My father needs a new tool cabinet, and I can’t decide on what to get him.
My parents moved a few years ago, and my father never really set up his tools. I think that part of this is because he’s not doing too many home improvements or repairs himself these days, and part of it is due to having a very different space than before.
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I contributed towards his current mess of a setup. My father has 2x 16″ intermediate chests, a 12″ deep top chest, a 12″ intermediate chest, 2x portable chests, and a DIY dolly/cart that’s nowhere to be found.
Tools are spilling out, some drawers are empty, and the entire pile is not at all portable.
This is partially my fault – when my storage configuration changed around 10 years ago and then again 8 years ago, I gave my unneeded storage pieces to my father. Because of this, he has a jumble of tool chests and pieces that don’t really work well together.
He used to be a tools-on-a-pegboard kind of person, with parts and other tools on shelves. But now, his needs and space considerations don’t allow for that.
What my father really needs is a good 26″ wide roller cabinet, preferably a taller unit. Or at least, this would be a good start.
And here’s the problem – these are very hard to find these days.
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Stemming from a Waterloo (now owned by Stanley Black & Decker) complaint, the ITC has imposed steep tariffs on a wide range of imported tool boxes. This has led the tool box industry to move towards deeper tool boxes, with 22″ and 24″ depths.
I think an ~18″ deep box would be best. A tool box of this size would be easy for me to transport to them, move through the house, and then carry down the stairs to their basement.
But… would a 22″ or 24″ tool box be better?
A larger and heavier tool box might be more difficult to get into position initially, but I also worry that tools will get lost in larger drawers.
Bigger drawers would certainly be helpful, but too big of a box might hinder quick access.
A 40″ or wider tool box is out of the question. Maybe a 30″ width would work okay, but anything larger than a single-bay box would be unneeded and unnecessarily heavy, not to mention pricey.
The way I see it, there are 5 options.
Craftsman – USA production means that Craftsman’s boxes aren’t subject to the same tariffs or workarounds as most imported boxes. But, the boxes don’t seem to be made as well as they used to be. Options are also very limited.
Proto – I kind of like my bare-bones Proto box – it has low-profile drawers that are great for holding hand tools, and it’s taller than most single-bay tool boxes, and so it holds more tools. But, Proto discontinued the entire 450-series lineup in favor of a new larger (and pricier) series.
Proto still sells the basic 450-series boxes, but there’s a problem. When I bought my 7-drawer 27″ W x 42″ H x 18″ D unit 4 years ago, it was $765 from a supplier, before any discounts or savings. Now, it’s $2,766. That’s way too high for the size and basic build quality.
Proto has some larger boxes, but they’re better fit for industrial spaces, and not for moving up or down residential stairs.
Beta – Beta’s tool boxes are a bit pricey, but they seem to be immune from the import tariffs. But, my father’s not going to be happy if I spent ~$700 on a single-bay tool cabinet. Plus, they recently upgraded their roller cabinet, and the new build quality is untested.
I really like my Beta tool cabinet, but the newer ones look to have a lot more plastic in their construction.
DIY – I can build him a custom solution with metal framing and wood drawers. I’d have to pay special care to finishing the wood to make it resistant to humidity, and I would absolutely come in way over budget. And, it would take me a year or two given my current pace.
One of My Boxes – I have a Milwaukee 30″ tool box stack (test sample) that I’ve tried to donate a couple of times. The roller cabinet by itself would be a good size here, but I’d have to find a different home for the top chest. I have a more budget-constructed Craftsman box that was sent for holiday promotion a long time ago, and a better box I purchased.
I also have my Proto 450 27″ x 42″ x 18″ tool box, and a Beta tool box.
It’s not that I’m too attached to any of these pieces, but that they’re not very well-suited to my father’s needs. My Craftsman 4-drawer cabinets are not going to hold enough – more drawers are needed for organizing hand tools. My Beta cabinet might be a good fit, but I would just replace it with a new Beta. If I’m going to do that, I might as well get him the new box.
My Proto roller cabinet is replaceable, although not affordably these days. Not to mince words, there are much better boxes for the same or less money. This was true when the box was $700 and change. Now? The current $2700+ price tag is unconscionably high for what you get.
Harbor Freight?
Here’s the really frustrating part. If you’re looking for a single-bay tool box with decent construction, a $300 budget used to be enough for a 4-6 drawer roller cabinet or so with ball bearing slides.
