DeWalt 30 in Deep Drawer

I’ve been hunting for a drawer module that behaves like a shop cabinet but still plays nicely in a mobile stack. DeWalt’s 30-inch deep drawer hits that brief better than most. It’s purpose-built for the TOUGHSYSTEM 2.0 DXL platform, but it also locks into standard TS 2.0 stacks via the auto-connect latches. After several weeks of use in the shop and on a hand truck/dolly, here’s how it actually performs.

Build and capacity

The housing is an impact-resistant polypropylene shell with integrated steel reinforcement, and it feels every bit of its 33 lb empty weight. That heft is the first thing you notice, and it does translate into rigidity. The drawer tracks stay aligned under load and the carcass doesn’t rack when you tug the handles. The metal ball‑bearing slides are smooth, with a positive close and an automatic quick‑latch that keeps the drawer from creep-opening in transit.

Capacity-wise, the single drawer offers roughly 44 liters (about 2,684 cu in) of usable space. Internal dimensions measure 25.4 x 18.5 x 5.66 inches (W x D x H). In practice, that means it swallows corded grinders, compact circular saws without blade guards extended, a brad nailer, or a couple of 12V kits laid on their sides. The 5.66-inch internal height is the limiting factor. Most drills/impacts with a 5Ah battery won’t stand upright; they need to lie down. If this drawer were a half-inch taller inside, it would cross from “great” to “nearly perfect” for power-tool storage.

DeWalt rates the drawer for moderate loads. I routinely carried about 45–50 lb of tools and fasteners in it; the slides felt unfazed and didn’t sag, but I wouldn’t treat it like a mechanic’s chest where you pile in dense steel. If your kit is lots of small, heavy items, consider spreading the mass rather than pushing the weight limit in one go.

Organization and the side racks

The included five heavy-duty dividers are better than the usual flimsy inserts you get in modular boxes. They slide into molded channels and lock into place with minimal rattle, making it easy to partition the drawer into tool-and-accessory zones. I set one bay for a compact saw and two for drivers and batteries, with a narrow channel for abrasives and bits. The dividers stay put, even after a day on a dolly over jobsite transitions.

The sleeper feature is the pair of side metal racks. They’re not just decoration; they let you hang drills, impact drivers, or accessory pouches with hooks or straps, which frees up internal room for bulkier items. I clipped a multi-tool and a flashlight on one side and a pouch with oscillating blades on the other. The tradeoff is width: the racks make the already-wide 30-inch module feel even more cumbersome in tight doorways. If you’re frequently threading narrow corridors, you’ll notice those few extra inches of snag potential.

In use on a dolly and in a stack

The drawer’s auto-connect latches make stacking straightforward. Drop it onto a TOUGHSYSTEM 2.0 base, roll it forward until it clicks, and you’re set—no fishing around for latches behind your knuckles. Critically, you can open the drawer while it’s stacked; you don’t have to unstack a tower to get to what’s inside. That’s the main reason I wanted a drawer module in the first place. Paired with a DXL dolly or workstation base, the setup is stable and easy to maneuver. The quick‑latch does its job: no accidental opening while rolling, and no need for a secondary strap to hold the drawer shut.

The two aluminum carry handles are comfortable and robust. That said, this is a 30-by-22-inch footprint box that weighs 33 lb empty. Loaded, it’s not the kind of thing you casually carry one-handed up a flight of stairs. I treat it like a small cabinet: move it on wheels, then park it where I’m working.

Security and durability

There’s an integrated metal bar across the front with a padlock‑eye. It’s a practical design—lock engaged, the drawer can’t be pried open, and the bar adds a little stiffness to the face. It’s not Fort Knox, but it’s enough to discourage casual tampering at a site or while your stack sits in a van.

Materials-wise, the shell resists scuffs and impacts better than most plastic cases I’ve used. The steel reinforcement is doing real work; I’ve set another module with a load on top of it and didn’t see deformation around the latch points. After a couple of weeks of rolling over rough transitions and loading into a truck bed, the slides still run true, and the latch hasn’t loosened.

One important caveat: there’s no IP rating. Unlike many sealed tool boxes, this drawer isn’t marketed as dust- or water-resistant. Left in a dusty shop for a weekend, I found a fine film inside near the drawer face—nothing catastrophic, but enough to keep me from storing sensitive electronics in it. If you work outdoors, plan to keep it under cover and don’t expect it to shrug off a downpour.

Fit, finish, and real-world capacity

• External dimensions: 10 x 30 x 22 in (H x W x D)
• Internal: 25.4 x 18.5 x 5.66 in, with roughly 26 in of front-to-back usable depth
• Net weight: 33 lb

The dimensions affect where this unit fits. It’s wider than standard 22-inch TOUGHSYSTEM modules, so in a small SUV trunk it consumed most of the floor width. In a van, it’s great; on shelving, plan for a full 30-inch span. The wide format does pay off in layout flexibility—long pry bars, a full-size framing square, or long boxes of fasteners fit flat without diagonaling.

Where it shines

• Access while stacked: You can get to tools without tearing down a tower, which is a huge time saver.
• Stable, rigid feel: The steel-reinforced body and metal slides feel like they’ll last.
• Configurable storage: Five stout dividers and the side racks make it easy to tailor the space to your kit.
• Snag-free drawer action: The slides are smooth, and the quick-latch keeps things closed in transit.
• System integration: The auto-connect latches make it simple to lock into a TOUGHSYSTEM 2.0 stack.

Where it misses

• Weight: At 33 lb empty, it’s heavy. Plan to wheel it.
• Height limitation: 5.66 inches of internal height means many tools have to lie down; tall items won’t stand.
• No weather seal: Without an IP rating, dust and moisture can get in. Not for heavy rain.
• Price-to-storage ratio: You’re paying for a modular, mobile drawer, not maximum cubic storage per dollar.

Tips for setup

• Use the dividers to create one or two “long bays” for tools like pry bars and keep shorter compartments for batteries and accessories.
• Hang frequently used tools on the side racks to free interior space and speed access.
• Balance the load left-to-right to keep the drawer sliding smoothly.
• If you transport loose fasteners, put them in lidded organizers before placing them in the drawer to mitigate dust ingress.
• Engage the padlock bar even when not locking; it adds an extra measure of insurance against accidental opening.

The bottom line

The 30-inch deep drawer brings true drawer functionality to a mobile stack without the usual compromises in rigidity or access. It’s built stoutly, the slides and latch are confidence-inspiring, and the organization options are genuinely useful. The tradeoffs are clear: it’s heavy, not weather-sealed, and the internal height will frustrate anyone hoping to stand tall tools upright. If those aren’t dealbreakers, the convenience of stack-accessible storage is hard to beat.

Recommendation: I recommend this drawer to pros and serious DIYers already invested in TOUGHSYSTEM 2.0 who want easy access to frequently used tools without unstacking boxes. It’s especially good for van setups or shop-to-site workflows where a dolly or cart does the moving. If you need weatherproof storage, plan to carry it often by hand, or demand vertical clearance for tall tools, you’ll be happier with a different module or a traditional shop cabinet.