Description
MailCase in Stainless Steel
The stainless steel MailCase offers unmatched protection against rust in corrosive environments. This includes coastal environments as well as harsh winter climates where roads are salted.
The brushed finish on the stainless MailCass carries an exclusive, stunning look in front of your home or business.
You may have noticed that the MailCase is also available in powder coated zinc-alloy steel. Sometimes customers ask us what the difference is between stainless steel and zinc alloy steel.
The main differences between our zinc alloy mailboxes and our stainless steel mailboxes are the composition of the metal, and the fact that our zinc-alloy mailboxes are powder coated and our stainless steel mailboxes are unpainted with a brushed finish. Otherwise the mailboxes are identical. They are the same size, use the same gauge steel, have the same features and have the same level of security.
Zinc alloy steel has zinc and aluminum added to the steel. MailCase mailboxes made with zinc alloy steel are powder coated and are available in different colors.
Stainless steel does not contain zinc, but instead contains chromium and nickel. This gives stainless steel unique properties:
- Stainless steel can be used in highly corrosive environments (where there is lots of salt in the air or on the roads).
- It does not need to be painted. Unpainted stainless has an exclusive, stylish look.
- It has high hardness and strength. This makes it strong but difficult to fabricate.
- It is non magnetic.
While our powder coated zinc-alloy steel mailboxes have excellent rust resistance, some people live in places where there are high levels of corrosion. This includes places where there is a lot of salt in the air (i.e. close to the ocean) or places where there is a lot of salt on the roads (busy streets in winter climates). These customers will need an even higher level of rust protection than zinc-alloy steel. These customers will need stainless steel.
Stainless steel is more expensive for several reasons. First, chromium and nickel are expensive metals, and stainless steel contains a lot of both metals. Second, since stainless has high hardness, it is difficult to fabricate. Our factory requires a 45 ton press to stamp stainless steel parts. Finally, the surface of the mailbox has a brushed finish. It is labor intensive to put the brushed finish on the MailCase, but the result has a stunning look.
There are typically 2 types of customers who buy a stainless steel MailCase:
- Customers who live in a highly corrosive environment.
- Customers who want the exclusive look of brushed stainless steel.
We recommend cleaning your stainless steel MailCase ever year or two with a product called Barkeepers Friend, which can be found in most supermarkets in the household cleaning aisle. Even though stainless steel will not corrode, in some climates stainless steel can have surface discoloration. Barkeepers Friend will remove any surface discoloration and keep your stainless MailCase looking great for years.
High Security Pry Shield
The primary way criminals attack locking mailboxes is through a pry attack on the lower door.
To protect against pry attacks MailCase uses the Pry Shield, which is a ledge covering the top edge of the bottom door. When most criminals see the Pry Shield they leave your mailbox alone and move on to an easier target.
Four Point Pry Protection
On the inside of the MailCase we’ve engineered our patent pending Four Point Pry Protection system with our exclusive Hammerhead Latch.
Latch Retention Bracket and Hammerhead Latch
First, we weld a steel bracket to the lower door to protect the latch. Next, our Hammerhead latch is made from tough stainless steel with a strong hook on the end.
Reinforced Center Frame and Binder Bracket
The center frame of the MailCase is made from heavy, 12 gauge steel and is formed in the shape of a C beam that won’t deform even during extreme pry attacks.
Hammerhead Binding Action
During an extreme pry attack the hook engages this Binder Bracket that is welded to the C-Beam, which binds the door closed. The stronger the pry attack, the stronger the hook holds the door closed.
Lower Brace
We’ve added extra bracing to reinforce the lower door.
Superior Construction
Protection from Fishing Attacks
The MailCase has a delivery tray welded to the inside of the top door. The shape of the delivery tray makes it difficult for criminals to reach inside the mailbox.
Additionally the MailCase is 20” tall. This height, combined with the shape and configuration of the delivery tray makes fishing attacks on the MailCase extremely difficult.