Now? 40+inch cabinets with 24″ depths, power strips, and much higher price tags seem to be the new standard.
Harbor Freight’s has a US General 26″ wide x 22″ depth single bank roller cabinet, and they’re available in a range of colors.
The price is $310 with free pickup. Some colors are backordered to November it seems, others might be more immediately available.
The box weighs under 200 pounds, and I can probably move it down stairs if I take the drawers out. My Harbor Freight tool cart is decent – a good value and decent construction, but with compromised finish quality.
Is this going to be the best tool box for my father?
My father would likely veto the Beta for costing too much money. He’d probably say he doesn’t need even this one, but I know he needs a mobile solution.
Is there anything better than this Harbor Freight US General box?
Maybe I’ll look at the Craftsman 2000 series roller cabinet again – it’s priced at $249, but its 5-drawer configuration doesn’t seem as ideal for hand tools.
If you were looking for a roller cabinet for storing both hand tools and bulk supplies, with mobility, quality, ease of use, and smaller size as high priorities, what would you lean towards?
Criteria
Cabinet Size: 26-27″ width for easier transport by car and down residential stairs, and for greater mobility.
Cabinet Depth: 18″ would be great, 22″ would also be manageable, but could lead to greater drawer clutter.
Drawer Count: 7 would be ideal, for a mix of hand tools and commonly used parts or supplies.
Quality: Drawers should be smooth, better casters for easy mobility.
Basically, something like the Beta C24, but less money. Beta’s load capacities aren’t impressive – 55 to 77 lbs per drawer depending on size.
That makes these cabinets a harder sell for me, and the price would be a hard sell for my father’s needs and wants.
Price: $320? My father will say “I don’t need a tool cabinet” or “only if you have something you no longer want and are getting rid of.” I think a little more than $300 would be the line between “thank you” and “I feel bad, you spent too much money.”
What’s frustrating is that there used to be so many great options. But now? What’s there to choose from?
Steve
I got the Craftsman one back when Sears was desperate to survivelong enough for Eddie to meet his deadlines, $149 and Shop Your Way rewards too. Times have changed and that was only 5 years ago. It’s been nice.
Stuart
I bought my Craftsman 4-drawer heavy duty roller cabinet in red for just under $200 back in 2013.
Even at that point, a lot of the options I had previously drooled over were long-gone.
Quality since then seems to have slipped, and I don’t really see myself buying a new Craftsman box these days. If I wouldn’t buy it for myself, I certainly wouldn’t buy it for my father.
Pastor Dan
Check out the Husky boxes at Home Depot? A bit lightweight, but a lot less money than most of what you’ve been talking about, if I understood you correctly.
Peace and blessings, everyone.
Mike
There was a period when Sears significantly discounted Craftsman tool chests to generate revenue. Ten-eleven years ago, purchased a red 5 drawer heavy duty rolling cabinet for $136 on clearance. Then, about six years ago, purchased the 3 drawer middle chest and 6 drawer top chest (both red). With Shop Your Way rewards, cost was $73 and $71 respectively (including free shipping to the store – when we had a local Sears store). Good cabinet and chests, great prices.
Neighbor Joe
Same here. Shop Your Way rewards program helped stock my tool shed five years ago when Sears Craftsman still contracted with Western Forge and a few other US companies. $400 worth of points after buying the wife a Kenmore grill. Looked forward to the monthly visit to Sears. Great plan but not enough to save Sears. Not thrilled with the Craftsman stuff at Lowes.
Gary
I bought 6 drawer top and a 5 drawer bottom Craftsman cabinets. The top cabinet was is pretty good shape. It was a different story with the bottom. It had a large dent in it. The shipping box was damaged severely. I had to reorder a new bottom cabinet and I received it damaged also. One of the side rails has a crease going down the side of the rail. Another rail on the front is convex. The shipping box didn’t look hardly damaged. I’m having a hard time trying to understand how the damage could have happened unless it was shipped from the factory that way. I have a Craftsman upper and lower cabinets that are over 40years old and look in better shape except for being a little dirty for being that old.
Sunny leveson-jones
not for the money no not really get that or step up to the new harbor freight roll cart hard to find anything value for money in the middle imho
Mat
I’be had that HF roller for a while and just this week added the top chest. I’ve been very pleased with it and it’s hard to imagine doing better for anywhere close to the same money. The drawers open and close smoothly and I’ve never had any deflection. You can get the roller now and add the top chest later like I did if he needs more space.
