Tool Cabinets/Chests

[Atrus]

Hey guys -

Looking to upgrade my home garage tool chest. I'm still currently using a ~26" Craftsman that I got in the mid 90's when I was a teenager. I've outgrown it long ago. This is just for my home garage, I am not out there wrenching every day, but I have a fleet of hooptys I need to keep running so my garage does get used.

Looking for something like a 44"-46" tool chest. Right now, I am debating between the US General and Home Depot Husky options.

US General is going to run $599 for the lower box, plus another $350 for the top chest. They are 10% off this weekend, so I could get away for $850 on both.

Link for lower: https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-s...red-64281.html
Link for upper: https://www.harborfreight.com/44-in-...red-64280.html

Husky, I was looking at the non-HD red 46" chest for $498. As dumb as it sounds, I'd like to have a red tool chest if possible, but it's not an absolute requirement.

Link for Husky: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-46...0385/316439279

From the specs, they seem pretty similar. Online, I see people saying the Husky's aren't worth a damn unless you get the black industrial/HD boxes. Anything is a massive upgrade from the little Craftsman that I've used for the last 25 years.

What would you guys do? I don't necessarily have a set budget, but obviously don't want to spend just to spend. Is there another option I should be looking at?

[WhiteHawk]

Hey guys -

Looking to upgrade my home garage tool chest. I'm still currently using a ~26" Craftsman that I got in the mid 90's when I was a teenager. I've outgrown it long ago. This is just for my home garage, I am not out there wrenching every day, but I have a fleet of hooptys I need to keep running so my garage does get used.

Looking for something like a 44"-46" tool chest. Right now, I am debating between the US General and Home Depot Husky options.

US General is going to run $599 for the lower box, plus another $350 for the top chest. They are 10% off this weekend, so I could get away for $850 on both.

Link for lower: https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-s...red-64281.html
Link for upper: https://www.harborfreight.com/44-in-...red-64280.html

Husky, I was looking at the non-HD red 46" chest for $498. As dumb as it sounds, I'd like to have a red tool chest if possible, but it's not an absolute requirement.

Link for Husky: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-46...0385/316439279

From the specs, they seem pretty similar. Online, I see people saying the Husky's aren't worth a damn unless you get the black industrial/HD boxes. Anything is a massive upgrade from the little Craftsman that I've used for the last 25 years.

What would you guys do? I don't necessarily have a set budget, but obviously don't want to spend just to spend. Is there another option I should be looking at?

I just bought a bunch of Craftsman for my basement including a small five drawer chest. My lessons learned was that I didn't try the drawers first. They have those "slow close" shocks on them which is nice, but when you try to open them, you literally have to put one hand on the box to keep it from moving when you pull the drawer. I have seen this on a lot of stuff lately, they get these really cheap "Slow close" mechanisms, and they are hard to open. I think I would rather have just regular drawers than have to chock the wheels just to open a drawer.

I ended up going with craftsman because their big workbenches and cabinets are basically made with stamped sheet steel - which is nice because in case my basement floods again I can clean both sides pretty easily. The nicer stuff is made with hollow steel tubes which is pretty hard to clean when it fills with sewage. I had this old recumbent bike down there, and we took it apart a month after the flood and there was still water (sewage) in the frame.

-Geoff

[capone]

I don't have any experience with the husky box. But I really like my US General. I have the same upper and lower you are looking at. I have quite a bit of weight in a few of the drawers and they still open, close and roll without a problem. I'm not a mechanic by trade I use it in my garage. But I own hoopties also so it does get used quite a bit.

[Atrus]

I just bought a bunch of Craftsman for my basement including a small five drawer chest. My lessons learned was that I didn't try the drawers first. They have those "slow close" shocks on them which is nice, but when you try to open them, you literally have to put one hand on the box to keep it from moving when you pull the drawer. I have seen this on a lot of stuff lately, they get these really cheap "Slow close" mechanisms, and they are hard to open. I think I would rather have just regular drawers than have to chock the wheels just to open a drawer.

Good to know, I didn't even think of that impact from the soft close. That would be annoying. In your case, is there a way to disable it?

I ended up going with craftsman because their big workbenches and cabinets are basically made with stamped sheet steel - which is nice because in case my basement floods again I can clean both sides pretty easily. The nicer stuff is made with hollow steel tubes which is pretty hard to clean when it fills with sewage. I had this old recumbent bike down there, and we took it apart a month after the flood and there was still water (sewage) in the frame.

-Geoff

First off, bleh on the bike. Terrible you had to deal with that. Good to know on the differences in construction - I don't see any issue with either style being in my garage.

I don't have any experience with the husky box. But I really like my US General. I have the same upper and lower you are looking at. I have quite a bit of weight in a few of the drawers and they still open, close and roll without a problem. I'm not a mechanic by trade I use it in my garage. But I own hoopties also so it does get used quite a bit.

Cool, good to know - the current Craftsman I have is pretty light duty and I've managed just fine with it. I did break the pop rivets holding the deep drawer to the slides, but it's fixable. Any of these are much beefier than that thing, so I think I'd be fine with something like the US General quality.

[dline]

Us general is nice and good (harbor freight!!

[orangejuiced86]

I have a large husky box and honestly looking back I wish I would have went the "US general" route.

[WhiteHawk]

Good to know, I didn't even think of that impact from the soft close. That would be annoying. In your case, is there a way to disable it?

Been too low on the priority list! Just complaining about it for now.

-Geoff

[Atrus]

I have a large husky box and honestly looking back I wish I would have went the "US general" route.

Oh really - what made you feel this way? Too flimsy or something?

[orangejuiced86]

Some of the US general boxes had better drawer layout for my preference. The new ICON boxes are even better.

[mustangmike6996]

I have a Matco box (doesnt fit in my garage so it is at a relatives house)... with that said:

I bought a 44" US General then the single bank 26" (I think thats the size) then got the 5 drawer tool cart. I really like the HF stuff for the price. The ICON is awesome but is double the price and probably worth it.

I also got the Craftsman upper wall mount 24" cabinets (they are $100 each). When I build my new garage I will probably by more HF boxes and use birch butcherblock countertops (they are pretty damn cheap so I wouldnt feel bad about beating it up.)

I would buy the US General boxes again. I really like the look of the new service cart (like the tool cart but has more drawers).