I have been researching everything written about this effect. I know how it's done but do not own it. Here is the deal. Pros: well made and very nice looking. great effect if performed correctly. Instant reset. Angles seem good. Easy to perform. Adding music or a story can elevate this to a great theatrical piece of magic.
Cons. Extremely expensive for a three-phase rope and ring trick. The delicate box could be scratched or damaged unless careful. The box is hard to see inside from stage or large audiences. This is no good for strolling. Suitable for Parlour or home Parties.
It all comes down to this. Will you get good use out of this? I do not buy anything that I cannot use. However, I think the prop and routine are great.

I have seen both amateur and professional magicians perform this effect. The effect is weak and takes up too much time for the result. Vastly more mystifying tricks with ropes are available at a tenth of the price. This is not an "innocent" looking prop but something that screams magician's gimmick.

With all the beautiful rope magic that can be done without hiding in a box I can't understand anyone paying this high price for a limited though well made piece of unnecessary paraphernalia.

There is little to add to what has already been said. If you perform for high level executives and politicians you cannot perform with cheap plastic props, you need items like Dean's Box. 99 % will never understand how the trick works. I say 99 % because once an executive of a company dealing in harnesses & climbing ropes got so intrigued that he spent the weekend trying to find out how Dean's Box functions, and partly did. "I cannot compete with you, firstly because the rope carton I cut up to do your trick is ugly and, secondly because I am not able to get the ring onto the rope like you did. But the rest I found out. This call is to book you for the next trade show." There is only one thing that has not been mentioned here: you will find that Dean Dill is a most reliable, helpful, friendly and cheerful person. Doing business with him is a pleasure.

Kaarlo von Freymann Helsinki Finland

This is a powerful close-up and platform illusion. I presented the Box at a party the other night and I received an ovation! As a performer that's what I look to achieve from an effect. It fooled me badly when I saw it, and it has stunned both paying and test audiences. The great thing is that the box is so subtlety gimmicked that it can bear minute scrutiny. The box and accompanying props are well made. When you first learn the secret you will appreciate the beauty of its simplicity. Pricey? Yep. This isn't for the merely curious; it is for those who will use it to build a reputation.

The box is well designed and made by Dean Dill. It effect can be done either close up or on a platform and there is an almost instantaneous reset. The instructional video that accompanies it is very well done. The audience can look around in the box and will see nothing. The only negative regarding the box is its size and price. Where most rope effects pack very compactly, you can't just throw it in your close-up case and go and you are paying a considerable sum for a rather simply gaffed box. However, quality props that look great and will last a long time are often worth the price and certainly worth the hassle of providing a special traveling case to carry it. I highly recommend it!
Mike

I agree with the previous review. This trick was demonstrated to me at a magic shop in Chicago, on the counter, where I was 12 inches away. I have been in magic for 43 years now and can usually come pretty close to understanding how a trick works so I try and really focus on the presentation to determine if it is one for me. This one blew me away. I had NO idea how the effects were accomplished and each one topped the one before it. Yes, as stated, it is expensive but for a reason. You get one of the best crafted boxes you can imagine, which in itself adds class and finesse to the trick. It's like how you feel different in a tux versus a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. You ACT differently. This is how you are with Dean's Box. Add to that the fact that the illusion is just not possible! It defies logic. Good for close up or platform....I've used it in both settings. This is an investment. If you are not serious about magic being a part of your life, don't invest in it because you will be disappointed. However, if you know what good quality and presentation does for an illusion, it is $$ well spent.

Wonderful, Wonderful trick!
Expensive? Yes! But wonderful.
What do you get for your money? A beautifully made box with hidden gimmick, and a video tape showing the routine and the method.

This one will blow your audiences away.

At first I thought the $255 was a lot to spend on a trick that only lasts about 4 minutes but when you work with it..... WHAT A TRICK!

This is one trick that is destined to become a classic.