Grey Pneumatic vs Genius Tools for Professional use

[ciscoford23]

I'm looking for 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch drive. I've tried Sunex tools and they seem to be decent but looking for more suggestions from people that have used GP and Genius for pro use. I do light line all the way up to diesel engine work.

I need to upgrade my current impact socket sets for work. I've been using AOK Tools impacts that I bought almost 20 years ago. They've help up well but are starting to wear and have lost some over the years.

 

[fitz1015]

For impact sockets I have used all the brands from HF to snapon in a professional environment and my best advice is to by the one you can warranty the easiest. Both brands you list hold up well and will do the Job.

Also some brands worth mentioning tekton and gearwrench have complete sets with no skips.

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[nczo6]

I have genius, sunex, tekton,American husky, snap on, and harbor freight. I would think gp would be pretty close to sunex. I think sunex is the best bargain for the money due to them being cro-mo and not cr-v like genius and tekton. That said I have no issues with my tektons or genius but I'm not making a living with them either.

 

[dnschmidt]

Coin flip. Pick one.

 

[T45]

If you got 20 years out the the last set, I wouldn't worry about cost variances (amongst tools in the generally same tier). Suggest to research the warranty. Sunex seems worth it if you can time one of their sales. GP seems to come up with more issues on that front when mentioned on GJ, and for home use in particular may cause second thoughts.

 

[Wesley B]

I don't have a comparison for genius, but for Grey I like their sockets better than say Sunex. I think their markings are better, they have a longer neck down area which helps for tight clearances, and I like the way their plastic cases/trays are laid out. But you basically have to find a dealer to get anything warrantied. You can call or email sunex and get a socket warrantied.

 

[fordnut85]

Never used genius but I have 90% grey in my box and use them every day. They fit well and hold up very well

 

[kctyphoon]

I always liked the idea of the duo sockets...

http://www.gpsocket.com/products/category.phtml/duo-socket_sets/

 

[ciscoford23]

I always liked the idea of the duo sockets...

http://www.gpsocket.com/products/category.phtml/duo-socket_sets/

I do like the idea of the duo sockets too.

 

[Fedwrench]

I prefer sunex to grey pneumatic simply because in addition to the tiny gold laser etched size markings found on grey pneumatic, sunex also stamps the size into each socket. If we're just talking impact sockets, I think genius or any of the other Taiwan made sets will serve you well.

 

[Kmaysob]

Been running a GP set for 10 years . Spent many years doing heavy equipment with them and never had an issue .

 

[zendigital]

I've said it before but I guess I can say it again albeit in the laziest way possible

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5908233#post5908233

As much as I like GP, I've never seen a company go so far out of its way to avoid warranty service. I recently contacted them to get a list of both online and local authorized distributors. One would think that living in West PA, there might be a fair few. Wrong.

Tool Source is literally the only authorized online distributor, and the nearest "local" distributor is 70 miles away in the middle of nowhere. That seems to be the pattern for their so called "local" authorized distributors, none are near any cities or even large towns, all seem to be out in bumf@ck, Yourstatehere.... Also, warranties are only honored through authorized distributors, they will not deal with you directly.

As I see it, your better off going w/ Sunex, but if you must get GP, Save yourself some money and just buy through amazon or whoever has it cheapest, if something breaks there are tons of e-tailers you can buy the individual part from since GP's turnaround time is about as fast as paving a driveway with a fork and high hopes.

Warranty wise they as bad as GM and thier Dexos "standard" to weasel their way out of honoring warranties.

 

[Kmaysob]

I've said it before but I guess I can say it again albeit in the laziest way possible

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5908233#post5908233



Warranty wise they as bad as GM and thier Dexos "standard" to weasel their way out of honoring warranties.

alot of matco guys deal with them . My.dealer warranties gp and gives the option to upgrade to a matco socket in the event of a failure .

