Our selection of the best toolboxes considers organization, application, value, and size. When it comes to tool boxes, we've got the needs of mechanics, DIYers, home users, and even contractors covered. Sturdy tool boxes help the professional or home user organize his or her tools, keeping them safe, making them easy to use, and helping them stay organized so they can be easily grabbed and replaced as needed. As always, we've grouped our picks below into a few key categories to help you find the right product for your needs.
Husky 52" Tool Box and Rolling Cabinet Combo
Our top pick for the best toolbox has to be the Husky 52-Inch Toolbox and Rolling Workbench Combo. Besides being a beautiful matte black. This toolbox offers 120 lbs of support for each drawer, plus a handy wood tray insert that gives you a writing and working surface when needed.
You also get outlet strips with USB and a range of convenient drawer sizes – including a full-width drawer. Both are priced under $1000, making them some of the highest quality, most affordable tool storage solutions on the market. We can easily see this in garages, auto shops, or any workshop.
Sunex Full Drawer Serving Cart
When it came to choosing the best mechanic tool box, we chose the Sunex Full Drawer Service Cart for a number of reasons. First off, this stroller has plenty of storage space in a very portable form factor. Second, the drawers with soft close and 18 gauge steel are extremely durable.
You also get plenty of color and personality options to liven up your store. We especially like the poster series because it's a bit nostalgic. Starting at around $669, the price can't be beat.
Milwaukee 52" Mobile Work Bench with Clamp Ready Top
Integrating storage with workspace in one unit seems like a great idea — though we've seen it before. Due to the hybrid nature of this design, we think it's the best garage tool box or workbench that will fit easily into any DIYer, maker, or hobbyist's home store. Anyone who needs a tabletop for their projects will feel right at home with this 52-inch Milwaukee Mobile Workstation.
It gets even better when you consider that this bench is only $798 and includes ample storage and a range of very convenient drawer sizes.
also recommended
- Craftsman 26" Tool Box and Cabinet — $568
husky tool box
The hard part with the Husky toolbox is knowing when to stop. For example, you can buy a 27-inch Husky rolling cabinet and tool box for around $348. It's almost stupidly cheap, but you get a lot of quality for the money. But when you look at what else the Husky sells…your eyes start to widen. Why? Because Husky also sells combos of 36 inches…and 41 inches…and 52 inches…see what I mean? Even the most expensive kit—the 52-inch model—is only $798. In fact, it's still our top pick above.
So determine the size you need for your stackable solution, then choose a Husky for an exceptional value. If you need our advice on what to bring on the job site, see our best toolbox article.
Sonic Tools S9 Tool Case with Tools
Our recommendation for the best toolbox with tools goes easily to the Sonic Tools S9 Toolbox. Now, with that being said, we've picked the best toolboxes with tools…not the cheapest! We still think the Sonic Tools S9 + Tools 285-piece toolbox is a steal at $3,825. Thanks to the foam lining in each drawer, you get a lifetime replacement warranty and tools that stay in place. This kit is perfect for the budding auto mechanic or the serious DIYer who likes to tinker or fix cars.
Of course, Sonic Tools also makes larger boxes, like the S12 or even the S14, if you want something absolutely over the top. Perhaps best of all, you can fully customize any toolbox from Sonic Tools when ordering online. They give you an almost unlimited combination of tools.
Husky 27" Rolling Cabinet and Tool Box
Above we briefly mentioned the Husky toolbox. Their Scratch Resistant Coated 27" Rolling Tool Cabinet and 26" Tool Case Combo is probably the best option out there. For $348, you can get plenty of rolling storage for your workshop or garage. How much storage space? a lot of. You get things like self-returning ball bearing slides with loads of 100 lbs.
The rolling base has 5 drawers with a total capacity of 8,586 cubic metres. inches of total storage capacity. The entire system can hold over 1/2 ton.
We have a few main ways to organize our toolbox. These fall into a few key categories. We'll discuss each one, as some may be more practical than others depending on your situation.
Maximize drawer size
With so many drawers of different sizes in your toolbox, you really want to put them to good use. The thinnest drawers are perfect for wrenches, screwdrivers and pliers. The medium drawer fits tape measures, gauges, larger hand tools and socket sets.
