Choose a Crate That Fits What You Store and How You Use It
By Kevin Cody | Founder & CEO, FLI Products / Mary Joan Isorena, Communications
Published: September 30, 2026
The best storage crate depends on what you need to organize, where you store it and how often it needs to move. From tools and household supplies to vehicle and outdoor gear, choosing the right crate starts with the application—not simply finding the biggest container.
At FLI Products, that thinking is behind the CrateMate® approach: Stack. Store. Go. A useful storage crate should help you organize what you have, make practical use of available space and move supplies when the job, trip or everyday routine takes them somewhere else.
For more CrateMate storage and organization resources, visit the CrateMate Hub.
Key Takeaways
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There is no single crate size or storage format that is best for every application.
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Start with the items being stored, their dimensions and the space where the crate will live.
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Stackability, built-in handles, capacity, ventilation and access can matter just as much as total volume.
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CrateMate is available in compact 16QT and larger 24QT formats, allowing the crate size to match the application.
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Both CrateMate sizes are made from heavy-duty HDPE, feature ventilated hexagonal-grid sides and built-in handles, are designed to stack and are Made in USA.
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FLI publishes an up-to-50-pound load capacity per crate for both current CrateMate sizes.
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The simplest way to think about a reusable crate system is: Stack. Store. Go.
What Makes a Storage Crate the “Best” for a Particular Use?
Search for the “best storage crate,” and it is tempting to compare containers based only on capacity.
But bigger is not automatically better.
A crate that works well for bulky equipment may be unnecessarily large for small tools or accessories. A compact crate that fits perfectly into a tight storage area may not provide enough interior length for another application.
Before choosing a crate, consider five questions:
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What are you storing?
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How large and heavy are the items?
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Where will the crate normally live?
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Will you carry or transport it regularly?
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Do the contents need open ventilation and visibility, or enclosed protection?
That last question is particularly important. An open-grid crate is not a sealed container. Items requiring waterproof, environmental or specialized protective storage should use a storage solution designed for those requirements.
For everything else, the goal is straightforward: choose a container that fits the way the contents are actually used.
1. Best Storage Crate for Tools & Jobsite Supplies
Tools and project supplies create a particular storage challenge because they rarely stay in one place.
They may start in a workshop, move into a truck or service vehicle, travel to a house or jobsite and eventually return to storage.
For this application, look for a crate with:
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a rigid construction,
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practical carrying handles,
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an appropriate load rating,
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easy access to contents,
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a footprint that works with the available vehicle or storage space,
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and stackability when multiple categories need to be organized.
A crate can also help divide supplies by task instead of combining everything into one container.
For example, separate crates could be assigned to hand tools, electrical supplies, hardware or project-specific materials.
Where CrateMate Fits
Both current CrateMate sizes are made from heavy-duty HDPE and have built-in handles, ventilated sides and a stackable design. FLI rates both sizes for loads up to 50 pounds.
The 16QT CrateMate provides the more compact footprint, making it useful for smaller categories and tighter storage areas.
The 24QT CrateMate provides greater overall capacity and additional interior length when larger supplies need to stay together.
Remember that organizing equipment in a crate does not secure that equipment for vehicle transportation. Always use appropriate cargo restraints and follow applicable vehicle and load-securement requirements.
Stack. Store. Go. becomes especially practical here: organize supplies once, keep the crate stored as a working category and move that category when it is needed.
2. Best Storage Crate for Home & Utility Organization
Home organization is often less about finding more storage space and more about creating useful categories.
Cleaning supplies, household maintenance items, hobby materials, garden supplies and seasonal accessories can quickly become difficult to find when unrelated items share the same large container.
Instead of starting with the container, start with the category.
Ask:
What belongs together because I actually use it together?
Then choose a crate that fits that group.
A compact crate can make sense for smaller categories that would disappear inside a large tote. A larger crate can be more practical when related items genuinely require additional room.
Open-grid storage also makes the most sense when the contents do not require a sealed container and when visibility, accessibility or ventilation are useful characteristics.
CrateMate 16QT or 24QT?
CrateMate gives you two footprints rather than requiring every category to fit into one container size.
The 16QT is the compact option.
The 24QT provides additional capacity and interior length.
That makes it possible to build a mixed-size system around the belongings instead of forcing the belongings into matching oversized containers.
