WizzBud—August 10, 2025✓ Verified purchase
Before I share my cautionary tale, this is a 5-star product because it functions exactly as described. It is durable and easy to use. I have not needed to change the batteries in the 2 years that I've had it. This is the only timed safe I have owned, so I don't have any point of reference in terms of the relative functionality and affordability of similar items, but I was willing to pay $80 for this and got what I was expecting. With that said, before buying this box, I think you should give careful consideration to the following two questions: 1. Whatever it is that you imagine putting inside it, are you better off having it in this box on a timer, or are you better off simply not having it in your house at all? 2. When the box unlocks, what are you going to do with the items inside? I bought this because I enjoy drinking—a little too much—and it was becoming a problem. Specifically, I have trouble stopping when I start. I didn't want to stop drinking completely (because drinking is fun), so I figured I could use this box to lock up my liquor for the week, have it unlock on Friday afternoon, and measure out how much I wanted to allow myself to drink for the night before locking it back up (until Saturday evening or whatever). The XL size is large enough to fit most 1.75L bottles of liquor, which is just about the only thing I have ever put inside it. At first, this approach was working pretty well. Locking the bottle up felt like a commitment to staying sober until it opened, so I was less inclined to buy drinks during the week in a moment of weakness. As much as I wanted to drink more after having what I had measured out, my "past self" wouldn't let me, and I wasn't in a position to argue. Here's the problem: I didn't need this box; I needed self-discipline. Putting things you buy into this box so that you can't use them is a sense of self-discipline, but it's a crippled one. Eventually, the strategy I described above broke down because it gave the alcohol too much power. Locking it up until Friday built up anticipation, and as soon as the box unlocked, the urge to drink had control over me until I exerted the willpower to lock it back up, which I didn't always have. One month ago, I decided I was tired of letting alcohol control me, and I have been sober since. I'm committed to going at least 90 days, which is how long I've heard it takes the cardiovascular system to recover from alcohol abuse, but I set this time period somewhat arbitrarily. And no, I'm not going to buy a bottle and put it in this box at 80 days. (The maximum lock-up duration is 10 days.) All I know is that I'm not going to allow alcohol in my house until I can control myself well enough to not need to lock it in this box, even for the evening. And maybe that day will never come. In either case, I may never use this box again. So, take my story for what it's worth to you. As an aside, I think it is very strange that "Quit Smoking" is in the title of this product. If you want to *quit* smoking, why would you lock them in a timed safe instead of just getting rid of them? Get a nicotine patch if that's the concern. Read more
Mr. Wizard—January 31, 2019✓ Verified purchase
Really impressed with this product. Provides 'will-power' in a way that really works. Useful for managing habits that might otherwise get out of control. Some of the reviews are a bit inaccurate: -The instructions say not to use it in a refrigerator. I guess moisture could condense and interfere with components or battery contacts. If whatever you're craving needs to be kept cold, you can certainly lock it in something, refrigerate or freeze that locked container, then keep the key to the container in the Kitchen Safe. -If you lock something inside your Kitchen Safe but need to get it out before the timer will allow, you can certainly use tools to break into the base. You'll have to buy a new base. XL base is available from Amazon. Other bases available from TheKitchenSafe.com -If you want to keep it locked for longer than 10 days, you can easily extend the time, while it is still locked, up to a maximum of 10 days. -Batteries last a long time. If the batteries die, the device will remain locked. When you replace the batteries the countdown will continue. The base of the unit I received had a very slight scoring. Wasn't cracked, or weakened, but it looked like it had been stressed when released from the mold used to make it. I took some pictures, and emailed the manufacturer via their website. Got an email back within an hour, asking for my address. Had a replacement base, in perfect condition, 2 days later, free of charge. (Though ground shipping was used, I'm about 60 miles from where the base was shipped from. Your actual time, in a similar situation, might be longer.) Excellent product. Outstanding service. Read more
LavenderLass—March 20, 2019✓ Verified purchase
This product works great. There's no way to break into it once you set the time and no way to reduce the time once you set it. You CAN add additional time after it's already been set though. I recommend starting with little amounts of time and building up as you see fit. I only use this for my cell phone. I use it to have tech-free days with my kids or on nights I can't sleep so that it's not the culprit of keeping me awake even later. The first time I used it I set it to 11pm to 11am the next day. It was a successful experiment in seeing how horribly addicted I am to my phone. One day I used it for 6 hours (9am to 3pm) and I forgot I picked up a work shift for that night starting at 3:45PM. In both cases, I wish I had only set the time for 3 hours. I've learned that I like it best when I set it in 1 hour increments. I get so much more house cleaning done while I have it locked away; I can check it once every hour for anything important and then lock it back up. Locking it up removes the temptation of "Oh, I'm JUST going to check if I got a text from so-and-so.....Oh I have an email....." Then it's down the rabbit hole of answering 5 emails, unsubscribing from marketing emails, getting a reminder for a library book that's due, someone just liked my picture on instagram, OMG I can't believe she took that picture, who is she dating now anyways? Whoa, what's this cool business she started, ooooo makeup, I love makeup, OMG there's a Buy 2 shades of lip color and get 1 free, what shades look best one me? ...... and on and on and on, it never ends. This product is a great amputation of our external organ, the cellular telephone. I shall now lock my phone away now because I just spent 15 minutes writing a review on Amazon. This is me living my best life. Read more
