Are Kobalt wrenches any good?

[DYNA BILL]

I used to have enough carpenter's tools to build a house and mechanic's tools to rebuild an entire automobile. That was before my divorce 6 years ago when my ex kept them from me and her no good drug addicted felon son sold them all for drug money. Consequently, i am left with a mishmash of tools that I was able to get before they all got away and some I have bought at garage sales.
While the sets of hand wrenches and sockets I have are all the needed sizes, they are all different brands. I would like to replace them with uniform sets made by the same company. I can't afford Snap-On and I suppose I could go with Craftsman. But i was wondering if Kobalt hand tools from Lowes are of sufficient quality for the weekend warrior and do-it-yourselfer?

Edited: I didn't see this thread before starting my own.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131659

 

[sberry]

How good they got to be? Why worry about if they all the same flavor anyway?

 

[geologist]

1.) Find a better attorney.

2.) Kobalt tends to have a higher quality hand tool than a regular Craftsman. I would put the quality of *most* of their actual hand tools as being between Craftsman and Craftsman Pro.

 

[DYNA BILL]

sberry, I'm not sure I understand your question.
Do you mean the ones I have now, or the ones I would like to buy?

 

[DYNA BILL]

1.) Find a better attorney.

2.) Kobalt tends to have a higher quality hand tool than a regular Craftsman. I would put the quality of *most* of their actual hand tools as being between Craftsman and Craftsman Pro.

+1 on a better attorney. Ironically, my attorney drove his car off a cliff in Hawaii while on his honeymoon and killed himself a year after my divorce was final.

 

[geologist]

+1 on a better attorney. Ironically, my attorney drove his car off a cliff in Hawaii while on his honeymoon and killed himself a year after my divorce was final.

The universe has a funny way of making things right in the end.

 

[ishiboo]

1.) Find a better attorney.

2.) Kobalt tends to have a higher quality hand tool than a regular Craftsman. I would put the quality of *most* of their actual hand tools as being between Craftsman and Craftsman Pro.

Agreed.

The Kobalt wrenches have great chrome and are relatively heavy-duty. They're extremely well-formed, but have a bit more tolerance than a high-end wrench. I just took about 100 bolts off my Kubota with them and they performed flawlessly, many I really had to wrench on after 20 years of never being taken apart.

I just about love all the Kobalt Taiwan stuff.

More complaints with the China-sourced stuff, i.e. I hate the Kobalt toolbox I got, the vice grips/etc. are higher quality than the typical brand less China stuff, but not as high-end as the ratchets/sockets/etc.

 

[LSU]

I have old Craftsman tools. USA made (30+ years).

I have new Craftsman tools. USA Made

I have Kobalt tools that are a few years old. China made

The old Craftsman tools are "better". I think they look better and seem to be better made.

One day if I get bored I'm going to weigh the idential new and old Craftsman sockets and wrenches because I think the new ones are a bit lighter.

But . . The new Craftsman and the Kobalt tools I have seem to work just fine. I think the finish is better on the Kobalt than the new Craftsman.

I don't have any of the new Craftsman "easy read" sockets. The new Craftsman sockets I have are terrible to try and read the size. I can read the Kobalt sockets a lot easier.

I have a set of Kobalt pliers that came in a pack (picked these up post Christmas). I've used Kobalt pliers for years and have had no problems with them. I like the way they feel better than the new Craftsman ones.

I'm a heavy duty DIY'er. I use my stuff fairly frequently and I've never had a Craftsman or a Kobal tool fail (in spite of some huge cheater bars).

I think you'll be happy with either brand. I'd go troll Lowe's because I was there earlier today and my store was having some huge close out deals on socket and wrench packs.

Let us know what you decide.

 

[DYNA BILL]

Thanks for the replies guys. Looks like I'd better hot-foot it down to Lowes to see what's on sale!

 

[Chrislols]

I did a technical review of the multi fit kobalt wrenches
Overall I'd recommend them.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130747

I purchased sae and metric both on sale for $9.98 each, check online stubby sets, metric and sae 1:4" socket sets are all on sale for $9.98.

Crossform wrenches are $24.98 up from $14.98 overall down from $79

 

[hairtrigger]

Kobalt and Duralast have the best chrome and rigidity of the midgrade brands, but both of their warranties bite. If you don't have your original receipt, forget about them even dealing with you. Also, they don't need to replace a broken tool with the same model; it could be something much cheaper, even a different manufacturer if they have it in stock. Also, sometimes you may be hit with an investigation period while they determine if it was your fault the tool broke.

Craftsman quality may be declining, but their warranty is not. Their chrome is not as great as duralast or kobalt, but they have a decent feel, they seem to hold up just as well, and if they break you get top notch replacement service. Just bring it to Sears, no receipt needed, and they'll replace it NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

Also note that if you're looking for a 6 point socket set, lowes has very few (if any) available at the store. They usually have their 6 points laid out singly. Craftsman has a pretty good deal on 6 point sockets, covers most drive sizes and complete sets:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...29&blockType=G29&prdNo=4&i_cntr=1325379751520

I wouldn't stick with the ratchets that come in that set, though. Buy the thin handle or premium ratchets instead. The standard craftsman ratchet has a wide sweep and those plastic reverse levers.

