Shown here are some of my large Dewalt ToughCases filled with untouched drill and screwdriver bits. I’m giving them away this weekend, and won’t be buying more – here’s why.
I have been cleaning up, and came across 5 sets, all purchased during various holiday seasons.
Part of the reason I have so many is because I like to being able to explore different holiday season special buys to be able to answer reader questions, and I also wanted to use the cases as large caddies that I can customize with my own bits and accessories.
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Dewalt’s ToughCases are highly customizable, and these are no different.
After the holiday season, a lot of special buy explorations get put away so that I can quickly get back to regular tool testing, reviews, and projects. More precisely, they get put into a storage bin that then gets moved around and eventually buried.
Dewalt changed things up a couple of times, and so I had to check out the new assortments.
If I wait, I risk not being able to find a set when readers start asking questions I cannot immediately answer. So, I’ve bought them early in the season a couple of times in a row.
I never got around to customizing the ToughCases, but there were other issues.
Let’s say I need a T25 bit but I prefer a 2-inch bit rather than a 1-inch insert bit that needs a bit holder. A set like this might have 16x PH2 and 16x T25 insert bits, and just 1 or 2 of each in a 2″ power bit style.
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If I ran out of T30 bits for use with structural fasteners, I’m out of luck – none of these sets had any.
Assortments are great! But at this point I more or less know what I’ll need, and I have strong ingrained preferences. In the years since I purchased my last large assortment, I’ve been more careful to check the contents first. I then do some quick math to determine the value based on what I’d be likely to use.
Plus, when I need accessories, I’d rather grab 1 or even 2 small ToughCases that are connected together, rather than something this big. Or maybe that’s not true, but I’ve never been in the mood to customize it.
As mentioned in my other post, I’m really trying to hone in on what’s most convenient for me.
These big 100+ assortments can be a good value. But honestly, I really liked the idea of what these assortments could offer, and the scarcity, value, and potential flexibility of the customizable large ToughCase added to that.
I haven’t checked my notes, but I believe I’ve had others that I’ve tested and since given away.
After accumulating a number of these cases and instead reaching for smaller bit assortments and bulk boxes, as well as the highly economical Dewalt drill bit sets, I’ve made up my mind once and for all that they’re not for me.
I’ve been happy Dewalt power tool accessories, but these assortments and cases didn’t work out the way I had envisioned. Maybe part of that is laziness. Perhaps I should have put time into customizing some of them. I’ve done that before with other cases, and it never stuck with me.
I’m probably still going to buy more holiday season special buy accessory sets, but I’ll be more diligent about passing along the ones I am less likely to use.
Finally, none of this is bad. One of these cases was staring me in the face every time I visited my accessories cabinet, and yet I still never reached for it..
Maybe I could have given them a fair chance. But I had the opportunity to grab a case, either for use or to customize it, and that hasn’t happened naturally.
ToolGuyd convinces me to create a lot of testing opportunities for myself, and sometimes there’s a disconnect between my expectations and what really happens.
That’s more about me and my preferences than these bit assortments, but it seemed worthwhile to bring up.
Plus, if I comment in future posts about how these larger ToughCase assortments are not for me, I can point to this post should anyone ask why.
Maybe I’ll soon convince myself that I should have dumped the unneeded accessories into a storage box and repopulated the slots with other bit sizes or styles. But right now I’m convinced that I like the idea of that, but not the execution, or I would have done it naturally by now.
Norse
These sets are great starters for people new to screwdriving tasks or for outfitting a new employee with enough to get a lot of things done. For me, these sets contain a lot of “filler” and bits that I don’t commonly use. I have appreciated the 100 piece Milwaukee set in a small Packout organizer. The organizer is great and there were enough bits in the sizes that I commonly use to make it worth it to me.
MM
Those are my thoughts exactly. They’re great value, they make a lot of sense as a “starter set”. They’re perfect for a new employee or DIYer who just bought their first drill/driver and needs bits to go with it.
For an established user those kits will always have a lot of duplicates, and the case isn’t ideal either. I find those cases to be too big to grab for a small job, while at the same time they don’t have enough room to replace a tool box, bucket tote. The smaller Toughcases are awesome though, there is a mid-size model which holds bits in the lid as well, that size is perfect for me since it’s big enough to hold 95% of the things I might want to put in a drill or impact driver for normal work yet at the same time is quite compact to carry around or toss in a bigger box or bag.
