What makes a really good Toolbox?

[Ralf11]

Steel gauge, ball bearings or roller bearings for the drawers, etc. - What is needed?


I thought this would be a good topic since we have a LOT of box threads but no over view of what makes a box a good box...

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Firts requirement: Efficient use of space. Box should fit the location it will be in. Drawers of proper height, width and depth to hold tools without a lot of wasted space.
Second requirement: Construction sturdy enough for the task. A moblie box will need to be sturdier than one that just sits in one place.
Weight capacity. Drawers must operate smoothly when filled with tools.

 

[225]

Snap On.

 

[dar24601]

This is a tough one to answer because not everyone has same requirements. A home diy’r different than technician. That said things that true for both are

— drawer layout works for your needs

— sized appropriately with ability to expand shouldn’t be packed to capacity or half empty.

 

[Sneezer]

I didn’t have a box until I was in my late 40s. Even then it was a 2nd hand Craftsman 26” box. However, it did ok for me, and was free. I added a 3 drawer hand box to the top I got from a garage sale, and that held most of my tools, along with a couple other hand boxes and a metal navy desk from my Dad.

About 2 years ago I got a good deal on a Kobalt 26” top and bottom from FB, and a refurbished 1970s Craftsman top box to go with my original lower. They work for me, and I am happy with them. My garage will not support a single longer box, so 2 26s in an L configuration is about the best I can do. There isn’t much room to move them either, so they get treated as stationary cabinets.

I personally love the soft close on my Kobalts, but I know others don’t like that feature. The ball bearing slides work well, and there is no latch to deal with. I have a mix of thin, mid and deep drawers which so far works well for me. I wouldn’t mind another mid sized drawer though.

I am strictly a home gamer, fixing my own vehicles and house, and a project truck/motorcycle.

Take a look at your tools and figure out your drawer needs. I am still trying to get everything organized, changes a little every couple months. I didn’t do that initially, but my budget for boxes was never very high, so I have to make do with what I was able to afford. Good weight capacity, smooth drawers, soft close, no latches, and drawer heights to fit your set of tools, and they need to fit in your garage space.

My top box also has a grommet to pass through a cord for a charging station in the top. I haven’t used it for that yet - my top seems to be a dumping ground for gloves, chemicals and odds and ends. Not sure if I would use that feature or not.

 

[yabai]

I think Leaflessshadetree gave a great answer about construction.

And for application, too: it just depends. In most realistic applications, sometimes it's hard to know which size, shape, layout would be best before using it. Even if you buy the box and bring it home, think about how long you might use it and rearrange as you go before you're totally happy with it. Could take a while, might be a lot of trial-and-error, might give up beause one tool doesn't fit in the "right" place.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

A box must meet the requirements of expected use, lifespan, and load. I'm a mechanic, so my needs at work vs. home are very different. The HF44 box has a garbage automotive layout IMO, but a great home owner layout.

Ball bearing slides, high capacity slides (double slide drawers should do 200lb+), 24"+ depth, full extension slides. To me, support is also huge. I need slides when they wear out, which they will. I can't buy from a company that doesn't have replacements ready to go. I expect to open the drawers all day in a filthy shop with smoke and particulate in the air, with fully loaded down drawers full of bearing splitters and press tools, which will kill any slide eventually. It has to have a functional layout, for intended use, A member here, Strouty?, has what I would consider the shittiest possible layout on his epiq, all narrow drawers. Hey, if it works for him, that's the "correct" layout for his use. That box would not work for me at all. But it's not my box, so it's irrelevant. Depending on the work one does, lockers are key for storage of bulky items and to organize high volumes of smaller items. One could also argue that extra cabinets could be dedicated to this sort of storage. I lock nearly everything of mine, so I don't stick valuable stuff in my cabinets due to either lack of locks or not wanting too many keys. Tools and equipment stay in either of the toolboxes, or the locker.... soon to be a second locker.


I think the Icon tool boxes sort of shook up the market a bit, and made people draw lines in the sand about what is acceptable in price for their use. For home use, a tool-truck box or lista-style cabinets are likely way overkill in design and price. In the same way cheaper boxes simply won't survive heavy daily use. Price is the deciding factor here, especially for those who don't use them to make a living every day. It really doesn't matter how "good" a lista/truck tool box is - the average home users likely will never see the benefits of a $5,000+ tool box.

 

[FuzzyTiger]

Depends what you need it to do.

If you're a professional and your toolbox needs to protect your tools and survive being moved from shop to shop - get something with thick gauge steel, casters with suspension, and so forth.

If your toolbox is going to sit in your garage and never move you're going to fill it with all sorts of tools from 5 different hobbies, maybe get multiple smaller toolboxes with lots of drawers to help you keep everything organized.

