Milwaukee Packout Rolling Drawer Tool Box Review – Ultimate Jobsite Storage Put to the Test

As the team here at VCG Construction, we’re all about pushing tools to their limits. I finally got my hands on the Milwaukee Packout Rolling Drawer Tool Box, one of the most anticipated additions to Milwaukee’s PACKOUT™ system. This isn’t just another toolbox – it’s a wheeled Packout unit with a smooth-sliding drawer for easy access. In this first-person review, I’ll share my experience unboxing it, torture-testing it (yes, we literally threw it off a roof), and organizing all my gear inside. Does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive in and find out.

Introducing the Milwaukee Packout Rolling Drawer Tool Box

From the moment we unboxed the Rolling Drawer Tool Box, I could tell Milwaukee built this thing Milwaukee-tough. The build quality is immediately apparent – high-impact polymer construction, beefy metal latches, and a frame that just feels rugged. This unit is essentially a Packout on wheels with a pull-out drawer, combining the mobility of Milwaukee’s rolling toolbox with the convenience of their drawer units. As someone who’s been using the Packout system for years, I was excited to see Milwaukee finally deliver a rolling box with a drawer, and it did not disappoint in first impressions.

I was also struck by the thoughtful design features. The handle is fully collapsible, folding down to about 19.75″, which is great for saving space during transport or storage. The wheels are a generous 9″ in diameter – big enough to roll over jobsite debris, gravel, and mud without a hiccup. Even little things like the ergonomic grip on the handle and the smooth slide of the drawer (thanks to sturdy ball-bearing slides) show that Milwaukee put serious thought into usability. It’s clear that Milwaukee is proud of their Packout line – they’ve even gone so far as to defend it in court against competitors (we covered Milwaukee’s patent showdown with Klein Tools in this blog post) – and innovations like this Rolling Drawer Tool Box show why they’re ahead of the pack.

Key Features at a Glance:

• Quick one-handed opening: The drawer latch mechanism allows you to pop the drawer open easily with one hand, a huge plus when your other hand is full.
• 250-lb weight capacity: According to the official Milwaukee Tool product page, this rolling drawer box can support up to 250 pounds. That means it can carry heavy tools and also bear the weight of additional Packout boxes stacked on top.
• Fully collapsible handle (19.75″): The telescoping handle folds flat into a low-profile position, making it easy to stow in a truck bed or van. Despite the smaller footprint when collapsed, it still feels sturdy when extended.
• 9″ all-terrain wheels: Oversized wheels glide over uneven surfaces, jobsite trash, and even stairs with less bumping around. No tiny plastic casters here – these are built for construction environments.
• Adjustable dividers included: Inside the drawer, Milwaukee includes versatile dividers that you can reposition to organize your tools. This keeps everything from sliding around and allows you to create custom compartments for your gear.
• Metal-reinforced frame: Like the rest of the Packout line, the corners and mounting points are reinforced. We noticed metal pins and reinforcements at the stacking cleats and hinges, which likely contribute to its durability (as you’ll see in our tests below).
• PACKOUT™ compatibility: Perhaps most importantly, it’s fully compatible with the Packout modular storage system. You can latch your existing Packout crates, organizers, or tool boxes on top of this rolling drawer, integrating it right into your stack.

Overall, my first look had me impressed. But a pretty toolbox means nothing if it can’t handle real jobsite abuse. So, in true VCG fashion, we decided to stress-test the Rolling Drawer Tool Box to see if it’s as tough as Milwaukee claims.

Torture Test #1: Tossing It Off a Roof

I know it sounds crazy, but yes – we threw the Packout Rolling Drawer off a roof. As tool testers, we wanted to simulate extreme jobsite accidents (and, let’s be honest, we also wanted to have a little fun). We lugged the box up to a second-story roof, said a small prayer, and gave it a good shove. The box plummeted roughly 20 feet and slammed into the ground. The result? Shockingly, it survived with flying colors.

