Snap on vs sonic toolbox and tools

[jay70]

What’s your opinions on this?

Dude is a clown.

 

[KnurledNut]

He’s a Sonic salesman. Of course he is gonna upsell his product. This is just a long Sonic commercial.

 

[Wamsutta]

That was the most painful 37 minutes and 44 seconds I've ever had to sit through watching a YouTube video.

If you're a Snap-on hater or if you're looking for a reason to hate Snap-on, you'll like that video.

 

[scooby074]

Lol. Nope, no bias there. And the errors.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

That is the oddest tool box layout I've ever seen, giant top drawer for your power tools? Look at him presenting the Sonic box, bent at the waist, removing a wrench. Try that 40 hours a week. Not trying to hate on the guy, but the layout and whatnot scream "DIY/hobbyist". Nothing wrong with that. But that layout ***** *** for working out of.



Matte vs gloss finish, "bro matte has better finish". LOL Yeah, matte covers better. Foam is cool, but doesn't work when you own lots of tools, and lots of brands. Sonic didn't have a ball joint press in there, for instance. Foam ***** *** for eating space, but it glorious for organization. Snap on has 5 drawers empty, sonic has 1. What does that tell you about the foam?

EDIT: In fairness, I'm not sure I own any Sonic, so maybe I'm just a hater. Much like Teng, I have not found any offerings that were better than the competition or differentiated enough.

 

[seber]

It really got stupid when he compared screwdrivers and stated Sonic better than Snap-on. I have both. The Sonic drivers have been relegated to a box on an out of the way shelf. No comparison to Snap-on in use or durability.

 

[3baygarage]

Is that top drawer for taking naps?

 

[Jeepster04]

The dude is most certainly not a mechanic and he says that often. He strictly looks at quality (in his eyes) and the process. He said many times in other vid's that the snap on box was superior to the sonic box, but he couldnt get over the cost.

One of the big turnoffs for him was the process of ordering the snapon tools. He has many videos on this series and one is devoted to just how you must buy the snapon tools. He thinks its awful how so many mechanics that are starting out end up with 10's of thousands of debt b/c snapon is supposedly the best.

If the snapon box was more complete I would most certainly take it.... I'll take the sonic box with the Milwaukee tools if I win.

 

[rktinc]

I enjoy watching his videos. These last few Snap On vs Sonic are a bit tedious for me. I think his points are valid and he is certainly thorough. Real world techs have a different perspective, Guys like this, (and probably me too) are also concerned with the look and presentation of the cabinets and tools as they spend more time looking at them than using them. This video is pretty detailed. His latest video where he goes into detail about the pricing structure on a white board is truly hard to watch. It is the only time I just shut it off.

This cat is generally fun to watch. Has a different personality and seems a bit hyper-focused but it seems to have paid off for him.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

The dude is most certainly not a mechanic and he says that often. He strictly looks at quality (in his eyes) and the process. He said many times in other vid's that the snap on box was superior to the sonic box, but he couldnt get over the cost.

One of the big turnoffs for him was the process of ordering the snapon tools. He has many videos on this series and one is devoted to just how you must buy the snapon tools. He thinks its awful how so many mechanics that are starting out end up with 10's of thousands of debt b/c snapon is supposedly the best.

If the snapon box was more complete I would most certainly take it.... I'll take the sonic box with the Milwaukee tools if I win.

I know this is a meme, but that's not a common/factual thing. IMO it comes from dudes hyping up how much they've spent trying to sound impressive. Nobody is starting out as a lube tech, or a new "real" tech, with 20K+ worth of tools no matter how they got them.

Even a fool for a tool dealer wouldn't let someone swallow up 20k+ in debt.

 

[HannibalLecter]

Its only natural. He doesn't use his tools, so everything has to be judged with keeping that in mind
Now, I don't own any snap on tools and I sure as heck won't own any sonic, but he makes some good points, as the ridiculous price of this toolbox.
Also I m a firm believer that each company specializes in something specific. For example, I wouldn't buy knipex screwdrivers

 

[shawhite]

Awwww bless his heart. Someone please go clean that gunk off his snap-on tools because they don’t look as nice as the sonic tools.

 

[RickyPetite]

Painful observations which clearly display his "Sonic Salesman" bias. Notice that he does not open or address the ridiculously tall top drawer that would quickly turn into a massive junk drawer. Worst of all it is the most convenient of all drawers so its dysfunctionality is magnified. He states that the casters on the Sonic are "simple" appearing. An honest person would call them "cheap". He loves the plastic edges and gimmicky pegboard sides. Reminds me of cheap Craftsman DIY boxes. He states that the load capacity of the Sonic box is "5000-6000 lb". The website states 2314 lb max. Finally, having all that foam is great for those aren't adding to their tool collection on a regular basis or who have multiple brands. I suspect that his head would explode if he had a tool that didn't fit into a foam slot.