PW
The mid-size case is where it’s at! I have customized one to have basically everything I need for my common drilling and driving tasks. I do like the ability to buy the toughcases of any size, and mix and match the holder inserts and components.
The mid-sized case is the perfect size for me. Big enough to have a minimal but fairly complete set of bits, but small enough to fit in toolboxes and be easy to carry.
Ryan L
As a automotive tech as well as semi truck mechanic, welder and fabrication I’ve used many tools and imo these kits are utter trash. Maybe okay for the DIY home carpenter but as mentioned most in the kit are useless filler nonsense. Also wanted to point out they are now cheaper made and break easily.
Dave P
These “assortments” always come with a TON of 1″ “Insert” bits (that fall out of their holder or stick in the fastener) and only a few of what I actually will use. I won’t buy ANY of them, of ANY brand.
fred
Like you – our carpenters, installers and plumbers (in those respective businesses) mostly swore at 1-inch insert bits.
But in our fabrication shop – we’d buy everything from B.N.A.E. to Tri-Blade insert bits in bulk from Apex. The only exception was the tang-drive bits that were needed for our Hios torque screwdrivers. For production jobs, we had procedures that scrapped bits after so many drive-cycles or sooner if the least amount of wear was observed. For one-off small jobs we would always start with fresh bits and discard them when we’d see wear or at the end of the assembly. On a production run we’d go through a prodigious number of bits. Ensuring that there was not even the miniscule amount of detritus left after fastener installation was imperative for many of our clients. Similarly, we’d sometimes specify use of stainless-steel driver bits to help preclude after-production rust formation. I contrast that to house building – where a tiny flake off of a construction screw head drive-recess would likely never matter.
Bonnie
I used to dislike the 1″ bits, until I got a newer impact that handles 1″ bits without getting stuck and I find I use them a lot more. I still prefer 2″ a little more, but the delta is a lot smaller than it used to be.
BigTimeTommy
Locking bit holders are worth it.
Adam Gillen
I also prefer 2” bits and when it comes to Torx bits, I bit the bullet and bought the 2packs of GRK color coded 2” bits from Home Depot for my T10/15/20/25/30/40 bits. They hold up great and the colors are a HUGE benefit for me because while I can glance at a screw/bolt head and immediately differentiate between a T20 and T25, I can’t easily tell the bits apart.
Aaron Adams
The colored bits from GRK are definitely nice especially when I have a new guy. I a use them with the 2 inch quick change chuck from Dewalt
AP
Thanks for this, Stuart. Been looking at ways to better utilize my TSTAK system but stairs suck and I mostly use it to haul drilling and fastening tools and bits. At this point I’m thinking of expanding upon my Packout and calling it a day.
aaron+s
Stuart get out of my head! I really love the idea of these big bit kits, but absolutely never use them and find that if I grab one for a project I’ve almost certainly grabbed the wrong one that doesn’t have the specific that I need but has 150 other ones. The toughcase+ boxes end up being inconveniently large for just bits but not quite big enough for much else so they just sit in the cabinet
Derek
I’m not buying anymore bit kits period unless mine are lost, stolen or destroyed. I’m not sure how I ended up with so many different versions.
At this point I’ll need some new bit holders before I run out of 1″ bits. Some of the bit holders are frustrating to use. I have a Milwaukee one that requires pliers to remove the bit.
I also prefer the 2″ bits for almost all uses. I’ll keep the 1″ bits in the Wera Toolcheck and Craftsman V-series 1/4″ kits for tighter clearances.
Stuart
I bought a bunch of bit holders a few years back, so that I could compare impacts while knowing they have the same starting accessories, and it wasn’t cost-effective. I paid $4-5 each, and then in subsequent years I’d just buy a $10 bit assortment. Those sets were a great value, even for just the bit holder and sizes I needed.
1″ bits come in handy, but I’ve found that they don’t save me much money over time.
There’s one Milwaukee set that came with hex bits – I added those to my hand tool kit despite the bits being impact-rated and meant for power tool use.
Collin
Yeah the only bit set I buy is the $4.99 60 piece magnetic folding bit rack from Tractor Supply. It has almost EVERYTHING:
Metric and SAE hex? Yes to both, and 2 of each size! Goes up to 6mm in metric and I use 5mm and 6mm sizes all the time! SAE not so much but nice to have.
Torx?? Yes! Up to T40!! And 2 of each size from T10 to T40!! So if you lose one, who cares??
