Hyped Up Tools That Disappointed You

[gdocktor3]

Had I known then what I know now, I would have looked elsewhere for these items. I thought if we shared our experiences and reasons why, it may help others from making the same mistakes. Two I can think of off hand that are/were greatly hyped up were

1) Snap On mg725 - I'm not a mechanic by trade, so when their top of the line impact wrench failed to remove fasteners my cordless Dewalt did, I was surprised. Considering the price of that tool, it's quite disappointing. Especially after seeing the Earthquake vs MG725 video by realtoolreview on YouTube.

2) Craftsman Professional Screwdrivers - many people dislike the standard Craftsman screwdrivers, but seem to really like the Pros. I bought a few on clearance last year to try out and don't understand the hype. They're skinny and the tips **** just as much as the normal hard handles. I'm talking about the red and black handles that SK also sells. Again for the price, there are much better options out there. Especially now that they're so heavily inflated on eBay.

3) Toptul 1/4" flex head ratchet - for the price I paid I'm not too upset, but was expecting a bit better quality after reading about them so much. Its HF quality at best. The head has a detent ball that really doesn't work and it really isn't that smooth.

4) Pittsburgh 1/4" Roto ratchet - it's nice because it has quick release, but other than that I don't care for it. The handle is oddly shaped and over not that smooth. I purchased it to compare to my Crescent/Gearwrench Roto ratchet and the Crescent wins hands down.

These are my personal experiences and opinions.

 

[kctyphoon]

Agreed on the roto ratchets.. I have both of those too...

 

[skipnay]

Can't stand the craftsman screwdrivers since I have used Mac, Snap on, Matco, and so on. I agree with the snap on impacts. I bought a cheap blue point for like $80. It worked better then the couple hundred dollar jobs from Snap on.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Definitely the gator grip! lol, joking aside i don't think i've made a purchase yet i was disappointed in for their build or performance. I've bought tools that i bought that i couldn't apply to my jobs properly. One example is the Ingersoll Rand 3/8 20v ratchet. That thing is awesome but too long for driveway work. Would have been better when i was working in a shop with an overhead lift. As well as the milwaukee m18 fuel 3/8 impact. When i really needed those "200" ft lbs it never really delivered, but it's no fault of the gun. I just got the IR W5132, that "should" do the trick.

 

[L.Cheapo]

8 pc Knipex snap ring plier set. They're OK. The forgings are so much bigger than the tips they're difficult to get into tight places--the kind of places you find internal snap rings! I really don't think they're any better than most other snap ring tools, aside from the cheapie stamped models. Probably should have gone with the forged Snap on set.

 

[saulvg99]

Craftsman 75 tooth 3/8 ratchet. Bought it on sale from Sears. It's too heavy, the handle feels awkward and it has a lot of play at the end.

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[Davefr]

Knipex makes some excellent tools but they have their fare share of duds. Their needle nose pliers are a big disappointment.

Ingersol Rand non industrial compressors. I'd rather have HF then their crappy consumer grade compressors.

 

[Ign]

Craftsman 75 tooth 3/8 ratchet. Bought it on sale from Sears. It's too heavy, the handle feels awkward and it has a lot of play at the end.

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Sorry to hear that. I know I've been one of the ones saying those are nice. I still thoroughly enjoy mine. As was also said here, ratchets are like religion on this forum. I get the complaint about weight, but it doesn't bother me; just makes it feel solid.

As for the thread, the Knipex pliers wrench is also a religious love it or hate it thing (I don't own any so I can't say):
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=284557

 

[thegroundpounder99]

For me it was a Fluke meter. I tried a couple 233's with no luck. One was DOA and the other wasn't far behind. Plus the warranty period seemed a little short. I know they get a lot of love and I had a 87 for years but I lost faith in them after the 233 issues.


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[nh_yota]

RoboGrip pliers. Bought my dad a set for Christmas 20 years ago because they were the must-have tool from Sears that year. Bought him a Knipex Pliers Wrench for Christmas this year and I think they are way better than the RoboGrips.

 

[Ign]

RoboGrip pliers. Bought my dad a set for Christmas 20 years ago because they were the must-have tool from Sears that year. Bought him a Knipex Pliers Wrench for Christmas this year and I think they are way better than the RoboGrips.

Uh....never thought of the RoboGrips as must-have. It was always clearly a gimmick. But like everything else there's a thread dedicated to them here where a small minority claim to very much enjoy them to this day.

