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 kind of safe to keep by the bed, I answer with two questions of my own. Where will your hand be when you reach for it? And who else lives in the house? Get those two right and most of the shopping takes care of itself.
The HOLEWOR Biometric Slider Safe is built around the first question. It mounts upright on the side of a nightstand, a wall or under a desk, and the pistol comes out in a drawer instead of under a lid.
My verdict: an under-$100 upright drawer box with fingerprint, code and key access, a battery readout and a silent mode. It’s a good idea for a fixed bedside spot, but the listing leaves out the inside size, so measure 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
HOLEWOR Biometric Slider Safe – Best Vertical Biometric Pistol Safe Under $100
HIGHLIGHT:
Fingerprint, code and key access on an upright drawer box that mounts left or right on its own bracket.
OUT OF THE BOX:
HOLEWOR lists two things in the box: the safe and the mounting hardware. The unboxing shot shows the housing lying on its side, the slotted mounting bracket, a bag of hardware with a yellow-handled screwdriver, a smaller parts bag and the instruction sheet.
The listing doesn’t say how many keys come with it, what batteries it takes or whether batteries are included. Find out all three before you start, and decide where the keys will live before you ever open the hardware bag.
FRONT PANEL & FINGERPRINT READER:
Everything sits on the top edge: a small LCD screen, two columns of number buttons and a round fingerprint reader below them. In the photos you can see the screen lit up, and another shot shows a finger on the reader. With the box mounted upright beside a bed, that top edge is where your hand lands.
HOLEWOR doesn’t list how many fingerprints the reader holds. That matters if two adults both need in. I teach the same trick for every biometric box: enroll your main finger several times at different angles, flat, tipped up and rolled a little each way. At 3 a.m. your hand doesn’t land the way it did at the kitchen table when you set it up. If memory turns out to be short, your main finger gets the slots first.
KEYPAD & BACKUP KEY:
The code is your second way in. The close-up shows the number buttons lit blue under a finger, which helps in a dark room. HOLEWOR doesn’t list the code length. The seller does say you can turn the beep off in the settings. Do it. A beeping box tells the whole house, and anybody who just came into it, that you opened the gun safe.
The key is the last way in. One photo shows the housing turned to show a key lock and a screw-on cover plate. I say this in every class: the key does not go in the nightstand drawer next to the safe, and it never goes where a child can find it. Put it on your key ring or in a second locked spot. A safe with the key beside it is just a box with a drawer.
DRAWER & INSIDE ROOM:
Here’s what sets this one apart. There’s no lid to swing open. A drawer slides out of the housing on its own track, and the seller says the pistol sits upright so it’s easier to grab. HOLEWOR adds a padded interior, an extra slot for a magazine and an LED that comes on when the drawer opens and stays lit for about ten seconds.
What HOLEWOR doesn’t give is the inside size. The outside is 10.63 inches deep, 3.23 inches wide and 11 inches tall. Take the walls, the padding and the drawer track out of 3.23 inches and there isn’t much width left. I’d plan on a compact or slim pistol. Measure your gun from the base of the magazine to the top of the slide, and at its thickest point with grips, light or optic, and check those numbers against the real cavity before you count on it.
BUILD & STEEL:
HOLEWOR lists the material as alloy steel, and the seller calls the case heavy and solid. There’s no steel gauge, no hinge or pry-resistance details and no fire rating in the listing. One photo shows the inside of the housing, with the wiring and lock parts in view. It’s a reminder that this is an electronic box first.
So I read it the way I read most boxes in this price range. It keeps children and curious hands out, and it slows down a smash-and-grab. That’s the job. It isn’t a vault. Some of the listing bullets read like customer comments about easy setup and a fast reader; I treat those as sales copy, not proof.
LCD & POWER:
The screen on top shows temperature, humidity and battery level. The seller suggests a desiccant pack if humidity runs high, and that’s good advice for any closed metal box with a gun in it. A battery readout beats guessing.
The listing doesn’t name the battery type or count, and it doesn’t describe an emergency power port, so the key is your main backup. I’d change the batteries on the calendar, not when the screen complains, and test the finger, the code and the key every time. Keep the spares somewhere other than inside the safe. A dead box at 3 a.m. is just a locked drawer.
MOUNTING:
This box is made to be mounted. HOLEWOR lists a bracket that can be set for left- or right-side vertical mounting. You fasten the bracket, and the box slides onto it. In the photos you can see the slotted bracket next to the body, plus a close-up of one of the screws.
