1/2 Socket Set Recommendations: Koken, GearWrench, Tekton, or something else

[richfinn]

Koken RS4401M/10 1/2" STD SOCKET SET 10-19mm | UKtools

UKtools Professional Hand Tools, Specialist Socketry from Koken Tools, Facom, Britool, Gearwrench, Signet, Trident, Elora, Knipex, Bondhus and more

www.uktools.com

I don't know how much they would cost to ship, I buy most of my Ko-ken from these guys (the prices are good compared to the other brands they stock) and they have never let me down.

Worth checking for special offers when you need sockets

I personally think deep or semi deep Impacts are more useful in 1/2" drive for automotive work.

 

[Madjik Man]

Who makes a 1/2" drive semi-deep impact socket set?

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I don’t think you can go wrong with a brand like Tekton or Capri. Both are absolutely amazing and the same level. Buy them from their websites to get rewards points to use towards future purchases. I use both in a professional setting and have yet to break one. Even Harbor Freight is good too. I believe as a home gamer you could get away with just the impacts. At home I have all three drives shallow and deep, impact and chrome but I also do tons of work at home too. I’ve used 20mm socket on my friends Ford not for lug nuts someone had installed aftermarket lift kit we were taking off his 1986 Bronco II and the bolts a 20mm fit perfectly the 3/4(19mm) was too small and the 13/16(21mm) was too big. 20 was the perfect fit. You also maybe able to use them on the swollen lug nuts too. I’ve found myself needing the wrench more though. I have not needed one in awhile though as I don’t work on Ford or GM daily.

 

[Fedwrench]

Who makes a 1/2" drive semi-deep impact socket set?

Most of the tool trucks. Genius Tools.

 

[Madjik Man]

Most of the tool trucks. Genius Tools.

Yeah I saw the Genius Tools one online and honestly never heard of them until reading about them on this forum.

I don't have access to a tool truck... or a wallet thick enough to pay their prices

 

[M6erfan]

Who makes a 1/2" drive semi-deep impact socket set?

In addition to the others mentioned. . .

FPC (Flash Tool)

 

[Mr_B]

another option on semi deep 1/2" drive impact sockets is welzh 10 to 32mm (only skipping 20mm up to 24mm then a 27 30 and 32mm
was good value pre covid and war, Genius set is pretty nice option .

 

[AJHD]

I don’t think you can go wrong with a brand like Tekton or Capri. Both are absolutely amazing and the same level. Buy them from their websites to get rewards points to use towards future purchases. I use both in a professional setting and have yet to break one. Even Harbor Freight is good too. I believe as a home gamer you could get away with just the impacts. At home I have all three drives shallow and deep, impact and chrome but I also do tons of work at home too.

Agreed. I recently had to buy a bunch of sockets for a new job, and I went the Tekton and Capri route.

I'm not a fan of the newer HF sockets since they moved over to China. Just not the same as their older Taiwan versions.

If you can get them and want to buy locally, I have no complaints with Taiwan Kobalt at Lowes. I've used them in the past. I'm not a fan of Husky or China Craftsman. I would also avoid Gearwrench these days, as again more of their catalog has also moved to China.

I'm not personally a fan of chrome sockets in any drive size. I literally own 1 chrome socket set and that's only in 1/4" deep/shallow from Capri. They also have a 1/4" impact version, but they weren't available at the time when I bought the other Capri sockets. My metric 1/4" sockets are all impact.

 

[dmparksa]

Agreed. I recently had to buy a bunch of sockets for a new job, and I went the Tekton and Capri route.

I'm not a fan of the newer HF sockets since they moved over to China. Just not the same as their older Taiwan versions.

If you can get them and want to buy locally, I have no complaints with Taiwan Kobalt at Lowes. I've used them in the past. I'm not a fan of Husky or China Craftsman. I would also avoid Gearwrench these days, as again more of their catalog has also moved to China.

I'm not personally a fan of chrome sockets in any drive size. I literally own 1 chrome socket set and that's only in 1/4" deep/shallow from Capri. They also have a 1/4" impact version, but they weren't available at the time when I bought the other Capri sockets. My metric 1/4" sockets are all impact.

How do you like the Capri? I was debating picking up a few of their ratchets and their wobble plus extensions. A lot of their reviews seemed to be paid reviews, so I wasn't sure if I could trust most of them.

 

[M635_Guy]

I have 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" chrome sets from Tekton and they've been 100% fine. I'm a little space-limited, and in retrospect I could definitely have gotten away with just using my (Sunex) 1/2" impact sockets instead of getting chrome. 95% of the time, if it's 1/2" it is sitting on the end of my Milwaukee Gen2 Mid Torque. I have a couple other 3/8" chrome sets for my road kit and for running multiple ratchets on occasion. I have an SK set (very awesome) and an Icon set that I like a lot. The big plus there has been less sharing of blanks on the Icon set, which has come in handy:

Icon front, Tekton rear


Here's 3/8" 10mm Tekton, SK and Icon


This came in handy the other day when pulling the rear shock bolt on the family Mazda (14mm - Tekton left, Icon right)

As the bolt comes out, the Tekton was pushing the ratchet into the shroud above. This situation was worse/even tighter on my wife's Odyssey.

Anyway, that Craftsman Vseries set looks pretty nice - appears to graduate sizes and that looks like a great holder (though I'd probably prefer a 'strip' style).

