Salsbury 4850BLK Heavy Duty Rural Mailbox - Black

I have been remiss in not writing a review for this mailbox. I purchased it in September 2010 and I am writing today, March 31, 2014. This mailbox has absolutely stood the test of time. It has remained corrosion free, the paint is intact inside and out, and aside from some minor fading, it looks and functions just as it did on the day that I installed it on my treated lumber post. The mailbox is very solid -- all cast metal. It is not particularly fancy, but everything about it indicates that it is well made. And -- it withstood what one might consider the ultimate test: mailbox baseball. This winter, some kids came through the neighborhood and demolished roughly every other mailbox on the street. I expect that they were surprised when they made contact with mine. The thick wood supporting the mailbox split where I had lagged the mailbox into it with stainless hex screws. I assume that the bat swing had to have made direct contact with the mailbox, yet I could not find so much as a blemish on the mailbox itself. I inspected it to try to figure out where they actually hit it, with no luck -- yet clearly the force was heavy enough to split the wood beneath it as the screws pulled laterally. I simply plated the wood back together and remounted the box, none the worse for the incident. I was pretty pleased. I have to wonder if any wrists were injured, however.If I had even the slightest qualm, it would be that despite the apparently good, solid closure, on the snowiest or rainiest days, I sometimes find that my mail gets damp. This is more of a surprise because it seems so well engineered, it's almost hard to believe that moisture can even get in -- not because I really expected it to be waterproof. I suppose a rubber seal would be required to prevent moisture from getting in, but since it isn't a product of any imperfections in the casting (the parts line up perfectly), I can hardly deduct points for an item that isn't sold as "waterproof." All and all, 3.5 years in, it's a great mailbox!

This mailbox is the best built one I have ever bought. The floor of the box is not as heavy as the sides but adequate. Nice closure - I like the magnetic catch. The pull handle is also good, especially with the strong magnet closure. Well finished and I hope to see a long life from this box.The problem I see with this mailbox is that it is intended only for use with the manufacturer's post, and to use it any other way means retrofitting it. I ended up buying a 3/8" aluminum plate to fill the base in order to make it flush with the back and sides of the box. I attached the plate to the box by drilling holes in the plate and using the existing holes in the bottom of the box to bolt the plate to the box. That gave me a continual flat surface that would rest on the cast iron ornamental 'L' bracket that I attached to my post. To attach the box to the bracket, though, required me to drill 3 additional holes through the plate and the floor of the box to accommodate the hole positions in the bracket I was using as a support. That means that the bolt and nut combination I used is on the floor of the inside of the box. Using capnuts on the right length of bolt makes it relatively smooth to accommodate packages and mail.Overall, I am well-pleased with the mailbox. I have had a lot of compliments on the look it helped me bring to the otherwise purely functional aspect of receiving mail.

After spending 2 hours on the internet ... I almost gave up on finding a rural mailbox suited to my wants. Then this Salsbury Industries 4850BLK mailbox caught my eye. By description and review it seemed to be the best match. So I ordered it from Amazon and it arrived quickly.The weight of the package alone was impressive. However, when I pulled the mailbox out of the heavy duty cardboard box, I was blown away. Note: Keep in mind ... I'm a former auto mechanic and engineer ... more than a bit fussy and hard to please. Moreover, I seldom bother to review products.This mailbox exceeded my expectations. It is an extremely nice piece of hardware. Some people might consider it to be a bit pricey but I think it is and excellent value (quality to price). Many of the other mail boxes I looked cost in excess of $200.Positive features: ~ Ample Size ... big enough for small packages delivered by USPS ~ Sturdy construction ~ The red pick up flag is sturdy yet operates smoothly. ~ Nice pull handle ~ Magnetic latch provides positive closure ~ Good aesthetic balance ... nice looking without being too fancy.If there is a downside it is the limited mounting method. I would have gladly paid extra for a universal mounting bracket (adapter plate) of matching quality. It will be a bit time consuming to design and fabricate a nice metallic piece to fasten this box to the top of my existing horizontal 2x2 steel tubing post.The mailbox is so nice I would prefer not to use a wooden piece as a mounting base; however, I'll come up with somethingBottom line ... I would highly recommend this produce to someone who likes old fashioned quality construction.

The person who put it up for me said the instructions were not great however it has been up for over a year and I am very pleased with how it looks and how it is holding up.

Great mailbox, I put this up after the snowplow destroyed my old mailbox. This box has been dry with both snow and rain for 9 months. Magnetic catch for the lid is great, I love that I was able to adjust how much pull I wanted. Worth the money compared to cheaper ones I have had, no more wet mail.

After 2 years this unit is still looking good. Great size for small packages.

Very sturdy and magnet close is strong! Still easy to open but will not fall open because of wind, etc.