A toy box is also an essential item to keep the kids’ toys organized. However, the lid is a little too heavy for young kids to use, and so building a toy box that works for your child’s abilities is the key to encouraging them to keep their toys in the same place.
So, what are the best soft close hinges for toy boxes? The best soft close hinges should make the doors on the toy box easier to open and safer, especially for kids that don’t know how to work doors too well just yet. They shouldn’t be able to pinch small fingers.
There are a few designs and mechanisms on the market, and if you don’t know which one will be the most suitable, this guide will help you decide which soft close hinges are best for your little ones.
Different Types Of Toy Box Hinges
A hinge is a mechanism that’s attached to a lid of a box or a door of a cabinet. Some hinges are supported by a counterbalanced pressure that allows the user to swing open the lid or door without much effort.
At the same time, the spring-loaded function of these hinges helps keep the toy box lid functional so that you don’t accidentally slam it. These can also be used in combination with built-in hinges that can be mounted on the inside of the box or cabinet.
There are various types of hinges. The most popular type is the folding lid, which is commonly used for chest lid and desk support. It allows the user to close the lid without taking up too much space inside the box.
However, folding lids can cause accidental release, so they’re not great for children who may not have the strength to open and close this lid mechanism.
A slow closing lid is ideal for kids since it can keep the door open while your child is playing. The soft close hinge provides enough resistance to prevent it from slamming shut accidentally.
Soft close hinges are designed to open at an angle and hold the lid open on its own so that you can safely access the toy box without a lot of effort. Then, the lid can be closed with a slight push without having to slam it shut. This design is ideal for children who may not be able to support the weight of a heavy lid.
Having the proper safety hinges for the toy box is key to ensuring your child’s safety while keeping the toy box functional and useful for your little one.
What To Consider When Buying Hinges For Toy Box
A toy box can be too heavy for a child to handle. If the lid gets too heavy, a soft-close latch may be installed on the toy box to make it easier for the child.
There are actually quite a few designs for soft close toy boxes, so let’s take a look at some important factors to consider below.
Weight Capacity
The hinges should be able to support the weight of the lid. If you have a large toy box, a single strut might not be able to support the whole weight, causing the hinge to work improperly (or not work at all).
When you purchase the hinges, it’s best to check how much weight the hinges can support and compare that with the weight of the lid. In most instances, the hinges can support quite a bit of weight, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Material Quality
One of the most important things to think about when choosing hinges is the material, especially whether it has a rust-proof ability and an anti-corrosion and weather-resistant coating. This type of coating will prevent the metal from getting damaged.
A lot of soft close hinges that you can buy nowadays are made from zinc alloy with a nickel finish. Cold-rolled steel hinges are another durable and affordable option as well. Ideally, the material should be durable and sturdy, but it should also resist the effects of oxidation as well.
To keep the hinges performing well over time, you should also occasionally wipe away any dust and grease that are trapped in the hinges. Materials like zinc alloy are quite easy to keep clean.
Lid Angle
The angle at which you can open the lid determines the area of the box that you can access. Soft-close hinges are quite useful because they can prop open the lid on their own, and you can manually close the lid with a little push.
There are a few options for lid angles, ranging from 75° (a small angle) to 105° (a very large opening). Obviously, the large opening is easier to organize, but if you have a small little one, they may not be able to close it by themselves.
Installation
The hinges won’t work if you can’t install them on your toy box. A common mistake that novice users make is improperly placing drill holes, making it difficult to install the hinges.
There are various ways to install hinges on a toy box lid. Before installing, you will need to make sure to thoroughly measure the area where the hinges will be installed.
Most of the time, the hinges can be used for either top-mounting or side-mounting. So it’s important to note what type of hinge you are buying before measuring and drilling into your toy box.
If you are a novice, it is best to buy a hinge that is easy to install or comes with very clear instructions. The hinge will only work if it is properly installed!
Tools required
Getting started with the installation of toy box hinges is relatively easy, but you will need a few basic tools like a handheld drill, an Allen wrench, and a screwdriver.
If you don’t have these tools or don’t know how to use them, you won’t be able to install the hinges. In this case, it may be better to get a professional to help install the hinges for you.
Best Soft Close Hinges For Toy Boxes
So, what are the best soft close hinges for your toy boxes? For function, you should consider how heavy the lid is and whether your child can safely operate it without assistance. Depending on your skills and preference, you can also opt for the ones that are easy to install and easy to maintain.
Let’s take a look at some of the best options on the market here.
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Douper Heavy Duty Soft Close Lid Support Hinges | Gentle close system, padded, reliable |
| 2. | Rockler Lid-Stay Torsion Soft Close Hinges | Quick-release, slow close, safe and durable |
| 3. | Blum Clip Top BLUMOTION Soft Close Hinges | Deactivation switch, smooth close |
| 4. | NAIERDI Lift Support Soft Close Hinges | Safe, smooth close, quiet |
| 5. | Lid Stay Hinge | Corrosion resistant, anti-rust |
| 6. | Morinbo Soft CloseToy Box Hinges | Hydraulic damping, safe, 90 degree open |
| 7. | Heavy Duty Lid Support Hinges | Heavy duty, extra strong |
| 8. | Kocent Lid Stay Soft Close Hinge | Easy to install, hold up to 8 lbs each |
| 9. | Tidorlou Folding Lid Support Hinge | 360 degree open, locks in place |
1. Douper Heavy Duty Soft Close Lid Support Hinges
The Douper Soft Close Hinges provide a safe, convenient soft-close mechanism that can withstand a maximum of 30 pounds.
