BREO BOX is a men's and women's lifestyle subscription box that costs $159 per quarter and has a focus on the latest tech, home goods, and health & fitness items. This box was voted by our readers as one of the best women's subscription boxes of 2021.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $15 off your first box!
CODE: MSA
Ships to: The continental U.S. for free ($30 to HI, AK, and U.S. territories), Canada for $35 ($90 for remote territories), and worldwide at varying rates.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
Opening The Box
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BREO BOX items are all packed neatly in a gigantic box made of matte cardboard, and protected in a duster bag. The boxes are high-quality, with a magnetic closure and a ribbon pull-tab, and are awesome for storage. I haven't figured out a use for the duster bags yet, though I did Shibori dye last quarter's just for fun! The shape is wide and shallow, almost like an IKEA shopping bag, so maybe they would be good for storing pillows or blankets inside.
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BREO also always includes a detailed information booklet that lists each item in the box, points out some key features, and even gives instructions for how to use it. Sometimes the gadgets in this box are a little confounding at first, so the care they take to make sure you know how to use what you're sent goes a long way.
Here's What's Inside
Sanwick Classic Night Swannies — Retail Value $69
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The first item in the box is these blue light glasses. They have black frames and orange-ish lenses. Rather than being glasses meant to wear while you're looking at a screen, this pair is for wearing continuously 1-2 hours prior to bed to help regulate your circadian rhythm. They recommend waiting to take them off until your lights are off. They also come with a storage pouch and a cleaning cloth (plus a sticker to rep the brand if you're into that kind of thing). The glasses seem well-made and fit comfortably, but man, for some reason the storage bag and cleaning cloth smell so strongly—and not in a good way! I can't figure out how to describe the scent other than a chemical-ish smell. It's so oddly intense that I just decided to throw them both away. We're more of a clean-your-glasses-on-your-shirt type of family anyway.
I have light-colored eyes and have always been really sensitive to bright lights, so the intense orange glow that everything around me gained when I put these glasses on was just too much for me. My husband, however, has hazel eyes and loved how it felt to look through them. We've been having a good laugh here in our home because he says they make him happier and he doesn't want to take them off. His job does not put him in front of a computer throughout the day so he doesn't actually wear them all day, but he's been enjoying them in the evening. It's hard to say if they help him sleep because, as you can see from Exhibit A, we have other reasons why our sleep is disrupted lately. But if they do what they say they'll do, we have reason to believe they'll help him settle in for the night over time.
CleanLight Air by KeySmart — Retail Value $119 (also found on Amazon for $99.99)
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In these days of living through a lingering pandemic, an air purifier is kind of the greatest thing you could possibly receive in a subscription box! This one uses UV-C rays to kill 99.99% of germs and bacteria in a 161 square-foot area, and it's the size of a coffee mug, so you can keep it in the cup holder of your car if you so choose. Sounds like an awesome option for someone who works in the rideshare industry! I put it right on my nightstand because I was contending with some overnight coughing at the tail end of a cold when my BREO BOX arrived. Magically I didn't cough overnight that night, although it's hard to know if it was because of the purifier or just because I was about better.
Experience-wise, the purifier is really quiet, which is great for nighttime use. But—funnily enough for the product following the blue light glasses—its power button shines a bright blue light through the darkness of my bedroom. And when it's on, it has a blinking blue ring on top to indicate that it's in use. I am a really sound sleeper, so the light really didn't bother me at all, but I think had my husband been in the room with me (he decided to sleep elsewhere so my coughing wouldn't wake him up) it would've been an issue for him. I did a little light Google research about how to turn the light off, and users seem to think there's no way to do it; that the light is necessary to indicate that the purifier is functioning since it's so quiet.
