Customer Reviews

Bankers Box R-Kive Heavy-Duty Storage Boxes, Letter/Legal, Woodgrain, 12 Pack (00725)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've used this type of storage box (various brands) for years. In comparing this with my other boxes I've noticed a few differences:

1. I've never had a hard time assembling my previous boxes, but I did notice that these are easier to assemble with their "FastFold" method. It was a snap.

2. The lids on these boxes are about a half inch deeper.

3. These boxes seem a bit sturdier than my other boxes.

Storage boxes in general are unattractive, but they are a necessity. I like the dark woodgrain finish on these boxes (makes them less of an eyesore).

Also, these boxes are Made in USA.

THE EXCITED HAPPY BABBLING

In the last 20 years or so, I have tried pretty much every brand of storage box anyone makes; as office manager, and helping friends move, and storing my own stuff... I have purchased both name brands and generic storage boxes, from Office Depot, Office Max, Staples, Costco, and Sam's Club.... And saying these boxes are better than any of those, is like saying Avatar is better than Robot Monster. It's like saying Disneyland is better than one of those carnivals that comes to town for a few days......

THE DESCRIPTION

When you very first start to unfold one of these boxes, THE BOTTOM JUST MAGICALLY PUTS ITSELF TOGETHER FOR YOU!!!!! By the time the box is open all the way, the bottom is filled in. I've never seen anything like it! Then you know to just fold down ALL FOUR SIDES!!! That's right... All four sides fold down for double strength, and easily lock into place!!!!

I had the entire box assembled in less than 30 seconds!!!

And the lid is just as great. The lid edges also fold down for double strength, and easily lock into place.

I didn't know if I would like the color, but once assembled, these boxes look just fine. Quality in every way.

I LOVE THESE BOXES!!!

I typically purchase my Bankers Boxes from a nation-wide office supply store. They do the job but aren't the sturdiest, especially the top cover.

These Fellowes Bankers boxes earned five stars for the following reasons:

1. Higher quality cardboard than what I am used to

2. Ingenious construction of bottom of box: it is one piece connected to all four sides of the bottom. This increases the weight capacity by about 10 times what I typically use. It also takes a few steps out of assembling the box.

3. The sides of the box cover/top are thick (2 & 1/4 inches wide) and include a flap that folds under the handle. One of the biggest problems I have with the boxes I typically purchase is that the top of the box is the weakest link. They do not stay on and they break easily at the corners when carrying and stacking. This will not be a major problem with this configuration.

Note: the flaps by the handle can be flipped up or flipped under and into the handle. The latter makes it sturdier, but when you're trying to open the box it does take a little finagling to pull them out. Still a great Bankers Box!

Good: 2 layers of cardboard on bottom and each side, 3 on the ends. Bad: a full file box could be subject to bottom edge blowout on the two layer sides (tested by filling the box, then dropping it not quite straight onto the floor from a foot or two up to simulate rough handling by movers or in a file room, saw small tears form in side panels of box at corners on one end).

Good: the lid has flaps that can fold into the handholes on the box, which helps keep the lid on. Bad: a little difficult to get the locking flaps back out again.

Good: box is a single cohesive unit when folded flat, so it will behave well when stored flat. Bad: the perforated diagonal fold-out flap on the bottom is not as easy or reliable to use in asssembling the box as was intended. This piece then ends up on the exterior bottom surface of the box, where the perforations can catch while sliding the box on and off shelves/box stacks, and there's also a strange little cutout on one edge of that surface to help allow the folding that can also be a catch/rip point. Also bad: the long side flaps on these boxes are not cut a little short to account for the assembled position, so you have to crunch the edges a little on the inside of the box to get the flaps in position and they don't lie fully flat. This also makes disassembly of the box a bit harder, as you have to pry those smashed edges back out.

Good: hanging folders hang nicely in the box, and it seems sturdy enough to hold them without crushing too easily. Bad: you can't put the lid on very well with them in there.

Good: dark brown wood-grain and black color helps hide dirt. Bad: it also limits labeling options with a conventional marker; outside of the lined white space on each end, one would have to use a sticker or something like a silver Sharpie to label a long side or the top.

Good: both the lid and the box have flaps covering the raw cardboard edges on the handholes. Bad: the ends of the tabs/slots for the lid assembly overlap the space for the lid's handhole, so the 3 plies of raw cardboard edges exposed there are irritating to the hands when carrying the box.

My primary comparison point for these boxes is a generic Office Depot brand folding cardboard box set that I've used for past moves and occasional storage around the house. Those boxes cost about half what these do, and are a little lighter weight, but I'm not personally convinced the price difference is worthwhile. These are overall good boxes; I just wouldn't call them good enough to warrant 5 stars. I'd feel a lot better about using these for long term file storage than as moving boxes or occasional short term storage.

