So, the other day we talked a bit about the new Dewalt Tough System tool box, DS130, and before that their new Tough System DS450 wheeled tool box, which look to be the major components of a new Dewalt wheeled tool box combo. It’s as if Dewalt is trying to go up against the Ridgid Pro organizer, tool box, and gear cart that have been quite popular in recent years.
Well, it looks like Husky is joining the fray with their own 22-inch rolling tool box stack. Described as the Husky 22 inch Connect Rolling System Tool Box, this stack features 3 main components that are bundled together as part of a set.
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The new Husky mobile tool box system consists of a small parts organizer, a tool box, and a rolling cart. All 3 stack and lock together for transport.
The product page says that these products are compatible with the Husky Connect cantilever tool box and organizer, meaning there’s at least one other compatible model that fits together as part of this new modular tool box system.
At the top, you get a small parts organizer, and it looks to have a clear lid. Inside are 12 removable parts bins.
Update: It now has 10 removable bins, 8 small and 2 large.
You also get a tool box with removable tray, as the middle component. It features a flat lid surface, which Husky says doubles as a work surface.
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At the bottom, there’s a large rolling cart, with 7″ wheels and a telescoping handle. Husky says that this tool box/rolling cart is great for power tools.
Price: $80
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
*Coming Soon*
The combo looks reasonable for the price, but what’s with the narrowing of the middle tool box? Does it have a top handle? Why does the bottom gear cart not have a lid?
This is one of those things that I’ll have to see in person before I could judge. But, I’m at least remaining open minded. I have had great experiences with Husky tool boxes in the past.
Ken
“Ryobi 22 inch Connect Rolling System Tool Box” Typo? Ryobi on the brain?
Cr8ondt
Wondering that too lololol.
Stuart
DOH!
Thanks – fixed!
Travis
It looks like the middle toolbox narrows to allow it to sit inside of the bottom toolbox and be clipped on the sides. The bottom toolbox looks like it has a lid in the 3 stack picture.
Stuart
Ah, I see the handle!
The bottom tool box doesn’t have any latches, and isn’t shown with a lid, so I assume it’s an open bin.
Travis
The bottom toolbox has a lid. Look through the pictures again. You will see an extra lip when the 3 are stacked together and then it is missing when the picture of just the bottom box is shown.
It is easy to see on the HD website when you click back and forth between the stacked photo and just the bottom box photo.
schill
It looks to me like there is no lid. It looks like the middle box widens at the bottom to become the lid. I don’t see room for another lid between the middle and bottom boxes. All of the visible molded plastic is either part of the lower box or the middle box.
If there is no lid, this means that any debris that gets stuck to the bottom of the middle box when you put it on the ground will end up inside the bottom box later.
Travis
You are correct Schill. I looked at 2 specific images thoroughly rather than the whole lot. My bad.
THERE IS NO BOTTOM BOX LID.
This is a real bummer as I don’t think that is a useful feature one bit. I wonder what plastic was used on it as well. I would just spend the extra money on the tried and true Ridgid Pro system, especially when on their holiday sale.
Rob
The middle box does have a top handle if you check the pictures on HD’s site.
Oleg Kuperman
All storage solutions made by Husky can only be described as “almost” because they’re always missing either a feature that they should have built into their rolling storage system or, instead, have some gimmicky add-on that makes it more expensive yet has zero potential for actual use in the real world.
Nathan L
I’m not sure how i missed this post when this system was brought up recently in Stuart’s summary of different modular rolling box system deals (https://toolguyd.com/dewalt-tough-system-vs-milwaukee-packout-vs-ridgid-pro-rolling-tool-box-combo-deals/). I guess it’s because he didn’t link it…
There’s relatively little noise about this HD budget house brand modular storage system, Husky being a lot less glamorous than the Milwaukee, Dewalt, and Rigid brands that have their own (beefier) versions, but there are a lot of really positive and detailed reviews of this system on the sales page, and a few sponsored reviews on other webpages which yield some better photos and more or less no additional information.
On a general design basis, this compares best with Rigid’s set, which goes for $100 for the three piece set when on sale. On a functionality, price and size basis, this compare best with the Bostich stack and Stanley FatMax 4-in-1 mobile work station (exactly the same external dimensions): https://toolguyd.com/bostitch-stanley-rolling-tool-box-deals-121517/, which are slightly smaller and better suited for organizing smaller parts and tools. These are all around the $75 price point. However, those stacks are not modular. The Stanley has a neat cantilevered design, but does not come apart. The cantilevered aspect makes it easier to access all bins at once, but it does take up a pretty big footprint when expanded, and may not be as easy to get into the trunk of a car as this Husky system that can be disassembled if need be. There is an optional cantilever tool box that can connect to the Husky system, bringing the price to the same as the Rigid (on sale), but with 4 boxes, one of which is cantilevered to divide into upper and lower sections.