Rain Torch by KeySmart — Retail Value $69.99 (currently on sale for $49.99)
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This umbrella with a flashlight on the handle is kind of genius. I have certainly received items from this box that seem superfluous, but this one is straight-up useful. The flashlight is positioned at the base of the handle, but the handle turns so satisfyingly so that the light can tilt up and out, rather than pointing straight down to the ground. It's angled to light the path your feet are walking, rather than being pointed up at eye level. The only concern I can see having about this umbrella is that umbrellas are so easy to forget or misplace, and it would be such a bummer to lose. But otherwise, it's really rad and I'm pumped to own it.
Trip Mitts by Trip Wipes — Estimated Value $9.83 (Buy a 3-pack for $29.50)
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I unpacked these mitt-shaped alcohol wipes expecting them to be the "throwaway item" of the box, but they turned out to be the dark horse winner for me. I gave the dashboard, console, and inner door handles of my car a good wipe down with one and man did I see an improvement. This pack comes with 10 mitts and once they're through I can absolutely see myself buying more. They do have a strong alcohol scent when you pull one out, but it dissipates quickly and is very effective in cleaning off dirt and grime that's been there for far too long.
This is an odd angle, but it allows you to see how the mitts are lined with a plastic-glove-like material to protect your hand from the moisture of the wipe. It's a really nice touch! I almost took an "after" shot of my mitt post-car-clean, but it was pretty gross. In a satisfying way.
Grillight 2-piece LED Tool Set — Retail Value $49.97 (also found on Amazon for $44.95)
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Some of you may recall from last quarter's BREO review that I don't own a grill. Snazzy grill items aren't uncommon to receive in this box, so my grilling fanatic neighbors are reaping the benefits of my subscription. This restaurant-grade 430 stainless steel spatula and tongs are equipped with little flashlights inside so you can grill at night, or I guess just to see what you're cooking better in general. I can't speak to how well they work, but my neighbor threw her arms up in the air and shouted "Yes!" when I handed them to her, so I imagine this is a score for subscribers who are big grillers.
Cubitag by Tracmo— Retail Value $24.95
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The final item included in this box is a Bluetooth tracker tag. I always welcome items like this into my life because my husband is the #1 loser of important items. He already has a tracker in his wallet, and it plays a nice little jingle when located from his phone. This tag is going to go onto his keychain. This tag is waterproof, compatible with Alexa, has a replaceable lightweight battery, and pairs with Apple and Android devices. I can't find the range listed anywhere, but I assume based on the tracking device we have for Guy's wallet that it only plays a sound if it's in the vicinity. Like inside your house, for example. Either way, great item.
Note! The coffee pot that was shown in our first BREO Spoiler post for this quarter wasn't included after all. The manufacturer let the BREO team know that while it was in transit to be packed into our boxes, the ship broke down. You can expect to see this DUO POT coffee pot in your Winter 2021 BREO BOX!
Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $159 per quarter + free shipping to the contiguous US.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $15 off your first box!
CODE: MSA
Value Breakdown: At $159 for this box, you're paying roughly $26.50 per item for each of the 6 items included. The products added up to a total of $342.74 when they're calculated using full retail values. Considering the sale price of the Rain Torch, the total comes down to $322.74. Or, for those who would choose to buy items on Amazon when available, the total would come to $298.71. And that's not even considering the value of the curation, given that Breo's team did the work of fielding the products for us. No matter how you slice it, you're getting your money's worth and more.
Key Takeaways
This quarter's BREO BOX was filled with wins for me! Out of the six items, it was hard to pick a favorite. The mitt-shaped alcohol wipes inspired me to clean the inside of my car, so they win extra points for motivation to improve my space. The flashlight umbrella is a really clever idea and super useful. The air purifier, while I wish it didn't blink a blue light, maybe cured my cold? The blue light glasses were a favorite for my husband, and the tracking tag is also super useful for him. The only item that didn't work for us were the grilling tools, but we were happy to share the love with our friends. So many scores.
Keep track of your subscriptions by adding this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
Other Things You Should Know
When is this box available? This box is seasonal, shipping out four times a year.
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? Yes, the Fall 2021 box is still available as of publication.
What do you think of the Fall BREO BOX? Which item are you most excited to receive?
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