Garagefanatic97
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Which one has better warrantys, better quality, longer life time, better prices, etc. Thanks in advance for the advice.
Snap-on vs mac vs craftsman
- Thread starter Garagefanatic97
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kythri
Well-known member
Respectfully, there is no right answer, everyone has a different opinion. You will need to research this for yourself and form your own opinion.
wafrederick
Well-known member
Craftsman has a no questions ask warranty.Some Snap On dealers will not replace broken tools with the not purchased from me excuse.
Gtamazing
Banned
yeah all **** in their own ways. Duralast is a good compromise of all the aspects you mention.
canuckian
Well-known member
Really depends on which company is easiest to access for you for warranty purposes and which tool YOU feel is the best quality/value for your purposes.
Ed_EOD
Well-known member
The only easy answer is Craftsman is the cheapest. The rest are subjective.
Benji
Well-known member
The one that you like the most and have a good and handy dealer for. But when it comes down to it you get what you pay for. Glad I could fit that in before the fight starts.
thesilverone
Well-known member
it's 2011 and everyone wants instant gratification
OP
Garagefanatic97
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Thanks for all the feedback, and craftsman is the one with easiest access for me
Better warranty - Craftsman
Better Quality - SO
Longer Life - SO
Better Price - Craftsman
Next question??
volunteers
Well-known member
Craftsman is better in every point. SO had advantage maybe 40 years ago, but not any more.
A SO tool box for $1000? It's crazy.
A SO tool box for $1000? It's crazy.
That's a deal for a SO tool box! A full set of snappy wrenches costs about that. I mix and match. I hated driving to sears once a week with broken ratchets so i buy Snap-On. I use MAC and craftsman sockets. I've never had a warranty prob with any of the 3 mentioned wether i bought them from that truck or another truck of the same brand.
as far as the warranties go for any brand, really, it depends on who is going to issue the warranty whether it be the cashier or truck guy. Ive had the people at sears argue with me over a warranty, asking for a receipt and everything... since then im more than willing to save the money for a tool that is far greater quality, im not much of a fan for mac so i cant speak for that. but snap-on is well worth the price in my opinion.
it all depends on each individual's experiences.
it all depends on each individual's experiences.
This question has all the potential to start a pretty good fight. There are so many different answers to this one I hardly know where to start. Okay, based on my limited experience, I think that Craftsman has the best warranty. Break a tool, go to your nearest Sears store, and swap it out. Seems simple enough. In theory the truck stuff should be the best quality. For the cost, it better be. Almost all of my Craftsman stuff is from the early 1980s and I think the quality is better than just pretty good. I think it's damn good for the price. I'm not so sure about newer Craftsman tools. Like I just said, most of my hand tools are 25-30 year old Craftsman, and I still have every one of them. I think I replaced one socket because it cracked, and once I had to rebuild my 1/2" drive ratchet. I'm not a pro tech, so I don't use my tools every day, but I still use them very frequently. They've lasted this long, and I suspect that they'll last for my lifetime. They've never let me down. As for the best prices, I guess that's all relative. If you think paying truck prices is reasonable, then I guess it's reasonable. That being said, I've never had to buy a single Craftsman tool on credit.
Jim C.
Jim C.
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RhodesSpeedShop
Well-known member
Easy....Snap On hands down!! No question!....
.....who wants to fight!?
.....who wants to fight!?
GoBlue
Well-known member
Currently Snap on makes the highest quality for the most part. There are a couple of instances where MAC or Matco or Knipex might have them beat but not in many cases. IMHO Craftsman's American tools represent the best value...witch means quality +price+warranty. I use their wrenches, ratchets, sockets, extensions, and pry bars everyday at work...always up to the task. Craftsman does not offer a zero percent interest no cash down, take now pay later account like a tool truck though...but if you have the cash and the knowledge...the represent a fantastic value!
FergusonTO35
Well-known member
Much of it depends on who you're buying them from. If you have a good, no BS Snap-On (or Mac/Matco/Cornwell) dealer but know-nothing, warranty like pulling teeth sales reps at Sears you'll likely go with the former. Or, if the truck guy you have is an a-hole and your local Sears has a knowledgable salesman who is a straight shooter you'll go with the latter. In spite of Mac's terrible reputation in central KY Paul Dickison outsold everybody else in the early 2000's because he was an outstanding dealer.
Need4racin
Banned
Doesn't matter what brand. Just remember no warranty is "lifetime". Lifetime ends when they stop selling that item and you can't warranty it anymore.
A old guy I used to know would say to me, "aint nothing lifetime".
A old guy I used to know would say to me, "aint nothing lifetime".
