The Best Truck Tool Box For Any Application
Updated Jan 2021: Updated all the current model listings, included more suggestions about the build material and layout, recommended fitment for new model trucks.
Truck tool boxes are without a doubt some of the handiest accessories for tradesman and truck owners alike. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a contractor heading out to a job site or a family man hauling an RV along for a family vacation. Having secure, durable, weatherproof, easy access storage space is invaluable. Even with a tonneau cover, most truck owners know that chucking a bunch of stuff in the box isn’t always a great idea. But with the flexibility and versatility of the best truck toolboxes available, you can find a layout and design that suits your needs.
There are literally hundreds of options out there, so how do you choose? With brands like Dee-Zee, UWS, WeatherGuard, Husky, and JOBOX all offering several different sizes, layouts, and construction materials, it can be hard to choose. We’ve spent hundreds of hours testing and experimenting to bring you a list of the best truck tool boxes as of Febuary 2020.
We’ve broken our research into categories, so you can find the exact layout and style that will fit your truck. Which one will top your list? Read on to find out.
Crossover Style for Full-Sized Trucks
Best in Class: WeatherGuard Low Profile Toolbox
Key Features:
– Thick, rugged aluminum
– Stores 8.8 Cubic Feet
– Tamper-resistant, retracting locks
– Level holder and removable tray
– Weatherproof
– Lifetime warranty
Top of the list for the Best Truck Box for full-sized trucks is the seventy one -inch WeatherGuard compact tool box. This box provides a great amount of storage while still maintaining a small footprint, not impacting any visibility out of the rear window of your truck. Tonneau covers are still an option, and you get easy access to your toolbox. WeatherGuard really is an industry leader for a reason. This box is certainly a little more on the expensive side, but you are getting a top quality tool box for the money. If you’re storing hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars of tools in your box, you may as well invest in a tool box that is going to keep them safe and sound. Check out our full review of this truck toolbox.
Runner up: Husky Low Profile Toolbox
While not the same quality as the WeatherGuard box, the Husky lo-pro tool box is a well-built and secure tool box, without the same price tag as the WeatherGuard box. Check out our full review of the Husky truck toolbox.
Crossover Style for Mid-Sized Trucks
Best in Class: Better Built Tool box
Key Features
– Thick, rugged aluminum
– Tamper-resistant, retracting locks
– Weatherproof
– Auto lift hydraulic shelf
– Limited lifetime warranty
No surprise here that the tool box for mid-sized trucks is also the Better Built low profile box. This is the best toolbox for mid-sized trucks for the same reason the full-size toolbox is. It’s built with the same industrial-grade thick aluminum, secure locks and a small footprint. This unit will set you back a few dollars more than another toolbox, but you’re getting the quality and security of knowing your tools aren’t going anywhere. You can check out what people think all over various forums of their WeatherGuards to know that these toolboxes are for real. If you’re still not convinced this is the best tool box for mid-sized trucks, check out the full review of this box.
Runner Up: UWS Toolbox
The UWS 63-inch low profile tool box is our runner up for mid-sized unit. Again, the quality doesn’t rival that of WeatherGuard, but for a more affordable toolbox, it is built well and will keep your tools safe and secure. Plus, its made in the USA, and occupies less than 15 cubic feet of space. Check out our full review of the UWS crossover box here.
Chest Style Toolboxes
Best in Class: WeatherGuard Toolbox
Key Features
– Thick, rugged aluminum
– Tamper-resistant, retracting locks
– Weatherproof
– Removable tray
– Use with tonneau cover or canopy
– Limited lifetime warranty
You’re probably sensing a trend by now, and it’s no surprise the best toolbox in a chest style is also WeatherGuard. We warned you earlier that this wouldn’t be a competition. WeatherGuard chest toolboxes are solid and secure, fully weatherproof and keep your gear clean, dry and locked up tight. They also manufacture a chest toolbox for fullsize trucks and mid-sized trucks which is great. Chest boxes are also great since you can use them with tonneau covers or canopies. Make sure you check out our full review article of the WeatherGuard Chest tool box.
Runner up: Dee Zee Toolbox
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON
The Dee Zee chest tool box is an awesome alternative to the more expensive WeatherGuard if you’re trying to stay within a tighter budget. The aluminum isn’t as thick, the locks aren’t as secure, but it will still certainly do the job. Dee Zee also makes a full-sized and mid-sized chest tool box. Have a look at the full review of these Dee Zee models before committing to a decision.
