If you’re just starting out in the world of professional automotive repair, you’ve probably noticed that mechanic’s tools and tool storage options can be extremely pricey. That’s especially true in the case of professional brands like Snap-On, Cornwell, and Matco Tools. There are tips you can follow to build a professional tool kit on a budget, and it’s also smart to understand where to skimp and where to splurge when building a mechanic’s tool collection. However, even using those methods, buying a name-brand toolbox can be challenging or inaccessible.
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Don’t worry, though — contrary to what many young techs might feel pressured to believe, you don’t need an expensive, name-brand toolbox to do your job well. In reality, there are tons of solid toolbox options out there. They may not come with a fancy Snap-On or Matco Tools badge, but they’ll cost substantially less, and they’ll get the job done until you’re a few years into your career, when it makes more sense to splurge on expensive storage solutions.
If you’re curious about some solid alternatives to Matco Tools’ toolboxes, stick around. As a former professional auto repair tech who’s owned and used boxes built by Snap-On, Matco, Harbor Freight, and various other companies, I’ll break it down for you. We’ll cover five different brands that make quality toolboxes without the inflated prices offered by professional-tier companies. I chose these brands based on personal experience, price, user reviews, and product features, but I’ll dive deeper into my methodology later. For now, check out these five cheaper alternatives to Matco Tools’ toolboxes.
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U.S. General
When it comes to budget tools, few stores can compete with Harbor Freight. The company is known for its affordable selection of tools for home mechanics, and it’s developed a reputation as a premier location for buying quality tools on a budget. Harbor Freight maintains many in-house brands, which range in terms of price and quality from low-budget to upper-mid-tier. Regarding Harbor Freight brands that build quality and affordable toolboxes, U.S. General is extremely tough to beat.
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U.S. General tool cabinets and carts are a common sight in auto repair shops around the country. Many young techs opt for a U.S. General cart as their first tool storage option when just starting in the industry. The brand’s toolboxes, cabinets, and carts are popular for its affordable prices and relatively high quality, and, if you treat them properly, they can stand up to years of professional shop use.
One of the most popular products sold by U.S. General is the 30-inch 4-Drawer Tech Cart. It’s the first cart I ever bought myself, and it’s still in solid condition today after years of demanding use. The cart costs $229.99, but you can regularly find it on sale for discounted rates. It features 4.7 out of five stars based on more than 100 user reviews, can support up to 580 pounds, and comes in eight color options. In comparison, Matco sells a similar cart for $1,099.00. The Matco version is slightly taller, but has a lower overall weight capacity. Both products come with limited warranties, four drawers, and a bottom storage area, but the Matco cart costs nearly five times as much as the Harbor Freight model.
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Husky
There are various tool brands exclusive to certain hardware stores, including Home Depot’s Husky brand. Husky is known for its quality tool kits, but the manufacturer produces everything from hand tools and pneumatics to gardening instruments and tool storage solutions. The brand is immensely popular among DIYers, home mechanics, and entry-level pros, thanks to its quality products and accessible prices.
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Like the U.S. General boxes, you can regularly find Husky workbenches, carts, and tool chests in professional shops around the nation. The Husky 46-inch Mobile Workbench Cabinet is one of the brand’s most popular models — in fact, my own father, along with several ex-colleagues and coworkers, swear by these boxes. The workbench features nine drawers with smooth ball-bearing slides, a solid 833-square-inch workspace for tinkering on various projects, and an integrated power strip with six outlets and two USB ports. It costs $398.00, comes with four heavy-duty casters for convenient movement, and has a total weight capacity of 1,500 pounds. Matco, on the other hand, sells an eight-drawer mobile bench for $5,487.00.
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While the Husky box’s drawers are capable of supporting up to 100 pounds, the Matco version’s drawers can hold up to 140 pounds. The Matco box also includes a built-in power strip and has a taller overall height. In contrast, the Husky box is wider and comes with a wooden work surface. Again, both models come with limited warranties and can hold similar amounts of tools. However, the Husky product represents thousands of dollars in savings.
Craftsman
Craftsman is a well-known and recognizable brand. The company has been around since the early 20th century, and for decades, generations of professionals and DIYers alike relied on Craftsman hand tools and storage solutions. For most of its history, Craftsman was owned by Sears. These days, Stanley Black & Decker owns the brand, and you can buy Craftsman products at places like Sears, Amazon, and Lowe’s. The company provides a lifetime warranty on most items, and many entry-level pros and hobbyists continue to rely on Craftsman for hand tools and tool boxes.