 

[Ray-CA]

As much as it embarrasses me to admit this-----it was the battery powered, use anywhere soldering gun (Coldfire?) that was hyped a few years back. I bought two of those and gave one to my FIL.

Ray

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

As much as it embarrasses me to admit this-----it was the battery powered, use anywhere soldering gun (Coldfire?) that was hyped a few years back. I bought two of those and gave one to my FIL.

Ray

My grandfather just gifted me this, I think it's called cold heat. I then gifted it to my brother. Neat concept but not something I could use with the type of work I do. I have a butane portasol soldering iron kit I use

 

[bczygan]

veg a matic

 

[tarbellb]

Weller SP80 soldering irons- had 5 out of 8 burn out on me.
- Then the Customer Service treated me like I was the bad guy.

Milwaukee M12 drill/driver combo- glitchy electronics, super slow rpms, weak, heavy.

CH Hanson Auto Lock pliers 3pc set - they open so wide its a two handed operation + if not perfectly static, they dont grip.

M18 Fuel 7 1/4" Circ Saw - handy sure, but definitely seems underpowered compared to my corded models. I might have a dud, bought refurb'd?

HF 13" Bench Drill Press - 38142 - I put it through some serious work but I have had two fail on me. One burned up the belts then locked up a pulley. The other mysteriously got a bent quill. That and overall lack of performance, build quality. Oh and you can see the head flex away from the table in heavy jobs!

There may be more but those are on my sh*tlist right now. I did have a lot of winners this year as well.

 

[Shootinok]

Jay Cutler

 

[Finky198]

The IR hammerhead pissed me off, I have since fixed it without their help and it has perfomed great ever since. I bought it used in good working conditions had no problems. Then one day it completely stops working turns out the head was not designed well and was lacking a simple setscrew to keep a collar from rotating, but IR's solution Just buy a new head assembly for more than you paid for the tool... ( the new part of which they never actually fixed the intial problem or so I was told by an IR tech) A few days and and a whole Lotta cursing and yelling and I fixed what they said could not be done. And the fix has lasted years... And cost me nothing...

 

[Superbec]

this Bosch finder GMS 100 the accuracy is so bad it make it useless



Facom screwdrivers , junk ...at a premium.


Evolution rage whatever miter saw ..... junk but at least cheap , but still junk

 

[6PTsocket]

After watching endless ads for oscillating cutters. I finally bit and bought a Rockwell. I tried it. It worked fine and then found that I almost never use it. Maybe one day it will be the perfect tool for some job but I haven't found it yet.

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[6PTsocket]

Weller SP80 soldering irons- had 5 out of 8 burn out on me.
- Then the Customer Service treated me like I was the bad guy.

Milwaukee M12 drill/driver combo- glitchy electronics, super slow rpms, weak, heavy.

CH Hanson Auto Lock pliers 3pc set - they open so wide its a two handed operation + if not perfectly static, they dont grip.

M18 Fuel 7 1/4" Circ Saw - handy sure, but definitely seems underpowered compared to my corded models. I might have a dud, bought refurb'd?

HF 13" Bench Drill Press - 38142 - I put it through some serious work but I have had two fail on me. One burned up the belts then locked up a pulley. The other mysteriously got a bent quill. That and overall lack of performance, build quality. Oh and you can see the head flex away from the table in heavy jobs!

There may be more but those are on my sh*tlist right now. I did have a lot of winners this year as well.

Some guy posted " Never buy anything at HF that plugs in". I guess he was right.

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[gdocktor3]

The IR hammerhead pissed me off, I have since fixed it without their help and it has perfomed great ever since. I bought it used in good working conditions had no problems. Then one day it completely stops working turns out the head was not designed well and was lacking a simple setscrew to keep a collar from rotating, but IR's solution Just buy a new head assembly for more than you paid for the tool... ( the new part of which they never actually fixed the intial problem or so I was told by an IR tech) A few days and and a whole Lotta cursing and yelling and I fixed what they said could not be done. And the fix has lasted years... And cost me nothing...

Perhaps you should make a new thread based on your experiences and steps taken to fix it for others to see. I'm sure you're not the only person with that problem.

 

[Jeeper]

Jay Cutler

As a Bears fan that had me laughing.

 

[6PTsocket]

Can't stand the craftsman screwdrivers since I have used Mac, Snap on, Matco, and so on. I agree with the snap on impacts. I bought a cheap blue point for like $80. It worked better then the couple hundred dollar jobs from Snap on.

