Every Major Tool Chest Brand Ranked Worst To Best

Whether you're a professional mechanic or a weekend do-it-yourself enthusiast, a tool chest is an investment worth making. The ability to organize and quickly access one's tools is a life-changer, and there are chests for every space from shop to closet. The problem lies in the variety, as dozens of brands vie for one's tool storage dollar, and Amazon even has knockoffs to compete with. Fortunately, SlashGear is here to help with a ranking of major tool chest brands.

To rank them, we'll talk about some features that the best brands of tool chests share and whether price equals quality (it doesn't). While different chests address the needs of mechanics, woodworkers, homeowners, and construction laborers/contractors, we'll rank the brands based on overall quality, features, value, and variety to accommodate those different users. We'll also provide a link to a solid pick from each brand.

Our rankings are based on customer feedback, opinions of forum users, YouTube reviews, and the author's experience in several auto shops. As always, remember that there are a huge number of tool chests out there, so even the lowest-ranking brands on our list are still good choices.

Our first entry, Performance Tool, is an interesting addition to our list. The company isn't a toolbox manufacturer, per se; most of its storage solutions are things like bulk bins or wrench organizers. While those are great for their purposes, Performance makes one unique tool chest that is good enough to earn it a spot, albeit a low one, in our rankings.

The Performance Tool Three-Drawer Rolling Tool Chest is a versatile, well-designed little toolbox that doubles as a comfy rolling seat. It has fold-down magnetic trays on either side of the drawers, which are large enough to accommodate a ratchet and several sockets or even an impact wrench. There's also a rear rack designed to hold pliers, screwdrivers, and other long tools. Three drawers, while only a couple of inches deep, offer a good amount of storage for tools one might need for a given job rather than permanent storage. Overall, it's a great, affordable addition to any garage or DIY setup.

The Performance Tool Three-Drawer Rolling Tool Chest is available from Amazon for around $100.

Torin is a company that's well known among mechanics for its Big Red line of automotive jacks. However, the China-based company makes a whole line of automotive products, including storage solutions. While its jacks are respected in the tech world, there are some doubts about the quality of Torin's other products, with customers complaining of thin, flimsy sheet metal and crushed tubing in its cabinets and engine stands, respectively.

Its boxes vary from small, portable units to full garage cabinet storage modules, but we'd like to mention the entry-level Torin Three-Drawer Rolling Garage Workshop Organizer. Essentially a three-drawer, flip-top portable toolbox and cabinet combo, this storage solution costs under $150 and is good for those just starting to build a tool collection or for folks who need additional storage or a rolling cart to pair with a larger chest. The lower cabinet has an adjustable shelf and integrated pegboard for hanging tools, and the top chest has enough drawers and top storage for one's most used tools. It's also available in black or red to coordinate with existing chests.

The Torin Three-Drawer Rolling Garage Workshop Organizer can be purchased from Amazon for about $140.

GoPlus is a California-based company that makes everything from treadmills to Christmas trees. It also makes a number of smaller tool carts and chests. To be clear, these aren't professional-grade boxes — the most popular option has a total weight capacity of only 200 pounds — but their low price and interesting designs still warrant consideration, especially if cost is an issue when choosing one's tool storage chest.

The Goplus Six-Drawer Rolling Tool Chest is a good pick for homeowners or mechanics who are just starting out, or those with very little space to dedicate to a tool chest. By going with a more vertical setup, Goplus has made a box with a small footprint that still stores plenty of tools — just not the longer items one might have, such as pry bars or solid yardsticks with bubble levels.

This combination features a four-drawer upper box and a two-drawer lower one, with two larger garage-style sliding doors in the middle and bottom of the setup for larger items. Locking drawers, side-mounted tool hooks, and even more storage on the fold-up top make for a lot of room that only takes up 23 ½ inches x 13 inches of floor space.

The Goplus Six-Drawer Rolling Tool Chest can be purchased from Amazon for about $250.

