I gave my mailbox this $29 smart upgrade and it’s a total game changer

[admin]

Remembering to get the mail can be annoying but with a smart mailbox sensor, you don’t have to worry about forgetting.

I gave my mailbox this $29 smart upgrade and it’s a total game changer : Read more

 

[jsblackii]

Doesn't the US postal service do this for free by email if you sign up? Informed delivery. And they take a picture of each piece of mail so you know what it is before you check. The best thing USPS has ever done. Maybe it's so fantastic no one believes it exists.

 

[lduvall]

The USPS's Informed Delivery service sends an email indicating when mail is arriving, and usually includes a photo of each piece. Actual delivery however can be delayed (thanks to dejoy?). There are plans for fabricating and installing a flag that drops down when the mailbox door has been opened - much more cost effective than a 'smart home' trinket, and probably less likely to be vanalised by those of the "you can't have nice things" crowd.

 

[mwcordell]

I love Smart Home tech but is it that hard to just check your mailbox once a day?

 

[Chuck2024]

Doesn't the US postal service do this for free by email if you sign up? Informed delivery. And they take a picture of each piece of mail so you know what it is before you check. The best thing USPS has ever done. Maybe it's so fantastic no one believes it exists.

Yes it does but it's nice to know when it has been delivered.

 

[Chuck2024]

If you can see your mailb ox door, just attaches something like a large door hinge to the door so it changes position when the door has opened because of mail delivery. Reset it when you get the mail. Easy and costs $4 I have it and it always works and no false triggers.

 

[SolarWorld]

I have been using this mailbox sensor for almost 3 years. It provides timely notifications. The only gripe is the batteries llast for 2 to 3 months depending on seasons (in Texas).

 

[SolarWorld]

I love Smart Home tech but is it that hard to just check your mailbox once a day?

It can be - if you are expecting a specific piece of mail/package and would prefer to collect from your mailbox as soon as it is delivered instead of letting it sit in the mailbox all afternoon while exposed to elements like heat/cold and/or potential thieves.

 

[SolarWorld]

The USPS's Informed Delivery service sends an email indicating when mail is arriving, and usually includes a photo of each piece. Actual delivery however can be delayed (thanks to dejoy?). There are plans for fabricating and installing a flag that drops down when the mailbox door has been opened - much more cost effective than a 'smart home' trinket, and probably less likely to be vanalised by those of the "you can't have nice things" crowd.

That flag, if and when offered, might be helpful for those who have direct line of sight to their mailboxes. Not to mention it would be optional to install (similar to mail pickup red flag). Also it might cost a lot more than the $30 sensor, if one needs to literally do brick-n-mortar work for just a flag. Finally, what if someone else lowers the flag after stealing your package. The flag can't tell if the mailbox was opened by someone. Too many possibilities for USPS R&D to consider.

 

[Smurfe]

As others have said, I have gotten a daily email for years showing scans of pieces of mail coming to my mailbox, a list of packages to be delivered, and certified mail delivery attempts. Here recently, I have been getting real time delivery notifications through email.

 

[Brad_S]

If you can your mailbox door, just attaches something like a large door hinge to the door so it changes position when the door has opened because of mail delivery. Reset it when you get the mail. Easy and costs $4

I have that on my mailbox. It constantly gets stuck down and is unreliable. That said, this mailbox sensor goes offline from time to time for no reason, so isn't 100% reliable. It also triggers sometimes for no reason... when I get the notification I check the cameras it triggers to see if there's a mail vehicle there. (Also found when my neighbor put my mail in there that the post office misdelivered. )

 

[Brad_S]

The USPS's Informed Delivery service sends an email indicating when mail is arriving, and usually includes a photo of each piece. Actual delivery however can be delayed (thanks to dejoy?). There are plans for fabricating and installing a flag that drops down when the mailbox door has been opened - much more cost effective than a 'smart home' trinket, and probably less likely to be vanalised by those of the "you can't have nice things" crowd.

Informed Delivery tells you what you should be getting. Doesn't always come that day, and no idea when during the day it is coming. I've also received mail when it doesn't show up in Informed Delivery (especially advertising mail but also first class mail).

 

[Brad_S]

Remembering to get the mail can be annoying but with a smart mailbox sensor, you don’t have to worry about forgetting.

