The 10 Best Door Barricades
Special Honors
Havenl Connect For added security when not at home, this door barricade uses a range of smart technologies to interact with the brace, allowing it to be operated via Bluetooth or an android app. This means you can confidently secure your door from the outside or can quickly engage it in an emergency. havenlock.com
Editor's Notes
July 03, 2020:
Concerns over the personal safety of ourselves and our family have caused a spike in the production and sales of security devices. One such device is the door barricade, an ancillary brace that attaches to the floor or the frame in an effort to improve the strength of the door, and thus prevent forced entry. They are designed to be used with the occupant inside the room, therefore extra vigilance should be taken when selecting and using a barricade due to fire risk concerns. A poorly designed, or poorly installed one may prevent the user from exiting the property in an emergency. Also, they are not guaranteed to prevent intrusion, as the strength of the door itself, and the quality of the existing locks all play a crucial role in the overall security of your home.
There are many factors to consider when choosing the most suitable barricade for your home. The type of door and how much clearance it has, whether it's internal or external, and the type of floor will all affect the decision. Options that use the strength of the floor as an anchor, such as the HavenLock HL1-MCH-001, the OnGard Door Barricade, the Nightlock Residential, and the FlyingAMZ Door Brace all feature some form of baseplate which is permanently fixed on the floor. Concrete and hardwood floors offer the strongest support for these, however, they do require a minimum amount of clearance to function correctly. Others such as The Door Bull, the LineBacker High Strength, and the Maccann&Essin Closed Bar Holder are designed to distribute force evenly through the door, frame, and wall. The latter two are notable as they span the entire width of the door, making it impossible to open even if the locks have failed. Finally, we have the Master Lock 265D, the DoorJammer Lockdown XL, and the ToolsGold Porta-Lock, none of which require installation and can be used on many different types of doors. These are also portable, making them a good choice for people who often travel and want to feel secure in hotels or guest houses.