How To Pick a Good Tool Chest Under $1,000 and Don’t Waste Your Money?

In this guide, I will review tool chests, and I include a wide range of types, bringing you multi-drawer table tops to handheld general compartment tool chests, the common factor that links each unit mentioned is the price, it is under $1000.

This made life both easy and hard, it was easy to focus on tool chests defined by price, but it was hard to find the best quality for the money, and that is why you have here featured different types, each one representing the tip of its range within the price constraint set.

Contents

Find the best Tool Chest for you:
• 1. Thor Kitchen 72″ Wide 15 Drawer Stainless Steel Anti-Fingerprint Tool Chest with Work Station
• 2. Viper Tool Storage V4109BLC 41-Inch 9-Drawer 18G Steel Tool Chest, Black
• 3. The Original Pink Box PB2603C 26-Inch 3-Drawer 18G Steel Top Chest, Pink
• 4. Kennedy Manufacturing 526B 8-Drawer Machinist's Chest with Friction Slides, Brown Wrinkle
• 5. Kennedy Manufacturing 1022R 22 Hand-Carry Portable Cantilever Metal Tool Box, Industrial Red
• 6. Homak 27-Inch Professional Series 9 Drawer Extended Top Chest, Blue, BL02027901
• 7. Stanley Proto J442710-4Rd-Ic 440SS Intermediate Chest, 4 Drawer, Red
• 8. Gladiator GarageWorks GATC26P6WG Premier Tool Chest
• 9. Greenlee 1332 Storage Chest, 32-Inch By 14-Inch By 19-Inch
• 10. Jobox 48in. Heavy-Duty Steel Chest - Site-Vault Security System, Model# 1-654990

Find the best Tool Chest for you:

Introduction

This is a large tool-chest table design, on castor wheels and is big enough to be a workstation too. This amazing feat of engineering is a great addition to your garage or even outdoor patio kitchen area. You can also use it in any workplace.

Body (& Wheels)

Stainless steel body on four castor wheels, it's a bottom rollaway design, and it comes with a rubberwood top and weighs 280lbs of solid storage strength.

Drawers (Capacity)

There are 15 drawers in total, and the dimensions are 37.5" x 72" x 18"

Bottom Line Introduction

This is your standard worktop storage unit; it's a steel tool chest and a very well organized one at that. This box is meant to sit on your worktop; it's a heavy one, not meant to be portable. You can also place it in the back of your pickup or van if you need a mobile version.

Body

18-gauge steel with a lot of storage options. This unit weighs 167lbs, so don't expect to lug it around when empty, never mind when full.

Drawers (Capacity)

There are 9 drawers supported by a 100lbs rated ball bearing sliding mechanism, so they are strong enough to support even the heaviest of tools that fit into a drawer.

Overall Dimensions are 42" x 17 5/8" x 20.5"

Drawer dimensions:

• 1 drawer 11 5/8" x 16" x 2 ¼"
• 4 drawers 23 5/8" x 16" x 2 ¼"
• 1 drawer 9 ¼" x 16" x 2 ¼"
• 1 drawer 11 5/8" x 16" x 2 ¼"
• 1 drawer 11 5/8" x 16" x 2 ¼"
• 1 drawer 11 5/8" x 16" x 8 1/8"

Bottom Line Introduction

This is the barbie toolbox on steroids. I guess this chick wanted to be a bodybuilder because she is both strong, versatile and heavy for her size.

Body

18-gauge steel body, tastefully painted in pink so you can't miss her. This baby weighs in at 70lbs, so she is a bit heavy to lug around and can stand on any worktop or in any van or pickup.

Drawers (Capacity)

There are 3 drawers, each using a 70lb ball bearing load bearing mechanism, which means you can store your tools and parts with ease. Dimensions are

• Lid compartment 25.75" x 10" x 2.5"
• Top drawer 22.3" x 10.5" x 5"
• Middle Drawer 22.3" x 10.5" x 6"
• Bottom Drawer 22.3" x 10.5" x 6"

Bottom Line Introduction

When to comes to refinement and a toolbox for perfectionists, then the Howard & Charles Kennedy designed metal toolbox and storage cabinet will blow your socks off. The original design started over a century ago, and the company decided it was so good, why fix something that ain't broken? So they didn't they just improved on its materials and overall outward look.

Body

This is a steel body Tubular lock keeps contents secure and is aimed at storing fine tuning and fine tool arrangements. It comes with a drop front panel to conceal and secure the drawers when not in use.

The unit weighs only 36lbs, so even when filled it can be carried out if needed.

Drawers (Capacity)

The drawers use friction slides since they are not meant for heavy load bearing contents. Each drawer is will (felt) lined to secure precision instruments from damage. There are 8 drawers and 6 adjustable drawer dividers in this model.

Overall dimensions: 26 3/4″ x 8 1/2" x 13 5/8″

Bottom Line Introduction

Welcome to the rest of the world. Yup, we had to chuck in a few drops and lift boxes. This is one of them, the classic design for everyone that wants a portable toolbox. You can either be neat and clean every tool or just chick and lift it along, ending up with that standard greasy looking, battered toolbox that every American homeowner recognizes when their plumber comes a-visiting.

