5 Best Tool Chest Under 500$ Reviews with 2025 Buying Guide

Your tools need a place of their own in the house. Otherwise, those precious tools will keep getting lost everywhere.

A lovely tool chest with neat compartments will keep you motivated to invest time into toolkeeping. Losing tools will be a thing of the past.

But aren’t tool chests expensive? Yes, there certainly are expensive ones. But we can find you the best tool chest under 500.

Read through the article, and you’ll find the one that suits your work best.

Best Tool Chest Under 500 Reviews

If you are looking for reliable chest tools, take a look here. Big chests and small, this list has it all!

1. The Original Pink Box PB1804R

The Original Pink Box PB1804R This is the perfect chest of drawers; it has compartments of various proportions, they are all adequately spaced inside – and from the outside, they look gorgeous.

You are not going to find a set of drawers that comes in a vibrant, pretty pink like this anywhere else. Color is not something that adds to the function of the chest, but it certainly is necessary to hold your interest in the item for the long term. This pink will definitely brighten up the interior of your holding, and the vibrancy will keep your spirits up.

Inside the chest is a space of 5825 cubic inches. The whole thing is made of steel and has been given a powder coating on top in order to keep dust and corrosion away. The powder coating will protect the vibrant colors of the body from dulling down as well.

The drawers have a ball bearing style, which lets them be opened with minimum effort and thus allows you to get the tools out fast without any struggle. Every one of these drawers can hold about 100 pounds of weight, and they allow you to make full use of them without bulging under the weight.

And after putting the tools in, keep them locked inside using the simple cam lock and the two keys provided.

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2. Viper Tool Storage V218MCBL

You can find these drawers in three different colors – the classic black, pink, and white. The drawers open out smoothly due to having the ball bearing slides incorporated into their design.

If you are someone who needs to open the drawers quite regularly around the day, then this drawer-style will be to your liking. They allow easy opening and closing without any hold-ups in their functionality.

There are two drawers in this chest, and each of these drawers will be able to take a load of 50 pounds. Your tools will be quite safe inside these drawers because the design is airtight. The drawers have non-slipping liners along their length, and these liners keep all moisture away from anything that’s kept inside.

The smooth paint of the chest is under the protection of a thick powdered finish, which coats the surface and protects the steel against corrosion.

Security is maintained by the internal locking system and the cam locking system – both of these can be conveniently opened with the use of a singular key, so you don’t have to face the hassle of keeping multiple keys in check.

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3. Craftsman 26 In. 3-drawer Chest Heavy-duty Ball Bearing Middle Chest

If you like red, you are not going to complain about the color of these drawers because that is the only color that you’ll find this in.

But don’t worry, the red is quite properly balanced by a coat of black on the front panels of the drawers, and the look is nicely pulled together by the silver line of steel running over the top corners of these drawers.

If you have a limited number of tools and are not planning to buy a lot more in the future, then this space of 1830 square inches will be the perfect size for you. You can keep this on the floor, or also on top of a work bench if you have fears of back pain. It is a pretty low unit. There are only 3 drawers inside. But the drawers are not lacking in space or strength – each can hold about 75 pounds of tools.

The dimeter in the depths of the drawers is about 2.5 inches deep, so make sure to take all these proportions into account before deciding to go with this. For a simple set of tools, it’s quite perfect.

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4. TANKSTORM Tool Chest Heavy Duty Cart Steel Rolling Tool Box

This rolling tool chest also comes in just one color – red. But it’s a nice red, and you are going to forgive the lack of color options when you see the features. First of all, it has rolling wheels. These drawers are meant for quick travel around the lot. They are made from top-class steel, and they are made to endure long years of use.

The surface of the red paint has been coated with powder – this powder keeps everything in check and makes sure that scratches and moisture can’t touch the paint or the steel underneath. As a result, be assured that the drawers will look as good as new for many years.

The weight of this chest is almost 40 pounds, but that won’t be a problem because it has swiveling casters of 3 inches on all four of its bottom corners. So, it can be considered as one of the best portable rolling tool chest out there.

There are two drawers on top, and under them is a cabinet. You can keep small tools wrapping them in rollup tool pouch in the drawers, while bigger tools have a place of their own inside the cabinet. All in all, there will be enough storage space inside that is required to run an average-sized workshop.

Another thing you’ll love about this chest is that it has hooks on the side for hanging additional tools on the outside. So, it will not only work as a storage space, but it will also work as a table for you to keep your tools on as you work.

