• What am I going to be storing in the safe?

  Most of the time, your stored items are insurable/replaceable, the overall value is a large factor in deciding which safe you will purchase. Some items however, are irreplaceable - these would require a greater level of protection.

• Where and what environment will the safe be installed?

  Don't buy a fire protective safe, to protect against burglary - and vice versa. The safe you purchase needs to match the value and type of item that will be stored inside. With fire protective safes, consider what level of fire resistance you items will need to remain usable and intact in the event of a fire (eg, electronic data such as hard drives, laptops and ipads may not survive a fire unless the safe is moisture sealed as well)
  
  

• How often will I be accessing the safe?

  You need to install the safe in to a solid area that is easy for you to access because if the safe is to hard to access you just won’t use it. If you opening the safe often combination safe are very easy to use and you don’t have to carry large keys with you. Where possible bolt the safe down so it can not be removed easily. Remember safes only buy time or protection from the elements no safe is burglary resistant! The better the safe the longer it takes to open.
  
  

See Also: 5 Common Mistakes People Make When Buying Safes