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.
Ask a room full of permit students where the handgun sleeps at night, and the most common answer is the nightstand drawer, right next to the phone charger. I’d rather not see those two sharing an unlocked drawer. The ORARAER Smart Charging Gun Safe tries to put them in one box: a locked drawer underneath, with a clock and a wireless phone charger on top.
My verdict: it’s a tidy bedside drawer safe for one slim pistol and a few small things, with three ways in. The inside is under two inches tall and the mounting story is muddy, so measure your gun and plan how you’ll fasten it down before you order.
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
ORARAER Smart Charging Gun Safe – Best Nightstand Gun Safe With A Wireless Charger
HIGHLIGHT:
A drawer-style bedside safe with fingerprint, code and key access, plus a clock display and a wireless charging pad on top.
OUT OF THE BOX:
The safe ships in a printed ORARAER box with white foam around it. In the photos you can see the foam insert lifted out of the branded box, and the safe laid on a counter with its paperwork spread out beside it.
The listing’s included-components field says only “SAFE,” so check what’s in your box against the manual. Then, before a gun goes anywhere near it, plug it in, enroll a finger, set a code, and open and close it with each one. Try the key too. If any of the three doesn’t work on day one, that’s the day to send it back.
TOP PANEL & KEYPAD:
Everything you touch is on top. In the photos you can see the round wireless charging pad in the middle, a row of small buttons along one side of it, and a yellow instruction label at the other end. The close-up shows the numbered keys, including the 3 and the 4.
That 4 key matters. ORARAER says pressing and holding it mutes the beeps, so you can open the box without a sound at night. In a shared bedroom that’s a bigger deal than most folks expect. You don’t want to wake your spouse, or tell whoever just came into the house, that you opened the gun box. The seller also says it can be worked one-handed.
FINGERPRINT READER & BACKUP KEY:
ORARAER’s description of the reader gets technical. It quotes a false acceptance rate, a false rejection rate, a resolution of 500 DPI or better and a fast response time. Those are the maker’s numbers, not anybody’s measurement, so I read them as a claim that this is a modern reader and leave it there. The listing I’m working from doesn’t give a print count.
I teach the same trick for every biometric safe. Enroll the same finger several times at different angles: flat, tipped up and rolled a little to each side. When your heart’s going and the lights are off, your hand doesn’t land the way it did at the kitchen table.
Three ways in is good, but only if you know all three before you need them. In the photos you can see two keys and a small screwdriver packed in the foam. Decide right then where those keys live. I tell every class the same thing: not taped under the nightstand, not in the drawer beside the safe, and nowhere a child can find them. Put one on your key ring or in a second locked spot. A safe with the key sitting next to it is just a drawer with extra steps.
CLOCK & DISPLAY:
This is the part that sets the ORARAER apart. With the adapter plugged in, ORARAER says the front display shows the time, temperature, humidity, battery level and the state of the lock. The close-up shows red clock numbers with two smaller readings to the left, then a small lock symbol and a green battery icon on the right.
The seller also lists an alarm clock, a switchable clock format, adjustable screen brightness, and a choice between a power-saving mode and an always-on display. The listing says those came in a later update, so make sure the unit you receive matches the listing, and ask the seller if it doesn’t.
One thing to think about: that’s a lit screen beside your bed. In the low-light photos the red digits and the green battery light throw a fair glow across the stand. Turn the brightness down before you decide whether you can sleep next to it.
INSIDE ROOM:
The gun goes in a drawer. In the photos you can see a hand pulling it straight out the front, empty, with the power cord running off the back of the case.
ORARAER lists the inside at 8.86 inches deep, 7.28 wide and 1.97 high, about 0.25 cubic feet. The height is the number that decides this. Under two inches suits a slim compact or subcompact. A tall magazine baseplate, a weapon light or a red dot may keep the drawer from closing, and a full-size pistol can push that 8.86-inch depth. Measure your gun at its longest and tallest points, light and optic included, before you buy.
The seller calls the extra space room for “treasure.” In plain terms that’s a handgun plus a spare magazine, a house key or a little jewelry. The charging pad sits on top of the box, not inside, so it doesn’t eat into that room. The seller also says an interior light comes on when you open it, which helps you find the grip in the dark.
BUILD & STEEL:
ORARAER lists the body as alloy steel. There’s no gauge, no hinge detail, no pry-resistance claim, no fire rating and no third-party certification. So I won’t pretend it’s a vault. It’s a locked drawer that keeps kids and curious hands out and slows down a quick grab. On this one the clock and the charger are the selling points, not the metal.
POWER & CHARGING:
There are two layers here. Plug in the adapter and you get the clock, the display readings and the charging pad. The listing’s wording suggests the lock itself runs on internal batteries when it’s unplugged, but it doesn’t say what type, how many or how long they last. Find that in the manual when it arrives, learn how to change them, and put a reminder on your phone to check them on the first of every month. A dead lock at 3 a.m. leaves you hunting for the key.
On the charger, ORARAER says your phone or watch has to support wireless charging, and that the charging is FCC qualified. Treat it as a convenience, not a fast charger. A thick case or a phone set down crooked can interrupt a wireless charge.