Smooth slides with a soft close and a nice latching mechanism are required on all tool boxes in my opinion.

Weight capacity I feel like is a bit of a pointless spec. Kind of like cameras and megapixels. Yes its nice and it has a purpose but unless you actually have a specific need for it focus on making sure everything else meets your requirements first.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I use the US General boxes at work and home they are excellent for professional and home use. Hardly anyone at my shop has a tool truck box in our opinions they are not worth the money. The layout is perfect for me some small drawers and some big ones too and plenty of add ons and colors available. One of the guys who has been working at my particular dealership since 1980 still has his original Craftsman box and a professional series Craftsman box he bought at Sears too he is also one that feels it’s a waste to buy one from a tool truck. If it’s worth it to you then that’s fine but to all of us at my shop besides one guy it’s not worth it. Husky and Milwaukee have good boxes too.

 

[FuzzyTiger]

It really doesn't matter how "good" a lista/truck tool box is - the average home users likely will never see the benefits of a $5,000+ tool box.

I'd go a step further and argue that the cheapo toolboxes are just outright better than the fancy truck toolbox for the home user. You sort of touched on it - the professional toolboxes are designed to secure your stuff. You have lockers, hutches and features like that which add a lot of expense and bulk to your toolbox but are really features out of necessity of how your toolbox will be used rather than the best option.

A home user can just have a nice work bench; they don't need to cram themselves into a hutch. They can also put things into a cupboard or a cabinet, put them on shelves, hang it off a coat hook and so forth. A locker isn't a nice to have, you get it because you need it. Same thing applies to the fancy power tool drawers.

Its also much cheaper and easier to go taller and get more storage space out of a toolbox that doesn't need to move around. A home user can secure their stacked craftsman tool box to a wall. A professional user can't rely on that being an option so their tool storage ends up taking up more floor space.

Truck toolboxes are just specialized tools built to be the best at their intended application.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I'd go a step further and argue that the cheapo toolboxes are just outright better than the fancy truck toolbox for the home user. You sort of touched on it - the professional toolboxes are designed to secure your stuff. You have lockers, hutches and features like that which add a lot of expense and bulk to your toolbox but are really features out of necessity of how your toolbox will be used rather than the best option.

A home user can just have a nice work bench; they don't need to cram themselves into a hutch. They can also put things into a cupboard or a cabinet, put them on shelves, hang it off a coat hook and so forth. A locker isn't a nice to have, you get it because you need it. Same thing applies to the fancy power tool drawers.

Its also much cheaper and easier to go taller and get more storage space out of a toolbox that doesn't need to move around. A home user can secure their stacked craftsman tool box to a wall. A professional user can't rely on that being an option so their tool storage ends up taking up more floor space.

Truck toolboxes are just specialized tools built to be the best at their intended application.

Very good points right here. It's like asking which is a better vehicle, and f150 or a miata. Depends what you want to do.

 

[RivennHewn]

I’m all about the pretty colors, and stickers.

Got to have more stickers

 

[FuzzyTiger]

Very good points right here. It's like asking which is a better vehicle, and f150 or a miata. Depends what you want to do.

Or F150 VS Mack truck. Both are built to do work and can tow stuff but getting a Mack truck as a home user because it is built tougher and can tow more is kind of stupid. And truckers aren't kitting out those fancy sleeper cabs because they are better than a house. It's just what they need.

 

[Shelbylex]

I would say it all depends on few factors: 1. need vs want, 2. taste, 3. budget, 4. amount of tools, 5. space

I personally prefer older higher grade boxes: you get good quality boxes for less if you wait. (thus combining quality and relatively low prices) I am DIY type, not professional. I do not need as much space as a pro and multiple features like ball bearing are not a necessity to make my day easier.

I got a couple of older Snap On chests (KR-56, KRA 58B), Snap On 420 mid, red Kennedy 3 drawer roller. Used, some scratches, slides (no ball bearing) For $ 40, 25, 25, 20 investment it works relatively well for me

Added a Snap On K200 recently for $307 - more want than need, but will help as I need more space and I like the style...



... Confession - in case you saw my other posts: I have more boxes (like vintage Blackhawk stack which needs clean up and possible restoration, Beach chest and Kennedy chest but they are not being used at the moment...)

 

[quickfarms]

I started out with craftsman boxes but since they have gone downhill I now have added multiple Kennedy boxes.

All of my Kennedy boxes are used and Kennedy has supplied the parts to give them a new life

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Or F150 VS Mack truck. Both are built to do work and can tow stuff but getting a Mack truck as a home user because it is built tougher and can tow more is kind of stupid. And truckers aren't kitting out those fancy sleeper cabs because they are better than a house. It's just what they need.

