Be very very careful using a plastic tote. They overheat easily, and the chicks need to get away from the heat to a room temp area, difficult to manage in a tote. Better an appliance box b/c of the larger size, IMO. Have you looked at brooding with a heating pad? Much safer IMO, especially...
Go big, or go home!!!!!! Your brooder needs to be big enough to have heat in only one end, with the other end of the box being as cool as room temp. Even more helpful, since you don't have your chicks yet would be to consider using a heating pad to brood your chicks, and GET THEM OUT OF THE...