Kobalt Roll Cab
By Lex Dodson
Anyone who frequents Lowe’s Home Improvement has no doubt seen their in-house Kobalt tool line and probably wondered if it’s any good. A recent search for a larger tool chest led me to the lower half of their 41” roll cabinet in stainless steel. It’s a good-sized unit with solid construction — nothing like a fully-welded Snap-On behemoth, but with a quality easily better than mid-range Craftsman units, and at a very good price. The steel is the same middling grade of stainless you’d find on a cheap barbecue, but while some may store their barbecues outside, no one in their right mind would leave a toolbox out in the rain.
After a few month’s use, I’ve been very happy with the unit. The wide top drawer is sensitive to uneven loading and sometimes binds on the way out, but the ball-bearing hinges are very smooth, if a little wobbly. The tall lower-right drawer is a perfect solution for tall bottles of shop chemicals, and foam-lined drawers ensure a harmless environment for your collection. For a shade over six hundred dollars, it’s hard to do better.
Kobalt 41″ Stainless Tool Cabinet [Lowe's]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
July 9th, 2009 at 10:18 am
I’ve considered Kobalt but the draw slides appeared to be a bit too flimsy. That is one reason you see binding on that wide drawer. Higher quality slides would have been able to handle any flexing from that drawer.
I’ve been looking at some of the toolboxes offered at Costco. They have similar stainless steel boxes that are comparable in price but seemed to have better quality. The drawer slides were definitely more beefed up..
July 9th, 2009 at 11:52 am
You’re right, the drawer slides could be a bit better, but they’re only an issue with the widest drawer. I haven’t seen Costco’s tool chests, but their website paints a pretty picture. It’d be fun to stroll into the store with a hundred pounds of lead, load a few drawers, and see how they roll.
If I ever amass enough tools to need a second chest (which is inevitable), I’ll keep that Costco box in mind. But I’ll miss my extra-deep fluids drawer.