Square? Yes!! And 2 of each size!
Philips, of course
It’s $4.99 too. Not $39.99 or whatever over inflated price that the DeWalt and other overpriced bit kits are.
Skylar
Agree completely. Once I started working as a builder full time I quickly realized that the bit index holders aren’t very efficient for driver bits.
I switched to those medium toughcases with the dividers. I have 1 for torx & hex & 1 for PH, square, flathead, & misc. I almost exclusively buy & use GRK bits because the colors make them super easy to identify at a glance, although I do use makita for T25s. For spades, regular drill bits, countersinks, and like I also use those cases but with inserts from other dewalt cases. It works great for my purposes and it’s easy to restock from the random pile of bit kits and such that I usually get around the holiday deals.
Al
I use smaller cases for bits. I can’t use big cases to build out a job specific bag.
I can ask a family member for a particular case by color, material, and one of the labels:
– yellow, plastic, bit holders / step drill bits
– yellow, plastic, phillips / straight / square
– red, metal, drill index
– black, metal, drill index
– clear, plastic spade bits / spare bits
– clear, plastic, recip.blades
– yellow, magnetic, nut drivers / socket adapters
Yes, I labeled the drill indexes with ‘drill index’. (They say I talk too much when I describe a drill index with two paragraphs and a history of when I bought it, what car I was driving at the time, what the 1980s did to product marketing…just tell me what color it is, Dad.)
Anything I do in the garage or outdoors is Torx or deck screws nowdays. I have leftover phillips bits that remember Coke before it was New or Classic.
The only phillips I use are for drywall, door hinges, or rackmount equipment. None of that wears out bits at the ratio of what’s included in kits. YMMV, but that still supports the idea of buying what you use, not huge kits.
Dave P
NO WAY EVER am I scrounging through multiple cases for different bits. Hard to beat a plastic peanut butter jar w a little bit of everything in it in your tool bag or on your workbench. It seems like that time slips away bad enough as it is and I ain’t helping it along by wasting more of it.
But I don’t do anything w bits for fun or relaxation, either–always wanting to get done and move on… your way sounds great for you and I can appreciate that. I bet you line them up in the cases by length too…:)
BigTimeTommy
There seems to be a misunderstanding. They don’t have to scrounge through cases, they’re organized and everything has a place.
Scrounging through a big jar full of crap actually sucks, especially if you aren’t being paid by the hour while you do it.
Al
🙂 I have a backup labeler in my tool chest for when I don’t want to boot up my laptop for the big labeler. My electrician does appreciate my labeling so people stay away from the 277/480 panels when ‘troubleshooting’ by flipping random breakers. I have a small datacenter, and the number of times a UPS or HVAC system was turned off accidentally is non-zero.
I also work with people who don’t know tools, so reading a ‘spade bits’ label is actually easier than explaining what to look for.
Yes, I have been asked “which one is the 8-foot ladder?”
THX1138
You nailed it… same here! Off thread, what the heck happened to the old wall-mounted “safety blade” dispenser? This new (way cheaper to manufacture) one is garbage! I’d much rather pay an additional $10 for the old version! If I’d had any idea Dewalt would ditch the old design, I would have bought a few dozen of them! Is this a B&D corp “cost saving” design decision? Sure reeks of it! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Bonnie
I have one of these large kits and I think it was a good investment just to get some breadth. Also weirdly it was (at least at the time) one of the most affordable ways to stock up on my preferred 2″ and 3″ MaxFit SQ2 bits, and I exclusively buy square drive screws where available.
Justin
Feel the same. I have ended up buying the empty larger tough cases at Lowe’s and creating my own assortment of drivers and bits. I’m a big fan of the 2″ bits because they just feel like less hassle to me in an impact driver.
PipeBender69
As an electrician that will never see the same situation twice it seems, these things continue to deliver as manufacturers can’t decide what fasteners they want to throw at us. And when the supply house sends screws, they’ll send me what they have vs what I asked for. So the variety packs are a must. With bulk p2 dewalts ( they last the longest)
Skip
My biggest complaint with bit sets is the inability to retain the bits in their respective slot. I’m a service plumber and my old (Milwaukee) assortment, which I had completely customized to my liking, got lost by an apprentice. My fault for not checking behind him, I know that’s my job. I first bought a new Milwaukee set. After a day of it rattling around in my tool bag, five of the bits had migrated out of there slot and were rattling around inside the box. I struggled with that for about 2 weeks and then bought a decent looking Ryobi set. Three of those bits came out within 24 hours. Ironically, I have had the most luck with the new Dewalt where you have to tilt the bit out to get it out of the slot. It actually kind of locks them in. I have been using it for the last month and am relatively pleased and have started to customize it with bits that I need and eliminating those I don’t. So far I’m fairly happy with this. Emphasis on so far.
