A depository safe lets staff drop cash into a locked safe without being able to open it. If more than one person handles cash in your business, it is usually the right tool. The main choices are size, lock type, and whether you want a second compartment.
This guide walks through those choices using the Mesa Safe depository and under counter models we carry, with specs taken from Mesa’s own product pages.
How a depository safe works
Mesa describes its MFL series as built “for protection against robbery as well as internal theft, allowing quick deposits and secure storage without access inside the safe.” The pieces that make that work, per Mesa’s MFL2014E page:
- Front loading, mailbox style deposit door. Deposits fall into the locked body.
- Anti-fish baffle. A steel barrier behind the deposit door that, in Mesa’s words, “prevents theft through the deposit door.”
- Main door and bolts. A 1/2 inch steel door, 1 inch solid steel live locking bolts, heavy duty hinges, and a dead bar that Mesa says “prevents door removal during a forced entry attempt.”
- Relocking protection. The electronic lock is protected by a drill resistant hard plate and a punch activated relocking system.
Depository safe vs regular safe
A regular safe has one door, so anyone who can drop money in can also take money out. A depository safe separates those two jobs. Cashiers get the deposit door; only a manager gets the lock. That is the point of a drop safe for business: less cash in open drawers, fewer people who can reach it.
What a depository safe is not, in most cases, is a fire safe. Mesa’s spec listings for these models show “Fire Rating: No,” and our MFL2014E listing says “Not Rated Fire Rating.” If you need to protect paper records from heat, read our guide to fireproof safe ratings and look for a UL fire classification. For valuables at home, see our jewelry safe buying guide.
Burglary ratings: what B-rate and TL mean
According to Dean Safe’s ratings explainer, a “B” rate safe has at least a 1/4 inch body and a 1/2 inch door, and “these safes face no testing”; the rating comes from construction plus the presence of a lock. The Safe and Vault Store’s burglary ratings page calls B-rate “a catch-all safe industry rating” and notes that many makers now use 1/8 inch steel in the body.
TL-15 and TL-30 are different: both sources say those safes passed standardized tool attack tests under UL Standard 687. Mesa sells TL-15 and TL-30 composite safes as a separate line (see its TL rated page).
The Mesa depository pages we opened do not list a burglary rating for the MFL or MUC models, so treat them as deterrents against quick grabs and internal theft, not as tested vaults. Ask your insurance agent what rating your policy requires before you buy.
Depository safe comparison table
Dimensions, capacity and weight are from Mesa’s spec pages; prices are ours at the time of writing.
| Model | Lock | Interior cu ft | Outside H x W x D (in) | Weight | Key feature | Our price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MFL2014K | Dual key | 0.8 | 20.25 x 14 x 14 | 86 lb | Smallest MFL, no code to manage | $561.72 |
| MFL2014E | Electronic | 0.8 | 20.25 x 14 x 14 | 86 lb | Time delay, 1 manager and 5 user codes | $591.45 |
| MFL2014E-OLK | Electronic | 1.5 (incl. locker) | 27.25 x 14 x 14 | 104 lb | Key locking outer locker on top | $678.52 |
| MFL2714E | Electronic | 1.4 | 27.25 x 14 x 14 | 114 lb | Taller single compartment, 1 shelf | $687.54 |
| MFL2714E-ILK | Electronic | 1.3 | 27.25 x 14 x 14 | 122 lb | Key locking inner locker for deposits | $725.89 |
| MFL2714C-ILK | Combination dial | 1.3 | 27.25 x 14 x 14 | 122 lb | Inner locker, no batteries | $765.83 |
| MFL2118C | Combination dial | 1.9 | 22.5 x 18.375 x 18.375 | 120 lb | Widest interior, fits cash tills | $785.59 |
| MUC1K | Dual key | 0.2 | 12 x 6 x 8.75 | 24 lb | Tall, narrow under counter | $164.47 |
| MUC2K | Dual key | 0.2 | 8 x 6 x 12.75 | 22 lb | Low, deep under counter | $157.85 |
The MFL2118 also comes with an electronic lock (MFL2118E, $747.45), and the MFL2714 with a combination dial (MFL2714C, $727.18). Some of our listings show slightly different capacities (for example 2.1 cu ft for the MFL2118); the figures above follow Mesa’s spec pages.
Choosing a lock: electronic, combination or key
Electronic. Mesa’s MSL500 keypad offers a programmable 01 to 59 minute unlocking time delay, one manager code plus up to five user codes, a wrong code penalty, low battery warning and a concealed emergency key. It runs on a 9V battery that Mesa says is not included. The time delay is the main draw for robbery deterrence: even someone with the code has to wait.
Combination dial. Mesa lists a “U.L. Listed Group II Combination Lock” as an option. No batteries, but per Mesa’s FAQ, changing a mechanical dial combination requires a locksmith.
Dual key. The MUC models open only with two keys used together; Mesa says the MUC1K ships with two renter keys and one guard key.
Inner locker vs outer locker
- Inner locker (ILK). Per Mesa, the key locking interior locker “stores your deposits,” so someone can open the main safe without access to the deposits. Useful when a shift manager needs change funds but not the drops.
- Outer locker (OLK). A separate key locking compartment with no access to deposits. Our listing for this model notes the exterior locker “is not meant to protect for overnight storage of cash or valuables.”
Front load vs top load drop safe
Every Mesa model in this guide is front loading: the deposit door is on the face of the safe. That matters for placement. A front load drop safe can sit under a counter with nothing above it. Top load designs take deposits through the top, so they need clear space overhead.
Under counter safe options
The MUC1K and MUC2K hold the same 0.2 cu ft but are shaped differently: the MUC1K stands 12 inches tall and 8.75 deep, while the MUC2K is 8 inches tall and 12.75 deep. Measure your cabinet height and depth before choosing. Mesa says both have an anti-fish baffle, a 1/2 inch steel door and anchor holes “to secure your safe to the floor or counter.” For moving cash to the bank, the Mesa MDB811T locking deposit bag ($65.56) is a canvas bag with a key lock and two keys, according to Mesa.
Anchoring and placement
Mesa says the four anchor holes let you “anchor down your cash safes onto the floor, wall or other types of surfaces to prevent any burglar from removing it.” An 86 lb safe is light enough for two people to carry off, so bolting it down is the step that makes it a safe rather than a heavy box. Several of our listings note an anchor kit is included. For safes kept in damp back rooms, our safe dehumidifier guide covers moisture control.
Frequently asked questions
What is a depository safe used for?
Secure cash drops during the day without giving the person dropping access to what is inside.
Is a drop safe for business fireproof?
Usually not. Mesa lists no fire rating for these depository models. If fire protection matters, buy a safe with a UL fire classification.
Which size depository safe do I need?
Match it to your daily deposits plus anything else you keep inside. The MFL2118 is the widest; Mesa says it stores cash tills up to 3.5 x 16.75 x 13.75 inches.
Do I have to bolt down an under counter safe?
Mesa provides anchor holes for that reason, and at 22 to 24 lb an unanchored MUC model is easy to carry away.
The bottom line
For most small shops, the MFL2014E covers daily drops with a time delay lock. Pick an ILK model if managers need the safe but not the deposits, the MFL2118 if you store tills, and an MUC model for tight counter space. Orders of $999 or more ship free by freight; below that, freight is a $200 flat rate, which by our math applies to any single safe here. See our return and refund policy, browse more buying guides, or call 866-777-2590 (Mon-Fri 9AM-6PM PST).
