AmazonBasics Hand Tool Kits

[kythri]

I see Amazon is getting into hand tools now, with their AmazonBasics line:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074MH432L/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Looks to be standard import fare - unknown if it's Chinese or Taiwanese in origin.

Not a ton of information, but I thought it interesting.

 

[sweet victory]

Looks like an unbranded gearwrench set.

EDIT: Meant to say Crescent, not gearwrench.

 

[CobraRed]

Ahh yes, they "I've never owned tools before but I'm moving out on my own and my dad had tools I think? Yeah, I need some of those, uh sockets" set

There's definitively quantities to be sold there. I don't except to ever see one, but I expect they will inhabit many apartment broom closets.

 

[sk farmer]

morons.....

first, whoever took the pictures can't even lay the wrenches out the same way. some are turned one way and some the other. one of them in the same group is set differently.

second, nice picture of the bit socket. why would you choose the bit socket to show your fine level of craftsmanship?

they may be of passable quality but there is no way to tell from the pics. that set would actually be an insult to gearwrench the way it looks.

 

[CobraRed]

morons.....

first, whoever took the pictures can't even lay the wrenches out the same way. some are turned one way and some the other. one of them in the same group is set differently.

second, nice picture of the bit socket. why would you choose the bit socket to show your fine level of craftsmanship?

they may be of passable quality but there is no way to tell from the pics. that set would actually be an insult to gearwrench the way it looks.

Thank you, you explained all of my thoughts looking at this page

 

[Ray-CA]

Might be a good "junk yard" set. Something to use at the pick-n-pull yards.

Ray

 

[M6erfan]

Looks like an unbranded gearwrench set.

That doesn't look anything look GW.

 

[sweet victory]

That doesn't look anything look GW.

I'm a *****. I meant to say Crescent.

 

[AreYaSerious]

Looks like an unbranded gearwrench set.

EDIT: Meant to say Crescent, not gearwrench.

Looks more like a unbranded duralast set.


Edit: just seen your edit.

 

[dnschmidt]

Looks pretty similar to the kits that have been sold at Costco over the years. Probably work fine for 90% of the people in the world.

 

[CobraRed]

The TW Costco sets were pretty good, with good markings on the sockets and a decent ratchet. These look more K-Mart than Costco

 

[Citation]

Looks like the same stuff sold as EPauto. Look at the ratchets
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B078YZMBXN/ref=sspa_mw_detail_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1


I have no idea if the stuff is junk or good for the money but I was impressed with the useful selection of sizes/no BS content of this set.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LWT0NGH/ref=sspa_mw_detail_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[turbodave]

Looks almost the same as this Stanley set, right down to the price. Just a few differences in the case molding and allen wrench holders.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009EMKMBM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[CJ7VFR]

Might be a good "junk yard" set. Something to use at the pick-n-pull yards.

Ray

20 years ago I bought a Metrinch 62 piece tool set for that exact reason! At that time they were sold in Sears stores, and I got mine, on sale, for about $20 bucks. It has regular and deep sockets, a set of combination wrenches, a thumb driver, a wobble extension, a 1/4 to 3/8 adapter, and a nut driver handle for the 1/4 sockets

It is the set that has the wrenches and sockets that have the rounded interior edges so that it contacts nuts and bolts on the flats and not the points. That, and because of the way it contacts the flats, the sockets and wrenches can be used on both Metric and SAE hardware.

This made it perfect for taking a junkyard so no matter what size nut or bolt was used, on any vehicle, it would work. Example, for 12 mm, 13 mm and 1/2 inch sized hardware, the same wrench or socket can be used on all three of them.

I don't go to many junkyards anymore (now that I am an old guy) but I still use the Metrinch toolset almost everyday in my basement shop.

Jim

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Looks pretty similar to the kits that have been sold at Costco over the years. Probably work fine for 90% of the people in the world.

