Massad Ayoob — Founder, Massad Ayoob Group · Retired Police Captain · Expert Witness on use of force · Review date: October 31, 2026
Chris Raper — Retired North Carolina law enforcement (40+ years) · U.S. Air Force Security Police · NRA-certified Pistol, Rifle & Shotgun Instructor · NC DOJ-certified Concealed Carry Instructor · Founder, Concealed Handgun Carry, Inc. (Elm City, NC, 2006)In addition to my own research and what my students bring into the Concealed Handgun Carry class every week, this guide was reviewed by Massad Ayoob of Massad Ayoob Group, whose opinion appears below. [Keep only if true — Chris: I handled the product(s) on this page myself. Details are in the test record at the end.] The method line at the end of the article says exactly how this guide was built.
When a student asks me what to look for in a bedside gun box, I give them three questions to carry into the store. How do I get in when the fingerprint won’t read? How do I get in when the batteries die? And what keeps somebody from carrying the whole box out the back door?
The MOLICAR Biometric Bedside Safe has a listed answer for all three, plus a few extras you don’t always see at this price: an LCD status screen, an emergency USB-C port, batteries in the box and a security cable.
My verdict: it’s a well-equipped nightstand box in the under-$100 range, as long as your pistol fits inside a 3-inch-tall interior.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
Specs from the manufacturer listing · owner feedback summarized and labelled · hands-on test notes being added · How we review
MOLICAR Biometric Bedside Safe – Best Budget Bedside Safe With USB-C Backup
HIGHLIGHT:
Fingerprint, PIN and two backup keys, plus an emergency USB-C port and a screen that shows how much battery is left.
OUT OF THE BOX:
MOLICAR lists four AA batteries, a USB power cable, mounting screws, a 40.16-inch security cable and two mechanical keys in the box. In the photos you can see the user manual laid across the lid, and a bag sitting on the foam the first time the lid comes up.
Read that manual before you enroll a finger or set a code. With three ways in and a screen on the front, there are more settings here than on a plain key box, and you want to know what every button does before you need it in the dark.
FRONT PANEL & FINGERPRINT READER:
Everything you touch is on the front edge: the LCD window on the left, two rows of number buttons in the middle and the round fingerprint reader on the right. The close-up shows small labels printed by the buttons for Fingerprint, Time/Voice and Password. Front-facing controls mean your hand comes straight in from the side of the bed.
MOLICAR says the reader stores up to 100 prints and can open the box in as little as one second. That speed is the seller’s number. In real life it comes down to how well the finger was enrolled. I teach the same trick for every biometric safe: enroll the finger you’ll actually reach with several times, flat, tipped up and rolled a little to each side. Half asleep, your hand doesn’t land the way it did at the kitchen table.
KEYPAD & BACKUP KEY:
The keypad holds up to 10 codes, per the listing. Give each adult in the house their own, and never use a birthday or a house number. Those are the first things anybody tries. MOLICAR also lists a mute mode that turns the beeps off. In a bedroom that matters. You don’t want the whole house hearing it every time you open the gun box.
Two mechanical keys come with it. I tell every class the same thing: the backup key does not live in the same drawer as the safe, and it never lives where a child can find it. Put one on your key ring and the other in a second locked spot. A safe with the key sitting next to it is just a box with a lid.
SCREEN, LIGHT & POWER:
The LCD is what sets this box apart at its price. MOLICAR lists it showing the inside temperature, humidity, remaining battery, lock status and the time. The battery gauge is the line I care about most. Most cheap electronic boxes leave you guessing until the day they won’t open. The seller says the screen stays lit for a time after use but doesn’t say how long.
Power is layered three deep. Four AA batteries run it day to day. If they die, the emergency USB-C port can power the fingerprint and keypad long enough to get in. If everything else fails, the key opens it. Even with a gauge on the front, I’d put a reminder on my phone to change batteries on a schedule, then test every way in afterward. Keep a spare set of batteries away from the safe, not inside it.
