Medium priced, medium quality mechanics tools

[Treeman]

Try to imagine that you are an occasional weekend warrior wrench turner. Just taking care of one or two cars. Probably not doing engine rebuilds, but occasionally maybe taking on something "involved". You simply cannot justify the premium tool truck brands but don't want one time/throw away tools either.

For many years, Craftsman filled the need. But, with their tool quality going downhill and the whole corporation in limbo, maybe this is not the best choice anymore? Personally, Craftsman has served me fine for many years.

I guess key criteria is tool quality, ease of purchase, and ease of replacement. I suppose with a "better" tool, ease of replacement is less of an issue. The Sears warranty and ease of replacement is hard to beat. It would **** to have to mail in a socket or wrench for warranty replacement, IMO.

What other "moderate price/moderate quality" tool choices are there in the Craftsman price range? Have any of the Asian made tool brands stepped up to the plate to offer competition in this price range? Are the offerings by Home Depot, Lowes, various hardware and Auto stores to be considered?

Thank you

 

[mrsleeve]

Depending on whats in you area S&K's can be bought for good prices online an exchanged if needed at you cloest dealer.

 

[dxdexter]

Given the criteria you present (occasional use) any of the tool brands you mentioned will be perfectly fine and give you many years of service. You don't need to spend an arm and a leg for the infrequent use you describe.

Warranty service is easy with most of box store brands and they have a adequate assortment of socketry , pliers, hammers, toolboxes, etc.

If you were Canada I would recommend Canadian Tires' Mastercraft Series of tools. I have heard they are made by Stanley in Taiwan and are extremely tough.

If I were in the USA, I would go with the Craftsman Tools since they meet all your criteria plus are made in the USA. Personally I have the more expensive brands, but I started in the mechanical trade where tools are your living. High priced tools for the homeowner are unnecessary to complete most tasks encountered.

 

[joenero]

Sometimes ebay or Craigslist deals take the cake. One example is the Proto Big Dawg ratchets that are have been popular as well as used professional sets like Mac or Snap on. SK generally makes a good choice as a step up and are a a little more then craftsman pro but are usually worth it.

 

[Merkava_4]

You can get high quality tools at medium duty prices by shopping at your local industrial supply strores. A lot of times they'll give me a 15% discount for using cash.

- Armstrong
- Proto
- Williams
- Channellock
- Knipex
- Milbar
- Xcelite
- Wiha
- Bondhus
- Apex
- Klein
- Plumb
- Nupla

- Just to name a few.

 

[Fast Orange]

If you're going to limit yourself to only one source for all your tools,the answer is still Craftsman-you may need to go to the professional series to get a desired level of quality,but to find acceptable quality for a non-pro in one brand,Sears/K-Mart and Fastenal have the answer.
As for other brands that won't break the bank,I like SK for wrenches and sockets,Klein screwdrivers,Channellock pliers-the list goes on and on-
It all comes down to personal taste and preferences,what type of work you're doing and how deep your pockets are.

George

 

[the intimidator]

You should try the husky line at homedepot wrenches sockets ect. They are the same as the mastercraft maximum made by stanley in taiwan. I use the mastercraft maximum tool's almost daily at home and have yet to have one break. The ratchets are nice and strong I use a foot long cheater on my 3/8"s all the time and I have a 3 foot long cheater for use on my half inch It's stronger then my cheap breakerbar Which bends to scary levels sometimes lol I have not used the other husky stuff and am not sure what the quality is like but 90% of the sockets and wrenches they sell are the same as the stuff I use and have yet to have a failure. Other then that I am not sure what to reccomend in the states anyways Good luck try the craftsman pro lines out too they are supost to be good quality although you said you would rather not

 

[Treeman]

Merkava,

I can get about 25% off Proto tools from Grainger. Their 10 piece satin combo wrench set lists for about $171 dollars, meaning $128 for me. I can get the similar sized set at Sears for $39 or less on sale (not going to the trouble to look it up).

