Tool chests, similar to tool bags or toolboxes, allow you to store all your tools in one place. The biggest advantage of choosing a tool chest over other storage options is that you get more storage space, making it ideal for homeowners with an extensive collection of tools.
To learn about the best tool chests on today’s market and what features to look for in each, read our review below. We also recommended looking at our tool buying guide for more smart tips.
Top 4 Tool Chests
- Seville Classics 6-Drawer Rolling Cabinet: Best Worktop
- Husky Extra Deep 46-Inch 9-Drawer Mobile Workbench: Most Storage
- CRAFTSMAN Tool Chest Combo: Best for Immobilizing
- Goplus 6-Drawer Rolling Tool Chest: Most Versatile
Best Worktop
Seville Classics 6-Drawer Rolling Cabinet
This tool chest from Seville Classics doesn’t just store your tools—it also comes with a wooden top, allowing you to pull out your tools and complete your projects on top of the chest. If you can’t use the worktop for your project, you can use the chest’s wheels and handle to move it to where you’re working.
Key Features
- 28 inches long x 18 inches deep x 34.5 inches tall
- Loading capacity of 300 pounds
- Steel body and wood worktop
- Six drawers and four wheels
- Front handle
- Lock and key
What People Are Saying About The Seville Classics 6-Drawer Rolling Cabinet
While this toolbox costs more than the other ones in this review, customers felt like the price was worth it because the tool chest is durable and made of stainless steel. One common complaint was that the tool chest was difficult to assemble.
Most Storage
Husky Extra Deep 46-Inch 9-Drawer Mobile Workbench
This product comes with more drawers than your standard tool chest. Not only does it have nine drawers, but the drawers are deep at almost 30 inches, providing you with more storage space. Because of its large size and heavy-duty, steel construction, it can hold up to 1,100 pounds of tools inside.
Key Features
- 50.5 inches long x 28.8 inches deep x 34.3 inches tall
- Loading capacity of 1,100 pounds
- Steel body and wood worktop
- Nine drawers and four wheels
- Side handle
- Power strip with four outlets
- Lock and key
What People Are Saying About The Husky Extra Deep 46-Inch 9-Drawer Mobile Workbench
Customers said this tool chest was big enough to fit all of their home improvement tools, including hand tools, power tools, and fasteners. They also said that the drawers opened and closed easily. However, a few customers said that it took longer than expected for their tool chest to arrive.
Best for Immobilizing
CRAFTSMAN Tool Chest Combo
This tool chest comes with a drawer liner roll that can be cut to fit all five drawers and prevent tools from rolling around. This tool chest is made from durable alloy steel and can hold up to 300 pounds.
Key Features
- 31 inches long x 18 inches deep x 32 inches tall
- Load capacity of 300 pounds
- Made of alloy steel
- Five drawers and four wheels
- Roll of drawer liner
- Lock and key
What People Are Saying About The CRAFTSMAN Tool Chest Combo
Customers said this toolbox had a large capacity, and was made from durable materials. However, others claimed it had difficult assembly, and others claimed it had overly sharp edges.
Most Versatile
Goplus 6-Drawer Rolling Tool Chest
This product can be a tool chest or a toolbox. If you’re working on a project that requires more mobility, you can fill the box on top with the tools you need and detach it from the chest. Another unique feature of this combo tool storage option is that the toolbox attaches in more than one place. You can place it on top of the tool chest or in the open space below the two drawers.
Key Features
- 13 inches long x 24.5 inches deep x 43.5 inches tall
- Load capacity of 242 pounds
- Available in red or black
- Made of steel
- Two drawers and open space on the bottom chest
- Four drawers and an open top on the detachable box
- Four wheels
- Side handle on the bottom chest and two side handles on the detachable box
- Lock and key
What People Are Saying About The Goplus 6-Drawer Rolling Tool Chest
Positive reviews stated that this tool chest was sturdy, durable, and relatively compact, fitting comfortably into tight spaces. However, more than one customer received the product without its key, and if they completely closed the top portion of the tool chest, they weren’t able to access it.
