Our spies have risked life and limb to bring us news about Bosch latest L-Boxx developments. They’ve turned up a few neat tidbits of info, but it doesn’t look like we’ll see any groundbreaking new products this summer.
Please note that some of these details seem concrete, others are subject to change.
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Bosch L-Boxx Click & Go
Bosch ‘s L-Boxxes, made by Sortimo, are now being marketed as part of their Click & Go system. According to the trademark info we dug up, the application was made Jan 30th, 2012, and describes an interlocking storage system for power tools, accessories and attachments.
In other words, Bosch plans to expand the L-Boxx system with a number of accessories. Sortimo has a rather extended L-Boxx product selection, so we assume that any new Bosch products will be similar if not identical.
New L-Boxx Tool Box with Drawers?
It sure looks like it. Sortimo currently makes a similar-looking L-Boxx with slides for two drawers or removable organizers, such as the one shown below. From the picture it looks like the new Bosch L-Boxx (L-Boxx 5?) may feature one drawer and one removable organizer. It could even be that the two parts can be removed as a single piece. Perhaps different inserts will be available separately, but probably not.
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Bosch Click & Go L-Cart
On the downside, unlike Dewalt’s monstrous heavy-duty jobsite L-Cart Carrier, Sortimo and Bosch’s L-Cart just looks to be a modified Magna Cart-style office hand truck. But on the bright side, it’s not a monstrous heavy-duty cart.
Interestingly, Dewalt’s L-Cart is no longer called an L-Cart in the USA – they’re calling it a DS Carrier. We’re wondering if this is a coincidence or if Bosch and Dewalt had a fight over who gets to call their carrier system an L-Cart.
On the downside, there doesn’t seem to be any type of locking system! Unless the cart has any L-Boxx-specific features that we can’t identify, if may be cheaper to go with a Magna Cart or any similarly styled folding hand truck.
Bosch L-Boxx L-Dolly
Ah, now this is something we can definitely use. Picking up and moving a fully-loaded stack of L-Boxxes is not one of favorite activities. Hopefully the dolly won’t cost an arm and a leg!
We had really hoped for a Systainer-style port to facilitate storage and use in a shop setting, but it doesn’t look like we’ll get to see one. The new Click & Go branding makes it quite clear that Bosch will focus on products that enhance jobsite portability, at least for the time being.
The L-Dolly image shows another sneak peek of the new removable drawer/organizer L-Boxx configuration.
Locking wheels? Hooray! The L-Dolly, or Roller L-Boxx as Sortimo calls it, has a weight limit of up to 100kg (220lbs).
Bosch L-Boxxes vs. Dewalt ToughSystem vs. Festool Systainers
Comparing Bosch L-Boxxes with Dewalt’s ToughSystem cases is not really a fair match-up. The ToughSystems cases are to L-Boxxes as a rhinoceros is to a horse, whatever that means. The L-Boxxes can be configured in different ways, at least eventually if additional Sortimo products carry over, but the ToughSystem cases are robust and nearly indestructible. Compared to the industrial-looking Dewalt cases, L-Boxxes are a bit more polished.
Festool’s Systainers present more balanced competition. Systainers are pricier, but also much more user-friendly, not to mention better-looking. Now that it’s clear Bosch intends to expand their USA L-Boxx offerings, Festool’s lost a bit of their advantage. We’re still on the fence about which system is better but hope to have a verdict soon.
JML
I contacted Bosch a month ago to ask whether they planned to sell the inserts to retrofit their power tools. They said no, they were not going to sell ANY boxes with inserts unless they came complete with the tools – not even letting us box (or boxx) their current tools unless you buy the tool already in the custom insert & box! Sometimes I just don’t understand these companies.
Stuart
It most likely just comes down to cost. Or maybe they did market research and found that most tradesmen don’t want blow-molded inserts.
To be fair, L-Boxxes 1 and 2 do come with pull & pluck foam that you can modify to create your own customized tool-holding inserts.
BREP
I am a Bosch employee, your wishes may soon be answered. The program will launch late this summer! Stay tuned for details…
Anthony Sculimbrene
The new t loc systainers are a huge improvement over the old systainers. You can open any box in the stack without taking the stack apart. That is pretty sweet. Plus there are a ton of accessories for the systainers.
Peter
It seems that all these systems are designed, to a certain degree even the more rugged Dewalt, for indoors only.
I work in the field where I need wider and maybe even bigger wheels which sometimes need to go over/into muddy and wet uneven conditions.
While I like Dewalt`s approach with the liquid tight boxes, the wheels on their cart do not look like what I need.
The wheels on the Bosch Gravity Stands would work better for me, but they are also more on the smaller side.
Dewalt User
You mention above:
“We had really hoped for a Systainer-style port to facilitate storage and use in a shop setting, but it doesn’t look like we’ll get to see one.”
But does Sortimo even make that ? Since the Bosch items are just rebranded sortimo l-boxx units, they would work in a Sortimo “dock” or “port”, but I do not think that Sortimo themselves even makes such a thing …
I’m surprised they don’t … even if Bosch did not rebrand it, you could still use it, but I don’t think Sortimo makes it at all, do they ?
Stuart
To my knowledge Sortimo does not make such a rack or dock. Their racking tends to be centered around vans and vehicle storage solutions.
Dan
Sortimo does make a rack panel that is designed for vans but it is flat and could be wall mounted in a shop and plastic hooks that attach to L boxes so the boxes can be attached to the rack, either individually or in groups.
Dan
See
http://www.sortimo-shop.co.uk/a/1000000624/Adaptor-plate-PROSAFE-20-54-L-BOXX
they also do a 2′ high version of this.
VLC
Hello out there,
i’m a Bosch tool nut, Most of my tools are Bosch and Makita . I want to buy the bosch system that works for cordless tools/to medium size tools.
Can some one help me with some good advice.
I install cabinets to tile jobs to tile restoration/ to window replacement/etc.
I love tools /storage box’s. I want to up-grade.
V