 

[dmparksa]

I have 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" chrome sets from Tekton and they've been 100% fine. I'm a little space-limited, and in retrospect I could definitely have gotten away with just using my (Sunex) 1/2" impact sockets instead of getting chrome. 95% of the time, if it's 1/2" it is sitting on the end of my Milwaukee Gen2 Mid Torque. I have a couple other 3/8" chrome sets for my road kit and for running multiple ratchets on occasion. I have an SK set (very awesome) and an Icon set that I like a lot. The big plus there has been less sharing of blanks on the Icon set, which has come in handy:

Icon front, Tekton rear


Here's 3/8" 10mm Tekton, SK and Icon


This came in handy the other day when pulling the rear shock bolt on the family Mazda (14mm - Tekton left, Icon right)

As the bolt comes out, the Tekton was pushing the ratchet into the shroud above. This situation was worse/even tighter on my wife's Odyssey.

Anyway, that Craftsman Vseries set looks pretty nice - appears to graduate sizes and that looks like a great holder (though I'd probably prefer a 'strip' style).

Thank you, this was very informative with the pictures. I've mostly used Craftsman USA stuff in 3/8" and 1/2" both sockets and ratchets(using someone else's tools and garage). I do remember a few frustrating things about the set, the main one being the backdrag on the ratchets requiring me to put my finger on the socket to make sure I can run a bolt out all the way. The other frustration was with clearance in some tight spaces. I didn't have access to shallow 1/4" sockets(nor did I know those existed to be honest), so I just struggled through the job, not knowing what's available out there.

I'm glad I went with the Ko-ken sockets in the 3/8" set since that's my most used drive size and their height also go down at the bottom end of the set, like the ICON set. Probably not as low profile as the lower sizes in the ICONs, but should help a little bit in tighter situations. I could also grab a set of the 1/4" ICONs or Koken Zeal in the future if I run into some very low clearance situations.

I do have some other experience with Tekton with their wrenches. I thought they were decently priced before, but they're certainly much more expensive than they once were.

 

[ChevyEFI]

I have 1/2" sets that were purchased for specific single socket needs.
Pittsburgh 10?pc chrome shallow 12pt maybe 7/16 through 1-1/4? (Needed 12pt for ARP screws)
Stanley 5pc large chrome shallow 12pt maybe 1-1/4 through 1-1/2? (Pinion nuts)
Pittsburgh 15?pc impact deep 6pt 10-32mm w/skips. (GM axles and lug nuts.)
Pttsburgh 6?pc impact axle nut 6pt 29? - 38?mm (you should buy 12pt for Toyota at least)

Look at the Astro / Husky / ?? shallow hex drive sockets. No skips, can be used w ratcheting wrench and you can fill in any 12pt needs with cheap stuff later. These are 3/8 or 1/2 drive.

In deep impact, a fat set of cheap ones will take you a long way. Chrome usually shows up as a need where clearance is an issue and you can hop in with your existing 3/8 stuff.

Keep notes on stuff that saves time. You might load a cart with a long anvil impact, flip sockets for lugs, and some Astro Nano shallows 10 12 14 17 19 and cover everything you touch in a Load the cart when a job requires it. Don't put a no skips set on board

 

[boom_bap]

Ive got the capri 1/4 in master sockets set and their three piece flex head ratchets, and hex and torx etrox socket sets. All of it has been really good. I much prefer their ratchets over tektons. The sockets are great quality. Tektons sockets are good too, I think capri is a step above. Solely my opinion

Ive been impressed with the taiwan craftsman stuff at lowes, but made in usa stuff is supposedly coming so maybe wait it out if going the craftsman route

 

[silvertina]

Is Grey Pneumatic available to you?
They have a set called Duo Sockets. Thin-walled (wall thickness similar to chromes) impact rated sockets.
This would be a good solution to the problem of needing two sets chromes or impact sockets.

 

[silvertina]

Who makes a 1/2" drive semi-deep impact socket set?

Available on Amazon.jp

 

[tyyost]

I am in the impact before chrome camp as well. I have a Craftsman USA metric 1/2 drive shallow set I don’t think
I have ever used. For years my go to was a complete set of IR branded Genius shallows and set of Stanley Deep impact sockets. Over the years I added a few craftsman deep impacts to round out the set.

In the past few years I have added a set of Tekton deep impacts, but very seldom do I pull it out. I also bought a Sunex master set in 3/8 and it is great. I’d suggest a Sunex master set if you have nothing and want a comprehensive set in one shot or Tekton/Hf if you are ok piecing it together.

 

[Mecha]

I recently bought the 3/8" deep impact from Capri and they are super nice. Sprayed number and stamped number on each and both numbers are carefully placed in the same spot so when on a socket rail you can see them all even on the rail. Someone figured out that they must be manufactured by the same factory as Matco sockets and they are nice. The sockets are nice, thin for impacts, and a nice phosphate coating over them.

I have 1/2" chrome craftsman USA 12-pt, and a mix of taiwanese 6-pt deep impact from craftsman and kobalt. I'm a home gamer though so I just use as I need it and it works great. If I started all over again I maybe would buy the whole 1/2 in shallows and deeps in impact from Capri.

1/2" Drive 6-Point Master Impact Socket Set, 10 - 27 mm

The 1/2 in. Drive Shallow Impact Socket Set is a collection of most frequently used large size sockets in metric sizes. Sizes 10 – 27 mm.

capritools.com

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I picked up a set of capri, mostly out of curiosity, in 3/8 shallow impact. I've been pretty happy with them.

I'm not super picky with impacts, but they're wearing good and grip fine.