The 75 degree to 105-degree angle ensures easy access for children, ensuring that your child will always have access to the box for easy organization.
The gentle close system reduces noise, and the hinge opens from the side instead of from the back to make it easier when opening and closing the lid, making it extra easy to access the box from either side.
These lid support hinges provide gentle, even, reliable closure for your toy box or chest, creating a softer and more padded close.
Designed with a young family in mind, this is an effective and reliable soft-close mechanism that can make opening or closing a large toy box quite effortless.
2. Rockler Lid-Stay Torsion Soft Close Hinges
Featuring a durable design and an easy installation process, these Lid-Stay hinges are the perfect way to add safety and fun to any toy box.
These soft close hinges add great functionality and safety to your toy box. They feature soft, quick-release action to prevent pinched fingers and allow the lid to stay open at any position up to 90˚, making it easier for kids of all ages to reach their toys.
The soft release is activated by a special bar that pushes on an internal torsion spring. With a little bit of pressure, the lid can slowly close, preventing it from slamming into your fingers.
Crafted for safety and durability, this innovative design features brass-plated steel hinges that attach to the outside edge of the lid so it can support any size lid. If you want to support more weight, you can also use more hinges, so this versatile design can work well with any toy box!
3. Blum Clip Top BLUMOTION Soft Close Hinges
The sleek, low-profile design of the Blumotion soft close hinge system provides a three-dimensional (3D) adjustment that allows for a 6-way closure that nicely complements the 3D features built into other Blumotion products.
The Blumotion soft-close hinges include an exclusive deactivation switch that prevents the door from slamming shut.
These hinges are designed to be installed on the side for doors that open sideways, but that doesn’t mean they’re not highly effective at keeping your child safe.
If you’re looking to build a toy box that will last a lifetime of play, then these Blumotion soft-close built-in hinges can really get the job done. Blumotion offers easy installation, smooth operation, durability, and the look and style you are looking for!
4. NAIERDI Lift Support Soft Close Hinges
The NAIERDI Lift Support Soft Close Hinges are specially designed for the safe and quiet closing of toy boxes.
Made of copper core and zinc plating, it will not rust and provide soft closing support to ensure that your child can have easy access to their toys whenever they want and can keep the toys organized.
The hinges are easy to install and fit a variety of toy box designs. You will enjoy the safety and smoothness when you open and close your toy box with these hinges.
The hinges can support 22 lbs per hinge, and you can add more hinges to support more weight if needed.
5. Lid Stay Hinge
These soft close hinges are reliable solutions to keep your toy box lid open when needed and then automatically and quietly close it when no longer in use.
Each hinge can support 10-18 lbs of weight, and the hinges are installed on the two sides of the lid to support its weight.
These soft close hinges are made of zinc alloy with multi-layer electroplating solid process casting, which makes them corrosion resistant and anti-rust. All these ensure that the hinges are durable and reliable for a long time.
This design is one of the easiest hinge designs to install, so you don’t have to know a lot about handiwork to safely install them. This is a great safety solution that can make playtime even more pleasant for your little ones!
6. Morinbo Soft CloseToy Box Hinges
These hinges are great for any toy box or storage chest. The hinges are made of nickel-plated steel and plastic that are sturdy enough to support 11-13 lbs of weight, and you can double the pressure by using one hinge on each side of the toy box.
These hinges were designed with safety in mind; they will hold the lid open at a maximum angle of 90 degrees for convenience and will close slowly with a push, so you’re never accidentally slamming down the lid.
With the integrated hydraulic damping device, these hinges can be quite sturdy and offer effortless control over the lid.
You don’t have to worry about the lid being too heavy or too bulky; these hinges can still do their job and keep your child’s play area accidents-free.
7. Heavy Duty Lid Support Hinges
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These Heavy Duty Lid Support Hinges for toy boxes are made of high-strength zinc alloy with maximum resistance to corrosion and durability.
They are designed for supporting up to 50 lbs (2 pieces), keeping the lid open and soft close when needed, and allowing you to adjust the door open angle of 75°, 90°, 110° when needed.
Whether you need to quickly and quietly open your toy box or wish to keep it open during play hours, these hinges can support the right-angle adjustment to meet almost any need.
The hinges are built to be very safe and reliable, which is just what you need when designing a toy box for a young child.
8. Kocent Lid Stay Soft Close Hinge
These Kocent soft-close hinges work great on most toy boxes and storage chests. Their compact design is great for installation in tight-fit areas – they can bend to fit almost any space.
Made of premium quality zinc alloy, these durable hinges have a chrome-plated finish and are strong and reliable, while their professional-style appearance will look beautiful on any storage chest or toy boxes.
Each hinge can support a weight of up to 8 lbs, which is great for a small toy box for your child.
These soft-close Kocent drawer hinges are easy to install using only a standard Phillips screwdriver, so it should be a quick and simple project that can pay off for a long time.
9. Tidorlou Folding Lid Support Hinge
Tidorlou is a 360° lid support hinge for toy boxes. It is a highly convenient and adjustable design that can serve a wide range of purposes.
It is designed with adjustable tension to help the hinge support up to 40lbs in weight. This design also allows the lid to open 360 degrees and will stay put in whatever stop angle when you open it, which makes it extra convenient.
This is an innovative hinge design that solves many design issues associated with hinges and lids of toy boxes.
With high-quality zinc alloy material, it is durable, rust-resistant, and wear-resistant, which is highly desirable in something that can serve you for years to come.
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