Side-Mounted Toolboxes
Best in Class: WeatherGuard Toolbox
Key Features
– Thick, rugged aluminum Lid
– Tamper-resistant, retracting locks
– Weatherproof
– Easy access, extra storage
– Limited lifetime warranty
Side mounted toolboxes are awesome alternatives to crossover or chest toolboxes since you can access your tools from the side of the truck without needing to strain or stretch to reach the lid and get your things. They’re also great for adding storage to a truck with a crossover box already installed. For side mounted toolboxes, the best unit is once again WeatherGuard. You just can’t beat the quality of these toolboxes. The weatherproofing is too good, the locks are that secure, the aluminum the thickest in the industry. You can have a look at our full review of this toolbox.
Runner up: UWS Side Mount
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON
UWS makes its return to to our best tool box list with their side mounted tool box. For a more affordable box, UWS still boasts impressive quality in its aluminum, welds and locks on the lid to keep your things safe.
Honourable Mention: DECKED
Key Features:
– Heavy-duty HDPE & steel construction
– Easy assembly and removal
– Weatherproof, lockable drawers & lid
– Full-size trucks only
– 3-year limited warranty
The DECKED storage system is a very unique solution to the bed storage problem. It’s not technically a truck toolbox, but is such a great system deserved a spot in our list of the best models. The DECKED is custom fit to mount directly into your bed, with drawers mounted into the system that can lock up keeping your gear safe. You can haul up to 2500 lbs on top of the DECKED, so it doesn’t reduce much versatility of your bed. The DECKED system is great for fishers, hunters, bikers, skiers and so many more.
Did this list of the Best Truck ToolBox of 2020 help you choose a box for your truck? Do you own one of these boxes already? Let us know your questions and concerns below, we love hearing from our readers!
These units are an incredibly useful addition to your truck. Leaving your tools in the back seat can ruin your truck’s interior, and makes it difficult when transporting colleagues or family members. But, leaving your tools in the bed of your truck isn’t much better. 
In the back of your truck, your tools are exposed to the elements acquiring rust and water damage, or left vulnerable to theft. They may seem expensive at first, but considering the cost of replacing stolen or damaged tools, it is a worthwhile investment. A well chosen and cared-for truck toolbox can last a lifetime, and relieve the headache of tool storage and organization. There are quite a few options available and choices to make. Size, style, material and price are just a few of the options you will need to consider. We cover them all in this guide, and by the end of it you should have a full understanding the best truck truck tool boxes and be able to make the right choice for you and your truck.
More Truck Toolbox Brand Reviews
Want to know more about a specific brand? We’ve written up some reviews on some of the more popular options.
Better Built
Decked
Delta
Husky
Dee-zee
Jobox
UWS
Weatherguard
Main Advantages of a Truck ToolBox
Chances are, your work truck doesn’t have a canopy or a designated and covered storage space for your tools. Whether you’re a part-time handyman or work in a trade, your tools are valuable possessions and possibly your livelihood. Using a truck toolbox keeps your tools safe from theft using secure locks. Many thieves will turn away and find a new target and won’t bother trying to break in or even try to take the whole thing. 
Almost every single truck toolbox features a rubber or foam weather seal that will prevent moisture and dust from entering the box keeping your tools dry and rust-free, and free of dust and other residue. They are also a great way to keep your tools organized with many featuring customizable internal shelving. Also, who says you can only keep tools in your box? Truck tool boxes are a great secure way to store groceries, jumper cables and other emergency supplies, and even camping gear like your tent and camp stove. Truck tool boxes are a versatile addition to your rig that will have you wondering how you ever lived without it.
Security
Obviously simply keeping your tools in a box in the bed of your truck doesn’t make them more secure. Being the victim of theft doesn’t just cost you money. Stolen tools cost you needless time, effort and stress in order to replace the stolen tool, and the inconvenience of not having it until you can replace it. Truck tool boxes are essentially sturdy, thick-walled metal safes, keeping your favourite tools secure while you’re not around. 
A crowbar doesn’t produce enough force to get in, and these units are so heavy and awkward to detach and carry away that a thief just won’t bother. Let alone the fact that most are mounted to your truck through the floor of the box that you can only access from unlocking it. Most boxes feature rotary latch mechanisms. As long as the tool box closes securely and the lid sits flush with the body (most do) it is difficult for a crowbar to get in and produce any leverage. Truck tool boxes protect you from almost everything except maybe an extremely skilled lock picker or a cutting torch. However, both of these techniques would require a lot of time and produce noise, and many thieves won’t bother or have the know-how so you can rest easy knowing your tools are safe and sound.
