Don't Waste Money On Milwaukee Packout Foam Inserts - Try This Instead

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Milwaukee's Packout modular tool storage system is constantly evolving, with at least 15 new products to be added in 2026 alone. Although this system is relatively popular with fairly high ratings across most of its items, not all Packout products are winners. That is certainly the case for the Packout Drawers Customizable Foam Insert, which was selling at the time of this writing for $29.98.

The Milwaukee Packout foam does have positive reviews online, with users saying it is easy to cut and fits perfectly within the system. It can be custom-made to fit inside the drawers in the modular tool system, and reviewers said they effectively helped prevent their tools from rolling around. That being said, it's really just overpriced foam. You can add regular, unbranded foam inserts to pretty much any toolbox, and that goes for the Packout boxes as well. Just as you'd expect, buying your own foam and cutting it down until it fits is a bit cheaper than getting a Milwaukee-branded product.

The Milwaukee Packout foam products come with two big inserts, each measuring 16.3 inches wide by 12.5 inches deep by 4.8 inches tall. You should be able to find foam inserts that measure around that depth and width, although finding ones that tall might be more of a challenge. But you know what's really common? A big pack of 1-inch deep foam sheets, which you can layer until you reach the desired depth.

It's worth noting that not every foam alternative is cheaper than Milwaukee. The Onreva Tool Box Foam 4-Pack on Amazon, for example, will cost you nearly as much as the Milwaukee Packout option while only covering half the space. However, you can find plenty of cheaper options. This plain-looking pack of eight sheets on Amazon costs just $28 and measures in at 16 inches wide by 12 inches deep by 1 inch tall. That's slightly cheaper than the Packout while covering about the same space. Plus, users report that the foam is firm and thick, which is what you want for storing heavy but delicate tools. 

Even cheaper is a pack of four, 2-inch thick inserts like Decohs' Four Pieces Pick and Pluck Foam. This option costs just $24 and is already cut into little cubes. Buyers reported successfully using this foam not only on DeWalt's ToughSystem 2.0 tool boxes, which are similar to Packout, but also delicate items like audio gear and small plastic miniatures.

Of course, the downside with all of these options is that you can't take a look at the foam before buying it. It's possible that the product you get will be too weak to sustain heavy tools, or too tough to comfortably cut into a desired shape. However, as long as you buy these items on Amazon, you can make use of the company's generous return policy and shop with ease. For what it's worth, none of the highlighted products are tagged by Amazon as "frequently returned."