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Like most of the other brands on this list, Craftsman sells an expansive range of mechanic’s toolboxes and workbenches. One type of Craftsman toolbox that I’ve personally used and seen used in various shops is the 26-inch 5 Drawer Rolling Tool Cabinet. Designed to sit below another chest or for use as a stand-alone box, the five-drawer cabinet boasts more than 9,000 cubic-inches of storage space and can support up to 100 pounds in each drawer. It costs $329.00, features 4.3 out of five stars based on hundreds of customer reviews, and comes with four heavy-duty casters for convenient mobility.
Matco sells a similar seven-drawer tool cabinet for $1,720.00. The Matco box is slightly larger and provides 9,206 cubic-inches of storage space and a maximum weight capacity of 1,764 pounds. It comes with built-in screwdriver slots, a reinforced steel work surface, and an anti-fall edge top. Both boxes come with limited warranties and serve similar purposes, but the Craftsman box costs a fraction of the Matco product’s price.
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Kobalt
Like Home Depot, Lowe’s has its own exclusive tool brand: Kobalt. The brand has been around since the late 1990s and produces a wide range of products for tradespeople, hobbyists, and DIYers. While Kobalt power tools have a growing fan base, the company is perhaps most famous for its hand tools. Kobalt sells a wide variety of well-rated mechanic’s tool sets, and it even builds some of the best budget alternatives to Snap-On hand tools. In addition to its robust line of hand and power tools, Kobalt also builds some pretty sweet and relatively affordable toolboxes.
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Kobalt’s toolbox selection is a bit more limited than some of the other names on this list. Nevertheless, the brand still stocks a healthy assortment of boxes and other storage solutions, and most of them come with surprisingly affordable prices and some pretty cool features. One popular option is the Kobalt 59.8-inch 15-Drawer Rolling Work Bench. The 15-drawer box has a total weight capacity of 2,500 pounds, an integrated power strip with four outlets and two USB ports, and an included set of drawer liners to protect your tools and the box.
It costs just under $1,000.00 and features a 1-inch thick wooden work surface and a bottle opener. In comparison, Matco sells a 57-inch nine-drawer box for $9,018.00. The Matco box features drawers capable of supporting 40 pounds more than the Kobalt version, but it does not include a wooden work surface. Like the Kobalt box, the Matco product includes a built-in power strip for charging your devices, but it also features fewer drawers and comes with a substantially larger price tag.
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Icon
Harbor Freight’s Icon series is one of the budget store’s newer tool lines. Like most Harbor Freight tool series, the Icon line is produced primarily overseas. The brand has been around since 2018 and was created to compete with expensive premium brands like Matco Tools and, particularly, Snap-On. Since the brand’s inception, the Icon vs. Snap-On debate has been the subject of various tests and discussions among enthusiasts. But while Icon may have a special interest in competing with Snap-On, its tools and tool storage options can be viable alternatives to any of the big-name premium tool brands, including Matco Tools.
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Icon’s prices are slightly higher than those offered by many of the other brands sold by Harbor Freight. That said, Icon is one of the top-tier names sold at the budget store, and, as you’ll see, its prices are still substantially cheaper than those offered by Snap-On and Matco. Icon’s full-size 73-inch Professional Roll Cab goes for $2,999.00. That’s a decent chunk of money, but the box is built to compete with premium brands, and it includes a lot of awesome features. Each of the box’s standard drawers can support up to 265 pounds, while a handful of double-slide drawers can hold up to 530 pounds. It comes with high-quality non-slip liners, a built-in charging station with two fast-charging USB ports and six outlets, four heavy-duty casters, and a robust lock. The box is available in four colors and comes with a lifetime warranty.
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Matco’s full-size 79-inch box costs a whopping $12,150.00. The box’s drawers feature lower weight capacities than the Icon version, but it has similar features otherwise, and the biggest difference between the two products is about $10,000 in price.
Why did we choose these brands?
I chose to include these brands for a combination of reasons. First of all, I referenced my own experience working for years as a professional mechanic in dealerships and independent shops across the country. I’ve used and owned boxes built by premium brands, including Matco Tools and Snap-On, as well as those built by budget names, like Husky, Craftsman, and U.S. General, and I’ve personally used or owned several of the boxes included on this list.
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Next, I considered things like price, product features, and user reviews. I didn’t have a set budget for this piece. However, it was important to find items that represent significant savings in comparison with Matco Tools products. Each toolbox and cart covered here falls at a substantially lower price point than its Matco counterpart and represents savings ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. In terms of product features, I searched for examples of various different types of automotive toolboxes and carts, each with unique and handy features for professional technicians and DIYers. Finally, I considered user reviews, and I consulted both comments left by customers on store pages and discussions among enthusiasts on various tool forums.
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That said, remember to conduct your own investigation when shopping for an automotive toolbox. Compare prices between stores and brands, and consider your own needs regarding space, mobility, style, etc. Doing your own research beforehand can help you get the box of your dreams without any extra hassle or expenses.
