DBE long ratcheting wrenches

I’m looking at ordering the Tekton extra long DBE flex ratcheting wrenches. Anyone own these, and how do you like them? Any similar alternatives to consider? Thanks!

I looked at them but decided to buy the Icon set instead (same as Mountain, Carlyle, made by Kubo I believe out of Taiwan) because I liked the extended gripping area. No regrets.

I don't own the Tekton ones. However, it really boils down to which made in Taiwan option has the features you want with the best customer service/warranty and price in your case. In my case, I went for Canadian Tire's rebranded version of the made in Taiwan Gearwrench long ratcheting wrench set where one end is zero degree offset box end and the other is a ratcheting flex head. It's a no brainer when it's on sale at 130 Canadian dollars at Canadian tire. If Canadian tire can sell something like this for that price, it shows that Harbor Freight is ripping people with their premium brands such as Icon.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/...x-end-flex-wrench-set-10-pc-0580370p.html#srp

I have Tekton, EZ red, and Mountain ratcheting wrenches. They seem the same quality to me. The Mountain's offset ring is helpful sometime.

Have a look through this thread > https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=478906

Professional Tool User said:

I don't own the Tekton ones. However, it really boils down to which made in Taiwan option has the features you want with the best customer service/warranty and price in your case. In my case, I went for Canadian Tire's rebranded version of the made in Taiwan Gearwrench long ratcheting wrench set where one end is zero degree offset box end and the other is a ratcheting flex head. It's a no brainer when it's on sale at 130 Canadian dollars at Canadian tire. If Canadian tire can sell something like this for that price, it shows that Harbor Freight is ripping people with their premium brands such as Icon.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/...x-end-flex-wrench-set-10-pc-0580370p.html#srp

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I like that set. Have never seen anything exactly like it. It appears that they are spline style not a traditional 12pt. The type that can handle E-torz and square headed bolts.

I'm not in Canada so all I know about Canadian Tire is what little I have read on here. Are you suggesting the non-Chinese Canadian Tire tools are similar to non-chinease HF tools in quality. The MSRP $299 price seems kinda steep for a HF budget. All stores can have a great sales at times. I am a bit confused by this comment.

nbpt100 said:

I like that set. Have never seen anything exactly like it. It appears that they are spline style not a traditional 12pt. The type that can handle E-torz and square headed bolts.

I'm not in Canada so all I know about Canadian Tire is what little I have read on here. Are you suggesting the non-Chinese Canadian Tire tools are similar to non-chinease HF tools in quality. The MSRP $299 price seems kinda steep for a HF budget. All stores can have a great sales at times. I am a bit confused by this comment.

Click to expand...

Both ends are 12 point for the Canadian tire set. What I am saying is that Canadian Tire is improving significantly improving their tools. Before the recent introduction of rebranded made in China Gearwrench tools under the Maximum brand, the previous ratchets were garbage. The made in Taiwan long flex head ratchets are an exception. Now, some of the tools with flex head even have Apex tool group's locking mechanism, though sadly not the flex head ratchets. And this is just one of their tool lines. There's a Motomaster branded version of HF's Braun light now. Between the new items at Canadian Tire and Princess auto, soon there's going to be no reason for me to cross the border to shop at HF.

All this is happening with a company that implements changes at the rate a glacier moves. As for sales, Canadian tire sends out weekly flyers with a few pages worth of tools per flyer. A few dozen common items get rotated in and out and are marked down 40 to 80 percent, hence the ridiculous MSRP. The long ratcheting wrenches are a semi regular flyer item.

My main point is Harbor Freight ***** these days with their overpriced premium brands that still only have a 90 warranty, poor quality control/assurance regardless of which tier of in house brand we are talking about (think Icon ratchet recall), and coupons which are getting more and more useless. Both Canadian Tire and Princess Auto have improved the quality of their tools over the years while charging a relatively modest markup in most cases. This is how you move upmarket by letting the tools selected by your buying team speak for themselves, not the branding. Harbor Freight relies too much on hype while behaving as if their customers are idiots.

Thanks for that clarification. It sounds like Canadian Tire's tool dept is similar to HF and on pace to surpass it.

I agree with you on the HYPE from HF on their newer branded lines. They now have so many house brands it gets confusing and diluted in my opinion. They must of hire some expensive branding consultant who is guiding them on how to manage all of it. Are the newer brands better than their older lines like Pittsburgh, Chicago Electric, Drill Master etc. Yes, but you need to be very careful and scrutinize if the price hike is worth it. It is good they have more choices. The pricing is creeping up and the coupon structure is now less favorable to the consumer. I basically agree with you.

I ordered this Tekton set a few weeks ago. Missed the delivery deadline and I checked on it and it said back ordered with no other info. I will give it another week. If it drags on I will cancel and get the Icon, Mountain or what ever is onsale in the same class. However they are not the same. I realy wanted the 6 pt. as that was the unique feature that brought me there.