When we scrambled down to inspect it, we found only minor scuffs and scratches on the plastic. The drawer remained securely latched throughout the fall which was my biggest worry. Milwaukee designed the drawer with a locking mechanism that kept it closed on impact. Once we unlatched it, the drawer slid out smoothly, the impact hadn’t cracked the housing or broken the wheels. In fact, the Rolling Drawer Tool Box was still fully functional after the drop test. We were thoroughly impressed (and maybe a little relieved)!

This test really drove home how tough the Packout build is. Milwaukee advertises their Packout line as impact-resistant and built for jobsite durability, and they aren’t kidding. The rigid construction and reinforced corners absorbed the shock of the fall. If it can survive a roof toss, it can certainly handle falling off the tailgate of your truck or collapsing off a stack – common mishaps that happen on the job. While I don’t recommend anyone try this at home, it’s good to know that a costly investment like this box can take a serious beating and keep on ticking. (And if you want to see this crazy roof toss in action, check out our YouTube review where we captured it on video!)

Torture Test #2: Running It Over with a Truck

 After the roof drop, we took the torture testing up another notch. The question on our minds: Can this toolbox survive being run over by a truck? To find out, I set the Rolling Drawer Tool Box on the ground in a gravel lot and proceeded to drive my pickup truck right over it. This test applies an enormous amount of weight and stress on the unit – a real worst-case scenario (think: accidentally backing over your gear). It’s the kind of abuse that would obliterate a cheap plastic toolbox. But the Milwaukee Packout? It took it like a champ.

As the truck rolled over, the tires pressed the box into the gravel. I half-expected to hear cracks, but instead I heard… nothing but my truck’s engine. After driving over it completely, we hopped out to inspect the damage. Incredibly, the Rolling Drawer Tool Box was still intact. The lid (top surface) flexed but didn’t crack under the weight. The drawer did not burst open – it stayed latched the whole time. One wheel had a slight gouge from the gravel, and there were a few new scratches and tire marks (battle scars!). But structurally, it was sound. We were able to unlatch the drawer and slide it out; the drawer slides were unharmed and still glided smoothly. All our tools inside were just fine. The box still latched onto other Packout pieces afterwards, and the wheels still rolled properly. In short, the Packout Rolling Drawer survived the ultimate abuse test.

This blew my mind. It’s one thing to claim a 250 lb capacity, but actually withstanding the weight of a pickup (~5,000+ lbs distributed) is beyond expectations. It speaks to Milwaukee’s build quality – the reinforced mounting points and overall design prevented catastrophic failure. Realistically, you won’t intentionally run over your toolbox, but knowing that it could handle even that gives me a ton of confidence. It means on the jobsite, this Packout box will handle drops, knocks, and heavy loads without cracking. Durability is often the make-or-break for storage solutions, and Milwaukee absolutely nailed it here.

Customization and Organization Options

One of my favorite aspects of the Packout Rolling Drawer is how customizable the interior is. When you open that big drawer, you’re greeted with a spacious compartment that you can configure to your needs. Milwaukee includes a set of adjustable dividers in the box – these slide into pre-molded grooves inside the drawer. We found we could mix and match the dividers to create smaller sections for hand tools, fasteners, or batteries, while leaving larger open areas for power tools. If you want one big open drawer, you can simply remove all the dividers. I really appreciate this flexibility, as it lets each user tailor the storage layout for their particular tools and workflow.

Beyond the included dividers, there are more ways to customize. The drawer is deep enough that you could add a layer of foam (like a Kaizen foam insert) to snugly hold delicate instruments or measuring tools. We experimented by placing some foam in one section to cut out slots for a multimeter and calipers – it worked great. Additionally, the Rolling Drawer Tool Box can be part of a larger Packout stack, which means you can pair it with other Packout accessories. For example, I attached a Packout two-drawer unit on top for small parts, and a Packout crate for bulk storage. The whole stack clicks together securely, and the rolling drawer at the base means I can still access those heavy tools at the bottom without unstacking everything. Talk about convenience!