Yup, for assembling furnature, and possibly changing a spark plug in a lawn mower, it appears to be fine kit. I'd go so far to say you could even perform a brake pad replacement with such a kit. Of course you would.need something to compress the caliper.

Sorry GJ members, but this kit is well above what the average homeowner has on tap. Seems like a reasonable value for John Q Homeowner.

 

[fluxdeity]

I don't know how much you can trust this.

 

[fluxdeity]

 

[sweet victory]

Yup, for assembling furnature, and possibly changing a spark plug in a lawn mower, it appears to be fine kit. I'd go so far to say you could even perform a brake pad replacement with such a kit. Of course you would.need something to compress the caliper.

Sorry GJ members, but this kit is well above what the average homeowner has on tap. Seems like a reasonable value for John Q Homeowner.

Agreed 100%, even though it's not something I would purchase.

 

[CobraRed]

I don't know how much you can trust this.

That just means Amazon is the MFG on record. The person answering those questions has no idea what they are talking about.

Dollars to donuts this set is China.

 

[Stooge]

Yup, for assembling furnature, and possibly changing a spark plug in a lawn mower, it appears to be fine kit. I'd go so far to say you could even perform a brake pad replacement with such a kit. Of course you would.need something to compress the caliper.

Sorry GJ members, but this kit is well above what the average homeowner has on tap. Seems like a reasonable value for John Q Homeowner.

Exactly, probably not something I would buy, but we here are the outlier. I've already sent the link to that kit to a good friend of mine who, in his mid 30's, is finally catching the mechanical work bug. I donated a few of my extras sets of sockets and wrenches to him last year, and between him probably not putting things away and his curious young kids getting into his stuff, would you believe a majority of the sockets are missing and the complete set of combination wrenches, are surprisingly no longer complete. The likelihood of him ever cracking a socket or having a tool fail in any sort of dire scenario, are slim to none. Having a little organized case where everything has its place is a great thing for someone like him, and is a good set to build off of. Plus if he loses a socket or something breaks, its no big deal for the price.

 

[M6erfan]

I don't know how much you can trust this.

LMAO! Really? One born every minute...

 

[Bretny]

Its just a chinese tool set. Im sure ebay has the same thing. Most if not all of "amazon basics" stuff is cheap bottom of the barrel stuff.

Would prob be good for a emergency tool kit but i have been around long enough that i found all that stuff for free or got craftsman stuff on a deep sale.

 

[highland512]

Might be a good "junk yard" set. Something to use at the pick-n-pull yards.

Ray

Pick and pull part then leave tool set

 

[jd_1138]

For most humanoids who just do casual DIY stuff like putting furniture together or occasional repairs, that's a great price for what you get in that kit.

 

[sk farmer]

just went back and looked again. the set pisses me off the more i look at. the wrenches are even wrong in the case. i also looked at the sizes. no 7/16 wrench? only morons put together a wrench set that goes with a 3/8 socket set and doesn't include the basic sizes up to 3/4 and at least 18 or 19 mm.

if you have to choose having basic tools, the first thing one should have is set of wrenches from 3/8-3/4 and or metric from 10-19.

 

[PNWguy]

This is fine. Amazon will sell a ton of them.
It's going to be every bit as good as HF or Sears, for less money.

I really don't understand all the complaining - it's not made for you and me. It's not marketed at you and me.

Complaining about a cheap set of tools to put Ikea furniture together with on GJ, is like a bunch of guys complaining that tampon ads don't make sense - it's not for you.

 

[L.Cheapo]

Pick and pull part then leave tool set

I don't know how much you can trust this.

Next thing he'll tell you is that you'll get it in two days or less!

 

[southalabama]

A couple years ago I ordered a handful of amazon basics pliers for a business we owned. The pliers and cutters were used to twist and cut picture hanging wire and occasionally pulling nails and staples. I ordered several so that no matter which work table you were on that you wouldn't be far from the pliers. The quality was surprising. Well worth the money.

