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review
2023 Muc-Off Metal Utility Toolbox.jpg£40.00
VERDICT:
Not cheap, but very well made and not a bit of plastic in sight
Very robust
Hardwearing finish
No internal compartments
Weight:
1,398g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
- Exceptional
- Excellent
- Very Good
- Good
- Quite good
- Average
- Not so good
- Poor
- Bad
- Appalling
One thing you can say about the Muc-Off Metal Utility Toolbox is that it is very well made, with nothing exposed to rust and not a hint of plastic in sight. It is pricey though, especially considering there are no internal compartments.
Let's be honest, if you just want a box to chuck your tools or bits and bobs into, you probably won't be plumping for this Muc-Off option. After all, you can pick up a basic, plastic toolbox for around a tenner, even cheaper if you search online.
The Metal Utility Toolbox though is part of Muc-Off's Project Green, which is all about delivering environmentally focused improvements across its business, which in part means a move away from single-use plastic.
> Six essential tools for cyclists who do their own bike maintenance
That's why the toolbox is made 100% from metal, which is recyclable and robust. The toolbox has been made in China though, so there is still a fair amount of shipping involved to offset any carbon-neutrality.
The whole unit is very durable. I've been flinging it in and out of the car boot when I'm travelling with the bike and there isn't a dent in sight or the slightest scratch to the matt black finish.
The handle and the clasp are equally tough, the latter also featuring a loop for a padlock.
Its nine-litre volume means you can carry a fair amount of stuff inside, although there are no trays, compartments or dividers to keep your stuff organised.
Priced at £40 it's more of a long-term investment than an impulse buy, but if you want a smart-looking box for your cycling tool's it's worth a look. At 36 x 17 x 18cm it's easily portable too.
Value
For the same sort of money, you could get three-drawer metal portable tool chest from Halfords, which gives you loads more storage.
The Muc-Off isn't alone at this price point though, the Stanley Fatmax 23in is a bit larger overall. It is mainly plastic in its construction with some metal thrown in and it's yours for a penny under £40.
Conclusion
Compartments would be nice, and the lack of them is probably my biggest criticism, but the toolbox is very well made. Plus, its size makes it ideal if you drive to rides, as you can carry plenty of essential tools and lubes inside for pre-ride and post-ride fettling. It isn't cheap, but then again, it's not quite as expensive as I thought it might be and its all-metal construction should last for years.
Verdict
Not cheap, but very well made and not a bit of plastic in sight
road.cc test report
Make and model: Muc-Off Metal Utility Toolbox
Size tested: 36 x 17 x 18cm
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Muc-Off says: "Looking for a toolbox that's spacious and tough-as-nails? Roger that! Keep your tools, bike care swag and spare parts from going AWOL with our new Utility Toolbox."
It's a simple toolbox, but it's a good quality product that should give you years of service.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Durable, metal construction
Secure locking latch system
Powder coated matt black finish
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
9/10
Rate the product for value:
4/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It's spacious and well made.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
There is nothing exposed to rust.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
There are no internal compartments.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
You can get plastic alternatives for a lot less, but overall its price represents its quality when you compare it to similar options.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Probably not, but if I wanted to cut down on plastic use it would be a contender.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
Not the cheapest solution, but one that is well made, roomy and a good choice as a long-term investment.
About the tester
Age: 44
I usually ride: This month's test bike My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,
As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!
Latest Comments
- OnYerBike 22 min 43 sec ago
Obviously we only have the snippets of information from the newspaper report, but Mr Brayley might be correct....
- chrisonabike 32 min 39 sec ago
What an eyesore! Not in keeping! It's ableist / ageist / discriminating against the poorest as you could put down hardstanding and fit two cars...
- MattKelland 46 min 37 sec ago
Thanks! For some reason it's not showing up here: https://road.cc/show/tags/nmotd/145572
- brooksby 47 min 12 sec ago
But it's OK because our taxes are being used to subsidise those poor hard-done-by motorists by freezing fuel duty
- Surreyrider 41 min 57 sec ago
Yeah, I saw the Standard headline and thought 1 how many drivers have jumped red lights and been fined (after all they're the ones risking the most...
- PeteZahad 1 hour 4 min ago
I have the same issue and recently switched to hot waxing the chain and keeping the drive train free from conventional grease. On dry days a simple...
- bianchi51 1 hour 30 min ago
The Redshift bar has its potential uses; I've had a Giant Defy for a few years and I'm not as flexible now as when I bought it. I would really like...
- Benthic 2 hours 9 min ago
Highway Code rule 237 If you are dazzled by bright sunlight, slow down and if necessary, stop.
- Secret_squirrel 2 hours 54 min ago
Im betting these come out of the same factory as the SG and the Grip grab gloves. Identical apart from the Silicon overlay....
- stonojnr 3 hours 11 min ago
That "old lane" as you call it, is 1) very much open, some misguided cyclists still use it. I used it once, vowed never to again and I block ride...
Add new comment
7 comments
"a move away from single-use plastic"
Wait... you're not supposed to keep using your plastic toolbox? I've been re-using mine for about 30 years - I feel so stupid.
Metal army surplus ammunition boxes (pretty robust, for obvious reasons) of exactly the same size for a third of the price on eBay. One could always write MucOff on the lid with a marker...
I still have some old film tins for my days in the film industry. They are metal and make good tool boxes. (N.b kids - before digital everything was recorded on tape)
"Forty quid, for an empty metal box?"
"It's a cycling metal box, and the environment."
"Take my money."
Gravel version currently at final sign-off stage, it's an extra tenner and will have some aluminium tread plate on the top.
That loop looks a bit small to fit a decent padlock through it. I suppose it depends on whether you put anything valuable in it
No matter the size of the padlock, it's useless anyway. It's a small box with a handle. Very convinient for a thief to pick it up and take on the lock at home, with all the time in the world and a cup of coffee at the side.