Tubular Lock
MailCase uses a tubular lock. This is is the same lock used on vending machines. Tubular locks protect against picking and drilling of the lock.
All MailCase mailboxes are keyed differently.
The MailCase comes with six keys. We don’t make the locks and keys ourselves, we get them made by our lock supplier who specializes in tubular locks.
We don’t keep copies of your keys in our shop. Since we don’t make the locks and keys ourselves we are unable to provide you with more than 6 keys.
If you need more than 6 keys most good locksmiths have a round key duplicating machine and can make duplicates for you.
Welded Solid Rivets on Doors
The doors on the MailCase are attached using solid rivets that are reinforced by welds. Most other mailboxes use hollow rivets which pop off easily during a pry attack.
Heavy Gauge Welded Steel Construction
The delivery tray, top, side, and rear panels of the MailCase are made using 14 gauge steel. The two front doors and the bottom panel are made using 12 gauge steel.
MailCase Patented Dual Delivery System
Mailcase’s patented dual delivery system makes receiving packages and regular mail a breeze. Your mail carrier will put packages in the mailbox using the delivery tray. The rest of your mail your carrier will put through the narrow slot. This makes life easier for your mail carrier since they can put everyday mail through the narrow slot using one hand while seated in their mail truck.
Package Delivery
The MailCase takes packages using the delivery tray.
The size of package that can fit depends on if it is a soft package or a rigid package. If it is a soft package then the MailCase can take a fairly large soft package, or multiple soft packages at the same time.
If it is a rigid package then the size that can fit depends on the thickness of the package. If the package is too thick then it will not fit. The following are examples of package sizes that can fit.
The easiest way to describe it is to say that something the size of a large phone book would fit, but something the size of a shoe box would not fit. For additional information about package delivery visit our FAQ page under the “PRODUCT” heading.
Large Capacity
The large capacity of the MailCase allows it to hold several days of mail.
The MailCase only has a front access door available. One of the main expenses of building a locking mailbox is building and securing the lower access door. By adding a rear access door it would increase the cost of the MailCase. We don’t have very many customers who need a rear access option so to keep the MailCase affordable for everybody we don’t have a rear access door option available.
Waterproofing
Gaskets
The MailCase prevents leaking by using rubber gaskets on both the top and bottom doors.
Caulking
We caulk the interior front and rear corners with 100% silicone.
Outgoing Mail
Outgoing mail goes in a metal clip located on the inside of the top door. When your carrier opens your top door to deliver your mail, they will see the outgoing mail in the clip and take it with them.
The outgoing mail clip on the MailCase will hold a handful of letters or invitations. It is big enough to hold a Netflix DVD, but would not fit a 9” X 12 “ flat envelope.
According to USPS regulations, it is not possible to lock outgoing mail on a curbside residential mailbox. For more information about locked outgoing mail visit our FAQ page under the heading “SECURITY.”
MailCase Dimensions
Height: 20”
Width: 13 ⅝”
Depth: The MailCase is 16 ⅝” deep at the bottom, and 18 ⅝” deep at the top (the top has a 2” overhang on the front).
The shipping weight of the MailCase is 46 lbs.
Replaceable Front Components
The top door, bottom door, Pry Shield, lock and latch can all be replaced if these components are damaged in an attack on your mailbox.
MailCase Guarantee, Warranty, and Privacy Policy
MailCase has a 30 day money back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied with the MailCase for any reason, just contact us within 30 days for a return shipping address and send it back to us. We will refund 100% of the product cost. MailCase does not refund shipping or return shipping expenses.
MailCase backs our products with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. This warranty covers the original owner against manufacturing defects and any failure of moving or welded parts under normal use. The warranty does not cover deliberate or accidental damage of the MailCase including attempted break-ins or vandalism. The warranty also does not cover finishes or corrosion.
OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY
We have combined the most trusted names in internet security with the most powerful encryption technology to guarantee the safety of your personal information. No online system is safer and more secure than that used by MailCase.