I would propose that a better competitor against the Sonic would be one from Tekton. Made in Canada, less money, more sensible layout and heavier duty. A few specs (other than considerations mentioned above) for comparison.

Sonic
65"x 47" x 26"
13 drawers
COO Taiwan
$5,800
264lb/drawer, 2,314 lb total

Tekton
60" x 41.5" x 30"
11 drawers
COO Canada
$4,200
400lb/drawer, 4,400 lb total, cabinet 12,000lb total

 

[liliysdad]

Guys like this, (and probably me too) are also concerned with the look and presentation of the cabinets and tools as they spend more time looking at them than using them.

Takes all kinds I guess..

 

[charbar]

What the hell is a Sonic?

 

[seber]

I haven't bought a new Snap-on box since the 70s but at that time you could get one for about 65% of list. Also he keeps complaining about how hard it is and how long it takes to get Snap-on tools. He could have ordered the whole setoff the website just like he did Sonic.

 

[Fedwrench]

What the hell is a Sonic?

Sonic Tools. They migrated over here like 5-8 years ago. Originally based in the Netherlands, they remind me of Toptul in that, they're mostly Taiwan made versions of European designs. Perhaps our European contributors can chime in on their popularity in Europe. I think their US Distribution center is in Alabama. I own a few Sonic case sets, 1/4 & 3/8 drive socket sets, a combination wrench set, specialty tools like their brake service kit. All of it purchased on clearance a few years ago when Sonic had decent sales. Sonic quality can be good or not so good depending on the tool. The 45 tooth ratchet is clunky, head heavy, and seems crude to almost everyone else's ratchets. I like the knurling on their sockets and like the satin finish. Their pliers are NWS knockoffs for the most part. Their online prices are too rich for me and I spend more on tools than food.
They offer some nice foam sets but, the foam storage eats up storage real estate quickly. I think you would be better served by Tekton at a fraction of the Sonic price. Sonic offers some nice fixed garage storage systems but, I'm not sure about their long term durability.

 

[MR2FC]

Sonic screwdrivers have been popular in the UK for a while now...

Doctor Who 6794 Thirteenth Sonic Screwdriver Toy, Multi-Colour https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FFDXFZF/?tag=atomicindustr-21

 

[shawhite]

Well I finished the video as painful as it was. This guy sounds very anti American made. Jankided this annd American sloop. He even tries to compare the screw driver and can’t come up with anything better about the sonic except it doesn’t have goop on it. This guy is a shrill plan and simple. He even bashes some Hazat and Nepros.

 

[kudakev615]

"exposed spot welds on the SO drawers" comment/complaint is laughable. place both of those boxes in a fast paced shop environment where the draws are cycled open/closed for 40+ hrs a work week for a decade and lets see how these boxes compare

 

[619DioFan]

What the hell is a Sonic?

Fast food restaurant where you order at a menu board and they bring the food to your car, pretty good burgers and chili cheese dogs. only kind of sonic I heard of.

 

[techieman33]

Sonic tools are a marketing company. As far as I can tell they don't actually make anything themselves. They just rebrand stuff and mark it up 200% or more. Then present it all in a pretty looking toolbox with lots of wasted space. I'm sure it looks impressive to a purchasing agent that never leaves their office though.

 

[scooby074]

Well I finished the video as painful as it was. This guy sounds very anti American made. Jankided this annd American sloop. He even tries to compare the screw driver and can’t come up with anything better about the sonic except it doesn’t have goop on it. This guy is a shrill plan and simple. He even bashes some Hazat and Nepros.

Hes a shill, but a weird one. Who buys 10's of thousand in top line Japanese, German and US brands only to bash them and pick an unknown Taiwanese brand over them? Unless sonic was picking up the tab? Its the weirdest thing.

 

[shawhite]

Hes a shill, but a weird one. Who buys 10's of thousand in top line Japanese, German and US brands only to bash them and pick an unknown Taiwanese brand over them? Unless sonic was picking up the tab? Its the weirdest thing.

I have heard snap-on called a lot of things in my life but never jankied.

 

[Not So Legendary]

Almost everything he sells is MSRP and so has stupid margins. He had a series on renovating a house where he just threw away money, like spending 10k to move the breaker box because he didn't like which wall it was on. He sold the house in under a year for a massive loss because he didn't like that it was in an HOA.

