Quick verdict
A replacement hydraulic gas strut hinge for the Keter deck boxes that use the SOP hinge pattern, the Borneo, Brightwood, Brushwood, Sumatra, Darwin, Eastwood, Westwood, Rockwood and 165 gallon boxes, fitting either side with the original screws, so a lid that slams down or will not stay open is held up again safely. The strut is the first thing to fail on a deck box, and without it the lid is a trap for fingers and the box is left open to the rain. One strut per pack; the box usually has two and only one has failed. Check the hinge pattern, since Keter uses several.
Strengths
- Restores a deck box lid that slams or drops
- Fits the SOP hinge pattern used on many Keter boxes
- Fits left or right with the original screws
- Hydraulic strut; no pinched fingers
- Far cheaper than a new box
Weaknesses
- SOP pattern only; not NPS, TON, W26P or WLPS hinges
- Screws not included; keep the originals
- One strut per pack
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
The Lid That Fell on Your Hand
A deck box lid is held open by a gas strut, and the strut is the part that gives up after a few summers: the lid slams, or will not stay up, and someone gets their fingers caught reaching for a cushion. Hoomwell’s strut is a replacement for the SOP hinge pattern on the common Keter boxes, fitted either side with the original screws.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how replacement gas strut hinges fit and wear on resin deck boxes generally. We have not fitted this strut ourselves and it is a third-party part, not from Keter.
Checking the Pattern
Keter uses several hinge designs and they are not interchangeable. The name is moulded on the old hinge: SOP is the one this fits, on the Darwin, Borneo, Brightwood, Brushwood, Sumatra, Eastwood, Westwood, Rockwood and 165 gallon boxes. NPS, TON, W26P and WLPS hinges need their own part, as the listing warns.
Fitting
Open the lid and prop it. Unscrew the failed strut from the lid and from the box body, keeping the screws, which are not in the pack. Screw the new strut into the same holes on the same side, lower the lid slowly and watch it hold at the open position. Five minutes. If the other strut is the same age, do that one too.
Why They Fail
A gas strut loses pressure over years in sun and cold, and a lid caught by wind levers the mounts. Three to five years is normal and the box itself lasts far longer, which is why the strut is sold on its own.
Safety
A lid that drops is a real hazard for children reaching into the box. A working strut holds the lid open hands-free and lowers it under control.
Value
The part costs a fraction of the box and turns a box that is left open to the rain back into a dry store for the cushions.
Who Should Buy It
- Keter deck box owners whose lid slams.
- Anyone with a box left open because the lid will not stay up.
- Parents with children and a deck box.
Common Owner Complaints
Ordering for the wrong hinge pattern. Read the name on the old hinge.
Care
Close the lid in wind rather than leaving it propped, which is what strains the new strut.
Alternatives to Consider
A Keter original strut if the maker stocks it. Struts for the other hinge patterns. A prop stick, which is what people use meanwhile.
Verdict
For a Keter deck box with a lid that drops, a new strut is a five-minute repair and this one fits the SOP boxes either side. Check the hinge name, keep the screws and do both sides.
Full specifications
Hoomwell Lid Hinge Gas Strut Replacement for Keter Borneo, Brightwood, Eastwood, Rockwood, Sumatra, Westwood and 165 Gallon Deck Boxes, SOP Pattern FAQs
The pattern name is moulded on the old hinge or in the box manual: SOP fits this strut; NPS, TON, W26P and WLPS do not. The model list in the listing is the second check.
Open the lid and support it, unscrew the failed strut from the lid and the body, screw the new one in the same holes with the same screws and lower the lid to check it holds.
Gas struts lose pressure with age and sun, and a lid left open in wind strains the mounts. A few years is a normal life.
If one has gone the other is the same age. Many owners buy two and do both.