You're definition of "medium duty" prices differs from mine. Maybe SK is available at decent prices. Proto, Williams, and Armstrong??????

Intimidator.....Home Depot in my area has reduced it's mechanics tool section down to about four feet wide shelf space. I don't even remember if they stock individual pieces anymore for warranty replacement.

I wonder if the Wal Mart Stanley are the same as the Master Kraft/Home Despot....just curious.

I'm still partial to Craftsman as the go-to diy tool. But, who knows what Sear's future is either.

I'm just wondering, again, if any of the Asian imports have decent quality.

 

[Zeroek]

NAPA! I like napa.

 

[PanelDeland]

I don't think the selection is as good in the Stanley but I have bought some hand tools by them and am pleased.I hate Wally-World but that is where I usually get them.They aren't as pricey as the others but have good homeowner quality.Most of my brake tools are by Lisle.I buy tape measures by the 3-4 pack at HF since the QOV seems to misplace a lot of them when planning home decorating stuff.

 

[eschoendorff]

I wonder if the Wal Mart Stanley are the same as the Master Kraft/Home Despot....just curious.

Pretty much, yes they are. You best bet, by far, is Craftsman.

 

[brianpgriset]

This is a great thread. I was in the exact same boat as you. I wanted something more premium than my Craftsman stuff, but I wasn't going to deal with the trucks.

What I came up with is to pick brands that are in between in terms of price and performance. I chose companies that sort of specialize in one area, giving good quality with moderate price. Here are the brands I have figured out so far -

Wiha - screwdrivers, nutdrivers, torx drivers
SK - sockets, ratchets, wrenches, extensions, adapters, etc...
Knipex - pliers
Bondhus - allen wrenches
Mitutoyo - precision measuring instruments
Weller - electrical repair/soldering equip.
KD & OTC - specialty automotive tools
Dagger Tools - auto body hand tools
Chicago Pneumatic - air tools
DeWalt - power tools

There are still things I need to research/decide on, such as a good toolbox (Montezuma? International?) and Hammers/Mallets (Wiha?).

But all these brands can be had online for good costs, and almost everyone on here agrees these to be good quality brands. SO hopefully in a few years I'll have a big ol' box full o stuff from these manufacturers, and more. And when my buddies come over wanting to work on their cars I'll point them to my little Craftsman box.

 

[Stuey]

Kobalt's tools are okay to fill in some holes.

As for screwdrivers, I like Wiha since they're pretty affordable and they hold up well.

For wrenches, I like Gearwrench since they hold up very well.

 

[mrsleeve]

BrianP

I am with you on that list save for 2 things I do like the green handled SK screw drivers (not the new twist ones) and Ingersol for air tools.

let me know on the Montezuma thing as I am considering 1 as well.

 

[brianpgriset]

BrianP

I am with you on that list save for 2 things I do like the green handled SK screw drivers (not the new twist ones) and Ingersol for air tools.

let me know on the Montezuma thing as I am considering 1 as well.

The more I look at the Montezuma stuff the more I want to try it! Either the 72" roll cab or the 41" top and roller bottom. If and/or when I get one, I'll be sure to post up a review.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Craftsman, you won't do better.

 

[eschoendorff]

Craftsman, you won't do better.

Especially since some of the other brands mentioned (KD, SK, Knipex) are contracted to make certain Craftsman tools....

 

[Jononon]

Have any of the Asian made tool brands stepped up to the plate to offer competition in this price range?

Gearwrench. Everybody knows the ratcheting wrenches, but they have a wide range beyond that. I have flare wrenches and stubby non-ratcheting wrenches from them, which I use alongside standard and long wrenches from the 'premium' brands. As a keen amateur the stubbies make me wonder if my standard Snap-on wrenches were a waste of money

I also have some Gearwrench sockets. The sockets are also well finished, but I haven't used them hard enough to know if they're durable. Same goes for their ratchets.

