The Best Hardware Cabinet for Storing Loose Parts

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Click here to see examples of hardware cabinets.
When you consider organization, surely storage is the first thing that comes to mind. A place for everything and everything in its place, or at least that’s the goal, right? Being able to find the parts you need when you want them is priceless when time is running short. Everyone from backyard mechanics to certified techs knows how quickly the little things clutter your space up, and how hard they are to find when you need them. Sometimes nuts, bolts, screws, washers, and all of the tiny bits and pieces that come with automotive repairs can overwhelm your work space. Other times you just need to consolidate and make room in your larger tool boxes. The best way to avoid these issues is to stay organized by having proper storage.

Regardless if you suffer from too many sockets or screws galore when disassembling your car, a hardware cabinet offers that extra level of organization for your car project and helps take the agony out of searching by keeping things in order. In doing so, they save you both time and frustration. Preparation is key to success after all.

The Best Hardware Cabinet

akro-mils hardware cabinet
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When it comes to the best hardware cabinets on the market today, the Akro-Mils Hardware and Craft Cabinets pretty much take the cake. Proudly made in the USA, the cabinet line offers durability and versatility. There are many color options including straight black, red and black, or red and grey (which is a nice touch if you re particular about the look of your garage). With a strong polystyrene frame, you can stack them, pile other tools on top, or wall mount them. The drawers are also different sizes, allowing you to pick and choose where your tools and parts fit best. The drawers are strong enough to handle most of what you throw at them, so do not worry about being too tough on the plastic. If you need more slots, use the dividers provided with the cabinet to separate the individual drawers even further.

The units themselves are offered in several different sizes, so you can pick which is best for you. However, for this review we are specifically looking at the cabinet measuring 20” x 16” x 6.5” (although the others are very similar and so this review more or less applies to those as well). With 44 drawers total, 12 measure 4-3/8” x 2” x 5-1/4” to accommodate the larger items you need to store. The remaining 32 drawers measure 2-1/8” x 1-1/2” x 5-1/4” for all of the smaller more pesky (aka easily lost) hardware. Considering the amount of parts one can accumulate, most don’t have an issue filling up the entire cabinet quickly.

Compared to other plastic cabinets on the market, it offers a little more versatility with the difference in drawer size, and is moderately priced so it represents a good solid value. Once you see just how handy the Akro-Mils cabinets really are to have in your tool arsenal, your spouse may end up wanting one for their crafting supplies as well. As far as where to buy, Amazon’s price is pretty competitive compared to other retailers. Overall, the Akro-Mils represents one of the best hardware cabinet values around, and we think you’ll be extremely satisfied. Happy wrenching!

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