Hand Tools: The highest quality/value

[Pskhaat]

Can't claim to have compared all ratchets, but it is a better fit over a round handle.

I'm as well no tool expert nor do I have the full catalog of each nor do I make my living immediately by them, but the SnapOn wrenches I own do have round very smooth handles and they're terribly hard to grip with a greasy hand|glove vs. the commonly more-squared Craftsmans.

 

[Redline]

Like DaveInDenver I spent extra money on a nice USA, 3-ton floor jack a couple years ago, but like most here the majority of my tools are Craftsman. This is economics for sure, but I have started to look in other directions as well.

I have a tool set in each 4x4, and when I bought my Jeep a few years ago I looked at alternatives. But the 'good stuff' was so much more expensive that if I tried to spend the same $$$ I would have a lot less tools in the car.

All my Craftsman are the cheap/consumer stuff, and I have noticed some very poor quality in the new ratchets in the newer sets I have purchased. This drove me to buy a small starter set of ratchets (1/2, 3/8, 1/4) from a Snap On truck. I like them, but could use a few more handle sizes. I also have an SK torque wrench I've had for years and like, as well as a few specialty tools from other makers.

I'm severely lacking in impact tools, and just started using them a few years ago. Bought a Home Depot Husky impact gun and ratchet, but have yet to use the ratchet, partially because I never bought 3/8 impact sockets. This Christmas my wife gave me a good start with some 3/8-drive sockets. They were all Craftsman, about the only tools I feel comfortable asking someone to buy me as a gift because of the lower price.

Another negative during the last few years is that our local Sears is often under stocked and the service is poor. But my wife purchased my Christmas tools online using the in-store pick-up option. Pickup is guarantied as less than 5-min.

I know that I appreciate a quality tool and at middle age I’m willing to spend much more if I have it. I have a nice, large snow shovel with an aluminum blade that I was enjoying as I did the back patio last weekend ☺

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

I hope this doesn't and isn't meant to sound harsh... I do a fairly insane amount of wrenching each year and when I start buying things like snap on tools regularly I will consider it a sign that I am getting weak in the mind and would be beginning to engage in all of those things I told myself would never happen as I reach a higher income levels, including losing my practical sense. It will also be an indicator that that I am beginning to spend money poorly on a regular basis. My thought is because you can afford an expensive tool set doesn't mean you should...

Most of my tools are various brands. I do check for brand name and quality but all of one or another frankly doesn't really interest me at all and again is one of those unneeded "bling" things.. I have a large mix of husky (Home Depot), Gear Wrench, craftsman, and everything in between... Very few cheap tools but plenty of inexpensive ones

 

[Mlachica]

We use tools daily at work. Ergonomics, ease of use and reliability are key, in no particular order. For these reasons I've chosen these brands...

Ratchets... www.armstrongtools.com For some odd reason the website won't open. I prefer the smooth handle as opposed to the square handle. Repetetive motion goes over better with the smoother handles, IMHO. Personally I haven't had a problem with handling them with greasy hands. We use them for steel construction, electrical connections and everything inbetween. I can only remember breaking one with abuse. the phrase 'drive it like you stole it,' comes to mind.

Screwdrivers, nut drivers, diagonal cutters, lineman pliers, electrical multitools... www.kleintools.com The screwdrivers and nut drivers are so comfy. Nut drivers are hollow, so a long screw/bolt won't bottom out prior to reaching the nut (unlike craftsman). They're tools are high quality and very reliable. The blades are strong and the grips are comfortable.

'Quicky's' Or reversible ratcheting combo wrench, we use craftsman. These are the best things on earth! Lighter and easier to use than a 1/2" drive ratchet makes unbolting things much 'quicker' They have the 5 degree tilted head and adjustable head. The one's that are flat are pretty useless, IMHO. Craftsman also have those super cool sockets that fit in the ratcheting part for those especially awkward moments. I believe SK makes them as well. www.skhandtool.com SK makes VERY nice tools.

Crescent brand pliers are my favorite. The famous blue handles. I'm sorry but the craftsman pliers are crap. Leverage, ergonomics, quality are superior with Crescent brand.

Off the top of my head, all other tools in the craftsman flavor are fine.

 

[Redline]

I love these 'Gear Wrenches' and little sockets too! If I have them in the size I need, always the first wrenches I reach for.

...

'Quicky's' Or reversible ratcheting combo wrench, we use craftsman. These are the best things on earth! Lighter and easier to use than a 1/2" drive ratchet makes unbolting things much 'quicker' They have the 5 degree tilted head and adjustable head. The one's that are flat are pretty useless, IMHO. Craftsman also have those super cool sockets that fit in the ratcheting part for those especially awkward moments. I believe SK makes them as well. www.skhandtool.com SK makes VERY nice tools....

 

[SAR_Squid79]

My dad has done more wrenching than I probably ever will. He was a both a Ford & Chevy mechanic in the 70's/80's, he farms, and now that he's "retired" he runs his own tractor repair business.

EVERY HAND TOOL in his shop is Craftsman.​

That's good enough for me. Almost every tool in my box is Craftsman. So far I've never had any problems to speak of.

