Best tool boxes [UK]: top portable rolling boxes reviewed

Coming in first place in our list is the STANLEY rolling toolbox chest, which also happens to be amazon’s best choice for rolling toolboxes. This is justified by the 4 and a half star average with over 700 reviews, most (if not all) report the box to be a fantastic buy. At the current price, it really doesn’t run your wallet dry either, and it more than seems to be worth its money at first glance. I gotta tell you I’ve given this a real battering over the course of a few years and the worst I’ve done to it is knock off the clips which will fit back but I’ve never bothered as it’s always stored upright the way it’s meant:

The product itself it’s a compact, lightweight toolbox that has everything you need. It’s heavy-duty and is made from durable plastic, whilst remaining light and small enough to carry around, measuring at 40 x 34.5 x 64.5 cm and weighing 3.42 kg. It has a 50 L capacity too, so for its price, you can fit a lot into this box.

It also has some great accessories which make it a useful box to own. It has two lid organisers for your small parts and accessories, as well as a removable tray inside the box itself. These additions really help when you’re trying to sort your tools into different compartments or categories.

It also has a v groove in the lid, so you can place small bits of timber into the groove when you’re in action. Although it’s a small feature, it’s a great detail which shows how well designed this product is. It has two steel clips on the front to keep it secure and a central, ergonomic handle to carry it about. The padlock loop is also ideal if you want to make things extra secure.

It has a long telescopic handle which is adjustable too, so carrying it around is made that bit easier on you. Some users have reported faults with this handle by claiming it can break, but if this happens contact your supplier and request a refund. The handle may be lightweight and might be causing this to happen, but most users don’t seem to have this issue, so a product fault is more likely.

That said, users haven’t reported issues with the features or details of this product, hence the 4 and a half star average. Its sleek black colour helps with any dust or debris which can get onto the box, and its material makes it easy to keep clean anyway. The 7 inch wheels are big enough to ensure that this toolbox can get around easily and can support the weight of the box.

As a brand, STANLEY is one of the most reliable out there. They provide affordable yet good quality products for all customers, not just experts. You might not be able to store absolutely everything in this box, but for daily use and for storing tools you’ll need on the job, this is the best portable rolling toolbox there is.

Its additional compartmentalisation and handy features, alongside the low price, are the main reasons why this product takes the top spot on our list.

If you need something a little larger but still lightweight, then this 3-tier STANLEY workshop toolbox is for you. It has 3 separate compartments, the bottom of which is suitable for power tools and heavy use, which is handy for larger jobs. The top compartments are for smaller tools and other items.

Whatever you’re storing, the 3 removable toolboxes are perfect for organising your items to easily find them on the job. The 3 toolboxes are held together by secure, geometric latches and so it’s easy to operate and open up. It has lid organisers which are great for your small bits, as well as 7-inch wheels to support the weight of your tools.

It has metal locks on the front as well as a padlock loop, so you don’t need to worry about security. The ergonomic telescopic handle allows you to carry the toolbox round with ease, and whilst it may not be adjustable, it’s great for manoeuvrability.

The only slight issues are that the handle is quite low down and it’s slightly more expensive than our spot for first place. A low down handle can be a slight annoyance, but it isn’t problematic for the most part. Users also don’t report this issue too much, and with almost 4000 reviews averaging at 4 and a half stars, problems with the product design itself don’t appear to be present.

Priced at about £40 most of the time, this is a great option for a rolling toolbox. Its best feature is compartmentalisation, but it has everything you need in a toolbox. It just doesn’t quite beat the STANLEY chest in the first place.

Wrightfits may not be as popular as STANLEY toolbox chest, but this particular toolbox is very similar to the toolbox taking first place. It has a 50L capacity, measures 65 x 40 x 35 cm and is made from durable plastic with a strong polycarbonate lid. It also looks similar in terms of colour and design.

As well as this, it has a central handle and an ergonomic telescopic handle made from steel, so you have guaranteed strength. Metal latches and a padlock loop also allow you to keep it locked and secure with confidence. Its lid organisers on either side of the handle are almost identical to the toolboxes in first and second place, so you can store your smaller accessories with ease.

It also has a removable tray that sits just underneath the lid, meaning you can store your larger tools below. There’s no further compartmentalisation than this, but it’s still enough to sort your tools properly. The box is also guaranteed to be waterproof, and whilst most toolboxes are due to plastic material being used, this particular box would be great for the garden.

Although this is a reliable and useful toolbox, it comes in third place for a couple of reasons. The first would be the weight, as it weighs 4.5kg despite being similar in size and capacity to the STANLEY chest, which can be problematic. It’s currently priced just above the lowest tool boxes, and as first and second place are cheaper, you’re not getting as good value for money in my opinion.

