Walk into a mechanic shop and you’ll see all kinds of different toolboxes. Big, small, new, old, different colors, different brands. Some mechanics seem to see them as status indicators, where you’re only a “real mechanic” if you own a toolbox from one of the expensive brands. Some customers might walk into a shop and think that the tech with the biggest toolbox must be the best. But that’s often not the case.

Mechanics choose their toolbox for a number of reasons. Some might have a preference for a certain brand, or color, others might have always dreamed of owning a toolbox from a certain brand. Sometimes it’s just whatever they can afford, and they get a cheaper or smaller toolbox. A good piece of advice I hear is “your toolbox doesn’t make you money” and that’s why you shouldn’t spend tens of thousands of dollars on it when it’s the tools inside of it that you actively use to make money. While it’s true, I do think having the right toolbox for you will help you make money. For example, having a big enough toolbox that you can have your tools organized and can quickly find what you need instead of looking through a pile of wrenches will make you more efficient and make more money.

Regardless of the reasons a mechanic chose the toolbox they work out of, it doesn’t indicate how skilled they are. I know highly skilled mechanics with small Craftsman boxes, and some with large Snap-On boxes. I also know newer techs that gave into the temptation of the big shiny expensive tool boxes and don’t have a ton of tools to put in it. You can’t just look at the toolbox someone uses and make any assumptions about the abilities of the owner.

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-Dan