3 DeWalt ToughSystem Products That Outshine Milwaukee Packout In Price And Features

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DeWalt ToughSystem and Milwaukee Packout are two of the biggest names in the modular toolbox market, and both are among the highest-rated brands of modular, portable toolboxes. However, neither is known for being especially affordable. DeWalt has a few different tool storage lines, while Milwaukee seems to have focused on expanding the Packout series and offers a lot of different compatible products. If you're looking for properly cheap options, you might be better served by Ryobi's Link storage system, which is built with affordability in mind and is constantly being updated with new products.

Overall, it's hard to say which modular toolbox system you should go with, but there are a few products where a mix of extra features and lower price makes DeWalt a clearly preferable alternative to Milwaukee. While this article focuses on containers, like toolboxes and backpacks, DeWalt sells quite a few cheap and fully-featured organizers, too. Some, like the affordable Small Parts Organizer, are not in the ToughSystem line, but might still be worth considering, since DeWalt sells adapters that allow some of its other modular systems to connect to it.

Both DeWalt and Milwaukee offer a plastic crate in their modular toolbox systems, and even though DeWalt calls it a Tote with Carrying Handle, the two are quite similar. The product page of the ToughSystem crate shows a slightly greater depth than the Packout, but this might be due to the metal handle that protrudes from this plastic box. On the size front, they are pretty much the same thing, which isn't surprising: There are only so many ways you can improve on a crate that doesn't even have a lid.

The handle is what really sets the DeWalt apart, besides the slightly lower price (both hover around $50) and the unique shape that might make the contents more accessible than Milwaukee's version. It's removable, which is useful when you need to stack ToughSystem boxes on top of the crate, but otherwise allows you to carry the DeWalt with a single hand, which you can't do with the Packout.

The DeWalt ToughSystem rolling Modular Toolbox is very similar to the Milwaukee, with the same 250-pound load capacity, similar size, and even a nearly identical max handle height. What makes the DeWalt more attractive is its much cheaper price at $125 compared to Milwaukee's $169. And since this is a modular system, a cheaper box means more funds to expand its functionality with accessories.

For a couple of dollars more, DeWalt will sell you a bundle featuring the Mobile Tool Box, a Shallow Tool Tray, and two Deep Tool Trays, all compatible with the ToughSystem 2.0 system, turning this big rolling box into an organized small tools and parts holder. There isn't much about this bundle or the rolling toolbox itself that's not obvious by just looking at it. It comes with an inner tray, so you probably won't need the bundle if you just have a couple of fasteners you want to keep separate from the rest. Also, the handle is detachable, which might be useful for storage.

The DeWalt Compact Tool Bag is very similar to the Milwaukee Tool Backpack, as both are pretty much just fancy backpacks made with the same tear-resistant fabric, similar impact resistance, and compatibility with their respective modular toolbox systems, ToughSystem and Packout. The difference is in price (the DeWalt is significantly cheaper, at $108 versus $139) and size. The Milwaukee is a bit deeper, meaning it can hold bigger tools and materials, but is also bulkier and heavier, coming in at 7.3 pounds. It also has more pockets, though it's hard to say how many of these are large enough to be used often.

The DeWalt Compact Tool Bag, on the other hand, is much lighter (4.2 pounds) and thinner, 11 inches wide and deep, compared to Milwaukee's 15 inches. It also has a slightly lower load capacity of 40 pounds — the Milwaukee gets up to 50 pounds — and, according to the product page, can "withstand wet environments" thanks to its waterproof base.

Overall, the two products are quite different, but comparable, with the notable difference being that the DeWalt is cheaper. If you want something bigger than the Milwaukee, with the same tear-resistant material and waterproof base as the DeWalt Compact Tool Bag but with 77 pounds of capacity and a width of 22 inches, DeWalt sells the ToughSystem Tool Bag for $119. It loses the portability of the compact version, sure, but so does the big Milwaukee tool bag.

To select these modular toolboxes and accessories from DeWalt, we looked at both the ToughSystem 2.0 and Milwaukee's Packout lineups on their respective websites and on retailers like Home Depot. Then, we identified the products that were similar and that Milwaukee sold for a higher price. Finally, we picked the DeWalt products that really deserved to be highlighted. All the products selected have an average user review score of at least 4.5 stars on Home Depot.