Mark. M
I bought a Craftsman version of that a few seasons ago only b/c it was crazy cheap on clearance at Lowes. I ended up throwing or giving away the majority of the bits, kept a few. But the funny thing is, the case itself is great! I removed the top and repurposed into a drawer organizer for some very specific small tools and it’s awesome.
Chuck
I have cases from a bunch of different SBD brands. Like that they fit together. I use the smaller ones to hold screws and parts while disassembling and restoring different things.
Harrison
As a builder, these massive sets are never worth it. Too bulky, too much of what you don’t need, and not enough of what you do.
For drill bits, give me a dedicated drill index. For pilot holes in wood, spades, etc, home store brands are fine. Hole saws- Diablo or Lennox. For metal, I want proper jobber or number drills from the industrial supply. Forsteners, from Lee Valley, etc.
For driver bits, I pretty much just buy Norske brand loose bits in the 3.5” size from the counter at the lumber yard. #2 Robertson 90% of the time.
I really like the balance of longer 3”+ bits on the impact, with no bit holder to add runout.
For most specialty screws like GRKs, Tapcons, CAMO deck fasteners, I just use the bit that comes in the box.
Sammuel D Coe
I would love to have some of those cases to help get me started with the new construction company I am with…
Stuart
I considered a reader giveaway, but things like this cost nearly as much to ship as they’re worth, so I gave them away locally.
DC
Like you Stuart, I want 2″ bits so I don’t need a bit holder so I buy what I want individually. I only use a small percentage of bits from these large kits and end up giving them away.
BigTimeTommy
These are always pretty useless for reasons others have already made clear. Seems like more of a profit margin win for dewalt than a good buy for any type of consumer.
Stuart
Assortments can work out well, some much better than others. I feel that these sets would better suit a beginner who has varied needs and few preexisting preferences.
These large assortments are also the only way to get a large ToughCase to customize.
JR Ramos
You can buy the legit large cases overseas…prices aren’t stellar but not terribly bad, either. I’ve seen a host of them in person from Aliexpress and all but two (smaller cases) seemed legit and 100% like what we buy here in the assortments. The two knockoffs were from some different seller and were obvious but still pretty decent cases. I think the large one goes for around $25 give or take.
I’m a bigger fan of the newer Milwaukee bit cases and really like the older Makita ones. Don’t care for DeWalt’s bit retention but the cases themselves are great. I need another bit like a need a hole in a waterbed but if I buy an assortment now it will only be at the highest discounted promo pricing and really just to have the case itself. I’ve given away ziplocs full of bits a few times (I’ll keep the DeWalt #3 phillips bits but all the rest go away as soon as possible).
JR Ramos
Also, at this point after decades of clamoring, I find it almost comical that our US-represented major tool companies still do not give a rat’s behind about making most cases (most flavors) available to us, or to improve them much. Milwaukee made the big push and so we have a little more now but it’s still anemic…and DeWalt makes more available but it’s so sporadic. Like that OMT blade box from awhile back. It’s for sale, you can find it at terrible prices or try to buy it overseas for a fairer price, but it’s not something that any main suppliers and outlets carry. Need a stock drill/tool case that comes with kits? Forget it…mostly. Bosch is really good about all that but it’s also not a priority for them so it takes awhile for them to deliver. Makita as well. The rest tell you, “sorry, not available.”
That’s one example of things that we lost when companies like PC and Milwaukee were bought up and ceased to be who they were, and the shift to batch manufacturing abroad only made it worse (it’s the same now in many other product categories across the board).
Stuart
I’ve looked at most brands’ customizable bit cases, and found that it can be more economical to buy a bit assortment than an empty case and separate inserts. Even when that’s not true, there’s usually a big difference with respect to value.
Dmndback
I find empty Craftsman and DeWalt bit boxes at yard sales, thrift stores or people give them to me. Right now I have about 8 of them in my drill, impact box. Each one holds different types of bit tips. All of my tips are 2″ or longer.
