The New Kobalt is here

[Pro-Painter]

Here is the "New" Kobalt tools line. I can only find wrenches and sockets on their website.
I have no idea who or where they are made but they look imported. I went to my local store and all they had where the old Kobalt tools still marked down 10%. I'm interested to see what the wrenches look like in person.
They look like the new HF pro line, and color coated like Duralast........ Oh and the prices are about the same as the old USA tools.

 

[bobcatdan]

Don't duralst have those color bands on their sockets? All you duralast fans are in for treat if they're the new provider.

 

[Pro-Painter]

Don't duralst have those color bands on their sockets? All you duralast fans are in for treat if they're the new provider.

They do, But they are the opposite of the new kobalt's

Duralast = Red metric/ blue SAE
Kobalt = Blue metric/ Red SAE


Also, I can tell by the sockets that they are nothing like the old Duralast with the colored bands..

 

[MrMark]

Kobalt has been junk and not a good source of tools for a long time. Nothing has changed.

 

[ajchien]

Im a little confused by that red plastic packaged wrench set ... coming with screwdriver bits? without a bitdriver?

 

[muddyjoe15]

Another half decent american comapny shot down for a cheaper manufacture!

 

[Stuey]

The "Power Cross" wrenches look like cheap imports.

 

[jeffk14]

Pittsburgh Pro at an exponentially higher price?

 

[Pro-Painter]

Ratcheting wrenches look like Stanley's and they are $70 for a 7pc set

Or how about $102 for this 8pc set

 

[bagsanthony]

what a shithole

 

[Grogan14]

Im a little confused by that red plastic packaged wrench set ... coming with screwdriver bits? without a bitdriver?

Looks like a bit adapter at the bottom of the package, which probably fits into one of the smaller ratcheting ends.

 

[pcpro15]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[otis66]

They look like Duralast.

 

[shanker]

total ****

 

[NinetyTwoFifty]

I'll bet the quality is better than the USA made Kobalt junk I've gotten lately. Most of their recent USA stuff is pathetic IMHO. Priced higher than Craftsman too.

 

[Pro-Painter]

They look like Duralast.

The only thing about them that looks like Duralast is the red/blue and its reversed. Nothing else looks even similar to Duralast.

Jeffk14 said it best "Pittsburgh Pro at an exponentially higher price"


Although I agree with NinetyTwoFifty. They do look better then the last batch of Kobalt tools. But the price KILLS them. They are way too much for what they are.

 

[mrholeshot]

Yeehaa!! Lowes Freight

 

[Shipfittin]

Kind of a let down, but then again, never really expected anything good out of this in the end.

 

[Skin]

The only thing about them that looks like Duralast is the red/blue and its reversed. Nothing else looks even similar to Duralast.

I disagree. I believe it was Autozone who marketed those wrenches with the beam that actually looks like it was twisted some years ago. That is the ONLY place i've ever seen them, and now they're at Lowes. I'd like to see a comparison of the new/current AZ stuff to this, i bet there are many similarities.

 

[otis66]

Looking foward to buying SK tools.

 

[baucom]

Those twist wrenches look a lot like the GM Performance Parts twist wrench set available at O'Reillys.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/GDW0/GM6505.oap?keyword=wrench+sets

 

[Butters]

When did SK start color coding their sockets???

On a more serious and solemn note, those sockets are EXACTLY like the set I purchased at HF the other day for my M/C tool kit. The only difference is the band at the base is painted on the Kobalt ones. But the size etchings and even the plastic rail packaging is IDENTICAL. I have no doubt it is the same set, although the Lwes set says it is 6 pt. I think I paid $9.99 without a coupon for the metric set at HF. Lowes wants $23 for the same set! That must be some expensive paint they're using.

 

[Pro-Painter]

I disagree. I believe it was Autozone who marketed those wrenches with the beam that actually looks like it was twisted some years ago. That is the ONLY place i've ever seen them, and now they're at Lowes. I'd like to see a comparison of the new/current AZ stuff to this, i bet there are many similarities.

Duralast don't make a twist wrench. It must have been another brand you seen.
Duralast sockets taper on the drive end and have longer shafts. (see pics)

The new china made Duralast tools don't have the colored bands for metric/SAE and look like ALL other China/Taiwan sockets/wrenches.