 

[TK-421]

I like Grey because I got complete sets for a good price, they hold up well, and I don't need to warranty them through Grey, I can warranty them directly from the place I bought them from. If I remember correctly, they said I'd pay to ship the socket to them, and they'd send me a replacement and they'd pay return shipping. No questions asked, no hassle, no complaints. The nice thing is they're not an official authorized online retailer, but they don't care, they'll still replace a broken socket.

I thought that was pretty stand up of them, so I bought the 3/8 master set, and the biggest sets they had for 1/2 shallow and deep, in both metric and standard. And my OCD will eventually make me buy the 1/4 master set too, once I have a decent job and can afford to basically throw money away.

Granted, I'm not using them professionally quite yet, so I don't think I'll break a socket anytime soon, if ever, but it's nice to know I can get them replaced if it ever does happen.

 

[SMKS]

Warranty isn't my #1 concern, but it is worth considering.

If warranty is a concern, Sunex would be the choice for me.

GP - problematic warranty, as already noted. GP considers many sellers "not authorized" and won't warranty directly though the company, requiring you to go back through the distributor. I'd only buy if you can get them from a distributor you trust will handle any issues.
http://www.gpsocket.com/warranty.phtml

IMPORTANT NOTE: GP manufacturers’ professional and industrial tools which are sold through the professional marketplace. GP recommends that its products be purchased from its professional authorized dealers in order to assure future support and warranty service. Unauthorized sources could include but are not limited to: Amazon, Bonanza, Ebay, Craigslist, Newegg, Rakuten, Walmart, Sears or any shopping search engine. GP recommends that you check your source of purchase for their service and warranty policy before purchasing. GP and its authorized distributor network will assume no service or warranty liability for products purchased from unauthorized sources.

All products for warranty consideration must be returned to the place of purchase. In cases where there is a question regarding warranty, the distributor has the right to return the socket to GP for determination before any action is taken. Only authorized distributors are allowed to handle warranty service. For a listing of authorized distributors in your area, please contact us.

Sunex - They say you have to have a receipt, but at least they'll warranty them directly through the company.
http://sunextools.com/support/warranty-programs/

Return equipment or tools to Sunex® Tools or an Authorized Sunex® Warranty Center, SHIPPING PREPAID. Be certain to include your name, address and contact information, proof of purchase date, and a description of the suspected defect.

Genius - I like the Genius products I have, but they also don't seem to have a great warranty. They also say any warranty issues must be handled through the seller and a receipt is required. Another tool I would only purchase from a distributor you trust.

d. All claimed defective tools must be returned to the place of purchase. A copy of the invoice proving the date of purchase from the distributor will be required in the event of a warranty claim. The warranty period takes effect from the date of purchase and only extends to the original customer and cannot be transferred or assigned.

 

[ciscoford23]

Thank you all for chiming in. I'll look for local distributors but by the history of the brands in question they'll hold up fine. I'm eyeing the 3/8 GP duo sockets for a test run.

 

[rmsg0040]

Either will be good, I have both brands

Genius you can get either chrome moly or chrome vanadium

 

[kctyphoon]

Thank you all for chiming in. I'll look for local distributors but by the history of the brands in question they'll hold up fine. I'm eyeing the 3/8 GP duo sockets for a test run.

If I was entering the field, or had NO sockets, I swear I'd buy those Duo sockets. I just don't see any downside to them at all.. most for your money if you NEED chrome and impacts. Thin walled impacts too, and you eliminate HALF of the sockets you'd want/need to buy. It's almost worth it just to save the space, esp if you're a mobile mechanic.. if you get them, please post up some pics and opinions.

Just check out the reviews of the full 3/8" set with sae & metric on Amazon. People basically praise these things.. 90% of reviews are either 4 or 5 stars.. just for shits and giggles, read the reviews of people that left 1 and 2 stars.. I almost, no, - I do wish I would have bought these over the gearwrench sets I have - but the price of the gearwrench was too hard to pass up for a DIY person like me. if you think about it, at $180 for the kit, its like spending $90 on a chrome set, and another $90 on an identical impact set..