Materials
Truck tool boxes are typically manufactured from three main materials: aluminum, steel and stainless steel. Each of these materials has their own unique benefits and drawbacks.
The majority of truck bed units are made from bent sheet aluminum with a diamond plate pattern. Diamond p
late aluminum is tough, non-slip and affordable. It also looks great in the back of your rig as an added bonus. Aluminum metal is lightweight and actually has a higher strength to weight ratio than steel and so is very attractive for these kinds of truck bed toolboxes, adding security and toughness without unnecessary weight. Aluminum does not rust and will not deteriorate over time so you won’t have to worry about replacing your tool box due to rust damage.
Steel is a less common material used for truck tool boxes than aluminum. It is much heavier than aluminum, which comes with it’s own set of pros and cons. 
Although you’re constantly hauling around more weight in your truck, a steel tool box is harder than aluminum and will stand up to any damage from shifting tools or dropping something on it. They are typically covered in a powder coated finish to protect the steel from rust – but any sort of scratch in the coat will compromise the protective coating and leave your box susceptible to rust and corrosion.
Stainless steel is also less common than aluminum as a material for these products, but for different reasons than steel. Stainless steel units combine the toughness and rigidity of steel, with the corrosion resistance of aluminum. As a result, stainless steel boxes are typically the most expensive models and you will pay a premium for them. 
They don’t require the powder coating that steel does, and while impressively corrosion-resistant, it can still be susceptible, especially in highly corrosive environments such as coastal areas, areas with lots of de-icing salts or job sites with lots of chemical salts. It would just require a bit of maintenance if you it develops any corrosion. Just something to keep in mind!
Finish
Powder coated options often come in two colours, black or white. The choice is purely aesthetic and is up to you and how you want your rig to look. The semi-glossy black look is pretty sleek, 
especially if you have already fitted your truck with any simple mods like black plasti-dip, or have all-black tire rims. A smooth white coat also looks good on many trucks, it’s just up to you and your style.
The diamond plate aluminum finish of aluminum truck tool boxes is already corrosion resistant and so doesn’t need a powder coat. They buff aluminum units that produces a nice bright shiny finish. Stainless steel models also get a shiny buff finish since they do not need the powder coat, that gives a shinier polished look when compared to an aluminum box. 
Styles
Once you have an idea of what material you want your truck toolbox to be made of, it’s time to pick what style of tool box you want mounted in your truck. The style of your tool box will dictate how the box sits in your truck and where you can access your tools from, so it is very important to consider when and where you will be using it, and for what.
Crossover Tool boxes:
Crossover (or cross-bed) tool boxes are undoubtedly the most common type of truck bed toolboxes you will see, named so because they “cross over” your truck bed from one side to the other, resting on the bed rails. Typically, they have a single lid that opens towards the back window, however you may always find double lid models as well, 
that open towards the back window, lock separately and split your box into two halves. Gull wing crossover tool boxes have two lids, that open towards the center of the tool box rather than towards the back window. 
Some people find these more accessible, since you can reach in over the side and don’t necessarily need to get in the bed of the truck, while others thing it’s more of a hindrance. A low-profile crossover unit has a slimmer lid that doesn’t restrict visibility through the back window as much. Crossover boxes, since they mount on the bed rails, don’t actually touch the bed of your truck allowing a space between box and bed for hauling goods like lumber.
Side-mount Tool Boxes:
Side-mounted units eliminate that need to
get into the bed of your truck to access your things from the lid. Or, they can be used in tandem with a crossover style tool box to add extra storage if you need. These designs mount on either side of the bed rail, facing outwards. You can find longer side-mounted boxes since they can span the length of the bed rather than the width of it (like a crossover) so they’re ideal for longer tools, and often provide more lid space overall. If you are going in and out of your truck all day switching tools it may be the best option for you since 
you don’t have to hop in and out of the bed, or reach over the side of the truck to access it. You may also see these referred to as innerside tool boxes.
Tool Chests:
Truck bed toolboxes sit right in the bed of your truck, on the floor rather than being mounted on the side rails. They are versatile, and typically have a larger capacity than crossover boxes, but have drawbacks as well. Because they do not mount on the side rails,
chest style truck tool boxes are an attractive option to be used in combination with tonneau covers, and truck canopies which need to be mounted on the bed rails.
However, because they sit directly on the floor, you are essentially reducing the length of the truck bed, and moving the lid down lower. Long-box trucks probably won’t be phased, but you may be reducing your ability to transport certain supplies.
