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Husky provided their Pro Duty 72″ 20-drawer mobile workbench for review purposes, and I have been thoroughly using and testing it these past couple of weeks.
Home Depot’s Husky Pro Duty tool storage system offers a modern and modular mobile work station solution that’s engineered around the needs of professional and demanding users.
As such, it’s priced at a premium, at least compared to consumer storage products. Compared to the other professional tool storage systems I looked at, the Husky system seems competitively and even compellingly priced.
I need more time to use and test it further, but I have some early thoughts you might find interesting.
To start, the mobile workbench is the heart of the Husky Pro Duty system. Husky also offers side lockers, a hutch with fold-down cover, and top lockers in two sizes.
One top locker size (72″) can be installed above the hutch, and another (63.5″) is solid in pairs for use above a full setup with the workbench and two lockers.
See the Full Husky Pro Duty System
You can start with just the workbench – which is the only part I’m testing for review – or build it into a complete system. You can also add just a top hutch or single side locker. Home Depot and Husky offer the Pro Duty system in several pre-configurated combinations, and you can purchase the components separately as well.
The cabinet I’m testing is red, and it’s also available in black. The red workbench comes with black trim, and the black workbench with silver trim. Both have a stainless steel worktop.
The same add-on options are available in both colors.
The very first thing I noticed was how easy it was to move the workbench into position.
There are 4 locking swivel casters, with a combined load capacity of 6,000 lbs. Each caster has spring shock absorbers.
Normally, larger mobile workbenches – at least consumer models – have 6 casters.
This one has 4 swivel casters, which makes it more maneuverable. It was easier to move this into position than with other larger mobile workbenches and tool cabinets I’ve used before.
My floor is uneven in some spots. With these casters, all 4 casters touch the floor, a benefit of the shock-absorbing system and absence of middle casters.
Pull handles on both sides also made the workbench easier to move around.
The top is made from 18-gauge 304-grade stainless steel. The frame is made with 16 gauge steel, and the base frame 9 gauge.
Each drawer can support up to 220 lbs. The deeper top drawer and deep bottom drawers have double pairs of drawer slides and 400 lb load ratings.
Husky equipped the workbench with a Kwikset SmartKey system, which allows for easy rekeying multiple locks to the same Kwikset key.
There are two locks – one for the main section, and another for the right side bank of drawers.
There’s a 6-outlet plus 2 USB power strip on the right side.
All of that sounds good on paper. In reality, it does provide for a more premium user experience. The drawers feel to be of very high quality – they don’t rack or sag, and open and close smoothly.
The soft close feature is a convenience, and also provides some closed drawer retention strength, which is typical.
The 20 drawers are a dream, and can fit much more tools than the Husky 62″ tool cabinet that previously occupied this space.
I wasn’t quite expecting the workbench to be as large as it is; this is not a workbench as much as it is a workstation. This fits well with how I use tool cabinets and chests.
I typically place tools, parts, workshop equipment, and other things on top of a mobile workbench. There are times when I clear the tops for heavy parts or equipment.
The Husky Pro Duty workbench measures 72″ wide x 24.6″ deep x 44.2″ tall. The outgoing 62″ workbench measured 24.1″ deep and 38.1″ tall.
The storage volume betrays its actual size and capacity. The 62″ cabinet is described as providing 31,721 cubic inches of storage volume, while this 72″ cabinet is said to have 34,326 cubic inches of storage volume.
While a roughly 10% difference doesn’t sound like a lot on paper, I can fit a lot more tools due to the drawer count and dimensions.
The first cabinet shipped to me (shown on its pallet, above) with handling damage – it seems someone rammed the box with a fork lift – but the second was perfect.
I didn’t photograph the actual damage, but one of the drawers and part of the frame were crumpled inwards. A replacement drawer wouldn’t have fixed the damage.
Always unwrap steel storage products with the freight driver still there. It’s quicker to refuse a delivery than to arrange for return pickup, although I would add that Home Depot’s customer service has been great about refusals and returns over the years.
With how the test sample was arranged, the return and replacement was done via Home Depot customer service. I called their Pro Xtra phone number, and they were able to sort everything out rather quickly.
The workbench has a net weight of 788 lbs, and gross weight of 851 lbs. Setup is easy, especially since the casters are installed at the factory.
The mobile workbench has a retail price of $3498. If you add on two side lockers, a top hutch, and two top lockers, the total price would be $8990. The Pro Duty system is covered by Husky’s Lifetime Warranty.
