Matco vs. Mac Tools vs. SnapOn
- Thread starter ekw540
- Start date
alongfortheride
Banned
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2010
- Messages
- 10
snap on is the best by the way the admins on this board are a bunch of *******
JJThrasher
Well-known member
Depends on the tool in question. They all make junk and they all make gems.
ken w.
Well-known member
I'll have to agree with JJ on this one. I prefer in order - Snap On then Matco. I don't deal with Mac because of the bad reps we have in my area.I find that SO has the best warranty of them all.I prefer Mac rear brake hold down spring tool over SO but I like SO rear brake spring tool over anyone else.Everyone has their favorites.
Cb-man
Well-known member
Tools from these dealers equal. Pick which tool rep you like the best. I found at my last two jobs I liked Mac the best. Before that I was all Cornwell specially because Cornwell deals with more manufactures
Sorry. I wasnt clear. I was talking about the roll-on tool boxes.
JMcFly
Well-known member
Harbor freight is a million times better.....
I had to
I had to
JJThrasher
Well-known member
They're all over built enough 99% of people will never have an issue. Go with whoever's drawer configuration you like the best and whoever will work the most on price.
JJThrasher
Well-known member
Seriously though. OP you should take a look at store brand tool boxes also. Way cheaper and good enough for the home mechanic and many shops also.
bry@n
Well-known member
I prefer snap-on's boxes. I prefer Mac's 1305 cart.
There is no one set company that I buy from.
There is no one set company that I buy from.
WRX/Z28
Well-known member
Looking for a box for life? Snap On...
Looking for a box for 10-15 years? Craftsman or HF
Looking for a box for 10-15 years? Craftsman or HF
FOWLER
Well-known member
I have some of them all and they all get the job done and are only as good as the person using them. I prefer My Matco Box vs the others and prefer Snap-on sockets and ratchets. Air tools not much different since most are Made by Ingersoll anyway. I quit buying Mac when the company became unstable and don't have a local Mac dealer to this day, the Mac tools I have are still going strong though. Can't go wrong with any of them honestly unless your a hobbyist then they would be a waste of money IMHO.
Diesel Dan
Well-known member
I had my new snap-on tool box all picked out and ready to order. Then I walked on the truck and he had a used Matco box that was traded in. Had all the roller drawers etc, was 1/2 the price of the new snap-on w/o roller drawers. Bought the matco and have no regrets, 20+ yrs later.
The box doesn't make you any money, the tools do.
The box doesn't make you any money, the tools do.
Bobdog
Well-known member
I've killed enough Craftsman boxes in the last ten years that I should just ponied up for top shelf brand. Guess that's what I get for being a cheap *******.
motobilt
Well-known member
I think it comes down to what you like and what fits your budget. I personally like my Snap-On tools better than the MAC Tools I own. With that said there are a few MAC items that will always have a place on my box.
Snap-On tool boxes are tougher in my opinion. I have owned both over the years. I just noticed the post directed to boxes. Both Snap-On and MAC will last if you take care of them. Still quality tips in the favor to Snap-On
Dan
Snap-On tool boxes are tougher in my opinion. I have owned both over the years. I just noticed the post directed to boxes. Both Snap-On and MAC will last if you take care of them. Still quality tips in the favor to Snap-On
Dan
Last edited:
Diesel Dan
Well-known member
Depends what the work environment is like.
None of these boxes liked being moved on a daily basis while loaded with tools, even the snap-on(SO) ones. In our shops we have ruined off the shelf SO boxes with constant twisting and pounding of moving them throughout the shop. If we used a off the self box of any brand it needed at minimum to remove the factory wheels, make a angle iron sub-frame and attach HD casters/wheels and sometimes there would be a complete exo-skeleton frame made around them. If they were fabricated in house they had 10ga sheet metal with 3/16 plate on top and bottom.
None of these boxes liked being moved on a daily basis while loaded with tools, even the snap-on(SO) ones. In our shops we have ruined off the shelf SO boxes with constant twisting and pounding of moving them throughout the shop. If we used a off the self box of any brand it needed at minimum to remove the factory wheels, make a angle iron sub-frame and attach HD casters/wheels and sometimes there would be a complete exo-skeleton frame made around them. If they were fabricated in house they had 10ga sheet metal with 3/16 plate on top and bottom.
Exceller8
Well-known member
I've used and own tools from all of the companies listed. All of them have worked exactly as expected for my needs. I'm sure there are individual tools that are better than others, but overall they're all pretty close. I can't speak for everything of course and some of the re-branded stuff is pretty bad.
I really like my new Matco ratcheting screwdriver kit that I bought awhile back. Got a pretty good deal from another GJ member.
