Mobile Workbench vs Tool Chest: Which Is Better?

On this page (13 sections)

1. Do you work on the unit or beside it?
2. How much weight can each one take?
3. How do they hold up in a messy garage?
4. Which one holds more tools?
5. Which one fits your floor space?
6. Which one is easier to move?
7. Which one keeps tools locked up?
8. What arrives ready to use?
9. Can you run both in one garage?
10. What if you already own one of the two?
11. Side by side: size, storage and security
12. Who should pick which
13. Mobile workbench vs tool chest: which one to pick

A mobile workbench gives you a flat top to work on, while a tool chest gives you drawers to store and carry tools, so the right pick depends on where your tools spend the day. We compared the Eltean 55 in rolling workbench with the Goplus 5-drawer rolling tool chest, two units that solve different garage problems.

The Eltean has a 55 in top, six drawers and a cabinet with an adjustable shelf. The Goplus is a steel chest that splits into a top box and a rolling cart, on a footprint of just 23.5 x 11 in.

Pick the Eltean if the job happens on the unit, and pick the Goplus if the job happens somewhere else and you roll the tools over.

Do you work on the unit or beside it?

Work on the Eltean and beside the Goplus, because only the Eltean has a flat top made to take the work. The Goplus is built to hold tools and roll them to wherever you're working.

The Eltean's top is 55 x 19.7 in, with a rubber mat that Eltean says resists scratches and abrasion and keeps tools from sliding. It stands 37.5 in tall, close to kitchen counter height, so check your own elbow height with our guide to what height a garage workbench should be.

Eltean also recesses the inner drawer handles, so you can stand close to the drawers while you work.

The Goplus ends at its detachable toolbox, so treat the top as storage rather than a work surface. It earns its place parked beside a bench you already own, holding the tools for the job.

How much weight can each one take?

The Eltean is the only one with a weight rating, 1,000 lb maximum capacity, and Goplus gives none for its chest. Eltean's figure is the maker's rating, and it assumes the weight is spread evenly.

Heavy point loads and the floor matter too, so a rating isn't a promise for every use. Eltean gives one figure for the whole unit, with no limit per drawer or per cabinet shelf, so keep the heaviest items low and follow the maker's manual.

If you plan to mount a vise or a grinder on the top, follow the manual for that tool as well.

How do they hold up in a messy garage?

Both are powder-coated steel that wipes clean. The difference is in what takes the wear.

Eltean builds its frame from thick sheet steel, and the powder coat is scratch resistant and easy to maintain. The top mat is rubber that Eltean says resists scratches and abrasion, so it's the part that takes the knocks.

Goplus says its steel is dent resistant and rustproof, and the drawers have EVA padding that Goplus says cushions tools and insulates against heat. That padding is a real plus if you keep fragile measuring tools in the drawers.

Wipe spills off either one soon, and keep the Goplus off a wet floor, since a rustproof claim isn't a reason to leave it in a puddle.

Which one holds more tools?

The Eltean holds more tools and bulkier ones, while the Goplus packs five drawers into a much smaller footprint. Both give you places for small parts, but only the Eltean has room for big boxes.

Eltean's six drawers are four narrow and two wide, so screws and nails sit in the narrow ones and power tools fit in the wide ones. Two cabinet doors hide bulky tools, and the adjustable shelf inside fits boxes of different heights.

Pegboards on the left and right sides hold frequently used tools and keep air moving through the unit. The handles have screwdriver holes, and Eltean says they hold 13 screwdrivers.

The Goplus has five drawers and two trays, lined with EVA padding that Goplus says cushions tools. Its bottom shelf can be adjusted or removed for taller tools, movable hooks on the cabinet door hold smaller ones, and six tool holes in the side handle take screwdrivers.

When you're done, the Goplus top box can be stored inside the lower chest to save space. If you're weighing drawers against closed cabinets, our workbench with drawers vs cabinets comparison covers the trade-off.

Which one fits your floor space?

The Goplus fits almost anywhere, at 23.5 in long and 11 in wide, while the Eltean needs a 55 in run. With its handles on, the Eltean's width grows to 58.3 in, and it's 19.7 in deep.

The Eltean stands 37.5 in tall and the Goplus stands 40 in tall, so the chest is taller but far narrower. If your garage has a gap that's narrow but deep enough for a chest, the Goplus fits where the Eltean won't.

Run three checks before either unit arrives:

1. Measure the wall run, 58.3 in for the Eltean with its handles and 23.5 in for the Goplus.
2. Leave room in front for the drawers and cabinet doors to open fully.
3. Check the path from the garage door, since both units roll in rather than carry in.

Mark the footprint on the floor with tape and stand in it for a minute. It's a cheap way to learn how the garage feels with the unit in place.

A tall, narrow chest needs care on the floor. Put the heavy tools in the lower drawers and set the brakes before you open the top ones.

Which one is easier to move?

The Goplus is easier to move, at 38 lb against the Eltean's 108 lb, and it can split into two pieces. Both units roll on four wheels, two of them with brakes.

The Eltean has four heavy-duty rubber wheels and a metal side handle for steering. Eltean says the wheels rotate 360 degrees, but at 108 lb it's a heavy roll for one person, so it suits a bench that stays in one spot.

