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Performs its function appropriately for the price

Though this is not a toy box (by which I mean it does NOT include safety features like air holes), it was a cheap solution to my toddler’s accumulation of messy looking toys in the backyard. I didn’t want to carry dirt-encrusted toys into my house, and I couldn’t stand to look at them any longer.

This comes flat. I assembled it myself in a few minutes without tools. It takes heavy pressure to pop the pieces together, but an average woman like myself can manage it. It looks fine, but it is not perfectly square and smooth. The plastic sides are thin enough that they can flex a bit and be slightly bowed.

The lid is not hinged. It simply sits on top of the box. The lid is not water-tight. If you store it in the open outdoors, objects inside will get wet/damp when it rains. For plastic toys, this hasn’t been a problem for me.

An average size adult can sit on the lid and use it as a bench. It is only wide enough for one person. I don’t know the maximum weight limit, but we’ve put about 175 pounds on it. It is slightly shifty/wobbly, so I wouldn’t let a really large person sit on it, nor would I let a child climb on it as a toy. The lid could shift, etc.

I like it well enough that I’m considering getting a larger (wider) box like this for our front porch to hide a snow shovel and sand in the winter, and our beach toys and broom in the summer. I’m trying to find one assembled in a store to check out first, however, because a larger bench could be dangerous unless it is built a bit more sturdily than this small one.

Update (5/19/2012): This item is currently on sale here for the lowest price I’ve seen.

The featured review for this product, Suncast SS1000 Storage Seat Lawn & Patio Apr 28, 2006, was written by K. Levin.

The average rating for this item is 4.7 out of 5 stars, according to 3 reviews.