Jared
No Husky options?
US General does seem like the best fit for those requirements.
Jared
Also, what happened with Proto? I really like Proto mechanics tools, but the price is somewhat high. The toolboxes I’ve dismissed entirely – they’re outlandishly expensive.
Sunny leveson-jones
the tools boxes are great for factory work they have all sorts of 0 loss and standard kitting options no one else does but if you don’t need that their not worth it
Jared
This one maybe? 6 drawers and a little wider…
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-36-in-6-Drawer-Roller-Cabinet-Tool-Chest-in-Red-H36TR6R/313066778
Stuart
Stepping up to 36″ would be too big of a size upgrade.
Freight deliveries can lead to damages, and I wouldn’t want my parents to deal with the hassle, and so whatever box I get would come to me, I’d check it out, load it up, and bring it to them. 36″ would work well in a garage, but would be hard to move throughout their house and down to the basement.
Stuart
Husky has a basic 26″ 4-drawer cabinet and a 27″ 5-drawer cabinet.
Decent specs, but I’d like more drawers for hand tools.
Jared
I’ve seen those ones too. Husky competes on price very well at those sizes, but they are somewhat small. The larger stuff seems nicer, albeit too large in this case.
Doresoom
I have the Husky 5 drawer and am pretty happy with it. The 4 drawer seemed way too flimsy when I tested it in-store.
Fish_Stick
The US General series is really good for the money. If you’re a pro and are using the drawers everyday I would say no but we’ve picked up a few of the 26″ and so far have no complaints. Drawers are smooth, they come with liners and drawer labels with covers. I thought about the movement but I put mine in a spot and haven’t moved it since. Craftsman has been a total pass for over 15 years and yes, most of my hand tools are the older USA made Craftsman. Go in store and check out a few of the samples, I think you’ll be surprised at the build on the HF boxes.
Skfarmer
I think are really only 2 options . The cman or the us general. The cman is most likely us made but lighter duty. While the us general is imported but larger and heavier duty. Pick your poison but they seem to be the only ones that fit the homeowner quality/budget/availability range.
William Adams
I picked up the Craftsman 2000 Series 26.5-in W x 34-in H 5-Drawer Steel Rolling Tool Cabinet (Red) back before Christmas last, managed to get it down the basement steps, and loaded it up w/ an assortment of tools and bike stuff.
Intent was to have it fit into a closet (which I’ve yet to clear out), so it lives in front of the (never opened) closet door.
It seems nice/workable thus far, but I still haven’t gotten the small CNC which is suppose to go on it (sideways).
Agree drawers are a bit thin, and could slide more nicely, and wish there were more accessories, but I’ve been resisting the urge to just drop my Kennedy-made Craftsman 26″ machinist chest on top of it.
Paul Hacker
Might I suggest used options .. I have purchased some great tool boxes like new on face book as well as craigslist .. tons of them out there estate sales and such .. just food for thought ..
Matt R
I do echo your sentiment about so many of the roller cabinets having way too many deep drawers, and being ill-fitted for hand tool use! Is it much to ask for a roller cabinet with a plethora of 1 or 2″ drawers just for hand tools? But no, they give you 2, maybe 4 shallow drawers and the rest are about as useful as a lead balloon.
JoeR
This is going to sound selfish, but what would you buy for yourself and your son?
I lost my dad 23 years ago. When my mom passed 3 years ago all of dad’s tools were all over the garage and house and we 3 sons had to decide who needed which and who had storage for the balance. So many small tool boxes – auto repair, electrical, upholstery, plumbing. I wish I had bought my dad a really good single purpose rolling tool box; you should think about simplicity of use, ease of movement and safety in design (avoid sharp corners or units not easily moveable or prone to tip). Age does not forgive slips into heavy items, cheaply made drawers that fall on older feet or chins, etc..
Alas, my father always told me to stop organizing his workbench as he knew where everything was and being a child of the depression, he refused to allow me to buy expensive foreign made tool chests when the tool boxes he would find at garage sales (military surplus-super heavy grade steel made in the US) served the purpose he needed. If you are going to inherit his tools, do the smart thing and get something that will serve you and your children’s needs as well as protect your father.
Stuart
I wouldn’t get my father anything I wouldn’t buy or use myself.
One option is for me to give him my 11-year-old Beta and buy a new one for myself, but there are some “that’s going to annoy him” aspects, such as the top metal lip only being covered with flimsy rubber U-channel. That led me to look at new Beta boxes, but they’re pricey and untested/unvetted.
