Kobalt Tools?

[GBNZ]

These 100% made in usa?

Quality compared to craftsman thanks.

 

[Cumminst100]

Pretty sure they are made by danaher quality is probably on par with cman and Allen. I have some of the older ones made by Williams and I love them

 

[GBNZ]

They seem cheap enough

 

[Joe B.]

Most of the Kobalt mechanics hand tools are made by Apex and are virtually identical to Craftsman. The ones you are looking at will be exactly the same other then the way they look

Some other Kobalt stuff is amazingly cheap and on par with the Evolve stuff at Sears or some of the newer Harbor Freight stuff.

 

[Coach James]

Apex=Danaher + Cooper.

Coach

 

[mrholeshot]

All Kobalt tools are Not made in the USA, Just the Ratchets, wrenches and Sockets. While They are made by the same company (Dannaher) the Kobalts are a better tool than Craftsman. Just because several differant tools come out of the same plant doesn't make them the same quality. Craftsman raised panel ratchets are built to Sears specs and Kobalt is Built to Lowes specs. There is a differance in the two although they both appear very similar.

When it come to other Kobalt tools (screwdrivers, pliers, etc) there is some real junk to be had.

 

[mrholeshot]

I've bought a total of 13 of these sets when they were on sale for 19.95 (11 are for Christmas gifts the other two for me) and I don't understand is why the Ratchets in these sets are so much nicer than the open stock or other sets.

I also caught the 1/4 drive set like you show on sale for 9.95. I only bought two of those. To bad they don't make that set with the deep sockets

 

[Fedwrench]

I don't understand is why the Ratchets in these sets are so much nicer than the open stock or other sets.

The 3/8 ratchet in your set was the first Kobalt ratchet design when Danaher started making Kobalt tools a few years ago or so. However, it's no longer made. Kobalt switched to their new satin finished ratchet that resembles the standard Craftsman raised panel ratchet with a little Armstrong influence with the curves to the handle. It's the same as the Craftsman 36 tooth model ratchet internally. In fact, all of the core hardline items are the same as Craftsman models with slightly different packaging.. Kobalt wrenches are the same as their Napa, K-D, and Allen satin finished clones. Craftsman offers a wider selection of sizes compared to Kobalt.

 

[wafrederick]

I have a couple of the multi bit screwdrivers,made in China.Tape measures are made in China too

 

[Old Donn]

I've bought a total of 13 of these sets when they were on sale for 19.95 (11 are for Christmas gifts the other two for me) and I don't understand is why the Ratchets in these sets are so much nicer than the open stock or other sets.

I also caught the 1/4 drive set like you show on sale for 9.95. I only bought two of those. To bad they don't make that set with the deep sockets

Got this one on sale too. Took a while for Lowe's to re-stock them since mrholeshot bought them all up, (just kidding), but finally got mine last week. $17.02 with my veteran's discount. As an amateur, they're plenty good enough for me.

 

[mrholeshot]

The 3/8 ratchet in your set was the first Kobalt ratchet design when Danaher started making Kobalt tools a few years ago or so. However, it's no longer made.

The very last set I got it took 7 weeks to get. I had to wait for Dannaher to tool up. I got it ten days ago and it is the same ratchets as the older ones. The new 69.95 40 pc sets have the same ratchet I have. It's the only set that seems to come with that ratchet.

 

[rayzor32]

ive used that set before and the ratchet is very nice

 

[mrholeshot]

Got this one on sale too. Took a while for Lowe's to re-stock them since mrholeshot bought them all up, (just kidding), but finally got mine last week. $17.02 with my veteran's discount. As an amateur, they're plenty good enough for me.

Personally I think they screwed up on the price. They are as good enough for a pro. I have a set on my workbench and I use them constantly. I have 0 issues with them being 12 point

 

[kythri]

Regarding the Kobalt ratchets being "better" - didn't someone post here, showing that the internals, save for the style of the selector lever, were identical, and swapped between the two?

I may need to go buy a Kobalt ratchet or three, and do this myself if I can't find the post...

 

[supertooljunkie]

I have the same 3/8" set as Mr. Holeshot, and Old Donn. It is my truck 3/8" set. I have used it in junkyards, on jobsites and wrenching at other people's houses, and it hasn't let me down yet. I bought it on sale for $20 and threw it in the back of my truck and didn't open it for a year. When I did, I found no 9/16" shallow, and two, 14mm. I took it to the Lowes in Houston, TX, (I bought it in Lilburn, GA), and the lady gave me the 9/16" and let me keep the extra 14mm. I have a 1/4" set like the one shown, in my truck also. Had no problems with it. Wish it did have deep sockets. I bought a set of Kobalt, deep, mm, sockets on sale, and threw those in the truck.
The older, Williams, 1/4" drive sets did have deep well sockets. I bought a bunch of those as they were clearancing them out as Christmas gifts. I didn't end up with one, though.
If you find the Williams, Kobalt tools, snap them up. They are much nicer than the Danaher stuff.

 

[mrholeshot]

Regarding the Kobalt ratchets being "better" - didn't someone post here, showing that the internals, save for the style of the selector lever, were identical, and swapped between the two?

I may need to go buy a Kobalt ratchet or three, and do this myself if I can't find the post...

The internals are near identical except the Kobalt has no plastic in them. The Craftsman case is machiced very poorly and causes the ratchet to reverce under moderate load. I did the test but I didn't swap the internals.