10 Best Combination Locks in 2020

A combination lock can be an incredibly useful security tool for a wide range of situations, both around the home or out at your workplace. Not only do they lock up based on a hard-to-guess combination, but you can often shift around the code regularly, changing it to something new at almost any time. Even the most basic combination locks will have this functionality, but if you are looking for top-quality security, you might want to look for something a little bit more reliable and well-designed: the best combination padlock will keep out all but the most persistent thieves, especially if it is designed to counter normal methods of breaking open a lock or padlock. Still, the meaning of ‘best padlock’ changes from person to person.

View the Best Combination Lock, Below.

• Master Lock 178D Combination Padlock
• DELSWIN 4 Digit Combination Disc Padlock
• Master Lock 653D Locker Lock Set
• BV TSA Approved Luggage Travel Combination Lock
• Master Lock 1535DWD Locker Lock Set
• Disecu 4 Digit Combination Lock
• Master Lock 1505D Dial Combination Padlock
• desired tools 4 Digit Combination Lock
• Master Lock 175DLH Padlock
• Puroma 2 Pack Combination Lock

1. Master Lock 178D Combination Padlock

This combination padlock works well in both indoor and outdoor conditions, using durable materials and a sturdy body to provide good weather protection alongside excellent bashing or cut resistance. The combination can only be changed with an included padlock tool, meaning that thieves won't be able to reset the lock easily - this also means that you can reset the code to something else if you forget the current combination or want to change the locks. Thanks to the hardened steel shackle and body, it is also fairly resistant to tougher tools such as saws and hammers, making it much harder for thieves to break.

This combination lock is simple, offering all of the features you'll need to set up a custom combination without leaving your possessions vulnerable to thieves with cutting tools, saws, or small hammers. This makes it a great security option for almost any location, even school lockers.

2. DELSWIN 4 Digit Combination Disc Padlock

This specially-designed four-digit combination lock uses a specially hardened steel shackle and tough metal body to ensure maximum security against bad weather, thieves using their desired tools, or even strong impacts from heavy equipment. The body shape minimizes the visibility of the shackle and keeps every key part tucked away in a layer of heavy-duty materials, while the easy to set combination means that you won't get stuck using the default option. The product is protected against common tool types, such as bolt cutters, hammers, and small saws, making it much harder to break than many other combination locks.

This lock combines a tough, reliable body with a straightforward internal design, making it easy to use but hard to crack: perfect for people who need great security that won't get in their way when they need to unlock it.

3. Master Lock 653D Locker Lock Set

These high-quality combination locks use a two-inch-wide steel body to create a compact, durable, and reliable security tool for all kinds of situations. The strong shackle can easily fit on gym lockers, storage room doors, and other places you might want to keep secure, but they are also very easy to set up when it comes to the actual combination. Unlike a lot of combination padlocks, this design also uses gripping non-slip materials to make the body easier to hold while unlocking it, making it ideal for wet weather. They come in packs of at least six, making them a great choice for people who need multiple lockers sealed or doors protected.

Sometimes a basic combination lock is all you need, and this design uses a great range of materials that offer security, reliability, and ease of use regardless of where and how you are using them: whether it is on your gym locker or used to protect a garden shed.

4. BV TSA Approved Luggage Travel Combination Lock

This travel-focused combination lock uses a very small body that is perfect for on-the-go security, protecting your luggage without adding to its weight or standing out from other suitcases and bags. The three-dial system gives you over one thousand possible codes, making it very difficult for a thief to guess, and the combination reset button is hidden in the body to prevent people from simply undoing it. It is also compatible with bag inspections at airports or border checkpoints and shows a small red nub to tell you that the suitcase has been opened using special customs tools rather than the regular code.

These combination padlocks let customs inspect your possessions without leavening them unlocked and accessible to anybody. This makes them one of the best lock options for dealing with security checks and product inspections.

