Best Tool Chests

Buying guide for Best tool chests

If you’ve got more than a handful of tools, you’ll soon find yourself in need of something to store them in that has more strength and versatility than a simple plastic box. If home auto repair or any kind of engineering is your thing, or you have large numbers of wrenches and sockets for work, a proper tool chest is indispensable.

There are plenty to choose from, ranging from tough, portable three-drawer cabinets up to massive workbench/storage chest combinations. In fact, there is something for every kind of mechanic and machinist, from watchmaker to boilermaker.

Having huge choice is nice, but it can be problematic. Exactly what should you be looking for? BestReviews has been finding the answers for you. We have several recommendations that showcase the variety of sizes and configurations available and give you an idea of prices. In the following buyer’s guide, we look at the features in more detail.

A steel tool chest sounds robust, but cheap ones can be surprisingly flimsy. If it’s going to put up with the rigors of the workshop, you need solid construction and quality fittings.

Key considerations

Tool box vs. tool chest

Descriptions can be confusing, so before we go any further, let’s clarify the terminology.

Tool box: A tool box is primarily portable — its main job is to get your tools from point A to point B. These days tool boxes are usually made of plastic. Towable tool boxes can be pretty big, and they need wheels to get them around.

Tool chest: This might be portable (this goes for tool cabinets, too), but it’s not its primary function. Tool chests are likely to spend most of their time in one place, which might be a van or truck, but it stays there. It seldom goes back and forth between home and jobsite, for example. With the exception of a few wooden models, tool chests are made of steel. They include a number of drawers so that tools can be highly organized for quick and easy access. These are the products we’re looking at here.

Organization

The quantity and type of tools you own will have a big impact on the tool chest you choose. If you have a lot of wrenches, you might need several shallow drawers. If you have several power tools, you’ll need some deeper drawers or a cabinet section. This is why you’ll see such a wide variety of designs and configurations in tool chests. In many, a  top tray is sufficient for large devices, with drawers underneath for smaller tools. This is a popular layout in smaller tool chests. Others have drawers at the top with a large open cabinet below.

Portability vs. mobility

In our view, there’s a difference between portability and mobility. A portable chest can be lifted and carried to another location (although side handles and big muscles might be required). A mobile chest will probably stay in the same workshop, but it has wheels so it can be moved occasionally. And some are completely stationary.

Size

As well as capacity, you’re going to want to think about where the tool chest will go. A shallow but wide chest might be your first thought, but it could require considerable real estate, taking up what might otherwise be valuable worktop space. In that case, maybe a taller, narrower cabinet would fit your workshop better.

Tool chest features

Steel

Though not always publicized, the gauge (thickness) of steel has a direct impact on strength. Thicker steel makes for greater durability but adds weight. Top manufacturers often give a maximum load rating for the drawers, which can be anywhere from around 10 pounds up to 200 pounds.

Drawers

Lining: Quality drawers are often lined, usually with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) mats to cushion tools and protect them from the steel of the drawer and from banging into each other.

Width: While the drawers in many tool chests are full width, a combination of wide and narrow drawers might offer increased versatility.

Slides: A sticking drawer soon becomes frustrating, so you want the drawers in your tool chest to glide easily. Designs vary, but the best have slides supported by ball bearings, which are extremely resistant to wear. However, this is a more expensive option, so you probably won’t find them on cheap tool chests.

Versatility

Worktop: Some larger tool chests have a wooden worktop, so you don’t necessarily lose space that would otherwise be occupied by a workbench. This type might also offer the added convenience of a built-in power strip.

Stackable: Some tool chests are designed to be stackable, or you can find some that are made up of a rolling base, midsection, and portable upper unit. If you expect to expand your tool kit over time, it might be worth buying one piece knowing there are compatible units you can add later.

Warranty

We usually look at the length of a warranty as a reflection of the maker’s confidence in the quality of its products. A few offer a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects in their tool chests.

Accessories

Organizer tray: Ernst Manufacturing Organizer Tray
Available in several different colors, this sturdy plastic 11 x 16-inch tray is just what you need to organize small tools, components, or spare parts. It’s tough and resists fuel and solvents.

Socket organizer: Olsa Tools Socket Storage Trays
In drawers, sockets can soon become a jumbled mess, and hunting for the right one tests your patience (and takes time)! These simple but efficient trays are the answer. They’re marked in both metric and SAE sizes, making all your sockets instantly accessible.

Tool chest prices

Inexpensive

You can find solidly built steel three- and four-drawer portable tool chests for between $60 and $100. You might find cheaper ones, but we’d advise checking the thickness of the steel and the component quality very carefully.

Mid-range

From $100 up to $500 or so, you have a wide range of high-quality fixed and mobile cabinets or cabinet/toolbox combinations. These are big enough and tough enough to satisfy the most enthusiastic home user and most tradespeople.

Expensive

Tool chest prices correspond broadly with size, so those that cost over $500 are either very large, extremely durable, or quite specialized. For the professional, these are worth the investment, but prices can exceed $1,500.

If you buy a large tool chest, some assembly may be required, such as attaching handles and wheels

FAQ

Q. What is EVA?

A. Ethylene-vinyl acetate, a copolymer, is often referred to simply as “poly.” In tool chests, it’s used to make foam drawer liners that cushion your tools, helping to keep them from sliding around and damaging each other. It’s also very hard wearing and resistant to oils and common workshop chemicals.

Q. What is powder coating?

A. Basically, it’s a layer of plastic polymer applied to the steel in the form of a powder and then heated to produce a protective coating. It’s very popular because it’s inexpensive yet much tougher than paint. It also holds its color better.

Q. Most tool chests give the size in inches. What does this measurement refer to?

A. It’s the overall width, so it’s important to look at all the dimensions when making your choice. It’s easy to think a 26-inch tool chest will hold more than a 16-inch model, for example, but the latter could be much taller.