After the lid opens, the seller says an interior LED stays on for about 10 seconds. In the photos you can see that blue glow inside the open box in a dark room.
INSIDE ROOM:
MOLICAR lists the inside at 11.3 by 7.2 by 3 inches and says it holds up to two standard handguns plus extra ammunition. In the photos you can see egg-crate foam on the floor with a pistol laid flat on top, which is how a box like this ought to be loaded.
The 3-inch height is the number to watch. It clears plenty of compact and mid-size pistols, but a tall optic, an extended magazine or a weapon light may keep the lid from closing. Two full-size pistols side by side across 7.2 inches is snug; one full-size and one compact is more realistic. Before you buy, measure your gun at its tallest point, accessories on, and check it against that box.
BUILD & LID:
The seller describes an alloy steel body with a thickened steel lid, pry-resistant construction and a high-strength locking mechanism. The listing doesn’t give a steel gauge, and no fire rating or water resistance is listed. So I won’t call it a vault. It keeps kids and curious hands out, and it slows down a smash-and-grab. That’s the job it’s built for.
In the photos you can see the lid standing open on its hinges, the foam floor and a small white packet sitting on the foam. MOLICAR lists the weight at 8.8 pounds. That’s heavier than the slimmest pistol boxes, but a burglar can still tuck it under one arm.
MOUNTING:
There are two ways to keep this box from walking off. The listing says it’s made for floor mounting, with two long and two short screws in the box, or you can loop the 40.16-inch cable around something solid like a bed frame. The close-up with the foam lifted out shows the bare floor of the box, which is where you’d plan your screw holes.
As an old lawman, my first thought on any box this size is the grab-and-go. The cable won’t stop a man with bolt cutters. It will stop the quick snatch, and that’s the theft you see most. The seller also mentions securing it in a vehicle “where appropriate.” If you plan to, check the rules where you live and anywhere you travel.
If you have children in the house, this part isn’t optional. North Carolina’s safe-storage law (G.S. 14-315.1) can put you in court if a child gets hold of a loaded gun you left within reach and something happens with it. Other states have their own versions.
SIZE CHECK:
MOLICAR’s own numbers don’t agree on the outside. The spec table says 12.79 by 10.35 by 3.19 inches, and a seller bullet says 12.6 by 9.84 by 3.15. I’d plan around the bigger set and leave yourself room in the drawer or on the shelf. In the photos you can see it on a wooden table, on top of a black cabinet and on a shelf with a hand beside it.
Wherever it ends up, practice opening it the way I teach students to practice a draw: lights off, starting from lying down, five times in a row. If you can’t open it smoothly in the dark, it’s in the wrong spot or set up wrong.
WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY:
Where it earns its keep: The MOLICAR suits air travel with a checked firearm, the fingerprint scanner handles multiple family members once enrolled, and the box feels larger, heavier and sturdier than its price suggests. Setup instructions are clear.
Where it falls short: Some units ship with the fingerprint or code system not working at all, and the electronics (reader and keypad) can fail after a year or two, leaving only the backup key as a way in.
Who it’s for: A travel-friendly biometric pistol safe for flying or bedside use, provided you keep the backup key accessible. Not the pick if you need long-term electronics reliability without a key plan.
WHAT TO WATCH:
The 3-inch interior is the big one. After that, the mismatched outside dimensions, and the fact that the listing gives no steel gauge, no fire rating and no warranty terms. With any biometric box, I’d check the Consumer Product Safety Commission recall pages for the brand before buying, and I’d never let a fingerprint reader be the only way in.
WHO SHOULD BUY IT:
Buy it if you want a bedside or drawer box for one or two handguns, you like the idea of a screen that tells you the battery level, and you want to stay in the under-$100 range. Skip it if you need fire protection, a rated safe for an insurance policy or a recognized-brand warranty record.
