WhitehallProducts 16138 Wall Mailbox, French Bronze

This mailbox is the real deal! I always shop via reviews and this mailbox had great ones, upon receiving and inspecting this is a true made to last product and it's not cheaply made and should not fall apart- probably ever. Although I wasn't looking to spend this much, it's actually well worth every extra penny I had to shove at it.I was looking at other mailboxes to get a bang for my buck but most other boxes that seemed nice- the customers were posting reviews about hinges rusting out and falling apart which to my sorrow kept me searching and reading reviews for a great mailbox that would last a long time.I used to be a mail carrier for the post office so I was looking for a good quality box large enough to hold full size 11x9" envelopes without bending them. I personally know it's annoying to mail carriers to see a box this large that could hold small packages but then sorrowfully find out that there is a locking slot that only allows mail to fit through, thus having to still leave small packages out in the rain. I wanted to avoid that, so I removed the lock and used 3M double-sided automotive tape (available at hardware/auto stores) to permanently stick the slot lid to the top lid so my mail carrier isn't deceived by the slot to think they can't put a package inside. Now when they open the lid they'll never see the slot unless they actually look to see that I've stuck it to the lid for their convenience ;)If you live in the suburbs where your mail carrier walks up to your porch to drop mail, and you don't want your magazines or large envelopes bent/rolled to fit, then THIS IS THE BOX for you!It was not difficult to install, I just measured between the holes, marked the distance on the exterior of my house and used LONG 3" screws (I already had on hand, purchased separately) with wide heads for the box the catch onto. I just used a drill to put the screws in, left them sticking out about a half inch/quarter inch... then slipped the box onto the screws.I'm not worried about theft in my neighborhood, but if you want to prevent someone grabbing your mailbox, once the box is installed you could thread some twine or durable string onto the screws tightly between them inside the box to prevent anyone from lifting your box off the wall, so long as you keep the lock feature on so they can't get inside it (which I didn't do because I'm not worried about it).

I ordered this mailbox because of its large size and locking capability. I also ordered the personalized address plate. The address plate was easy to install. I haven't installed the mailbox to the wall yet because I am busy sealing it to protect it from water getting in. Before I ordered this item, I did alot of searching for the perfect mailbox. I needed one that locked and that was brown to go with my hawaiian themed accents on the outside of our house that are also brown. I loved the look of this mailbox, so I read the reviews left by other buyers and they liked it but talked about the one common problem they had with it. One person said that it gathers water inside after a heavy rain and another said that they should take theirs down to seal it with something to stop water from getting in. Mine is still sitting on my work table because I sealed it with a clear sealant on the whole border of the back of it. They did not solder the metal together to make sure there is no way for water to get in. I also sealed the inside top where the plastic enforcement behind the lid can let water in. Now my husband and I are ready to install it to the outside of our house, but when we do, we will add a product called Great Stuff. The reason we have to do this is because there is a big space around the size of a nickel below the space where the 2 screw slots are. That is where most of the water enters the mailbox according to past reviews. So after it is on the wall, we will try to squeeze a nozzle in between the brick wall and the 2 screw slots where the mailbox will hang and add Great Stuff foaming sealant in to try to stop water from entering. This way, there will be no entrance possibilites for water unless you leave the mailbox open and who would do that?The opening for the mail when using the locking option is big enough for someone with thin arms to put their hand right in to take the mail out so the locking option is a bit funny to me. We will try to put it high up as possible but then I am short, so that should be fun for me to remove the mail. The opening is big because of people ordering checks in the mail, so the box of checks would fit. However, so will someone's arm to retrieve all your other mail. Maybe it will protect your mail if the mailman drops it in there just right so it will fall to the bottom, because it is quite deep. Our mailman wraps our mail in the neighborhood sales papers which are big, so it will most likely be standing straight up so it could be pulled right out. I will leave a request via my label maker on the inside lid right above the slot asking the mailman to make sure the mail drops into the box and doesn't stick out. I'm sure it will be a great addition once all the kinks are worked out. I hope this review helps others to know how to protect it when they purchase it. It would be nice to be able to order a product these days without fixing it before you can use it. Companies don't think through products / customer service enough before shoving a product out there to sell.It is worth purchasing if you are willing to spend the extra time to seal it because it is a beautiful mailbox!

It’s a good looking box. Larger than you expect, but that is good. It can hold several days of mail if needed.Some others have commented that rain could enter inside but I’ve mounted under a roof overhang so I guess that would not be a problem.I saw reviews about the slot being to wide. I think it is not so bad. Maybe they narrowed the design? It’s exactly 1-3/8” wide. I have a medium sized hand and I can’t easily put my hand in. I could if I pushed hard but I think my hand may be stuck if I did. A slender woman’s or kid’s hand may be able to get in more easily though. In my opinion the slot is the right balance between allowing small packages and magazines to go through easily.Lock mechanism is good. Not sure yet if I would keep it locked and unlock everyday to pull mail out. Maybe lock when on vacation. I think it’s better to keep unlocked if lock is not often used rather than uninstall the slot and lock mechanism permanently which is possible and parts are provided for that.One minor problem. The paper template provided for marking the mounting screw holes on the wall has WRONG dimensions. I followed it and then found that it was over by exactly 1/4 “. I had to drill into my new wall again with new holes with the proper dimensions which was . Better you measure the actual hole slots (which I measured as 10” just as the written instructions also say) than rely on the template. This problem along with the pricing is why I take out 1 Star.Overall looks sturdy and well built. Heavy and solid and I think would last a lifetime. I would certainly recommend it.