Top 5 compared
The best tool boxes
Somewhere for the hammer, the screwdrivers and the jar of odd screws, so the right tool is always to hand.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How this works
The top 5 at a glance
A tool box gathers hand tools, screws and bits in one place, ready to carry to the job. The classic shape is a lidded box with a lift-out tote tray: small bits on top, bigger tools below. Stacking system boxes clip together into one tower, foam-lined cases hold each power tool still, and rolling workshops put several boxes on wheels with a pull-along handle.
Anything kept in a van, shed or garage benefits from a water seal. Some boxes carry an IP rating: IP54, for example, means dust can’t get in enough to matter and splashes from any direction do no harm, though it doesn’t cover a dunking. Most here also take a padlock.
What matters
- Metal latches that won’t rust, rather than plastic clips.
- A load rating that covers your heaviest kit.
- A stacking system that matches any boxes you already own.
#1DeWalt TSTAK 2.0 Deep Toolbox (DWST83346-1)
£20–£30
A deep, IP54-sealed box with heavy-duty metal front latches that clips onto other TSTAK boxes, so a whole kit can travel as one stack. A half-size tote tray inside keeps hand tools and fixings to hand.
What owners say: Owners find it sturdy and roomy, with space for 18V drills and their batteries, and like the way it clips onto their other DeWalt boxes.
A closer look: The tote tray takes up one half, leaving the other side deep enough for a drill or a stack of fixings boxes. Front and top handles mean it can be carried on its own or lifted off the stack, and there’s a padlock eye and a fixing point for DeWalt’s Tracker.
- 30kg load capacity
- Locks onto other TSTAK boxes
- Front and top handles
- Padlock eye
Best for: Vans, sheds and power tools
- Type
- Stacking box
- Size (L x W x H)
- 44 x 33.3 x 30.2cm
- Material
- Plastic, metal latches
- Trays and organisers
- Half-size tote tray
- Water seal
- IP54
#2Einhell E-Case S-F System Case with Foam (4540011)
£27.95 RRP
A flat, splash-proof case with grid foam in the base that plucks out to fit a drill, a sander or a set of bits. Cases lock together into a stack, and Einhell designed it to open without unstacking.
What owners say: Owners praise how tough and spacious it is, and one even keeps speaker leads and guitar cables in it, though several found no foam in the box when it arrived.
A closer look: Grid foam pulls out square by square to make a snug pocket for each tool, so lay the tools on top and mark round them before plucking. Einhell sells a replacement grid foam set if the layout needs to change, and a padlock fits the built-in fixture.
- 25kg load capacity
- Opens while stacked
- Replacement foam sold separately
- Padlock fixture
Best for: Drills and accessories
- Type
- Stacking case
- Size (L x W x H)
- 44.4 x 33 x 13.1cm
- Material
- Polypropylene
- Trays and organisers
- Grid foam insert
- Water seal
- Splash-proof
#3Stanley FatMax 23in Structural Foam Toolbox (1-94-749)
£20–£30
A big 23-inch box moulded in structural foam, with an all-round water seal, large rust-proof metal latches and a tote tray running three-quarters of its length. The lid has a V-groove for steadying a pipe or a length of timber while it’s sawn.
What owners say: Owners find it tough enough to last for years and roomy enough for big tools, and say the seal keeps the damp out; the one grumble is that the big latches can be stiff to open.
A closer look: Small hand tools and fixings go in the tote tray, which lifts out to leave the full depth below for a drill case, a saw or a long-handled hammer. Stanley rates it for 30kg, so pack the heaviest kit low, and a padlock through the eye keeps it shut in a shared van or shed.
- V-groove in the lid
- Rated for 30kg
- Padlock eye
Best for: Long-handled tools and drill cases
- Type
- Toolbox with tote tray
- Size (L x W x H)
- 58 x 30.8 x 26.9cm
- Material
- Structural foam, metal latches
- Trays and organisers
- ¾-length tote tray
- Water seal
- IP53
#4Stanley Essential 16in Toolbox (STST1-75518)
Under £10
The classic household toolbox: a 16-inch plastic box with rust-proof metal latches, a tote tray inside and a recess in the lid for screws and washers. Light enough to carry from room to room on a decorating weekend.
What owners say: Owners say it swallows a hammer, screwdrivers, pliers and a tape measure, and like the neat little spaces for screws on top; a few find the lid awkward to open, and it’s too small for bigger power tools.
A closer look: Keep the heavy drill and its batteries elsewhere: this one is for a household set of hand tools and fixings. Screws and washers go in the lid recess, and a padlock through the eye keeps it shut in a shared shed or garage.
- Holds up to 6kg
- Padlock eye
Best for: A household tool kit
- Type
- Toolbox with tote tray
- Size (L x W x H)
- 40.6 x 20.5 x 19.5cm
- Material
- Plastic, metal latches
- Trays and organisers
- Tote tray, lid organiser
- Water seal
- No
#5Stanley Essential Rolling Workshop (STST1-80151)
£20–£30
A three-tier workshop on 7-inch wheels: a deep bin at the bottom for power tools, a toolbox with two lid organisers above it and a lift-out tote tray, all held together by rust-proof metal latches and pulled along on a telescopic handle.
What owners say: Owners find it great round the house, with room for tools and all the bits and pieces, and like wheeling everything about in one go; the recurring complaint is side clips that come off or snap.
A closer look: The top toolbox unclips to carry on its own for a small job, and the tote tray lifts out for screws and wall plugs. Stanley rates the whole stack for 20kg, so keep the heaviest power tools in the bottom bin, and fold the handle down to fit it in a car boot or van.
- 7in wheels, telescopic handle
- Rated for 20kg
- Top box unclips to carry
- Handle folds for car boots
Best for: Moving a whole kit about
- Type
- Rolling 3-tier workshop
- Size (L x W x H)
- 47.5 x 28.5 x 62.3cm
- Material
- Plastic, metal latches
- Trays and organisers
- Bin, toolbox, tote tray, lid organisers
- Water seal
- No
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1DeWalt TSTAK 2.0 Deep | #2Einhell E-Case S-F | #3Stanley FatMax 23in | #4Stanley Essential 16in | #5Stanley Rolling Workshop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for power tools | Best large toolbox | Best budget | Best rolling toolbox | |
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Price | £20–£30 | £27.95 RRP | £20–£30 | Under £10 | £20–£30 |
| Type | Stacking box | Stacking case | Toolbox with tote tray | Toolbox with tote tray | Rolling 3-tier workshop |
| Size (L x W x H) | 44 x 33.3 x 30.2cm | 44.4 x 33 x 13.1cm | 58 x 30.8 x 26.9cm | 40.6 x 20.5 x 19.5cm | 47.5 x 28.5 x 62.3cm |
| Material | Plastic, metal latches | Polypropylene | Structural foam, metal latches | Plastic, metal latches | Plastic, metal latches |
| Trays and organisers | Half-size tote tray | Grid foam insert | ¾-length tote tray | Tote tray, lid organiser | Bin, toolbox, tote tray, lid organisers |
| Water seal | IP54 | Splash-proof | IP53 | No | No |
| Best for | Vans, sheds and power tools | Drills and accessories | Long-handled tools and drill cases | A household tool kit | Moving a whole kit about |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
Photos are illustrative, some computer-generated. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided ‘as is’ and is subject to change or removal at any time. How we pick · How this works.
