Yale Large Fire Safe YFM/420/FG2 review
By Tom Calder
The more substantial of the two Yale fire safes — a 76mm steel door, 46mm walls and hardened hinges with rear dog bolts — carrying the same manufacturer-stated NT Fire 017-60P certification via SP in Sweden. One warning worth reading twice: the Amazon listing title carries a 'Secured by Design' claim that does not appear on Yale's own UK product page, and we could not corroborate it on the Sold Secure or Secured by Design registers. Do not treat this as a police-approved security safe; as a fire safe it is sound, but it holds no burglary certification.
- Best for
- The same 60-minute paper fire protection as the medium, in a 25-litre body for households with more paperwork.
- Skip it if
- 19 litres would do
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Researched, not used. We haven't used this product. This review is built from the maker's specifications, owner reports and our own sizing.
What we like
- Same NT Fire 017-60P 60-minute paper rating as the medium, in 25.3 litres rather than 19
- 76mm steel door and hardened hinges with rear dog bolts resist the door being levered at the hinge side
- Up to 48-hour lockdown mode and one-time guest codes, plus supplied floor fixing bolts
Worth knowing
- The 'Secured by Design' claim in the Amazon title is absent from Yale's own UK page and we could not verify it on any register — ignore it
- Only Yale's list price could be verified on the day, which makes it look poor value beside the cheaper medium
- 36kg and kerbside delivery, so you'll need help getting it into position — and no fire rating covers theft
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Our review
The bigger of Yale's two document fire safes: 25.3 litres and 36kg, with the same NT Fire 017-60P rating and touchpad lock as the medium. What matters most is whether you need the extra six litres, because you pay for them in weight and, at list price, in money, while the protection is identical. It suits a household whose important papers have outgrown a single folder but who still want a cupboard-sized box.
What the rating covers
Yale states approval to NT Fire 017-60P, tested by SP in Sweden, and describes the test as heat up to 972°C. In the Nordtest method the paper class means the interior rose by no more than 150°C for the stated minutes under the ISO 834 furnace curve, chosen because paper holds its information below 170°C. It is a paper rating only: film, hard drives and memory sticks are not covered, and nor is theft, since Yale names no burglary standard. Some marketplace listing titles attach a Secured by Design claim to this model; Yale's own UK product page makes no such claim, and we would not rely on it.
In a British home
The interior is 320mm tall, 260mm wide and 304mm deep, so A4 paperwork lies flat and document wallets stand on edge; note that it is 60mm narrower inside than the medium, so it gains height and depth rather than width; whether an upright lever-arch file clears the 320mm comes down to the file, so measure yours. The adjustable shelf and internal light carry over from the medium. The touchpad takes a 4 to 12 digit code, a one-time passcode for a visitor, a scramble option and a silent mode. More than five wrong codes locks the panel for a settable 3 to 9 minutes, and you can impose a lockdown of 1 to 48 hours yourself, useful when you are away and want nobody opening it, including you. Yale's manual lists the YFM/420/FG2 by name alongside the 310 and 520; the medium 352 is not named in it, though Yale's page gives it the same features.
How it compares
The Yale Medium Fire Safe YFM/352/FG2 has the identical rating and lock in 19 litres and 31kg, with an interior 260mm tall, and specialist retailers have discounted it more consistently than the large in our price tracking. The Chubbsafes Executive 40K is the next step: 41 litres, 57kg, a key lock, and two certifications, NT Fire 017 class 60 for paper from RISE and UL 72 Class 350 for an hour. If 25 litres is not enough, the Chubbsafes is the next size up on our site. Our home safes comparison has the rest.
Living with it
Four AA batteries come in the box with a low-battery indicator on the keypad, and a 9V battery held to the port under the dial powers the lock if they die; the code survives a flat battery. There is no override key, which is why Yale's manual says it is delivered with the door open and tells you to fit the batteries and set a code before you close it. A forgotten code means emailing Yale the serial number, proof of purchase and ID for a factory passcode within 48 hours. Yale's support pages say floor mounting only, into brick or concrete, because of the fire-protective material inside; its page lists one pack of fixing bolts in the box. At 36kg it is a two-person lift, and Yale delivers it kerbside by pallet courier. The guarantee is two years with paid extensions, and Yale's general returns window is 14 days from delivery with a prepaid label, though the policy does not address pallet items.
Our verdict
Buy it if the medium's 260mm-tall interior is the thing stopping you: this gives the same hour of paper protection with 60mm more headroom and 70mm more depth. Skip it if a folder of documents is all you need, because the medium does that in less weight and has sold for less; and skip the whole range if your concern is burglary or digital data, which call for a certified security safe or a data-rated safe respectively. Bolt it to a concrete floor either way.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 21 Oct 2026. Sources: Yale UK — Fire Safe Large YFM-420-FG2 product page (rating, dimensions, lock features, warranty, delivery); Yale — Fire Safe user manual (PDF: models covered, batteries, 9V emergency opening, time lock, lock-down); Yale UK — fire safes FAQ (flat batteries, forgotten PIN, floor mounting only, lockdown); Yale UK — fire safes getting started (set code before closing; no override key); Yale UK — delivery and returns; Nordtest — NT FIRE 017, Edition 3 (2003): class criteria for paper, data and diskette cabinets.
Who shouldn't buy this
Skip it if 19 litres would do — the medium YFM/352/FG2 carries identical fire certification for noticeably less at real street prices.
Key specs
| Type | Fire document safe, digital lock — no burglary grade |
| Certification | Fire: NT Fire 017-60P (SP), maker-stated. No burglary grade. |
| Lock | Digital touchpad, 48hr lockdown, 2× 16mm bolts, hinge dog bolts |
| Capacity | 25.3 L |
This is a Researched review: we haven't used this product. We check every specification against at least two independent sources, re-check the UK price on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and say plainly who it isn't for. Commissions never change a rating.
If this isn’t the one
Best for Households who want fire certification from two named independent bodies, with room for four lever-arch files.
Read the review →
Best for Households wanting an hour of paper fire protection for passports, deeds and policy documents in a cupboard-sized box.
as of 5 Nov 2026, 03:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for Anyone who needs a cash or valuables rating their home insurer will actually recognise.
Questions
Is the Yale YFM/420/FG2 Secured by Design approved?
Yale's own UK product page makes no Secured by Design claim for it and names no burglary standard; the claim appears in some marketplace listing titles. Treat it as a fire safe, not a police-approved security safe.
How long does the Yale YFM/420/FG2 protect documents?
Yale states 60 minutes to NT Fire 017-60P for paper documents, tested by SP in Sweden. That class does not cover hard drives, USB sticks or film, which fail at lower temperatures.
What size is the inside of the Yale YFM/420/FG2?
Yale lists the interior as 320mm tall, 260mm wide and 304mm deep, 25.3 litres in all. The exterior is 412mm tall, 352mm wide and 433mm deep, and it weighs 36kg.
Does the Yale YFM/420/FG2 have a key override?
No. Yale lists key override as not available. If the four AA batteries run flat, hold a 9V battery to the port under the dial and enter your code; the code is retained.
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