I'm a big fan of safes and find the topic intriguing.
The biggest issue you have to sort, before purchasing, is figuring out the intended use. The big four are:
1.
Legal purposes: In this case, you don't need much, a school locker with a padlock will do the trick.
2.
Want to keep them out of my kids, their friends, nieces and nephews, etc., hands: Again, unless your kid is lugging in the plasma cutter, you don't need much, a simple school locker with a padlock should do the trick.
3.
Fire: This one is pretty simple, figure out where the safe is going, determine the required fire rating, and acquire a cabinet exceeding the requirements.
4.
Theft: This is the fun one. Just trying to keep the a local smash and grab out or have a reasonably valuable/sentimental collection? Even the smash and grab type are going to be able to access a Residential Security Container (RSC) (typically what Pro Bass, Canadian Tire, Costco, etc. sell) with a battery powered saw. Can probably get into one in about 60 seconds. As such, I would not recommend a department store RSC. I'd look for an actual safe.
Other factors to consider or location stairs, floor rated for weight, accessibility, size, mechanical or electronic key pad, etc.
If you've just got handguns, I'd look for something like this. $300 and TL30 rated. The downside, it's in PG and weights around 3,400 lbs. The positive, if your place gets broken into, it's likely going to be sitting exactly where you left it. If you've got rifles, I'd look for similar, just bigger.
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-buy-sell-oth...6086?undefined
The only time you'll wish you had a small safe is when you move it. Almost every other circumstance, you'll wish you had a bigger/heavier/stronger one.