Your Buying Guide to Pill Boxes

If you travel a lot or just stay at home and you take multiple vitamins and medication, you would need a pill box to organize these so, that you would be able to drink your medicine at the correct dosage and at the right time.  There are several pill boxes available online and at a drugstore so, we'll be discussing the different types of pill boxes, what other buyers are saying, what to look out for as well as some of the most popular pill box brands.

Types of Pill Boxes

Standard Pill Boxes

Pill boxes should be moisture proof, air tight, and with a tight lid to prevent spilling. The basic plastic pill box is rectangular in shape with seven compartments with a large initial signifying each day of the week. Usually, each compartment has a separate lid that snaps open and closed. These basic boxes range in size so consumers should pick a size that accommodates the number of pills needed each day. The variations in this design are two-week boxes and monthly boxes.

If the one-week design is preferred, but people want to fill more than one, they can purchase several boxes. The drawback to this design is that the person needs to remember what each pill is for and when to take it. Additionally, the compartments are often the same color, which may cause errors and the initials for the days of the week are not useful for people with vision problems. However, for people with limited medications, the basic pill box is effective at organizing.

Upgraded pill boxes provide more options. People can find boxes with color coded compartments, Braille encoded boxes, and boxes in different languages. Boxes that separate daily medications according to morning and night are available. Even more useful are pill boxes that have four compartments for each day. Variations in designs include daily compartments that line up horizontally or vertically in a tray, and are separately portable.

Novelty Pill Boxes

Pill boxes are also available that depart from the plastic design. All sorts of pill boxes are available with more style and flair. They take square, rectangular, and circular shapes and are made from a variety of materials including plastic, wood, and metal. Styling and ornamentation on pill boxes can suit every person. Designs include wood pill boxes, uplifting slogans, carved wood, etched metal, images of wildlife or nature scenes, and funny sayings.

Pill Boxes with Attachments

The pill fob is a short cylinder with a hole for a key ring. The pill box with lanyard is a container in any shape or material that is attached to a lanyard worn around the neck. The advantages of these types of pill boxes lie in their portability, the decreased likelihood of being lost, and the increased visibility, which may increase proper medication usage. Consumers can find other variations like a pill box pen with a clip that can attach to a bag or a shirt pocket. People can also find pill boxes that attach to the body and are also style statements, in the form of pill box jewelry. Many people would like to remember all their pills but would rather wear pill box necklaces, brooches, or bracelets, which organize less pills.

Electronic Pill Boxes

Electronic or digital pill boxes, also known as pill reminder boxes add intelligence to the pill box. Electronic pill boxes have varying features. Basic electronic organizers will remember which pill is necessary to take and will sound an alarm until the pill is taken. Alarms vary according to device so consumers can look for visual, audible, and vibrating alarms. Some people, especially those with memory loss can find devices that offer a data viewing screen to inform patients of the type of medication, what it is for, and the dosage. Audible medical information is another option.

Additionally, devices can monitor the medication that is dispensed and analyze the dosing habits of the person. This information is then uploaded via a telephone, USB, or smartphone port to a computing device or directly to a physician or caregiver. Some devices offer a monthly service plan for such services and also offer SMS text reminders and reminders to refill prescriptions. Some electronic pill boxes have locks which prevent children from accessing medication and lock the device after a medication dosage to prevent double dosing. Some devices are actually pill dispensers that have mechanisms like rotating compartments that dispense the correct pill into a slot.

Vintage and Antique Pill Boxes

People who have limited medications and are looking for a little more style in their pill boxes can find vintage or antique pill boxes. Vintage is 20 to 25 years old and antique is 100 years old or more. Most pill boxes in this genre will be made of wood or metal, and come in different shapes, sizes, and designs.

What Other Buyers Are Saying

If you have a lot of pills that you use to medicate your condition, it's best to buy a pill box or organizer so, you can take the right medicine at the right time and at the right dosage.  But before you buy one, be sure to read the reviews that customers have left so, that you would be abler to check out their opinion about the product they have purchased.  Here are some feedback that a popular brand of pill box in the UK has received:

This came boxed and would make a great present for someone on a lot of medication or someone that has to take regular medication. It's a very good way of ensuring medications are organised and taken at the right time.
What a brilliant design!
It is made of a strong plastic, the boxes work exceptionally well to replace the days in a system of rotation. I usually leave till the Sunday night and refill for the week again.
The individual pill boxes have five sections. Width 2cm x length 3.5cm and depth of each box is 2cm. The first one is slightly larger for more meds - Width 3cm x length 3.5cm, depth 2cm, morning, noon, evening and night and when required.
The clear plastic lid glides effortlessly till the last compartment and stops. This is particularly good with people with arthritic hands. To get the meds from the when required section you can slide the other way, once again it stops just to allow access to the when req. meds. You can also slide the lid completely off, It is best to submerge in soapy water to wash before use, making sure it is completely dry before use.
I am so pleased that there is something like this available for people that take many medications at various times and have a section for 'when required' meds. As this you don't find on a lot of the usual pill boxes. This has been designed very well.
It's clear concise easy to use. I chose the rainbow design so even if there is slight chance of confusion the colours are easy to follow, of the rainbow. 'Brain fog!'
You can take the days medication out with you and have your tablets available when they are due and those ones you need to take when required.
On the back there is a place that all medication can be written and when it should be taken at what time and if required before or after food.
You can photo copy this to make more copies for your box.
There is No Braille on this case so would be unsuitable for the blind or poor sighted.
If you are anything like me or know someone who has to take many tablets, this would make a fantastic gift. It's brilliant, wished I'd have found this sooner!
I would highly recommend this product.

Very easy to use and convenient to sort out the weeks pills.
The colour coding makes it easy for the patient but sliding the tops can be a bit difficult for arthritic hands and even I have not always slid the cover back properly and then could not get it back in the main container, not enough room unless fully closed. I did use an application if candle wax to make the top glide better. Moderately successful.
It is the sliding of the top that has made me give it a less than perfect score. For use by infirm, elderly patients it is not ideal.

This is advertised as suitable for those with arthritic hands. I bought it for my mum as she had been unwell and was confused by the number of pills and times of day she needed to take them, so I thought I could fill this for her and then she could use them on a daily basis. When I took it to her, she couldn't slide open the top to get to the contents. I tried it myself and without arthritis, I found it quite stiff. I had to return it and buy another product which she has had no problem with. This one is certainly no good for anyone with any weakness in their hands or fingers.

What to Look Out for

Before buying a pill box, consider the type that you wish to purchase.  If you often forget things, you need an electronic pill organizer so, that it would sound off to remind you that you need to take your medication.  Also, take the materials that made a pill box into consideration as it should be durable enough to last you for many years. 

Most Popular Brands

Anabox - is a popular brand in the UK that manufactures pill boxes, which can contain a week's worth of medication.  The good thing about is that its mini boxes are color coded so, that it would help you take the right medicine on a daily basis.

Medisure - is a brand that makes pill boxes with 28 compartments where 4 are used for each day (morning, noon, evening, bed time). 

Age UK - is a brand that makes pill wallets which are discreet in design and proceeds of their sale go to future aid and research.