The best tool bags
The drill, the spirit level and the tin of wall plugs, all in one place and out of the door in one trip: five tool bags compared, from 30cm bags for hand tools to 60cm bags with room for power tools.
A tool bag keeps the tools for a job together and gets them there in one trip, which is why so many live in the boot of a car or by the back door. A bag of about 30cm takes the hand tools most homes need: screwdrivers, a hammer, a tape, pliers and a box of screws. From 45cm up there’s room for a drill or two, and the two biggest here, from DeWalt and Milwaukee, are sized for a set of power tools.
Look at the base and the opening as well as the size. A stiff or rubber-footed base stands the bag up on a wet floor and stops it sagging, and a wide mouth held open by a frame, like WORKPRO’s, shows everything at once instead of making you dig. A shoulder strap earns its keep once the bag is full: four of the five have one.
What matters
- Size: about 30cm for hand tools, 45cm and up for power tools.
- A stiff or rubber-footed base that stands up on a wet floor.
- Pockets for the small things, and a wide mouth to see the rest.
- A shoulder strap for carrying it full.
#1 of 5
Best overall
WORKPRO 18in Heavy-Duty Tool Bag
£20–£30 Price range
A wide mouth held open by a metal frame, so the whole kit is on show the moment it’s unzipped, with 13 pockets inside and out for the small stuff. Four rubber feet and a stiff board in the base keep it upright, clean and dry on a wet floor.
What owners say: Owners praise the strong stitching and sturdy zips, and use it for tools, cables and even horse-clipping kit.
A closer look: Stand it open beside the job and the frame keeps the mouth wide, so the drill and the spirit level come out without unpacking the rest. WORKPRO says the base board carries up to 18kg, which covers a drill, a tool roll and a box of fixings with room to spare.
- 45 x 20 x 26.5cm (18in)
- 13 pockets: 6 inside, 7 outside
- Metal-framed wide mouth, double zip
- Hard base with rubber feet
- Padded, adjustable shoulder strap
Best for: Seeing every tool at once
- Length
- 45cm (18in)
- Opening
- Wide mouth, metal frame
- Outer fabric
- 600D polyester
- Base
- Hard board, rubber feet
- Shoulder strap
- Padded, adjustable
#2 of 5
Best small bag
Stanley 12in Multi-Pocket Tool Bag
£10–£20 Price range
The size most homes need: 30cm of tough 600-denier fabric that takes a hammer, a set of screwdrivers, pliers and a tape, with eight pockets inside to stop the small things sinking to the bottom. A 6mm foam rubber base cushions it when it’s put down on a hard floor.
What owners say: Owners like the heavy-duty stitching and the pockets for drill bits and wall plugs, and find it the right size for household DIY tools.
A closer look: Keep it by the back door or in the boot with the everyday tools inside, and small jobs stop starting with a hunt through the drawers. There’s no shoulder strap: it’s carried by padded cotton handles, which are kinder on the hands once it’s loaded.
- 30 x 25 x 13cm (12in)
- 10 pockets: 8 inside, 2 mesh outside
- 600-denier fabric
- 6mm foam rubber base
- Takes up to 15kg
Best for: Everyday household tools
- Length
- 30cm (12in)
- Opening
- Zip top
- Outer fabric
- 600D fabric
- Base
- 6mm foam rubber
- Shoulder strap
- No
#3 of 5
Best for power tools
DeWalt 24in Ballistic Nylon Contractor Tool Bag
£30–£50 Price range
A big 61cm bag of ballistic nylon, the tough weave DuPont developed for the flak jackets of Second World War airmen, with a reinforced bottom and heavy-duty zips that DeWalt says resist jamming. There’s room for power tools as well as hand tools.
What owners say: Owners say it’s sturdy and genuinely roomy: one fits a dust extractor, a grinder, a multi-tool, a circular saw, a work light and a double charger in it at once.
