Are Snap-On Boxes That Much Better ?

[kngelv]

I need a toolbox now since I sold my Kennedy and Craftsman two days ago. I was all set to buy the Harbor Freight 56in shown here.

http://www.harborfreight.com/56-inch-11-drawer-industrial-roller-cabinet-67681.html

I'm having second thoughts. Craftsman is out. I've thoroughly gone over the HF and it's miles better than the current Craftsman boxes. I have a coupon for $699.00 on the HF. On CL the best price I have found on a Snap-On Classic 78 is around $1900.00. (Can't afford a new one). Is the Snap-On really worth almost three times the price? The Classic 78 is roughly the same size as the HF that is why I'm using it as a comparison. Thanks.

James

 

[MoToys]

That question all depends...
Using it for work?

 

[bimmer630]

Snapon Boxes are sturdier, have nicer build quality, and the slides are warrantied for life

 

[canuckian]

in a nutshell, IMHO yes they are better quality-wise. But..... whether the upgrade is worth it money-wise to you is what you need to figure out. it's all about balancing priorities with your bank account and conscience.

 

[slipjointed]

Only if you're going to be opening and slamming the drawers shut all day, every day.

If not, totally overpriced IMO.

When I say overpriced, I'm not saying the quality isn't reflected in the price, I'm saying that if you want to look at what any given Snap-on box is really worth, look at half of retail. That's the real retail price without any extra fluff added in.

I do believe that they are likely some of the nicest tool storage that money can possibly buy, so if you look at it that way, they're priceless.

 

[warmpancakes]

just wait and watch craigslist theres alot of cheap boxes in michigan, get up near flint and north and the price drops fast


http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/tls/2556786606.html

 

[Neuswede]

It's a value judgement, and what is affordable.

I looked at alot of boxes years ago and decided to wait until I could afford a SO. Finally, that day arrived back in 2005, when I worked as a sales manager for a small independent shop. Another SO customer had traded up and I was able to get the trade-in box at less than half of then current retail. Great deal and after all, a lifetime warranty on the box.

Last year something broke inside the box during a move; the lock mechanism broke and several drawers (thankfully unloaded) slid out all at once, causing quite a mess, tipping the box and twisting several tracks.

Since my SO distributor had retired, I called SO directly and they processed a warranty claim. A regional Rep came out to examine the box and determined it wasn't repairable and said I would be getting a new box. I had a brand new box delivered in less than 3 weeks at no charge. They apologized for the delay, but my box was on back-order at the time of my claim, and arrived on-time as they told me it would. Very happy with the process and the staff at SO.

Things can and will break...it's the quality of the warranty and the company standing behind the product that matters to me. I wasn't happy that the problem occurred, but was more than pleased with the outcome.

 

[Davefr]

No, classics aren't worth 3X the price IMHO. They're really not much better then HF, the higher end Craftsmans, etc.

KRL's ARE much better though!!

Keep looking. There are nice used KRL's out there at affordable prices.

 

[Boiler]

I'd hunt for a snap on in great condition AND the right price.

 

[Shipfittin]

That's awesome Neuswede, I know a lot of companies would have laughed and said not our problem. That's what your paying for with Snap On though. A quality product that will last forever and they will replace it if something goes wrong.

If it's for home then there is no beating the HF box.

 

[BQuicksilver]

Yeah, they are better. Are they a better deal is the question. SO even has a little dyno to assure they roll right. Nice boxes no doubt.

The one big difference between HF and most SO boxes is 18" vs 24" drawer depth. Makes a huge difference in the storage volume.

 

[larryq]

I think slipjointed has it right. Think of it like a pyramid. At the very top you have the pros and shops that use the drawers 8 hours per day, slamming them open and closed to get back to the job, rooting through the drawers for the right socket / wrench / whatever and rushing out to finish the work. For them the extra strength of the steel and smooth ball bearing drawers make all the difference. And, consider Neuswede's warranty scenario and peace of mind you get from knowing your investment is covered with legit lifetime support.