THE KINDS OF INFORMATION WE COLLECT
At MailCase, we only collect information necessary to ship products to you and email you about your order. We keep this information 100% confidential. We do not sell, share, trade, or exchange this information with anybody else for any reason.
We do not collect any of your credit card information. In fact, we do not even see your credit card information. We use the PayPal Website Payments Pro system for all of our payment processing. When you go to the MailCase checkout page, the payment information you provide goes directly into PayPal’s totally secure payment processing system.
In fact, when PayPal processes your payment, they do not even see your credit card information. This information is encrypted using powerful 256-bit encryption. It is passed through at this super-high encryption level directly to your credit card issuer who actually finalizes the payment process.
POSITIVE SECURE SOCKET LAYER BY COMODO (SSL)
We use the trusted internet company Comodo to provide our SSL certificate. Positive SSL/Comodo was one of the first SSL providers to upgrade their encryption level to powerful 256-bit encryption. This ensures that any information you provide will be transmitted with absolute guaranteed security. Positive SSL/Comodo takes additional steps to verify that we are a strong company with an excellent reputation.
Our website uses analytics software. This helps us know how many visitors come to our site and which pages on our site are the most popular. The analtyics software is totally anonymous. It simply helps us see how popular our site is overall and which pages on our site are the most visited.
Shipping Time and Other Shipping Info
Orders are shipped nationwide from our warehouses in Utah and North Carolina by FedEx Ground. Orders placed before 9:30 am Mountain Standard time M-F will typically leave our warehouse the same day. Orders received after 9:30 am will leave our warehouse the next business day. Orders received on weekends or major holidays will go out in the next 1-2 business days.
From these two locations FedEx Ground can typically ship to the lower 48 from 2-3 business days.
We offer free shipping to the continental United States. For Hawaii and Alaska, you can calculate shipping costs in our cart or checkout pages.
Installation
The MailCase mailbox and MailCase posts are sold separately.
The MailCase can be installed in the following ways:
- On a MailCase brand in-ground or surface-mount post.
- In a brick, stone, or stucco column (typically built by a mason).
- On your own wood or metal post (will require you to build a platform to which you can bolt the MailCase). NOTE: MailCase does not recommend this option since we consider a wood post a security risk. It would take less than 30 seconds for a criminal to cut through a wooden post with a cordless skill saw or sawsall.
The MailCase has 4 mounting holes in the bottom. The MailCase itself does not come with mounting hardware, but if you buy a MailCase plus Post Combo the mounting hardware comes with the post. If you are installing the MailCase plus post combo, visit our Installation page for additional instruction.
The in-ground post is 47” long and is designed to be mounted in a hole dug in the ground and filled with concrete. The surface-mount post is 28” long and is designed to be mounted on a concrete surface using mounting bolts.
MailCase posts are heavy and strong with the post made from 12 gauge powder coated steel and the mounting flange (the platform which holds the mailbox) made from 1/4″ steel. The sides of the post are 4” X 4”.
Visit our FAQ page to learn more. Under the section called “INSTALLATION” we cover numerous FAQs about installation including:
- Installation Instructions for MailCase and in-ground or surface-mount post combo using a MailCase brand post
- How to mount the MailCase to your own wood or steel post if you don’t buy MailCase brand post
- Installation in brick, stone, or stucco
- Mounting more than one MailCase on a single post
- Mounting the MailCase to a wall
Yes, we sell a 2 place spreader bar that allows 2 mailboxes to be mounted on a single post, and a 3 place spreader bar that allows 3 mailboxes to be mounted on a single post.
The spreader bars can be found on our Post and Parts page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Customers who contact us have a lot of the same questions about the MailCase. We developed a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions Page. If you can’t find the answer to your question there, you are welcome to contact us.
After doing a lot of background research on the different locking mailbox options out there, I decided on a mailcase. I couldn’t find that anyone did a super thorough review, so I thought I’d do one. I bought both the mailbox and the matching in-ground post.