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029XKZKG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

$165 free ship on eBay,

Edit - $149 is the cheapest I found, don't know what shipping is
http://www.performancetoolcenter.co...kbFApfYevKVZL0fqjWpK9G1BmQgSk6QI26BoC4-nw_wcB

If you look at the link I posted, it looks like there is a near identical set for $144 with a different part number, it's the 12 point set

 

[General Geoff]

I have the 1/4" drive Duo sockets and they're great. Haven't broken one yet. The wobble extensions that they came with are a little weak, I've already broken one of those. Supposedly they changed the set to include standard non-wobble extensions now since they're stronger. I replaced the extensions with chrome wobble-fix extensions from Koken and they've been holding up just fine since, though admittedly I don't often use them with an impact driver.
I REALLY like the screwdriver handle that comes with the set, it has a wobble-fix head and a square drive on the handle end so you can put a ratchet on it for that extra bit of torque when needed.

 

[jerseykat1]

For impact sockets I have used all the brands from HF to snapon in a professional environment and my best advice is to by the one you can warranty the easiest. Both brands you list hold up well and will do the Job.

Also some brands worth mentioning tekton and gearwrench have complete sets with no skips.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

what he said!

 

[ciscoford23]

I'll post a review once I've used them for awhile. I'll probably get the 3/8 metric duo first since that'll see the most daily use other than 1/4 metric duo.

 

[kctyphoon]

I'll post a review once I've used them for awhile. I'll probably get the 3/8 metric duo first since that'll see the most daily use other than 1/4 metric duo.

Vid I found u might like -

 

[md21722]

They may be good starter sockets, but if you've ever used Snap On or Matco hard line impacts, the fit and feel is just better, at least compared to Sunex. The Sunex seem "tinny" if that makes sense. A more sloppy fit. Matco ADV is not the same as Sunex even though they may be similar. Matco hardline are probably my favorite right now.

 

[Pancho_Vanilla]

The GP's are really good sockets and an amazing bang for your buck. I bought the full 1/4 and 3/8 sets as well as the deep 1/2 metric set. Haven't had a single one break or round a head on a fastener and my 21mm 1/2in that I've been using nearly every day for the last 2-3 years is so holding up wonderfully and is easily my most used socket. I'm thinking about completing my sets with the 12 point versions of them as well.

You won't regret it. They will last you a long time.

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[tonyciambrone]

Can't comment on Genius Tools, no experience there.

I have the master 1/4 and 3/8 duo sockets and I really love them. The coating is worn a little bit on some of them, but none have broken, they are relatively thin wall, affordable etc. The included ratchet is only good if you are taking the blow-mold case mobile and forgot to bring your favorite. I would recommend GP very highly.

 

[ciscoford23]

Thank you all, I have the 3/8 duo in my cart. Browsing around I noticed that the 6pt 1/4 Duo metric set was out of stock in most places and not as easy to find. I'll probably go with their non Duo 1/4 set anyway.

 

[tonyciambrone]

Thank you all, I have the 3/8 duo in my cart. Browsing around I noticed that the 6pt 1/4 Duo metric set was out of stock in most places and not as easy to find. I'll probably go with their non Duo 1/4 set anyway.

This is where I got mine:
http://www.tooltopia.com/grey-pneumatic-89653crd.aspx

It shows it's only $17 bucks difference to get the fractional/metric set compared to just the metric deep/standard length. I'd recommend duo-socket for 1/4 especially because it is the place where every tenth of an inch counts.

 

[kctyphoon]

thank you all, i have the 3/8 duo in my cart. Browsing around i noticed that the 6pt 1/4 duo metric set was out of stock in most places and not as easy to find. I'll probably go with their non duo 1/4 set anyway.

dont do it!!