This is a quick look at the Dewalt ds290 which is the two drawer tool organizer model dwst08290.
It's part of the tough system one line so it has modest, but sturdy side handles and that nice top
handle similar to my favorite box the ds-150. This thing weighs about 18 pounds without any tools
so it's kind of heavy. It's about the size of the large toolbox, and like other system one boxes it
has the locking mechanism on the back, which much to my dismay Dewalt got rid of with system two.
Also has these somewhat challenging wings up top that provide connection to boxes of both systems 1
and 2.0. Here are the exterior dimensions of the ds-290 but keep in mind my measurements may differ
slightly from Dewalt's since they include all the indents and outdents. For example,
the locking mechanism on the back, which would add a little to my depth measurement. You can
see how the drawers extend. Honestly, the glides are not heavy duty and the maximum
weight capacity is a mere 22 pounds. I mean... This box doesn't seem very tough in my opinion.
Here are the interior dimensions of the drawers and I'll show it to you loaded in a moment.
Overall the drawers don't seem that sturdy and a fall would probably do this thing in.
Due to the drawers the box is only ip54 rated whereas most tough system boxes are ip65.
So you can't hose it down, but tools are protected against water splashing
and dust... kinda. The drawers lock in and as you can see the bottom drawer of this one is sticky.
The box isn't even loaded yet. Since this is made for tools,
there are no parts organizers included like with the ds250 small parts organizer,
but I'd avoid the ds250 anyway because it gets worse reviews than this box.
Like all tough system boxes it works with the workshop and van racking systems and the
utility car. Honestly it's best left in a rack because when you open a drawer it tills forward.
Yeah. To remedy this I put a box above it,
although not resting on it because I don't want to max out the supports.
Doing this is a bit of a pain since I have to remove the top box in order to remove the ds290.
For transporting, this thing works fine with the rolling tool boxes but I'd recommend keeping this
box above the extra large toolbox and below all other boxes if you're planning to open
and close it often. If you stack it like this your tools may end up crashing to the ground.
If you're wondering why i'm not showing you
the bottom drawer?Check this out. The top drawer? Perfectly level.
Bottom drawer?
No! This thing is as crooked as a boy-band producer in the 90s.
Who was that guy who produced NSYNC? Doesn't matter. Anyway, the day this box was made
the quality control department must have been on vacation with the engineering department.
So while I appreciate the minimal ip54 rating, the gaskets are useless if the
drawers don't close properly. Check this out. Yeah! My tools are going to get wet.
For comparison let's check out the top drawer.
That's good! Solid 50 percent. Nice job Dewalt! That's sarcasm. For close to $100, that's
including tax, this thing should be tight as a clam. Anyway, I've ordered another one, but if
that one's also defective I'm returning both and moving on. So I was just about to post this video
when the new box arrived. Thanks Amazon Prime... kinda. Unfortunately this box is defective too.
The drawers are straight and the seals pass my flashlight test, but the top of the box is
punched out. I've never seen that before. Dewalt must unload their defective stock on Amazon.
So I was thinking, "Hey! I'll just swap out the bottom drawer of this box and replace
the crooked drawer." To remove a drawer you use these plastic tabs on the glider.
Push one tap up while pushing the other side's tab down and give it a pull.
And then to put the drawer back in you just bring out the gliders a bit, line them up
and close the
drawer. Unfortunately the box with a crooked drawer has more issues than a crooked drawer.
The gliders aren't properly aligned so I'm going to take that as a sign
it's just not meant to be. I'll be returning these tomorrow.
To wrap up... The ds290 is mediocre at best. It's just not up to the standards of most of the tough
system boxes. It's a shame because I really like the concept and I was hoping to get a few.
Due to the quality of the build, this thing is not a good investment in my opinion. If you'd like a
comprehensive comparison of all the tough system 1 and 2.0 boxes check out the link, which should be
appearing in the upper right hand corner of your screen now. You'll also see the link at the end
of this video. If you've found this information helpful please do me a favor and hit that thumbs
up. More importantly please subscribe since that's what keeps the channel going. Thanks for watching!