Best Roll Cabinet / Tool Chest for home use??

[jamie o]

New to the site and I know this has probably been discussed before. Am looking at getting a new roll cab for use at home. Not in the market for paying snap-on prices and so I am guessing my choices are likely to come down to.

1. Clarke (probably via machine mart)
2. Halfords - industrial range - look very good value at the moment, especially as I have a Halfords Trade Card.
3. Generic ebay product - US- PRO or similar. wary of quality
4. Other brands - maybe Sealey.

On price I guess Halfords is hard to beat, my only issue is that in an ideal world I'd like to do away with a top chest and have one large roll cab. There new range still only includes a relatively narrow roll cab, albeit you can have the side locker and cabinet. I'd really like a full width top drawer so I could stand my sockets upright as I find that much easier.

Would welcome any thoughts anyone has.

[E-bmw]

This is the sort of question that only you will know the answer to really.

As is ask 100 different people who have bought 100 different chests & you are likely to get 100 different answers.

I went the Sealey American pro route & have not been disappointed.

I am not saying they are the best out there, but in a clean dry garage at home they are perfect for me.

Bought a 9 drawer top, 3 drawer mid & 7 drawer bottom, luckily I am 6ft 5 & can actually see in the top one!

Edited by E-bmw on Tuesday 31st July 12:35

[tapkaJohnD]

Yes, it has been asked before, many times.
As you're new to the site suggest you do a search.

John

[DuraAce]

I have a clarke one from machine mart, perfect for home use.
If I worked in trade and used it everyday I'd invest in a snap on but that's overkill for home use. (I'd still buy one for the bling factor if I could afford it!)

[Willy Nilly]

I have a Clarke Contractor that I use a work, it's pretty decent. If you bide your time Machine Mart have various deals on from time to time. I have seen some good deals on Beta tool cabinets but can't remember where.

[dhutch]

E-bmw said:

As is ask 100 different people who have bought 100 different chests & you are likely to get 100 different answers.

One of the things is that most people have one cab. Some might have a bottom and top of a different brand.

The only really objective reviews come from people who have has more then one cab, for a few years, so really know how it works and lasts.

At work we had Kennedy, the new one was lovely but only a few months old when I left. The old one was crap but its hard to know if that was abuse, change of spec since it was bought, or something else.

I tend to like to go a left field, prefer a local pub to spoons, but as you say if you can get over the image a lot of the Halfords pro/advanced stuff is good kit, and with a trade card becomes very reasonably priced.

Need to invest myself now I have a dry enough garage it wont just rot, so watching this closely.


Daniel

[DuraAce]

I have this one, watch our for machine marts vat free weekends to make a good saving.


Its pretty sturdy with lots of drawers so you can organise your stuff... That's why I wanted it so I didn't have to rake though boxes of stuff every time I wanted a specific socket or screwdriver.
Its no snap on epiq.....but then it's a twentieth of the price!

[Classy6]

I've had a Clarke one for 14+ years - used every day for 9 years in the trade. Only get's occasional use now but more than sufficient for most peoples needs. Known people in the trade with Halfords boxes, they're also decent quality same as Sealey.

Snap On is a brand you purchase if you like that sort of thing, never worth the insane price tag.

[Willy Nilly]

I'm trying not to buy this https://primetools.co.uk/product/beta-c24sa-xl7-7-...

Seems a pretty good price to me.

This one is the alternative

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cbb315bg-ex...

Need an additional cabinet with wider and deeper draws. When I say need....

[Glasgowrob]

the Halfords industrial stuff always seemd pretty decent for the money.

also do you have a Costco near you? the boxes they sell are well put together too

https://www.costco.co.uk/search/?text=tool

when i eventually get a garage at home this is what i want

https://www.costco.co.uk/Hardware-DIY-Tyres/Storag...

[Cardinal Hips]

I've had a Clarke HD roller and top box for 12 years now. Drawers are still smooth. Only complaint is the chrome on the handles to move it about is utterly wasted. But then it has been in a barn with an open end the entire time so not exactly a dry garage environment. I'll probably take the handles off and get blasted / powder coated at some point, the rest of it will last until I'm dead I reckon. It's full of Halfords advanced / pro stuff, in the same time I've only had one failure and that was a small torque wrench that couldn't be adjusted when I went to use it.

Used a few days a week, I'd put myself in the camp of an enthusiastic amateur. Have built 3 cars and 2 bikes out of that set and countless other jobs on lots of other stuff in that time. I'm not a full time pro so no need to re-mortgage the house for a snap on / mac set.

[Lotobear]

Don't laugh but the Aldi Titanium roller cabinet is bloody brilliant - just bought one and I'm deeply impressed for £140! It feels like it should be twice that price.

I also have the Halfords professional roller with top box and would put the Aldi one ahead of it.

What made me even happier was when I unpacked it found they had supplied it with the wrong keys - the nice German lady on the helpline simply sent me a full refund via Paypal and no need to return the cabinet. So it's even better when it's free!

https://www.aldi.co.uk/workzone-grey-tool-cabinet/...

[dhutch]

Lotobear said:

I also have the Halfords professional roller with top box and would put the Aldi one ahead of it.

That's quite impressive really, as brand snobbery aside I believe the Halfords pro is reasonable kit. How long have you had the two units?

I've got the Halfords cheapy top box (non roller) as a portable toolbox and as long as you out a dam of oil on it, even that is usable. And it's red, which fits my narrow minded view of what colour tool cabs should be!

Daniel

[alspeed]

Have a couple of second hand Snap On roll cabs, bought on the premiss that they will always be worth pretty much what i paid for them, should i need to offload.

Nearly bought a brand new stainless one from Costco though, on the recommendation of a plant fitter i know who has abused one on a daily basis for years without killing it. Halfords ones also look good value for money.

Had a machine mart one, it was pants, fell to bits in short order.