Tote, box or chest: how to choose and size a toolbox

Buy for the tools you actually carry, plus about a quarter more.

An open tote or bag is fastest to work from and best if you carry a small set to wherever the job is. Nothing is protected from dust or rain, and small parts escape.

A closed box with a lid and a lift-out tray is the standard household answer. The tray holds the things you reach for constantly, the well underneath takes the bulk. Look for a lid that latches on both sides and a handle that folds flat.

A rolling chest or cabinet makes sense once tools are heavy enough that carrying them is the problem, or once you have enough that finding things is the problem. Drawers beat a deep well for retrieval, but they cost floor space and are awkward on stairs.

Whatever the format, measure your longest tool first. A tape measure, a level and a hacksaw are the three that most often refuse to fit a box that seemed big enough. Leave roughly a quarter of the volume spare, because tool collections only grow.

Part of the Stalwart guides. See all guides.