DeWalt 37in 4-Drawer Top Tool Chest

First impressions and setup

I dropped this 37-inch DeWalt top chest onto a matching rolling cabinet in my shop and put it straight to work for two weeks. Out of the box, setup was minimal: plug in the built-in power strip, drop in the pre-cut liners, snap the battery rail into place along the back of the till, and it’s ready. The gas struts take the weight of the lid smoothly and hold it open without drama. With the drawers empty, the soft-close slides glide nicely and shut with a reassuring pull. At roughly 100 pounds bare, the chest feels substantial without being a bear to position—two people can safely lift and place it using the full-width tubular handles.

The overall footprint and proportions suit a mid-size shop well: enough real estate to organize hand tools, sockets, and a few compact power tools, but small enough to live on a standard base without feeling top-heavy. The finish is clean and consistent, and the bright yellow is easy to spot in a busy garage.

Build and design

This is a steel box built from 20-gauge sheet. That gauge choice tells you where it lands in the market: sturdier than bargain-bin chests, lighter than the premium, shop-grade heavy-gauge boxes. The shell doesn’t oil-can under normal use, and the frame is braced enough that racking wasn’t an issue even when I pulled multiple drawers at once during layout. You get about 9,850 cubic inches of storage and a 400-pound total load rating, with each drawer rated to 100 pounds. Drawer liners are included—and they’re pre-cut, which saves time and keeps things tidy from day one.

The lock is an internal keyed system that throws bars across the drawer banks and secures the lid. On my unit it engaged smoothly and aligned properly; a single key turns the whole chest on or off, which is convenient when leaving the site or locking up for the night.

Drawers, slides, and day-to-day use

Drawer performance is where a chest either makes life easy or chips away at your patience. The slides here are full-extension, ball-bearing, and soft-close. Fully loaded, they still travel to the back, which makes small parts and back-row sockets reachable. The soft-close feature does slow the last inch of travel, which I appreciate in a shared space—no slamming or bounce-back—but it also means you need to be deliberate when shutting a heavily loaded drawer.

I loaded the top two drawers with mechanics’ sets, pliers, and specialty hand tools. The lower drawers took compact 12V and 20V drivers, a small router, and a couple of nailers, each sitting in foam. I kept each drawer under 90 pounds to stay within the spec. The slides never protested, and there was no obvious sag after repeated cycles.

One hiccup: two drawers on my sample initially stopped shy of being perfectly flush. The fix was straightforward—level the chest on the base, reseat the drawers, and slightly loosen/retighten the front slide screws to remove a tiny bit of racking. That got them 95% there. It’s a reminder that with 20-gauge cabinets, precise levelling and careful loading matter. If you’re seeing similar, check that the chest is flat, redistribute weight so the heaviest drawers are lowest, and ensure there’s no liner bunched under the slide rails.

The powered top compartment

The top till is the heart of this chest. A six-outlet power strip with two USB ports runs along the back, and there’s a shelf to stage chargers or small cases. I set up two DeWalt chargers, a bench light, and still had outlets to spare. The cord exits out the back neatly; cable management could be tidier with a couple of stick-on clips, but the essentials are there. The USB ports handled a phone and a tablet just fine.

The included battery rail is smart. It holds four 12V/20V/FLEXVOLT packs upright, easy to grab, and off the bench where they usually clutter. It’s storage, not charging—think of it as a dock that keeps the till organized next to the chargers. The pre-cut top mat keeps the lid surface usable as a quick staging area without scuffing.

Gas struts do the lifting. They’re balanced well, opening smoothly without sudden pops, and they pull the lid closed softly. You can toss a handful of fasteners into the till without them rolling to the back—the mat has just enough grip to keep things put.

Mobility and pairing with a base

This chest is meant to live on a base cabinet or a sturdy bench. At 100 pounds empty, plus whatever you load, it’s not something you want to move around full. The tubular side handles are well-sized and don’t bite into your hands or gloves. If you’re stacking it on a roller cabinet, throw a non-slip mat between the two. I also like a strap around the rear when moving over rough floors—belt-and-suspenders, but it keeps the stack planted.

Because the chest is fairly tall for a top box, keep heavy items in the lower drawers to maintain a low center of gravity. I didn’t experience any tipping tendency, but that’s basic best practice for any stacked setup.

Fit, finish, and durability

The paint finish resisted scuffs during setup and when sliding tools in and out, and the liners stayed put. I didn’t encounter any sharp edges on the drawer pulls or the lid lip—always a good sign. Welds are consistent where visible on the frame corners. If I press on the center of an open drawer front, there’s a small amount of give as you’d expect from 20-gauge, but nothing that telegraphs weakness during normal use.

Long-term, the 10-year limited warranty is reassuring, and the chest is assembled in Sedalia, MO with global materials. That aligns with DeWalt’s broader storage lineup and suggests parts availability won’t be a unicorn hunt.

Organization and accessories

With four drawers, layout matters. I ran shallow drawers for sockets and wrenches, mid-depth for pliers and layout tools, and the bottom for compact power tools and fasteners. The liners have enough grip to keep rows of sockets from creeping when you shut the drawers. The internal shelf in the till keeps chargers out of the way of frequently grabbed items on the mat.

There are additional accessories available—charger mounts, bins, hooks—that let you tailor the top compartment. I didn’t need them for my setup, but the modularity is a plus if you want to build a dedicated charging station or hang small parts bins.

What I liked

• Full-extension soft-close slides with a true 100 lb per-drawer rating
• Integrated six-outlet/dual-USB power strip that simplifies charger management
• Battery rail that keeps four packs organized and visible
• Pre-cut liners and top mat included
• Gas struts that control the lid gracefully
• Internal keyed lock that secures drawers and lid together
• Sensible weight and handles for placement
• 10-year limited warranty; assembled in the USA with global materials

Where it could be better

• Drawer alignment can be finicky; soft-close slides highlight any racking, so careful levelling and occasional adjustment may be needed
• 20-gauge steel is appropriate for home and light professional use, but heavy daily abuse will favor thicker-gauge chests
• Total weight capacity caps at 400 lb; if you tend to pack every cubic inch with steel, you’ll hit limits

Who it’s for

This chest makes the most sense for a garage, makerspace, or service pro who wants a compact, powered top box that integrates neatly with a charging workflow—especially if you’re already in the DeWalt 12V/20V/FLEXVOLT ecosystem. It’s not a replacement for a high-end, thick-gauge production shop chest that lives under 24/7 use and constant heavy loads, but it’s a well-featured organizer that brings order to hand tools, small power tools, and battery management.

Recommendation

I recommend this chest with a couple of caveats. The integrated power, full-extension soft-close drawers, included liners, and battery rail make day-to-day work smoother and more organized, and the overall build is solid for its class. If you take the time to level it carefully, load the heaviest items low, and tweak a drawer or two if needed, it’s a capable, convenient addition to a mid-size shop. If your priorities are flawless drawer alignment out of the box and the rigidity of thicker-gauge steel for constant heavy-duty use, you’ll be happier stepping up to a heavier, premium chest. For everyone else—especially those who want a tidy charging station under a secure lid—this is a practical, well-thought-out top chest that earns its space.