Store what belongs together. Stack compatible crates when appropriate. Move the category when you need it.
That's Stack. Store. Go.
3. Best Storage Crate for Vehicle & On-the-Go Gear
Vehicle organization presents a different problem.
A container needs to fit the available cargo area, but it should also be practical to carry when it leaves the vehicle.
That makes exterior dimensions important.
Before purchasing any crate for an SUV, truck, van or other vehicle, measure the actual cargo area and consider surrounding obstacles such as wheel wells, seats, doors, other cargo and equipment.
Then consider how the crate will be used after arrival.
Will you carry the whole container?
Will individual items be removed from it?
Will several categories travel together?
Does a compact footprint matter more than maximum capacity?
FLI currently positions CrateMate for vehicle and mobile organization applications, with the 16QT providing the more compact format and the 24QT providing additional capacity.
A modular approach can also reduce repeated unpacking. Instead of rebuilding a pile of loose supplies for every outing or project, related items can remain organized as a category until they are needed again.
Again, storage and cargo securement are different jobs. Containers and their contents should be appropriately secured for transportation.
4. Best Storage Crate for Outdoor & Recreation Gear
Camping, fishing, gardening, sports and other outdoor activities can involve a mix of equipment that moves between storage, a vehicle and the point of use.
That makes portability and organization particularly useful.
An open-grid crate may make sense for appropriate gear when you want:
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easy visual access,
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ventilation,
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built-in carrying handles,
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reusable organization,
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and the ability to stack crates when stored.
However, an open ventilated crate is not waterproof and should not be treated as protective storage for equipment requiring a sealed or weatherproof environment.
FLI positions CrateMate for a range of outdoor and recreation applications, including camping, RV use, boats, kayaks and other gear-organization scenarios.
The same size principle applies here.
Use the 16QT when a compact category or tighter storage location is the priority. Consider the 24QT when the equipment requires greater capacity or interior length.
5. Best All-Around Storage Crate for Everyday Use
What should you look for when you don't have just one application?
That's where versatility matters more than specialization.
A good all-around reusable crate should balance several characteristics:
Useful capacity. Enough room for the intended category without encouraging unnecessary overpacking.
Practical footprint. Exterior dimensions that work where the crate will actually be stored.
Portability. Handles and a manageable loaded size when the crate needs to move.
Stackability. The ability to use vertical space appropriately when multiple crates are stored together.
Access. A design that allows you to reach the contents according to how frequently they're used.
Material and construction. A container appropriate for the intended environment and load.
Instead of declaring one crate universally “best,” ask which combination of those characteristics best matches your routine.
That is also why FLI offers CrateMate in two sizes.
CrateMate 16QT vs. 24QT: Which Size Fits Your Application?
CrateMate currently comes in two Made in USA heavy-duty storage-crate sizes. Both use HDPE construction, built-in handles, ventilated hexagonal-grid sides and a stackable design, with an FLI-published load capacity of up to 50 pounds per crate.
|
Feature |
CrateMate 16QT |
CrateMate 24QT |
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Capacity |
16 QT |
24 QT |
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Best fit |
Compact categories and tighter spaces |
Larger categories and greater interior length |
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Material |
Heavy-duty HDPE |
Heavy-duty HDPE |
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Design |
Ventilated hexagonal grid |
Ventilated hexagonal grid |
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Built-in handles |
Yes |
Yes |
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Stackable |
Yes |
Yes |
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Published load capacity |
Up to 50 lbs |
Up to 50 lbs |
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Made in USA |
Yes |
Yes |
The important point isn't that one size wins.
The contents should determine the crate.
If you regularly organize several different categories, a combination of compact and larger crates may be more practical than forcing every application into one size.
Shop CrateMate 16QT & 24QT Storage Crates at FLI Products
Stack. Store. Go.: Build a Storage System Around What You Actually Do
Storage shouldn't end with putting something away.
Think about the entire life of the items you're organizing.
STACK.
When appropriate, use stackable storage to make better use of vertical space rather than spreading unrelated containers across the available area.
Don't assume there is a universal safe loaded stack height. FLI does not currently publish one for CrateMate. Consider the load, stability, surface, crate condition and surrounding environment when stacking.
STORE.
Give related items a defined home.
Organize according to how you use them—by activity, project, location or category—rather than filling whatever container happens to be available.
GO.