Despite its '90s-inspired name, Extreme Tools makes a good tool storage unit. Multiple color options, large casters, and self-latching drawers are just some of the components that many of the company's chests feature, all for a relatively low price when compared to some of the better-known brands on our list. Unfortunately, the online nature of the company, with most of its boxes only available from retailers via special order, means that many folks simply don't know about Extreme Tools, or won't order their products because they can't test them out in person. However, when one sees an Extreme Tools box in real life, say when a shop neighbor buys one, it's easy to see why it's a popular brand.

Extreme Tools makes a number of road boxes, tool cabinets, and accessories. However, we want to draw your attention to the RX Series 41-inch 11 Drawer Roller Cabinet, one of the company's more basic chests that still has several upgrades over cheaper boxes from other brands. It's also one of the few Extreme Tools chests available on Amazon.

Each large drawer has a 200-pound capacity, with smaller ones still holding up to 100 pounds. Full-width chrome pulls, five extra deep drawers, and Mag Wheel casters make this well-built chest a great mid-range (in both capacity and price) storage solution and a great primary tool chest for anyone.

The Extreme Tools RX Series 41" 11-Drawer Roller Cabinet is available in blue or black from Amazon for $1,600.

Tekton is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based tool company that's always focused on products to help organize one's collection. The toolmaker's pliers storage and wrench organizers have always been handy, but its hand tools were on par with many other "discount" brands. Lately, Tekton has made an effort to improve its image, releasing better-made tools and a line of well-received tool chests. Tekton doesn't manufacture their boxes themselves – a Canadian company named Rousseau Metal Inc. makes and sells the same chests under their own name and under Tekton's branding. However, the Tekton and Rousseau boxes are identical, and both have received rave reviews from their customers.

Tekton's 11-drawer, 40/60 Split Bank Tool Cabinet is representative of the line, a solid 60-inch wide storage chest with German casters and a number of great features. An impressive 400-pound drawer capacity, an anti-tip drawer system, and the ability to further customize drawers with partitions and dividers make Tekton's chest a great box for pros. Stainless steel, wood, or matted tops are available, and the chest comes in either black or red.

While its prices and lack of widespread availability slightly lessen our opinion, Tekton's tool chests' stability, customization options, and included liners place the brand solidly in the middle of our ranking.

Tekton's 11-Drawer, 40/60 Split Bank Tool Cabinet is available directly from Tekton.com for $4,750.

This might be controversial, but Snap-On lands in the middle of the pack in our rankings. It's a brand revered by mechanics for decades, and a Snap-On toolbox is often one of the first things young mechanics invest in; however, it's also a brand that offers very little over other tool chest makers, but at a far higher price.

Don't get us wrong, Snap-On's tool storage solutions are second to none in terms of longevity and resale value. It's just an incredibly large investment for beginners. The company's website also leaves much to be desired, with minimal photographs of the tool chests or their features and accessories. That means that unless one knows someone with a Snap-On box, the only way to really check one out is to work with one of the aforementioned salespeople, aggressive tactics and all.

Keeping with our relatively mid-sized theme, we'll highlight the Snap-On 40-inch Sliding Lid Eight-Drawer Shop Cart. The top of this cart has a stainless steel slide-apart lid, making a mobile work surface that also covers a deep upper storage area. Corner safety bumpers, a welded double wall design, dozens of color options, and interchangeable drawers make this tool storage unit a pro-level pick that will last several lifetimes — and one that's worth the effort of finding used to save a little money on that initial investment.

The Snap-On 40-inch Sliding Lid Eight-Drawer Shop Cart is available from your local Snap-On dealer, starting around $2800.

SlashGear often lists Milwaukee's tools at or near the top of our tool rankings, and with good reason. The toolmaker's reputation for making reliable, powerful tools with unique features has made it one of the go-to brands in power tools. Its fuel battery system is a great investment for professionals and heavy-duty DIYers. Milwaukee's storage solutions are great, as well. The company puts a lot of thought into its boxes and tool chests, with modular boxes like the Packout system making portable storage easy. 