5. Master Lock 1535DWD Locker Lock Set

This re-settable combination lock uses a special dial design that goes all the way around the body, letting you create combinations of up to four letters on preset dials that are designed for maximum durability and thief frustration. This also makes them excellent for bad weather, since the reels act as a great gripping surface and the metal body can endure plenty of punishment without rusting. The lock is designed for school and gym lockers, as well as personal storage in semi-public areas, acting as a deterrent product and making it harder for people to guess the padlock code.

These locker padlocks are designed for deterrence, but can still work well as a physical security measure, keeping thieves away and making it far harder for them to guess the right lock code. They also come in multiple padlock colors, so you can use them to distinguish between different lockers or boxes.

6. Disecu 4 Digit Combination Lock

This zinc alloy and steel combination lock uses a standard four-digit combination setup, giving you over 10,000 individual padlock combination settings to choose from. The long shackle makes it more versatile when dealing with storage tools, whether it is crates, lockers, boxes, suitcases, or even bags. Thanks to the metal padlock body, the lock can resist rust, bad weather, and direct cuts from lock breaking tools, making it hard to break even with some of the best gear available. Not only that, but its low weight makes it a great outdoor lock, especially if you are always on the move or want consistent security on your travel bags and suitcases.

This simple, consistent combination lock is ideal for a massive range of situations, and offers all the features you might need to protect your possessions from theft or people who might try to swipe them. Unlike a lot of lock designs, it is also small enough to carry around 'just in case,' making them the best padlock option for frequent travelers.

7. Master Lock 1505D Dial Combination Padlock

This rounded combination padlock uses a compass-style lock design that is perfect for use in the gym or at school, compacting an entire security tool into a small space. The stainless steel used for the majority of its body allows it to endure plenty of damage from thieves with tools and natural wear, as well as using a classic disk-style dial that can be difficult to pick or guess. The internal components are designed to reduce the number of components involved, making it much harder for somebody to get lucky and break a vital part of the mechanism while trying to bash it open.

This combination lock uses an older design that not as many people will be familiar with, making it one of the best combination padlock choices for confusing thieves that might not know how to deal with that lock design.

8. desired tools 4 Digit Combination Lock

This multi-purpose combination lock uses a very basic, reliable design that offers a tough shackle, a durable plated steel body, and over 10,000 possible combination settings to ensure that you can lock your possessions away easily. Each padlock is available in multiple colors, allowing for easier distinction if you are using them at school or for multiple containers at once, and the high-quality materials offer much greater protection from cutting tools or people who would normally just try to break the padlock open. On top of that, it can also hold up against bad weather surprisingly well, making it suitable for outdoor use if needed.

If you are the kind of person who wants maximum security in a simple, easy to use padlock product, this combination lock is one of the best product choices for keeping your valuables safe.

9. Master Lock 175DLH Padlock

This high-quality combination padlock is designed for indoor use, maximizing security, and strength without being too limited in terms of how well it can protect your possessions or product boxes. The durable lock body is made using hardened steel that provides a huge amount of cutting resistance, while the wider body and longer shackle shape make it more versatile in terms of where you can actually use it. The reset system requires a special change tool that is included with the lock, meaning that it is much harder for a thief to reset your lock combination with basic equipment. This also means that you can easily change the access combination to something new if it gets compromised.

Having a combination lock that can fit onto a wide range of different items is always useful, and this particular padlock uses a very versatile design that can accommodate all kinds of storage options, door shapes, and other items that need to be secured properly.

10. Puroma 2 Pack Combination Lock

These padlocks are compact and lightweight, using a zinc alloy that manages to stay relatively light while still being just as durable as you'd expect a lock to be. The non-specific design makes them perfect for a massive range of different situations, and they can attach to dozens of locker, crate, door, and cabinet designs without issue. The combination of each padlock is only re-settable if it is already unlocked, meaning that there is no way for thieves to bypass it entirely without having to leave evidence of it being damaged. Thanks to the steel used in the padlock design, it is also fairly cut-resistant and can hold up to a lot of physical punishment before the lock wears down.