You'll gladly pay big money for those features.

Night and day when it comes to the DIYers. If you're opening drawers on the weekend for home projects and not dealing with five or six guys pulling things out and maybe closing the slides with a kick if they're in a real hurry, you don't need anything fancy and the HF unit is fine. For what it's worth I've heard only good things about those HF units, they're probably the highest quality items the chain offers.

I should mention too it's not just a choice of Craftsman / HF or SnapOn. One of this board's sponsors is strictlytoolboxes and they sell Montezuma and Extreme Tool brands that are quite good, and probably less than half the price of a similar-quality SnapOn.

 

[Jeeper]

I went from a Craftsman to a Snap On KRL and it was a big upgrade. I am DIY so i don't even use it that much but i don't regret it one bit. That being said I recently looked at that HF and it was way better than the craftsman. Way better. Not as nice from the SO, but impressive for the price.

 

[Steevo]

Is a Checker Cab a good family car?
Is a Ford F350 the right tow vehicle for a tent trailer?

No. But if you are opening and closing the doors 150 times a day, and hauling six people to ad from the airport several times a day, the Checker is the right car.
If you have a 35' 5th wheel travel trailer you are toting around the country, the F350 if an appropriate vehicle.
If you are parking a toolbox in a home-owner garage, and using your tools evenings and weekends, then a Snap-On box is overpriced (or overbuilt) for the task.
If you are putting it in a service department work bay, and using it to earn your living, it is probably better able to withstand the abuse it will endure.

 

[powertrip]

Does that warranty work for boxes bought on craigslist or just dealers?

 

[RhodesSpeedShop]

simply......yes!

 

[Creditor]

Does that warranty work for boxes bought on craigslist or just dealers?

I doubt that you are going to be able to buy some beat up box from Craigslist and then get Snap-on to replace it.

 

[powertrip]

Yes they are better quality. But do you need that added quality at the price they charge or command. If it is a home box or is not going to be used 8+ hours a day opening and closing drawers then the hf box would be fine.

 

[outcast]

i looked that HF box over. for the money, it is a darned good box.

 

[outcast]

oh. i have a KRL761

 

[jethro29]

oh hell yes!

 

[scott0]

oh hell yes!

+1

If your going to get one, save for a KRL. 100% worth it. I also agree that if its not going to be used to make your living with its not needed, you could put the money you would save from a less expensive box into buying more tools.

I went from a KRL1032 to a mac macsimizer box at work. Not by choice, the shop wanted all of the tool boxes to match. For alot of techs it was a upgrade. for a few of us (myself included) it was a downgrade. the mac box does not even come close to the quality of my KRL. The drawer slides are not as smooth, and the drawer liners are not as nice. the mac box also doesn't have 4 slides on all of the bigger drawers like my KRL did.. you never really know how drawer slides will really feel until you fill a drawer with tools. get some weight in the box and it will make a huge difference. I could not immagine loading up a HF box or a craftsman box and expecting it to hold up if used everyday...

My buddy has a craftsman as well as a HF box at his house, it was the same way. the drawers felt decent in the store, fill it up with tools and its nowhere near as smooth. i would say any truck brand box would be a huge improvement over a HF or craftsman, but a S-O masters series is the best.

my .02

 

[richfinn]

I,m going to sell my Snap On box and get one of those new single bank Lista Tech boxes in silver with dark blue drawers and a stainless top

Theres a pic of one in this link with a stars and stripe design.

http://www.teamspeed.com/forums/garage-forum/61865-roark-promo-lista-free-shipping.html

I wonder if they can do a Union Jack

 

[amolaver]

i know many will disagree, but IMO the construction quality of the 43" HF box is BETTER than the SO classic boxes. the KRLs are definately constructed better - i think with both heavier gauge steel, more weld points, and better slides. the classics do offer more room and some are the 24" depth (a BIG advantage), but for the price difference, i prefer the HF boxes. even the casters have held up well for me rolling around on concrete, in and out of trailers and even in grassy paddocks.