Autobodytoolmart is often markedly cheaper than Sears for Gearwrench non-ratcheting wrenches.

Hammers/Mallets (Wiha?).

If you're in need of soft-faced dead blow hammers, the Wiha hickory handles are excellent. I'm not a fan of the steel shaft soft handled version, the balance feels off to me.

 

[just_me]

Actually, I think craftsman went down and has rebounded ,,,,

For many years, Craftsman filled the need. But, with their tool quality going downhill and the whole corporation in limbo, maybe this is not the best choice anymore? Personally, Craftsman has served me fine for many years.

Thank you

The pro line is very very good - better than anything sears has sold in years. But there are alternatives. While much of their stuff is ****, Harbor Freight's Pittsburgh line makes some very solid wrenches, ratchets and torque wrenches.

However, some tools need to be great or they will damage the car. Line (flare nut) wrenches come to mind. For that one 11mm wrench, I paid up for SK. I also check with my local professional factory supply place, that carries some great brands and gives good prices - I value their receomendations highly.

SKs list prices are absurd, and Snap-on's worse. $50 for an 11mm line wrench ( vs $15 for SK and 5/$30 from craftsman pro)? C'mon.

Some of my craftsman hand tools are now 30 years old. My newer ones have nto yet taken the test of time, but feel and seem even better ( full polish stubby combos and full polish ratcheting combos).

Yet my $12 1/2 drive, micro-ratcheting, 510 lb-ft, and 1/2" clicker torque wrench ($13) from Pittsburgh both vastly exceeded my admittedly lowish expectations. I prefer both of them to more expensive brands. Wow.

Note, other Harbor stuff is terrible. Wish I could divine which is which more easily.

Grant

 

[64merc]

When I think medium price and medium quality the only thing that comes to mind is Craftsman. As others have said, they are very affordable and will serve a novice well.

For a while I might have also suggested Husky but it seems like they are scaling down their tool selection so future warranty issues come to mind. I will give them credit though because they broke a new set of ratcheting wrenches to replace one broken wrench I brought in. On the flip side, it was a nightmare just replacing a messed up #1 philips I took back to a different store. I'd stick to C-man.

 

[Danglerb]

Nobody can buy your tools for you and make you happy, unless its a rich uncle sending you Snapon.

My take is that Craftsman makes the best most economical base set of tools. Things that spend a lot of time in my hands I am willing to step up to Snapon, and things where Snapon is insane or I just don't think any differences matter I buy Pittsburg from HF.

 

[kartracer55]

I have a lot of sk, its all about watching what you buy. I also use a lot of Craftsman tools. Honestly, They are just fine if you know what your buying from them. Standard ratchets kind of ****, so buy an SK instead. The sockets are an amazing value though.

Jim

 

[dxdexter]

You can get high quality tools at medium duty prices by shopping at your local industrial supply strores. A lot of times they'll give me a 15% discount for using cash.

- Armstrong
- Proto
- Williams
- Channellock
- Knipex
- Milbar
- Xcelite
- Wiha
- Bondhus
- Apex
- Klein
- Plumb
- Nupla

- Just to name a few.

Unless things are different in USA than they are up here, then I wouldn't class most of these tools as low or medium priced unless compared to Snap-on. Most are top notch and high priced.

I'm just wondering, again, if any of the Asian imports have decent quality.

Getting board members to admit that Asian tools are good quality is like "pulling teeth". As mentioned in my previous post , Mastercraft (made by Stanley) makes a great tool. I have a few and have never had any problems. I have seen identical ratchets from Husky at Home Depot and Stanley at Walmart, so they are probably from the same maker.

The best thing to do is buy a few and make up your own mind. They aren't that expensive.

