If you’re looking for a genuine in-hand review of the VAULTEK VS20i biometric smart pistol safe that can comfortably house 2 full-sized handguns, your search ends here!
You’ll learn everything you need to know about this state-of-the-art pistol safe through our hands-on experience with it.
Exoctactical is the only blog that publishes unsponsored, unbiased, and in-depth reviews. We administer extensive testing on every gun safe that we purchase to provide our readers with product recommendations they can trust. We have not received any of these products free of charge in exchange for a positive review!
Continue reading to discover if the VS20i by Vaultek is the best 2-gun storage solution you can buy in 2024 compared to other options in this price range.
Vaultek VS20i Video Review
Check out our YouTube channel unboxing video and short review of the VS20i below.
To learn all of the criteria we use to rank gun safes, see: How We Test Gun Safes
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Vaultek VS20i Pistol Safe Overview
The Vaultek VS20i is a high-tech pistol safe that sports a range of advanced features designed to keep your firearms secure with an excellent biometric scanner that prevents unauthorized access to your guns.
Vaultek VS20i Biometric Pistol Safe
Get price matching, free shipping in the US, and pay no tax when you buy from Armadillo Safes!
In this comprehensive Vaultek VS20i review, we’ll take a closer look at this biometric pistol safe, examining its key features, benefits, drawbacks, and overall performance. Read on to learn everything you’ll ever need to know about this popular Vaultek model.
Unboxing Experience
The Vaultek VS20i came packaged to us in a naked cardboard box with Amazon tape, which is typical for items sent directly from Amazon’s warehouse.
This protects the identity of the contents inside and is always better than a box with product markings evident from the outside.
The exterior shell looks attractive and displays all of Vaultek’s features packed into its VS20i smart safe. With the outer box removed, you can see the product box beneath is in perfect condition. So far so good!
Under the hood, you can see the dense foam keeping the Vaultek snuggly in place to prevent any damage during shipping. Once removed from the box, you can see the manual and backup keys inside a clear bag.
Once you open up the VS20i with the backup key, you’ll find another box inside that securely contains everything you’ll need to operate and secure the safe.
Accessories Included:
- 1 large rechargeable battery
- 1 tether cable w/hardware
- 1 wall wart with removable charging cable
- Some screws for permanent mounting of the safe
First Impressions
The Vaultek VS20i comes in 5 colors to choose from: Alpine White, Covert Black, Olive Camo, Olive Drab, and Sandston.
We chose Olive Drab and are very happy with the fit and finish of this smart safe.
While not the heaviest safe we’ve tested, coming in at 7.2 lbs, it’s still very well put together and features a tamper-resistant design that makes it a challenge to fit a pry tool to exert any leverage.
It features a 16 gauge steel body and sandwiches two 16 gauge sheets folded and tack-welded together to effectively double the thickness of the lid, which greatly adds to the strength and pry-resistance of this cool-looking compact safe.
The dual-impact solid steel locking latches are drop-tested to ensure their strength and ability to keep the safe closed under great shock.
The hinges appear to be rather thick, strong, and well-implemented, making it harder to gain entry from a pry attack on the backside of the safe.
Looking at the interior, a well-adhered denser foam padding covers the top and removable bottom of the VS20i and a thicker removable egg crate layer adds even more cushioning to the bottom to keep your firearms secure and scratch-free.
Setup and Programming
Setup and programming of the Vaultek VS20i is a breeze and lightning-fast compared to some other safes we’ve tested. Check out our quick video guide to find out everything you need to know to get this Vaultek VS20i up and running!
Quick Setup Guide: First-time users should change the default code first thing to prevent unauthorized access to the safe.
Programming Tips: The code you choose can be a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8 digits long.
It’s recommended to choose a code between 6 to 8 digits using at least one of each key number to make it more difficult for someone to guess the code.
