- StoreProjects
- Free Plans and Projects
- Furniture Projects
- Jigs And Fixtures Projects
- Shop Projects
- SketchUp Models
- Shop Storage
- Workbenches
- Free Woodworking Downloads From Lee Valley
TechniquesToolsVideos- Premium Streaming Video Site
- Experts Guide to Gluing & Clamping Wood
- Mastering Built-In Furniture
- Simple Live-Edge Slab Table
- CNC – Designed for Woodworkers
- Milling Your Own Lumber
- Advanced Bandsaw Techniques
- I Can Do That! – Simple Woodworking Projects
- Woodwright’s Shop with Roy Underhill
- Tricks of the Trade
BlogWe independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products-learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.The Best Tool Organizers to Bring Order to Your Workspace
Last updated: 19 Jul 2023It’s safe to assume that you are here because your workshop now has enough tools that you need an organizer to house them, or maybe a replacement is in order. Your tools need to be well-organized, easy to access, and ready to serve when needed. If left piled up carelessly, they could simply go missing when needed.
Your workspace and its dimensions, line of work, and the number of tools you have determine the type of organizer most suited for your workshop. Tool organizers come in such a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and mechanisms that it can be challenging to find the right type, let alone the right product. There are bags, boxes, cabinets with drawers, wall mount pegboards, and even buckets widely used to keep the workspace organized. If your tools are organized, the efficiency of the project and the amount of workspace is sure to increase by a significant amount. We have analyzed dozens of highly-rated organizers and prepared a list of the finest tool organizers. If you are unsure about your future workshop companion, just give our buying guide a read to better understand the concepts underlying the selection process. Check out our favorite tool organizers of 2023!
Show contentsHere Is the Premier Tool Organizer of 2023Tool Organizers Buying Guide
Tool organizers are available in various forms, such as chest drawers, cabinets, pegboards, buckets, bags, briefcases, and trolleys. They showcase, organize, store, and keep the equipment safe from breakage and prevent you from losing them. Workers even use them as a catalog to identify which tools need replacement or an upgrade. We will discuss the unique benefits of the most popular tool storage and tips on finding the best value for money for each kind. But first, we are listing down the various functions of a tool organizer.
What Purpose Does a Tool Organizer Serve?
Organization
The primary purpose of the tool organizer is to assign a space to your work tools where they can be safely stored at the end of the day. This simple concept has far-reaching implications on the overall efficiency of the work as it makes picking and putting back tools a systematic process. In addition, this order keeps the workspace clean and makes you feel more productive and willing to work.
Portability
Electricians, plumbers, and even carpenters need to carry all their tools wherever their services are required. This indispensable need to have a portable tool organizer rules out all other options.
Safekeeping
It is impossible to keep track of dozens of sockets, wrenches, and pliers without a system in place. The more tools you have, the bigger and more sophisticated a system you need to keep all the tools sorted. An orderly arrangement of the instruments makes it easy to spot the missing pieces and find them sooner rather than later.
Showcasing
Everyone is familiar with the iconic invention named pegboard, which is literally used as a shelf for decorative items. A metallic pegboard with tools hanging in an orderly fashion also looks nothing short of artistic. It flaunts the engineering prowess of the garage owner while also being useful for the job at hand.
Accessibility
An efficient organizer should be easy to access during the job. It should not take you more than a few seconds to get the desired tool out of the box. Tools belonging to one category should be stored in one compartment, yet separated so that it is easy to take a single unit out.
Modern Tool Organizers
Cantilevers and wooden toolboxes have become relics of the past. Modern toolboxes can store the latest ergonomic tools more efficiently and in larger quantities. In addition, the latest tools are made of metal or plastic with an anti-skid bottom and oil-resistant surfaces to minimize the cleaning struggle.