I’d give him my Proto 540, but it’s too basic and due to the price-hikes I can’t easily replace it.
He kind of consolidated everything to move, but now there’s too much to organize.
I figure that Step 1 is to get him a roller box, Step 2 will be to ensure he has every hand tool he needs or wants, Step 3 is to shove everything he doesn’t need into a tote bin (or the garbage can), and Step 4 will be to remove all of my old tool chests and hand boxes that he accepted but can’t really use effectively.
Kane
If you can squeeze it in the space, I’m leaning towards “use what you have”, which is the 30″ Milwaukee. Perhaps the top chest could go along with it if that means eliminating the rest of the hodgepodge.
Stuart
He will benefit more from having a flat surface than a tall top chest. The Milwaukee is a great product, but I think cabinet plus top chest would be too tall and definitely not mobile.
LUKE
Watch marketplace or Craigslist , Used Vidmar. Nothing comes close. Easy to add casters to if needed. Its a generational thing as mentioned ^
Stuart
Hunting for used cabinets take a lot of time and effort. Lista/Vidmar/etc are too large and heavy to transport or maneuver. 24″ depth is also pushing practical limitations for the space.
There are also “garage storage” systems that can work, but really the best fit for the space would be a tall 26″ or 27″ roller cab with a mix of shallow and deep drawers.
Coach James
I have two of the HF 26 inch boxes. Mine store screwdrivers, wrenches up to 1 3/8″. hardware, oil filters, hardware, and a few other things. No problems at all.
Coach
Leonard
Would something like this work?
https://www.costco.com/trinity-basics-31%22-workbench-with-pegboard.product.100680114.html
It is more of cabinet than a tool box
Travis
My immediate thought would be to find a used Kennedy box. Nicely wide, fairly common to find, and many combinations are available.
Peter Fox
I agree. For a basic 18 inch deep box kennedy boxes are hard to beat. The 5 drawer 275 or the 7 drawer 277 are great boxes.
Many of the older ones are friction slide but unlike the cheap craftsman boxes the slides are high quality. Alternately also make them in ball bearing versions. I have a 277XB in my basement and it has held up great.
Joe
I have the same 26” Craftsman box depicted above, as well as a similar model I bought at Sears around 2009. I have both loaded down without any issues. They’ve moved from a condo to a house. You can’t go wrong.
A W
I bought a 2000 series 52″ Craftsman box from Lowes right as Sears was going out of business (and got a really good deal on price match).
A couple of the in store models had been damaged by a careless forklift operator, but the quality of the one I got was solid and it has held up well.
Will
I have the hf it’s great. Would recommend
Tom
I know this sounds crazy, but does your dad have a Sears nearby? I walked into the only one within a hundred miles recently and they only had about a half dozen tool boxes, but what they had was heavily discounted. You may just luck out there.
Kane
Currently, only 25 Sears “full-line” stores remain across the US, so odds of one nearby is slim — and I used quotes because their inventory is anything but full.
Brandon
You still have the Sears Hometown stores with some on hand.
Stuart
It’s been years since I’ve stepped foot in a Sears, and I probably won’t step foot in another one ever again.
Matt J.
I have the original HF 26″ full stack and while it’s really well made, I wish they had gone with a drawer or two less as the shallow drawers are a bit too shallow sometimes. It limits what goes where for sure, but you can make it work.
What about something like a few packout/toughsystem drawer units of various configurations on a dolly? Obviously some pro/con tradeoffs, but would eliminate any transport issues and would be easy for your dad to take a box to a house/car project if needed. Plus, it can be easily expanded and reconfigured as needed. There’s also the Keter modular box system, but I wasn’t impressed by the quality when looking at one.
Derek
You just hit the nail on the head why I don’t have a bottom box yet. Unless Husky or Craftsman ends up with a really great sale sometime I’ll probably just end up buying the Harbor Freight one.
Tim Moskal
I also have the 26″ Craftsman box you posted above. I love it! Made in the USA and it has been perfect for my needs. The drawers slide very smoothly and I have had no issues fitting all of my hand tools. The recent Sears Craftsman boxes never did it for me, but I think Stanley did a great job with theirs.
fred
It’s hard for me to comment with recent experience. I have 40 and 50 year old Kennedy chests, base cabinets, boxes and rolling cabinets in my home shop that have served me well – but I have no idea about their current offerings. I have spotted these:
https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/kennedy-8-drawer-roller-bearing-brown-2
https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/kennedy-8-drawer-roller-bearing-brown-2
In our business shops – we had Vidmar in one and Lista in the other. We sort of acquired both when we bought the businesses. We did some reconfiguration work with Lista and found them to be very accommodating – but that was more than ten years ago.