When those supplies need to move, take the organized category with you instead of rebuilding it from individual loose items.
Stack. Store. Go.
It's a simple way to think about storage that works beyond the shelf.
And that's what CrateMate is designed to support: reusable organization for the things that move between home, work, vehicles and everyday activities.
How to Choose Your Crate Before You Buy
Before selecting any storage crate, take a few minutes to measure both sides of the problem:
Measure the contents.
Check the largest items rather than assuming they'll fit based on total quart capacity.
Measure the storage location.
Shelf depth, vehicle cargo dimensions, cabinets and other physical restrictions can matter more than advertised capacity.
Estimate the typical loaded weight.
A manufacturer's load rating tells you what the product is rated to support; it does not mean every load should be packed to that maximum.
Decide whether the contents need protection.
Open-grid crates and sealed containers solve different problems.
Think about movement.
If you frequently carry the container, size and loaded weight can be as important as storage capacity.
Choosing this way turns the question from “What's the biggest crate I can buy?” into “Which crate fits how I actually use my things?”
Find Your CrateMate
Whether you're organizing smaller categories in a compact space or need additional room for larger gear and supplies, CrateMate gives you two heavy-duty storage-crate formats to build around your application.
Choose the compact CrateMate 16QT, the larger CrateMate 24QT, or combine both sizes to create an organization system that matches different categories.
Stack. Store. Go.
Explore the CrateMate Collection at FLI Products
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best storage crate for everyday use?
There isn't one universal best size. Start with the dimensions and weight of what you're storing, the available storage space and how frequently the container needs to move. A compact crate can be more practical for smaller categories, while a larger crate provides more capacity.
What is the difference between CrateMate 16QT and 24QT?
The CrateMate 16QT is the more compact format. The 24QT provides greater overall capacity and additional interior length. Both current models use heavy-duty HDPE construction, have built-in handles and ventilated hexagonal-grid sides, are stackable and are Made in USA.
How much weight can a CrateMate hold?
FLI currently publishes a load capacity of up to 50 pounds per crate for both the 16QT and 24QT CrateMate. The rating should not be interpreted as a recommendation that every crate needs to be loaded to 50 pounds.
Can CrateMate crates be stacked?
Yes. Both current CrateMate sizes are designed to stack. FLI does not currently publish a universal maximum loaded stack height, so stability, load distribution, surface, crate condition and the surrounding environment should be considered.
Are CrateMate crates waterproof?
No. CrateMate uses ventilated hexagonal-grid sides and is not a sealed waterproof container. Contents requiring waterproof or specialized environmental protection should use an appropriate protective storage solution.
Are CrateMate crates Made in USA?
Yes. FLI Products identifies both current CrateMate sizes as Made in USA.
Can I use different CrateMate sizes in the same organization system?
Yes. The 16QT can be used for compact categories and tighter spaces while the 24QT provides more room for larger categories. This allows you to select crate size according to the contents rather than using one size for everything.
Stack. Store. Go. with CrateMate®
The best storage system isn't necessarily the one with the most containers. It's the one that makes it easier to know where things belong, access them when they're needed and move them when life takes them somewhere else.
From tools and household supplies to vehicle and outdoor gear, start with the application. Choose the right size. Keep related items together.
Then Stack. Store. Go.
Shop CrateMate® Heavy-Duty Storage & Transport Crates
About Kevin Cody
Kevin Cody | Founder & CEO, FLI Products
Kevin Cody is the Founder and CEO of FLI Products and a product development, merchandising and retail industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience. His background includes merchandising leadership at The Home Depot as well as developing, sourcing, manufacturing, marketing and bringing consumer products to market through major retailers and online marketplaces.
Kevin works directly with manufacturers, inventors, retailers and consumers to develop practical products that solve everyday problems. His experience spans product design and development, retail merchandising, manufacturing, e-commerce, marketplace strategy and consumer product education.
Through the FLI Products Learning Center, Kevin shares practical, experience-based information designed to help consumers better understand products, solve problems and make informed purchasing decisions.
About FLI Products
FLI Products develops and markets practical consumer products designed to solve everyday problems at home, outdoors and on the job. Working directly with manufacturers, inventors and retailers, FLI Products focuses on thoughtful product design, practical functionality and useful solutions for consumers. Its products are available through FLIProducts.com and select major retailers and online marketplaces.