Tool chests and cabinets
This is the most comprehensive storage solution that can cater to a team of professionals in a workshop. You can create compartments in the drawers to further segregate the nails and bolts. The drawers in a chest are of varying sizes to fit larger tools and machines. It is also nice to have a wheelbase to move the chest around the workshop for quicker access. The drawers are often like shallow trays that you can pull out and take wherever you need them. You can also find a lock option and other enhanced safety features.
Toolbox
The latest toolboxes are made of hardened plastic. You can stack them up, lock them, and make a cabinet out of them. Manufacturers even offer wheelbases to put under this locked stack. This intuitive design allows workers to carry the tools like a briefcase, or roll them all out when needed. The compartments inside the box are also removable to make space for tools of any size.
Pegboard and wall tool hangers
Metallic pegboards are a must-have for any workshop where serious work is done. They can organize almost anything. Every tool finds its place on the wall hanger, from the smallest bolts to a large drill machine. You can also fit buckets on the pegboard to keep anything that cannot hang, and shelves for coffee or indoor plants. In addition, heavy-duty versions can organize foldable chairs, shovels, and bicycles.
Honorary mentions
Work Benches are also outdated, and their successor—tool organizer cabinets— now carry the mantle. They are also very similar in design to their successor, except that there is also a pegboard attached on top. You can still find these in the market but carrying the pegboard is not practical at all, and a separately installed pegboard is a more convenient option.
Tool bags made of polyester or any other durable fabric are also an excellent storage and portability solution, but they get dirty quickly. It is impossible to clean the tool before putting it back in the bag after every use. When a dirty tool touches the fabric, it quickly absorbs the oils and leaves a stain.
Here Is the Premier Tool Organizer of 2023
1MLTOOLS Organizer Pro
– Best OverallThis is a simple yet useful product to place pliers and cutters horizontally. It has ten compartments of 1-inch width and 3-inch height, just enough for a plier to fit easily. This size allows you to fit this organizer inside storage drawers, tool organizer boxes, and storage shelves. Its rubber base ensures that the organizer and your tools stay put.
The base is fuel, oil, and solvent resistant, allowing you to place dirty pliers and cutters in a rush without worrying about damage. You can fit six of these 10-inch organizers in a 2.5 feet wide drawer. This setup will support the tool kit of advanced professionals. Once you implement this organizer in your storage, it will be easier to identify missing pliers at the end of each workday.
The versatile nature of this tool organizer and its ability to complement other tool organizers makes it the best overall product.
Pros- Non-slip rubber base
- Ten one-inch compartments for pliers
- The open design supports everyday use
Cons- Unable to hold ergonomic pliers
2Berry Ave Tool Organizer
– Best ValueNext up on our listing, we have the Berry Ave Tool Organizer. Made out of top-quality nylon, this is certainly one of the most reasonably-priced options that you can find on the internet. You can literally use it anywhere — in the kitchen, bathroom, garage, office, and even dining room. The organizer has a whooping 35-pound holding capacity and features spring-loaded clamps for secure loading. It comes with all the essential installation equipment, including bolts, anchors, and a user manual. You will be able to purchase the tool organizer in several sizes and colors. If you’re not entirely satisfied with this tool organizer, then you can even take advantage of their “100% thrilled customer” offer.
Pros- Full versatile usage
- Very durable construction
Cons- The wall anchors are soft and brittle
3Wallmaster Tool Organizer
– Ideal for Heavy EquipmentThis equipment organizer is ideal for heavy equipment since it can hold anything that doesn’t go into drawers, cabinets, or pegboards because of its large size. You can hang foldable chairs, hand shovels, power tools, and garden equipment. With a maximum capacity of 265 pounds, it can help you rack up everything heavy and bulky on one wall, clearing up floor space. You can snap the hooks open and move them on the rail to find the best fit for a given tool.
Installing this tool organizer is also super easy. Just take an electric drill and a bubble level to drill the screws in the rack. Then, just snap the hooks on the rail, and you’re ready to go. The package includes six hooks, three rails, and twelve screws.