If it’s close but not quite right, there are other shapes. The RPNB RP311F stands up and mounts under a desk or counter, but holds one handgun. The BILLCONCH biometric handgun safe adds an app and a 2.75-inch-tall body. The Hornady RAPiD Safe Night Guard uses RFID and adds a clock, USB ports and a lock-down cable.
SPECS AT A GLANCE:
| Spec | What MOLICAR lists |
|---|---|
| Outside size | 12.79″ x 10.35″ x 3.19″ (spec table); 12.6″ x 9.84″ x 3.15″ (seller bullet) |
| Inside size | 11.3″ x 7.2″ x 3″ |
| Capacity | Up to 2 standard handguns plus extra ammunition |
| Ways in | Fingerprint (up to 100), PIN (up to 10 codes), 2 keys |
| Display | LCD for temperature, humidity, battery, lock status and time |
| Power | 4 AA batteries included, emergency USB-C port, USB cable |
| Body | Alloy steel, thickened steel lid (no gauge listed) |
| Weight | 8.8 lb |
| Mounting | Floor mount, 2 long and 2 short screws, 40.16″ security cable |
| Extras | Mute mode, interior LED |
PROS & CONS:
Pros
- Three ways in, plus emergency USB-C power
- LCD with a battery gauge on the front
- Security cable, screws and batteries in the box
- Mute mode and a timed interior light
Cons
- Only 3 inches tall inside, tight for lights and tall optics
- Outside dimensions don’t match across the listing
- No fire rating, steel gauge or warranty terms listed
$59.99 & FREE Returns on Amazon (as of Oct 31, 2026, 12:05 AM EDT – details)
Want to see the rest of the field? Browse my gun safe reviews A to Z.
Hands-on test record
Protocol prepared for Chris. Replace the yellow fields with what actually happened; delete this section — and the word “Tested” from the title and intro — if these products were not handled.
| Who tested | Chris Raper, NRA-certified instructor |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 31, 2026 |
| Products on this page | MOLICAR Biometric Bedside Safe |
| Protocol (plan) | Cable the safe to the bed frame and open it by fingerprint, PIN and key in the dark; run the batteries down to confirm the warning and USB-C emergency power work; check pistol fit in the 3-inch interior. |
| To measure | Record open time by method, failed reads per attempts, battery warning behavior and the largest pistol that fits. |
| What failed or disappointed | |
| Photos from the tester | Our community |
MOLICAR Biometric Bedside Safe FAQ
How many handguns fit in the MOLICAR bedside safe?
The seller says up to two standard handguns plus extra ammunition in an 11.3 x 7.2 x 3 inch interior. The 3-inch height limits tall optics, lights and long magazines, so measure your handgun with its accessories before ordering.
What batteries does it use, and is there a power backup?
MOLICAR lists four AA batteries in the box, and the screen shows the battery level. If they run out, the emergency USB-C port can power the electronic lock long enough to open it. The two keys are the last backup.
Can the MOLICAR safe be mounted or tethered?
Yes. The listing says floor mount with screws included, plus a 40.16-inch security cable. Screw it to something solid or cable it to a fixed object.
How many fingerprints and PIN codes can it store?
The seller says up to 100 fingerprints and up to 10 PIN codes. Enroll each adult in the house, skip the obvious codes and test every way in after a battery change.
Does the MOLICAR safe have a fire rating?
No fire rating or water resistance is listed. Keep important papers in a separately rated container if fire is a concern.
Chris Raper
Chris Raper is the founder and lead reviewer of Conceal & Carry Network. A retired North Carolina law-enforcement officer with more than 40 years of service and a U.S. Air Force Security Police veteran, he founded Concealed Handgun Carry, Inc. in Elm City, NC in 2006 and has taught the state-approved NC Concealed Handgun Carry class there ever since. He is an NC Department of Justice certified Firearms Safety Instructor, an NRA Pistol, Rifle and Shotgun Instructor, an NRA Range Safety Officer and a graduate of Massad Ayoob's Lethal Force Institute. He reviews the carry guns, holsters, safes and sight tools his students ask about every week.