Simplicity isn't bad, and these combination locks keep the same general design you might be used to from other padlocks - they just add better materials, the best possible security and fewer ways for other people to bypass the lock, keeping your home and/or possessions safer.

Combination Lock Buyer’s Guide

Buying the ‘best’ combination lock isn’t easy since you need to focus on safety and security just as much as everything else. After all, it only takes one damaged lock or weak product to leave your possessions accessible to a thief, especially if they are well-equipped and have their desired tools on-hand to break open or pick any combination locks they come across. Make your decision carefully, and try to focus on the locks as a product rather than a security measure. Be sure to compare each lock and padlock if possible: it makes it easier to find the best product for your needs.

Looking for something more futuristic? Try a smart home lock.

Materials

One of the biggest obstacles you can place in front of a thief is a tough material. A combination lock made with plated steel will take a lot longer to break through than one made of hard plastic, and there are some materials that are almost entirely objectively better than others. For a lot of thieves, brute force is the best way to open a combination lock, especially if the said lock is too difficult for them to pick. For this reason, better materials (or even just another layer on the inside) can go a long way towards keeping your combination padlocks in one piece.

That isn’t the only reason to want more durability. Bad weather can also be a major problem for outdoor locks, especially if you are worried about water or dirt getting into the lock and making it impossible to put in the right combination. You can sometimes use a special product to clean them out, but it still takes a long time, and it can cause major damage to the lock itself. If you are planning on using a combination lock outside, the best options are the ones that can stand up to weather damage.

Alongside that is the weight. Let’s say you are taking your combination padlocks to use on briefcases while you are away. You can’t really remove them, and they might only make a small difference individually, but add five, and suddenly your combination padlocks are a significant amount of extra weight. If you need to move the combination locks often, keep them lightweight – a heavy lock is best used for stationary things, like a door.

Combination Settings

When you are dealing with padlocks, combination is key. If you have three digits on your locks, that gives you over 1,000 combinations – but a four-digit lock gives you ten times that much. If you are putting security first, the best locks are the ones that make it harder for the thief to have an easy job guessing the right combination. This is definitely true for doors – a lot of companies combine their regular combination locks with an extra combination paddle lock, plated steel bolts, or an entirely new security system.

You also need to be aware of the reset feature. If it is easy to reset the locks, they’ll generally work best as a deterrent, since any actual thieves will just be able to reset the combination. If it takes specialized tools, it might become near-impossible for somebody to bypass it, even with their best tools.

Size

The best combination lock for any situation is the one that fits, so you should always track down the best padlocks for every situation you might face. A padlock that is too small might be physically impossible of properly connecting to a chain or some briefcase handles, which leaves you with a product that you can’t really use properly. A lock that is too big might be easy to slip on, but can also come off easily, making it far from the best option.

The best materials don’t always matter here. You can find a zinc alloy padlock or combination locks the size of your fist in the same way that you can find steel locks as large as your thumb. Always treat materials separately – if you can’t find a zinc alloy combination lock in the size you need, don’t buy the next best thing, since the lock might still be too small.

Combination locks are a physical type of security, so this sort of thing really matters. Even if they aren’t the best locks on the market, a padlock that fits will always make a better lock than something that doesn’t. This is especially true for padlock products that need to be the best at their job, such as a lock designed for protecting dangerous chemicals or hazardous areas.

Expert Tip

Always check to see if padlocks combination locks have an auto-unlocking combination. Many of these are meant to be used in emergencies – if you accidentally forget the code to your lock, and all of your best equipment is trapped inside (or outside, if it is a room lock), check the instructions to find this number. If there isn’t one, you might need to call for a padlock specialist or locksmith to open it for you.

Did You Know?

A lot of businesses that need more protection simply double up on locks. One padlock is always weaker (making it easy to break) than two padlocks, so having multiple of the best combination locks you can find will essentially double your security. You’ll have to remember the codes to two combination lock dial sections, though, so be prepared to note them down.