These are great, very well designed boxes. They are perfectly sized to hold letter-size files if loaded in one direction, and legal-size files if loaded in the other. They are very sturdy and will last forever, barring water and critter damage. You can load them up without the bottoms coming apart, and stack several of them fully loaded on top of each other (don't know quite how high) without fear of collapse. They are not even bad looking, with the wood grain motif and a white space to label them on the ends. And they arrive unfolded, so they store flat until you actually need them. There are very clear directions on each box as to how to fold them properly for use, without tape or other fasteners. There is a reason these are used by lawfirms (and bankers?) for records storage. They are a good product.

Like others I've used lots of brands of storage boxes over the years. Assembling them was sometimes a pain and the lids would break down/pop off. So I was curious if the Fellowes Bankers Boxes would be any different--and they are!

The lids are much sturdier which I need since I stack mine to take up less floor space. The one-piece construction of the base is MUCH stronger than any other I've used. The large white side panels make labeling the boxes easy to read, but you can position them so the woodgrain side faces front for a clean look.

And my favorite--they are made i the USA!!!!!!

Highly recommend these boxes.

This is a nice product from Fellowes. The flat cardboard is easy to fold up in to a storage box. The storage box is of nice size and looks nice (with its fake wood finish print). It holds file folders properly and we have stacked up to ~4 of these w/o any problem. I wouldn't recommend that since am not sure how long the one in the bottom would hold up when stacked.

The boxes have a nice big area for labels on the sides. Excellent product over all.

The Fellowes Bankers Woodgrain Storage Boxes (Item 725) arrived packaged in a large cardboard box manufactured by Fellowes Bankers and shipped directly from the Amazon warehouse. (See the photograph that I have posted on this website.) Each of the twelve boxes arrived in two flat pieces. One for the top and one for the four sides and bottom. Assembly directions were printed on each box.

My seventy-seven-year-old father got bored and assembled one of the boxes while I was at work. When I arrived home, he showed me how to assemble them. They are relatively easy except for the top piece, which is slightly difficult. After some practice, I was able to assemble each of the remaining boxes under three minutes. Once they are assembled, it's nearly impossible to disassemble them. They are the sturdiest, strongest storage boxes I have ever used. The sides are much thicker than those of the Fellowes Bankers Storage Boxes (Item 703) that I've seen at church and at work.

I have lived in the same apartment for almost twenty-five years and have accumulated a lot of collectibles. Thank goodness for the Fellowes Bankers Woodgrain Storage Boxes. I had fun storing my Hallmark ornaments, DVDs and novels inside them. See my posted photographs.) The boxes were easy to lift, carry and stack. I was able to easily stack nine boxes on top of each other. They reached from the carpet to the ceiling. (See my posted photograph.) Furthermore, these boxes are attractive and actually blend in well with my wooden furniture.

The Fellowes Bankers Woodgrain Storage Boxes (Item 725) are highly recommended if one is storing important documents and/or collectables in a home office or closet and easy access is required. However, these boxes are too expensive to be used for moving. Furthermore, if documents and/or collectable are being permanently maintained in a storage facility, I recommend investing the money in plastic containers to prevent damage.

Joseph B. Hoyos

These boxes aren't huge, of course; they're made for document storage, easily fitting legal size paper. As advertised, they're easy to assemble. The added depth of the lid makes the whole box feel more sturdy when closed up. If you have important files to store, these boxes are worth the upgrade from standard shipping boxes.

That being said, if your papers are not all that important, you could get by more cheaply with standard boxes. If you want to really protect your papers, however -- if you're a small-business owner looking for new boxes for old records, say, or if you're just a very devoted parent looking to archive your kids' masterpieces -- then these boxes are the way to go.

Many reviewers here have noted that these boxes, with their fake wood-grain finish, don't look as cheap as regular boxes. I have to say that the fake grain looks just as cheap to my eye as standard brown cardboard. For me, though, it's not really an issue because these boxes end up in storage where they're not going to be seen by many people, anyway. But I guess if your boxes will be seen by your clients within your office, than the wood grain might be preferable.

As other reviewers have noted, these boxes are very strong, partly because of thicker cardboard, and partly because of different design. Overall, they're great, but I've found on all of the five or six I've used so far that the side flaps that get folded in are a little longer than the sides they're being folded over, which makes them difficult to get in securely. It also means the cardboard bulges out. I've mostly been able to get them smooshed in enough that it's not a problem, but I do feel like they aren't far from being too bulgey to get file folders in easily.

They are more sturdy than the white Fellowes boxes currently filling my closets, though, and look (slightly) less tacky for those moments when I can't get them in the closet. They're also twice the price.

For long term storage, I'd choose these despite the price difference, but if it's just temporary, I'd go with the cheaper white boxes.