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The Best Heavy Duty Padlock

Last updated on March 22, 2023

We looked at the top 10 Heavy Duty Padlocks and dug through the reviews from 14 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Heavy Duty Padlocks.

Best Heavy Duty Padlock

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Padlocks are the first line of defense between your valuable items and a pair of curious or devious hands that you might not want touching your goods. Padlocks are made of many types of metals, but generally, a carbide or alloy steel lock is the most durable metal and should be something you want to make sure you get in order to maximize the security you’re receiving.

Padlocks come in a wide range of sizes, from tiny locks designed to secure your luggage while you travel to heavy-duty locks that are used to secure doors or fences that might need a beefier padlock.

“With regards to heavy-duty padlocks, think ‘bigger is better,’ says Vicki Liston, writer, producer, and narrator of “On The Fly…DIY,” an award-winning home improvement and DIY show of unique project tutorials for the casual DIY’er.  “The same goes for the number of pins.  The more pins in a lock, the harder it is to pick so a six-pin model will be more secure than its five-pin counterpart.”

One feature that some padlocks have is a freely rotating shackle that removes typical weak spots found in spring-loaded padlocks, which are susceptible to being drilled into as a means of breaking the lock. The models with the freely rotating shackle will still need to be made from high strength steel and sometimes they come in coatings like chrome that help them resist outdoor and marine environments.

If the ultimate security of your padlock is the highest priority to you, look for heavy-duty models that will get you into a territory that makes them much harder for a thief to break. New technology in battery-power has introduced a difficult challenge for padlocks because thieves can be armed with rotary cutting tools that operate with a small battery, allowing them to have a pocket-sized tool that can cut through a lot of metals. This means that the weakest spot in many padlocks is simply the thinnest section of the lock, which is the shackle part that actually goes through the hardware that it is locking to. This can be combatted by using a round padlock that has a very small exposed shackle part that is mostly covered by the body of the padlock and also the hardware it’s attached to. These round padlocks are one of the most secure padlocks due to this design feature, assuming they are made with high-strength metals. An added benefit to the round padlock is that it can eliminate the use of internal springs, meaning a drill won’t be effective at breaking the lock by itself.

If you’re looking for even more security, you would want to find a lock that can’t be bumped open.

“Bumping is not only an effective break-in method for door locks — it can work on padlocks as well,” says Liston. “Bumping requires a special key and a mallet which ‘bumps’ the inner pins to realign to the special key’s shape and thus, unlocks with ease.”

Our Picks For The Top Heavy Duty Padlocks

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Product Overview
Our Take
  Top Pick

FortLocks Easy Reset Heavy Duty Padlocks, 2-Pack

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval

FortLocks

Easy Reset Heavy Duty Padlocks, 2-Pack

You'll get not one, but two heavy-duty padlocks when you opt for this set. The orange locks are made using a hardened steel that is both strong and reliable. Since there are over 10,000 different possible combinations, you won't have to worry about thieves gaining entrance to your belongings.

Overall Take

Safe and SecureThe combination on this heavy-duty padlock is easy to reset.

  Runner Up

Diyife Dust Resistant Sealed Heavy Duty Padlocks, 2-Pack

Diyife

Dust Resistant Sealed Heavy Duty Padlocks, 2-Pack

Since this heavy-duty padlock has a sealed weatherproof coating, it can be used both indoors and outdoors. Use it to add security to your fence, gun cabinet or gym locker. The lock is also anti-pry, preventing thieves from opening it. With the set, you'll receive a total of two locks and four keys.

Overall Take

Most EconomicalWhen shopping on a budget, this affordable heavy-duty padlock is the way to go.

  We Also Like

ABUS Resettable Stainless Steel Heavy Duty Padlock

ABUS

Resettable Stainless Steel Heavy Duty Padlock

We like how short the shackle is on this heavy-duty padlock, as it makes this style of lock much harder for a casual thief to break into. The lack of springs in this design further enhance the security of the lock by removing the ability for someone to drill into it and release the locking mechanism.

Overall Take

Short ShackleThis heavy-duty padlock is a highly secure style of lock that will give you the greatest peace of mind when you lock up your valuables.

  Strong Contender

FJM All Weather Chrome Heavy Duty Padlock

FJM Security

FJM All Weather Chrome Heavy Duty Padlock

The design of this heavy-duty padlock removes the use of a spring, which is a weak point in some styles of padlocks. This security is matched by chrome-plated metal that withstands outdoor elements very well.

Overall Take

No-Spring DesignThis heavy-duty padlock is ideal for outdoor use in areas with salt and moisture.

  Also Great

Schlage Commercial Grade Heavy Duty Padlock

Schlage

Commercial Grade Heavy Duty Padlock

This heavy-duty padlock boasts a hardened solid steel padlock body (63.5 millimeter) with a 2 1/2-inch Molybdenum shackle for increased security.

Overall Take

Good ValueThis heavy-duty padlock boasts a hardened solid steel body (63.5 millimeter) with a 2 1/2-inch Molybdenum shackle for increase

Don't just take for granted what one reviewer says. Along with our own experts, Simplemost analyzes the top expert reviews of the leading products and generates a score you can actually trust.
17

Products Considered

We identified the majority of the heavy duty padlocks available to purchase.
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We then selected the leading and most popular products for our team to review.

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Our Expert Consultant

Vicki Liston 
Home Improvement Expert

Vicki Liston writes, produces, and narrates “On The Fly…DIY,” an award-winning home improvement and DIY show of unique project tutorials for the casual DIY’er.

Home improvement and all things DIY have been Liston’s passion since she bought her first house in 2007 and she started making video blogs in 2014. She’s performed hundreds of DIY projects, from small ones to major, wall-smashing renovations and can teach you how to make a trendy DIY barn door for cheap. The proceeds earned from “On The Fly…DIY” are donated to no-kill animal shelters and rescue organizations.

The Best Bang For Your Buck

Diyife Dust Resistant Sealed Heavy Duty Padlocks, 2-Pack

Our Total Score

9.7

Our Take

Since this heavy-duty padlock has a sealed weatherproof coating, it can be used both indoors and outdoors. Use it to add security to your fence, gun cabinet or gym locker. The lock is also anti-pry, preventing thieves from opening it. With the set, you'll receive a total of two locks and four keys.

What to Look For

  • Choose a padlock that is the right size for your needs. A longer shackle is necessary in some cases when you need to span a couple of inches. A shorter shackle is harder to break open, though, so if you can fit a lock with a shorter shackle you will enhance the security of the lock.
  • If your lock will be outdoors, focus on materials that withstand the elements.
  • If you are attaching the lock to a chain, get the chain as taut as possible so there is no unnecessary slack. Slack in the chain makes it easier to manipulate and lessens the security.
  • Padlocks can have combinations or physical keys. Combination locks are handy when there are multiple people who need to use the lock since keys can be easily misplaced.

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