Is it worth it? That’s of course the question to ask, as this cost much more than consumer tool storage products.
The Husky Pro Duty roller cabinet has the heaviest gauge frame of any tool storage cabinet of this size I’ve tested before, and the heaviest duty ball bearing drawers I’ve ever used. It’s a solution to demanding tool storage and organizational needs, and exists in the space between consumer and industrial products.
So far, I think that Husky did a fantastic job – the design, construction, and quality have all impressed me.
Yes, you can get slightly smaller and considerably less expensive roller cabinets with similar drawer counts. But, the difference between 220 lb (or 400 lbs doubled up) drawer slides and 100 lb drawer slides is something you can feel when opening and closing a drawer loaded with tools.
Mobile workbenches, tool cabinets, and tool chests of this caliber – and price – are intended for heavier users that are in and out of their tool boxes daily.
Husky’s “standard duty” 72″ ball bearing tool cabinet is constructed with a 21 gauge steel frame. This Husky Pro Duty mobile workbench has a 16 gauge frame and 9 gauge steel base frame. 16 gauge steel is 82% thicker than 21 gauge steel.
Husky’s 72″ standard duty mobile workbench has 6 casters and can support up to 1800 lbs. This Pro Duty model has 4 casters and can support up to 6000 lbs.
Overall, the Husky Pro Duty workbench is stronger and built for more demanding use, even if you don’t plan to load it up with 3 tons of tools and equipment in and on top of it.
Husky offers top hutches and side lockers for their standard and heavy duty mobile workbenches, but the Pro Duty system is the only line where you can have a top hutch, side lockers, and top cabinets.
A fully equipped Pro Duty setup, with hutch, 2 side lockers, and 2 top cabinets, measures a whopping 127″ long x 94″ tall x 25″ wide. That’s more than 10 feet long and nearly 8 feet tall.
I was eager to test the mobile workbench as a standalone product as a representative sample of the Husky Pro Duty system.
There are some areas where more attention could have been paid, such as how the welded vertical dividers have visible seams, or how the corner guards are rather plain. But we’re talking about cosmetic nitpicking that I didn’t notice until I started looking for compromises and imperfections.
I generally prefer wood-topped tool cabinets and workbenches, and this only comes with a 304 stainless steel top. However, given its 44.2″ height, I have been using and testing it as a work station rather than a workbench.
Stainless steel is resistant to common chemicals and easy to clean. After using it, and placing things on top that I never think of with a wood worktop, I’m glad I didn’t have the opportunity to choose otherwise.
The added height can allow for precision work, but I have been taking most work to a shorter workbench.
If this tool cabinet were to be a permanent addition to my workshop, I might plan to remove some wall cabinets and add the top hutch and upper cabinet in the future. I could definitely make use of the side lockers, but sadly I’d never have the space.
I didn’t explore whether a vise could be added, as the height of the worktop is not ideal for this.
So far, the Pro Duty tool cabinet has exceeded my expectations, which I had based on positive past experiences with Husky standard and heavy duty tool storage products.
I had intended to only temporarily adjust my workspace to accommodate the size of the Husky Pro Duty mobile tool chest, but I’m liking it far more than I had anticipated.
I still plan to donate the sample, but extended the testing timetable.
It’s not that the Pro Duty workbench is a joy to use, but that it delivers an invisible experience, melting into the background of things.
Do you know the feeling when you upgrade from a tool that frustrates you, to one that doesn’t? This is like going from pliers that you can never really break in to ones that are smooth and effortless to use. Or, it’s like upgrading from a drill or impact driver that can only drive certain fasteners 90% flush, to ones that perfectly seat fasteners every time.
The Husky Pro Duty line is built far better than average consumer ball bearing storage products. Side by side, the differences are apparent.
Is there a difference in the smoothness of the drawers? Yes. Is there a difference if a drawer can hold 100, 220, or 400 lbs if you’re only loading it with 50 lbs of tools? Yes. Does it matter to you? That’s a question you’ll have to answer.
The biggest surprise to me is in how much I’m enjoying configuring the 20 drawers to my needs. It’s going to hurt when it’s time to give this cabinet up.
I think Husky did a great job with the Pro Duty system so far, and hope they expand upon it.
With respect to the price, $3498 seems very competitive for what you get. This sounds like a lot of money compared to products built for consumer needs, but it’s the floor when talking about storage aimed at automotive, professional, and industrial users.
Thank you to Husky and Home Depot for providing the test sample for review. Husky is not an active sponsor, but has partnered with ToolGuyd within the past 12 months.
