Torque wrench recommendations in 2025 (18 Viewers)

[Skniper]

Currently rocking an old 1/2" Proto click style torque wrench (ft/lb), it was my dad's from long ago, it's my workhorse. Also have a 1/2" beam style ft/lb torque wrench. I rarely use the beam because I'm rarely in a position where I can comfortably/accurately see the beam reading. Both wrenches top out at 150 ft/lb, could use a little more occasionally.

I have no idea how accurate the old Proto is. I've been thinking about a modern digital 'beep' torque wrench, or a new quality click style.

Recommendations?...what's good out there?

 

[TYM4FUN]

CDI makes good stuff. Easily available on Amazon, too.

 

[e9999]

I think that regardless of claims and of what -even good- reviews tell you about how accurate the new torque wrench model is, it is a good idea to test / calibrate the specific one you got anyway, since they can vary a bit. Given that it's so easy to do, I would first check your old one and then decide if you even need a new one -unless you need bigger, of course-. Even if you want bigger, it'd be good to know how close your old one is, it's nice to have several in different ranges.

Having said that, torque recommendations are likely rough estimates anyway, and how you use the wrench, how clean the threads are, etc, can make significant differences too; this is not a high accuracy business IMO, and it's probably not worth worrying about a 5% variation. If you store your wrench untightened, it'll likely be OK for a long time, I would think.

 

[Skniper]

I think that regardless of claims and of what -even good- reviews tell you about how accurate the new torque wrench model is, it is a good idea to test / calibrate the specific one you got anyway, since they can vary a bit. Given that it's so easy to do, I would first check your old one and then decide if you even need a new one -unless you need bigger, of course-. Even if you want bigger, it'd be good to know how close your old one is, it's nice to have several in different ranges.

Having said that, torque recommendations are likely rough estimates anyway, and how you use the wrench, how clean the threads are, etc, can make significant differences too; this is not a high accuracy business IMO, and it's probably not worth worrying about a 5% variation. If you store your wrench untightened, it'll likely be OK for a long time, I would think.

Agreed, obviously we aren't building precision spaceships. Hell most torques probably just get set with the ugga dugga gun. I store them loose and they seem to work pretty good by "feel".

 

[fantic]

I bought an Icon 1/2" drive about a year ago. I mainly use it for lug nuts. So precision is not much of a factor. Consistency is. Checked it against my sons Snap On and they are really close.