Best socket set besides snap-on (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

I have old school Craftmans 20 years old and have filled the gaps with Kobalt. Haven’t had a problem with each. As said above, Craftmans quality has fallen significantly, but haven’t really looked at them since Stanley bought them out. More recently, my purchases have been SK
 
Husky, Stanley, and Craftsman are decent quality. Snap-on and similar 'jobber' tools aren't worth the premium IMO. Sometimes they're better, often they are 'nicer', sometimes they're the same tools, but always overpriced.

12 point sockets are only good for 12 point fasteners, or when you can't find the 6 point, or need two.
 
SK is the best deal for made in usa it would seem. They also have very good customer service that I’ve gone through a couple times. At work I have 7 different SK ratchets (lol...) as well as their x-frame ratcheting wrenches which are quite expensive, but unlike anything else to use.

Gearwrench is the real deal though and if you aren’t too hung up on Usa, Taiwan has awesome manufacturing and just about everything made by gearwrench is legit professional quality.

I’ve also dabbled in European brands and can also say wera, knipex, and wiha are as good or better than Usa made tools.
 
If I were starting from zero today, I'd buy the harbor freight 301 piece mechanics tool set, throw away the screwdrivers (replace with Vessel JIS), give the wrenches away, and buy miscellaneous things from Taiwanese manufacturers like Sunex. I would look for Snap-On ratchets at yard and estate sales.
 
One more thing...I have bought some Asian one off tools that I don’t use often on Amazon and have been happy with the purchases
 
Only ever buy and use 6 point sockets unless you specifically have a 12 point head.

I buy a lot of Snap-On tools from eBay. Particularly my torque wrenches because they will fix and recalibrate them for free.

I have a lot of old Craftsman stuff, but as it breaks, I end up with the s*** Chinese stuff that they have gone to and killed their company. Any more, Harbor Freight tools are equivalent to Craftsman. That's really sad. I'm now a ITC member of HF.

I have told my wife that if she is out at garage sales, to buy any and all Craftsman, Snap-On, MAC, or Matco hand tools she sees. I don't see much SK Tools these days, but we had a number of them on the Farm and they were good.

Lowes also carries Kobalt lifetime tools and are decent quality.

I also use Northern Tool for some of the obscure stuff.

There's also eBay and Craigslist, but be careful on CL, as they may be looking to find someone with cash to bring into their Lair........
 
I live by the "Buy it when I need it and buy the best I can afford at the time" mantra for tools.

Gear wrench is good, husky is good, Kobalt is good. Dewalt/Stanley is good. Milwaukee is good. All of these are good or good enough for most of what they sell. Of course they are going to have some junk here and there.

I've got drawers full of craftsman tools and a growing collection of the better harbor freight stuff, because it just worked/was cheap.

Tools aren't a status symbol. Buy what works, buy what you "need" and leave snobby brand names to kitchen appliances.

I am starting to crawl yard sales and estate sales for tools. Some people will spend tons on tools that they will only ever use a few times. Then sell them in yard sales for cheap after they forget what they paid for them...it blows my mind.
 
Mudder said:
I have hundreds of hours using Home Depot husky and the only one I've ever broken was when I put a 4ft cheater bar on the ratchet. Took it to Home Depot and they have me a new one on the spot. I'd hardly call them crap. :meh:
Click to expand...


I second this. I am not proud of them, but i rebuilt a 40 and they are still going strong
 
I've been using gearwrench for a few years, they feel good.
 
Previous Snap-On Dealer here.

Its like this... If you use these hand tools for a profession OR you like a high quality product and enjoy the many small benefits, buy the Snap-On.
The small advantages like the thickness (or lack there of), flank drive plus, chamfered edges, open end arc (many competitors have this now), and overall quality of metal, make it a better tool.

There are many other brands that will get the job done, and most won't know the difference, until you try a superior tool. This is perfectly fine.

To the OP, check craigslist and ebay for your basic Snap-On hand tools. Build a nice set of Wrenches, ratchets (80 tooth) and sockets. Buy everything else as you go at your local hardware store.

Brands as I would rate them as far as quality...

1) Snap-On
2a) Matco
2b) MAC
3) SK, Craftsman, Husky, etc
4) Harbor Freight brand...whatever that is now.

Stay away from: Cornwell. Overpriced, only ok quality, and dealers are starting to become tough to come by now.
 
EBay for used Craftsman made in the USA or Craftsman Industrial which is available new and still made in the USA.
 
Any of the mentioned Big Box brands are decent tools. However, I don't use tools to pay the bills. I'd rank Kobalt a bit higher than Husky, but that's JMHO, and I own both. I do have a ton of Craftsman hand tools. Been buying them since the late 60's. When Sears operated their satellite hardware stores, I was a weekly visitor surfing the aisles for sales. Bought a lot of 1/4" and 3/8" 6pt socket sets when they were on sale. Craftsman used to sell a really good fine tooth ratchet but it's no longer available. Their current ratchets are questionable. It's good that Lowe's has decided to sell Craftsman hand tools now that Stanley Black and Decker has bought the brand.

I'm also in the ranks with GearWrench. I own a number of their sets, and find myself using them more often than a regular box end wrench.

The only tools I really 'pay up for' are what I use on my firearms. And I never use them on anything but a firearm.
 
Last edited:
I'm not looking for bling, just the best value. Seems like there is a lot of options. One key take away is that I Should stick with 6-point sockets?

Thanks for all the advice!
 
Experience from my years in the automotive tool biz: The tool wagon biz is a very expensive way to do biz. The insurance on a mobile store full of tools is very expensive, easy to steal, lots of ways to damage people/things, etc, and can never do the biz of a good box store. It's not really sales, easy to put tons of tools out there, the hard part is getting paid, more like a pawn shop, loan shark biz, customers skip with paying, etc. In every way, fuel, time, etc, more expensive than a store front.

If you are using the service, weekly visits, financing, etc, maybe (not likely) worth it. All of those inefficient biz model costs are built into the mobile tool biz, the tool price is hugely inflated by them. Just because you pay the most $$$ for them, is not necessarily an indication that they are all the best or others available maybe just as good, at a fraction of the price.

Many of the wagon tools are private labeled from other manufactures, sometimes more highly polished, etc, but always with the significant wagon markup. If you don't need the financing, can just about always find great quality tools at a fraction of the price.

The wagon warranty is great, but if you don't have the service, it can be a pain to get it done, if you have to send them in, might as well shop amazon? Most of the good tool companies have the same warranty and for most of us, much easier to walk into the store and get it taken care of, than chase a wagon.
 
DanMedeiros said:
I'm not looking for bling, just the best value. Seems like there is a lot of options. One key take away is that I Should stick with 6-point sockets?

Thanks for all the advice!
Click to expand...

I'd get both. You'll end up using the 6 points more often but having 12 points is nice if you ever lose a 6 point and really need to get something done.
 
I have proto tools that have been doing good job for me ( weekend warrior ) .. I like their black oxide finish ..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

e9999
Do you use wrenches and sockets much? Check this out.
Replies
0
Views
286
e9999
e9999
cnd
Best tool system for expedition vehicle?
Replies
12
Views
2K
FJ60Seth
FJ60Seth
Dirt Ferguson
1/4 vs 3/8 vs 1/2 drive ratchets and sockets. When to use which?
Replies
10
Views
1K
cruiserpilot
cruiserpilot
Land Shark
Show me your most used set of hand tools when working on your Land Cruiser
Replies
4
Views
1K
Land Shark
Land Shark

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom