The Hyper Tough Tool Box: Good Value From Walmart’s Tool Brand?

The Hyper Tough tool box – Walmart’s tool and tool storage case brand – has always been a budget brand. They aren’t aimed at professionals in any way, and even their largest wheeled tool chests are decidedly “light duty.” Now, that isn’t to say they are without value. If you are a suburban homeowner, and your tool storage needs are simply “getting them up off the floor in the garage,” the fact that you can occasionally buy a Hyper Tough rolling tool chest for less than $50 might make it the right choice. That being said, you are definitely only getting a $50 tool chest. Don’t expect a hidden gem.

Hyper Tough tool storage products come in 3 categories:

Small plastic tool boxes

Hyper Tough may be best known as Walmart’s own tool brand, but many people end up picking up a Hyper Tough tool box – such as the Hyper Tough 16-inch tool box or the Hyper Tough 19-inch tool box – as an impulse buy. These are fairly attractive as smaller plastic tool boxes go, and the price forgives many sins. These can almost always be found for less than $10, and sometimes the price dips down into the $5 range for the smallest examples. You don’t look too critically at a $5 tool box. A harsh gaze might damage it.

Small to medium-sized steel tool boxes and cabinets

These appear to be much more sturdily built than Hyper tough’s plastic tool boxes. However, they certainly occupy the same space in the market for steel tool boxes as Hyper Tough plastic tool boxes occupy for the theory market. You can find small ones for less than $15, and even the largest rolling tool cabinet Hyper Tough makes rarely sells for more than $75. At this price, you don’t expect wonders. Examples like the Hyper Tough 2 drawer tool box and the Hyper Tough 15-inch tool box will be examined in detail later in the article.

Tool organizers and accessories

Finally, Walmart Hyper Tough tool storage range includes several small plastic tool or small part organizers. These are perhaps more suitable for holding screws and fasteners, fishing tackle, or crafts supplies than actual tools, but they are labeled for tool storage. They also offer a polyester tool pouch, magnetic cups and trays which come in incredibly handy around the workshop, and similar items. We review a few of these as well. 

Should You Buy A Hyper Tough Tool Box?

I can’t in good conscience advise it. No matter whether you select the most expensive and sturdy-looking tool chest they offer or a sub-$5 tool box for the trunk of a passenger car, you won’t be impressed with the engineering, the materials, or the build quality. You might not actually be disappointed. It isn’t hard to deliver value for money at the $5 range. But you won’t be thrilled.

Even if you are committed to buying a tool storage solution at Walmart, you’ve got better options. If you spend a little more, you’ll get a lot more in return. After we look at a few specific Hyper Tough tool boxes and storage solutions, we’ll look at some of the things DECKED offers in the same space. You won’t get a DECKED tool box for $5, but that is sort of the point. 

Would A Working Professional Ever Buy A Hyper Tough Tool Box?

Possibly, but they should be sure they know what they are getting. If you need something that is really only for light duty in the garage or toolshed, you’ll probably be OK. If you need something to carry heavy or expensive tools to the worksite or to store your gear securely on a truck or SUV… You can do a lot better than anything Hyper Tough has to offer.

What About A Hyper Tough Tool Box For Trucks?

You’ll have a slight problem there – Hyper Tough does not make a tool box for trucks. They simply are not in that market at all. They don’t make crossbed tool chests or any saddle-mounted tool storage options. They don’t make rail-mounted tool boxes or swing-out chests. They don’t make an under-bed storage system of any kind.

And, really, it’s best that they don’t. These are heavy duty applications. Truck-mounted tool solutions – such as those available from DECKED – have to withstand a lot of abuse. They have to keep your tools organized, safe from the weather, and safe from sticky fingers even when those fingers are holding a pry-bar at 3 a.m. Hyper Tough has made a wise move by not attempting to get into that market at all.

Why You Might Like A Hyper Tough Tool Box

Have we mentioned that these things are just dirt cheap? I mean, they are really, really inexpensive at full price, and they go on sale often. If you need something fast, and it doesn’t have to last long or look good after you start using it, it might not be a bad idea to swing down to Walmart and get the cheapest thing they have that fits the bill. It’ll probably be a Hyper Tough tool box, and it’ll do the job in a minimally adequate way until it breaks.

Why You Might Not Want A Hyper Tough Tool Box

Have we mentioned that these things are dirt cheap for a reason? I mean, they really could not charge any more for a tool box of this quality. Just a few of the most common complaints listed by Hyper Tough tool box owners include:

• The quality of the materials used to build the average Hyper Tough tool box is terrible. The steel is thinner than that of almost any other brand going. The plastic is soft and bends easily. Latches, projections, and internal divisions break off quickly, and are not worth repairing. Don’t trust the tool box’s handle.
• The build quality is not much better. The drawers on Hyper Tough tool boxes bend and jam even when not filled to capacity. The lids on plastic tool boxes quickly bend and therefore fail to close properly.  
• When purchased online, they seem to arrive damaged at a much higher rate than you would expect. Perhaps this is a problem in Walmart’s logistics contractor that will be ironed out, but I suspect it is simply because Hyper Tough tool boxes can be easily damaged by the normal adventures suffered by a delivered package today.
• If your Hyper Tough tool box has a lock, it is more likely to inconvenience you as a user with the key than a thief.

