Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Due to a rash of mail theft in my area, I decided to upgrade my locking mail box to something that is more difficult to fish (most of this is people just coming by and reaching in for whatever they can get), as well as more difficult to pry open. I also wanted to be able to receive small packages which this box covers very well without adding exposure to fishing. After reading reviews, the Mail Manager is the box that I ordered and installed this past weekend. The box that it replaces is an older version of the Gibraltar MSK00000 mailbox available here on Amazon and the box stores for about $60. My box was older but looked exactly the same. That mailbox was too easy to fish by hand and certainly with any tool that helps reach further into the box. It also appeared it would be very easy to pry open, which I verified after installing my new box. It took me about three seconds to pry it open with a screw driver, and it would probably take about a second to do so, now that I know how. On to the Mail Manager. Overall, I like the box, particularly for the price paid. The hopper accepts small packages and is designed so that you'd have to have extremely thin hands and arms to fish it by hand (if it is possible at all) and there is no angle for a grabber tool to fish with. I suspect someone adept at using a sticky object suspended from string might be able to get some stuff out, but they'd have their work cut out for them, and if they went to that much effort, would probably just pry the box open instead. As to prying the box open, while the lock and steel case are noticeably heavier duty than the box it replaces (and other boxes in this price range), I don't believe it would stand up to a serious attempt to pry it open. I did a little test with a screw driver, and it is easy to get the driver in to pry the side or top of the locked door and the metal does start to bend pretty readily. I didn't go all the way to trying to pop it, as I don't want to damage the box I just purchased, but I would be surprised if it stood up to a serious attempt. If the lock stood up (which it well might), I think the door would bend open enough to allow for mail to be taken, and then the door and/or box would need to be replaced. On the bright side, you would know that you had something stolen, which is much better than boxes that are easily fished and you don't know if/what has been stolen. Pros: - Box is very easy to install on an existing wooden post or rail, provided you have appropriate socket wrench available. I used one of the Gator Grip universal socket wrenches and it worked fine. From unboxing to completed installation was less then 30 minutes for a one person install. - Box is very secure from hand fishing and grabber tools, and probably difficult with other improvised tools. - Hopper accepts small packages as well as mail. - Nice size. Not too big, but should hold several days worth of mail for most families. - Heavier duty lock and construction than other boxes in this price range. Cons: - For someone looking for a box that can't be pried, you want to look for heavier grade steel and tighter tolerances on fit and finish, so that is not so easy to get a screw driver or other pry tool into the top or sides of the locking door. Of course, you need a strong lock that is not easily pickable, too. And you'd have to pay at least a few hundred dollars more to get a box like that. Bottom line: - From what I can tell, the Mail Manager is probably the best you can get in this price range. - Because Mail Boss makes a big deal in their ads about preventing mail theft and showing guys prying open competitors' mail boxes, I rated this a four star product instead of five stars. I don't think it delivers on the level of security they imply, but for the price range, I think it does a good job. - For people that want a box that is significantly more secure, Fort Knox mail boxes appear to be one good way to go. They use 1/4" steel (that is far thicker than any official gauge ratings) and have pretty tight tolerances where the door edges meet the box. I looked at one hands on in a local store that sells security items and can tell you that there is no way you pry one of these open; no way to get a tool to get in with good leverage and the metal absolutely will not bend. Further, the mail slot is not something people could successfully fish with hand or grabber tool (possibly other methods?). I consider a door over the incoming mail slot mandatory to protect from rain and critters. For a mailbox with a door (instead of just an open mail slot as their base models provide), their lowest cost model (Fortress) is $348 plus shipping on their website. My local store lists it at $445 plus tax. You may need a new post install (with a significant concrete base) to hold the mail box which weighs about 100lbs, and you'd be well advised to have two people to install something that heavy. You're talking well over $500 including post, plus time and labor. From a money and labor point of view, it is a significant step up from the $100 range of the Mail Manager, but it would buy you much more security than anything else I've researched at any price point.