A closer look: Pack the heaviest tools flat along the bottom and the lighter kit on top, and the reinforced base keeps its shape when it’s set down full. With the strap unclipped it slides more easily into a van or the back of a car.
- 61cm (24in) long
- Ballistic nylon
- Reinforced bottom
- Heavy-duty zips and handles
- Detachable shoulder strap
Best for: A set of cordless tools
- Length
- 61cm (24in)
- Opening
- Wide zip top
- Outer fabric
- Ballistic nylon
- Base
- Reinforced, plastic runners
- Shoulder strap
- Detachable
#4 of 5
Best budget
Amazon Basics Tool Bag, 30.5cm
£10–£20 Price range
Sixteen pockets in a 30cm bag, nine inside and seven out, plus an adjustable shoulder strap, which is more than most small bags offer. The wear-resistant PE base and 600D Oxford cloth suit a kit for the car boot or the cupboard under the stairs.
What owners say: Owners like the many inside pockets, and one finds the fabric loops just right for holding screwdrivers upright.
A closer look: Two zips run along the top, and the metal D-rings take the strap or a carabiner for hanging it on a garage hook. Slot screwdrivers and pliers into the outside pockets so the main space stays free for a drill or a box of screws.
- 30.5 x 14 x 20cm (12in)
- 16 pockets: 9 inside, 7 outside
- 600D Oxford cloth, 210D lining
- Wear-resistant PE base
- Adjustable shoulder strap
Best for: Lots of pockets for less
- Length
- 30.5cm (12in)
- Opening
- Zip top, two zips
- Outer fabric
- 600D Oxford cloth
- Base
- Wear-resistant PE
- Shoulder strap
- Adjustable
#5 of 5
Milwaukee 23in Heavy-Duty Canvas Tool Bag
£20–£30 Price range
A tall, boxy 58cm bag of heavy-duty canvas with extra-long metal zips, so it can be packed tight and still close, and side handles fixed on with metal fasteners for lugging it about full. Six pockets inside keep tools from knocking against each other.
What owners say: Owners find it spacious enough for a whole tool collection, and one fits a large reciprocating saw in it with ease.
Heads up: The main space is one big compartment: keep screws and small bits in a box inside so they don’t end up loose in the bottom.
A closer look: The reinforced bottom keeps out water and dust, so it can sit on a damp garage floor or the ground on site. Leave the strap off when the bag lives on a van shelf, where it’s likely to tangle, and clip it back on for the long walk from the car.
- 58 x 30.5 x 30.5cm (23 x 12 x 12in)
- Heavy-duty canvas
- 6 interior pockets
- Extra-long metal zips
- Removable shoulder strap
Best for: Big, heavy loads
- Length
- 58cm (23in)
- Opening
- Zip top, metal zips
- Outer fabric
- Heavy-duty canvas
- Base
- Reinforced, keeps out water
- Shoulder strap
- Removable
How they compare
| Feature | #1WORKPRO 18in | #2Stanley 12in | #3DeWalt 24in | #4Amazon Basics 30.5cm | #5Milwaukee 23in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best small bag | Best for power tools | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.7 |
| Price | £20–£30 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | £20–£30 Price range |
| Length | 45cm (18in) | 30cm (12in) | 61cm (24in) | 30.5cm (12in) | 58cm (23in) |
| Opening | Wide mouth, metal frame | Zip top | Wide zip top | Zip top, two zips | Zip top, metal zips |
| Outer fabric | 600D polyester | 600D fabric | Ballistic nylon | 600D Oxford cloth | Heavy-duty canvas |
| Base | Hard board, rubber feet | 6mm foam rubber | Reinforced, plastic runners | Wear-resistant PE | Reinforced, keeps out water |
| Shoulder strap | Padded, adjustable | No | Detachable | Adjustable | Removable |
| Best for | Seeing every tool at once | Everyday household tools | A set of cordless tools | Lots of pockets for less | Big, heavy loads |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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