I absolutely love them. They are a bit darker than the picture but they are still cute. It does have a light coat of a water proof seal but I wouldn't say it feels like wax it's more rubber based. I have them under the sink and haven't seen any residue. Although when I received them it had a strong sent of icy hot I think it might be the rubbery seal but every time I open the cabinets it wreaks like icy hot but it's only been day 2 so I would say the stench would fade off over time. The bottom of the crates have a thin slab of wood I wouldn't recommend putting bricks in them and carrying them around the house. They're meant for decoration like in a cubbie, on a shelf or under the sink etc. 

Pros: Sturdy and cute, perfect sizes
Cons: smell like icy hot, appear darker than picture more like 2 shades darker than picture