I recently came to the conclusion that my life would be simpler if I put all my cordless drills and drivers, along with their batteries and chargers, in a single toolbox. To do this, I would need a fairly large one, so I went online to see what was available. I was looking for a simple, open tote without partitions or lids, so I typed in the words “tote toolbox.”
It turns out that the word “tote” can mean many things. I was inundated with all kinds of tool bags and toolboxes with zippers, lids, compartments, and pockets—exactly the things I didn’t want. In the flood of options, however, DeWalt’s DWST25090—an unusual combination of a step stool and toolbox—floated by. It caught my eye because the large, open toolbox was just what I was looking for.
The price ($67 at The Home Depot) for DeWalt’s storage step stool was about the same as that of many of the toolboxes that turned up in my search. So, I bought the combination mainly for the toolbox and looked at the step stool as a bonus. This combo has worked out very well for me.
At about 25 inches long, 8 inches deep, and 12 inches wide, the toolbox is quite large. Made of dense plastic, it’s also pretty stout, rated to handle 66 pounds. The handle folds down and nestles just inside the box; the way it does that is an advantage, which I’ll talk about below.
The step stool is about 17 inches high with a 10-by-23-inch top. Rated to support 300 pounds, it’s stout and stable along with being handy, especially for interior work. If I step up on it, my eyes are just above the top of a standard 6-foot 8-inch door, and I can easily reach an 8-foot ceiling. In addition to standing on the step stool, I often use it as a small work platform.
The toolbox can be quickly and securely attached to the top of the step stool via two integral clamps mounted to the ends of the stool. With the toolbox thus mounted, I can carry both the fully loaded toolbox and the stool with one hand. Then, if I need to use the stool, I can unclamp the toolbox in a matter of seconds. Alternatively, the legs can be folded up and the step stool clamped to the top of the toolbox to become a lid.
In some circumstances, I leave the toolbox clamped to the stool. Doing this holds the toolbox up, and I can grab the tool I need at a convenient height. Alternatively—here’s where being able to fold the handle down inside the box and out of the way pays off—I can put a piece of plywood over the top of the toolbox and have a nice 1-by-2-foot shelf at a convenient 25-inch height. Going even further, I’ve considered getting a second DeWalt storage step stool. That way, I could set up the pair about 4 feet apart and lay a piece of plywood across them to make a 2-by-4-foot worktable 25 inches high.
Widely available in big box stores and online, DeWalt’s DWST25090 step-stool toolbox might seem odd, but it’s proven to be an adaptable and useful combination for me. dewalt.com
Photos by Matthew Navey