Customization isn’t just internal, either. The exterior of the box has the standard Packout cleats and attachment points, so you can mount things like the Packout cup holder, M12 battery holder, or other clever Packout-compatible mods people have invented. (The Packout community is creative – there are even third-party mounts, like the one from Weihe Designs, to expand functionality further.) Point is, Milwaukee’s Rolling Drawer isn’t a one-size-fits-all box – it’s an adaptable piece of a larger system. As someone who loves to keep my tools organized and accessible, this ability to tweak and personalize the setup is a huge win.

Big Tools? No Problem – Impressive Storage Capacity

A major advantage of this rolling drawer design is the sheer amount of gear you can fit inside – including large tools that typically don’t play nice with regular toolboxes. To give you an idea of capacity, I loaded the drawer with some of the biggest tools I regularly use: a full-size M18 Sawzall (reciprocating saw), a 7-1/4″ circular saw, an angle grinder, and a couple of drill/driver cases. Amazingly, it swallowed them all with room to spare for batteries and chargers around the edges! This Packout Rolling Drawer has roughly a 19″ x 16″ drawer footprint (and a good 9-10″ depth), so it can accommodate those awkwardly shaped tools that usually sit in the back of your truck. No more leaving the recip saw loose or carrying an extra bag just for it – now it rides securely in the drawer.

What’s great is that even when loaded with these heavy, bulky tools, the drawer still slides in and out smoothly and the box remains stable. We tested pulling the drawer open when the box was part of a stack – with a couple of modules on top – and it didn’t tip forward because the box itself is robust and weighty enough to stay planted (though on uneven ground, I’d still be mindful). The 250-lb weight capacity also means you could pack this drawer with a lot of heavy stuff (metal tools, boxes of screws, etc.) and the box can handle it. I also appreciated the drawer’s internal organization here: by placing a divider or two, I could keep the big tools separate from smaller items so they don’t all jostle together.

Another cool thing: because it’s a drawer, I can access my tools without unstacking. This is a huge time-saver on the job. For example, I kept my large hammer drill and impact wrench in the rolling drawer; even with other Packout bins stacked above, I just pop the latch and slide it out to grab them – no need to dismantle a tower of boxes to reach the bottom. This convenience cannot be overstated for anyone who’s tired of the “bottom box blues.” In daily use, the Packout Rolling Drawer Tool Box’s capacity and ease of access have genuinely made my work more efficient.

(At this point, I was pretty much sold on this toolbox. If you’re thinking of upgrading your tool storage, you can purchase the Milwaukee Packout Rolling Drawer Tool Box here – affiliate link. We earn a small commission if you buy through that link, at no extra cost to you, which helps us continue testing tools.)

Final Thoughts

Writing this review from a first-person perspective, I have to say the Milwaukee Packout Rolling Drawer Tool Box absolutely lives up to its reputation. Milwaukee took their time releasing this unit, and it shows – it feels like a product designed by folks who understand real-world jobsite needs. From the rock-solid durability (surviving drops and truck run-overs that would kill lesser boxes) to the practical drawer access and customizable interior, it checks all the boxes for me. It’s not often that a tool storage solution genuinely changes your daily routine, but this one did. I find myself saving time and effort because I’m not constantly unstacking and rummaging for tools. Plus, there’s a bit of pride in owning a box that I know can handle whatever abuse I throw at it.

Of course, quality comes at a price – the Rolling Drawer Tool Box is a premium product (around the $250 range at the time of writing). But considering it may outlast several cheaper boxes and protect thousands of dollars worth of tools inside, I consider it well worth it for professionals and serious DIYers alike. Milwaukee backs it with a limited lifetime warranty, which speaks to their confidence in its durability. If you’re already invested in the Packout ecosystem, this is almost a no-brainer addition. And even if you’re new to Packout, this rolling drawer could be a killer starting point for a modular kit that grows with you.

