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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,
Since writing his first bike review for road.cc back in early 2009 senior product reviewer Stu has tested more than a thousand pieces of kit, and hundreds of bikes.
With an HND in mechanical engineering and previous roles as a CNC programmer/machinist, draughtsman and development engineer (working in new product design) Stu understands what it takes to bring a product to market. A mix of that knowledge combined with his love of road and gravel cycling puts him in the ideal position to put the latest kit through its paces.
He first made the switch to road cycling in 1999, primarily for fitness, but it didn’t take long for his competitive side to take over which led to around ten years as a time triallist and some pretty decent results. These days though riding is more about escapism, keeping the weight off and just enjoying the fact that he gets to ride the latest technology as part of his day job.
Latest Comments
- mdavidford 9 sec ago
Um - a box. Which is not the same thing as a wrapper. That's why we have different words for them.
- mdavidford 2 min 56 sec ago
You can be professional at this now? Are they selling NFTs of them or something?
- Carmic0 11 min 22 sec ago
As a keen cyclist who lives about 10km from where this incident happened, I would never ride on Main South Road at Wattle Flat. There are...
- brooksby 26 min 10 sec ago
We would all refer M'Learned Friend to Replies Made Every Other Time They Make This Snark
- brooksby 28 min 43 sec ago
Council issues statement to try and make bad publicity go away, but doesn't bother to give its contractors new instructions
- belugabob 34 min 53 sec ago
Yes, we stole our bikes, clothing, food, houses, furniture, never paid for anything (there y avoid contribution to the tax coffers) and are all...
- Rendel Harris 47 min 54 sec ago
I got the impression that he was thinking of the same jacket as me but possibly not; in any case, it isn't people making a mistake that annoys, it...
- wtjs 1 hour 2 min ago
Surprising- Honda drivers are usually careful, although prone to confuse the brake and accelerator in EVs and smashing down the public toilets (I...
- wtjs 1 hour 10 min ago
The driver claims he "accidentally stepped on the gas too hard"...
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.