MOUNTING & PLACEMENT:
Here the listing argues with itself. The spec table says floor mount, the bullets call it a wall safe, and the tags mention nightstand and in-wall use. The weight isn’t listed clearly either. Until you see mounting holes and hardware for yourself, plan on it being a box that sits on a surface.
As an old lawman, my first thought is the burglar who tucks the whole box under his arm and opens it later at his leisure. Ask the seller about pre-drilled holes and a bolt kit. If there are holes, bolt it to the nightstand or into a stud with fasteners made for the job.
The photos show it on a nightstand beside a lamp, on a dark stand, and on top of a plastic drawer cart. That last spot is the one I’d steer you away from. A light cart is easy to tip and easy to carry off. The clock and charger also need an outlet close by, so route the cord neatly; a cord running to the wall tells a visitor something’s plugged in there.
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.
WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY:
Where it earns its keep: The ORARAER is compact enough to sit neatly on a nightstand, the fingerprint sensor works well and the drawer pops open fast, and the wireless phone charger and digital clock are useful bedside extras.
Where it falls short: The wireless charging pad can run uncomfortably hot with some phones, the power-cord connection can feel loose, and the clock display is not a true always-on display.
Who it’s for: A fast-access bedside safe with handy extras. Skip it if you plan to lean on the wireless charger for a phone that runs hot, or if you need a clock that stays lit all night.
WHAT TO WATCH:
The 1.97-inch interior height is the big one. After that, the adapter: unplug it and the clock, the display and the charger go dark. And with the mounting and weight details unclear on the listing, ask before you count on bolting it down.
WHO SHOULD BUY IT:
Buy it if you keep a slim compact by the bed, you want one tidy unit that tells time and charges your phone, and you’ll put it somewhere you can fasten it or at least keep it out of sight. At the time of writing it sat in the $100 to $200 range. Once it’s set up, practice opening it the way I teach students to practice a draw: lights off, starting from lying down, five times in a row.
Skip it if you carry a full-size gun with a light or an optic, if you want a box with a clear bolt-down kit, or if electronics make you nervous. For that last one, the StopBox USA is a mechanical code box with no batteries at all, and the Hornady RAPiD Safe Keypad Vault has pre-drilled holes for bolting down.
SPECS AT A GLANCE:
| Spec | What ORARAER lists |
|---|---|
| Outside size | 12.8″ deep x 9.45″ wide x 3.07″ high |
| Inside size | 8.86″ deep x 7.28″ wide x 1.97″ high (0.25 cu ft) |
| Ways in | Fingerprint, keypad code, key |
| Body | Alloy steel (no gauge listed) |
| Display | Time, temperature, humidity, battery level, lock status (adapter connected) |
| Charging | Wireless pad on top, adapter required |
| Extras | Silent mode (hold the 4 key), interior light, alarm clock, adjustable brightness |
| Mounting | Unclear: listed as floor mount and as a wall safe |
| Not listed clearly | Weight, lock battery type, fire rating |
PROS & CONS:
Pros
- Three ways in: fingerprint, code and key
- Clock and wireless phone charger on the same footprint
- Silent mode for quiet opening at night
- Published interior size, so you can check fit before you buy
Cons
- Interior under two inches tall
- Clock, display and charger depend on the adapter
- Mounting, weight and battery details are unclear, and no steel gauge or fire rating
$169.99 & FREE Returns on Amazon (as of Oct 31, 2026, 12:05 AM EDT – details)
Still shopping? See my best gun safe picks.
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 | ORARAER Smart Charging Gun Safe |
| Protocol (plan) | Fasten the safe to the nightstand or cable it and open the drawer by fingerprint, code and key from bed in the dark; check slim-pistol fit under two inches; confirm behavior with mains power off. |
| To measure | Record drawer open time by method, interior height, fingerprint failure rate and the mounting hardware that actually works. |
| What failed or disappointed | |
| Photos from the tester | Our community |
ORARAER Smart Charging Gun Safe FAQ
What fits inside the ORARAER Smart Charging Gun Safe?
ORARAER lists the interior at 8.86 by 7.28 by 1.97 inches, about 0.25 cubic feet. That suits a slim compact handgun and a small item or two. Tall magazines, lights or optics may not clear the roughly two-inch height, so measure your own pistol first.
Does it need to be plugged in?
The clock, the display readings and the wireless charging pad work when the adapter is connected. The listing doesn’t state the battery type or runtime for the lock itself, so check the manual and check the batteries on a schedule.
How do I open it if the fingerprint reader fails?
Use the keypad code, and if that fails, the key. Learn all three ways in, and keep the key somewhere you can reach but children can’t. The seller says holding the 4 key mutes the beeps.
Can I mount it to a wall or nightstand?
The listing is unclear: the spec table says floor mount while the bullets call it a wall safe. Ask the seller about mounting holes and hardware. Without anchoring, treat it as a box that can be carried off.
Does the wireless charger work with every phone?
No. The seller says your phone or watch must support wireless charging, and the charger needs the adapter connected. Thick cases and a crooked phone can interrupt the charge.
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.