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5. Keter Rolling Tool Chest

This is by far the best-looking chest of drawers we have on the list. It doesn’t come in fancy colors though – just in the standard black color with dark steel borders.

And like the one mentioned above, it has proper swivel casters that allow it to travel and is highly portable. But it’s a bit bigger in proportion than the previous one, so if you have more tools, opt for this one.

There are no hangers on the side for keeping additional tools, though. But it has a table-style design for keeping the tools while you get to work.

This rolling tool chest is made with polypropylene – this is an element that is about 3 times stronger than steel itself, and so you can count on this set to never need a replacement. And honestly speaking, you won’t be looking to replace this either – the material of the construction is rust-resistant, and also resistant from dents and color peels.

There is a central locking system to the whole set of drawers, meaning that one key will lock all the drawers at once. You’ll love the convenience of this if you have a workshop where people have free access. You can store combination wrenches,  hammers, motorcycle tool kit, and other tools in it.

There are 5 drawers in this cart, and they are highly adjustable. The drawer at the bottom has more space where you can store all the bigger tools you have at hand.

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Buying Guide For Tool Chest Under 500

If you are looking for a toolbox that will serve you for a long time without breaking down or needing a replacement, then we suggest you check out the factors that make a toolbox stand independently.

Storage Space

This is hands down, the first aspect of the toolbox that you should be looking into. You’re buying the toolbox for storing your necessities, so it must have enough space to hold everything together in a place.

But this doesn’t mean that you should buy the biggest toolbox there is in the store, for they’ll cost you a good amount of extra money and also consume a lot of extra space in the house.

Get a toolbox that has just enough space to contain all the tools like torque angle meter, punch and chisel set, and professional combination wrench set without being a burden in your household. It would be good if you have a garage stool with wheels with storage space.

Think about the tools you currently have, while taking into account the number of tools that you might be buying in the future – the combination of these factors will tell you about the size of tool box you need to get.

Drawer Proportions

The number of drawers is an essential count. But equally essential and often forgotten, is the dimension of the drawers in your tool chest. Not all the tools are the same size – you might have long tongs, drill machines to put in the drawers, so make sure to get something that has drawers of various lengths and breadths.

Longevity

This is, by far, the most important feature that should go into the purchasing decision. Your tools need protection indeed, but if the container to hold them cannot stay resistant to rust and corrosion itself, then it will be a sad turn of events for you.

The rust from the tool chest will get rubbed off on the tools and speed up the damage that happens to them.

So, check out the material that the chest has been made of. See if they have a particular protective finish or paint over them – this will help to keep the chest functional, safe, and well-maintained for a long time.

Type of Sliding in the Drawers

It can get very frustrating when you pull a drawer, and it doesn’t budge. And then, it can be equally frustrating when you pull a drawer, and it seems to slip out of the holding too fast.

To avoid such annoying problems, know the two different sliding styles that are usually incorporated into these chest of drawers.

There are non-bearing drawers and ball-bearing drawers – the former employs rigid styling, and the latter employs a looser sliding type. Whichever one you get, be prepared for it.

Locking System

You’re not getting the drawer set just to keep your tools in a place, but also to keep them secure from prying hands. This is protection against theft, and also for the protection of children in the household.

You will find drawers with an internal lock system, and also those with an external lock and key system. Internal locks are safer as they can’t be broken by attacking from the outside. But both systems are enough to give you the proper level of security required. So, just choose according to your preference.

FAQs About Tool Chest Under 500

1. Can I have the same key open multiple tool chests?

Yes, you can get that arranged by contacting the manufacturer and asking them to get that system installed.

2. How do I clean my steel tool chests?

They are the easiest to clean. Just use a smooth cotton cloth to wipe over it.

3. Do these chest of drawers come assembled?

No, but assembling them is very straight forward.

4. Do they have wheels?

Yep, most of them come with wheels.

5. Are these good for bulk storage?

Yep, each of the drawers is made to hold heavy tools regardless of their size.

Conclusion

Get a chest of drawers that looks good, otherwise, you’ll start regretting your purchase. The best tool chest under 500 will surprisingly be the perfect package for you.

If you are feeling lost with all the options, then we would recommend you to get TANKSTORM Tool Chest Heavy Duty Cart Steel Rolling Tool Box as it meets the average standard. It will last you a lifetime, and also be the perfect companion for storage. Buy it without ado.

Best of luck! May you never lose another tool ever again.