Tool Chest Buying Guide
Tool chests are meant to hold a variety of tools, but some offer more storage and versatility than others. From mobility to security, here are a few factors to consider before purchasing a tool chest.
Mobility
Tool chests are large and can weigh a couple hundred pounds, so they may not be the best option if you’re planning on carrying your tools from place to place. However, if you’re working on a stationary project, having a chest with wheels allows you to move the chest over to the project instead of carrying individual tools back and forth from your workspace to the chest.
Storage
Most tool chests offer storage in the form of drawers. There are two characteristics to consider with these drawers: size and number. A tool chest with a combination of both small and large drawers will allow you to store tools of all sizes. You’ll also want to assess how many tools you have to determine how many drawers you need in your tool chest.
Steel thickness
Most tool chests are made of steel, but the steel’s thickness will vary from chest to chest. If you have a lot of heavy tools to store, you’ll want a thicker, more durable steel gauge of about 15. If you have fewer tools, 18- or 19-gauge steel should be enough. Keep in mind that the thicker the steel, the heavier the tool chest will be.
Versatility
Standard tool chests have a few drawers for storage. However, you can also get a versatile chest that has a wooden worktop or a detachable top half that acts as a toolbox. For example, the Seville Classics and Husky chests in this review are examples of tool chests with worktops, and the Goplus 6-Drawer is an example of a chest with a detachable top.
Security
Most tool chests will have a lock and key to unlock and lock its drawers. This added layer of protection can prevent theft of your tools. If your lock stops working, read the owner’s manual that comes with your tool chest to learn how to replace it.
Slide type
There are two types of slides used to open and close tool chest drawers: ball-bearing and non-bearing. Ball-bearing slides have ball or roller bearings that allow for a smooth, easy, and quiet open. The downside to these slides is that they’re more expensive than non-bearing, or friction slides. Non-bearing slides work on friction alone and are less efficient than ball-bearing slides, but they decrease the overall cost of the chest.
Tool Chest FAQs
What is the difference between a tool chest and toolbox?
Tool chests are steel cabinets that hold all of your tools. Oftentimes, they come with wheels to allow for some movement. Toolboxes are small boxes composed of metal, composite, or plastic that are primarily used to carry your tools from place to place. They typically open at the top and have a handle or wheels for easy portability.
How do I protect my tools from hitting each other in the drawers?
Some tool chests, like the one from Craftsman, have a lining in the drawers to prevent your tools from moving around. If your tool chest doesn’t have a lining, you can purchase a separate roll and cut it to fit each drawer. Another option is to buy organizers that split the drawers into small compartments.
What is the maximum product weight?
This refers to the tool chest’s weight and maximum loading capacity. If your tool chest has a maximum product weight of 2,000 pounds and weighs 200 pounds, that leaves 1,800 pounds for storing tools.
Our Methodology
To provide our readers with the best product recommendations possible, we rely on several key sources of information to help guide our selection process.
Initial Research: Our research process began by generating a list of tool chests with a significant number of verified buyer reviews and an average customer review rating of 4–5 stars. We looked at positive and negative reviews alike, focusing on information from both satisfied and critical buyers.
Expert Insights: Through years of experience, we’ve learned that listening to what others have to say is key to building accurate, well-rounded articles. To complement our in-house expertise, our team looked at reviews and videos from trusted publications and independent testers, spoke with subject matter experts, and drew insights from reader contributions.
Final Product Selection: We then began fine-tuning our list by replacing older models with the latest versions and eliminating any discontinued models. From there, we pared the list down by comparing each model’s feature-set and selecting the best-in-class options for a variety of buyers, budgets, and scenarios.
Why You Can Trust Us
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Our team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content. To date, we’ve published over 1,600 reviews on products for the home, from doorbell cameras and dining room decor to circular saws and snow blowers.
Once we conclude the research and testing phases, we craft a comprehensive, user-friendly article of recommended products and additional information to help our readers make the right purchase.