Body

This is a 20-gauge steel cantilever box, with sturdy carry handle. The box itself weighs 18lbs, so its ideal for lifting, and unless you cast molten osmium into it, even when full it is portable. The carry handle is covered in vinyl to make it more comfortable to lug around.

Drawers (Capacity)

22-gauge compartments, one of the trays comes with socket set dividers. Dimensions are 22-1/8" depth, 10-1/16" Height, 12-5/8" width. There is a total of 4 trays and one main compartment.

Bottom Line Introduction

This is the HMC high-security tubular locking system with 3.2 mil Epoxy-polyester powder coat paint finish. OK, nuff of the commercialism, down to facts. This is a very strong and efficient draw system that I like a lot and is really cost effective.

Body

Steel body with full-length aluminum drawer handles to make access easier. The lid has locking hinges, and the body is made of 1.0mm thick steel, the frame is 1.0mm, and the drawers are 8mm thick steel.

Overall weight is 79lbs.

Drawers (Capacity)

There is 9 drawers that come with liners and top mat and sit on 250mm replaceable ball-bearing slides. Each drawer can support up to 66lbs of the load. The drawer dimensions are:

• 6 Drawers 6-5/8″ x 15-3/4″ x 1-7/8″
• 2 Drawers 22-1/2″ x 15-3/4″ x 1-7/8″
• 1 Drawer 22-1/2″ x 15-3/4″ x 2-3/8″

Bottom Line Introduction

This is the Stanley intermediate chest, and its built for weight bearing heavy load drawers.

Body

Steel body weighing 80lbs and comes with a vinyl top.

Drawers (Capacity)

There are 4 drawers, each one is recessed and has an aluminum drawer pull. The drawers pull out 100%, and they can hold up to 100lbs of weight each.

• Cubic inch capacity is 2,505
• Overall dimensions are 18" x 10" x 27"

Bottom Line Introduction

This is a versatile toolbox unit because it comes as part of a three-system unit. This is the top unit, so you can buy this one as a standalone, and when you need to add more storage space, buy the lower units. The lowest unit in the set is the Gladiator GarageWorks Premier Roll-Away Tool Chest, so you end up with a trolling tool chest rather than a worktop one.

The Six-Drawer Tool Chest features an internal locking system, requiring the lid to be open in order to open individual drawers. If you're moving the chest, this safety mechanism will keep the drawers from opening. For further security, this chest is also lockable with its GarageWorks-compatible key.

Body

Durable steel construction that weighs in at 86lbs.

Drawers (Capacity)

There are six drawers on this unit, and they can support 50lbs each, so a total of 200lbs can be stored in this model.

The drawers use a friction-catch method combined with easy-roll ball-bearing slide support. The top unit has a compartment, and the whole system uses gas Struts for smooth opening and closing.

Dimensions: 19" x 26" x 17.1"

Bottom Line Introduction

This is a classic military box style storage compartment. It is a high-security box and comes with some impressive features. However, it is only a box, so you get one compartment, and you either place all your tools neatly inside or just chuck 'em in as you like, it's up to you.

Body

160guage steel, sitting on 3 ½" skids, This is a patented model, it has a recessed and concealed lock and protector. This unit is hard to drill and cut, so you can store some expensive items in this one if you want extra protection. The lid comes with a bolster for extra support and is finger grooved for easier opening.

Drawers (Capacity)

While I did state it's a one compartment box, it actually does have a small items storage tray.

There are different model sizes, so you have to decide what size is right for you, they are:

• AA Capacity Vol.:20 cu ft, Width:60", Depth:24", Height:24", Wt.:182 lb.
• AB Width:32", Depth:19", Height:14", Wt.:83 lb.
• AC Width:36", Depth:19", Height:17", Wt.:99 lb.
• AD Width:42", Depth:20", Height:20", Wt.:113 lb.
• AE Width:48", Depth:24", Height:24", Wt.:113 lb.
• AF Width:48", Depth:30", Height:30", Wt.:183 lb.

Bottom Line Introduction

This is the Jobox, their 48" version, and is a great box storage unit. It is also extra secure since it comes with their proprietary site-vault-security system, which is fancy PR for added locking points. This means that its harder to pry open if you lost your key, so don't lose it.

Body

16-gauge steel with three locking joints and a welded lock housing. It comes with a full A-frame lid bolster and staked & welded 14-gauge steel hinges. The hinge is a continuous 3/8" channel with ¼" steel pin and 1" knuckles. This is a very sturdy box, weighing in at 146lbs.

Drawers (Capacity)

This is a one box compartment, so here are the specs.

• Capacity (cu. ft.): 15.4,
• Dimensions 48" x 24" x 27 ¾"

Bottom Line

If you are looking for strong, sturdy and simple, this is the one to get. Just clean your hammers and spanners from grease, or you'll end up with a sardine can. Great value for money, really great value.
Conclusions

Tool chests come in a variety of sizes and shapes, as well as being either generic or bespoke; there is no real determining factor to set criteria for storage. Each type of storage has many solutions, and each solution is specific to the needs. Just make sure you buy a strong unit, made with good materials, and from a recognized manufacturer.