Best Electrician Tool Bag

Are you looking for the best electrician tool bags to organize and carry a large number of tools to the job site?

We found ones that fit the bill for a tough and spacious bag to carry most of your essential tools – if not all of them!

We have edited and updated this content in February 2020 to provide more options for your individual needs when choosing the best tool bag. Please let us know in the comments which tool bag is your top choice and why.

In this article, we’ll be putting the spotlight on the best electrician toolbags on the market.

We’ll be highlighting key features, spelling out advantages and disadvantages, and ultimately assisting you with deciding which toolbag might be the one you’ve been looking for.

While some electricians and electrical apprentices might see a quality electrical tool bag as a luxury, the truth is that it actually forms part of your most essential pieces of gear as an electrician. 

Although you’re probably carrying most of your vital electrician tools on your tool belt, by investing in the perfect electrical tool bag, you’ll be able to bring all of your tools with you to the job site.

Our Top 5 Electrician Tool Bag Picks

1. Top Pick – Custom LeatherCraft (1539) 50-pocket
2. Best Compact – Klein Tools 8″ (554158) 20-pocket
3. Best Open Top – DeWalt (DG5597) 33-pocket
4. Best Budget Option – DeWalt (DG5543) 33-pocket
5. Best Compact Runner-Up – DeWalt (DG5582) 23-pocket
6. Upgrade Pick – Occidental Leather (5585) Journeyman


Our Top Pick

Custom LeatherCraft (1539) 50-Pocket Tool Bag

Quick Look:

PROS

  • Fifty individual tool pockets – 50!
  • Spacious center compartment
  • Dual zippered side panels with vertical pockets
  • Boasts 7 exterior pockets
  • External elastic straps for hammers, levels, etc.
  • Durable and rugged poly fabric body
  • Tough double-stitching and heavy-duty zippers
  • Padded handles and shoulder straps

CONS

  • Not water-resistant (Does have feet to protect from moisture)
  • Heavy when completely filled

Top Features

When compared to most of its competitors, the CLC 1539 tool bag has a lot going for it, which helps it shine in its class. Keep reading for a rundown of its top features.

This Bag is a Monster

With the CLC 1539, you can effortlessly carry all your tools in an organized manner. This generous bag measures in at 18 inches in length, 7 inches wide, and 14 inches high. You’ll want one of these in addition to your tool belt.

Perhaps its most noteworthy feature is the massive center storage space. We like the metal frame that holds open the spacious center compartment, making it easy to see and retrieve any tool you need.

CLC 1539 Metal Frame

And, it’s plenty big to accommodate your drill, batteries, charger, impact driver, hammer, and more.

Some electricians have boasted of carrying up to 80 pounds worth of tools in this beast and it still holds up.


Best Compact Tool Bag

Klein Tools (554158) 20-Pocket Tradesman Pro Tote

Quick Look

PROS

  • Bright interior helps make tools easy to view
  • Fully molded bottom gives stability and protection from the elements
  • Plenty of durability thanks to the 1680d ballistic weave
  • Large zippered pocket to guard small items
  • 20 pockets total for good organization
  • Comfortable shoulder strap
  • Carry handles have a good grip

CONS

  • Some pockets may be too deep for smaller tools

Top Features

Klein Tools is known for making products that stand up to the needs of electricians. This tool bag is no exception. Many customers report that it’s nice and durable thanks to the 1680d ballistic weave fabric and sturdy stitching.

You’ll find interior and exterior pockets along with one main center compartment to help keep you organized. You can even memorize where each tool is located and blindly pull out what you need when in tight spaces – which is going to happen more than once if you’re an electrician.

If you like to limit the weight you’re carrying around on the job site, then this 8″ tool bag is a great choice.

If you’re looking for a bigger tool bag, this Klein tool bag comes in a 10-inch 40-pocket style as well as a shoulder pouch with 14 pockets. It’s nice to have choices depending on how many tools you prefer to carry. The 40-pocket may get heavy if you load it to the top with tools. And, be aware that the 40-pocket style does NOT have handle grips.

All in all, I think the 8″ Klein Tradesman Pro Tote will serve you well.


Best Open-Top Tool Bag

DeWalt DG5597 18-inch Tool Carrier

Quick Look

PROS

  • Durable construction – heavy-duty poly and ballistic poly fabric
  • Reinforced base pads protect the bottom of the carrier
  • Carry larger tools thanks to the open-top design
  • Collapsible grip bar handle
  • 16 interior/18 exterior pockets; 3 flap-covered and one zippered
  • Electrical tape strap, level cradle, measuring tape clip, utility knife pocket

CONS

  • May become heavy depending on tool placement

Top Features

This is the bag for you when larger tools need to be kept close. The main compartment holds bulkier tools such as a reciprocating saw, joist and stud drill, and impact drill. You’ll find plenty of space for your batteries and chargers as well.

Interior and exterior pockets are a must in tool bags for electricians. You won’t be disappointed here. This DeWalt bag offers plenty of organizational pockets to fit your tools, including closeable ones and some narrow slots that could hold pens or pencils. A zippered pouch on one end could hold wire nuts, screws, or anything you want to keep more protected.

