It looks like Dewalt is coming out with a new welded steel storage system, featuring floor-standing cabinets, a wall cabinet, worktop, and backsplash.
Dewalt says that their new storage products are made in the USA with global materials, at their Sedalia, Missouri facility.
Waterloo Industries, which Stanley Black & Decker quietly acquired in 2018, has a long history of producing steel tool boxes, chests, cabinets, and other such storage products for the Craftsman tool brand.
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While Waterloo produced Craftsman storage products before and after Stanley Black & Decker’s acquisition of both brands – Waterloo in 2018, Craftsman in 2017 – I believe this is the first time Dewalt products have come out of their Missouri plant.
It is my understanding that Dewalt’s metal racking and workshop accessories, such as their rolling steel, are made by a 3rd party company under a licensing agreement.
All this is to say the new Dewalt storage products are a significant development beyond just what you see here. What other Dewalt steel storage and workshop products might we see coming out of Sedalia, MO in the near future?
Taking a closer look at one of the two storage system SKUs I came across, the design is simple, but classic. A wood worktop sits on top of a small chest of drawers, and there’s a power strip built into the backsplash.
The cabinets have very large recessed handles, and leveling feet on the free-standing units.
The black and yellow color scheme reflects Dewalt’s branding, but without being garish.
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Although, I wouldn’t mind yellow Dewalt cabinets. Shown here are two customized Dewalt cabinets that I spotted at Dewalt headquarters, back in 2010.
I always assumed those tool boxes were repainted and decorated Stanley Vidmar cabinets.
Dewalt also had consumer model ball bearing tool storage products, but I wouldn’t describe them as being unobtrusive.
Stanley Black & Decker, more specifically their Vidmar brand, acquired Lista, an industrial tool storage brand, back in 2012.
I apologize for digressing again, but I do have a point here, and it’s that Stanley Black & Decker and Dewalt have always been capable of producing heavy duty industrial and commercial grade tool storage products, they simply chose not to.
Dewalt came out with job boxes in 2015, and made ToughBox job boxes compatible with ToughSystem tool boxes in 2017, although I’m not sure if they’re still available today.
Dewalt can leverage a lot of manufacturing prowess, in-house as well as through OEM or licensee partners.
Let’s take a look at what this new storage system offers.
There will be “five configurations to choose” from.
- DWST24101 – 4pc configuration, 63″ wide
- Tall 2-door cabinet
- 2-door base cabinet
- Wall cabinet
- Wood worktop
- DWST24201 – 4pc configuration, 63″ wide
- Tall 2-door cabinet
- 5-drawer base cabinet
- Wall cabinet
- Wood worktop
- DWST27301 – 7pc, 126″ wide
- 2x tall 2-door cabinets
- 2x 5-drawer base cabinets
- 2x wall cabinets
- Wood worktop
- DWST27401 – 7pc, 126″ wide
- 2x tall 2-door cabinets
- 2x 2-door base cabinets
- 2x wall cabinets
- Wood worktop
- DWST27501 – 7pc, 126″ wide
- 2x tall 2-door cabinets
- 1x 5-drawer base cabinet
- 1x 2-door base cabinet
- 2x wall cabinets
- Wood worktop
Shown here is the DWST27501 combo, which can also be used to describe all 5 configurations.
Imagine that you split this setup right down the middle, and you essentially have DWST24201 on the left, and DWST24101 on the right. Mirror-image the left half over to the right, and you get DWST27301. Mirror-image the right half over to the left, and you get DWST27401.
Features include “heavy duty steel construction,” although Dewalt doesn’t specify the thickness of the sheet metal, soft-close drawer slides with 100 lb load ratings, leveling feet, 180° cabinet hinges, and a keyed locking system.
The features list also mentions an integrated power strip, which is visible in the product images, built into the worktop backsplash, “overhead lighting,” and “battery charger shelf.”
All of the cabinets have welded construction, with Dewalt promising that limited assembly is required. Everything arrives palletized, with smaller pieces nested inside the floor cabinets. (This is a popular way for welded garage cabinet systems to be shipped.
Pricing: $2,059 each for the 4pc combos, $3,999 each for the 7pc combos.
Buy DWST24201 Combo at Acme Tools
Buy DWST27301 Combo at Acme Tools
Buy DWST27501 Combo at Acme Tools
Discussion
It’s not confirmed that this storage system comes from the branch of Stanley Black & Decker that was formerly known as Waterloo. But, that’s the only steel cabinet and toolbox maker I know of that’s located in Sedalia, Missouri.
These new Dewalt welded storage products could be the start of something good, although I have misgivings.
frobo
Maybe I just missed it, but I didn’t see any reference to how deep these units are. There are a lot of 24″ units on the market, but 36″ deep would be a lot more useful for my needs.
frobo
Actually I meant to say that there are a lot of 16″ – 18″ ones out there, but 24″ would be better for me.
Stuart
The product page specs are not clear on this, but it says the depth is 21.5”.
MM
Specs aren’t very impressive, only 100 lbs per drawer? But at least it’s nice to see more USA-made options on the market.
Nathan
I wonder if the 2 bigger drawers are meant for more but it’s neat but rather expensive.