The listing doesn’t give the screw size, the count or what surfaces they suit. Screws are only as good as what they bite into, so go into solid wood or a stud, not a thin particleboard side panel, and swap in better fasteners if you need to. Leave room for the drawer to slide all the way out without hitting the mattress, a lamp or the wall. If you rent, check before you drill. As an old lawman, my first thought on any small box is the burglar who takes it with him to open later. A good mount makes him work for it.
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:
Next to a hand you get a feel for how narrow it is. One photo shows it standing upright on a counter with a hand on top. At 3.23 inches wide, it can hide along the side of a nightstand or under a desk where a regular lid box won’t fit.
Once it’s mounted, practice with it. Lights off, starting from lying down, five times in a row: finger, drawer, grip. If you can’t do that smoothly in the dark, move it or set it up again.
WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY:
Where it earns its keep: A heavy steel build with protective interior padding and an extra magazine slot, batteries that last well over a year, consistent biometric and code access on most units, and a smooth, quiet slide-open design.
Where it falls short: The interior is tight for larger pistols such as a 9mm or 1911, where the hammer can catch on the lid; it is not cut for a mounted weapon light; the LCD misbehaves on some units; and the fingerprint sensor occasionally needs several tries.
Who it’s for: A quiet, slide-open biometric safe for a compact-to-mid-size pistol at the bedside or desk. Skip it if your pistol has a mounted light or is a larger 1911-style gun.
WHAT TO WATCH:
The missing numbers are the big one: no inside dimensions, no fingerprint count, no battery type, no steel gauge and no rating. HOLEWOR also lists a capacity of 12.2 pounds, which reads like a weight figure, not a size, so don’t use it to judge fit. And because it has to be mounted, it isn’t a box you carry from room to room.
WHO SHOULD BUY IT:
Buy it if you want a compact pistol standing upright in a fixed spot by the bed or under a desk, you like having finger, code and key, and you want to stay under a hundred dollars. Skip it if you want a portable box, you carry a pistol with a light or a tall optic, or you need fire protection or a rated safe. If you’d rather have published inside numbers and no drilling, look at a freestanding box.
SPECS AT A GLANCE:
| Spec | What HOLEWOR lists |
|---|---|
| Outside size | 10.63″ deep x 3.23″ wide x 11″ high |
| Material | Alloy steel (no gauge listed) |
| Ways in | Fingerprint, combination, backup keys |
| Design | Slide-out drawer, pistol stands upright |
| Mounting | Bracket for left or right vertical mounting |
| Display | LCD for temperature, humidity and battery level |
| Extras | Padded interior, extra magazine slot, interior LED, silent mode |
| Included | Safe and mounting hardware |
| Not listed | Inside size, fingerprint capacity, battery type, fire rating |
PROS & CONS:
Pros
- Three ways in: fingerprint, code and key
- Upright drawer instead of a lid
- Battery, temperature and humidity readout
- Silent mode and an interior light
Cons
- No inside dimensions listed
- Battery type and fingerprint capacity not stated
- Has to be mounted, with no steel gauge or rating listed
$79.99 & FREE Returns on Amazon (as of Oct 31, 2026, 12:05 AM EDT – details)
Rather not drill? See my BILLCONCH Biometric Handgun Safe review for a freestanding box.
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 | HOLEWOR Biometric Slider Safe |
| Protocol (plan) | Mount the bracket into solid wood at bed height, enroll two fingers per adult, then open it from a lying position in the dark by fingerprint, code and key with silent mode on; measure the drawer interior against your pistol. |
| To measure | Record dark-room open time per method, failed fingerprint reads out of a set number of tries, the measured drawer interior, and whether the box can be pulled off its bracket when locked. |
| What failed or disappointed | |
| Photos from the tester | Our community |
HOLEWOR Biometric Slider Safe FAQ
Will my handgun fit in the HOLEWOR slider safe?
HOLEWOR gives only the outside size, 10.63 by 3.23 by 11 inches, and mentions an extra magazine slot. With no inside numbers, plan on a slim or compact pistol. Measure yours with any light or optic on before you order.
How do I mount it?
It’s a wall-mount design with a bracket you can set for left or right vertical mounting, and mounting hardware is included. Fasten into solid material, follow the instructions, and check the screw size against your surface before drilling.
What’s the backup if the fingerprint reader fails?
The seller lists a combination and keys as backups. The code length and number of keys aren’t given, so check the manual, and keep the keys away from the box and out of children’s reach.
What batteries does it use?
The battery type isn’t named in the listing, though the LCD shows battery level. Confirm the type in the manual, replace the batteries on a schedule, and test every way in afterward.
Can I silence the beep?
Yes. The seller says the beep can be turned off in the settings, and the interior LED stays on for about ten seconds after the drawer opens. Practice opening it with the sound off so it’s second nature in the dark.
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.