When asking yourself "what size safe do I need?", it’s often difficult to visualize capacity in terms of cubic feet or liter measurements. This is actually how Cocono Safes are named: the Cocono Chroma 15 has a 15-liter capacity, for instance, while Cocono 40 Medium Safes have a 40-liter capacity. We realize, however, most people don’t think about having “15 liters of paperwork” or “20 liters of cash.” With that in mind, we’ve put together a few helpful examples to give a high-level view of whether your passport, a will, a stack of cash, and your grandmother's rings will all fit together without you needing a shoehorn every time you open the door.
Remember that this guide is for reference only. It’s important to use the measurements found on the product pages to make sure the interior dimensions of the safe fit your particular needs, and that the exterior dimensions suit the space you have determined to be appropriate for your safe to live.
Cocono Chroma 15 Mini Safe – what fits in our smallest tabletop or shelf safe option
Where it shines:
This tiny safe packs a punch despite its compact footprint. We’ve written before about how this slim safe is the underrated hero of apartments and condos, and we stand by that. The Chroma 15 Mini Safe is ideal for essentials. In the photo below, you can see that we comfortably fit a substantial stack of paperwork, a tablet, a checkbook, passports, and cash in the safe without any clutter or disorganization, and without using the drawer. If you are searching for the best option for where to keep passports at home, the Chroma 15 Mini Safe is our pick. With its combination biometric and keypad lock and slim safe footprint, it can easily be installed in a convenient location for quick access.
Where it struggles:
While standard 8.5”x11” sheets of paper fit perfectly, the safe is too small to fit folders or binders, making organization tough if you have a large number of documents and are primarily looking for a safe for paperwork.
Cocono Classic 20 Small Safe – the premium closet safe with a surprisingly large capacity
Where it shines:
The Classic 20 Small Safe is a great choice if you have a moderate number of items to store. Because it is dimensionally different from the Classic 40 safe, it fits a standard 14” laptop laid flat while the larger Classic 40 does not (a laptop fits in the 40, but needs to be angled to fit). In the image below you can see that we comfortably placed a 3-ring binder, a stack of folders, a 14” laptop, passports, checkbook, and cash in this small home safe with plenty of space still available. Another benefit of the Classic 20 is that the drawer can be configured with a Jewelry Organizer, enabling the secure storage of both a moderate number of documents and cash in addition to organized and protected jewelry.
Where it struggles:
When determining where to store documents, it’s important to understand how many documents you have and how much organization you need. While using binders and folders will support document organization, note that binders are a tight fit in the Cocono 20, and if you plan to stack folders on top of a binder, the angle of the binder cover can make them slide when the door is opened.
Cocono Classic 40 Medium Safe – the all-around best safe for customizable organization
Where it shines:
There is a reason the Classic 40 Medium Safe is a cult favorite for organization and jewelry lovers. If your primary goal is for a discrete jewelry safe with a large capacity, a safe for paperwork – potentially a large amount of paperwork you would like organized, or a mixed-use safe with space for all your items and built-in organization, the Classic 40 Medium Safe is the way to go. The Classic 40 comes standard with one drawer and one shelf, but additional drawers and shelves can be added, in addition to luxury Jewelry Organizers. For reference, below, we added two drawers and two shelves for a total of three of each. In this configuration, we comfortably fit a tablet, a 3-ring binder, a stack of folders, cash, checkbook, and passports, all without touching the three drawers. These drawers could be used for jewelry with added micro-suede organizers, or left open for other items. If fewer shelves and drawers are installed, the Cocono 40 is also great for securing taller items.
Where it struggles:
As we mentioned before, the dimensions of the Cocono 40 do not support storing a 14” laptop laid flat. Additionally, it takes up the most vertical space of the three sizes in this article. When determining where to install this 120 lb medium size safe, it’s also important to confirm that the surface can support the weight.
When choosing a safe, people often forget to consider how they will organize the contents. To get the maximum value out of your safe, we strongly recommend thinking about how you want to interact with the safe. This will help you not only determine the rights size and configuration, but also the lock type. Finally, don’t forget that this size guide is for reference only. It’s important to use the measurements found on the product pages to make sure both that the interior dimensions of the safe fit your particular needs and that the exterior dimensions suit the space you have determined to be appropriate for your safe to live.