I’m more interested to see if this is better or cheaper than the craftsman offering. I sort of expect it to be a black and yellow close of the red version. and I guess this will be at Home Depot?
would like to see what shelving and other bits are in the cabinets.
It’s good to see something else made in USA so it’s interesting for that alone.
Jared
I kind of like the battery charger shelves. Would make for a nice-looking setup.
These definitely aren’t budget-priced, but I suppose that lines up with Dewalt’s brand image.
I’m definitely glad they didn’t make them predominantly yellow.
Sean
The yellow boxes from 2010 look like Lista boxes. Lista tool boxes are my favorite!
MM
I agree, they look exactly my Listas except for the color. That said I think Stuart is probably correct that they are likely Stanley Vidmar. Those can be hard to tell apart from Lista, and I’d think that they’d be more likely to use a fellow SBD brand than go with the competition.
I only have two Lista cabinets now, leftovers from my old machining business. I’d love to fully equip my workshop with them but that’s well beyond my means.
Stuart
They do, but at the time Lista was not a Stanley Black & Decker brand, and so I assumed they were Stanley Vidmar cabinets.
I eventually hope to have a Lista-equipped workshop. One day…
https://toolguyd.com/i-dream-of-a-lista-workshop-with-oodles-of-tool-cabinets-and-uncluttered-worksurfaces/
Gription
Lista offers a wide variety of paint colors and I am certain that they will use any color paint that you want for a modest extra. I seem to recall seeing similar on the website of a Lista reseller several years ago. From a practical standpoint there is not much difference between the Lista and Vidmar lines.
I only have three Lista drawer cabinets at home – your hope to have a Lista-equipped shop can be fulfilled – just buy ’em one at a time!
Nathan
yeah I mean I often think back to when I was single affluent and I had dreams of cabinets along one wall for everything plus and some SS countertops.
yeah that never happened but a boy can dream right.
Micah
I own a few of DeWALT’s (licensed) pegboards/metal shelving but I’m excited to track the rollout of this new storage system as well!
mizzourob
Looks like a Waterloo product that looks similar to black and silver Sears/Craftsman Professional that was sold up to circa 2018.
Jack
“NO-SLAM CLOSING: 100 lbs. ball-bearing drawers with soft-close latching will not slam closed” What gauge is the sheet metal?
Jack
Ok, assuming 24 gauge since it’s 100 lbs and because it’s purposefully omitted where every other similsr storage product as I recall listed the gauge. If so, seems to be a premium price / low value.
Joe H
I don’t like black storage bags, boxes and cabinets because I like to be able to see as best I can to find stuff. Also if something is leaking I’m more likely able to catch it sooner if I can see it better. I had a can of oil leak at the seal at the bottom of the can and it coated the bottom of everything on that shelf and on shelves below it. I didn’t catch it for almost a week.
Frank D
Looks cool. Though I am not a fan of black cabinets. Just too dark. Price is also too high for the few things that are offered there.
Phil
Seem itresting to come out now while Milwaukee has the modular wall mount pac out stuff that is priced very high. There is a need for all these types of storage.
Pablo
I’d guess this is a Waterloo product too. I noticed on my old Craftsman grip latch tool box a small note that Waterloo has a trademark on the shape of the toolbox sides specifically “THE MARK CONSISTS OF THE END PANEL FORM OF THE GOODS AS SHOWN IN THE DRAWING. MORE PARTICULARLY, THE MARK CONSISTS OF AN END PANEL FORM HAVING AN OPEN RECTANGULAR RECESSED AREA WHICH IS DEFINED BY RAISED RECTANGULAR TOP, BOTTOM, AND SIDE ELEMENTS.”
US trademark registration number 1441217
https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=73356387
Stuart
Griplatch is/was indeed Waterloo drawer latch tech. Many tool box makers have since moved towards soft-close drawers that have positive retention.
Pablo
Yes, but the Waterloo trademark covers the side panels. Waterloo’s looked like a 2×4 frame on the outside. Everyone else has flat side panels.
Only licensed companies can use the trademarked design.
Josh H
Do you know if the overhead cabinets are wall mounted or supported by the lockers?
I think my mom is ordering these for my dad, he has been saying he will build some storage for 5 years now….
She used your link.
Stuart
A great majority of cabinet systems like this require or recommend wall-mounting.
There are no instruction or user manuals available yet that I could find.
Competing systems recommend securing cabinets to the wall, and I believe all of the ones I’ve seen do requite top cabinets to be wall-mounted.
I’m looking into it.
Mary
Great!!
Another “boxed in the USA product” from Stanley.
Tojen1981
The Napa quarterly flyer has some craftsman storage cabinets on special. The description states they’re assembled in Missouri as well.
Franck B.
If you’re not a fan of these colors and are looking for something different (possibly for that extra garage/workshop after you’ve already outfit the primary one with Lista)… Kobalt has loaded in their system a storage system, in a nice blue/black combo. Loaded meaning it’s in the system without an announcement or any availability.
There’s a nice looking small rolling drawered cart for a decent price. I use a Hazet for that purpose now but was going to move that to my new shop, so this could be something for what will be an “extra” space.