Socket Tray Comparison (Hansen vs Kobalt)

[djrichmond]

A lot of people have been discussing the Hansen socket trays as their favorite way to store and organize their sockets. I figured I would share a little of my experiences with them for you guys and hopefully save a few of you some money.

I have used the Hansen socket trays for about 5 years now and I have great things to say about them, they really are a great way to keep all your sockets in place and easy to identify and access.


However, I was in Lowes a few months ago and came across their knock off style trays. I needed another set of trays so I decided to buy them and give em a shot seeing that they only cost me $9 for all six trays I needed. After using these trays for awhile now I thought I would write a side by side review on them and let you guys know how the cheaper kobalt brand stacks up against the hansen trays.

The first thing I noticed about the Kobalt trays is the sockets on the 1/4 trays have to sit the opposite way than they do in the Hansen trays. This isn't an issue on every socket, but I found the smaller sockets won't slip over the bigger part of the shaft if they are sitting the other way.

Both trays are the same length and as far as durability of plastic goes, they are about the same on the base. However, the Kobalt pegs seem to be thicker and since they don't go up completely through the socket, they seem a lot less likely to break. (I've broke a few hansen pegs)

While the Hansen tray has a large rounded piece of plastic for your socket to rest on, the Kobalt does not. But seeing as I set the sockets in the other direction, this doesn't really matter.


Another difference is the way the 4mm sockets are held in place. The Hansen has a small spot for the socket to rest in, while the Kobalt just has another peg. I've had problems with the Hansen tray 4mm socket falling over when I close/open the drawer so the extra peg actually does serve a purpose here.


Really not any differences in the 3/8 or 1/2 trays other than the pegs like I mentioned above. There is a slightly larger overall footprint for the Kobalt trays, but not much.


So overall, for the price I honestly believe the Kobalt trays are a great value. When my current Hansen trays need replaced (they eventually will) I will be replacing them with Kobalt. And if you're considering one of these trays just know their really isn't much of a difference other than the price. The Hansen 6 piece set is going for $60 while the Kobalt is roughly $10.

Feel free to leave any questions and I will try to answer them.

-Also, this is my first post here. Thought I would share a little information with you guys since I've been lurking on these forums for well over a year now. Thanks for all the information you guys have shared.

 

[moto.aero]

Great post, thanks.

 

[mech-tech]

There must be something wrong with the ones in my local lowes cause every one they had on the shelf had at least one broken peg and some had up to four broken pegs

 

[CWP1616L]

The main difference I see are how the sizes are displayed.

- The Hansen has the size prominently displayed on the top of each post in plain sight.

- The Kobalt has the size displayed at the bottom where it can't be seen from above.

 

[92GreenYJ]

I have both as well. Use the Hansens for my 6 point stuff and picked up the Kobalts to house my twelve points. I still like the Hansens a bit better because of the numbers on the pegs themselves. I find its a bit easier to grab the socket I need cause where I have the trays I am looking down on them

 

[MikeF2316]

Funny, I just saw these in my local Lowes this past weekend. I bought only the 1/4" drive metric tray, just to try it out. I like these over the Hansen clones I have because they store the sockets the right way up!

 

[tjmonsen5]

I honestly dont know why anyone would pay the big money for the Hansen and other big money brands. (besides size on top of the peg)
I have the harbor freights, about 10 bucks for all metric and standard trays. The 6/12 point side sticks up, just like the Kobalt. Kobalt and HF are both the best in my mind.

 

[STGFordCrazy04]

That dang 4.5mm deep!!


I have 2 Hanson trays in my roll cart and a total of 9 Kobalt trays in my toolbox. I dont see either being noticeably better than the other. They both serve their intended purpose and have held up well. Price will keep me buying Kobalts and I do find it helpful that the sockets point "up" so I can tell between 6 and 12pt trays at a glance.

 

[djrichmond]

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one who prefers them. Like you guys said, if you don't need the sizes sticking up through the socket, the Hansen trays really have nothing on the Kobalt trays.

 

[raiderhillbilly]

I love the kobalt trays, but, my older s-k sockets wont fit either style tray since the hole does not go all the way through. The new style ones fit nice though.

 

[woody 73]

Hell and Damnation boys, Hell and damnation on those plastic trays and all my missing spaces...Every time I look and see a missing socket I start looking for it everywhere, only to realize hours later I never had the socket in the first place...

