Skil, which I consider to be Flex’s DIY power tool brand, has also launched its own modular tool boxes.
At this time, Skil tool boxes are sold in bundles at Sam’s Club, and a recent posting on social media revealed that they’re also sold at Costco. It doesn’t look like they’re being sold outside of the two warehouse clubs.
This Skil 4pc tool box combo, with rolling tool box, small suitcase-style tool box, and 2 compact organizers, are being sold for $79.98 (reg $99.98) at Sam’s Club.
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This Skil 3pc tool box tower combo , with rolling tool box, large tool box, and small tool box, is priced at $149 at Costco stores. It doesn’t appear to be available online yet.
The tool boxes look a lot like Menard’s Masterforce modular tool boxes, but with enough differences that compatibility isn’t guaranteed. The Masterforce 3pc combo is $139.97, or $124.57 after mail-in rebate, beating Skil’s Costco pricing shown in social media posts.
Skil product images show that the tool boxes can also connect with the brand’s power tool accessory cases. I don’t recall seeing these power tool cases before.
Their interlocking bit set cases appear to be relatively new; I found this 15pc hex shank drill bit set available at Best Buy and Amazon.
There are an increasing number of limited-breadth modular tool storage combos. Black & Decker, for example, has a 3pc tower combo that seems to be exclusive to Amazon, priced at $121. What does Skil do differently?
Surprisingly, Skil doesn’t seme to have given the tool boxes a proper name.
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Whereas their sibling company Flex has “StackPack,” Skil’s tool boxes are listed in the “accessories” section on their website, with product descriptions such as “rolling tool box and organizer box 4pc tower set.”
Related, I checked my local Lowe’s store recently, and it appears that the retailer has purged all Flex StackPack modular tool boxes and accessories, except for these two boxes of organizers up on the storage shelves.
The modular tool box market segment seems to have reached saturation, and it has become clear that there’s not enough room for all of them.
It will be interesting to see if Skil’s system picks up steam. It is perhaps telling that the Skil tool boxes are thus far only available at wholesale clubs, and not tool dealers and home improvement centers such as Home Depot and Lowe’s.
Chervon, parent company to Skil, Flex, and EGO, recently posted a 30.9% decrease in revenue (37.3% in North America) and a net loss for the year ending 12/31/2023.
The Skil combos being sold at Costco and Sam’s Club might boost the company’s sales, but the question remains whether we’ll see long-term growth or expansion of the system. I think it’s unlikely that home centers – most notably Lowe’s – will clear space for Skil tool boxes at their retail stores, but there could be other opportunities, similar to how they’ve popped up at wholesale clubs.
Rog
Is Flex a zombie brand? I would consider purchasing Skil over Flex if those were my options
Stuart
I’d guess that Flex is at least likely to reappear next November for Lowe’s holiday season sale.
I was told last year that Flex Stack Pack would be given permanent shelf space, but that failed to be happen. It seems that Lowe’s chose Klein and ToughBuilt systems instead.
ToughBuilt was given shelf space, and Klein is in promotional and endcap space.
Skil has 3 combo packages and no individual SKUs. I don’t see any big box retailer making space for Skil.
Honestly, I wouldn’t buy either right now, unless the existing offerings are exactly what you need and ever plan on buying. That’s not to say they’re bad, but that future expansion and expandability seem highly uncertain right now.
Rog
My local Lowe’s has a fairly prominent end cap display for Skil with multiple tools from their lineup. The Flex display has continued to shrink since its introduction
Stuart
My stores have just one Skil display, and it tends to collect dust. This has been the case since the lines launched at Lowe’s a few years ago. It’s a shame, and I blame Lowe’s.
Lowe’s does little to promote any of their cordless brands. When’s the last time you saw Lowe’s talking up their Craftsman V20 or Bosch 18V offerings?
Mopar4wd
The stores near me have been clearing out the Bosch 18V one store is down to just one end cap with Bosch 18V the others have shrank the aisle in half to include FLEX. I was talking with some one the other day whose wife is a Lowes store manager, he said almost all the volume is Dewalt and Craftsman followed up by Kobalt. For Lawn and Garden it’s almost all EGO now.
Bob
My local Lowes here in Arkansas has a decent sized flex stack pack endcap and a full isle of flex tools. I haven’t seen much skil products yet in store (about a half dozen).