Unboxing
First off, let’s get into the unboxing. The Mailcase mailbox arrived securely packed in a box with styrofoam to protect the corners. When I opened the top there was a foam insert that had the flag, the hardware to mount the flag, the keys, and a page of instructions. I was wondering where the mounting hardware was, but it was in the post box that shipped separately. I’m not sure what I would have done about mounting hardware if I didn’t buy a post? I was impressed with the packaging, it was well-protected with foam, a plastic bag, and wax paper to protect the paint.
Design and Build Quality
Upon removing everything from the box, I could immediately tell that the mailcase was pretty thick steel and was heavy duty, and the powder coating looked great. It feels incredibly sturdy. It’s definitely big and looks like it would take the majority of packages I end up getting.
Locking Mechanism and Security
Security is a major selling point for the Mailcase mailbox. The locking mechanism looks impressive and involved. I could see how it would be very difficult to break into this thing. In person I can see how the pry shield would make it tough to even start prying.
When I turned the lock I could feel the latch making contact with the frame. The lock turned smoothly enough, but I found it was easier to turn if I pushed in on the door slightly.
Opening the door I could see the hooked latch. You can’t see the inside of the frame from the front, but I felt my hand behind the center frame and could feel the catching mechanism there. This looks very secure. I could see how the hook would be able to catch if somebody tried to pry it open.
Installation
The mailcase comes with a one page instruction sheet that was pretty basic. The most helpful thing on the sheet was a link to an instruction video: https://www.mailcase.com/about/installation/ The video was much more helpful than the instructions on the sheet. I bought quick set concrete because I didn’t want to wait 24 hours to bolt the mailbox onto the post. I ended up wet mixing my concrete (the video shows putting the concrete in dry and then trickling water over the concrete).
The mailbox and the post came with everything I needed to install it (except the concrete). It took me about an hour to dig the hole, place the post, mix and pour the concrete and make sure everything was level and the correct height from the street. I waited a couple of hour for the concrete to set and bolted on the mailbox and flag which took about 15 minutes. The mailbox feels sturdy and strong.
One thing that kind of surprised me was how short the post looked sticking out of the ground. I guess I’m used to small mailboxes where the post is sticking out of the ground like 4 feet. The difference with the mailcase is that the box itself is 20” tall so in order for the mailman to be able to deliver to it without it being way up in the air, the post needs to be shorter.
Conclusion
I’ve only had it installed for a couple of weeks, so far no issues, but I will update the review if I see any. Lock has been smooth and the bottom door is kinda heavy when I open it, which is surprising but also good, it makes it feel like it would be even harder to break in. Anyway, I’m happy with my purchase so far and hope this helps!
Thank you for writing such a thorough review. We appreciate your business!
So I bought another brand but it rusted within 2 years. I’m only a couple of miles from the ocean, so I bought one of these stainless ones. I called them up first and they said that this close to the Ocean, stainless is the only thing that will not rust. The stainless steel is pretty stunning. Wasn’t cheap, but looks like they are the only ones that even offer it.
Thank you for your review. We are proud of our Stainless Steel MailCase and have thousands installed across the US, especially in coastal areas. Glad you found us!
A previous mailbox I bought on Amazon was leaking every time it rained. I ended up returning it and buying a MailCase. Both the top and bottom doors of the MailCase have gaskets and the interior corners are caulked. I’ve had it up through two heavy rainstorms and so far no leaks!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review! We are happy to stack up the MailCase against any of our competitors when it comes to leak prevention, security, coatings, or warranty. We are happy you like it!
I did a bit of research on different locking mailboxes for my business. Ultimately decided on the mailcase becase from the video it looks like the hardest to break into. I’ve installed it and haven’t had any break-ins (although I guess I’m not sure if I’ve had any attempts at break ins either?)
It’s nice that it comes with 6 keys