unless there is a particular drawer layout/size that you're drawn to (and conversely, the HF 43" box isn't a bad layout for you), its an easy choice to me. the huge cost difference isn't justified to me.

now if you want a particular drawer layout or can afford the KRL, go for it. but if the HF suits you price-wise, i think you'd be happy with it. don't get me wrong, if i had unlimited funds, i probably would have a mountain or extreme - i think they are the best deal and extremely high quality of the few i have seen in person.

ahm

 

[I can fix anything]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[richfinn]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Didn,t they find that truck was made out of styrofoam or balsa wood or something?

 

[blown94conv]

Yes, they are. I use my Classic 78 at home, and am very happy with it. Is it overkill for home use? Yes. Would I have it any other way? No.

 

[Skin]

I need a toolbox now since I sold my Kennedy and Craftsman two days ago. I was all set to buy the Harbor Freight 56in shown here.

http://www.harborfreight.com/56-inch-11-drawer-industrial-roller-cabinet-67681.html

I'm having second thoughts. Craftsman is out. I've thoroughly gone over the HF and it's miles better than the current Craftsman boxes. I have a coupon for $699.00 on the HF. On CL the best price I have found on a Snap-On Classic 78 is around $1900.00. (Can't afford a new one). Is the Snap-On really worth almost three times the price? The Classic 78 is roughly the same size as the HF that is why I'm using it as a comparison. Thanks.

James

That vs a Classic? In no way shape or form is a Classic worth an extra $1200.

KRLs on a really great day will still be over 2 grand so if thats your budget get the HF box.

 

[greybeard]

This post makes me feel really good about the HF 40" box I just ordered.

 

[gatewaysysop]

Other points about what you're using it for are entirely valid and I agree with much of them. For someone using it in a shop environment, it is much easier to justify than a home user.

If cost effectiveness is an issue, there is nothing wrong with the HF box for home user, especially some of their nicer offerings. The extra cost for a SO over the HF, in that case, is far better spent on tools.

On the other hand, if you want to strike a balance between higher quality and cost effectiveness for the home user, try looking at Strictly Toolboxes and what Shannon has. Their stuff is, in my humble opinion, as close to tool truck quality as you can get without buying off a truck. They also offer some configurations that you might otherwise not find without having to go the tool truck route.

I spent ages, we're talking probably a year or so, waiting for a good deal on the local Craig's List for a used tool truck branded box. I wasn't picky on color or anything, just had a general idea what size box I wanted. In all that time, the best deal I ever could have gotten was still roughly 2x what it cost me to get just as much box from Strictly and that was brand new vs. used off CL, delivered to my door to boot.

I'm super happy with my choice and I have never looked back. The build quality is probably overkill for the home user, but the price isn't. If I could had SO/Matco/etc. for the same price I'd have been all over it, but I never could find a deal that good.

In a nutshell, I think the HF box would serve the homeowner well, but if you're looking for something between that and the truck brands, Strictly is a good compromise, or at least it was for me.

 

[Stephenw]

Yes.

 

[browntown]

Matco boxes are nice too. Personally I'd always buy used. My snappy boxes are as old as I am and are great. When you're buying for half the price, the value judgment is easier.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

I think slipjointed has it right. Think of it like a pyramid. At the very top you have the pros and shops that use the drawers 8 hours per day, slamming them open and closed to get back to the job, rooting through the drawers for the right socket / wrench / whatever and rushing out to finish the work. For them the extra strength of the steel and smooth ball bearing drawers make all the difference. And, consider Neuswede's warranty scenario and peace of mind you get from knowing your investment is covered with legit lifetime support.

You'll gladly pay big money for those features.

Night and day when it comes to the DIYers. If you're opening drawers on the weekend for home projects and not dealing with five or six guys pulling things out and maybe closing the slides with a kick if they're in a real hurry, you don't need anything fancy and the HF unit is fine. For what it's worth I've heard only good things about those HF units, they're probably the highest quality items the chain offers.

