A glove box is a small plastic or metal compartment, typically built seamlessly in to the dashboard of a car or boat. The glove box may also be known as a glove compartment, and was originally designed for storing gloves. Now, however, there are many new features in these compartments for storing numerous items safely while traveling.
A glove box is typically located underneath the dashboard on the passenger side of a vehicle, and opens with a simple latch. Vehicles are often now equipped with two separate glove boxes, one directly above the other. In many cases, the glove compartment is able to be locked, and then only opened with one of the master car keys. This is important if making use of valet parking, because the valet key will not be able to open the glove box.
It is also important for someone who is driving a convertible to lock the glove box before exiting the vehicle, because it would be easy for a thief to get in that way. In general, items stored in the glove compartment may include the vehicle's insurance and registration cards, an owner's manual, a flashlight, a small ice scraper, or anything else one may need while traveling in a car; some recommendations typically include plastic or canvas grocery bags, a pen and paper, and some extra napkins, among others.
Some glove boxes now have a cooling capability as well. Generally, the design simply features an extra vent from the car's air conditioning/heating system inside the glove box, so keep this in mind both on warm days and cool days. It may be a good idea to close the vent during the winter to prevent hot air from blowing inside the glove box. During the summer, however, this might be a good way to keep chocolate bars or other items from melting all over the vehicle before it is possible to get them home.
Replacement glove compartments may be ordered online, as well as marine glove boxes for boats. These often feature waterproof seals as well. In addition, one might choose to purchase a glove compartment organizer to be stored in the glove box, which is similar to a large wallet and features spaces for important travel documents, CDs, and the insurance and registration cards for the car. Remember to clean out the glove compartment regularly, and remove any outdated documents, and do not store valuables in there; it is often the first place a thief will look.