 

[DYNA BILL]

Yeah, I've never been a fan of 12 point sockets. When I'm tearing something apart, I always try to reach for the 6 points in my toolbox.

 

[hairtrigger]

If you decide to buy something from lowes, make sure you make digital copies of the receipt because it will fade after a very short time. I keep a book with all my receipts and copies on a disc.

 

[85camaro]

Kobalt, and as mentioned above, Duralast, are very good wrenches. I love Kobalt tools in general and Duralast has treated me well too.

Green light on both of those.

 

[diesel research]

Kobalt, and as mentioned above, Duralast, are very good wrenches. I love Kobalt tools in general and Duralast has treated me well too.

Green light on both of those.

Kobalt from 1 month ago or kobalt from 1yr ago?

 

[jhelrey]

Setup a website that collects $ to view your hunny bunny... You'll be buying Snap On by the AM

 

[DYNA BILL]

If you decide to buy something from lowes, make sure you make digital copies of the receipt because it will fade after a very short time. I keep a book with all my receipts and copies on a disc.

Very good idea. I've stuck Lowe's receipts in my wallet before, just in case. After a while, they were almost illegible.

Setup a website that collects $ to view your hunny bunny... You'll be buying Snap On by the AM

LOL!

 

[hairtrigger]

As a testament to Duralast, I left a ratcheting box end wrench outside for months. It got rained on, mud splashed on it, pollen, everything. Cold and heat. Direct sunshine. I was for sure it was no good any more.

After a quick wipe down, it looked brand new. The chrome was rust free and shined like a mirror. I was just WOW. Awesome tool. Even the ratcheting mechanism was clean and the little bit of rust wiped right off and it ratcheted smooth considering how long it had been outside.

Now if only their warranty didn't **** balls...

 

[XxToolAholicxX]

I used to have enough carpenter's tools to build a house and mechanic's tools to rebuild an entire automobile. That was before my divorce 6 years ago when my ex kept them from me and her no good drug addicted felon son sold them all for drug money. Consequently, i am left with a mishmash of tools that I was able to get before they all got away and some I have bought at garage sales.
While the sets of hand wrenches and sockets I have are all the needed sizes, they are all different brands. I would like to replace them with uniform sets made by the same company. I can't afford Snap-On and I suppose I could go with Craftsman. But i was wondering if Kobalt hand tools from Lowes are of sufficient quality for the weekend warrior and do-it-yourselfer?

Edited: I didn't see this thread before starting my own.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131659

Kobalt is a good product. But their line of tools is very limited compare to Craftsman. And they have no question or receipt warranty. You break them and Lowes replaces them.


I am a Toolaholic,Sometimes I regret it,Especialy when the Toolman won't give me no credit.

 

[NorCalWrenchin]

Kobalt is a good product. But their line of tools is very limited compare to Craftsman. And they have no question or receipt warranty. You break them and Lowes replaces them.


I am a Toolaholic,Sometimes I regret it,Especialy when the Toolman won't give me no credit.

OP was banned.....

 

[AndrewV]

He's living in the past. Let him be....

 

[Cato]

I would like to replace them with uniform sets made by the same company.

Come on, variety is the spice of life!

 

[Sonny2010]

Lol banned

 

[franzdom]

He's living in the past. Let him be....

 

[MagnumForce]

Well since this was resurrected, I really really like my Kobalt Aluminum Pipe Wrenchs and Pliers. I really really like the pliers, they do the job very well and fit so amazingly well in your hands. Cutting wire with the dikes is like butter!

 

[RedneckWelder]

Recently I was tool-less (the horror!), so I went out and spent $350 at Lowes on a bunch of Kobalt sockets and wrenches to give me something to work with. That $350 got me a fairly complete set of sockets in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive (Metric and SAE) and wrenches to 1" and 19mm plus some screwdrivers and some other odds and ends.

All the stuff I brought was either Taiwan or US made, I shied away from the Made in China stuff so I can't tell you the quality on that. Beware the big wrench set they sell, it looks great and complete and all but is made in China. May not be a bad deal at the $25 sale price it goes on sometimes, but it's a bad deal at the $99 price it often sits at.

 

[cheechi]

Recently I was tool-less (the horror!), so I went out and spent $350 at Lowes on a bunch of Kobalt sockets and wrenches to give me something to work with. That $350 got me a fairly complete set of sockets in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive (Metric and SAE) and wrenches to 1" and 19mm plus some screwdrivers and some other odds and ends.

All the stuff I brought was either Taiwan or US made, I shied away from the Made in China stuff so I can't tell you the quality on that. Beware the big wrench set they sell, it looks great and complete and all but is made in China. May not be a bad deal at the $25 sale price it goes on sometimes, but it's a bad deal at the $99 price it often sits at.

Almost all good advice and basically the same situation I was in a few years back. The screwdrivers have never really been outstanding but supposedly the new USA ones aren't bad. USA (except the last gen before taiwan, I personally didn't like those others might) and Taiwan made I would pick over any similar brand for sockets, rats, or wrenches. Now that HF has stepped it up I think they surpass what Kobalt offers.

Still for the original question, I'd pick Kobalt Taiwan wrenches over any similar priced available.