In the end, I’m thoroughly impressed. This toolbox has become an essential part of my setup. It’s not just hype – Milwaukee delivered a winner that truly makes life easier on the job. The Packout Rolling Drawer Tool Box has earned a permanent spot in the back of my work truck, and I suspect it will be riding there for many years (and projects) to come.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Is the Milwaukee Packout Rolling Drawer Tool Box waterproof or weather-resistant?

A: The Rolling Drawer Tool Box is weather-resistant but not fully waterproof. It’s constructed similarly to other Packout modules which have an IP65 rating for dust and water when closed. However, because this unit has a drawer (with gaps around the drawer edges), it won’t be as watertight as a regular Packout box with a lid. It can handle light rain and splashes without issue – we’ve left it in drizzles and everything inside stayed dry. But we wouldn’t recommend leaving it out in a heavy downpour or sitting it in standing water. If water resistance is critical, you might want to keep sensitive items in an inner waterproof case or use a Packout lid-style box in the stack for those.

Q: How much weight can the drawer hold, and will it slide smoothly when fully loaded?

A: Milwaukee rates the entire unit for a 250-pound total weight capacity. Practically speaking, that means you can load the drawer with a lot of tools (we easily had 80-100 lbs of tools in it during our tests) and it can also support additional Packout boxes stacked on top up to that weight. The drawer slides on sturdy metal rails with ball bearings, so it continues to slide smoothly even under heavy loads. In our usage, a fully loaded drawer still opened and closed without binding. One thing to note: 250 lbs is the capacity for the whole box and stack, and typically Milwaukee suggests around 50 lbs per drawer on their drawer units for optimal function. We likely exceeded that 50 lb per drawer guideline with some of our bigger tools, but the slides handled it fine. Just avoid overloading beyond what you can comfortably roll, and you’ll be good.

Q: Does the drawer have a lock to prevent it from opening during transport?

A: Yes, the drawer has a built-in locking latch. When you close the drawer, it automatically latches shut. There’s a red release latch at the top of the drawer that you have to lift (or slide, depending on the design) to pull the drawer open. This latch keeps the drawer from sliding open on its own while you’re rolling the box around or when it’s in the back of your truck. In our drop test and during rough handling, this latch system kept the drawer securely closed every time. Additionally, if you need extra security, the latch mechanism has a small hole where you can insert a padlock or a zip tie. That way, you can lock the drawer closed to deter theft or tampering – useful if you leave it on a jobsite or want an extra assurance that it stays shut.

Q: Can I stack other Packout modules on top of the Rolling Drawer Tool Box?

A: Absolutely! The Rolling Drawer Tool Box is fully Packout-compatible. It has the same locking cleats on its lid (top surface) as any other large Packout box. This means you can click on any Packout suitcase, organizer, crate, or even another drawer unit right on top of it. We routinely stacked multiple boxes on it with no issues – the 9″ wheels and wide footprint keep the whole stack stable. One thing to keep in mind: since this is designed as a base unit (with wheels and a handle), it does not have Packout cleats on the bottom (you wouldn’t stack this under another box, of course). But you can attach it to a Packout Dolly or mounting plate if you wanted to roll multiple rolling bases together (though that’s an unusual scenario). In short, it plays nicely with the entire Packout family, and integrating it into your existing setup is seamless.

Q: What are the dimensions of the Milwaukee Packout Rolling Drawer Tool Box?

A: The exterior dimensions are roughly comparable to Milwaukee’s standard rolling Packout toolbox. Specifically, the box is about 22″ long, 16″ wide, and 25″ tall with the handle extended (height drops to ~19.75″ with the handle collapsed). The drawer’s internal dimensions are approximately 19″ x 15″ and about 9″ deep. That’s big enough to fit most handheld power tools and even some larger items. For example, we fit a reciprocating saw that’s about 18″ long diagonally in the drawer. The 22″ length of the box corresponds to the standard width of Packout modules, so any accessories like Packout foam inserts or dividers from other large Packout boxes will fit as well. It’s a generously sized box, yet it still remains fairly maneuverable when rolling it around.