For years he said the sonic built in cabinets were better quality than Lista or Vidmar, but then now that he is a distributor that tone has changed.

I feel like whatever has the best margins is what he is going to promote instead of what he claims of only selling the best.

 

[LWB]

What the hell is a Sonic?

A Hedgehog.

 

[kngelv]

Painful observations which clearly display his "Sonic Salesman" bias. Notice that he does not open or address the ridiculously tall top drawer that would quickly turn into a massive junk drawer. Worst of all it is the most convenient of all drawers so its dysfunctionality is magnified. He states that the casters on the Sonic are "simple" appearing. An honest person would call them "cheap". He loves the plastic edges and gimmicky pegboard sides. Reminds me of cheap Craftsman DIY boxes. He states that the load capacity of the Sonic box is "5000-6000 lb". The website states 2314 lb max. Finally, having all that foam is great for those aren't adding to their tool collection on a regular basis or who have multiple brands. I suspect that his head would explode if he had a tool that didn't fit into a foam slot.

I would propose that a better competitor against the Sonic would be one from Tekton. Made in Canada, less money, more sensible layout and heavier duty. A few specs (other than considerations mentioned above) for comparison.

Sonic
65"x 47" x 26"
13 drawers
COO Taiwan
$5,800
264lb/drawer, 2,314 lb total

Tekton
60" x 41.5" x 30"
11 drawers
COO Canada
$4,200
400lb/drawer, 4,400 lb total, cabinet 12,000lb total

The better comparison would be the Tekton box to the Snap-On. Those Rousseau boxes are great. They bought Sonic foam drawer boxes with tools for the toolmakers and machine repairmen where I work. The boxes are nowhere near Snap-On in quality and the foam drawers are just not practical. Foam is great in a kitted Packout type box but not in a rolling shop box. The video is a joke.

James

 

[Bubba Fett]

There is no denying that Snap-on makes/offers very good tools. But they are not for everyone, and certainly not the best option for DIYers, home gamers, etc. There are plenty of sensible alternatives.

Sonic isn't one of them. I honestly can't see any real benefit, since their tools are similar to many other Taiwan-made brands, but at higher prices. The foam trays are nice, especially if FOD is a concern, but you do lose a lot of storage space that way.

For the same money, you can do a lot better than Sonic, or Teng.

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

Looking at the Sonic boxes on their site they seem way overpriced.

 

[65k10]

Finally watched the video and that was hard to sit through. I get that it's meant to push the products he is selling, but the delivery is just weird. Like complaining that he didn't get that much in the way of Snap-On tools for the money or the cost of the Epiq. Then he says he spent about $2,000 on tool grid to organize such few tools. I also don't like these comparisons that turn into this binary choice where the options given are either to buy all Snap-On for big bucks or all this lesser brand for less. Yes, the purpose is to push the cheaper brand, but there are some things from Snap-On and other high end brands that are likely worth it and it's a dis-service to viewers to discount the whole brand as overpriced.

 

[customh]

Somewhere in the whiteboard video he said "Rousseau and [either Lista or Vidmar, can't remember] are the best cabinets out there" - for his style I can't believe he hasn't ordered a custom layout Rousseau. He would be far happier with the process than he was with the Snap-On process.

He's right about the basis of SNA's business, he is wrong that no one there cares about the tools being produced.

I would propose that a better competitor against the Sonic would be one from Tekton. Made in Canada, less money, more sensible layout and heavier duty. A few specs (other than considerations mentioned above) for comparison.

They offer some nice foam sets but, the foam storage eats up storage real estate quickly. I think you would be better served by Tekton at a fraction of the Sonic price. Sonic offers some nice fixed garage storage systems but, I'm not sure about their long term durability.

The better comparison would be the Tekton box to the Snap-On. Those Rousseau boxes are great.

 

[designer485]

I have never quite understood the push of Sonic tools with Obsessed Garage. I was under the impression that Matt's goal was to offer the absolute best in every category regardless of price. He lost me at Sonic. Where is Hazet, Stahlwille, Snap-On, Williams, Proto, Wright, Wera, Nepros, Koken, etc...? Lista / Vidmar / Rousseau and Snap-On toolboxes / storage are the industry standard for a reason.

 

[dnschmidt]

Sonic is two steps below TOPTUL Their stuff is nothing special in any way. They actually remind me of Teng which Ed. China made semi-famous on Wheeler Dealers. Comparing them to Snap-On is like comparing cream cheese to caviar on your cracker.