Milwaukee's tool chests are easy to recommend, especially the 41-inch Heavy Duty Tool Chest Combo. This setup has 18 drawers, including two that run the full length of the lower chest. Corner bumpers for safety, a built-in pegboard in the top storage area, deep soft-close drawers, and an integrated power strip on the side with USB and Milwaukee charger mounts all contribute to this chest's high ranking. Its reasonable price tag doesn't hurt either.

The Milwaukee 41-inch Heavy Duty Tool Chest Combo is available at The Home Depot for around $1,200.

That's right — a Harbor Freight brand is in the top three. U.S. General makes some decent tool chests and carts, and they often have the same features that storage solutions five times the price do. Your author's first tool cart was the humble 30-inch Four-Drawer Tech Cart, a rolling storage cart that still works great 17 years after purchase.

However, we're talking tool chests today, and U.S. General has added some good ones to its lineup recently. The U.S. General 42-inch Series 3 Roll Cab has ten drawers, including two full-length ones for longer tools like pry bars. Drawers have a 120-pound weight limit for a total capacity of 2,600 pounds total. Its case design is welded, and the drawer handles run the length of the drawers, making for easy access to one's tools. The casters might need replacing, as they're not as robust as the rest of the chest, but at the end of the day, the tools in the box will make you money. Investing in a U.S. General tool chest ensures that saved can be spent on those tools.

The U.S. General 42-inch Series 3 Roll Cab is available in eight colors and can be picked up at Harbor Freight for $600. Add a matching top box for $450 more, and you'll still save hundreds of dollars over the competition while nearly doubling storage capacity.

A brand we often describe as "past its heyday" when we're ranking power tools, Craftsman hasn't made the same mistakes in its storage lineup. The former Sears brand has always been an innovator in the storage space, and its boxes and chests are well-built. While they might lack some of the options of more expensive brands, they make up for that in value and reliability.

The Craftsman 26-inch Open Till Toll Storage Combo is a solid combo pack that includes a rolling 26-inch cart with notably deep lower drawers. Up top, the four-drawer tool chest has a hutch-style open till with a power strip with a couple of USB ports and a pegboard, perfect for storing tools that require recharging, such as flashlights or diagnostics, as well as items like a wireless phone charger. The drawers have liners included, the wheels are beefy casters with a pair of easy-locking brakes, and soft-close tech makes sure those drawers don't slam shut. For those who find "Made in the USA" important, these chests are assembled in Missouri.

The Craftsman 26-inch Open Till Toll Storage Combo can be purchased from Lowes for around $600.

A surprising number one for those who may not be expecting it, Husky has become one of the best tool chest makers in the game. Whether it's a box for the back of one's pickup, or a full storage chest for the garage, Husky's tool chests are value-priced, well-built, and include a wide variety of add-ons and easy expansion options.

Husky's 46-inch Tool Chest features a hardwood top, making it a rolling workstation while giving it some aesthetic appeal in a largely "black metal, chrome handles" market. It's got nine drawers, including two deep lower drawers and one that runs the length of the box on top. A built-in power strip and a variety of color options, along with great reviews, make this Husky chest a great representative of the brand overall. It's also worth noting the company makes solutions from small portable boxes all the way up to full wall-sized mechanic's specials.

The Husky 46-inch Tool Chest is available from the Home Depot, starting at $400.

SlashGear arrived at its rankings by aggregating a variety of sources. Online reviews and sales data were referenced, as well as YouTube comparisons and forum discussions. Tool chest brand opinions were also gathered from local construction pros and automotive technicians over the course of several dog walks in the author's neighborhood.

The author's own perspective as an experienced automotive tech and owner of chests from four of the 10 ranked brands was also factored into our final rankings.