Adam
I’ll post another vote for the US General. I have owned the 26″ top and bottom since it was released in blue, and there are only maybe two complaints I’ll voice:
1. Deep sockets are a difficult fit if you want them standing upright anywhere in trays or on adapters. You’re looking at either the open top of the top chest or the bottom two or three drawers in the bottom cabinet as the only places tall enough. I think they should have made the bottom drawer of the top chest slightly deeper to accommodate this.
2. The 26″ width is amazing….until you realize the actual drawer internal is like 23″, meaning you can’t quite fit a 24″ tool into the drawer sideways, which pisses me off to no end. I would much rather have sacrificed another inch of space in the world to store long-handled tools sideways in the drawer.
Other than those gripes (#2 being the absolute worst), I really think it’s a damn good chest for the money. It’s perfect for the garage enthusiast or general storage purposes. There are comparable boxes available from big box stores and other sources, but almost all of them seem to be priced starting at $600, and the “features” they seem to offer are mostly cosmetic or pointless things for storage containers, like built-in LED lights or USB ports.
Chris
I agree. It’s impossible to store deep sockets in any of the top 5 or 6 drawers. I really wish they had made the top or 2nd drawer extra deep.
And yes, your second complaint is totally valid. I can’t fit my 24” prybar or 24” breaker bar in the drawers without arranging them diagonally. And I lose a lot of space doing it that way.
Gary T.
Just get the HF 26″. I did (moved up from a Husky and craftsman 26″). Big difference. For the price, it can’t be beat. If your father needs more room, add a top box from any brand. If you want to spend more, get the new HF 34″ service tool cart.
That way if he complains about the cost you can tell him that HF costs a lot less than other brands. Thats what I would do.
Nathan
if you have one to get rid of – and it seems to suit the bill. I think that might be your best overall answer.
RCWARD
Husky is the way to go for a inexpensive great box for the money. Done deal
Stever
I have that exact 26″ HF gen 2 roller. Was just using it yesterday on some welding projects. Added a 1/4″ cold rolled steel top to it for this reason. Gets used frequently and sometimes daily.
Chris
I’ll vouch for the 26” US general box! I’ve had mine for 3 years now, and it works great. I’ve overloaded every drawer with tools and they’re still smooth. I picked mine up for $250 with a coupon (they existed I promise 🤣)
The new 36” carts look really good but I’d say they’re a little pricey.
Of course, the other option is Snap-On 😉 if you really want to be a good Son.
Husky boxes seem alright too. I’d probably avoid craftsman and kobalt boxes at this price range. Good luck Stuart!
Stuart
As mentioned, there’s a price point below which I get a “thank you,” above which I get a “you spent way too much!” Snap-on is out of the question.
Scotty Kilmer
I personally own the Husky black on black 26″ top box and the blue HF 26″ lower box. Overall I think the Husky is decent; but the HF is better construction overall.
The one bit that I like better on the Husky compared to the HF top boxes is the lid, I like the larger volume for chargers and batteries.
I got the top box on massive clearance, ~$90+tax; and got the HF bottom box with a coupon (back when those were still a thing) for under $250.
Right now, if I had to choose between the Husky, the US General, or the Craftsman 26-27″ lower boxes, I’d definitely go for the US General. The quality of the box is that much better.
But , several of the colors are backordered or post-dated delivery for like November. If I needed a box in the next week or the next month, I’d look for the Craftsman at Lowe’s, but only if it’s the “Made in the USA (with global materials)” classic red, otherwise hit up Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, or eBay and find an old school “Made in America Craftsmen” and clean the fudge’r up. The Husky lower boxes just feel a bit more flimsy and cheap compared to US-G or Craftsman.
MFC
Find a liquidator! Bought a 46″ husky cabinet for $150.
Champs
Ask for forgiveness, not permission? I’m not letting that Beta leave my garage once it gets there.
Plain grainy
If I’m buying a tool cabinet, i guess I’m trying to gauge the buying climate. Will prices decline significantly in 2022, and I’m left thinking I could have purchased much better by waiting. Or when 2022 ends, will I wish I purchased in 2021 because inflation sky rocketed. And will 2022 bring new styles of tool storage, which I wasn’t able to foresee back in 2021?