The Goplus has four universal wheels and a locking bar that stops the drawers from sliding out and the door from opening while you roll it. Because the top box comes off, you can carry only the tools you need to the job, though Goplus doesn't give the box's weight, so lift it with care once it's loaded.

Set both brakes before you load the top or lean on either unit. Roll slowly over thresholds and cracks, since a loaded unit is hard to stop once a wheel catches.

Wheels and brakes work best on a flat floor, and a sloped slab makes any rolling unit harder to hold. Our guide to leveling a workbench on an uneven garage floor covers what to check.

If you're comparing a rolling unit with a folding setup, see our portable workbench vs sawhorses guide.

Which one keeps tools locked up?

The Eltean locks its cabinet, and the Goplus has a key lock plus a lock bar, so both keep casual hands out. The lock bar is for rolling, though, not for security.

Eltean's cabinet doors close with magnets and lock with a key, which keeps larger or valuable items out of reach. The Goplus has a key lock, and its lock bar holds the drawers shut while the unit moves.

A lock slows down casual access, but it doesn't replace a locked garage. If you keep valuable tools in the unit, the Eltean's lockable cabinet gives you the most closed storage.

What arrives ready to use?

The Goplus arrives nearly ready, while the Eltean needs real assembly. Goplus pre-assembles the main unit, so you only attach the wheels and racks.

The Eltean ships in parts with pre-drilled holes, numbered panels, instructions and a video guide. Eltean says the hardware connects without extra tools.

Both arrive heavy and bulky, so check the box on delivery and count the hardware before you start. Build the Eltean close to where it will live, since it rolls but weighs 108 lb once it's together.

Can you run both in one garage?

Yes, and many garages should: the Eltean carries the project and the Goplus carries the tools you take elsewhere. Splitting tools between them keeps each unit useful.

Here's one way to divide the load:

• Eltean narrow drawers: screws, nails and small hardware.
• Eltean wide drawers and cabinet: power tools and big boxes, with the adjustable shelf set to the box height.
• Eltean pegboards and handle holes: the pliers, wrenches and screwdrivers you reach for most.
• Goplus drawers and trays: hand tools, bits and small parts, with the EVA padding keeping them from rattling.
• Goplus top box: the kit for a job away from the bench, such as a car in the driveway.

Roll the Goplus beside the Eltean while you work, then roll it to the car or the other side of the garage when the job moves. If a project spans several days, the bench keeps the parts in place while the chest holds the rest.

What if you already own one of the two?

Add whichever one fills the gap. A garage with a fixed bench but no mobile storage gets more from the Goplus, and a garage with a tool chest but no good surface gets more from the Eltean.

If you already have a bench, the Goplus gives you drawers you can move to the job without a second bench. If you already have a chest, the Eltean gives you the flat top and the cabinet space the chest lacks.

If you own neither and have room for only one, the question is whether you work at one spot or many. One spot points to the Eltean, and many spots point to the Goplus.

Side by side: size, storage and security

The Eltean is the bigger unit with the flatter work surface, while the Goplus is the smaller, lighter chest. The table lines up size, storage and security.

Weight and rated load aren't in the table, so use the sections above for those.

Who should pick which

Pick the Eltean if your work happens on the unit, and pick the Goplus if you mostly carry tools between jobs. Ask where your tools spend most of their time.

The Eltean suits a garage where you measure, assemble or repair on the bench with drawers close at hand. Its 58.3 in run and 108 lb mean it needs a fixed spot with room around it.

The Goplus suits a smaller garage, a second shop or a home mechanic who moves tools between spots. Its split design lets you take the box to the job without taking the whole chest.

If your routine is easier to match than to describe, this table sorts it.

Mobile workbench vs tool chest for a small garage

In a small garage, the Goplus fits more easily, since its 11 in width leaves more floor clear. The Eltean can still work if it stays in one corner with a clear run around it, and our garage workbench ideas for small garages has more layouts.

For more rolling options, see our best mobile workbenches with drawers.

Mobile workbench vs tool chest: which one to pick

Pick the Eltean rolling workbench if you want a 55 in work surface and six drawers, and pick the Goplus tool chest if you want a smaller, lighter unit that splits in two. If storage matters more than a work surface, compare more options in our best garage workbenches with storage roundup.

For the broader set of bench types, read the garage workbenches buying guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a mobile workbench and a tool chest?

A mobile workbench gives you a flat work surface with storage underneath, while a tool chest is built mainly to store and carry tools. The Eltean rolling workbench works as a bench, and the Goplus chest works as storage that splits into a box and a cart.

Is a rolling tool chest strong enough to work on?

Goplus sells its chest as tool storage and gives no weight rating for it, so treat the top as a place for a toolbox, not a work surface. The Eltean has a 1,000 lb maximum weight capacity and a rubber-matted top, so it's the better choice if you work on it most days.

How much weight can a rolling workbench hold?

Eltean rates its bench at 1,000 lb, and that figure assumes the weight is spread evenly across the top and drawers. Goplus gives no weight rating for its chest, so keep the heaviest tools in the lower drawers and spread the load.

Will a rolling workbench fit a small garage?

It depends on your wall space, since the Eltean runs 55 in long with its handles at 58.3 in, while the Goplus is 23.5 in long and 11 in wide. Measure the clear floor first, and leave room to roll the unit out and open the drawers fully.