Milwaukee Rolling Tool Boxes: What To Know Before Buying (And Are They Any Good?)
If you have a lot of tools in your collection, having a way to store them is a great way to stay organized and know where everything is. The Milwaukee Packout models have a line that consists of rolling tool boxes that come with a modular design that allows you to stack them and store them on top of each other. This design helps you save on storage space, and you're rewarded for buying into the line. It's a nice ecosystem to invest in for home mechanics and people who are on the go, but it's not just limited to them either.
People in the market for a way to store their tools may have come across the Packout line in their research, and on the surface, it looks like a good option. However, the line does tend to skew on the more expensive side of things, and that's not going to be the best path for everybody. It can be worth lowering the initial cost and picking up a regular tool box. It comes down to personal preference, as is the case with many decisions like this, but it helps to know the pros of going down the Packout road if you want to make an informed decision.
Are Milwaukee Packout rolling tool boxes well-reviewed?
The Milwaukee Packout line is generally well received by buyers when you look at the user scores on Home Depot's website. For example, the 22-inch rolling tool box scored 4.7 out of five based on 9,000 reviews. A similar story is told when you look at other tool boxes part of the line, so you're getting a quality product no matter what part of the ecosystem you buy into first. Pro Tool Reviews gives the Packout line a positive review but notes it's more expensive than similar lines from DeWalt.
While the modular design of it is the big selling point, you might be wondering if it's worth picking up the rolling tool box on its own without ever adding to you. At $139, it's quite a high price to pay, and if you aren't ever going to take advantage of the modular design it can be a very tough sell. The additional boxes you can add cost close to $100 on their own, so it gets expensive fast. With reviews being largely positive, you're not going to be disappointed if you do buy the tool box, but it's another question entirely about whether it's worth it.
Is the Packout line worth it?
Buying a Milwaukee Packout tool box on its own does give you a highly-reviewed product, but you're missing many reasons why to buy into the line if you just keep it by itself. Ultimately, it does work as a standalone tool box, and the 22-inch size does give you a lot of space for storage. It's also hard to discount the wheeled design that makes it easy to travel with, but there are cheaper options if that's all you're looking for.
Husky has its own line of modular tool boxes, and you'll see the barrier of entry is lower. The Husky rolling tool box starts at $79.98 at Home Depot, meaning you can save quite a bit of money by going down that path. That'll likely be the more cost-effective option if you want a rolling tool box, and the user reviews do back that up, as Husky's option has a 4.7 out of five score on Home Depot's website.
There's nothing wrong with sticking with Milwaukee if that's a brand you know and trust — you are getting a reliable tool box from a good brand after all. The only real problem is the increased cost, and while it's something that will be worth it if you invest in the Packout line, it's harder to say it's worthwhile if you don't do that.