Mr. X
If your dad was a pegboard guy I’m guessing lots of screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, and maybe some sockets. If that’s the case, you’re looking for storage efficiency. What about one of those Montezuma style stadium top boxes on a rolling cart? The aluminum ones are very lightweight when empty, and a cart with a few shelves adds some extra storage for the larger stuff like cordless drill, hammers, and levels. The whole setup would be very portable and versatile.
Chris
Mr. X
Well, I just searched for an example and it seems these boxes, which used to run $250 and up are now MUCH more expensive. Probably out of the budget range you are looking for…
https://www.amazon.com/Montezuma-Portable-Tool-Box-Construction/dp/B01F6T8ZO2/
Best of luck, you are a good son to help out your dad like this!
Chris
Plain grainy
That style might be something he could make out of wood. At a fairly reasonable price.
Zack
Give him your Proto. Tell him all the things you love about it. Don’t tell him that you’ll miss it.
Pick up the Harbor Freight box for yourself to replace the proto and give us an in-depth review, since that seems to be the most widely available, credible and affordable option in this category.
Enjoyed this post. Best wishes to you and the family.
Zack
Plain grainy
7-20-21, HD deals of the day. Two drawer lamp table from Parawood(rubber wood).. On sale for $100, buy two mount them together. Add additional drawers, casters. Should bring you in around $300.00. Don’t connect them together until you get them downstairs, for easier transport.
RKA
I have a much nicer box in the garage. In the basement I had a 5 drawer craftsman where I ran out of space. I went with the HF series 2 you pictured for a similar reason. I didn’t want something that was a bear to get downstairs. It has more drawers and deeper drawers than the craftsman that helped me pack more things into it. Quality is great at this price point. Better than the 15 yo craftsman it replaced. I do think this was the best small box I could find locally. The casters aren’t all that great, but I don’t move it around, so that’s just an opinion after looking at them and bolting them on. I’ve built other rolling carts with much nicer PU/ball bearing casters.
Getting it down to the basement with drawers removed was easy. I did have the help of a friend, but it was reasonably light. I wouldn’t recommend doing it solo, bulky items like this can lead to damage (you or the box). Alternatively an appliance dolly should make safe work of it if you don’t have a helper.
Plain grainy
My helper is named Gravity. Taking things downstairs. I take care of the first step, and Gravity does the rest. He’s not much help taking things upstairs though. If lumber prices go much higher they will be delivering it in an armored vehicle. Menards are now selling Knipex pliers. Trades people might want to take advantage of the 15% off bag sale(when it comes up). Not sure how the pricing compares to other places, but you might want to look at the 15% off on Knipex.
InfxProf
Got the Harbor Freight Chest for my office workbench (it is now stuffed full of electronic components, sensors, and tools). I’m very happy (so will your dad). But, it’s really too heavy for one person to move down a flight of steps without removing the drawers and I’m not sure how easy that is to do.
Few caveats, the castors feel cheap and might not stand up to much rolling over rough floors (I solved that by replacing them with a set of M8 leveling feet (item 62805K51 in the very thick yellow industrial supply catalog). Yeah, all the bolts are metric, and I recall the handles are held on by M5 bolts (never installed it). Also, the drawer handles serve as the labels and come with flimsy plastic cover strips that are often sliding off.
bret
I have two of these…18″deep by 27″ wide…only 5 drawer…very solid and reasonably priced…just add some liner…
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-27-in-W-5-Drawer-Rolling-Cabinet-Tool-Box-Chest-in-Textured-Black-UAT-H-26051/303764045
Nick
My local homedepot has that bottom with the top cabinet for $298 for the combo. I’ve been happy with my hf boxes, but for that price I’m considering buying a couple sets. Especially considering how it looks like the market is heading, in terms of prices going up and up.
Jim
100% get that HF box. In the future you can add one or two of the side boxes and/or the top box if needed.
Or, if he would do better with a cart style the 5 drawer carts are great. You can slightly mod one lr two side boxes intended for the 44” platform onto it as well.
All that modularity makes for easier transport downstairs too. FWIW I’d tell you to suck it up during initial transport if it’s better once set up in place.
Michael
I’ve been going over this for myself for my first box. I decided that US General is literally the only option that makes sense. The realization is both frustrating and relieving.