Best-in-class tools by brand

[Samuel D]

What are the gems from each company’s range?

Looking for must-have tools that are class-leading in some way, time-proven, usefully innovative, great value, or just emblematic of their maker. Mainly tools that any mechanically inclined person would see a use for, not speciality tools.

A few ideas to start with:

Knipex: pliers wrench. An icon of that company’s core product range. Useful and unique.

Wera: Allen keys. The Hex-Plus tip, which is basically the male equivalent of Snap-on’s Flank Drive, is still under patent protection. So Wera is your only choice if you want it.

Irega: great adjustable wrenches (sometimes sold under other names like Bahco and Channellock).

Mitutoyo: vernier callipers.

Stahlwille: the Stabil 20 deep-offset spanners are said to be archetypal of that brand.

Facom: various Palm Control round-head ratchets, 76 angled socket wrenches, maybe the 440 combination spanners for their novel features.

Norbar: torque wrenches (but which model or range showcases the company best?).

Snap-on: you tell me! Perhaps the XDH High Performance straight ring spanners?

Hazet: aside from the Assistent, what else?

Gedore: 7UR ratcheting spanners. Possibly the only European company not farming these out to Taiwan (which shows how good the Taiwanese are at this sort of thing).

SK?
Wright?
Cornwell?
Mac?
Koken?
KTC?
Nepros?
Unior?
Toptul?
Bahco?
Etc.

Say why if it’s not obvious.

 

[davek125]

Koken - ratchets, for the finish and precise action

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

 

[MushCreek]

Subscribed. BTW- Who still uses vernier calipers? I'll vote Mitutoyo for digital calipers, though.

 

[Samuel D]

Subscribed. BTW- Who still uses vernier calipers? I'll vote Mitutoyo for digital calipers, though.

I do by preference for mechanical things free of electronics when possible. I’m sure I’d use a digital calliper if I had a use for it many times a day, but I don’t. Yeah, I hear Mitutoyo makes good digital instruments too.

 

[MushCreek]

A life time ago, I used to run automatic screw machines. We avoided dial calipers, as chips would get in the rack and throw them off by jumping a tooth. We all carried vernier calipers for that reason. I still have mine, but they haven't seen the light of day in 40 years. I'd have to use them under a magnifying glass these days!

 

[bcradio]

I believe we have a few of these threads already. They would have some good ideas as to what tools are best under what brands. I dont have links.

 

[BarryWells]

Proto. Everything they produce is close enough in quality and often better than any tool made by any other company.
Wright it close. They really don't make all that much stuff in comparison to others but are smart enough to have their Name proudly stamped in other products by other USA companies who are top notch for the buck. SK is in a similar pattern but actually OWN some of the other companies that rebrand the pieces SK.
Williams is another and they're nice enough to allow the shopper to see if the product they're interested in is USA or no.

Unless you can't tell I prefer indistrial brands over dancing dorks in 1/2 million dollar Winnebagos offering weekly credit.

 

[American Locomotive]

From SK, I'd say their X-Frame ratcheting wrenches are one of their best offerings. Super high quality, smooth action and I think just about the only 6-point ratcheting wrench on the market.

I definitely agree with the Wera hex wrenches. The plastic-covered color coded keys are hands down the nicest hex wrenches I've ever used. No one comes close.

Proto. Everything they produce is close enough in quality and often better than any tool made by any other company.

Unless you can't tell I prefer indistrial brands over dancing dorks in 1/2 million dollar Winnebagos offering weekly credit.

He's not asking the best brand, he's asking the best tools from specific brands.

 

[Mecha]

Proto. Everything they produce is close enough in quality and often better than any tool made by any other company.
Wright it close. They really don't make all that much stuff in comparison to others but are smart enough to have their Name proudly stamped in other products by other USA companies who are top notch for the buck. SK is in a similar pattern but actually OWN some of the other companies that rebrand the pieces SK.
Williams is another and they're nice enough to allow the shopper to see if the product they're interested in is USA or no.

Unless you can't tell I prefer indistrial brands over dancing dorks in 1/2 million dollar Winnebagos offering weekly credit.

I don't know about "everything" but they make a bunch of very good things. I know for a fact that they made the very best long shank hex head 3/8's sockets out there. Used them to build a bunch of 80/20 fixtures and they were the only ones that held up.

 

[jimmyin3D]

FACOM Oil Filter wrenches u46 and u48 known for the ratcheting action no other maker has. Also their locking pliers 500 series super adjustable.

SNAP ON definetley there extra long combination wrenches with Flank Drive Plus. And there Flare Nut wrenches, nothing is as good as them. 1/4 drive universal sockets, very shallow and super strong. Snap ring pliers forged and reversible with a screw. Pistol grip long ring nose hose gripping pliers, extremely strong.

MATCO/ARMSTRONG pinless Universal Impact sockets.

STABILA magnetic bubble level. Super strong magnets and accurate.

PB SWISS anything involving L-Keys hex and torx, super strong. Same with there punches and chisels.

KOKEN ZEAL extra shallow sockets, very precise fittings. Also there double universal sockets.

KOKEN t-handle’s they have an oval shape so it’s not all loose and floppy. There wobble-fix extensions also are pretty unique in how precisely they snap into sockets and has knurled end to easily spin.

KTC extra shallow socket adapter/spinner.

MOUNTAIN/EZ RED extra long double box flex ratcheting reversible offset wrenches.

TRUSTY COOK dead blow hammers.

ESTWING ball pein hammers.