Did you see the head to head video test, with lab grade equipment, of the HF vs the Snapon. The $129 (always on sale price) HF met or beat the SnapOn impact on every spec. The only question is how durable it is. But you can buy three for the cost of one Snap On.

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[Finky198]

Perhaps you should make a new thread based on your experiences and steps taken to fix it for others to see. I'm sure you're not the only person with that problem.

Will do thanks for the tip

I will gather up all my previous post and info on the topic and make it a thread. I've fixed 2-3 on here so far so it can't hurt...

 

[65k10]

Grip-On locking pliers. They are decent, but not the replacement for Petersen's some made them out to be. That said I do like the larger jaws on the 10" Grip-On vs a Petersen 10" locking plier. However, I still stay on the lookout for good condition Petersen vise-grips at pawn shops and I'm eyeing the Bollmangrip pliers at Epstein's.

 

[uberschall]

I was pretty bummed out with Irwin quick-grip clamps. They seem to be goofy sizes and lack the holding force or versatility of conventional designs, which spoiled the convenience.

Gave them away.

 

[Olafur]

3) Toptul 1/4" flex head ratchet - for the price I paid I'm not too upset, but was expecting a bit better quality after reading about them so much. Its HF quality at best. The head has a detent ball that really doesn't work and it really isn't that smooth.

Toptul ratchets are probably made by William (Taiwan). Most of them are decent but they are not the best items in the Toptul line. Their wrenches, sockets, hex keys etc... can compete with the big boys - for fraction of the price.

 

[cliftonbros89]

Armstrong Maxx ratchets. I just don't feel they're that great. I'll take my Snap On or SK ratchets any day over any of my Armstrong 88 ratchets. To me they don't seem as smooth as what they're said to be. I also don't consider the swing arc to be what it's said to be. Plus I've had problems with them locking up on me. Which I really hate. Not to mention dealing with anything Armstrong seems to be a major pain anymore as far as purchase or warranty go. I know they get talked up on GJ. But they're not for me.

 

[saulvg99]

Sorry to hear that. I know I've been one of the ones saying those are nice. I still thoroughly enjoy mine. As was also said here, ratchets are like religion on this forum. I get the complaint about weight, but it doesn't bother me; just makes it feel solid.

As for the thread, the Knipex pliers wrench is also a religious love it or hate it thing (I don't own any so I can't say):
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=284557

Yeah, maybe I'm just used to my Duralast, to me it feels like half as light as the craftsman. Which could be a bad thing since it might not be as solid, but I hardly ever abuse my ratchets, like by putting a cheater bar, especially the 3/8. The ratcheting mechanism on craftsman is nice, thou.

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[1982fxr]

Armstrong Maxx ratchets. I just don't feel they're that great. I'll take my Snap On or SK ratchets any day over any of my Armstrong 88 ratchets. To me they don't seem as smooth as what they're said to be. I also don't consider the swing arc to be what it's said to be. Plus I've had problems with them locking up on me. Which I really hate. Not to mention dealing with anything Armstrong seems to be a major pain anymore as far as purchase or warranty go. I know they get talked up on GJ. But they're not for me.

I love mine, but I'm not s pro wrench...

 

[nbpt100]

After watching endless ads for oscillating cutters. I finally bit and bought a Rockwell. I tried it. It worked fine and then found that I almost never use it. Maybe one day it will be the perfect tool for some job but I haven't found it yet.

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I have used mine a fair amount. Always got me out of a jamb when no other tool I had would have worked. I dont have the Rockwell but a similar tool with multiple attachments to cut metal and wood. It is not a gimmick tool. It is complimentary. Trust me it does things other tools just can't do.

 

[bcradio]

As a Bears fan that had me laughing.

As a bodybuilding fan, that had me laughing as well.

 

[bcradio]

Will do thanks for the tip

I will gather up all my previous post and info on the topic and make it a thread. I've fixed 2-3 on here so far so it can't hurt...

Thank you very much. I'd like to know this as well. I have one and so far, (crossing fingers) it has performed without issue. I hope it doesn't break, but I want to be ready if it does.

 

[M6erfan]

After joining GJ a couple of years ago I kept reading posts about how awesome the Snap-On ratcheting screwdriver was so I picked one up.

Hated it.

Bulky handle and the bits rolling around inside during use drove me nuts. Sold it...

 

[Parrothead]

After joining GJ a couple of years ago I kept reading posts about how awesome the Snap-On ratcheting screwdriver was so I picked one up.

Hated it.

Bulky handle and the bits rolling around inside during use drove me nuts. Sold it...

