Safe buying guide for Qatar

They are all the same thing: a sealed steel box for cash, jewellery, documents and valuables. In Qatar and the Gulf a safe is often called a “tajouri” (تجوري), while “khazna” (خزنة) is the standard Arabic word. Because they are built from steel, people also search for a “steel safe” or “iron safe” (خزنة حديدية، تجوري حديد). A “steel cabinet” (خزانة حديدية) usually means a steel office cupboard for files and supplies.

For shops, offices and homes that keep cash. Look for an electronic keypad with a backup key and a solid door on strong hinges, and ask whether the safe can be anchored to the floor or wall so it cannot be carried away.

Jewellery needs more than protection: velvet-lined drawers, necklace busts, ring rolls and watch cushions keep pieces apart and free of scratches. Choose a safe whose interior can be fitted to your collection.

Contracts, title deeds, passports and records need protection from fire above all, so choose a fire-resistant safe and ask how long it has been tested to resist fire. For large archives in companies and government bodies, drawer filing cabinets are the better fit.

For files and supplies in an office, choose a steel cupboard with one or two doors, or glass doors to show what is inside. For staff and students, steel lockers give each person a lockable compartment, from one to six compartments per column.

Ministries, banks and companies need larger safes and locks that control who can open them. Tell us how many people will use the safe and what you keep in it, and we will recommend the right solution.

The price of a safe depends on its size, level of fire resistance, type of lock, exterior finish and interior fittings.

The cheapest safe is not always the best value: a safe that fails in a fire or a break-in can cost far more than it saved. Ask for a quotation comparing more than one size to find the right fit for your budget.

Buy from a showroom where you can see the safe and open it yourself, make sure the brand is genuine, and ask about delivery and after-sales service.

That is what Nasrallah Trading Est has offered since 1906: genuine UCHIDA, SAKURA and GODREJ safes, a showroom in Souq Al Ein on Salwa Road in Doha, free delivery, a locked-safe opening service once the Ministry of Interior’s requirements are met, and more than 1,000 clients among ministries, banks, companies and individuals.