A few weeks back, I wrote about my cable management experience. Even after using velcro wraps, the area next to my computer was a mess. This week, I want to examine another cable management product: the CableBox by BlueLounge.
The CableBox, which retails for $29.99, was designed to hide the usual rat’s nest of wires and cables found next to your computer or entertainment system, while also looking good in the process. So how did it stack up? Read on to find out…
The CableBox comes two flavors: white or black. It measures 6 inches wide by 15.6 inches tall; which makes the CableBox suitable enough for wide surge protectors.
Essentially, the CableBox is a plastic box with two slots on either side. The CableBox is made from flame retardant plastic. The plastic is light, but firm, and the finish is matted, not glossy. The bottom of the unit sports two elongated rubberized feet to keep the box from sliding around on hard surfaces.
The CableBox comes with a few tie-wraps for additional cable management.
The next two photos show the CableBox in action, as it were. There is no need to unplug your cables. Simply lift your surge protector and assorted wires and plop them into the CableBox. That’s it!
The lid fits nice and snug onto the base of the unit, which keeps your cables in place. There is plenty of extra space for additional cables and adapters.
The cables neatly sprout from either end of the unit.
And finally, here’s the “AFTER” shot showing the CableBox.
The CableBox is pricey for what essentially is a plastic box. I picked mine up on sale for $19.99 at Office Depot. The nearly $30 price seems excessive. At this price point, I would expect more cable management items to be included. A more reasonable price point would be $15. The price value is the main reason why the CableBox loses one Bob Weiner rating.
To be fair, BlueLounge’s solution is attractive and solves the cable management problem in an effective and elegant manner. It keeps your surge protector and wires in line and out of sight. The CableBox is a particularly practical solution if you have small pets or children around.
Aside from DIY boxes, the only practical alternative I’ve found to the CableBox is IKEA’s KVISSLE solution, which retails for only $10. The downside to the IKEA solution is that you need to make sure your cables have enough slack so as not to bring one of its ends off the ground.
The BlueLounge CableBox earns a 4 out of 5 Bob Weiners.
Andrew Glaeser
August 11, 2013 at 11:04 pmif it included mounted surge strips, including wide spot outlets (for your wall warts), it might be more worth the price….
it doesn’t look sturdy enough for me to mount my own strips to the side either though…
looks like DIY is where i am heading.
Krishna M. Sadasivam
August 16, 2013 at 8:25 amDIY would be the way to go if you have the means. I agree, a surge protector should be built-in to the unit. It’s a good idea, though – and I hope we get more competition on the cable organizing front.