JJ
I would buy Kobalt CaseStack before Skil tool boxes, if I had to make a bet on what will still be on shelves in three years. Flex Stack Pack is actually very good but the field is crowded, and ToughBuilt and Klein both have better accessories selection.
Some Lowes near me are keeping the same selection Flex Stack Pack as before, others have clearanced out to just a few SKUs or none.
As far as power tools, Flex continues to launch big tools this year like table saws and mitre saws, even if they’re not appearing in stores. Their new nailers got a special endcap at my Lowes recently.
TonyT
It looks a lot like T-Stak/Versastak. What would the advantages be, except perhaps price?
Matthew
Avoid this and go with Tstak. There is no advantage to this Skil offering. Tstak and Versastack have way more offerings, way more after market accessories. Tstak towers or Versastack towers go on sale during the holidays for around $100-$130 for a 3 piece set. The single drawer Tstak can be had anywhere from $25-$35 shipped and it’s easily the best Tstak available.
Munklpunk
I wonder how much money Stanley would make if they really pushed the tstak/versastak across every store possible. It’s a decent system but they need to up the QC because fitment can be iffy sometimes.
Mopar4wd
Yeah not sure why they don’t push these harder they really should be the clear value price leader in the segment.
Perry
Agreed, I’ve been using the tstak/vstack boxes for years now. They’re not so big that they get too heavy to lug around on the job, and the single drawer tstak are just big enough to hold tools or my charger and some batteries.
I like some of the larger lines like toughbuilt but they’re too big and heavy to take from job to job each day without being a hassle
Torchy
IT MIGHT BE WHAT I NEED
Torchy
I would have liked IPX5 but its fine..maybe…
Jim Felt
I wonder how we’re all going to look back at these seemingly endlessly variable but incompatible hard-side container systems? Fondly or more likely “what on earth were they all thinking”? So many seem like fashion over best practice?
Perhaps Veto will be the long term winner? Or ?
Robert
To me, having these Skil tool boxes in Costco and Sam versus a tool big box store is counting on impulse buying. Taking a chance on the OK brand name and attractive price for fear of it not being there in a month. Casual buyers without a road map of adding to their system.
PW
ANOTHER one of these? Good grief.
I would never buy something from Costco that I wanted to expand on later. Their tool related offerings are always here today, gone tomorrow.
Sometimes they have pretty wild stuff. I remember my local Costco having a Jet band saw for sale for a while years ago. That kind of thing, with an established quality name, one-and-done sale, and parts availability outside the Costco channel, I would consider.
I’d only buy this if I never wanted to ever expand it or replace a component that broke. Which seems to defeat a lot of the point.
Torchy
Does anyone know if there is an open standard for modular toolboxes anywhere?
Cullen J Webb
I’m just waiting for somebody to design a system around French cleats so that we can make our own or hang them on the wall.
Rog
You could 3d print hangers to attach to the box of your choice
mikedt
I seem to recall a DIY magazine article where they mounted french cleats to a hand truck so that you could pop on/off homemade storage boxes. I get nothing on google though.
Stuart
Open standard? No.
Licensed or rebranded standard? Yes.
The Festool/Tanos Systainer system is popular with European tool brands, and there has been increased adoption of the Bosch and Sortimo L-Boxx system.
ColeTrain
This is hilarious, it looks like Bauer stuff or husky stuff or who the hell cares. On a side note however, the Skil cordless tools that are on sale I have bought into and they are surprisingly good.
Stuart
Skil’s better brushless tools are highly underrated.
Ed
You are correct it’s the same as Bauer system, made by the same OEM manufacturer.
S
The tactic to sell via non-contractor channels is an interesting one to me.
I’ve always envisioned the rolling stackable tool box concept to be best used for mobile work.
While I can understand a diy brand focusing on sales locations diy-ers will be, I’m somewhat curious to how such users would use such a system. It’s too large for a simple ‘house tool’ kit for most people that don’t have or want a tool box. And given the size, its also almost too inconvenient to roll around the house. But it’s too small for most mid range tool kits, and lacks organization for most tools.
What do people that aren’t contractors use such systems for?
Robert Morris
Well I got the 4 piece box set! I love it so much. I am a carpenter and it has took a beating all most every day.it holds up really well. The only complaint I have is I would like to add to it but you can’t get individual boxes any where and there isn’t a brand that will inter change with it so I am stuck really . Skil needs to make more options. And aftermarket add ones that’s all . But all and all I highly recommend it too anyone