It’s nice if an electrician tool bag has a designated tape holder and this DeWalt carrier delivers. Give it bonus points for a tape clip and level cinch that helps with tool organization.

You’ll appreciate the large strong bar handle. A padded section offers a comfortable handgrip when toting your tools. And, since the handle folds to the side, you get easy access to see and grab tools in a snap.

Users report that this is a tough, sturdy, and well-made tool bag. One reviewer stated that it has a rigid frame and stiff bottom liner that can handle heavy tools or supplies without sag.


Best Budget Tool Bag Option

DeWalt DG 5543 16-Inch, 33 Pocket Tool Bag

Quick Look

PROS

  • Top zips closed with a pop-open design
  • Tough ballistic poly fabric
  • Large interior compartment
  • 14 interior pockets including one zippered
  • 19 exterior pockets including a velcro pouch
  • Four rubber feet protect the bottom
  • Removable padded shoulder strap

CONS

  • Some pockets may be too shallow
  • Shoulder strap could be better quality

Top Features

Not everyone has the same budget to spend on a tool bag, especially if you are just starting out – such as an electrician apprentice. The DeWalt DG5543 has a nice mid-range price tag. We don’t recommend going much lower as you will start to compromise on quality. You want those valued tools well protected.

For this budget-friendly price, you still get many features electricians need in a tool bag. The main compartment is plenty big to carry your large tools. Since it’s made with heavy poly and ballistic poly fabric it will outlast bags with cheaper components.

The interior pockets alternate between large and small in a continuous pattern. This helps to distribute the weight of your tools more evenly. The electrician could put tools like channel locks, crimper, or a tape measure in the larger pockets. The smaller pockets could hold items such as drill batteries and bits, screwdrivers and a volt tester for example. It even has a zipper pocket on the inside.

Owners of this bag have described the DeWalt 5543 as “extremely robust” and as a “heavy-weight, substantial tool bag”. The bottom is sturdy and firm and has small rubber feet that protect the bottom from damp and/or dirty surfaces.


Best Compact Runner-Up

DeWalt DG5582 Tool Carrier

Quick Look

PROS

  • 23 pockets, sleeves, and slots
  • Large center open-top compartment
  • 4 feet for protection
  • Measuring tape clip
  • Electrical tape strap
  • No-slip padded handle

CONS

  • Shoulder strap could be tougher
  • Parts tray not as durable

Top Features

The DeWalt DG5582 is a runner-up in our compact category of tool bags for an electrician. It has plenty of pockets inside and out to handle the various tools that electricians need to carry. The measuring tape clip and strap for electrical tape are definitely nice features to have. The center compartment can hold larger items such as meters, drills, etc. that you’re likely to need on a daily basis while working.

Unlike many other open-top tool bags, the DeWalt DG5582 has the main area divided into 3 compartments. This is nice to keep your tools more accessible and painless to find. The downside might be that your larger tools won’t fit as well.

Keep in mind that the shoulder strap could use an upgrade in quality. If you typically fill your tool bags to the brim, the weight could cause stress on the should strap. You might have better luck using the padded handle.

We recommend this tool bag for electrician technicians and home electrical DIYers.


Top Upgrade Pick

Occidental Leather (5585) Stronghold Journeyman’s Tote

Quick Look

PROS

  • Hand-made in the U.S.
  • Beautiful full-grain leather including the handle
  • Divided center compartment including loops and pockets
  • 6 exterior pockets and 6 exterior tool loops
  • Straps for electrical tape
  • D-loops to attach a shoulder strap
  • Reinforced bottom

CONS

  • Should condition the leather every 6 months or so

This is a serious tool bag. Rugged top-grain leather, assembled with heavy-duty stitching and rivets, make this a thing of beauty and durability. We don’t know of a better tool bag that exists! Even the leather loops are a premium product. The Occidental Leather 5585 might just be the bag to pass down to the next generation.

An electrician will find this bag super-useful to hold his/her collection of tools. Nine center compartments, pockets, and loops inside and out, electrical tape strap, and more will keep you well organized. It measures 15.8 x 12.1 x 10.7 inches. You can buy the Occidental all-leather shoulder strap on Amazon if you prefer carrying your tools in that manner.

Keep in mind that you should use some leather conditioner every 6 months or so. But there’s a good chance you won’t have to buy another tool bag again.

Its expensive, sure. But, you’re getting excellent quality and craftsmanship. The smell of good quality leather is a bonus.

The Bottom Line

Choose an electrician tool bag that best suits how you prefer to work. If you like to carry your most-used tools in your toolbelt, then consider the compact Klein Tradesman Pro for your additional electrician tools.

For a lower financial investment, we found the DeWalt DG 5543 to be the best product for tool organization and protection.

No matter what size you ultimately choose, a top-quality, sturdy tool bag with plenty of pockets (to easily find what you need for the task at hand) is indispensable to an electrician.