I should mention too it's not just a choice of Craftsman / HF or SnapOn. One of this board's sponsors is strictlytoolboxes and they sell Montezuma and Extreme Tool brands that are quite good, and probably less than half the price of a similar-quality SnapOn.

but they are chinese
I want USA only

 

[richfinn]

but they are chinese
I want USA only

I thought you had a tool box

 

[Jayincali]

No, classics aren't worth 3X the price IMHO. They're really not much better then HF, the higher end Craftsmans, etc.

KRL's ARE much better though!!

Keep looking. There are nice used KRL's out there at affordable prices.

Have to beg to differ with you. I have a Classic, and have looked over the HF boxes pretty well, and no they don't compare or come close. Classics may not be on KRL level, but my classic is way better built than the HF box is.

If I didn't come up on the deal I did for my classic, the 56" HF would be in my garage. Even though everyone likes the smaller HF box, can't get my head around that finish.

 

[Skin]

Have to beg to differ with you. I have a Classic, and have looked over the HF boxes pretty well, and no they don't compare or come close. Classics may not be on KRL level, but my classic is way better built than the HF box is.

If I didn't come up on the deal I did for my classic, the 56" HF would be in my garage. Even though everyone likes the smaller HF box, can't get my head around that finish.

The 56" is quite a step up from the 40" so comparing a classic to the 40" box at $350 isnt exactly fair. If you find a store that has one on display [most dont] check one out some time, you'll be impressed.

 

[Neuswede]

Does that warranty work for boxes bought on craigslist or just dealers?

I doubt that you are going to be able to buy some beat up box from Craigslist and then get Snap-on to replace it.

I was concerned about that when I placed my claim, even though I had bought it from a distributor. The SO rep on the 800 number said as long as the box had a valid serial number, the warranty was good regardless of where I had purchased it. I asked about the "valid" serial number and it means that once a box has been replaced under warranty, there is a record of the old box having been warranteed or replaced with a new box, and that old box's warranty is then terminated. The old box is picked up by the local distributor and I guess some of these may get back out on the secondary market when they are supposed to be scrapped. So yes, as long as the used box you buy on CL or somewhere else has a valid serial number, it carries the lifetime warranty. If you have any uncertainty about a particular box, call SO's customer service department and they can pull up the record on it and tell you for certain.

 

[glenmore]

As mentioned, try and buy used Snap-On if you can.

I bought a used KRL761 with stainless steel top for $1500.

It may or may not be important but consider resale. Buy anything other than Snap-On and you'll get very little of it back on resale. Buy a nice used Snap-On, take good care of it and it will be worth roughly the same 5 years later.

 

[tbobbo]

Sorry to all those who say the HF is on par with a classic box.........that is so much ****. I had a classic 96 and the big drawer would hold more than the whole HF 56 box. I had to sell it due to a rough patch with money. I since bought a Montezuma. The classic line is not top shelf......but I read all the reviews and when I saw the HF box in person it took one lean on a drawer to realize these were not as good as everyone has said. That said I would buy one before a craftsman. For home use I would see them lasting a long time. For pro use........hard to say, but I have seen worse last quite a few years. Still not even close to a classic snap on box. Good grief!

 

[kngelv]

Wow!! Thanks for all the responses. I went ahead and picked up the Harbor Freight 56" earlier tonight. I looked at a couple of used Snap-On Classics earlier in the day. Bottom line . . .the Snap-On is definitely a nicer box. That said, I decided to be fiscally prudent (for once) and get the HF. I just built my 24' x 22' garage a few months ago and figured I have spent enough outfitting it. In the past few weeks I picked up an 8ft Lista Workbench with the Nexxus System and two fully welded Lyon cabinets plus 5 smaller wall-mount cabinets a grinder and other miscellaneous items. I will post some pics in a few days. In a few years I'll feel more comfortable kicking out the extra cash for a Snap-On and the KRL series is what I'll be looking at.

James