****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
These boxes are a nice size - I have 24 ultra fine point Sharpies in one, 24 fine point Sharpies in another, 12 Spectrum Noir markers in another, and my fourth one is still empty. The quantities of markers I'm storing don't quite come up to the top of the bottom portion of the boxes, and the lid bumps up about another ¾" above the bottom portion so I really could get another 4-8 markers in each box (all of my markers only fit the long way). But I would never do that because these boxes do not stay latched. I am an adult and the only person using these and open them perhaps 2-3 times a week. They are stacked on top of one another in an enclosed bookcase so they are never bumped or touched, but whichever one is on top is always popped open, and the latches on the others in the stack are always open. The box is made out of plastic that is too thin for the latch to get a good grip - the box flexes when you push the lid against it to latch it. All 4 of my boxes seem to latch at times, but they all pop open seconds to minutes later. So they are okay for my needs (somewhat see-through, good size for 1 set of markers, stack okay in an enclosed area) but you will need to wrap a large rubber band or two around this box if you intend to transport it or fill it up to the top of the lid without it spilling. The boxes have rounded corners and are 8½ long x 5¼ deep x 2½ high overall. I would only fill it up to 1¾ high to be sure the contents are only in the bottom portion of the box. My markers fit lengthwise and there are 2+ inches of space at the end of the stack of markers, and if you put pencils in this box there would be at least 1" at the end so you could put an eraser and a small pencil sharpener inside. I made the decision to buy these boxes because of their size and will replace them if I find others that will stay latched. They were inexpensive so that saved them from being 2 stars. And they are better than the packages my markers came in.I decided a case like this would be good for packing some personal care items when we go to a hotel. Because it is all plastic, I felt I could put it in a hotel vanity drawer without worrying about bed bugs, as I would if I put a cosmetic bag with a cloth zipper in a drawer. This product was a good size and price. I wanted something with a hinged top for easy opening and closing, and I love that it's white translucent plastic with a clear window on top so I can see what's inside, and has rounded corners which are not sharp. I chose this one because another reviewer said the top is attached via a hinge that goes most of the way across the case, which I thought would make it more stable. The only thing I'm not sure I like is that the edge of the hinges has a piece that runs from the bottom of the case to the top of the bottom part, and it seems a bit sharp, which is why I only gave it 4 instead of 5 stars. I'm attaching a photo so you can see what I mean. Just got it, so we haven't used it on a trip yet, but I really like it and think it will work very well for what I want.Very sturdy, stiff piece of plastic but you can tell that one hard open and it will likely break. Its cheap enough you can buy a few at a time but if you want something that will last a bit longer this isn't it.You can get the same quality product for less than a dollar at Walmart. I was hoping I was getting a sturdier box with solid closure when buying this but it is just as flimsy as the Walmart one. You can easily push it further past the closures which will likely lead to it breaking easily and it easily squeezes in at all sides even when closed. I don’t see this lasting long for my Kindergarten kid. Also, this part is on me because I should have read the fine print and not made an assumption but be aware this is NOT eligible for return. I hoped to return and get a less expensive version but we are stuck with this one.I'm honestly on the fence about this pencil box.On one hand, I like it for it's clasp design. On the other hand, it's not so great for my 5yr old. He can't really flip it open and snap it shut. Though that may be a design flaw for younger children, for me I prefer something like this for my writing supplies, sewing items, etc.Pros:Good for adults or children capable of snapping lids open and shutFairly sturdy so long as it doesn't get squashedAligns well, holds everythingFairly opaque, easy to see everything insideHolds a standard size pencil, colored pencils, crayons, markers, and sharpeners fairly easyCons:Not suitable for children who don't know how to open and close snapping lidsOverall:Great for me, not so much for my little ones. But I'll continue to purchase these and will help my LO out till he can get the hang of it himself.I have given five stars for it being what it is a pencil box with potential of other storage uses such as crafts items.The boxes sit on top of each other nicely as they have these small rounded bump feet on and matching moulded dents on top. They will fall over or slide off if nudged but not as easily as if they were just flat.Now for what I paid they are great so I can not really complain. As just a pencil box or such they are fine but for say a medical kit addition box for carrying in a bag they have one fundimental problem. The latch is central on the box causing the ends to open enough for items to slide out should the box be in a bag moving around.Now saying this instead of using in my medical kit in my bag I will use in my tool box for storing safety glasses and the other for storing sewing bits in a draw.Also the moulding on edges is rough in places nothing a scalpel wont fix and one box has a scratch across the side.For what they are adverted as they are what they are.Great design and good size for pens and pencils but the letch doesnt close properly so its pointless.Love this box great for keeping all my drawing supplies in including sharpeners. Also great for keeping my watercolour tubes in when out and about. Have bought two now and am not disappointed.DO NOT BUY.YOU CANNOT RETURN.Really poor quality. It is flimsy and clear plastic not opaque like in the photos.This is absolutely terrible quality for the price paid and not as advertised. BUYER BEWARE. cheap plastic and poor production and quality - closing mechanism is terrible, clearly a manufacturing defect.DO NOT BUY!!!!Item is fine, but mine arrived broken. As it was so cheap, I could not be bothered to raise an issue. Gaffer taped up, it's OKQuite flimsy, the plastic snapped just within the first day of use. Definitely not worth the money