Dam you Hansen and Kobalt

 

[lotsoftools]

Hell and Damnation boys, Hell and damnation on those plastic trays and all my missing spaces...Every time I look and see a missing socket I start looking for it everywhere, only to realize hours later I never had the socket in the first place...

Dam you Hansen and Kobalt

My problem with the empty spaces is that I always want to fill them. Even if it is a size I have never used and probably will never use, it has to have a socket on it.

 

[CWP1616L]

The Vim MagRail TL lets you remove the pegs for sizes you don't have, but they don't tell you the sizes. I guess you can't have everything.

 

[ATC]

I have Hansen's, Kobalt's, and Harbor Freight's trays.
I preferr the Hansen's.

1) The sizes are on top of the pegs in plain sight
2) The sockets are facing the right way
3) They take up a little smaller of an area
4) It's easier to just drop the socket over the peg, than it is to line up the square pegs with the socket's square drive.
5) In reference to #2, when I pull the socket off the peg, it's in the ready position to attach to my ratchet.

Also in reference to #2, it makes my drawer look cleaner and more streamline (if that makes sense). I'd rather not see any grime, grease, dirt, or rust that sometimes hides in the open end...

 

[Zeroek]

I'm happy the lowes socket trays are cheap but I really want some of the anodized aluminum socket holders like the VIMs or there was another brand I really liked.

 

[cburnscrx]

I'll just say this...the Kobalts are $5 and for a whopping $20 you can get enough trays for the Craftsman 299 ultimate socket set. Enough said.

 

[cheechi]

I bought one hansen tray from northern, then returned it when i found the kobalt ones; got a whole set for less than one of the hansens.

Sold the lowes for more than I paid when I got the HF sets, i have 2 sets of HFs that are pretty great. And I got the Westling set if I ever get tired of the empty spaces, though the westlings are great for bit drivers and misc things like u joints and adapters.

 

[92GreenYJ]

I gotta say, the HF trays are total garbage. I bought a set of them before the Kobalts intending to put my twelve points on them. When I opened the boxes every tray had a few pegs broken off them already. Returned me and got another set, same thing. Just returned me again for a refund. Glad I did too cause apart from the busted pegs I really hated the size markings being on that wavy thing in the middle where you will never see it with the sockets in place. The Kobalt trays at least have them visible when loaded with sockets.

But I still prefer the Hansens overall. So my most used 6 points will stay on them.

 

[Skin]

The main difference I see are how the sizes are displayed.

- The Hansen has the size prominently displayed on the top of each post in plain sight.

- The Kobalt has the size displayed at the bottom where it can't be seen from above.

And ones made in the USA and the other is a shameless rip off manufactured in China.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

Do the Kobalts have all the same hard to find socket spots?

 

[Skin]

Do the Kobalts have all the same hard to find socket spots?

Yes, they copied the sizing as well. Even the dimensions of the trays and location of the hole for hanging for retail sale is in the exact same spot. The only difference is the position the socket sits and sizing location.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

Do the Kobalts have all the same hard to find socket spots?

No--they only have the impossible to find socket spots on each end.

I did finally get a 1/2" drive, 6-point, chrome, deep 1 1/4" to fill the last peg on one rack. I first found an Armstrong for $28.79, but that is a little more than I wanted to fill that peg. NAPA ordered me a Taiwan-made Carlisle for $14.08, which was a perfect fit. I'm happy!!

 

[Chadwilliam1]

I have 2 sets of Hansens filled with all made in usa sockets except for the 5/8 deep 1/4 drive.

 

[KPSquared]

You guys want quality and USA made? Pick up a set of the **** billet ones from Westling Machine. I have never seen a prettier socket tray in my life! I love mine.

 

[Coaster Mech]

I have the Hansen ones. I had to relabel some of the metric sizes. I think a few of those sizes don't exist from any socket manufacturer!

 

[CWP1616L]

I wish I had a custom made set of Hansen's in the sizes I want.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

You guys want quality and USA made? Pick up a set of the **** billet ones from Westling Machine. I have never seen a prettier socket tray in my life! I love mine.

I bought those for my impacts. They sure are nice.

I have the Hansen ones. I had to relabel some of the metric sizes. I think a few of those sizes don't exist from any socket manufacturer!

They exist I have Them.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

I have Hansen's, Kobalt's, and Harbor Freight's trays.
I preferr the Hansen's.

