Customer Reviews

Solar Group WM16KB01 Large Lockable Decorative Mailbox, Black

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

 

 

The box is built like a tank. It is QUITE heavy.

Gibraltar makes a steel post for mailboxes that I had the impression from the post's packaging was paired with this box, and it is WAY too wimpy for the weight and sags like crazy - $40 wasted. You WILL NEED a well set wooden mailbox post or it WILL sag.

Two build issues that I find unforgivable:

1) The key lock they supply with the box uses a VERY non standard key blank, so you can't get replacement keys made at most places like hardware stores. I had to purchase and install a different lock that I bought at an Ace Hardware ($9) so I could get a lock that uses standard (Y11) key blanks.

2) THE HOLDER FOR OUTGOING MAIL IS CRAP. UNFORGIVABLY BAD DESIGN!!! Because the box interior locks they provide a means to hold outgoing mail. They do so with a spring steel clip that you mount to the inside surface of the mailbox door using a preapplied piece of sticky foam. It comes RIGHT off with only moderate pressure applied when you have more than 1 or 2 letters to go out. This holder SHOULD be permanently attached (welded, preferably) to the door but they used the cheap approach. So we jury rigged a bag clip to hold the mail.

I will not buy another Gibraltar product. This product's design is very poor. Do not buy.

With Identity theft becoming the largest concerning problem to date. Spending $80 to thwart a pesky would be ID Thief from walking by and snagging your mail in less than a second is money well spent by investing in this mailbox. Lets face it, crooks are easy opportunists and always exploit the easiest target. With that said, this mail box does offer a first defense against the "quick pickers" and once they see the locking door inside the box, they will move to the next without hesitation.

Pros: Strong, sturdy mailbox with a locking mechanism that is tough too. Easy to mount right from the box to the post.

Semi-Cons: Not the most secure locking mailbox on the market, but again it does offer first defense security. Scratches easily

Note and observations: This sucker is LARGE as described, Dimensions (in): 23.4 x 12.9 x 12.8! Make sure you measure your current post to ensure it will handle this beast! Also, I'd be more worried about someone stealing the whole mailbox rather than the mail inside, its just that nice of a mailbox.

Recommendations: Buy it if your are somewhat paranoid about having a curbside residential mailbox and concerned about the "Quick Picker" mail thieves.

If you think the government or every thief is out to get you, look into a more secure mailbox. Just keep in mind, even the most secured and most expensive mailboxes can be compromised given enough time - just depends on your situation and surroundings.

Final thoughts: I live in a good/average community with "nosy neighbors" so I am lucky in those respects. With that, I felt I didn't need a Fort Knox, top of the line full security type mailbox... Hopefully.

But, in never having a curbside mailbox before. I felt it was just too easy for someone to walk by and take advantage without having some sort of security in place. I truly felt this was the best option for the money and for my circumstance.

Regards.

This mailbox was a waste of money. The slot is large enough for me to get my hand in and grab the mail. The locking door is pointless. I'm an adult man. I don't have small hands. For this kind of money, i'm in the wrong business. I could make a much better mailbox. Don't buy it.

This mailbox is good quality and looks good. However, my 10-year-old son and my 31-year-old wife can easily reach through the slot above the locking door and take the mail out, which pretty much defeats the purpose of having a LOCKING mailbox.

We sent this mailbox back because it wouldn't take packages. We were looking for a secure mailbox since ours is out by the road. We frequently get small packages mailed to us such as books, but we could not see any way for those to fit through the slot.

I wish Amazon would have shown a picture of the inside or at least included something in the description. This was my first return to Amazon and I was extremely impressed with how easy it was to return the item.

After reading other reviews on this mailbox, I was concerned about how secure my mail would be. The issue is that the upper slot (where the postal worker drops the mail) is pretty wide. People with smaller hands can get a hand into the opening and pull out mail. I am an average size male and I was able to (with a little effort). There are a number of locking mailboxes on the market, but some look goofy or didn't fit the look of my house/neighborhood, so I still chose this one. I made a couple of modifications to it which make it much better. Both pretty cheap fixes. First I cut a piece of angle stainless steel (aluminum would work too) and made the gap just a little smaller (this was about a five minute fix). Now no one can get a hand in and the gap is still large enough for my mail. The other fix is not needed at all, but for my convenience. I bought (through an Amazon reseller. Search on "combination Cam Lock 5/8 Cylinder"), a combination lock to replace the key lock ($15). Now people who see my mailbox want one. It is nice looking and even with my little fixes, less expensive than most locking mailboxes I researched.

We love our mail box. It is purfect. No one break in to our mail.

It was great until the lock broke. I have had it just over a year.

Update as of 11/2009 We called the company and they mailed us a free replacement for the broken lock, so it now is working well. Customer Service was great and they sent the part out very quickly.

It did not work for me. The mailbox is quite large as was the opening. The opening was large enough for my hand to slip in to retrieve mail. The mailbox is constructed quite well!

I had to return this item as it did not provide the secuity I was looking for at a reasonable price. Upon opening the box I found that a person with a normal size hand (small to large) could easily reach in and remove the mail from the box without having to unlock it. The slot that is used to deposit the mail by the delivery person needs modification to make it more secure. If the company would make the necessary modifications it would be an affordable item.