The set sizes and the plastic trays are nothing like the new or old duralast, But they are very smiler to the imported danaher line sold at Northern tool

 

[dkroth]

On a more serious and solemn note, those sockets are EXACTLY like the set I purchased at HF the other day for my M/C tool kit.

Links to sets at HF:

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/370x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_8787.jpg

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/370x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_7059.jpg

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/370x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_3290.jpg

 

[jjjrmx5]

Im a little confused by that red plastic packaged wrench set ... coming with screwdriver bits? without a bitdriver?

LOL.

That was the VERY first thing that went thru my mind as well.

Stubby big bolt wrenches and a couple of bit sets in a blister pak. :

Like serving roast beef with a side of toilet paper and dish washing detergent.
WTF??????????????

 

[mixxmstrmike]

Yeehaa!! Lowes Freight

Lowe's Harbor?

or

Lowebor Fright?

 

[leod]

so much for SK wishful thinking on the other thread LOL

 

[Pro-Painter]

so much for SK wishful thinking on the other thread LOL

They are SK....... That is if SK stands for ****** Kobalt

 

[bchee]

Thanks for loading these pictures.

 

[billymade]

They seem to remind me of Stanley as well; anyone else think this also?

 

[Even 11]

I believe it was Autozone who marketed those wrenches with the beam that actually looks like it was twisted some years ago. That is the ONLY place I've ever seen them, and now they're at Lowes.

They had those at Checker Auto under the Thorsen-Taiwan name too.

-Dane

 

[ajchien]

The blue ratcheting wrenches ... Are they reversible? Is that the selector that looks a lot like the HF dual headed ratchet that just came out..?

Just curious if we can identify the new maker of the brand.

 

[SMKS]

Thanks for loading these pictures.

+1

Pics of any new tools are greatly appreciated by me.

 

[Pro-Painter]

The blue ratcheting wrenches ... Are they reversible? Is that the selector that looks a lot like the HF dual headed ratchet that just came out..?

Just curious if we can identify the new maker of the brand.

Yeah it looks just like it. It also looks like the switch on the Titan ratcheting combos.

I doubt we will ever know the true OEM of the new Kobalt's, But if I had to guess I would say they are imported Danaher tools like Northern tool sells, or they are random imports like HF sells.

 

[HandyManny]

Another half decent american comapny shot down for a cheaper manufacture!

I don't know about that. If you ask me the USA made Danaher made Kobalt wrenches and sockets were okay, but not nearly as high quality as the Duralast stuff. Not even close. Maybe once Danaher's domestic productions starts producing high quality consistant tools then I won't be so ashamed to see USA on their stuff.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

look nice but I still think its a shame that U.S. tool manufactures are outsourcing to other countries just to make some quick bucks. Im not real happy with craftsman right now but I buy what i can in us made and skip the rest.

Never got to be a big kobalt fan. Went to school with a kid who keept saying they were "Snap on quality at half the price." Needless to say I heard that line one to many times. That mouth got him in trouble and thus his toolbox got suspended at the top of the hanger overhead hoist. and the professor threw his wrench for using the wrong size on a manifold drain fitting. I laughed pretty hard while he was searching for that wrench.

Thanks
Sean Scott

 

[Kirbot]

One more American tool brand flushed down the Chinese crapper....

Oh well, I wasn't at all impressed with the USA Kobalt stuff anyway.

 

[GSteg]

I have a few Kobalt tools and I like them. My favorite being the Kobalt 1/2" impact gun (composite model). It has tons of power on hand and it was cheap to purchase too.


Haven't used much of their hand tools though.

 

[I can fix anything]

Im a little confused by that red plastic packaged wrench set ... coming with screwdriver bits? without a bitdriver?

LOL.

That was the VERY first thing that went thru my mind as well.

Stubby big bolt wrenches and a couple of bit sets in a blister pak. :

Like serving roast beef with a side of toilet paper and dish washing detergent.
WTF??????????????

Put yalls glasses on, the bit holder is at the bottom.

 

[expatriated]

I think I'll stick with the tools that say "Made in Germany" on them