Top 5 compared
The best tool boxes
Screwdrivers, pliers and the small parts sorted in one box, so the next job doesn’t start with a search.
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The top 5 at a glance
A tool box keeps tools and the small parts that go with them in one place, ready to carry to the job. The familiar kind is an open box with a lift-out tray: small things on top, bigger tools below. Stacking systems clip boxes together so a whole kit travels as one, some of them on wheels, and a steel drawer chest keeps tools sorted by the bench.
A household set of hand tools fits in a small tray box; a drill and its batteries need a deeper one, and saws and levels a long one. Only some boxes have a seal to keep water out, worth having in a truck bed, shed or garage.
What matters
- Latches that shut firmly, ideally metal.
- Lift-out lid organizers for screws and small parts.
- A weight rating, for a box of heavy tools.
#1DEWALT TSTAK Deep Tool Box with Tray (DWST17806)
$20–$30
A deep, water- and debris-resistant box with heavy-duty metal latches and hinges, a removable tray for the tools you reach for most, and side latches that clip it onto other TSTAK boxes so a whole kit travels as one stack.
What owners say: Owners like how much it swallows, drills and batteries included, and how tightly the metal latches hold. It feels built to last, and one owner jokes it could survive the apocalypse.
A closer look: The tray lifts out to leave a deep, open box for a drill, a circular saw or a stack of fixings, and the flat top lets another TSTAK unit sit on it. Add DEWALT’s TSTAK organizers and drawers over time to build a stack that carries as one.
- Clips onto other TSTAK boxes
- Holds up to 44 lb
- Limited lifetime warranty
Best for: Power tools and growing kits
- Type
- Stacking box
- Size (L x W x H)
- 17.3 x 11.9 x 13 in
- Material
- Plastic, metal latches
- Trays and organizers
- Removable tray
- Water seal
- Water resistant
#2Plano Grab-N-Go 16 in Tool Box with Tray (452-006)
$10–$20
The classic household box: a 16-inch case with a lift-out tray split into two compartments, two clear removable organizers in the lid for screws and small parts, and brass-bailed latches. At 3 lb it’s light enough to carry from room to room.
What owners say: Hobbyists and crafters like its size, and owners fill it with hammers, bike tools and small electronic parts. The tray and clear organizers keep things sorted, the latch shuts securely, and there’s still room to spare.
A closer look: The lid organizers lift out, so screws or picture hooks can come to the job while the box stays put. It suits a household set of hand tools or a hobby kit; a drill and its batteries are better off in something deeper.
- Weighs 3 lb
- Tray split into two compartments
- Lid organizers lift out
Best for: Hand tools, screws and picture hooks
- Type
- Toolbox with tray
- Size (L x W x H)
- 16 x 9.5 x 7.5 in
- Material
- Plastic, brass latches
- Trays and organizers
- Tray, 2 lid organizers
- Water seal
- No
#3BLACK+DECKER Stackable Storage System, 3 Pieces (BDST60500APB)
$100–$150
Three boxes that click together into one rolling tower: a big rolling tote for power tools, a deep box with a tote tray for hand tools and a shallow one for small parts. A quick-release latch splits them in seconds, and a telescoping handle pulls the stack along.
What owners say: Owners call it a smart fix for small spaces, with room for everything, and the wheels glide easily. They like that each box works on its own or with the rest.
A closer look: Take just the small box up the ladder or the deep one to the kitchen, and leave the rolling tote in the garage with the drill and saw. The handle telescopes for wheeling the stack across a driveway or into the basement; stacked, it stands 29 inches tall.
- Wheels and telescoping handle
- Auto-lock stacking latches
- Boxes separate in seconds
- Toggle latches on the lids
Best for: Moving a whole kit around
- Type
- Rolling stack (3 pieces)
- Size (L x W x H)
- 20 x 15.75 x 29 in (stacked)
- Material
- Plastic
- Trays and organizers
- Tote tray, 3 boxes
- Water seal
- No
#4STANLEY FatMax 28 in Structural Foam Toolbox (028001L)
$30–$50
Room for the long stuff: a 28-inch structural foam box with an all-around water seal, a three-quarter-length tote tray that leaves space for a saw or level beside it, and a V-groove with a ruler on the lid to steady pipe or trim while you cut.
What owners say: There’s room for a 20-inch saw and a 24-inch level, owners say, and power tools fit below the tray. The metal clasps hold the lid tight, and they report that water stays out.
A closer look: Lay long tools along the bottom and keep the tray for hand tools and fixings; because it’s shorter than the box, a saw or level can lie beside it. It’s a box for the truck bed or the garage floor, too long for most closet shelves.
- Lid steadies pipe while cutting
- Saw fits beside the tray
- Weighs 10.1 lb
Best for: Saws, levels and other long tools
- Type
- Toolbox with tray
- Size (L x W x H)
- 28 x 12.8 x 11.6 in
- Material
- Structural foam plastic
- Trays and organizers
- Three-quarter tote tray
- Water seal
- Yes
#5CRAFTSMAN 3-Drawer Metal Portable Tool Chest (965337)
$100–$150
A red steel chest with three drawers, a flip-up handle for carrying it to the job and sturdy latches that keep it shut on the way, with a locking latch to keep tools secure in a shared garage.
What owners say: Owners find it heavy-duty, with drawers that open and close smoothly and room for the tools they use most, and some take it along when they travel. A few have had drawers that don’t stay locked.
A closer look: Sort pliers, screwdrivers and wrenches into the drawers by size and it works as a bench-side organizer that also carries. At 20.5 lb empty it’s heavier than a plastic box, so keep the heaviest tools in the bottom drawer, where they steady it on the bench and in the hand.
- Locking latch
- Flip-up carry handle
- Weighs 20.5 lb empty
- Red steel finish
Best for: Bench and garage
- Type
- 3-drawer steel chest
- Size (L x W x H)
- 20.6 x 9 x 13 in
- Material
- Steel
- Trays and organizers
- 3 drawers
- Water seal
- No
How they compare
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| Feature | #1DEWALT TSTAK deep | #2Plano Grab-N-Go 16 in | #3BLACK+DECKER 3-piece | #4STANLEY 28 in | #5CRAFTSMAN 3-drawer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | Best rolling system | Best drawer chest | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.3 |
| Price | $20–$30 | $10–$20 | $100–$150 | $30–$50 | $100–$150 |
| Type | Stacking box | Toolbox with tray | Rolling stack (3 pieces) | Toolbox with tray | 3-drawer steel chest |
| Size (L x W x H) | 17.3 x 11.9 x 13 in | 16 x 9.5 x 7.5 in | 20 x 15.75 x 29 in (stacked) | 28 x 12.8 x 11.6 in | 20.6 x 9 x 13 in |
| Material | Plastic, metal latches | Plastic, brass latches | Plastic | Structural foam plastic | Steel |
| Trays and organizers | Removable tray | Tray, 2 lid organizers | Tote tray, 3 boxes | Three-quarter tote tray | 3 drawers |
| Water seal | Water resistant | No | No | Yes | No |
| Best for | Power tools and growing kits | Hand tools, screws and picture hooks | Moving a whole kit around | Saws, levels and other long tools | Bench and garage |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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