Best Mailbox for Your Home

(Image credit: Gibraltar)

published 13 October 2020

You can be as simple or as extravagant as you’d like with your mailbox. Some mailboxes are designed to be mounted on the wall right next to your front door. Others are mounted on posts by the curb. Whichever you choose, be mindful of how much mail you typically get to ensure you mount a mailbox big enough to hold it all. You might also benefit from a locked mailbox to cut down on the chances of losing important letters, payments, and packages to theft. Here are several of our favorites.

Best overall

Mail Boss 7506 Curbside Locking Mailbox

Deter mail thieves

The Mail Boss is made from thick, galvanized metal that is welded together. It is really hard for someone to break into it. There is a slot at the top where letters and small packages can be slipped into the box, but the only way to get them out is by unlocking it with the keys you have in your possession. It has the standard red flag to show when you have a letter to go out, but you will need to provide your mail carrier with a key to get them out.

Best wall mount mailbox

Gibraltar Mailboxes Woodlands Steel Wall-Mounted Mailbox

Keep it close to home

Some neighborhoods, especially older, more established ones, require a wall-mounted mailbox. This one from Gibraltar is made from heavy-duty steel. It comes with the hardware you need to mount it right next to your door. It’s deep enough to hold magazines and small packages without a problem. It does lack a red flag to indicate when outgoing mail needs to be picked up.

Best post mount mailbox

Architectural Mailboxes Oasis 360

Out for all to see

If your mail carrier needs a post-mounted mailbox, then check out the Oasis by Architectural Mailboxes. It features dual doors on the front, one for putting mail into the box and a second, locked door for retrieving mail. This keeps your packages, checks, and personal information from being swiped. You will need to provide a key for your mail carrier to retrieve outgoing mail, or to put larger packages into your box.

Best value mailbox

Gibraltar Mailboxes Franklin Post Mounted Mailbox

Go simple and basic

This standard mailbox mounts to a post by your home’s curb. It holds a lot of mail including smaller packages and large magazines. There is a space on the front of the box to add your house numbers, plus it comes fully assembled and ready to mount. It doesn’t come with any hardware. You will need to purchase this, and a post, separately.

Best decorative mailbox

Polar Aurora Aluminum Cast Mailbox

Step up to the next level

This old-fashioned looking mailbox has detailed designs around the entire box that feature images depicting the pony express. Letters and small packages are slipped into the slot that is worked into the overall design of the mailbox. You get the mail out through the locked door on the side, that isn’t readily apparent to those passing by.

Best fun shaped mailbox

River’s Edge Products Giant Lure Bass Mailbox

A good catch

This fun bass-shaped mailbox has great detail in the fins, scales, gills and eyes to make it look like a real fish. Lures hang from the box to the fun while the entire thing is coated with UV protection to keep it from fading over time. It holds just a smooch mail and packages as standard post-mounted mailboxes. It comes with the hardware you need to mount it to the pole of your choice.

Stamp and send

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Keep your mail from being taken by using a secure, locking mailbox like the one from Mail Boss. The box locks on both sides, so you don’t have to step into the road to retrieve your mail. The box is made from galvanized steel that has been welded together. It comes with three keys so the mail carrier can have and you can still have a spare. You will pay more for a locked mailbox than a traditional one, but it does come with more peace of mind.

If you’d rather stick with something more traditional, we recommend the Gibraltar Mailboxes post-mounted option. It comes fully assembled and ready to mount on any post. It holds lots of letters and most small and medium-sized packages. It has the red flag to let your mail carrier know you have something ready to send. It isn’t locked, however, so there is still a risk of mail theft. But it is also substantially cheaper than other mailboxes.

Nikki writes for multiple Future Publishing brands covering topics from antivirus to kitchen appliances to SAS. She has over 15 years of research and writing experience, including eight years of testing and reviewing consumer products. Nikki earned bachelor’s degrees in both English and Political Science with a focus on empirical research. In her spare time, Nikki serves as a member of several school councils and volunteers for a local arts board.