A Detailed Look At A Few Hyper Tough Tool Box Products

 

Hyper Tough 2-drawer tool box

This steel portable tool box looks good at first. It is made of steel with a plastic handle, and it has the classic styling of a 2-drawer, hatch-top tool box that a professional might carry.

However, this tool box is rated for 25 pounds of cargo, and I’d hesitate to fill it to capacity. That being said, you can probably get one on eBay for ten bucks. Just expect it to come pre-dented.

 

 

 

Hyper Tough 30 Drawer Small Parts Organizer

I have been pretty critical of Hyper Tough tool storage solutions so far, but this one is OK for what it is. It is a plastic rack for 30 small, clear plastic trays. Anyone could find a use for this in the workshop. It isn’t particularly strong or particularly pretty, but it holds screws, nuts, and bolts and that’s all it needs to do. It also goes for around half what comparable small parts organizers cost. Just treat it gently, and don’t overload it.

 

 

 

 

Husky 20-inch, 5-drawer rolling tool box

This is a cheap and cheerful combination cabinet. The top box has w drawers and a relatively spacious top-opening compartment. The bottom roller box has a further 2 drawers and a larger storage space behind 2 front-opening doors. It even has a middle box of sorts – a riser which provides 9 inches of open space.

It is small, though. Fully assembled with the riser, it is just under 50 inches high. The drawers are each rated for only 15 pounds of gear, and they really can’t take more. The steel is thin and the whole thing is only suitable for light, gentle use. That said, these are less than $100 when not on sale, and can often be had for less than $50. For so little money, you get a lot.

 

Hyper Tough 19 inch tool box

The Hyper Tough 19-inch tool box comes with a removable top tray and a pair of clear plastic compartments built into the lid. It can be locked with a small padlock (not included), and rarely sells for much more than $10-$12. It isn’t bad – for the price.

However, the plastic clasps are flimsy, and the padlock lug is more for looking at than using. It is made of soft plastic and not reinforced. Owners often complain that the flash – the excess plastic along the seams where the piece fits into the mold – are not trimmed off. This actually presents a cutting hazard.

 

 

Hyper tough 15 inch tool box

This is a small and inexpensive upgrade from the plastic Hyper Tough tool boxes, but it still plays to the bottom of its market. On the plus side, its locking lug is steel and there is plenty of room inside for a few screwdrivers, pliers, and a hammer – a really basic household tool set. It is 15 inches of steel tool box for around $15. That’s not out of line.

As with all of Hyper Tough’s steel tool boxes, this is made to be light and cheap, not strong and durable. Don’t expect too much from it, and don’t get this tool box if you’ll be using it often. It will just break.

 

Hyper Tough Black Locking and Stacking Utility Box

This is more of a plastic ammo box than a proper tool chest, but there is nothing inherently wrong with that. The locking lug is steel, though you’d only have to tear or cut the plastic latch to have it open anyway. Because these are stackable, you could use a small dolly to make an improvised pit box.

Beware that these are not in any way water- or weather-proof. But at $5 or $6 a piece, they aren’t necessarily a bad choice.

 

 

Hyper Tough Small Parts Organizer Case / Fastener Storage

This is a very conventional small parts storage solution. It has a black plastic base and a clear plastic lid, and a plastic handle. It comes with movable internal storage dividers, but these do not sit completely flush to the lid. So expect very small parts like washers to migrate freely around the box.  

At the sub-$15 price range, this isn’t a bad product. If you need to organize small things on a budget, this is a valid option. 

The DECKED Tool Box – Phenomenally Better Quality Than Hyper Tough, And truck Mountable

DECKED Tool Boxes are designed to mount saddle-fashion to the bed of pick-up and work trucks. They are made of metal-reinforced high-density poly resin, and feature a literally armored lock. The DECKED Tool Box is weatherproof, strong and durable. Everything Hyper Tough tool boxes are not, in fact.  

 

 

 

The DECKED Drawer System – The Under-Bed Tool Storage System Hyper Tough Couldn’t Even Attempt

The DECKED Drawer System gives you up to 2,000 pounds of tool and gear storage under a high-density bed protector that leaves you with as much cargo space in the bed as you had before installing it. Like the DECKED Tool Box, it is made of high-impact plastic resin reinforced with steel and aluminum. The DECKED Drawer System shares only one feature with any Hyper Tough Tool Box – it comes in black.

The real advantage is its truck-mounted design, though. It takes your tools wherever you go, and keeps them safe from both thieves and the rain. 

 

 

So, now you should have a better idea about the pros and the (many) cons of Hyper Tough tool boxes and tool storage systems. If you want something completely different – and anyone who hauls expensive tools or gear around dies – DECKED is the better choice.