I really like my new Matco ratcheting screwdriver kit that I bought awhile back. Got a pretty good deal from another GJ member.
crewchief888
Well-known member
i've been wrenching for 30 years, started out with kennedy mechanics boxes, as i added more tools, i added more boxes, mac, matco, and snapon
mac & matco had quality problems with their paint,
i witnessed more than one box literally fall apart , broken welds, really crappy friction drawer slides.
when i decided to buy my 1st big set of boxes in '86, i bought a SO KR550/555B set.
for working boxes, I wouldnt consider anything else.
garage/home use is a little different.
no wait
i have SO boxes at home as well
mac & matco had quality problems with their paint,
i witnessed more than one box literally fall apart , broken welds, really crappy friction drawer slides.
when i decided to buy my 1st big set of boxes in '86, i bought a SO KR550/555B set.
for working boxes, I wouldnt consider anything else.
garage/home use is a little different.
no wait
i have SO boxes at home as well
I am just an at home guy so you can take my opinion for what it's worth but I have a mix of MAC, Matco, Gear wrench and Craftsman. They all serve their purpose well and I haven't had a problem with any of them.
My most recent purchases have been my Craftsman BB 8 drawer box (3 yrs ago) and a BEAUTIFUL set of Matco green grip handle screwdrivers. Those things are AWESOME!!
All said and done if I had to pick I would go Matco. Any of their tools I have work well.
My most recent purchases have been my Craftsman BB 8 drawer box (3 yrs ago) and a BEAUTIFUL set of Matco green grip handle screwdrivers. Those things are AWESOME!!
All said and done if I had to pick I would go Matco. Any of their tools I have work well.
DamTurbine
New member
After working out of a two bay Craftsman box for about 5 years, I had outgrown it and needed to up size. Comparing the "big three" Mac, Matco and Snap-on for the best built box, I found that Matco had the best constructed box of all. The roller drawer slides were heavy duty with the larger drawers having two roller slides per side. It had larger wheels with heavy duty suspension. The whole box was just built way better with thicker gauge metal and in IHO looked better. That was 16 years ago and I still own it. Be prepared for sticker shock, all three are pricey! I paid just under 7K for my 2 bay bottom box 16 years ago.
Being a former Matco distributor I recognize my bias, but in taking trades of other boxes for one out of the Matco line it became apparent I was selling the best constructed box. Thick steel, competent rollers on drawers and castors to move it around made them better than any other manufacturer.
My advice is to look for sales and then negotiate the worth of your current box to trade in. There is a huge mark up on boxes and if you have a decent trade that can be sold on to another customer you have a big bargaining chip. Dealers love to have used boxes on the truck as they sell like hot cakes, particularly if they are a professional brand. Prices on new boxes are negotiable so wait until they are on sale and work down from there. Two additional ways to save money is to (if you have it) pay cash for the box and demand no sales tax. This can be done easily. The other is to have a trade or down payment large enough for the dealer to consider keeping the remainder on the truck account. There is no interest in the truck, but sign up for payments from Mac, SO or Matco and you'll be paying serious interest. This way makes the dealer money too.
Quickly, two other items. If you're in tech school you can get some killer deals from Matco as a student. Buy as much there as you can afford. If you don't have the money, start with a Craftsman or HF box and trade it in later. You should easily get whatever you paid for it when you trade it in.
After I retired I kept an old Matco vertical box with no bearings in the door slides and it works just fine. It's probably 25 years old and I can still get parts for it.
My advice is to look for sales and then negotiate the worth of your current box to trade in. There is a huge mark up on boxes and if you have a decent trade that can be sold on to another customer you have a big bargaining chip. Dealers love to have used boxes on the truck as they sell like hot cakes, particularly if they are a professional brand. Prices on new boxes are negotiable so wait until they are on sale and work down from there. Two additional ways to save money is to (if you have it) pay cash for the box and demand no sales tax. This can be done easily. The other is to have a trade or down payment large enough for the dealer to consider keeping the remainder on the truck account. There is no interest in the truck, but sign up for payments from Mac, SO or Matco and you'll be paying serious interest. This way makes the dealer money too.
Quickly, two other items. If you're in tech school you can get some killer deals from Matco as a student. Buy as much there as you can afford. If you don't have the money, start with a Craftsman or HF box and trade it in later. You should easily get whatever you paid for it when you trade it in.
After I retired I kept an old Matco vertical box with no bearings in the door slides and it works just fine. It's probably 25 years old and I can still get parts for it.
joebachor
Well-known member
I have 3 snap on boxes and love them but from what ive seen the matco boxes are built stronger, it may be the design or the materials or both, ive not owned one but ive worked with lots of guys that have. there are some you tube videos that show strength tests between the two.