The safe will time out and sleep for 4 minutes if 6 incorrect entries are made (2 keys cannot be pressed simultaneously). The Vaultek is capable of storing and recognizing 20 unique fingerprint IDs.
The 1st and 2nd fingerprints will be recognized as administrative fingerprints and will be used to authorize additional users.
Instructions For Programming Key Code:
- Open safe using the default code 1-2-3-4-5
- Once opened, press and hold the Program button for 3 seconds until all keys light up red, then let go
- Enter a new master code
- Immediately press and hold the Program button a second time for 3 seconds until all keys light up Red and then let go
- Enter the New master code a second time
- Immediately Press and Hold the Program button a third time for 3 seconds until safe beeps and let go
- The keypad will flash Green if successful
- Test the new code to confirm it’s good. If not, repeat steps 1-7.
Instructions For Registering Fingerprints:
- Open the safe and Program the 1st fingerprint by quickly pressing and releasing the Program button
- The ring around the fingerprint scanner will turn Red and the 1 Key on the keypad will blink Red
- Place the core of the 1st fingerprint flat for the 1st 5 scans
- When the safe beeps and the 1 key lights up Green, remove your finger
- Place your finger again over the scanner at a slightly different angle until the safe beeps and the 2 key light up Green and lift.
- You will repeat this process until all 5 keys are solid Green to complete enrollment of the 1st Admin
- Repeat steps 1-6 to add the 2nd Admin fingerprints
Storage Capacity
The Vaultek VS20i is marketed as a “1-Gun Safe” (like so many others we’ve tested) but unlike some other safes, it can accommodate 2 full-sized handguns!
In many cases, the extra space will be used for other things like a box of ammo, an extra magazine or two, or even some extra cash and a passport.
It’s just good to know that you can keep 2 fully loaded handguns ready to go at a moment’s notice with relative ease.
Pros and Cons
We always like to give our readers our honest opinion on what we like and what we’d like to see improved in any gun safe that we’ve personally reviewed and vetted.
What We Like:
- Solid Build Quality
- Cool Color Selections
- Every Smart Feature You Could Want
- Great Bluetooth App Functionality
- Rugged Finish & Pry-Resistant Dual-Layered Steel Lid
- Strong Drop-Shock Proof Steel Latches
- Decent Lock & Pick Resistance
- Responsive RFID Reader
- Reliable Electronic Entry
- Backup Key Lock
- Great User Manual
- Well-Packaged
What We Don’t Like:
- A Bit Expensive
- Wireless Nano Key Sold Separately
- Earlier Versions Had Security Flaws
- Not As Heavy As We’d Like
- Mounting Screws Are Too Small (Recommend You Upgrade Screws)
Who This Safe Is For
So, might the Vaultek VS20i be a good fit for your needs and budget? Read on to find out.
Who It’s For:
- This safe is great for anybody looking for a quick-access handgun safe with all of the smart features you could want.
- If you want a wide variety of ways to quickly gain access to your gun safe whenever the need arises and are comfortable with smartphone access to your safe, then this a great safe to consider as a primary or backup gun dispenser.
Who It’s Not For:
- This safe is not for those who are intimidated by all of Vaultek’s smart features and prefer more traditional safe boxes like the Fort Knox or V-Line.
- It’s for those wanting fire-resistance, burglary-resistance, or waterproofing.
- Those needing more firearm storage capacity.
- Those on tighter budgets.
Note: This safe provides an adequate level of protection from unauthorized access and decent theft protection when permanently mounted in an ideal location that is easy enough for you to get to yet hard for thieves or children to find.
Key Takeaways
The Vaultek VS20i Biometric Smart Pistol Safe is designed to keep your handgun secure and easily accessible. One of the key features of this safe is the biometric scanner, which allows you to quickly access your firearm with just the touch of your finger.
The VS20i also comes equipped with a smart app that allows you to monitor the safe from your smartphone. You can receive alerts if the safe has been tampered with or if someone has attempted to access it without authorization.