Pros- 265-pound holding capacity
- Adjustable heavy-duty hooks
- Spacious 4-feet rack width
- Easy to install
Cons- Not suitable for small tools
4Wall Control Pegboard
– Ideal Wall-Mounted SolutionThere is simply no better option than this patented pegboard by Wall Control when it comes to wall-mounted pegboards. Made in the USA, this tool organizer has had supreme build quality for decades. The surface area of about 10 sq ft is large enough to hold all your tools neatly separated in an orderly fashion. The package includes all the accessories, mounting hardware, hooks, and panels. The powder coat gives extra protection to the color and structure of the board.
No other wall mount matches Wall Control’s pegboard’s quality, durability, price, and design. It is the ideal wall-mounted storage and organization solution for all your large and small tools.
Pros- Allows conventional quarter-inch pegs
- Has a magnetic surface
- Durable and colorful powder-coat
- Large 10 sq ft area
- Expert assembly option available
Cons- Can be prone to accidental damage
- Assembly requires time and effort
5Bucket Boss Tool Organizer
– Budget-FriendlyThis is a piece of durable polyester ripstop fabric featuring intelligently designed pockets, loops, and hooks. It is designed to fit the 5-gallon bucket commonly found in the US, and this open design offers convenience, portability, and easy access at a budget-friendly price. You get three loops on the inside for hammers or any other long-handled tools and in total, you get 30 pockets to organize tools of all sizes.
Bucket Boss proudly claims to have invented the premier bucket organizer. If you need to move around your tools in the workshop frequently, nothing matches this organizer’s ease of use. On a final note, remember that the bucket is neither included nor offered separately by the manufacturer. So as a workaround, you will have to buy a 5-gallon bucket separately. Despite this, this product is still the most budget-friendly on our list.
Pros- It fits 3-5 gallon buckets
- Has thirty pockets on the outside
- Three hammer loops on the inside
- Made of durable 600-denier poly-ripstop fabric
- As portable as a bucket
Cons- Bucket not included
6DEWALT TSTAK Expansion Tool Organizer
– Most PortableThis TSTAK Organizer with Clear Lid will keep your tools and materials safe, accessible, and portable. Its two large, and five small removable sections make it easy to identify and access even the smallest accessories and tools. In addition, the transparent Polycarbonate lid on top makes it easier to find the tools you need quickly.
The hinges and latches are made of metal to meet its promise to deliver a 44-pound load capacity without any compromise on durability. The built-in briefcase-like wide handle makes carrying the box easy even with gloves, making it the most portable option on our list. You can store small parts and accessories in easily removable compartments. You can also remove the small compartments and store power tools, chargers, small batteries, and similar equipment in the extra space.
Pros- Handy removable compartments
- See-through, sturdy polycarbonate lid
- A wide handle allows portability with gloves on
- Trolley option available
Cons- All-plastic build
- Foam insert is not included
People Also Asked
Q: How can you find the best small tool organizer?A: There are many toolboxes with storage compartments dedicated to small tools. Tool belts also have intelligently designed pockets for small items. If you need a small tool organizer for tool chests, a metallic compartment array can fit in the drawer.
Q: Which kind of tool organizer is the most efficient?A: It mainly depends on your line of work and the total space of your workshop or garage. For mechanics, a wall mount pegboard is the most efficient. In contrast, electricians are most comfortable with toolboxes they can carry to different work sites.
Q: Are wall tool organizers better than tool chests?A: While both are non-portable organizers, the difference is mainly the display. A chest can lay on one side, take up some space, and keep the tools out of sight until needed. A wall mount organizer does not take up floor space, and it always shows the tools ready for use. If your garage has some other use than just operating as a workshop, go for a tool chest organizer.
The Pop Wood Review Team’s product reviews and comprehensive guides are here to help you select the best gear and tools to efficiently complete top-quality woodworking projects. The content is created by The Pop Wood Review Team. Popular Woodworking’s editorial staff is not involved. Popular Woodworking is reader-supported: When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Questions about product testing or a specific articles should be sent to aimperiapt@gmail.com