I gave my mailbox this $29 smart upgrade and it’s a total game changer : Read more

Some thoughts since I've had this for about 2 years.

1) Batteries last 2 1/2-3 months, show at least 25-30% capacity one day, then suddenly it goes offline, or off/on a lot, then when it comes back shows a very low number. Used Duracell (regular and powerboost), Energizer (regular, max), all last about the same.
2) Not 100% reliable, plus false alarms. But mostly reliable.
3) "You've got mail"? You mean I'm not the only one? I have the Ring app on android phones and tablets, on the phones I managed (with great difficulty) to get AOL's gotmail.wav to play when it triggers. Thought I was the only oddball (although to be honest, your article suggests maybe you recorded your own message, and it might not even say that same thing.
4) Not sure if you get the notifications without subscribing to their monitoring. I already have the $100/year plan with 4 cameras (one is a doorbell); with that you have unlimited devices, rather than $30/year per device.
5) I have it at the back of my mailbox (faces the house); will be replacing the mailbox, at which time I will velcro it to the back (right now it's just standing there). You need to take it out to easily get to it to change the batteries, seemed the logical way to go. And it's a plastic or rubber box, I have no external antenna. While I sometimes have a signal problem, I don't believe that's accurate since it normally shows a good signal.

 

[lduvall]

That flag, if and when offered, might be helpful for those who have direct line of sight to their mailboxes. Not to mention it would be optional to install (similar to mail pickup red flag). Also it might cost a lot more than the $30 sensor, if one needs to literally do brick-n-mortar work for just a flag. Finally, what if someone else lowers the flag after stealing your package. The flag can't tell if the mailbox was opened by someone. Too many possibilities for USPS R&D to consider.

Line of sight required, true. There is no true one solution fits all. I wonder how well the "Smart Home option" works for someone on the top, back corner unit of a multi-storied condo?

 

[Chuck2024]

Line of sight required, true. There is no true one solution fits all. I wonder how well the "Smart Home option" works for someone on the top, back corner unit of a multi-storied condo?

Flag already sold on Amazon for $15 attaches to side of box and door

 

[TallTexan62]

What's the point of knowing when something is in your box if it's worthless junk mail? I love Informed Delivery, it allows me to screen my mail and only check the box when something important arrives. Sometimes I don't check my box for up to two weeks, but usually once a week or so to clear out the junk mail.

 

[ajx8141]

Around the time this product was released, USPS also released Mail Delivery Notifications as part of informed delivery. The timing is pretty accurate as well. Here’s the text from my email as an example:

Your mail has been delivered today,
June 20!​

Please note that Mail Delivery Notifications are not assurances that a specific mailpiece visible in your Informed Delivery Daily Digest Email or Dashboard has been delivered.

 

[Anthony Spadafora]

Doesn't the US postal service do this for free by email if you sign up? Informed delivery. And they take a picture of each piece of mail so you know what it is before you check. The best thing USPS has ever done. Maybe it's so fantastic no one believes it exists.

So I discussed this in my original piece about the Ring Smart Mailbox Sensor two years ago. This story was more of a recap/how to after getting a new mailbox and needing to replace the sensor. Informed Delivery is great the problem this sensor solved for me was the mail piling up along with remembering to check the mail.

 

[Chuck2024]

Around the time this product was released, USPS also released Mail Delivery Notifications as part of informed delivery. The timing is pretty accurate as well. Here’s the text from my email as an example:

Your mail has been delivered today,​

June 20!​

Please note that Mail Delivery Notifications are not assurances that a specific mailpiece visible in your Informed Delivery Daily Digest Email or Dashboard has been delivered.

I have never seen that offered by me. Only mail sent with a tracking number, not regular mail.

 

[Brad_S]

So I discussed this in my original piece about the Ring Smart Mailbox Sensor two years ago. This story was more of a recap/how to after getting a new mailbox and needing to replace the sensor. Informed Delivery is great the problem this sensor solved for me was the mail piling up along with remembering to check the mail.

I can't find an option to be notified about mail being delivered, just about upcoming mail. I thought I found it, set a number of options, then when I saved it it said my package settings had been changed; that's when I found it was indeed package settings.

Tried the USPS app; still not there.

Maybe it's only available in some areas.... or for some mail (e.g., trackable mail -- certified, etc.)

Sorry, didn't see the above post until after I posted mine.