Master Lock Black Wall Mount Key Lock Box with Push Button Code for Listings, Outdoor Key Safe for Realtors, Job Sites, Landlords and Property Managers, 5 Key Capacity, 5423D

Why I added a wall‑mount key box and how it fared

I installed this Master Lock wall‑mount key box beside a side entrance to solve a simple, persistent problem: getting keys to the right people without driving across town or hiding them in a planter. After a few months of daily use—through rain, cold mornings, and a few hurried code entries—I’ve got a good handle on what it does well, where it compromises, and how to get the most from it.

Installation and first impressions

Mounting is straightforward. The backplate has predrilled holes and the box ships with screws for wood. On siding or masonry, plan for anchors—tapcon or sleeve anchors if you’re going into brick or block. The housing is noticeably heavy and feels like actual metal, not pot-metal fluff. It sits flush and solid if you hit a stud or use proper anchors; sloppy mounting is the enemy of any lock box, so take the extra five minutes to do it right.

There’s a flip‑up weather cover that shields the keypad from rain and dirt. The cover hinge is basic but purposeful; it doesn’t feel fragile, and it deters casual glances at the buttons. Fit and finish are better than the price suggests: no rattles, tight seams, and the door seats securely.

Setting the code and daily use

Inside the open box you’ll find a simple, mechanical way to set your combination: a bank of tiny toggles (one per button) that you flip on to include in your code. No batteries, no electronics, and nothing to pair or update. It supports digits and letters, and you can’t use the same button twice in one code—so think in terms of unique characters.

Two usage quirks are worth noting:

• There’s a “clear” action to reset the keypad before you enter your code. If someone fat‑fingered a button before you, hit clear and start fresh.
• You must enter the code to close the door as well as to open it. That sounds annoying on paper, but in practice it trains good habits: I retrieve the key, do what I need to do, put it back, then re‑enter the code and close. It’s an extra two seconds that prevents walking off with the key.

The buttons have positive tactile feedback. In winter with thin gloves I could still manage the keypad without frustration. The open lever is easy to operate with one hand, and the action feels consistent—no gritty or mushy movement so far.

Capacity and what actually fits

The box is advertised to hold up to five keys. That’s technically true for flat house keys, but the interior is only about an inch deep. A modern car fob or chunky keychain will be a squeeze or a no‑go. For best results:

• Use loose, flat keys or minimal split rings.
• If you must store more than one, lay them flat and staggered.
• A small hack: I ran a tiny cup hook through the upper mounting hole so a single key hangs vertically—this prevents jamming when closing.

If you plan to store a card, fob, or anything thicker than a stacked pair of house keys, choose a larger box.

Weather resistance and upkeep

Mine lives outdoors with full exposure to rain. The cover does a good job keeping water and grit off the keypad, and the housing hasn’t shown rust or binding. Because it’s a mechanical keypad, occasional maintenance goes a long way:

• Blow out the keypad area with compressed air a few times a year.
• If buttons ever feel sticky, a tiny puff of dry graphite on the mechanism (not oil) keeps things moving.
• Inspect mounting screws annually; thermal cycling can loosen hardware on exterior cladding.

The door gasket isn’t meant to seal like a safe, but the interior has stayed dry enough that keys don’t tarnish or spot.

Security: what it is and what it isn’t

This is a convenience lock box, not a vault. Its security rests on three pillars: the sturdiness of the metal housing, the quality of the mounting, and the strength of your practices.

• The body is stout for its class. It will shrug off casual fiddling and light prying. Mounting it properly matters; backing it with solid wood or masonry drastically improves resistance to leverage attacks.
• The mechanical code is order‑agnostic: if your code uses buttons 1, 5, 7, and B, those can be pressed in any sequence. That’s a trade‑off of the push‑button design and something to understand before you deploy it in a high‑risk spot.
• Because buttons are unique, you can’t repeat a digit. Use more characters to increase the effort required to guess, rotate your code, and don’t choose obvious sets (year, street number, etc.).

Practical steps I recommend:

• Mount it where it’s not immediately visible from the street.
• Use at least five or six unique characters in the code.
• Change the code when guests, contractors, or employees no longer need access.
• Pair it with lighting or a camera if it’s guarding a frequently used entrance.

Could someone with tools eventually defeat it? Probably—just as they could a window or a deadbolt. Its job is to keep honest people honest, provide controlled access, and avoid the far less secure “rock on the stoop” practice. Used thoughtfully, it achieves that.

Everyday experience

In daily use, the box is dependable. The door opens cleanly when the correct buttons are pressed and shuts tight after re‑entering the code. The cover flips up without sticking, and the keypad doesn’t telegraph wear patterns that would give away the code. The requirement to re‑enter the code to close the door is the only behavior that drew grumbles from a couple of first‑time users, but everyone adapted quickly.

Two limitations to keep in mind:

• If you often need to store bulky fobs, choose a larger model. This one is best for traditional keys.
• If you want audit logs, app control, or remote code sharing, a smart lock box would fit better (with the usual trade‑offs in batteries, connectivity, and price).

Who it suits (and who it doesn’t)

This key safe makes a lot of sense for:

• Homeowners who need to give recurring access to cleaners, pet sitters, or family.
• Small businesses and job sites where multiple people need a key during the day.
• Landlords who want a durable, low‑maintenance way to hand off keys without scheduling gymnastics.

It’s less ideal for:

• Situations demanding high security or compliance logging.
• Storing car fobs or thick key bundles.
• Locations where it cannot be mounted to something solid.

Tips to get the most out of it

• Test‑fit the keys you intend to store before you bolt it up permanently.
• Use quality anchors and place it at a comfortable height for entry.
• Choose a longer, non‑obvious code and change it on a schedule.
• Keep the cover closed religiously; it’s there to keep grit out, which preserves the mechanism.

Recommendation

I recommend this Master Lock key box for anyone who needs a rugged, low‑maintenance way to share physical keys without drama. It’s well‑built for the price, easy to install, and refreshingly simple to operate. The mechanical keypad means no batteries to deal with, and the weather cover and metal body hold up outdoors. Its security model is appropriate for spare‑key access: solid enough to deter casual tampering, not a substitute for a safe. Know its limits (interior space, order‑agnostic code), follow good mounting and code practices, and it does exactly what it should—reliably. If you need to store bulky fobs or require audit trails, look to a larger or smart alternative; otherwise, this is a dependable, straightforward solution I’d use again.