Types of Mailboxes: How to Choose the Best One for You
Give your mail a home it will love.
Are you looking to update your mailbox? Make sure to choose the type of mailbox that best suits your needs and preferences. Some can be mounted to the outside wall of your home, while others sit at the edge of your curb. You can also customize your mailbox by selecting materials that fit your taste and style, as well as extra features and accessories. Here’s how to choose a mailbox for your home and how to accessorize it to give your residence envious curb appeal.
Use our table of contents to skip to parts you want to read most:
Types of Mailboxes
Mailbox Materials
Mailbox Features
Mailbox Accessories
Types of Mailboxes
All mailboxes serve the same purpose, but they each have different features and benefits that might work best for you. There are six different types of mailboxes for you to choose from – let’s look at them more closely.
Post-Mounted
Post-mounted mailboxes are one of the most common mailbox types used. You’ve likely seen them at the edge of roads next to driveway entrances. They are very convenient, allowing you to grab your mail without having to get out of your vehicle when you return from work, and they also make it easy for the mailman to deliver your mail from the comfort of their vehicle seat. These mailboxes come with a post you install by drilling a hole in the ground and filling it with concrete to secure it in place. Make sure to read the post office requirements for installing these mailboxes, such as installing it 6" to 8" from the road and allowing it to stick up at most 45" from the ground.
Some post-mounted mailbox kits come with their own post included, while some kits don’t. If your post-mounted mailbox does not come with a post, you can customize your look by matching the post to your mailbox or choose a contrasting stand that highlights your style.
Tip!
Learn how to install a post-mounted mailbox and other types of mailboxes in our installation guide: How to Install a Mailbox: Our Easy Step-by-Step Guide
Wall-Mount
Another common type of mailbox is a wall-mounted option. Instead of being mounted on a post, these mailboxes are secured to the outside wall of your home, typically next to your front door. This type of mailbox provides an extra level of security and less chance of your mail being mistaken for someone else’s, since a wall-mounted option keeps your mail close to your front door. This way, you don’t have to go far to retrieve your mail and can be sure that your mail was placed in the right box. Wall-mounted mailboxes are spacious and can hold your letters and documents safely until you get home to retrieve them. They are also easy to install and can be used on any home exterior material.
Recessed mailboxes are perfect for apartment complexes or housing units with multiple tenants. They offer each unit their own slot for personal mail, and a lock that makes sure everyone’s mail is secure until they use their key to open their specific door. These types of mailboxes make it easy for landlords or housing organizations to have a mail option for their tenants without having to use a P.O. box at another location. Installation of these mailboxes tends to be more complex, since there are multiple parts, but they are usually mounted to the wall and can be installed on brick, siding, wood, or other exterior surfaces.
One of the most secure mailbox types to select is a mailslot option. These mailboxes are installed on top of a corresponding slot hole in your door, so all incoming mail is delivered directly into your home. This option provides extreme security, since you never have to worry about someone taking your mail. Another benefit is that you don’t have to walk outside to collect your mail, since everything is already inside. A mailslot’s installation is similar to a wall-mounted mailbox, except it is drilled into your door.
Tip!
Remember to see our mailbox installation guide for how to install this type of mailbox into your door, in addition to how to install other types of mailboxes.
A freestanding mailbox is great for housing large packages and boxes that are being delivered to your home. They do not require any installation, since they are heavy enough to stand on their own. Freestanding mailboxes are typically placed on a porch or somewhere close to the front door for the delivery driver to place packages into. They’ll open the latch to the mailbox and drop the package in for you to retrieve when you get home.
A pedestal mailbox is another type of mailbox that is used for multiple tenants, but is not installed onto the wall. These mailbox types can be installed into the concrete in front of a building, or stand on their own. They still come with multiple boxes to give each tenant their a secure individual mailslot with a lock.
Mailbox Materials
No mailbox is made the same. The different materials used for each mailbox can alter its look and durability, so keep reading to learn the option that’s best for you.