GoBlue
Well-known member
Man that is so true. I was in Sears the other day and a guy was returning a lifetime craftsman tape measure. Craftsman no longer makes them so they gave him a Stanley and said it would not carry the same warranty. I stand behind Craftsman as my best overall value on their American tools, but that lifetime warranty didn't mean **** to the guy with tape measure. Likewise i have had a similar experience on a discontinued Snappy tool...As the old timer said...aint nothing lifetime...so true
I don't doubt Snap On is a great product and I would never try to talk someone out of buying it. But this is what I looked at.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SNAP-TOOLS-..._Automotive_Tools&vxp=mtr&hash=item35b5c83592
$600 for 26 1/2" drive sockets, 12-24mm. That is around $23 per socket.
I bought a large Craftsman set with 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" up to 36mm shallow and 27mm deep for $1.05 per socket. I just couldn't justify 20x the amount I spent. I am sure Snap-On makes a great product and yes I could technically "afford" to buy it, but why?
I remember I read a post on here, someone had used Craftsman chrome sockets for 8 years professionally and they were starting to wear out. So instead of trading the sockets in and getting new ones (for free) he bought new Snap-On. I just don't follow.
Also, assuming the sockets are made correctly, I highly doubt you will ever break one. Chances are you will lose way more.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SNAP-TOOLS-..._Automotive_Tools&vxp=mtr&hash=item35b5c83592
$600 for 26 1/2" drive sockets, 12-24mm. That is around $23 per socket.
I bought a large Craftsman set with 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" up to 36mm shallow and 27mm deep for $1.05 per socket. I just couldn't justify 20x the amount I spent. I am sure Snap-On makes a great product and yes I could technically "afford" to buy it, but why?
I remember I read a post on here, someone had used Craftsman chrome sockets for 8 years professionally and they were starting to wear out. So instead of trading the sockets in and getting new ones (for free) he bought new Snap-On. I just don't follow.
Also, assuming the sockets are made correctly, I highly doubt you will ever break one. Chances are you will lose way more.
Advice so good you'd do yourself a favor reading it twice.
GoBlue
Well-known member
I have Craftsman chrome that has been in use a lot longer than that with no issue...wrenches too. When i got into this racket, i purchased Craftsman because it was the best i could afford. I told myself i would replace it when it failed. After a decade or so of hard use i figured it out. Its good stuff. As good as Snap-on or Mac which i also have a lot of? No...but good enough and its been a better value.
This would really only upset me if something i purchased recently failed prematurely. If its something that i actually wore out or abused and broke i'd be satisfied with another go from that "lifetime" warranty. Alternately i believe you can request the value of an equivalent tool replacement be placed on a gift card which is almost as good as cash [look at resale of Sears GC's] so thats pretty nice also.
treasureseeker
Well-known member
I have about 80% Snap On but would not recommend their tools unless you are using them to make a living or can get them at a good price which isn't hard to do. I learned to prefer German and Swiss tools from reading this forum, but with Ebay and this forum most Snap On items are a much better deal. For someone that doesn’t want to make a huge investment in tools but do some wrenching Craftsman is your brand. If you hurry up and look at a few stores you may find some of the last American made Craftsman Pro wrenches. With Mac you have to see if the item is an Asian import or as been rebranded at a much higher cost. I see the Facom Ratchets rebranded as tool truck brands.
BloodySinner
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A $1000 for a decent sized Snap-On box? Yeah, right. More like $3000 or more. Then again, you do get what you pay for. Commercial toolboxes are often flimsy I find.
countryroad82
Well-known member
Here is my opinion, but it is just that, an opinion. Just like a bellybutton or ********, everybody has one. Craftsman sockets/ wrenches for getting it done, Snap-on/Mac/Matco/enter truck brand here for ratchets and better/ longer wrenches, screwdrivers and the like. The none truck brand exception to the rule IMO is SK, don't have any of the newer stuff but I have socket sets and screwdrivers from about 5-6 years ago and love 'em. As for me I use alot of Craftsman sockets but in recent years I have upgraded my ratchets to SO and I am slowly replacing my stuff with SO because I can afford it and I want to, nothing is really wrong with my Craftsman stuff and it has served me well. I will say that SO Flank Drive Plus wrenches are worth the cash to me for the added length and the better open ends, but once again that is my opinion. Others have said Wright has pretty much the same thing, but noone around here deals it so I can't verify. Oh and don't leave out Gearwrench, I have a couple sets of their rachet wrenches and they are worth their weight in gold. I have also used some of their other tools and they are great for the money. But once again, this is my opinion.
