Service Carts/Tool Carts All the Same?

[oneandgone]

I've searched around and there are a lot of threads about various carts, and it may have come up already, but I'm not finding it.

To me all these carts look like they were made by the same place, and had different names put on them. (Mac, Matco, Snap On, Blue Point, Sunex, Napa, etc...) Some have slightly different features than others, but the bottom shelf, legs, lid, prybar holder, bumpers, shelves, etc... all look like they came off the same line. The only real difference I see between any of them is the drawer configuration and handle design. Surely I'm not the only one that's noticed this...

Thoughts?

 

[JASTECH]

If you go to each site of the ones you have listed and look at spec's then you will see a difference there too, like gauge of steel used, slides, weight and colours available. That's just for starts.

 

[dumper]

Surely I'm not the only one that's noticed this...

Thoughts?

only you...and the ten thousand, or so, people who have bought the HF red 5-drawer cart. Depends how much money you want to spend (or waste).

 

[Danglerb]

There are plenty of differences even between just the two HF carts. What suits me best so far are the heavy plastic Rubbermaid two tier carts, but I can work near my tool box.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

I'll be buying a HF 5 drawer this month. Looked online constantly for a used truck brand, but seeing as the closest I could find was a Snap-On cart that was WAY smaller for $400. I'm just going to go with the HF for $169 and alter it as I see fit, something I wouldn't do to an expensive cart. I can work out of it and my old Craftsman top box until I can buy some fancy big bottom box.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

It depends on what you want, my Snap-on carts are all welded construction, made in the USA and will take a lot of abuse. They are also under warranty for life, look good, match my roller and make me smile everytime I use them.

To each their own, some people think I'm crazy to spend that on a box but that is my concern, I liked them and spent my money on them. Others like the price of a HF cart, like the money they save, don't care where they are made and think that even if they need to buy 3 of them over their working life, they will be money ahead.

This is back to a Ford/Kia debate. Who cares? Buy what you want and don't look back.

 

[Fishey]

MAC is the only company that makes a tool cart that has the layout that I want in the size that I wanted. That made the choice extremely easy for me to make.

 

[#1SomeGuy]

It depends on what you want, my Snap-on carts are all welded construction, made in the USA and will take a lot of abuse. They are also under warranty for life, look good, match my roller and make me smile everytime I use them.

To each their own, some people think I'm crazy to spend that on a box but that is my concern, I liked them and spent my money on them. Others like the price of a HF cart, like the money they save, don't care where they are made and think that even if they need to buy 3 of them over their working life, they will be money ahead.

This is back to a Ford/Kia debate. Who cares? Buy what you want and don't look back.

Given the way some of us are, buying 2 or 3 over the lifetime is fun...often our needs change and some other size/layout ends up being better.

 

[oneandgone]

Ok, so it seems like there are mixed views on this. I did some more looking around and more comparing and I gotta say I don't think any of the big 3 are making their own carts. Just as an example open each of these links in a new window and click back and forth. Only diff I see is the handles and the Matco has rubber bumpers...

http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/MSC4SVA/HEAVY-DUTY-SERVICE-CART-SILVER-VEIN/

http://www.sunextools.com/index.cfm?s=detail&subcat=128&item=374

The Sunex cart I've seen for sale for as little as $350. The Matco one is $800. Maybe Matco puts their drawers and slides into this cart frame?

 

[Wrench 2201]

I think it really depends on what level of cart you are looking at. I bought this,
http://www.tooltopia.com/sunex-tools-8005sc.aspx on sale for $88 and it is the exact same thing as this, http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/SP8225A/ECONOMY-SERVICE-CART/ for just a sticker. I do believe SO sells the same cart as well.

So if they are doing it with the economy line it stands to reason that they might do it on the larger carts too.

If you are trying to decide between the two you posted I'd go with the Sunnex since it has full width drawer pulls and you'll have $450 to put towards loading that bad boy up. Just my two cents.

 

[fivespdcat]

I'm pretty sure Snap On is making their own, because they are the only ones that are made in the USA. As for others I have the same feeling, they are just rebadged from the same company, so buy whichever is cheaper...

 

[Firestarter Fred]

For me it is hf 5 drawer hands down. Others are nicer probably better built. But for me price played the biggest role.


Sent from Fred's iPad, now whether or not it was Fred, is up for debate.

 

[F-Bobby]

When it comes to tool carts (regardless of size) if they are going to stand up to the daily abuse that you are going to put them through, then it doesn't matter how much you pay for them. I know plenty of people who have that HF5 drawer and love it and LOVE that they paid 200$ or less for it instead of spending 1000$+ on a SO one.

 

[hickmlg09]

If you go to each site of the ones you have listed and look at spec's then you will see a difference there too, like gauge of steel used, slides, weight and colours available. That's just for starts.

+1....