I was finally able to see both this Husky system and the Rigid system side-by-side at HD and they are the same width, but the Rigid system is a little deeper (front to back). The Rigid dolly box has a organizer that can slide in. With it installed, the space remaining in front of it is about the same as the Husky box.
Their wheels look identical. The Husky collapsing dolly handle has a bit of wiggle but doesn’t feel less sturdy than the Rigid when levering up the system. The latching system between layers is quite different and i think i like the Husky method better. It consists of two sliders built into each layer that engage with the slot of the next one. The Rigid system has a metal latch on each side that flips up and engages tabs on the layer above it.
Yes, the bottom Husky box (what i call the dolly box) has no lid. It relies on the toolbox to cover it. That’s obviously a matter of preference on whether that’s an issue. I feel it’s a reasonable cost- and complexity-saving measure, and it actually makes sense if the stack is always used as a system. You have to take the toolbox off to access the dolly box anyway, so having it serve as the lid is one less set of latches to open and close.
The Husky organizer (top box) is completely filled with removable bins, which is an improvement over the Rigid. You can always leave some out if you prefer, but you can’t get extras to fill in the gaps if there isn’t a complete array.
I have mostly M12 power tools, so i used the Milwaukee m12 floor display to check how the bigger tools (e.g. Fuel circ saw) would fit. It turns out that that saw and most other tools fit perfectly, front-to-back, in the Husky dolly box. Sort of slotting in, due to friction with the front and back, rather than just a loose jumble in the bottom like in a bigger box. They fit about the same in front of the organizer insert of the Rigid dolly box, but a bit looser because of the extra clearance, and they do partially block the organizer openings.
The Husky is probably less water-intrusion resistant than the Rigid. If your use case is transporting in the back of of pickup and use in an outdoors jobsite, the Rigid is going to be a better option. If it is transporting in the trunk of a car or a van and indoor or sheltered jobsites, there’s no clear advantage to either.
I’m going to wait until after the holidays and then buy the Husky connect system. It seems to be a better buy for a DIY user with m12 tools. I’ll share any additional thoughts then.
Stuart
There’s relatively noise about the Husky Connect because I never see it in stores, only online. The system is expanding with 2 new tool box options, but I still never see it in stores.
I recently received a test sample of the 3 tool box stack, and so I’ll be prepped to talk more about it soon.
Nathan L
Yeah i was surprised to find one in the store. It wasn’t even in the section with the tool boxes, but was all alone up at the front of the power tools aisle with a few retail packages of dewalt batteries sitting on top of it, like it was someone’s collection waiting for check out.
The weird thing is, if i check inventory in the webpage, all the HD stores around me (there are five different locations i pass relatively frequently) have several in stock, but i’ve not been able to find one before. It may be the stack is a bit more “mobile” than store security would like…
William Adams
Did you ever get the test sample?
What were your thoughts?
Strategies for optimal use?
Did you identify any add-ons which would work esp. well with it?
Stuart
Nope. Never saw it at any store either.
William Adams
Broke down and got one a while back and was disappointed that there weren’t any draw options, so hacked at things a bit:
https://discuss.toolguyd.com/t/husky-connect-tool-caddy/1169/5
I’ve repeated this since with a narrower opening for the HF organizers and found a Husky organizer which fits well.
Stuart
Looks like a clean mod!
Nathan L
Found the Husky System in another HD tonight. Maybe they got a few in for the holidays and that’s why i haven’t seen them before. One thing i noticed this time that i missed before is that when the dolly handle is collapsed, it projects out the bottom as two legs, preventing the box from tilting onto the wheels and providing additional stability to the system. It seems to be a nice touch. I haven’t noticed if any of the other modular systems do that.
I also found in stock both of the cantilevered toolboxes that are compatible with the Connect system. I liked better the thinner one that’s basically two small parts organizers stacked with cantilevering action. That one really expands the capabilities of the Connect system as a complete mobile workshop for those who have a lot of different fasteners, anchors and other problem-solvers in their kit. The big name modular systems have pretty limited bin count and are better suited for contractor quantities of fewer types of small parts.
Charlie
top box only has 10 compartments and not 12
Stuart
Thank you! Looks like they updated it, it used to have 12.
Richard Brown
There are drawers for this system now: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Connect-2-Drawer-13-Compartment-Small-Parts-Organizer-248984/314213515.
The cantilevered tool box is currently MIA on HD’s website because it is not available, but Husky support indicated that they would be back in about 45 days.
I also haven’t seen it mentioned that this is the same as the Keter Connect system, so you can mix and match parts.
Stuart
https://toolguyd.com/husky-connect-drawer-organizer-toolbox/