And even within my specialty of automotive, it varies. Working at a single make? And the owner or dealer actually has the required special tools and they're usable? You legitimately just need hand tools? All of that is very different from my workplace where we do all makes through a 30 year span of what the PA rust has yet to return to the earth. A craftsman box is just fine for my coworker who keeps 12 wrenches in a drawer. It isn't going to hold my ball joint presses and survive.

 

[Ton ton]

Maybe try a Nepros tool box.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Maybe try a Nepros tool box.

I'd need 15+ of those, literally, and lots of stuff just wouldn't fit anywhere. Drawers are 16" deep. LMAO

 

[Ton ton]

LOL.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

LOL.

The box I linked to is around $1000 via the nepros website. Not terrible I suppose if it's made in Japan. Cute little thing you could use as a diagnostic cart I guess. Some people find value in first world manufacturing, which also changes the price/value equation.

I recall a discussion on "why buy tool truck tools" when supposedly identical tools were available elsewhere for much less. What we discovered as the thread progressed, was the COO wasn't included in "identical" and most people had no clue what was required to actually fix cars. Now, whether a specific buyer actually cares about COO is a different story. I was turning a HF socket with a snap on ratchet recently. My gear-wrench ratchets fit the matco sockets just fine too.

 

[m6z]

It's impossible to define since everyone's needs are different and it's not like having a toolbox is a requirement to own tools.

I've seen guys keep all of their tools on pegboard. Kind of nice to have everything on display. No digging in drawers.

 

[u118224]

Something that you can get parts for several years after you bought it. The big 3 are good with parts, I don't know about the others. For home users that's why it's worth the time and effort to buy a used Mac, Matco, Snap-On for not much more that a new one of the other brands.

 

[anavrinIV]

I'd go a step further and argue that the cheapo toolboxes are just outright better than the fancy truck toolbox for the home user. You sort of touched on it - the professional toolboxes are designed to secure your stuff. You have lockers, hutches and features like that which add a lot of expense and bulk to your toolbox but are really features out of necessity of how your toolbox will be used rather than the best option.

A home user can just have a nice work bench; they don't need to cram themselves into a hutch. They can also put things into a cupboard or a cabinet, put them on shelves, hang it off a coat hook and so forth. A locker isn't a nice to have, you get it because you need it. Same thing applies to the fancy power tool drawers.

Its also much cheaper and easier to go taller and get more storage space out of a toolbox that doesn't need to move around. A home user can secure their stacked craftsman tool box to a wall. A professional user can't rely on that being an option so their tool storage ends up taking up more floor space.

Truck toolboxes are just specialized tools built to be the best at their intended application.

A lot of this depends on how much space you have too. I am a home gamer but keep my hand tools in a KRL 722 (bought used) because it fit my space perfectly, had the right layout, and I can use the top as a work bench with a wood topper I made for it. I don't have room for a dedicated workbench or lots of wall storage for tools. I did build shelves for tools best stored in cases and I built a power station for all my battery tools but for hand tools I knew what layout I wanted and the size I could fit and found my perfect match. I lived with a series 1 HF 44" for 7 years and knew what I was looking for in a replacement.

As for cheaper being better, I will disagree to an extent. Yes I could go cheaper and get more storage space but at the cost of my workspace and ease of use. The S-O box is just plain nicer to use....the drawers are smoother even when loaded heavier, the extra depth is nicer for organization, it's easier to move, it is genuinely a much more stout box. the HF was great for what it was and what I needed at the time but I cannot in any way say it's a better box.

 

[FuzzyTiger]

I'd need 15+ of those, literally, and lots of stuff just wouldn't fit anywhere. Drawers are 16" deep. LMAO

Those drawers are rated for 15kg for the smaller ones, 20kg for the deeper ones. I know I said people focus too much on weight capacity but those numbers are worryingly low.

 

[zze86]

Lots of good points in here but IMO there are some bare minimums a box should have.

Ball bearing slides
Locking wheels/casters (if your box has them)
Full extension drawers
At LEAST 20ga steel for the main panels

 

[dnschmidt]

I think Harbor Freight has the best answers to this question. For the money the U. S. General boxes seem impossible to beat. If I needed a tool box that's where I would go for one.

 

[speed bump]

Layout, fit and finish, durability.

You can always tell a box that was made to hit a price point because it will have a uselessly tall drawer or 3

A tool box should be smooth enough that it doesn't interrupt your work.

Finally it has to hold up to your use case.

 

[WAID]

I think Harbor Freight has the best answers to this question. For the money the U. S. General boxes seem impossible to beat. If I needed a tool box that's where I would go for one.

I do wish the 26" box was available with some more deep drawers, but the quality is really much better than anything else I've had a chance to work with.