A full-width drawer holds larger tools such as long pry bars, a 2-foot level, and even a conduit bender. Finally, the high-bottom drawer is perfect for power tools or anything that needs extra storage space.
You also need to consider accessibility. If you're constantly reaching for wrenches and sockets, don't put them where you have to bend over a lot to grab them. Instead, keep your least-used tools in the least-reachable drawers.
You might like: Check out our articles on the best screwdrivers and best pliers.
Spray glue on your drawer linings
Almost all quality tool boxes come with drawer liners. The problem is that these drawer liners immediately slide on you when you open and close the drawers. It doesn't matter if the drawer contains tools or not – the drawer liners slide. We recommend applying spray glue to your drawer liners.
To do this, just pick up some spray glue (we recommend Gorilla Heavy-Duty spray glue). First, clean or vacuum the drawers (we'll try to do this as soon as we get the toolbox). Next, spray the adhesive on the bottom of the drawer and half of the drawer lining. Wait a while for the spray to stick a bit. Then, apply the glued half of the lining to the drawer from back to front. Finally, spray paint the remainder of the bottom of the liner and smooth it into place.
You can't really move them once they're clumped together, so try to make sure you position them carefully before letting them touch. Now your tools can rest on the liner, and the moving action of opening and closing the drawer won't cause the liner to wrinkle, slide, or fold.
The Foam Insert for Type A Tool Users!
We really like the idea of using foam inserts made by Kaizen Inserts. Custom foam inserts, like the ones in the aforementioned Sonic Tools S9, help you keep track of your tools. However, most people will need to do it themselves. This takes discipline because it means you have to arrange your drawers and decide where you want your tools.
After using the foam inserts, I found it difficult to go back. Once you see that void, you know you're missing that 10mm socket. Without a foam backing, you're usually on your own until you need a tool you didn't even realize was misplaced. For around $100, you can outfit an entire 26-27 inch toolbox. Of course, you still need to add tools and manual labor to customize these plugins the way you want.
how we choose
We judge toolboxes on a variety of factors. It is the sum of the whole – along with the required application – that ultimately guides our decisions. We also run these by professionals in various fields to see what they think and get their input. Once that's done, we feel like we have a list that you can rely on and trust.
durability
One thing we don't like: Cheap tool boxes with sagging drawers or thin metal that's bent and rusted. For this reason, you won't see any "Featured by Amazon" recommendations – we don't care how many people gave them top user ratings. If you're concerned about whether a drawer will slam shut, or whether the locking mechanism will fail over time – then you've chosen the wrong product.
Flexibility and Features
Some tool boxes have plenty of thin drawers that are great for small wrenches and drivers, but fail when it comes to larger tools. We prefer decent combos. However, your particular needs should dictate the style you choose. Auto mechanics often prefer more, thinner drawers for all those specialty picks, wrenches, and hand tools that make their jobs easier.
We also like the power strip on top of the tool cabinet. This makes it easy to charge phones, meters, scanners and even cordless tool batteries when needed. Those fancy boxes with integrated Pioneer radios and bar fridges? Leave them alone. They can be fun, but we prefer toolboxes that focus on their core purpose: tool storage.
Advanced Features
Advanced features are not required, but sometimes it's nice to have them. We like the secure locking feature on the Sonic Tools box. You cannot open more than one drawer at a time. This prevents the box from tipping over at you. It's not a feature you'll find on less expensive boxes, so you're getting more for your money when you go for the high-end option.
value
Value matters. How much you need to invest in a good toolbox can affect your bottom line. That might explain our excitement about Husky tool boxes and workbenches, which compete in features with big dogs, but at a lower price point. That's why you don't see products like Snap-on or Mac Tools here. If you need commercial grade quality, you might consider these, but it's hard for us to seriously recommend them when you can get 2-3 toolboxes for the price of one of these.
Speaking of value – we highly recommend the Husky on this page, but if you have a Northern Tool store near you, you can find good stuff from the likes of Homak. They're not the bargains we've found on Husky, but they cost more than most of the big name brands. At Harbor Freight, you'll find places with similar value to our most affordable options. Their US General line offers several great options (and colors!) to handle almost any application.
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