I only buy the bits I definitely need and use. One case is all torx tips, another one for square tips and a 3rd one for phillips tips. I have one case for nothing but 1/8″ quick change drill bits. Another case for different sizes of the quick change drill bits. One case for counter sink bits and another one for the 5″ long bit tips.
I don’t have any bit tips that are not used regularly. I know that is always need the T25 and T20. Bits.
The Guy to Call
As a professional contractor and electrician I’ve spent a lot of time customizing these tough cases into very useful kits. I use them on a daily basis as they fit perfectly into a medium toughsystem tool box. I bring them into the scissor lift with me all the time.
Luis Pereira
Yep these large kit boxes don’t hold up well for being practical and the little tabs that connect to my stak boxes easily broke making even more useless. Was nice to have it attached to the lid of the Tstak boxes but the mids and small ones are perfect.
Jimbow
I think everyone homeowner should own one of the large sets. While there are four bits I use almost exclusively, there is that one off, odd ball, repair situation that requires a non standard bit. That’s when I spend five minutes trying to find the kid, five more to sort through the 120 bits, find a holder, and thirty seconds later it’s done.
Stuart
High count bit sets and assortments tend to send very well every holiday season.
Objectively speaking, if I were to get a large bit set again, it would absolutely be one of these, rather than the ones with the contents split among 3 or 4 separate cases.
Chris
1″ vs. 2″ bits – depends
With steel screws I prefer a 1″ bit in a magnetic holder – strong enough to hold the screw on the end of the bit. And this is what I use by default.
I’ve found the Milwaukee extensions to be excellent in this respect and I’ve got 3 of different lengths
Unless I had restricted space I wouldn’t use a 1″bit on its own.
So I prefer the nominal reach of a 2″ but, but I also prefer achieving it by combining the 1″ bit with something that stops the screw from falling off the end
PS. Thanks and greetings from the UK. I’ve often read your reviews and musings, but this is the first time I’ve commented.
Stuart
Thanks, great to have you!
Steven Lauren
Well if you plan on giving it away this weekend, my sister and brother in law just bought a house and I have been donating some of my tools and such to build up his collection of what he needs to tackle jobs in their new home.
So if you looking to give it away, he sure could make good use from it. Trying to pay it forward since that’s what my dad did for me decades ago. Helping family and friends is what I am all about.
Have a good weekend everyone.
Frank D
Holiday filler. The only reason I would buy another set is for a second home or seasonal property and to leave it there with a spare drill and driver.
Like most diy / prosumers and likely pros: I hate all the dang shorty bits. 2” or bust. The little one in a 1/4 inch extender just suck, either fall out or can’y be removed. Or the fat shank gets in the way. I have a few 5 or 6” ones now. Super handy in confined spaces. Just very expensive.
Marshall
My ex mother in law bought me the cheapest basic tool kit for xmas one year.. About 20 years ago. I looked at the set in general as junk. Straight outta China. Junk. However, as cheap and junk as it looked, that little $5.00 kit is still the first place I go to find any tip Ive needed. Im a carpenter..I have various. Xmas kits from all the big names. Glad I didnt buy those kits. Everything Ive ever needed is in a thin 18″ x 18″ case I have in my truck. Sometimes China comes through.
chris
For me these are perfect for just one thing. I’m not a contactor so I don’t need multiple spares and the case doesn’t get beat up.
I don’t need it in the garage because I have multiple organized drawers and no one is ever fetching anything from those but me.
But when I travel to a friend or family member or need to do a job in the house when I don’t know exactly what I need I grab this (attached to a t-stack case) and I’m off.
My t-stack case fits a pair of gloves /tape measure, and a trio of 12v tools, drill, driver, and impact. Having the three batteries means I never have to worry about being out.
I have customized the assortment in the bit organizer to have 2 of everything that I really need and at least one of everything else including multiple length locking extensions.
Could I have a bigger tool bag or case and drop in just a drill and a few smaller cases….sure but it wouldn’t really save me much room. These lock together and with both having a clear lid it also easy to see if everything is in place before I close the truck/hatch to drive off.
Besides this easy grab and go pre attached dual box set up and the novelty of it easily attaching to t-stack/versastack….I wouldn’t have one.
ElectroAtletico
Donate them to the closest vo-tech High School.
eddiesky
LOL.. I read this then used my Dewalt bit set (old light switch outlets ground to BX/box) to drill hole for threaded ground lead. Bit bent. Seriously? And for sh/giggles…put bit in a vise and …grunts… straightened out.
Dewalt bits are junk.