A reader gave us a heads up about these new Irwin power tool accessory cases that look suspiciously like the new Dewalt ToughCase+ storage cases and Craftsman accessory cases. (Thank you Herb for the tip!)
The resemblance is no coincidence, as Stanley Black & Decker owns Craftsman, Dewalt, and Irwin brands.
Irwin will be bringing out three different sized accessory cases:
- Small bulk storage boxes
- Small storage case
- Medium storage case
The small bulk storage case fits inside the small and medium storage cases. It’s perfectly sized for holding a quantity of screwdriver bits.
Irwin sized the small storage case for screwdriver and drill bit assortments, while the medium storage cases can accommodate larger accessories such as auger-style drill bits.
The small and medium storage cases can be clipped together, making it easier to carry a couple at the same time.
Irwin advertises that these clear lid containers will help you see what accessories you have with you at a quick glance. They are also using the same new pivoting bit holders that the Craftsman and Dewalt cases use, which makes it easier to remove and replace bits.
We don’t have any idea when these new cases will hit the streets or what accessories will be included.
Discussion
As mentioned above, it’s no surprise that Irwin is coming out with accessory storage cases that are similar to Dewalt and Craftsman products. Do we know for sure that the Irwin storage cases will be compatible? No, but it’s very likely.
What’s notable is the absence of a large carrying case of the kind that Craftsman and Dewalt have teased about (but still have not yet delivered on). This may be because Irwin has no stacking tool box system comparable to Tstak or Versastack. Yet?
If you look at the above photo you’ll see the medium case lid is divided down the middle with dovetails to fit small case bit holders, but the bottom is completely open for large accessory storage like the Irwin Speedbor bits.
The Dewalt and Craftsman accessory cases are divided down the middle, and some come with a removable tray.
I really like this standardization trend by Stanley Black & Decker. It means that most of the new accessory kits from Irwin, Dewalt, and Craftsman should work as a system, and with the Versastack and Tstak tool boxes once the new large storage cases are released.
I hope Stanley Black & Decker will continue this trend of standardization among other tool and accessory storage product lines.