Q: Does it come with dividers or do I need to buy them separately?

A: It comes with dividers included. In the package, Milwaukee provides a set of plastic dividers that slot into the grooves inside the drawer. These let you partition the drawer into smaller sections. In our unit, we received several dividers of different lengths – you can create compartments front-to-back or side-to-side. There’s no need to purchase those separately. If you want even more organization, Milwaukee also sells foam inserts that you can cut for a custom fit (though those are optional and not included). We found the included dividers to be quite sufficient for separating wrenches, sockets, screws, etc., away from larger tools in the same drawer.

Q: How is this Rolling Drawer Tool Box different from the standard Milwaukee Packout Rolling Tool Box?

A: The key difference is access and convenience. The standard Packout Rolling Tool Box (the one with a flip-open lid and built-in handle) is basically an open bin – great for bulk storage, but you have to remove any stacked boxes on top to get inside it. The Rolling Drawer Tool Box, on the other hand, features a slide-out drawer that you can open without unstacking anything above it. This means easier access to your tools at the bottom of your stack. The Rolling Drawer unit also has a slightly different form factor: its handle is lower-profile (collapsible) and it’s designed to serve as a base for a stack, whereas the standard rolling box has a tall handle and is often used as the base by default. In terms of size, they’re similar, but the drawer unit sacrifices a tiny bit of interior space to accommodate the drawer mechanism. Also, the drawer unit comes with those interior dividers for organization, whereas the standard rolling box is just an open bin. If you already have the regular rolling Packout and are frustrated by the accessibility, the Rolling Drawer is a fantastic upgrade. Some users even use both: the drawer box as the base for frequently accessed tools, and the old rolling box for less-used bulky items or as a secondary stack.

Q: What is the price, and is it worth it?

A: The Milwaukee Packout Rolling Drawer Tool Box retails for around $249 USD (give or take, depending on sales or retailer) at the time of writing. It is definitely a premium price for a tool storage unit. Whether it’s “worth it” comes down to your needs. In my opinion, if you’re a professional contractor or tradesperson who already uses Packout stuff, it is worth the investment. The durability, time saved, and improved organization pay off on the job. If it prevents even one broken tool from a fall or saves you a few minutes each day by not digging for gear, it justifies itself pretty quickly. For a DIYer or someone on a tight budget, $250 is a lot for a toolbox – there are cheaper rolling chests out there – but none will integrate with Packout or offer quite the same level of ruggedness. Keep an eye out for promotions; sometimes you might find it a bit discounted or as part of a bundle. And remember, when you buy quality, you usually buy it once – this Packout drawer could realistically last for many years (backed by Milwaukee’s lifetime warranty for peace of mind).

Q: Does Milwaukee’s lifetime warranty cover this Packout Rolling Drawer Tool Box?

A: Yes, Milwaukee backs their Packout storage products (including this Rolling Drawer Tool Box) with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. This warranty covers any defects in material or workmanship for the life of the product. Essentially, if the toolbox fails due to a manufacturing issue – say a wheel hub cracks or a latch breaks under normal use – Milwaukee will repair or replace it. It doesn’t cover abusive misuse (so technically, our roof toss and truck test are not recommended by the warranty!), nor does it cover cosmetic wear and tear. But it’s reassuring to know the company stands behind the durability of Packout. In practice, Milwaukee has a pretty good track record of honoring warranties. You’d typically contact their customer service or take it to a Milwaukee service center if you ever had an issue. Considering how tough this toolbox is, I doubt you’ll need to use the warranty, but it’s nice to have that safety net.