1) The sizes are on top of the pegs in plain sight
2) The sockets are facing the right way
3) They take up a little smaller of an area
4) It's easier to just drop the socket over the peg, than it is to line up the square pegs with the socket's square drive.
5) In reference to #2, when I pull the socket off the peg, it's in the ready position to attach to my ratchet.

Also in reference to #2, it makes my drawer look cleaner and more streamline (if that makes sense). I'd rather not see any grime, grease, dirt, or rust that sometimes hides in the open end...

Same feeling here on all points. I use the Kobalts for the home toolbox, but only cause I already bought them and the issues are not worth making a fuss about for the little bit of use that set of tools gets...at least I know better than to bother with the Kobalts for work....

 

[Badger 13]

I also have the Westling Machine socket holders. Not only are they "pretty" as KPSquared reported, but extremely well made and very functional. After using these I would never consider going back to a plastic type holder.

 

[Aberdale]

The only advantage I've found on the Kobalt and the HF trays are they're cheap.

The footprint, socket spacing, graphic placement, durability, colors, and COO are better on the Hansens.

Just like most things in life, you get what you pay for. I currently have 12 Hansen trays which I bought on sale several years back. Yes, even on sale they were more expensive than the Kobalts. If I find another good sale, I'll probably pick up a few more.

'dale

 

[BK13]

I wish I had a custom made set of Hansen's in the sizes I want.

Ya. Like maybe a tray to store the mid-length/semi deep sockets, maybe one row metric and one SAE?

 

[diggerrick]

I have Hansen's, Kobalt's, and Harbor Freight's trays.
I preferr the Hansen's.

1) The sizes are on top of the pegs in plain sight
2) The sockets are facing the right way
3) They take up a little smaller of an area
4) It's easier to just drop the socket over the peg, than it is to line up the square pegs with the socket's square drive.
5) In reference to #2, when I pull the socket off the peg, it's in the ready position to attach to my ratchet.

Also in reference to #2, it makes my drawer look cleaner and more streamline (if that makes sense). I'd rather not see any grime, grease, dirt, or rust that sometimes hides in the open end...

I disagree completely with #2. I have 6pt & 12pt in 1/4" & 3/8" drives. With the Hansen trays, how would I know which is which? What is the advantage of the drive side up?

In my ideal world the socket size would be both on the peg tip and the base.

 

[arms1970]

You guys want quality and USA made? Pick up a set of the **** billet ones from Westling Machine. I have never seen a prettier socket tray in my life! I love mine.

Thanks for posting this. Checked out the site. Gonna get me the 8 Piece. I like hansens, but i break the posts and been lookin for something better. These will last and you can clean them easy.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

You guys want quality and USA made? Pick up a set of the **** billet ones from Westling Machine. I have never seen a prettier socket tray in my life! I love mine.

on 3/8 socket post, can you put up to 24mm without space issue?

 

[1950mercury]

the lowes buy me had 3packs on clearance for 4 bucks i bought 3 boxes cause i could not find hansons local. did not like them they are still sitting in the boxes

 

[CWP1616L]

Thanks for posting this. Checked out the site. Gonna get me the 8 Piece. I like hansens, but i break the posts and been lookin for something better. These will last and you can clean them easy.

Are you breaking the posts on the 1/4 drive racks? I was looking at some yesterday and they seem quite delicate on the 1/4 drive racks.

 

[Skin]

Are you breaking the posts on the 1/4 drive racks? I was looking at some yesterday and they seem quite delicate on the 1/4 drive racks.

For what its worth i've been using hansen trays for a couple years now, never once have I broken a post off any of the trays. The only way I can feasibly see snapping a post would be to bend it about 45 degrees.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

I am glad I bought the hansen trays I put a lot of effort filling them with sockets made in the USA. Wouldnt seem right if the trays were made in China. Also i agree the pegs are hard to break i dont know what you guys are doing with them.

 

[Fedwrench]

I absolutely hate hansen Racks, and can't understand why you guys let an empty peg for a size you'll never use drive you crazy but, that's just me.

Have you guys seen the new Socket Boss from Ernst MFG? If I really wanted a tray, I think I'd go for this as it lets you tailor sizes and drives.

http://www.ernstmfg.com/tool-organizers/socket-organizers/socket-boss.html

 

[small]

Funny looking for a way to store some sockets and saw mention of the Magrail, open their site and its an old school mate on their home page. "Cool Tools" Chris Grundy. Small world, small world.