Vaultek’s Smart app allows you to set up multiple user profiles, so you can grant access to trusted individuals.
Where To Buy
You can buy this excellent safe on the veteran-owned Armadillo Safes website (tax-free with price-matching & free shipping) or try your luck on Optics Planet (extended backorder) should availability become a problem.
Vaultek VS20i Biometric Pistol Safe
Get price matching, free shipping in the US, and pay no tax when you buy from Armadillo Safes!
There’s been a stock shortage of the VS20i for a while now, so we’ve linked the non-biometric VS20 model sold on Amazon that has all of the same smart features with electronic keypad access selling for $70 less.
Performance and Reliability
The performance and reliability of the biometric technology in poorly designed cheap gun safes may leave gun owners feeling uncertain about its effectiveness in dire situations.
While the biometric scanner is designed to provide quick and easy access to the safe, it may not always work as intended.
Fortunately, the Vaultek VS20i has passed all of our biometric tests including the wet finger test and powdered finger test to simulate sweaty or dirty fingers.
This testing should give the owner of this safe confidence knowing that this safe will open every time the need arises even with less-than-ideal fingerprint scans.
Q&A Section
In this final section, we address all of the most frequently asked questions about the Vaultek VS20i Smart Biometric Safe.
Can multiple users be registered to access the Vaultek VS20i?
Yes! Besides the Primary Administrator, 3 additional authorized can be added for a total of 20 fingerprint registrations (5 fingerprint scans per user).
How long does the biometric scanner take to recognize and unlock the safe?
In our official testing, the biometric scanner on the VS20i safe takes just over a second to recognize and unlock, making it a convenient and efficient option for accessing your firearm.
Does the safe come with a backup key in case of malfunction?
Yes, the Vaultek VS20i Biometric Smart Pistol Safe comes with 2 backup keys in case of malfunction, and to get into the safe for the first time.
Does the Vaultek VS20i have a low battery warning?
There are a couple of ways to check the battery level of the Vaultek VS20i. The manual way is to press and hold the 5 key on the number pad and see how many keys light up.
The more Keys that light up, the higher the battery percentage remaining. If all 5 Keys light up, the battery is 100% full.
The second way is to open the Vaultek app, which you can download on any smartphone. Upon opening the App, the battery level will be displayed (The App will also alert you when the battery level is getting below a certain percentage).
Is the safe waterproof or fireproof?
The Vaultek VS20i biometric smart pistol safe is not waterproof or fireproof, so it is important to take precautions when storing valuable items inside.
While the safe is designed to provide a certain level of protection against theft, it is not built to withstand extreme heat or water damage.
It is recommended to keep the safe in a dry and cool location and to use additional protective measures, such as a fire-resistant bag, for added security.
Can the safe be mounted in a vehicle or on a wall?
Yes, the safe can be mounted in a vehicle or on a wall or floorboard. It is designed with pre-drilled holes and includes mounting hardware for easy installation.
This feature makes it convenient for those who need to transport their firearm or want to keep it easily accessible in their home or vehicle.
Final Thoughts
To wrap up our Vaultek VS20i review with some final thoughts, it is obvious to us that Vaultek is a step above the competition in just about every aspect and stands alone with its comprehensive set of smart features and excellent biometric performance, making it a solid choice for gun owners who prioritize security and convenience.
This safe gets our full recommendation, especially after fixing a few flaws in their earlier design that some people exposed on YouTube.
It’s always great to see manufacturers providing revisions to earlier designs that were overlooked initially. Vaultek is a good company that stands behind its products, fixes design flaws, and provides excellent customer service.
There are other excellent value options to consider if Vaultek products are a bit too pricey for you (or if you don’t want a bunch of smart features). They may not best Vaultek in any one department but they are capable of providing an acceptable level of performance, decent build quality, reliable performance, and adequate security.
Check out some of our top pistol safe recommendation articles to find the perfect safe for your budget.
