Fire boxes
A complete fire rating, or room for A4 documents flat?
A real fire rating has two numbers: how long, and how hot inside. The FP1401M publishes both. The HMF states 30 minutes at 843 °C (1,549 °F) and UL 72, but no class, so no internal temperature. Both hold about six liters inside; the HMF is far bigger and heavier outside, but it takes A4 paper flat, which matters for deeds and certificates that should not be folded.
| Compared on | FP1401M | 250423 |
|---|---|---|
| Interior | 6.2 L (0.22 cu ft) | 6 L (0.21 cu ft), 30.5 × 22 × 9 cm, A4 flat |
| Outside size and weight | Not stated | 36.5 × 32 × 15.5 cm (14.4 × 12.6 × 6.1 in), 8.2 kg (18 lb) |
| Fire duration | 30 min at 843 °C (1,549 °F) | 30 min at 843 °C (1,549 °F) |
| Internal limit stated | UL 72 Class 350 (350 °F) | UL 72, no class |
| Water | Water resistant | Waterproof |
| Construction | Not stated | Polycarbonate, cement-bonded fire layer |
| Lock | Key lock, 2 keys | Cylinder lock |
| Listed on amazon.com | Yes | Yes |
A tick marks the better answer on that line only. Counting ticks does not decide the page — the two verdicts below do, because these products answer different questions.
Buy the FP1401M when the rating matters more than the size. Both halves of it are published — thirty minutes, and an interior below the threshold at which paper survives.
Buy the HMF when documents must lie flat. A folded deed or certificate creates a crease that eventually tears, and A4 capacity is the reason to accept a rating that states only half of itself.
That the inside stayed below 350 °F (about 177 °C) for the stated duration. Paper chars above roughly that, so the number is the whole point of the rating. A box that publishes a duration without an internal temperature tells you only half of what matters.
Not in a paper-rated box. Digital media are damaged far below 350 °F, and a Class 350 rating says nothing about them; media need a Class 125 rating. HMF describes its box as suitable for non-magnetic media too, but states no class for them. The safe answer for backups is off-site storage.
No. Both are portable boxes with a simple lock: whoever finds them carries them off. They protect papers from heat and hose water, not from a burglar.
6.2 L · UL 72 Class 350, 30 min at 843 °C (1549 °F) · fire and water resistant · key lock, 2 keys
A document box with a published fire rating: Amazon Basics states UL 72 Class 350 for 30 minutes at 843 °C (1549 °F), in a 6.2-liter fire and water resistant case with a mechanical key lock.
Best for: Passports, deeds and certificates — the papers that cannot be reprinted.
≈ $40
A4 · 30 min fire protection · waterproof · 36.5 × 32 × 15.5 cm (14.4 × 12.6 × 6.1 in) · polycarbonate and cement fire material
An A4 fire and water resistant document box in thermoplastic polycarbonate with a cement-bonded fire layer, which HMF states protects papers for up to 30 minutes.
Best for: Full A4 documents that should lie flat rather than be folded.
