As mentioned in my earlier post about Walmart’s Hart shop vac deal, nobody at Hart Tools has gotten back to our question as to whether they’ve come out with any new tools in the years since they relaunched as a Walmart-exclusive tool brand. So, I started looking deep to see what I could dig up.
I found that Walmart copied Home Depot’s Husky Technician tool box from a few years ago. Keter made the Husky Technician tool box for Home Depot, and now they’re making it for Hart Tools at Walmart – and at lower pricing.
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Maybe that’s why TTI and Hart didn’t feel the need to talk about it, because it’s not new but only “new to them.”
Still, it’s worth paying attention to for two reasons – first it’s a unique and potentially useful design based on your needs, and second Walmart has it for cheaper than I’ve ever seen before.
I’ve been meaning to post about the Keter version of this tool box, after spotting it on Amazon. The Husky has been discontinued for a while, and Keter-branded products can be hard to come by outside of the private label brands they often work with.
But… that Keter technician tool box is more than $35 at Amazon, and too pricey in my opinion. So, I back-burnered that post idea until today, when I came across the Hart at much better pricing via Walmart.
Right now, if this is a hand tool box you’re interested in, you can get the Hart Tools version of the technician tool box with blue accent colors, and for $25.
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As shown in the Keter product photos, the technician tool box can hold quite a bit, and not just hand tools.
Price: $25
Walmart has free shipping on $35+ orders.
Buy Now via Walmart
Buy Now: Keter via Amazon
I don’t recall what I thought when I saw the Husky-branded version at Home Depot several years ago, but keep in mind this is a resin (plastic) tool box that’s built like a hand tool box just with better organization options inside. That’s not a bad thing – Keter’s plastic tool box products are TOUGH. But this isn’t going to be built the same as say a Pelican case.
I don’t quite remember why I didn’t buy one on the spot. I love tool box organization like this, but maybe the $35 price was a bit too steep?
At the time, I also said this about the Husky:
The internal parts felt a little lightweight to me, and closer in feel to those of a blow-molded case vs. heavier duty injection-molded one, but that could just be me being a little tool box snobby.
I also said:
Overall, the Husky technician tool box is a decent-looking case for anyone looking to organize a couple of hand tools and supplies. The lid-mounted pallet-style organizer cannot hold many tools, but it allows for quick access of your most-used ones. The rest can go into the dividable sections of the main compartment.
Read More About the Home Depot Husky Tool Box
Oh, and you can also divide up the lower compartment for better organization, but keep in mind that this isn’t for small parts, it’s more to help keep tools and other bulk content in place.
This is one of the better compact hand tool box designs I’ve seen, you just have to be more deliberate with tool placement than with single-compartment tool boxes or bags where most users just toss the contents in.
$25 is a very good price, considering that the Husky was $35 and the Keter currently sells for more than that via Amazon.
You’ll need something else to push your order above $35 to get free shipping.
Buy Now via Walmart
Buy Now: Keter via Amazon
If you want something of a similar size and without all the organizational slots and holes, consider the Dewalt Tstak, priced at $20 right now.
Gary T.
Harbor Freight also sells a version under the Voyager name.
Stuart
Thanks! I discovered that one just as I was about to publish this post, decided to put it into a separate post: https://toolguyd.com/walmart-beats-harbor-freight-plastic-tool-box-pricing/ I was both surprised and amused to discover the Harbor Freight to be priced substantially higher.
Aaron
I wish someone would come out with more inserts for tstack and toughsystem boxes. No reason they couldn’t have a tstack box do that technician box thing. What I’d like to see even more though is a bucket boss style organizer for the interior of a large size toughsystem case.
There are some absolutely insane custom inserts that woodworkers have made, but cloth would be cheap and easy.
Eric
Any idea where this one is made? I know I’ve seen some Keter products made in Israel.
Stuart
I’m sorry but I don’t know. I would assume Israel, as with the other Keter products I’ve seen.
After my post went live, Walmart apparently changed the listing for my area to in-store-purchase only, and the closest one is now ~30 minutes away.
I went to Walmart in October to see if there were any new Hart tools, or if they set up any promotion compared to the very little selection I saw at the start of the year, and it was too crowded for a weekday.
Given COVID spikes, I’m not about to go there to check.
Sorry, I should have ordered one before publishing the post.
I would ask HART, but nobody has gotten back to any of my emails. I don’t know if it’s because they don’t care to, or if their team has been downsized since the launch last year.
Brian
I live in Wal Mart world, I bet their lack of response has more to do with not being used to dealing with tool review sites. WM isn’t used to having outside parties review its products.
That’s my opinion anyway.
Chris S
I bought 4 of the keter models when they dropped to $13 in February.
Very handy as quick “fill and go” tool boxes when you need to take certain tools to someone’s house or a job.
I’ve taken most of the dividers out because I don’t find them all that useful, and I pulled all 12 plastic pins holding the “tool holder” in. It frees up a decent amount of useful space without compromising on the structural integrity (It still has a plastic grid to keep the lid stiff) and gets rid of the tool holders that offer no flexibility and very limited use for only the smallest tools. They have a pin/detent system for easy stacking/alignment and work well against a wall.
One is now my permanent ratchet strap, “E/X track” accessories, and trailer pin/lock box. It has been thrown a lot and fallen 3-4′ off the trailer on several occasions and has nothing worse than a few scratches.
I don’t own the dewalt toolbox pictured, but I do have the Dewalt “tough system” boxes and they have/will crack and chip under the same conditions.
I think the one pictured also has a cheaper/ thinner plastic from what I’ve seen in store.
For $25, I would consider buying more…but I’ve also set up alerts for price drops.
https://www.joinhoney.com/shop/amazon/p/1_f0605622a9ce7b51691cefb0120f46f1_f0605622a9ce7b51691cefb0120f46f1#price-history
https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B00IKVS79C
Based on the price history, $25 is not bad overall.
DanFromMass
Walmart/Hart is just rebranding an old Husky tool box!
https://toolguyd.com/husky-technician-tool-box/
Compare the photos, Walmart photoshopped the husky logo off of the black handles pliers!
😛
dandLyons
Costco carried a version with yellow interior some time back. I bought two when the price dropped to $13 each. I too didn’t find the rigid plastic tool holders in the lid to be at all useful. I have been planning to remove them.
Right now one contains my electrician tools. I managed to buy a few of the German made Irwin tools when they got marked down at my local Lowes a few years back. The other technician box is home to a DYMO Rhino 5000 Label Printer and its supplies. It prints on heat shrink tubing which is handing for labelling wiring and cables.
I have gone with the Dewalt TStak/ Craftsman Versastack as my modular toolbox of choice. I don’t really need the ruggedness or expense of the Tough System or other such offerings. I would not buy another one of these technician boxes. I only tried them because of the $13 clearance price. I would buy the TStak at $20 instead of this Ketel toolbox at $25. And for fill and go I use the Craftsman Versastack toolbag which is TStak compatible.