I certainly don't advocate buying Asian tools over domestic brands, but not everyone wants to pay $1000 for a socket set. As a side note, I'm sure you know, Snap-on makes a lower cost Asian brand called Blue Point for a fraction of the cost.

I still can't see what is wrong with Craftsman., I wish our Craftsman Tools were made in the USA.

 

[lbgradwell]

Unless things are different in USA than they are up here, then I wouldn't class most of these tools as low or medium priced unless compared to Snap-on. Most are top notch and high priced.

It isn't different in the US; all these brands are top notch! Obviously. Anyone who claims otherwise is kidding himself. In fact, some - like Knipex - are the absolute best in the world!

Getting board members to admit that Asian tools are good quality is like "pulling teeth". As mentioned in my previous post , Mastercraft (made by Stanley) makes a great tool. I have a few and have never had any problems. I have seen identical ratchets from Husky at Home Depot and Stanley at Walmart, so they are probably from the same maker.

They are. And, say what you will, Crappy Tire has the best warranty in the business bar none.

I wish our Craftsman Tools were made in the USA.

So do I!

 

[Jononon]

Especially since some of the other brands mentioned (KD, SK, Knipex) are contracted to make certain Craftsman tools....

Learn something new every day Are they made in Germany, like the main Knipex line ?

 

[eschoendorff]

Learn something new every day Are they made in Germany, like the main Knipex line ?

Yes... they area just rebadged. This is only teh Craftsman Cobra-style pliers, not the whole Craftsman line....

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...ame=Pliers&filter=Brand|Craftsman^Price|0-100

 

[Jononon]

Yes... they area just rebadged.

They couldn't choose a better supplier. It's a shame they don't have the Pliers Wrench, those things are very useful.

[/Euro-tool proselytizing]

 

[Vicegrip]

I have many reasons to hate Home Depot but the Husky line of tools is not one of them... The Husky stuff is the bang for the buck IMO. I use some Husky tools at home and at plenty at work and it takes use and abuse just fine. The wrenches are very well made and strong. Add to that it is easy to get and the large kits starter kits are a good value too. Get a large starter kit and add to it as you see the need.

 

[eschoendorff]

They couldn't choose a better supplier. It's a shame they don't have the Pliers Wrench, those things are very useful.

[/Euro-tool proselytizing]

That's cool. Euro tools kick ***!

 

[brianpgriset]

Unless things are different in USA than they are up here, then I wouldn't class most of these tools as low or medium priced unless compared to Snap-on. Most are top notch and high priced.

I still can't see what is wrong with Craftsman., I wish our Craftsman Tools were made in the USA.

I agree that all the manufacturers listed are medium priced compared to Snap-On. Most are top notch, but really alot of them are not that high priced, especially compared to Craftsman. I don't have a problem with Craftsman at all. Heck I own a 26" box filled with Craftsman hand tools. I do think that you can get the brands on that list for a small percentage more than Craftsman stuff, but your getting a step up in quality.

Case in point -

You can get a 10 piece Craftsman Pro screwdriver set for $79.99
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...ewdrivers&filter=Brand|Craftsman+Professional
or a 12 piece Wiha Soft Finish for $81.98
http://www.wihatools.com/300seri/311serie.htm

7 piece Craftsman T handle set - $29.99
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...me=Hand+Tools,+General+Purpose&sName=Hex+Keys
or Bondhus 9 piece set for $36.89
http://www.acetoolonline.com/Bondhus-13190-Balldriver-T-Handles-3-32-3-8-p/bon-13190.htm

Craftsman 3/8" drive 11" long bent handle ratchet - $30.99
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...ter=Drive+Size|3/8+in.^Ratchet+Type|Flex+head
or SK 3/8" drive 10.8" long bent handle ratchet - $39.75
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/SK-3770.html

I'd take the Wiha's, Bondhus', and SK stuff, and I wouldn't be paying a whole lot more. Again, nothing wrong with Craftsman. I just think you can spend a small percentage more and get a premium brand.