Tony Sivori
Well-known member
Costco has put the Trinity 48" Stainless Steel Rolling Workbench with Hardwood Top (Item #922274) on a $100 off sale from the regular price of $399.99.
I picked one up Friday night and unboxed it yesterday. With my Costco Executive membership and a Chase Freedom Visa, I got an additional 7% off the $299.99 (2% Executive member cash back, and 5% Chase Freedom cash back brought the price down to $279 plus tax for me). Unfortunately, the $100 off was rang up as a manufacturer's coupon (no actual coupon was required) so I had to pay sales tax on the full $400.
I am generally happy with it, so far. It is a great looking box, and if I hadn't spent $486 at the dentist this month (my out of pocket cost of a root canal with a crown), I would have picked up a second one for the kitchen. The rear of the box is also stainless steel, so it would look great as a deluxe microwave cart, or even as a kitchen island.
For anyone who might be thinking of getting one, here is what I consider to be the box's weaknesses:
Packaging was below average for such an expensive and dent-able item. No big empty space buffer between the exterior of the cardboard box, and the tool box itself. There were thin cardboard corner inserts, and some cardboard padding, but no dead air and no styrofoam.
Quality Assurance is somewhat lacking. The bolt holes in the end handles did not match up well with the captured nuts on the box, so it was very fidgety to get some of the bolts started.
Also, the picture on the shipping box differs from the assembly drawings in the assembly guide. The photo on the exterior of cardboard box shows the end handles turned downward, and the two lockable casters are on the front side of the tool box. The assembly drawings show the end handles facing upward, and both lockable casters on the right hand side of the tool box.
The drawer detents seem to be present only one the left side of the full width drawers. I have one drawer that, when pulling from the middle of the drawer, almost binds before the detent turns loose and it finally starts to open.
Moving on from QA to design, the bottom drawer is maybe a little too deep for my taste, and all the other drawers are maybe a little too shallow.
The metal of the Trinity box is thinner (.036") than the Harbor Freight 44" box (.052"), but then again, stainless steel should be stronger than mild steel.
Last, is the drawer handles. You can't put your fingers under and behind the handles and then simply pull to open. You have to firmly grasp the handle and pull. Which probably won't be a pleasure to do with greasy fingers.
This might sound like a lot of criticism, but none of it was a deal breaker for me, and the info is meant to be helpful to anyone considering this box.
In conclusion, why I choose this box over the HF 44" box:
Trinity is $279 (with cash back) vs $349 (current HF coupon) (both plus tax).
Costco's forever satisfaction warranty vs HF 90 day warranty.
My local HF lost the keys to the floor display 44" box. They seemed to think I was some kind of a ***** for wanting to actually be able to open, inspect, and close the drawers before dropping $350.
http://www.costco.com/TRINITY-48"-Stainless-Steel-Rolling-Workbench.product.100161405.html
I picked one up Friday night and unboxed it yesterday. With my Costco Executive membership and a Chase Freedom Visa, I got an additional 7% off the $299.99 (2% Executive member cash back, and 5% Chase Freedom cash back brought the price down to $279 plus tax for me). Unfortunately, the $100 off was rang up as a manufacturer's coupon (no actual coupon was required) so I had to pay sales tax on the full $400.
I am generally happy with it, so far. It is a great looking box, and if I hadn't spent $486 at the dentist this month (my out of pocket cost of a root canal with a crown), I would have picked up a second one for the kitchen. The rear of the box is also stainless steel, so it would look great as a deluxe microwave cart, or even as a kitchen island.
For anyone who might be thinking of getting one, here is what I consider to be the box's weaknesses:
Packaging was below average for such an expensive and dent-able item. No big empty space buffer between the exterior of the cardboard box, and the tool box itself. There were thin cardboard corner inserts, and some cardboard padding, but no dead air and no styrofoam.
Quality Assurance is somewhat lacking. The bolt holes in the end handles did not match up well with the captured nuts on the box, so it was very fidgety to get some of the bolts started.
Also, the picture on the shipping box differs from the assembly drawings in the assembly guide. The photo on the exterior of cardboard box shows the end handles turned downward, and the two lockable casters are on the front side of the tool box. The assembly drawings show the end handles facing upward, and both lockable casters on the right hand side of the tool box.
The drawer detents seem to be present only one the left side of the full width drawers. I have one drawer that, when pulling from the middle of the drawer, almost binds before the detent turns loose and it finally starts to open.
Moving on from QA to design, the bottom drawer is maybe a little too deep for my taste, and all the other drawers are maybe a little too shallow.
The metal of the Trinity box is thinner (.036") than the Harbor Freight 44" box (.052"), but then again, stainless steel should be stronger than mild steel.
Last, is the drawer handles. You can't put your fingers under and behind the handles and then simply pull to open. You have to firmly grasp the handle and pull. Which probably won't be a pleasure to do with greasy fingers.
This might sound like a lot of criticism, but none of it was a deal breaker for me, and the info is meant to be helpful to anyone considering this box.
In conclusion, why I choose this box over the HF 44" box:
Trinity is $279 (with cash back) vs $349 (current HF coupon) (both plus tax).
Costco's forever satisfaction warranty vs HF 90 day warranty.
My local HF lost the keys to the floor display 44" box. They seemed to think I was some kind of a ***** for wanting to actually be able to open, inspect, and close the drawers before dropping $350.
http://www.costco.com/TRINITY-48"-Stainless-Steel-Rolling-Workbench.product.100161405.html