BUT - I also have a few Snap-On tools that I've acumulated here & there. This past spring I found a complete set of Snap-On metric wrenches and a Snap-On ratchet laying in an empty parking lot. Those are tits, and make me wish I could afford Snap-On!

 

[ntsqd]

As others have touched on, I prefer Craftsman wrenches/spanners to Snap-ons. The Snap-Ons are too flat in the handle area while the Craftsman have much more body thickness.

Were I outfitting a race car tool kit or a long range self-supported expedition tool kit I'd put in the Snap-Ons just for the weight advantage (if it exists). This is in my mind due to a friend owning a set of tools that came from the riding mechanic of a very early (Teens or earlier) Gran Prix car. Each tool was carefully ground down to reduce it's weight to the barest minimum.

The Snap-On ratchets that I own have finer increments than the Craftsman ratchets that I also own. I prefer the Snap-On's for only that reason.

I do have some other brand stuff mixed in, mostly Mac. They are great tools too, but finding them is the challenge.

I recall reading that the company, whose name escapes me at the moment, that used to make the Craftsmen tools now offers their tools thru other names including their own. I seem to recall that Husky is one of those names.

FWIW I do think there is a place for cheep tools. I buy HF when I need to modify a tool for some special purpose. Tears me up to molest a quality tool for a one or couple times use.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

I think no matter if the name is Snap-On, Craftsman, MAC, Matco, S-K or Cornwell, you can get good tools and you can get less good one.

I agree with this and also find each manufacturer has some really nice products. My favorite lately are gear wrenches that twist 90 degrees so you have a flat surface as your leverage point. These were referred to me by a friend's brother who is a professional mechanic... But at the end "comfort" and turning a wrench are hard to make synonymous and I really do not think it matters too much, as long as the tool simply works or works well.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Forgot to mention Wright Tool (all US made, too).

http://www.wrighttool.com/default.aspx


BTW, you can find USA sourced tool companies here:

http://www.hti.org/HTIDirectory.asp

 

[KingSlug]

It might sound strange but I like Hazet and Wiha tools. If they were good enough for MB they are good enough for me.

 

[powderpig]

One place that is not mentioned to buy tools is Craigs list or your local pawn shop. Used high end tools(snapon, matco, proto, craftsmans) can be had for a fraction of the cost new. Then they can be repaired by the truck guy. For Torque wrenches is will not pay to buy cheep. Buy a Snap on or Matco and take care of it. It will pay for it self over the life you have it. I read too many posts of people using cheep TW and having stuff fall off. It may also be they do not know how to use it properly.
I have a mix of tools, but mostly snap on from my pro shop days. It was nice to buy as it was a great write off at the end of the year. I still have wrenches from my first shop days in AK as a apprenctice that work great today, are easy in the hand(again there are proper techniques to hold wrenchs to make them nice in the hand). I have never really like craftsman end wrenches(too thick). I do like CM socket wrenches and some of the better ratchets. I do have some cheep sockets(ones that seem to get dropped or lost, 10mm12mm sockets). Snap on does have some cool tech in the tools like flank drive that do not round off the head of the fastner. less stuff messed up.
I would think for you Scott, tools are a write off. Depends on how much you want to spend and how much the write off is.
I still have my Snapon tool boxes, a ***** to haul around but nice for organization(bottom box made in 78-79, top box built in 88-89) slide smoothly, no rust and solid as a tank(should be weighs well over 1700 lbs with out tools). I have had some waterloo in the past, just not the same quality, nor are some of the other home tool box companies. Just m 2 cents. later Robbie :Mechanic:

 

[ckkone]

Best Value - Harbor Freight
Best Quality - Snap-on

What to buy - Craftsman

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

Tools

As I am cleaning out my garage, I am filled with visions of more mod. coolness, and since I work on all of my own vehicles and often build interesting and unique projects, tools are a big piece of what I do.

So far, Craftsman tools have been more than adequate, but I am looking to begin a tool upgrade, shifting my Craftsman tools to a trail/travel set and begin replacing with the highest quality sets I can.

What are your thoughts on:

Snap-on

Craftsman Professional (I have quite a bit of this)

Facom

Matco, etc.

Drool

My youngest son is a mechanic and we went though this research some time ago and you get what you pay for...we selected various tools from MAC and Snap on as they are about the best you can get in N.A. some are good from one and some others from another...no tool maker makes the best of all of them.

 

[calamaridog]

SK tools are nice too.

 

[86cj]

I agree with this and also find each manufacturer has some really nice products. My favorite lately are gear wrenches that twist 90 degrees so you have a flat surface as your leverage point. These were referred to me by a friend's brother who is a professional mechanic... But at the end "comfort" and turning a wrench are hard to make synonymous and I really do not think it matters too much, as long as the tool simply works or works well.

I have received the Craftsman locking flex head ratchet wrench sets both metric & std, Long & stubby over the last two christmas seasons.
I can say on a late model vehicle they have been used constantly, even rivaling my socket usage. Locking them allows some easy controlled leverage, in tight access.

I have almost all Craftsman and have great reliability, but agree the standard ratchets are pure junk....The polished ratchets are worth the upgrade.......