The diamond plate pattern on the Gladiator products is subtle, and the finish is rather satiny. It's not nearly as garish as you might think.
It's not for everyone, but it's certainly not traditional diamond plate. If it was, I'd never go near the stuff.
It's actually pretty darn classy.
I agree, I picked up one of their boxes and thought long and hard about it due to the diamond plate. It's really not bad in person, especially with the darker frame around the drawers.
They are definitely no Snap On, but I did a lot of shopping around and I think anyone would be hard pressed to find better for the price. These are a bit nicer than the two lower tiers of Cman boxes, though the higher tier (and more expensive) Cmans are nicer. The drawers aren't very thick steel, but have rolled edges and are fairly rigid. You can easily add a second set of slides to the double height drawers, all of the mounting provisions are in place. The ball bearing slides are decent, but the detents leave something to be desired. Once you get some weight in them and they break in they're not bad, but I would prefer more of a solid feel when closing them. When new, the drawers nearly want to roll out on their own. The casters are pretty decent as well.
My main gripe is that the box is not easy to clean. The textured surface will hold onto grease, though it's not very noticeable after wiping it down due to the color scheme. Dust, sawdust, etc wipes off easily though. Also open the box and check it out before leaving the store. The first top chest I got came out of the box bent, and this isn't uncommon based on reviews. The bottom roller was fine though, as was the second top chest I opened. Final complaint is they all use the same key. Nice that I only need one key and it matches all the locks, but pretty lazy on Gladiator's part. I'm sure they are targeting homeowners and DIYers anyway, but I'd be wary of using it in a shop where several people have access to it, or consider changing out the locks.
Gladiator has a standard line and a premium line, and it's hard to tell them apart just on sight. Even Gladiator's site doesn't make it easy to tell with the model numbers. If you look at the displays in Sears though, check out the 26" bottom rollers. There is one that has 4 or 5 drawers that are 24" deep, the edges of the drawers are not rolled and the whole thing feels flimsy. Usually has a wood top on it. This is the standard line and is marketed more for storing misc junk in your garage. There is another 26" that has 7(?) drawers that are 18" deep, usually matched with a top and sometimes an intermediate chest, that is a premium model. Rolled edges on the drawers, nicer slides, feels more substantial all around. This one is actually marketed as a tool box. Just saying, don't write them off completely if you've only seen the standard line. Of course being Sears, these go on sale constantly, and the usual strategies for stacking coupons and points apply.
I'll probably add a 36x72x24" as well, if only to match the others. 