The 8 Best Tool Chests for 2023

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From tinkerers to full-on DIY experts, keeping your workspace organized is as simple as picking the right tool chest. Here are the best tool chests for any workspace.

When you’re taking on an at-home project, keeping your tools and workspace organized is vital to its success—and your sanity. Tool chests are the best way to store all of your equipment safely, saving you from digging through your garage cabinets and kitchen drawers to search for that missing Allen wrench. Tool chests can also help consolidate your workspace efficiently without having to give up any equipment that may be cluttering up your work area.

While portable tool boxes are a great option for projects where you'll need your go-to equipment nearby at a moment's notice, rolling tool chests and mounted cabinets offer better long-term storage, and free up valuable floor space. Tool chests drastically range in sizes, so whether you are a full-blown DIY expert or you only own enough tools to keep your home from falling apart, there's a good fit for you. We found all the best chests for keeping your tinkering tools organized, no matter how much space you need.

The size of your tool chest makes a major difference in the overall storage capacity, but it can also determine the number of organizational spaces available. If you have a big collection of tools or a wide variety of equipment, larger chests offer the ability to store all of them in separate spaces, keeping your items from getting mixed up with one another. If you only have a few items that you use regularly, a smaller tool chest requires less space in your home and is significantly more portable.

Tool chests come in a number of different materials ranging from steel and other alloys to plastic molding. While plastic-molded tool chests are more lightweight, stainless steel and steel alloy options are significantly more durable and are designed to last for years.

Rolling tool chests provide accessibility across your workspace for projects that may require you to move often. Tool boxes and smaller options are great for keeping the most important items close by, and require the least amount of space in your home. Mounted wall cabinets and tool storage options are designed for more stationary workspaces and can help clear up floor space.

Many tool chests offer much more than just storage. Larger options are often designed to double as workbenches or desks as well, while others come with built-in designs to hold or hang specific tools. Many have locked drawers for more valuable or dangerous items, like spare box cutter blades.

In addition to researching the best options and scouring through verified customer reviews, we used our years of reviewing and testing out tool chests at Popular Mechanics to help finalize our picks. Personally, I've been surrounded by tools, DIY projects, and tool chests for most of my life, with a long family line of tinkerers and home improvement experts. Whether you're an expert with enough tools to run your own shop or a beginner looking to keep your home in tip-top shape, we found high-quality, cost-effective, durable tool chests to fit your needs.

This Milwaukee heavy-duty cabinet set is designed to carry nearly all the tools you need over the course of a project. With 18 drawers of varying sizes, the tool chest has enough space to not just hold all of your tools, but organize and separate them easily. It also comes with three different cabinet locks to securely store your tools.

The overhead cabinet is designed to hold your larger, wider tools that may not fit into any of the smaller drawers, and can double as a mini workbench with the included power strip. The wheel lock and push handle also let you bring your tool chest along with you and keep it securely in place while you're working.

More: The Best Workbenches of 2023

If you are just looking to keep your tools in order for fixes around the house, the Craftsman portable chest is an excellent option. The tool chest is a smaller design built for portability, durable enough to last a lifetime (for a casual user). With three drawers and one large overhead lid, the chest can comfortably store basic tools and equipment.

The portable chest also comes with a wrench organizer labeled by size. This prevents the wrenches from getting mixed up in the shuffle of other tools and sizes when stored in the drawers. Additionally, the tool chest is powder-coated to prevent rust or corrosion if left outdoors or in moist climates.

What sets the Husky mobile workbench apart from many other options is the wood-top surface. The top of the chest is designed to serve as a work surface for your home projects. As a result, you can really consolidate your home or garage workspace.

The tool chest also boasts nine uniquely-sized drawers including a lockable top drawer for valuable or personal items. The strength and durability of the drawers is what impresses me most with this tool chest, with each drawer rated for up to 100 pounds, even at full extension, without bending or breaking.

With large, locking cabinet doors, two wide drawers, and four wheels, this rolling tool cart offers tons of great features at an affordable price. The cart comes with a side tray and hooks designed to hold and organize your hand tools easily. The side tray has several screwdriver holes so you can store them upright.

Take note of the included nonslip rubber mats that go inside the drawers and on the top surface. The mats provide extra grip for your tools and gear so they are not sliding directly against the steel, which means you can lay them out just how you like them and trust that they'll stay in place.

While not the largest option on the market, this Performance Tool rolling chest offers more versatility in its design and features than any other pick on this list. It includes two folding side trays with magnetic pads to keep your tools and equipment in place as you work.

The top of the chest is an EVA foam seat cushion, so you can comfortably sit on it like a stool, and you might not even need to get up to find the right tool from the drawers beneath. It also comes with a back tray where you can store your hand tools within arm's reach.

For storage and mobility, the Sunex service cart can handle anything. With six different drawers in multiple depths and a locking top drawer, the cart has ample space for tools of nearly any size (although it might not accommodate your largest sledgehammers). Every drawer also comes with an EVA foam liner for added protection and to keep things from sliding around.

The gas shocks in the top lid add a premium element to this tool chest, making it easy to lift the lid and hold it in place without any risk of dropping it on your head.

The Dewalt tool box on wheels is a great option for anyone looking for mobile storage on a budget. The tool chest is designed to be rolled or carried with you to different work sites or projects with ease. It has an internal tool tray that can be removed to make sure you have the most important tools on hand.

While the structural foam body may not have the same durability as steel options, it is rated for both water and dust resistance. The lid also seals tightly so your tools are protected completely from potential outside damage.

For anyone that is short on floor space, the Goplus rolling tool chest is a solid option. With a detachable and stackable design, you can store significantly more tools in the chest without giving up space on your floor—and you can disassemble them whenever you need an extra work surface.

The tool chest also has a large bottom cabinet that store not only large tools and equipment, but also the detachable top cabinet.

Tom Price is an Associate Editor of Commerce for Popular Mechanics, and also contributes to Runner's World, and Bicycling. He has previously covered product reviews, startup news, and even professional wrestling. In his free time, he enjoys watching pretentious TV, low-brow movies, and exercising for beauty, not health. If you are interested in exploring more of his work, check out his website.

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