to protect from water and 2 hours of fire protection. The safe is ETL verified to protect contents from 2 hours of fire, and water resistance is a great feature in the event of a flood or fire where a sprinkler system is activated to extinguish the flames.
Organizational characteristics
One of the key selling points that we liked when reviewing this Sentry Safe is that it is functional and has several features to help you keep your documents and valuables organized. This fingerprint safe has a pull-out tray that allows you to stack your belongings, or you can remove it to store larger items. The tray worked well and fits perfectly on A-4 size papers and folders, helping you keep your content extremely organized. It also includes a handy key rack in the door, so you can easily organize and label your keys. Perfect for highly organized guys like us. This biometric safe also features a compartment in the door that is perfect for small items like jewelry or a small cash clip.
The biometric lock
Once again, the key selling point of the DA3930 is that it uses your fingerprint to authorize entry. We tested over 50 fingerprints and the biometric scanner worked perfectly every time. For tech savvy, the biometric scanner uses a scanner that generates images at 500 dpi that meets FBI and CIA security standards for reading fingerprints. Very cool.
The DA3930 allows you to have one manager (or administrator) and up to 7 users. The administrator has full override capability and each user can store 2 fingerprints and an individual PIN code. Again, this is ideal for home use or in an office environment where multiple people have access to the fingerprint safe. The DA3930 offers a double locking construction. What this means is that the safe can be opened using a fingerprint scan or with the PIN programmed by the user.
Construction
The DA3930 Fingerprint Safe features armored steel construction, a metal handle, and 6 active locking bolts to help protect your valuables. The safe looks very stylish in a black and metallic gray finish with very clean hardware. The safe is designed to bolt to the floor and even comes with mounting hardware. Other safes we’ve reviewed often charge more for hardware mounting! To test it, we bolted the safe to a piece of plywood and found it to be an easy project for any DIYer. We secure it in less than 20 minutes.
Fire protection
Due to fire code restrictions in our warehouse, we weren’t able to put the safe to the ultimate test, but don’t worry, the good folks at Underwriters Laboratories have done it for us! This fingerprint safe is UL rated for 2 hours of fire protection for temperatures up to 1850 degrees F. It is designed to protect media such as CDs, DVDs, and other electronic devices from water and fire. Lastly, in case you decide to throw your safe out the window (for whatever reason), it is UL listed for a 30 foot drop test.
Our review
After using this safe for a week, we were very satisfied with it. Our only complaint was that we thought the interior could be made of a more solid material and the handle could be a bit more solid. Maybe it was the specific model we tested, but we’ve noticed it in numerous security safes we tested. Although the safe is designed for theft protection, we think it’s a good introductory safe (especially at 135 pounds). If you are considering a completely indestructible solid steel safe, you are generally looking at one that weighs more than 500 pounds. . and it costs several thousand dollars.
Despite these minor drawbacks, the price is right for this safe. It costs around $ 400 and is a great introductory safe for anyone looking for the protection of a safe and the incredible functionality of biometric technology.