I still own mine, but it was billed up as the second coming and it's no better than the Husky I bought for $5 after Thanksgiving. Truthfully I like the Husky better.

 

[PavelK313]

SK anything, looks and feels cheap, oddly shaped wrenches, low quality chrome (ratchets, sockets, wrenches). Would never buy anything SK again.

Composite ratchet from HF. Seemed to be good quality tool, just want comfortable for me.

 

[Dan_s_young]

Will do thanks for the tip

I will gather up all my previous post and info on the topic and make it a thread. I've fixed 2-3 on here so far so it can't hurt...

My hammerhead is working great thanks to the help from Finky198!!

I'm surprised to hear negative reviews about the knipex snap rings pliers, in my experience they have been the best money can buy.

 

[Rarified27]

Gearwrench Pass Thru Socket Sets.

I'm not a pro in any way, but frequently use sockets for work and other applications away from home way more than actually being here, so I thought these would be a great alternative to needing shallow and deep sockets, plus the kits both had locking flex ratchets. Turns out the sockets have super thin walls (haven't broken one, but torqued two out of round) and worse- the extensions attach around the socket, making tight fits impossible.

Heads's up if you're looking to buy one- the 3/8 pass thru ratchet is enormous. More like a beefy 1/2 in size. Great leverage if you have the clearance, but feels more like pumping a floor jack than using a ratchet.

Every Gearwrench ratchet I've owned except the roto ratchets- I've had the regular 60 tooth and Pass Thru mentioned above. ALL of them (except the roto's) would auto reverse on me no matter how I adjusted them. I sold every set I have except one, only because it was a gift and I find the occasional use for it.

Overall, this is a damn shame. I have their ratcheting flex wrenches and gimbal ratchets which I consider invaluable. Maybe someday I'll try the 120's everyone here raves about.

 

[gdocktor3]

I still own mine, but it was billed up as the second coming and it's no better than the Husky I bought for $5 after Thanksgiving. Truthfully I like the Husky better.

I said the same exact thing in another post yesterday.

 

[Schurkey]

Snap-On SVT-261 vacuum pump/vacuum tester. Had one for twenty years, worked great. Problem is that it takes two hands to pump it. The competition (Mity-Vac, primarily) pumps with one hand. I eventually got a Mity-Vac Silverline. Nothing but problems until I ****-canned the original check valve, and replaced it with a Holley accelerator pump umbrella check-valve. Now it works good.

Mac Spinflex ratchet. I misunderstood The Mac Man when he showed it to me. I thought the plastic handle pushed forward to lock the flex head. Nope. The plastic handle can spin separately from the rest of the handle as you speed nuts onto studs. Ehhhh. I use mine, but only because I had the Mac man put the compact 3/8" "guts kit" into my 1/4" body. Now that I have a Snappy Roto "compact 3/8"" I'll probably retire the Mac Spinflex.

Craftsman RHFT ratchets, in particular the 3/8". I would go through them like clockwork at 6-month intervals. New ratchet, six months later I put in a repair kit. Six months later, internal teeth worn out, so I get a new ratchet. Repeat for another couple of years. I got off that merry-go-round with the purchase of a Snappy long-handle 3/8 that I had the Snap-On man put a pushbutton-release "guts kit" into. My favorite ratchet for twenty years.

Honorable Mention: "Sears Best" tune-up equipment kit. Included a huge Penske Tach-Dwell-Volt-Ohm-Amp meter, a timing light, vacuum/fuel pressure gauge and an accessories kit. If there were other items, I don't remember them. They were the envy of all my friends; and I used it (not professionally) for about eight years, starting Junior year of high-school. Eventually, I had a job where I used it professionally. Didn't figure out that the dwellmeter and perhaps the tach were hatefully out-of-calibration. Caused me some pain. At about the same time, I was having problems with the timing light being not bright enough. Bought a Mac TL-88 which I'm still using. Holy ****, that Mac timing light was three times as bright as the Craftsman, and better focused. The only part of the Sears kit that I still have is the vacuum gauge; and it doesn't zero properly. So the Sears stuff didn't last very long, and the meter gave me some "history". Maybe I shouldn't have expected "Sears Best" to actually be durable enough, much like that Sears Best RHFT ratchet.

Both of my single-stage air compressors. First was a 115-volt, 20 gallon. Damn near a waste of enthusiasm. Next was a 5-horse 60 gallon, that ran continuously when I had the die-grinder operating. Lots of water, too. There is JUST NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A REAL AIR COMPRESSOR.