Ikea Råskog Hazet Tool Trolley, AKA: Poor Man's Hazet Trolley

Don't Hate Me, I Just Don't Like Them

I buy a lot of my tools used and I have a couple of guys I mainly buy from. I had the opportunity to buy 2 Hazet Tool Trolleys ( the 166 C)for $100 each. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I respect Hazet as a toolk compnay, but to me these things felt flimsy and rickety. On close inspection, the nylon sleeves used to tighten the tolerances were cracked and even if replaced, it seemed like the trolley's main purpose was to fold easily rather than be sturdy.

I have been working on the rewiring of my Colchester Chipmaster lathe for a while now and a common source of annoyance is the lack of a rolling tool cart. All tools and wiring end up in a heap and it makes a frustrating job even worse. I was tempted to go back to my tool suppliers and pick up a Hazet but resisted the urge. Fortunately, a couple of weeks ago I came across this:

Ikea Råskog

I inspected it closely and found that it was powder coated steel and given the bump, shake and kick test, was much more sturdy than the Hazet Tool Trolley. For 360 Norwegian Kroner or 65 USD (in the US they are only $49.99) brand spankin' new, I grabbed one immediately.

Dimensions and Description of the Ikea Hazet Trolley

Product dimensions

Length: 13 3/4 "
Width: 17 3/4 "
Height: 30 3/4 "

Length: 35 cm
Width: 45 cm
Height: 78 cm
 

Product description

Steel, Epoxy powder coating
The Ikea Poor Man's Hazet Tool Trolley ; Performance

I guess a Picture is worth a thousand words so here are a few;

Now you may argue that this looks OK, but it's not able to fold up. That is correct, it won't pack down to a smaller size, but this is what makes it ideal for a person who will only be using this in their garage or workshop. I don't know many travelling mechanics and even fewer of the hobby variety. It's fixed design makes it rigid and very stable.

The casters and the shelves are held fast with bolts and bracekts. Even after loading it up, it ddn't feel rickety in the least.

From the pictures you can see that the bottom of the shelf is made from mesh. This makes cleaning a snap as you just blow the rubbish through the shelves. I use a magnetic dish for all my screws and small odds and ends. The tray is of an ideal size since it won't allow you to over-load it with too much and risk making it top heavy.

Tips for the Poor Man's Hazet Trolley

1. If you are loading it up, place heavier items in the lower shelves to lower the centre of gravity
2. The castors are not of the highest quality. If you get grit in the exposed castor bearings, some rinsing with kerosene and a light oil will return them to working order.
3. If you require extra tool storgae, you can add a magnetic knife holder to the outside of the cart. This will allow you to stick commonly used tools to the outside making them easily accessable

Positives VS Negatives

Positives

1. Price. It is seriously cheap
2. Sturdy
3. Materials. It is powder coated steel
4. Practical. The high walls of the shelves mean spray cans won't topple out
5. Easy to maintain. Powder coated steel and mesh means a blow out with compressed air and a wipe with a cloth and it's clean again
6. Few moving parts. Unlike the Hazet Tool Trolley, there are few needed replacable parts. No nylon to crack and replace or chains to break
7. Availability. You won't need to scour the earth to find one in new condition. Every Ikea has them in stock

Negatives

1. Exposed bearings on the casters can attract grit
2. Ikea is less cool than Hazet
3. No pinstripes or speed holes, plus, turquoise is not a manly colour

Conclusion

Given the combination of the positive points and the few negatives, the Ikea Råskog Hazet Trolley or Poor Man's Hazet Trolley is a viable substitute to the (IMHO) overpriced and slightly fragile Hazet Tool Trolley. Having used this in the last 2 weeks, I have taken little care of putting the spanners in gently and the powder coating has held up well. It's size and manouverability is ideal for a small hobby garage and it's usefullness is more than worth the small financial investment. I think this is one of the garage mechanic's best kept secrets and given Ikea's tendency to discontinue it's products after short runs, I would snap one up immediately if I could see a use for one. It will take you about a half hour to assemble if you follow the instructions, and despite their poor quality, the tools are provided for assembly. Just to stress how impressed I am, this is the IDEAL DIY TOOL TROLLEY!

If you get one based on this review, drop me a comment to let me know what you think.