Best value roll around tool boxes???

[joel]

After living with old crappy boxes all these years, I've decided to treat myself to some new 41" tool boxes for the garage. Who likes what? I definitely want heavy duty and ball bearings. Stainless is nice but not required. My budget is around $1000 - $1300 for the set. I've been looking at Craftsman, Lowes, Costco. The only ones I have actually touched so far were at Home Depot and they feel flimsy to me.

Thanks in advance for the input!

Joel

 

[needabronco]

For what you want buy a real tool box! Call around to the tool trucks and see what they have for trade ins, sometimes you can get great deals from those guys, that are in your budget.

 

[ransil]

watch craigslist for the good shit, but from what I have seen they still cost good money ( over your budget)

Look at the Harbor fright boxes on sale you can get them for under $400, I bet they are just as good as what your looking for at twice the price.

 

[FTMS]

I have Craftsman roller bearing boxes. They are about 7 years old at this point and I am in and out of them everyday. I have a motorcycle, atv, snowmobile repair shop so they get used a lot. I found them at a scratch and dent sale that Sears was having and got them at a good price.

 

[bax]

Sunex makes a few good roll carts. part #'s sun8057 full drawer and sun8054
4 drawer.

 

[igottastanger]

Well you get what you pay for when it comes to tool boxes. Ive got 3 tool boxes 1 Snap On, 1 Matco, and 1 Blue Point which is Snap On. They are all awesome but expensive, i have a few buddies of mine buying the Lowes tool box and it is a goo box for the money. Stick to craigslist for the best deals especially on the roll carts you can find them on there for 3-400 and they run 800 new.

 

[Blue Bastard]

So far I am happy with my cobalt box from lowes. I used a 10% off coupon and got 1 year no interest..... The Home Depot one seems real cheep.

 

[Hank_]

So far I am happy with my cobalt box from lowes. I used a 10% off coupon and got 1 year no interest..... The Home Depot one seems real cheep.

By the look of that garage those tools never get used.;D My house is not that clean!

Henry

 

[Blue Bastard]

I'm a bit OCD .... What can I say

 

[hyghlndr]

I have had the Costco stainless one for 4 years. It is a great buy for the money.

 

[Cook76]

My Father got one from harbor freight. When he told me I kinda thought he was crazy. Once I saw it and messed around with it I was pretty impressed esp. for the price he paid. Much better quality than the bottom and mid range craftsman boxes I have.

 

[Dusty]

I have the big box from Harbor Freight. Yeah its made by slave labor but it was cheap and seems to work fine for me. I don't make my living out of it, I'm not opening and closing drawers all day every day. For a weekend mechanic who just needs a place to store all his shitty tools its perfect. Don't hate.

 

[cldonley]

I used a Harbor Freight box for a while at work and it was a good value, surprisingly! Watch eBay for a deal on a Snap-on box, that's how I got my current box and there are no better boxes out there. I have friends who use the Cobalt boxes and are happy with them, and the Craftsman boxes are pretty good, but the Craftsman professional series is a much better quality box than the home-owner box.

 

[jkskier]

Another vote for Harbor Freight. I'm an amateur, but their $160 (goes on sale a few times a year for that price) big black rolling tool box has been working flawlessly for me for the last year.

 

[Justafordguy]

You get what you pay for. I bought Mac Tools boxes almost 30 years ago and they are still good as new.

Shop for used boxes on Craigs list or Flea Markets and you can find some good deals.

 

[70 Steed]

For what you want buy a real tool box! Call around to the tool trucks and see what they have for trade ins, sometimes you can get great deals from those guys, that are in your budget.

X2 I'm a retired Mac Tools Distributor. Tool distributors take used boxes in trade and are anxious it get rid of them. Be careful though some of the boxes are trashed.

 

[Izzy]

I have two Hushy cabinets from home depot. One is the Husky Pro and the other is the regular. There is a big difference between the two and I like the Pro much better thank the regular.

The problem is that Home Depot does not normally carry the Husky Pro line in all the stores.

 

[nickgp]

If you cant wait for the CL find, I put my vote in for Kobalt. I bought one of their top boxes a few years ago. Its a stainless model. Out of the three boxes I have, its the best built. The other two are Craftsman, low end and mid price point boxes that I have had forever.

 

[jhill52]

I have 2 friends that have the HF General boxes. I have been impressed with both of them. Heavy construction and good roller drawers.

I have a Snap-on box that I bought used. But if I buy a new one it will be a HF General.

 

[gearida]

Tool boxes are pricey for good equipment. Dad always said buy a nice one pay a little more, but you will always have it, if you take care of it. Well I suggest looking around, craiglist for a retired or upset gearhead selling out. Or as mentioned trade ins from the tool guy or scratch n dents specials. I have seen several good deals when a new tool guys gets a route and Sam's Club used to have a nice stainless box deal too. I personally bought the mechanic moving out of state box, then moved up over time to a awesome Snap On box, I can pull the drawers out and walk up it like a ladder to change a light bulb. Just requires a truck hoist and sometimes a floor jack to move it...