Other Tool Boxes:
There are a few more types of truck tool boxes that don’t fit in the categories we’ve set out above. Wheel well units are roughly L-shaped boxes that fill the empty 
space that is inbetween the wheel well and tailgate of a truck. They aren’t typically very large, but they’re a handy space-saving storage option for smaller tools. 
Fifth-wheel models are specially designed to be used if you have a fifth-wheel hitch mounted in the bed of your truck that would block the lid of one of the regular models. Underbed toolboxes are a common choice for those using flatbed work trucks, mounting underneath the flat bed. 
You will reduce your clearance, but keep all the valuable space of your bed free and clear.
What Size Do You Need?
Before you commit to buying the best truck tool box, you’re definitely going to want to make sure you pick one that will fit in the space of your bed and store all of your things! In general, boxes will be labelled as either “fits down-size” or “fits full-size”. Down-size trucks include smaller pickups and mid-sizes like Tacomas, Frontiers, Colorado, Canyon and Rangers. A full size pickup truck includes those like Tundras, Titans, Silverados, Sierras, Rams and F150s. 
When looking at different models, you’ll notice that pickup truck tool boxes have several measurements, one for the longer top lid that sits on the bed rails, one for the body of the box that lies in your pickup truck bed, one for the depth, and one for the height of the box which goes to the top of the lid. Some boxes may also be asymmetrical and may include more measurements. In general, you want to focus on the width, depth and height of the tool box, and then pick a truck bed tool boxes whose measurements most closely match your truck bed space, although some boxes will be tailor made to a certain model for a custom fit. Autoanything has a great tool on their website that allows you to input your make and model as a filter when searching for a tool box. Buying from other sites like Amazon will require you to know your measurements, and carefully check to make sure you have space for all your things.
How to Measure Your Truck Bed Space
Here’s how to find out those measurements of your truck bed. First, measure the the distance spanning from the inside of one bed rail to the inside of the other. This measurement will correspond to the shorter measurement of the tool box since it is the distance inside the bed of the truck. Then measure the distance between the outside of the bed rails and compare that to the larger measurement of the truck toolbox you are considering. If the truck toolbox is significantly wider than your truck bed, it will stick out and won’t sit properly.
There are two other measurements to consider. You will want to measure the height of you pickup truck bed – from the highest point of the floor of the bed (for grooved beds) – ignore the space in between slats – to the top of the bed rail. Some larger toolboxes may be too tall to fit properly in your bed if your bed rails aren’t high enough. The measurement of your bed rails typically corresponds to the height advertised on some truck bed tool boxes. You will also want to measure the space between the wheel wells and the bulkhead (the part of the bed underneath the back window). You will see this measurement advertised on truck bed tool boxes as the depth. In this image it is marked with the arrows. I
f you pick a larger box for a short bed truck, it may span too great a distance and hit the wheel wells and won’t sit properly. One other thing to consider is that if you own a flairside or stepside truck, you’ll likely need a narrower box than others. Additionally, If you are going to use a tonneau cover, you’ll want to get one with a lower height to leave space for the lid.
Installation
Installation for a truck toolbox is very straightforward. If you’re handy enough that you need a truck toolbox, you should be able to figure it out. Any box you buy will come with any hardware you need in order to mount it properly in your truck bed, but you will likely have all the tools you need already. 
Each model will have a slightly different method of attachment, but in general, a typical crossover tool box mounts easily to your bed rail with a simple J-bolt, a washer and a nut. The J-bolt reaches up through the bottom of the tool box floor, and hooks underneath 
your bed rail. It then just takes a couple quick turns with a ratchet to securely fasten the box down. Some toolboxes may require minor drilling into the inside of the bed rails to be securely fastened. Now some of you are probably wincing at the thought, so if you are looking for a better way, and J-bolts won’t cut it for your setup, try something like the Better Built Grip Rites.
Budgeting a Truck Bed Tool Box
Price is arguably the most important factor to consider when buying something like a truck toolbox. Thankfully, these tool boxes have a wide range of prices available for any budget. It also depends what you will be using it for, and how often. For some, the bare minimum box will do. If you’re after a basic bare minimum box, look for an aluminum, single lid and strut tool box. For others, the tools they need stored and organized may require a more expensive and higher quality tool box. It all depends on your uses. Stainless Steel tool boxes typically are built with the highest quality materials, and weather seals and will offer better protection for your tools, however there are some very nice higher end aluminum models available too. Another think to consider is what tools you will be storing in your tool box. Then you can decide whether or not the price of the tool box – the price to protect your tools and gear – is more than the value of everything inside. Whatever tool box you choose, you really can’t go wrong.
