Sealey Tools

[Garage86]

Hi guys,
Just a thought, how would yous rate Sealey tools, do yous have much experience of them?

 

[ozaudio]

theyll do a job just like bergen / us pro tools, but sealey also do sealey premier which i think are slightly better

if you look of youtube you get people who review and slag them of , then others who praise them.

 

[Garage86]

Yes, I agree. I have some Bergen and Sealey tools in my box and they're holding up ok. I purchased Sealey premier socket set 3/8 and 1/2 inch about 15 years ago and it's still as good as the day I bought it. Some of the tools now look and feel poor quality.

 

[ozaudio]

i dont think i own anything at all sealey branded, but i do own some of the us pro sockets in 1/2" which ive had for 2 years and havnt cracked or rounded one of yet, i hammer on them and also use an impact on them. they do the job. i dont really buy anything new these days as i find most of my bargins on car boots. i even the draper tools from 20 years ago just like the sealey are far better quality than they are now.

 

[Garage86]

The Us pro tools I have are great, all my impact sockets and long hex and spline sockets have been a good fit and very strong. I agree about draper, I bought a ratchet recently for my van toolbox, a draper expert and the old vintage draper I have had a far better mechanism in it. Halfords advanced is what I have been buying recently, lifetime guarantee and good quality. They're ratchet spanners are identical to the Gearwrench ones I purchased years ago.

 

[Dave455]

Generic imported Chinese or Taiwanese tools. The name is largely irrelevant, Sealey, Draper, Bergen, US Pro, it’s all basically similar stuff. The quality will vary as these importers shop around to find the cheapest supplier.

If you’re buying something like a Jack, they’re no better or no worse than any other far eastern Jack.

If you’re buying hand tools, same applies, but you can get much better. Sealey are not particularly cheap either. A set of Sealey ring spanners on Amazon is currently going to cost you £30, made in Chiwan. I just bought a set of German made Stahlwille’s for £35!

 

[Garage86]

Chiwan . Yes, they're prices aren't cheap and it's a shame the quality doesn't reflect. The problem is getting decent quality tools delivered to UK without the massive import tax, I was looking into Craftsman spanners before but the import tax and delivery was more than the tools themselves. I have some bluepoint and Gearwrench sockets and spanners, knipex and bahco which feel good but have noticed they tend to end up with wee rust specs, and that's stored in my roll cab. Do any tool manufacturers still use quality hardened steel?

 

[Dave455]

Chiwan . Yes, they're prices aren't cheap and it's a shame the quality doesn't reflect. The problem is getting decent quality tools delivered to UK without the massive import tax, I was looking into Craftsman spanners before but the import tax and delivery was more than the tools themselves. I have some bluepoint and Gearwrench sockets and spanners, knipex and bahco which feel good but have noticed they tend to end up with wee rust specs, and that's stored in my roll cab. Do any tool manufacturers still use quality hardened steel?

It’s no problem getting decent stuff into the U.K.

Forget Craftsman, Blue Point and Gearwrench. These are just more Chinese tools, which you will be obtaining by the most expensive route.

Yes, plenty of good options. Hazet, Stahlwille, Gedore, Elora or Heyco from Germany, Koken or KTC from Japan, King **** from the U.K. and many more!

You have two options -

1) Buy from a U.K. dealer that has U.K. stock. I find this to be cheapest way to get things like KoKen or Facom. It’s seldom cheaper elsewhere.

2) Go to whatever website you like - I tend to use TBS Aachen as they are consistently very competitive on price, and simply order from Germany or wherever. I find the German dealers very helpful and efficient, and are the place to go for German tools - Hazet, Stahlwille, Gedore etc.

Post Brexit, under €150, you will simply pay a price including German VAT and there is nothing else to pay. Sounds wrong but that’s the deal. Over €150 the dealers will treat it as an export and deduct German VAT. You will then have to pay U.K. VAT, so it ends up about the same.

 

[ozaudio]

i hada 3/8 breaker bar on a halfords 7mm hex socket the other week and it didnt even break, i was pretty surprised, for the price and warranty they are great, for spanners i just carboot them, only spanners i have new are a set of old halfords pro before the advanced range flexhead ratchet spanners, all myn are car boot finds or facebook, i even sold a few i made up as sets i had that made of the same sizes!

same for mole / vice grips, USA or ENGLAND made, carboot specials at £1 - 2

 

[Dave455]

same for mole / vice grips, USA or ENGLAND made, carboot specials at £1 - 2

Yes, if you can get older British (or other quality) made tools used, then that’s the most cost effective way to go.

Unfortunately, older spanners are usually Whitworth or A/F, so if you need metric you’re often struggling, and paying more!

 

[mr.lemons]

One good thing about Sealey is that you can get replacement single tools for their sets. So if you buy a socket set and lose a socket, you can click 'spare parts' on their website and order the missing tool direct from them or through a local stockist.

 

[Garage86]

Thanks for the great advice guys. I will definitely check out Stahlwille. Yes, the halfords tools will take a lot of abuse and just keep doing what they're supposed to. I think I'm going to avoid Sealey in future, over priced ,but when you need a tool in a hurry,our local auto parts store is a franchise for Sealey tools. I have old britool mole grips and they are brilliant, my dad bought them in 1985. I also have a set of us Dewitt vise grips and are equally brilliant. Last year I purchased a pair of Irwin ones and they look good, but the jaws are made of butter.

 

[Andres26tnt]

own a spanner ratcheting set under the premier line, it's expensive and nothing more than cheap Taiwan. the exact same wrenches HF under the Pitsburg line, even colour-coded. Everything here in the UK is expensive for sure, glad I have an APO address(military). I get cheaper anything buying through the USA, including the European brands.