 

[kythri]

Yeah, I'm not specifically endorsing these tools or anything, but I've had great experiences with a number of AmazonBasics products. I call shenanigans on them being "cheap bottom of the barrel stuff".

 

[Tallpilot]

just went back and looked again. the set pisses me off the more i look at. the wrenches are even wrong in the case. i also looked at the sizes. no 7/16 wrench? only morons put together a wrench set that goes with a 3/8 socket set and doesn't include the basic sizes up to 3/4 and at least 18 or 19 mm.

if you have to choose having basic tools, the first thing one should have is set of wrenches from 3/8-3/4 and or metric from 10-19.

This has always been a mystery to me as well. I understand wrenches cost more than sockets and take up more room in the case but these sets with 50 sockets and 5 wrenches are just ridiculous. If you can’t meet the target price point just leave the wrenches out so the buyer doesn’t end up with duplicates after buying a wrench set.

 

[fasteddie]

Complaining about a cheap set of tools to put Ikea furniture together with on GJ....

I don't think you even need tools for that, just the hex key they give you with the furniture.

 

[Max]

If you go through the answered questions on Amazon, one customer says that COO is China and another says Taiwan. COO is not on the box but is on the packaging. I agrre that this will meet a lot of people's modest needs, but for me it's blech. Once you use good tools you do not want to go back...

Max

 

[Moparman390]

As others have said #1 looks like it's Crescent/Apex, I agree, and #2 no 3/4" or 18mm of any kind? (3/4" can fill in for 19mm), that's a big problem.

Could have been ok for the average homeowner, entry level DIY guy, kid living in their first apartment, or car tool set, but, because of item #2, hard pass.

 

[Stooge]

Yeah, I'm not specifically endorsing these tools or anything, but I've had great experiences with a number of AmazonBasics products. I call shenanigans on them being "cheap bottom of the barrel stuff".

Agreed, not tools per se, but I have a lot of amazon basics stuff around the house, especially things like sets of plates, utensils, and glasses. Surprisingly robust for the price, and if I break a bowl or glass, I'm only out a few cents.

 

[AceofSpad3s]

Might be a good "junk yard" set. Something to use at the pick-n-pull yards.

Ray

I don't think any self respecting garage journal member doesn't have 15 spare sets to fill that role

 

[strutaeng]

"...backed by an AmazonBasics limited 1-year warranty."

 

[Parrothead]

just went back and looked again. the set pisses me off the more i look at. the wrenches are even wrong in the case. i also looked at the sizes. no 7/16 wrench? only morons put together a wrench set that goes with a 3/8 socket set and doesn't include the basic sizes up to 3/4 and at least 18 or 19 mm.

if you have to choose having basic tools, the first thing one should have is set of wrenches from 3/8-3/4 and or metric from 10-19.

I have more wrench sets than I care to admit, and my question is...why?

What exactly do you need combination wrenches for in a homeowner grade kit these days? What does the average Joe homeowner actually DO. Assemble some IKEA furniture, put together a grill from Home Depot, tune up their lawnmower, fix the washing machine (maybe), change out some light fixtures, clean out a drain, replace a toilet, change a faucet, and replace cabinet hardware.

I've often thought I could assemble a pretty good kit for 95% of the population to get done what they needed done on a budget without looking like something out of GJ.

I can do almost any repair on my Whirlpool direct drive washing machine with tools that will fit in a 32oz yogurt container. How many people do that these days anyway?

 

[Tallpilot]

I don't think any self respecting garage journal member doesn't have 15 spare sets to fill that role

Most likely. I have more tools than in this set in my lady's car.

 

[M6erfan]

Most likely. I have more tools than in this set in my lady's car.

Sounds like you need to get someone a better car

 

[Tallpilot]

Sounds like you need to get someone a better car

Indeed. It’s a Hyundai she got before I came around. I have her talked into a Toyota next. It isn’t terrible but it’s pretty clear every time I touch something on it that it isn’t engineered for longevity.

Her tool kit is where my old tools end up after I upgrade them.