 

[M6erfan]

KTC Nepros Walnut Chest

 

[seber]

It really has to start with your needs and what you expect to expand to. If you want to keep it for a long time then you will need to plan on loading it much heavier than you think you will. That means built heavy. That's why my Snap-on is still with me 50 years later. Otherwise, do you need to move it? Big capable casters and solid mounting surfaces. Layout is nice but your needs will change so not a primary concern unless you don't mind changing boxes as needed. Ball bearing slides, full extension drawers, touch latches and other such niceties are just that, nice, not required.

 

[Ralf11]

Lots of good points in here but IMO there are some bare minimums a box should have.

Ball bearing slides
Locking wheels/casters (if your box has them)
Full extension drawers
At LEAST 20ga steel for the main panels

That's what I'm looking for.

Now, are ball bearing slides better than roller bearings?

 

[anavrinIV]

That's what I'm looking for.

Now, are ball bearing slides better than roller bearings?

Depends on whether your want your drawer rating or slide rating to be the weakest point

 

[Ralf11]

I want "really good" as per the thread title

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I want "really good" as per the thread title

Ball bearing. Roller bearing slides have a single bearing and a long rail, like kitchen drawers. Unless you're talking about the industrial cabinets and their multi-bearing designs. An industrial cabinet with 440lb slides will hold more than a snap on or other truck box. Issue being, outside of buying one of the industrial brand tool boxes, you're not getting a traditional toolbox layout with wheels buying from the industrial cabinet brands. Apples to oranges IMO.

 

[designer485]

For me, there are few factors that instantly say really nice toolbox.

- Heavy Gauge Steel (I don't want to feel the main cabinet flex)
- Full extension ball bearing slides
- 30" deep (It makes a significant difference over 18in or even 24in depth)
- Reconfigurable layout (layout your tools how you use them)
- Parts Availability (I like to customize everything)

With that being said, if you are buying a box with the above parameters, then service needs to also be considered. This becomes a life time purchase so service items like replacement casters, drawer slides, liners, emblems and trim all should to be available.

Obviously Snap-On fits the bill here and there is no surprise that when threads like this come up, it is usually suggested to find a pre-owned Snap-On box in a configuration that works for you.

I understand the initial value proposition of US General / Harbor Freight, there is no denying that some of their boxes are very nice for the money. However, they seem change suppliers / part numbers with the wind so part availability will be sketchy at best, they are shallow depth (18-24in max, not including ICON) and some do not have the option to reconfigure the drawer layout. If you are considering spending money on ICON, you are for sure better off finding a used Snap-On / Lista / Vidmar etc. box and owning something that will last a lifetime.

For a new purchase, I would look at Lista, Vidmar, Rousseau / Tekton. To me, they fit all of the criteria, they are overbuilt, extremely customizable and priced very competitively.

For something a bit more budget friendly, I actually really like the Milwaukee high capacity tool boxes from Home Depot. They have a number of different sizes and layouts, they feel nice and look to be fairly well constructed.

I understand that not everyone is interested in spending a ton on tool storage and I respect that. The best tool box for someone is one that fits their tools in organized fashion and is easy to work out of. Organization is just as important as drawer layout.

 

[Ralf11]

Snap On truck guys always demo their drawers (I mean their toolbox's drawers...) by pulling at the extreme end, not in the middle.

That shows you there is no side to side play.

One thing I like (I have Crapsman) is the ability to close a drawer almost all the way but no quite - I use that to show me something is sitting around on a cart or in a box on the ground.

 

[Al Borland]

What/where.
What are you using it for? Stationary box or ?, Heavy or occasional use?
Where are you using it? Ball/roller bearing slides don't live long in a truck.
Snap-on (High End) or Harbor Freight (low End)
My Matco lasted about 30 years, in a damp chilly shop environment (rusted where the caster attaches and tipped over by itself.)
A lot of "Right answers" for the "Right question"

 

[CS454]

Lots of good points in here but IMO there are some bare minimums a box should have.

Ball bearing slides
Locking wheels/casters (if your box has them)
Full extension drawers
At LEAST 20ga steel for the main panels

My box only has the last one...poop.

It's a loaded question with multiple valid answers. What works for a shop with assigned bays may not work for the service truck.

My setup works for my fleet maintenance environment, it wouldn't work for an indie shop or dealer. My coworkers who came from those environments have everything setup for first order retrieval above all else, have drawers of pullers, cases full of various testers and things like 3/4" torque wrenches and 1" tire guns, stuff that just physically won't fit in my stack.

Tools and environment determine use case, not the other way around.

 

[Ralf11]

Let's go with workshop/garage boxes not a mobile service truck

 

[CS454]

Let's go with workshop/garage boxes not a mobile service truck

DIY/Homegamer:
Pick the one that comes in the colour you like, it'll be fine.

Professional environment:
Weight/volume capacity and first order retrieval, larger drawers and more of them. Hopefully it comes in the colour you like.