TONE universal crows foot flare nut sockets. The first company that made these and are actually strong unlike the cheap Taiwan/Chinese kind.

VIM half cut hex and torx bits/sockets. Bits that are actually strong and dependable.

ENGINEER screw removal pliers, they actually work very well.

OLFA cutters/knives with snap off blades. Very sharp and convenient to use.

SK trim removal tool adjustable, very thin, and really strong.

MAYHEW picks, Oil ring picks, and hose clamp pliers.

 

[u118224]

One thing Snap-on does better than anyone in my experience is chrome universals. They are shorter and have a greater degree of angle than anything I’ve seen, including Mac/Proto.

 

[CrazyTools]

Koken - ratchets, for the finish and precise action

Subscribed. BTW- Who still uses vernier calipers? I'll vote Mitutoyo for digital calipers, though.

I do by preference for mechanical things free of electronics when possible. I’m sure I’d use a digital calliper if I had a use for it many times a day, but I don’t. Yeah, I hear Mitutoyo makes good digital instruments too.

Sam, the above are two examples why this thread will derail quickly. When you're talking about best in class for a tool company, everyone will come out of the woodwork to promote their own tools and their preferred brands.

If the answer to anything caliper related is anything but Starrett, then it's wrong. Just as anyone who lists Koken as best in class for ratchets is completely, and utterly wrong.

Would suggest adding 1st, 2nd, and 3rd tiers based on pricing. 1st Tier: Most expensive, but best, digital caliper: Starrett. 2nd Tier based on quality and price: Mitutoya (fun fact, most are made in Brazil now, not Japan). 3rd Tier based on quality and price: Brown and Sharpe.

Something along those lines might help make this a better overall project.

Now I'll interject my own drama to the bowl of neverending fun:

I would list Snap-on for flare wrenches, their XDLRM series high performance ratcheting box end wrenches, and their regular SOXRRM series ratcheting wrenches as best in class. You guys can go to war on ratchets, sockets, screwdrivers, hammers, torque wrenches (particularly digital, but I'll give a nod to Stahlwille also here), and pliers until this thread is 8,000 pages long, but Snap-on is the clear winner there as well if you aren't doing price based comparisons and only want best in class.

Mac should be mentioned for: USA Impact Sockets (VP and VDP series). USA Torx sockets.

I don't know if it's technically a hand tool, but since it gets turned by hand it should be mentioned: Wilton bullet vises in any iteration (Tradesman, Combo, or Machinist) for best in class.

 

[LXCam]

Toptul, sockets, wrenches and ratchet wrenches. They are just as butter smooth as the SK's but are more useful. 15 degree head and a selector switch, I luv these things.

 

[exmaxima1]

I do by preference for mechanical things free of electronics when possible. I’m sure I’d use a digital calliper if I had a use for it many times a day, but I don’t. Yeah, I hear Mitutoyo makes good digital instruments too.

I appreciate your disdain for electronics, but you should at least use a Dial Caliper. And Mitutoyo makes excellent dial calipers as well.

 

[seber]

Brown and Sharpe dial calipers.
Greenlee chassis punches
Fien oscillating sander
Snap-on tool boxes

 

[Dakkyz]

Snap-on For Ratchet's 1/4 - 3/8 - 1/2 No one else offers all the sizes flexi heads/fixed, long, short, different drives on bodies, handles soft and chrome, Dual 80, they stay smooth even years after hard use.
The Socket's they just seem higher quality but plenty of competition these days.

Hazet - make excellent Wrenches, one of my favorites extremely strong long yet Slim. (600LG)

Unior - Also make great wrenches, with a different drive profile unique, kinda like Mac precision torque sockets, they make a great impact set as well.

TopTul - Wrenches and Sockets. But they are also OEM for a lot of premium tool companies.

Bahco - Adjustable Wrenches, they are jack of all trades, making decent quality tools from around the world and offering them at a good price.

 

[Superbec]

Toptul, sockets, wrenches and ratchet wrenches. They are just as butter smooth as the SK's but are more useful. 15 degree head and a selector switch, I luv these things.

You're joking right?

Went a few years ago to a toptul shop near me, tried all the ratchets , I really wanted to buy something , so many better options out there I couldn't waste my money. Got a Facom 1/2+1/4 set for few more euros ... amazing !!!

PB Swiss , best screwdrivers also probably the best fine work hammers and dead blow (not plastic)

Kukko best pullers and extractors

 

[LXCam]

You're joking right?

Went a few years ago to a toptul shop near me, tried all the ratchets , I really wanted to buy something , so many better options out there I couldn't waste my money. Got a Facom 1/2+1/4 set for few more euros ... amazing !!!

PB Swiss , best screwdrivers also probably the best fine work hammers and dead blow (not plastic)

Kukko best pullers and extractors

I'm not talking ratchets, those are ****. I'm only talking about the reversible ratchet wrenches. I have no idea how a company that can make such a great ratchet wrench can **** so badly making a ratchet.

BTW, I should remove the sockets and wrenches from the best in class aspect. I kind of got side tracked on the intent of the thread after reading Crazy's, crazy ****.

 

[rshadd]

C.S. Osborne - Forged Revolving Punch #155

Built to last several lifetimes.. Nothing else comes close.

 

[ChrisLS8]

One thing Snap-on does better than anyone in my experience is chrome universals. They are shorter and have a greater degree of angle than anything I’ve seen, including Mac/Proto.

Have you looked at Koken? I believe they are a bit shorter