And along that line of thought, no, NOBODY NEEDS Snap On stuff. "Professional wrench" (Yes, I am one. Airplanes though. Nearly 30 years.) or otherwise. Just like Nobody NEEDS a Rolex watch.
I can afford Snap On but cannot justify the cost when I can accomplish the same thing with tools that cost sometimes less than 1/10th as much. They sure are purty to look at though.
I wear a $30 Timex too.
OP
Garagefanatic97
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Thanks for all the feedback guys, keep it comin
diesel research
Well-known member
if it were only that simple!There are a lot of things that are somewhat exclusive to one of the above brands.
Believe this or not, the mechanics tool collection consists of a LOT more than a combination wrench, socket, and ratchet. ZOMG!
For example, I am looking at "extra long" zero offset (or maybe minimal offset) double box wrenches. Guess what? Not all of your above choices even carry such a tool.
Everytime someone starts talking about ___ is more affordable than ___ or ____ brand isn't needed, it shows the fact they are not aware which tools are out there, what their uses are, and who actually produces one.
Prime example. My truck. There are only 2 companies that produce tools to check and adjust the timing. The dealer tool (otc/spx) and "snap on" (I am still entertaining the possibility it is private labeled) Guess what? Craftsman, harbor freight, northern, autozone, etc do not sell such a tool. Nor does mac, matco, or cornwell.
Each of them has a few innovative items. In some cases each sell the exact same item.
I'm glad you don't collect/read craftsman catalogs ever. You would have really soiled yourself if you saw the fact craftsman was selling a box for $10,000.00 Ya, ten THOUSAND....from a "diy" store in the mall. Before ibedayank corrects me and tells me they are discontinued, I know this and am not attempting to hide that fact.
We all do different things with our money and all make different amounts. I don't own one of those coveted chests, but I am not hellbent on criticizing a coworker if he does. Maybe he makes more, maybe he manages the rest of his finances better, maybe he is "financed for life", maybe he bought it used/discounted, maybe he stole it. I.R.D.G.A.F.
HandyManny
Well-known member
I have a few Duralast sockets, extentions, two ratchets, and a couple combo wrenches I bought from Auto Zone a year to a couple years ago. Picked them up as replacements for a few tools that went missing. Didn't need the 3/8 drive ratchets, but they looked impressive so I bought them based on the review MrHoleshot gave. Mine are the originals made in Taiwan, but I have to say that I haven't seen this type of high quality in any basic affordable off-the-shelf automotive hand tools sold through autoparts stores in years. I am very impressed and pleased with these few Duralast tools I own. These things put many of the recent Danaher made Craftsman stuff to shame.
This coming from a guy who's hand tools are 98% older USA made high quality tools from various brands. I think these Duralast tools are very much on par with that older USA professional quality. Sadly I keep hearing that Auto Zone has changed the Duralast tool line very recently, and not for the better either. Don't know as I rarely stop in at any Auto Zone.
HandyManny
Well-known member
As far as warranty on hand tools goes......never really cared about it. It's never been a selling point for me. I don't break many hand tools, even when I wrenched professionally I never broke many, and on the rare ocassion I do break one it's usually after many years of use with that tool. I figure I got many years of service out of it and once it's broke or worn out I just call it a wash and replace it. Besides, a high quality hand tool being made today might not be that same quality in the furture, so you might end up basically trade your older broken tool for a far less quality made tool that you will be returning much sooner than you think.
volunteers
Well-known member
So just like Rolex watch, Snap on is used for those playboys to show off.
And along that line of thought, no, NOBODY NEEDS Snap On stuff. "Professional wrench" (Yes, I am one. Airplanes though. Nearly 30 years.) or otherwise. Just like Nobody NEEDS a Rolex watch.
I can afford Snap On but cannot justify the cost when I can accomplish the same thing with tools that cost sometimes less than 1/10th as much. They sure are purty to look at though.
I wear a $30 Timex too.
As far as the times when only a certain company offers a certain tool, then yes, one would be compelled to go that route. I've been around a long time and I am aware that this situation pops up but it's the rare exception, not the rule.
And that last paragraph pretty well sums it up. "Different strokes" and all that.
I wasn't really implying that but yes, I can see how some could come to that conclusion.
And many mechs who only own Snap On treat their tools like a showcase of fine jewelry. Not all, but quite a few. I'm not of that mindset and I do not understand it.
volunteers
Well-known member
Actually I agree with you 100%.
For the guys who own many many Snap Ons, if ask yourself "do I REALLY need these expensive fancy flaring tools to make my work done?", then what's your answer
For the guys who own many many Snap Ons, if ask yourself "do I REALLY need these expensive fancy flaring tools to make my work done?", then what's your answer