 

[customh]

I have never quite understood the push of Sonic tools with Obsessed Garage. I was under the impression that Matt's goal was to offer the absolute best in every category regardless of price. He lost me at Sonic...

Somehow his hyper-OCD clouds his vision in this category. It seems in his mind the "custom" foam kits take mid-grade tools (at best) to basically "good enough" since it gives him warm fuzzies when he opens the drawers. Maybe he just sees the project of finding the absolute best in every single type of hand tool as too big of a bite to chew and on top of that designing the "perfect" layout in the "perfect" tool cabinet might have a bit smaller than a "niche" market.

 

[bpwoodworking]

I like foam in drawers even if it’s a waste if space, it’s good for OCD and when folks use my tools they know exactly where to return it and that there is a very obvious open space when the tool isn’t there.

 

[shawhite]

I have never quite understood the push of Sonic tools with Obsessed Garage. I was under the impression that Matt's goal was to offer the absolute best in every category regardless of price. He lost me at Sonic. Where is Hazet, Stahlwille, Snap-On, Williams, Proto, Wright, Wera, Nepros, Koken, etc...? Lista / Vidmar / Rousseau and Snap-On toolboxes / storage are the industry standard for a reason.

He actually takes a subtle dig at Hazet and Nepros if you listen closely. After watching that video I can say I have no interest in watching any of his other videos. He thinks sonic is the first tool vender to offer boxes with shadowbox foam in them. Snap-on was doing this in the 80s for aviation boxes. And who the hell is this Mike F guy he talks so highly about?

 

[designer485]

Somehow his hyper-OCD clouds his vision in this category. It seems in his mind the "custom" foam kits take mid-grade tools (at best) to basically "good enough" since it gives him warm fuzzies when he opens the drawers. Maybe he just sees the project of finding the absolute best in every single type of hand tool as too big of a bite to chew and on top of that designing the "perfect" layout in the "perfect" tool cabinet might have a bit smaller than a "niche" market.

If the foam is the hold up, both Hazet and Gedore both offer great sets in foam trays. Multiple third part companies have extensive libraries of Snap-On tools to make any conceivable layout you want in tool control foam. If he wanted the best in the category, he would find it like he has in other parts of the Obsessed Garage business.

If it was about finding the best (and still wanted tool control foam), I would be building my own foam layouts to fit a Rousseau or Lista boxes that featured brands like Hazet, Stahlwille, Snap-On, Williams, Proto, Wright, Wera, Nepros, Koken, etc. Package things in such a way that allows for expansion while still being hyper organized.

For what its worth, I think you can get 75% of the way to foam with oranization from Ersnt (socket rails, divided trays, wrench wracks, etc) while still being able to expand, re-organize and adapt to new tool additions.

 

[customh]

If the foam is the hold up, both Hazet and Gedore both offer great sets in foam trays. Multiple third part companies have extensive libraries of Snap-On tools to make any conceivable layout you want in tool control foam. If he wanted the best in the category, he would find it like he has in other parts of the Obsessed Garage business.

If it was about finding the best (and still wanted tool control foam), I would be building my own foam layouts to fit a Rousseau or Lista boxes that featured brands like Hazet, Stahlwille, Snap-On, Williams, Proto, Wright, Wera, Nepros, Koken, etc. Package things in such a way that allows for expansion while still being hyper organized.

Agree 100%, his main hang-up is the Snap-On purchasing experience- bottom line, there's no graceful way for him to resell Snap-On tools his way at a profit.

It's pretty easy to kit up stuff like pressure washers, air compressors, etc. (i.e. all the stuff he's currently doing) It's a lot more difficult to be a middleman in hardline hand tools and set up kits that people can buy without spending $20k+ on the complete "OG" solution. With all that stuff floating around in his businessman brain it's easy to get tunnel vision on an 80% solution, I'm still stuck in the logic circle with you though- when the basis of your business is providing the "best" solution how does he justify saying that the Sonic stuff is "good enough"???

 

[Not So Legendary]

He also didn't need to buy every screwdriver set offered, while still not including a ratcheting bit driver. The basic kit along with a ratcheting driver and big kit of bits is way more useful. The 3ft screwdrivers he has in the back would never be used by an average person.

 

[mepstein]

The videos are to help him sell tools but more importantly, get eyeballs. The more people viewing, the more money he makes. He’s found a formula that gets views and makes him money. I don’t really get much from watching his videos, I don’t feel like I learn much and the delivery feels awkward but who doesn’t like pretty tools.