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The Stack-on PS-5-B Biometric Drawer Safe is intended to be used inside the home for storage of firearms and valuables. This safe is strong enough to deter a thief from stealing your handguns or your valuable belongings and jewelry.

Features

Made in USA

Most stack-on products are made in the USA and this is no different. Compared to overseas manufactured items that may not be made to such rigorous standards, American made safes are all checked to high standards throughout the manufacturing process ensuring quality remains high.

Stack-On PS-5-B Biometric Drawer Safe Review

Bolt Action Lock

This drawer safe uses two thick locking bolts to secure the door closed which would take time to cut through.

Biometric Fingerprint Scanner – 32 fingerprint capacity

The biometric scanner is just one method two open this safe and it provides you with a quick and secure way to open the safe without having to remember combinations or always carrying a key. There is quite a large database for storing fingerprints and you should store multiple scans to get a good success rate. Biometric locks are quick to open in that it should take about 5 seconds from scanning your finger to being fully open. This is why biometric safes are becoming more popular for those that need access to their handguns in an emergency.

Pre-drilled mounting holes

On the bottom of the safe are two pre drilled holes so that you can bolt it down to the bottom of a drawer or back of a cabinet. It is always recommended for you to mount your product to prevent thieves from just simply walking off with it.

Mounting Hardware Included

With the stack-on drawer safe you get all that you need to mount it included in the box, especially if you are buying from Amazon. The screws or bolts are tightened from inside and due to the top opening feature you can easily get a screwdriver inside which isn’t always possible in conventional opening small gunsafes.

Pry resistant

The door gap is negligible to prevent pry bars being used to pop the door open and the unit itself is quite heavy duty for its size and price.

Gas assisted door

The door is assisted gas powered struts that open the door smoothly, if the gas powered struts fail you can still pull the door up and open with just the handle after you have successfully unlocked it.

California DOJ approved

This is important in places where gun laws require you to store your handguns and other guns while at home if you have young children.

Foam Padded Bottom

On the inside of the safe there is egg shell foam lining, this only covers the bottom floor, two sides and the rear. The front wall does not have lining and can potentially scratch a handgun that is pushed up right against it. Luckily there is enough room inside for most handguns to be stored with plenty of space.

Backup Electronic Lock

One of the key features of stack-on safes are the multiple options that you have to open them, this one has a backup electronic lock which you have to remember a code for and can be used if the biometrics play up.

Emergency Keys

There is also a third way to get inside if the batteries fail and all the electronics shut off, you can use one of the backup keys included. There have been reports of people being able to pick the lock with just a manipulated paper clip and if you look to our problems and frequently asked questions sections we will explain how this has now been fixed for the current new models.

Battery Powered

This model runs on AA batteries and is shipped with batteries included. We recommend switching these out and using Duracell batteries as they last the longest. Battery life can be up to a year.

Dimensions

Exterior (LWD): 13.87”x 11.5”x 5.8”
Interior: 12” x 10” x 2.5”

The height measured from the bottom to the highest protruding point the handle is just shy of 6 inches but the width and length of the interior is very large and should fit snug in most drawers and nightstands. Due to the thickness of the locking mechanism and battery compartment the interior height is significantly reduced to about 2.5 inches, it is still enough to store most handguns plus extra magazines. For cash, passports and documents there is plenty of room too.

Weight: 20lbs

The weight of this model is not significant enough to deter a thief unless you have it bolted down. So please if you buy it make sure you fix it down securely somewhere.

Using this Safe

Customers are primarily using this product to store handguns in either their drawers or cupboards for quick access in case of a break –in and to prevent their young children from having an accident with their firearm if the adults leave them around the house. People say it gives them piece of mind knowing that they have safety and security from this product.

Other customers have said that it is great for storing their important paperwork when they do not have enough money or space for a large fireproof home safe.

What people liked

Very sturdy construction

Many customers were satisfied by the feel and weight of this model, it felt strong and as it is constructed of steel is resistant to cutting attempts and will be a deterrent to the average home intruder.

Reliable Biometric Lock

One of the things I have noticed about this product is the reports from other consumers are very heavily in favor of how reliable the biometrics are. They liked having the other options to unlock it too but were glad not needing to resort to it.

Problems

Paper clip unlocking

Stack-on have upgraded the key locking mechanism from a cabinet type lock to a heavy duty locking mechanism that cannot be picked with a paperclip.

Gas lift gets stuck a bit

After a bit of wear the gas lifting struts can become a bit temperamental and will require a bit of servicing, you can apply a bit of lubrication to smooth out the movement and you may have to use the handle to pull the door open.

Storage Space

Some customers were unhappy once they purchased the safe to find that the door locking mechanism and the battery compartment take up so much room and reduce the interior space available. Although still being able to store handguns and magazines inside they thought they were falsely lead to believe there was more space then there actually was.

Price

This is a budget biometric safe. It costs around $100 and for that small amount of money you get 3 different ways to open it. I think the option of a backup electronic keypad is great and something that is missing from some other manufacturer’s comparable models. It is very heavy for its size which can be considered either a bonus or a drawback depending on your personal opinion, personally I prefer it to be heavy than light as it is not going to be moved around very much after you have bolted it down.

Frequently asked questions

What can you fit inside the safe?

The depth is such that you can easily store handguns, it is not as deep as the picture suggests due to the amount of space the locking mechanism and battery compartment take up.

See the video below for an idea about scale and whether you can fit your own handgun inside. https://www.youtube.com/embed/yaQKmJXZ03A?rel=0

Is it compatible with a security cable?

It is not designed to be compatible with a security cable and is intended to be bolted down and, however you could theoretically thread a security cable through the pre-drilled holes if you wished instead of bolting it down. Or as always you can drill your own holes, we do not recommend this as you will not be allowed a refund or exchange if you make your own modifications.

Summary

The Stack-on PS-5-B review was one of the cheapest biometric drawer safes at the time of writing. It does represent a good bargain because of its size, even though the interior storage space is quite shallow. The current models are actually very reliable.