US General 5 Drawer Cart: Series 2 vs Series 3

Introduction

US General’s five drawer cart is a popular entry into serious tool storage, and the arrival of the Series 3 raises an obvious question: is the new version worth picking over the Series 2? After spending time with both, the answer is more nuanced than the subtle cosmetic changes suggest. The two boxes are almost identical overall, but one change to the drawer mechanism in the Series 3 is significant enough to influence which one you should buy.

What Has Actually Changed?

The first thing you notice with the Series 3 is the color range. Alongside the original red, black, green, and blue, US General added new options like purple and slate gray. All the new colors come only on the Series 3 carts.

The casters look new as well, swapping the older chrome trim for a blacked-out finish. In practice they roll essentially the same, and with the carts loaded down with tools there is no noticeable difference in smoothness. Likewise, nearly all the exterior trim has moved from chrome to a blacked-out look. It is a styling choice some people prefer, but it is worth knowing that a brand-new Series 3 already showed a few scuffs on the trim, while the chrome trim on the Series 2 has held up extremely well.

Assembly is unchanged, and it remains the hardest part of owning either cart. It takes two people, and you have to lift the entire box onto the upright rail. The struts that hold up the top cover can be installed either way depending on whether you plan to store sockets or bulkier power tools inside, and the side handle and cover can go on either side. Nothing about the assembly got easier with the Series 3.

Series 2: The Drawer Mechanism Is Flawless

The Series 2 drawer system is simple and genuinely excellent. Each drawer has a single lever: pull it over and the drawer opens with no detent or magnet resistance at all, sliding smoothly. Push the drawer closed and it gives a satisfying audible click that confirms it is locked in and will not slide back out. Pull the lever again and it releases. Every drawer feels solid and chunky, and the mechanism has not failed on any drawer.

Some people have minor complaints about the drawer slides or locks on paper, but in daily use the Series 2 system is about as fuss-free as it gets. There is really nothing to dislike about it.

Series 3: A Two-Stage Lock That Gets in the Way

The Series 3 tries to improve on this by adding touch handles so you can unlock a drawer from almost anywhere along its edge. The idea is nice, but the execution introduces problems. Closing a drawer no longer produces an audible click or any clear tactile confirmation. In fact, a drawer pushed normally may not fully close at all; you have to give it an extra shove. There is also a detent in the rail, creating what feels like a two-stage lock.

Even with the drawer unlocked, the detent holds it shut enough that you need to apply noticeable force to pull it out. The touch handles themselves feel flimsy compared to the solid single lever on the Series 2, and unlocking requires more effort than you would expect. The detent is at least useful: you can disable the lock entirely and the detent alone will keep drawers closed. Some owners online have reportedly drilled out the spring to disable the locking mechanism altogether, which sounds like a sensible modification if you end up with a Series 3. The same behavior shows up on the larger Series 3 toolboxes too, and owners there share the same frustration.

None of this makes the Series 3 a bad cart. It is still a great box. But the drawer mechanism feels cheaper and requires more deliberate motion than the Series 2, and that is the one area where the older cart clearly wins.

One Small Nitpick: The Purple Does Not Match

If you buy the purple Series 3 cart hoping to build a matching purple setup, be aware of a quirk. The cart uses a regular flat purple, while US General’s jacks and jack stands in purple use a metallic flake finish. They are officially the same purple, but the metallic flake on the jacks makes the pair look mismatched next to the cart. It would be a nicer look if the cart used the flake finish too, but it does not.

Buying Advice

If you have the choice, the Series 2 is the safer pick. Its drawer locks are noticeably more solid, they sound like they will hold up over time, and they open and close without any fuss. If you find a Series 2 on a marketplace listing or as an open-box return, buy it over the Series 3 for the drawer mechanism alone. That said, if you want one of the new colors or simply find the Series 3 at a good price, it is still an excellent cart once you adapt to, or modify away, the two-stage drawer lock.

Conclusion

The differences between the Series 2 and Series 3 five drawer carts are small but meaningful. The Series 3 brings new colors and a blacked-out aesthetic, while the Series 2 delivers a simpler, more satisfying drawer mechanism. For most buyers, the Series 2’s flawless drawer action is worth more than the cosmetic updates, making it the preferred choice whenever both are available.