Coming in at fourth place is another STANLEY rolling toolbox chest, but this time it’s the FATMAX version. The primary difference compared to the STANLEY chest in the first place is that this is much bigger and heavier, with a 113L storage capacity and weighing 13.8kg. If you have plenty of power tools you need by your side daily, this toolbox is for you. I get my cordless Makita nails guns in there, my cordless planer, cordless router, my oscillating multi tool, and a few batteries to keep me going no trouble.

It has heavy-duty wheels and an ergonomic, telescopic handle to carry around and manoeuvre the toolbox with ease. The portable tray within the chest that sits at the rim is perfect to separate your smaller tools from the power tools below, making organising that bit easier. The integrated metal locks with padlock loops are perfect for security.

Whilst this toolbox has everything you need, it has additional features on top just to be cool :). The lid contains a section to hold a tool such as a spirit level, which can be easily clamped down to make working easier. It also has a groove similar to the STANLEY chest to hold onto material as you’re working, so there’s no doubt this is similar in many ways to our first place spot.

That said, the large storage capacity is useful in some situations, but it can make it a real pain to carry around if you’re not using it to it’s full potential. If you’re out on a construction site for example then it’s perfect, but for DIY jobs around the home, it might be a bit much. It also costs a fair chunk of change and despite the 4 and a half star average across 700+ ratings which is well well justified, you might be making a large investment into something you don’t truly need. For me though, doing work and using it everyday, makes it a no brainer.

Next up is quite an interesting design by STANLEY, in which the toolbox converts into a workstation…fancy right? Well, it’s a handy feature and is ideal for building/renovation jobs in the home. It’s priced at the lower end of the scale too, so it’s not going to drain you dry. I’ve actually got this and I have to say I am always careful with it because I can feel the plastic is thin and no that strong but it’s held up well and I love the tray that spins out and holds screws, pins, and bits. That really is well built – here’s a look at that:

This rolling toolbox is effectively two stacked storage boxes, with a fold around tray for small bits as I mentioned, and also a portable tray for small tools. This handy compartmentalisation makes jobs that little bit easier and allows you to keep track of your tools. It’s got secure metal latches, a telescopic handle and heavy-duty wheels-so it has what you need to work

However, whilst this product has an average rating of 4 and a half stars, it has come under fire for its structural qualities and I would understandably agree but at this price it’s understandable. Reviews have reported it to break or damage easily, especially with weight. Its lack of ergonomic quality and no padlock hole also has been noted to be an annoyance to buyers. I will say this though, when I’ve had it a bit over weighted, it’s held up well on the handle, it’s never fallen apart or made me look stupid 😀

Whilst this is an issue, the box isn’t designed for heavy-duty storage. So, if you’re putting power tools in here and cramming it full, it’s not going to last. Furthermore, it’s the cheapest on this list, and so it’s expected that it will lack some qualities that other rolling toolboxes have but it breaks up nicely into pieces and really is a bargain:

That said, the common theme throughout the review section is that this box is perfect for the beginner DIY’er and for around the home. It can store all your basic tools (besides heavy power tools) and is perfect for small jobs and woodworking. This isn’t what you want for on the job, but it’s cheap, the beginner DIY’er/home renovator will really benefit from this product.

In 6 place is another workstation by STANLEY, and this time it’s the FATMAX cantilever. With over 400 ratings averaging at 4 and a half stars, the 9.91kg rolling toolbox measures in at 73.3 x 54.9 x 41.3. This is a heavy-duty toolbox that’s perfect for transporting and storing power tools, as well as other heavy items or tools.

The toolbox is divided into 4 layers, all of which are different sizes and are ideal for organisation. Two of these layers are organisers, perfect for sorting your smaller tools and items into different categories. The top layer is also portable and can be removed, so the work station is handy for any job.

As with the other toolboxes this product has metal latches, a telescopic handle and heavy-duty wheels. This makes it easy to transport and operate, and the large wheels make it easy to balance, especially given its size and weight. The simple pull up latch and ball bearing slides mean that it’s easy to convert into a workstation, so it should be robust enough for your jobs.

Some reviews have reported that whilst it may be heavy duty, it breaks easily or is not sturdy enough. This is only a handful of reviews, as a large majority of others praise its robustness and effectiveness as a heavy-duty toolbox. Its durability is also praised, which implies these bad reviews are due to shipping/damage faults.

Nevertheless, for mid range money it’s a reliable toolbox, it just may not be for you if you need to save space or if you have limited/smaller tools to store.