Aluminum
Aluminum mailboxes are very stylish and elegant in their appearance. They come in different colors, from bronze to black, silver, white, and copper. Some aluminum mailboxes have intricate details that give your mailbox an eye-catching design to boost your curb appeal. These mailbox types also are very durable and weather-resistant, which means you will get long usage out of this item.
Steel mailboxes are another high-quality choice to consider. Like aluminum, they are very durable and weather-resistant. They’re also typically roomy, so they can hold a lot of mail. Steel is a very strong material, so you never have to worry about it cracking or breaking and leaving your mail exposed. Since its material is so easy to clean, you’ll always have a mailbox that looks new.
Brass adds elegance to this simple household item, thanks to its warm color. Some brass mailboxes come with the ability to light up your house number, mailbox, or words so the mailman can easily see where to leave your mail. These types of mailboxes are also high-quality and durable enough to withstand outside elements without rusting. You can install brass mailboxes on your wall or mount them on a post, providing two options for your mailbox placement.
If you are looking for a mailbox that is sturdy and easy to maintain, then you will appreciate plastic mailboxes. These types of mailboxes are very lightweight compared to other mailbox materials, which makes them easy to install. Some plastic mailboxes come in bright colors that can add a pop to your yard. You can trust that your plastic mailbox will not rust and will be a breeze to clean if it gets dirty from storms or dirt.
Mailbox Features
Here are other unique and important features to consider when choosing a type of mailbox.
Locking
Not every mailbox has a lock, which means it’s easy for anyone to open the flap of your mailbox and access your personal documents. A locking feature provides extra security and keeps people from opening the wrong mailbox and taking your mail, or snooping through it. Locking mailboxes typically come with two sets of keys: one for you to use and one for your mailman.
Mailboxes bear the brute force of extreme weather from time to time, and if the material is not carefully selected, your mailbox can rust and look aesthetically displeasing. Weather-resistant mailboxes hold up well (both functionally and aesthetically) through the rain, hail, and snow. Aluminum or stainless steel are the best weather-resistant type of mailboxes to use to conserve the look of your mailbox and prevent rusting.
A rain overhang feature also protects your mailbox and your mail, since it blocks the rain from seeping into the mailbox and damaging the paper inside. The rain overhang feature will glide the water off the top of the mailbox and keep everything inside dry.
Are you someone who typically receives a lot of mail? If so, an extra deep mailbox type is something that you should consider. They have room to hold more mail and larger documents. This feature will come in especially handy when you are out of town for a few days and cannot retrieve the mail until you return. These mailboxes have the extra length or width you need, compared to a standard mailbox, to make sure all of your mail fits safely without being too overly crowded.
Tip!
Size matters when it comes to finding the right mailbox. To discover the various mailbox sizes and which size is perfect for you, check out our mailbox size guide: Mailbox Sizes: How to Find the Right Size for Your Needs
Newspaper-Holder
If you are someone who loves reading the newspaper, a newspaper-holder feature is the perfect addition to your mailbox. This feature not only gives the newspaper a place that’s extra accessible, but it also reduces the amount of mail stuffed in your mailbox.
Address plaques are one way to decorate your mailbox while also making it easier for the mailman to know what box your mail goes in. These plaques are elegant, with bronze trim and warm lettering. They can be installed on top of your mailbox or on the bottom, giving you flexibility in where you’d like to showcase your home address.
If you don’t want to have a bland, dark-looking mailbox, then dress it up with mailbox decorations! Vinyl decorations can cover your entire mailbox in a variety of patterns that express your personality and decor style to liven up your mailbox and make it pop. There is also vinyl lettering you can put on your mailbox to list your last name or address if you don’t want to install an address plaque.
Keep your mail secure by installing locks and keys. This accessory can be very beneficial if your mailbox is around others or in a community space. Locks and keys for your mailbox ensures that your mail is not sifted through by anyone else other than those who have the key to your lock. Remember to give a key to your mail carrier so the mailman has access to your mailbox for your incoming mail.
Now that you know more about the various types of mailboxes, it’s time to shop for the right one for you!
