Toptul Reviews

[FuriousGeorge]

I like the Hexes on the drive end of the extensions, do all toptul extensions have that Mike or is that unique to the wobbles?

I'm not certain, but I think they're just on the satin finish wobbles. I just got some of the regular polished extensions and they don't have the knurling or the hex end. The chrome finish is very, very nice. I don't have any truck brands to compare it to, but it's a much nicer looking finish than the Craftsman and Gearwrench stuff I have.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like the satin finish, but I got some hex bit sockets in satin and they're great. I'm definitely going to get some of those satin wobbles in my next order.

 

[bchee]

Here's my first order from Mike. I don't have a diverse assortment of tool brands to make any objective opinions on, but I've taken several pictures in hopes that people can get an idea of what they can expect.

Your picts are incredible. Thanks
I can't believe how inexpensive the stuff is. The price scares me in an irrational way, like it must not be very good if it doesn't cost a lot.

How do you like the knurling on the extensions?

edit: just noticed those wobbles look like wobble plus

 

[wrenhandtools]

Remember prices on sockets, ratchets and wrenches will be increasing 30%.

Yes, they are wobble plus.

The wobbles in the pics are the CAAH series. This series is the only style to have the hex on the end. Also on a finish note, the satin finish on this series of extensions is actually much more flat than almost any other item in the satin finish. These examples have a finish that is VERY close to Hazet....their other stuff in the satin finish is WAY shinier......I mean A LOT.

And I bring this up, because the mirror chrome finish is truly stunning, but they are still moving forward in phasing this finish out, which is sort of a bummer. I like being able to offer two finishes on the tools frankly.
So for those out there who REALLY like the chrome, get your list to me of what you want because it is kind of a "last call" on that finish for the near future.

I am hoping that I can build the US business large enough to request they bring that finish back in the future when the name has gotten out in this country.

You can help by telling your friends!!!

Sincerely,

 

[superautobacs]

Your picts are incredible. Thanks
I can't believe how inexpensive the stuff is. The price scares me in an irrational way, like it must not be very good if it doesn't cost a lot.

How do you like the knurling on the extensions?

edit: just noticed those wobbles look like wobble plus

Yes, it's hard to believe how affordable many of the things are.
Although I can only compare with two other tools with knurling on them, I like the profile of the Toptul knurling. Many that I've seen are not very grippy as the knurling profile is too shallow or not raised.
I got the CAAH series because of the satin finish, wobble-plus, knurling, and the hex bolster....and of course the price.

 

[Vinko]

I agree that the price makes it appealing. It's funny how price creates certain perceptions, as bchee noted. I wonder what Mike's costs are? Not that I expect him to reveal that. But I asked my Taiwanese friend who does importing to see if she couldn't pick up a catalog and price list for me. The price and quality control are damn impressive. The finish on the hammer is amazing. The copy on the torque instructions has a few typos.

 

[john w]

Mike included a catalog in one of my orders, and I remember him telling me at the time that he had a limited number of them available back then. I had not asked him for one, but he was nice enough to throw one in. I'm age 64, and much prefer paper media to the screen when it comes to catalogs, so, it was a really nice treat to open the box and see it.

 

[iamhistory]

I recently received my order from Mike. I was eagerly awaiting the shipment and I was not disappointed when it arrived.

I purchased flex head ratchets (72 teeth) in 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 drive. I have a small variety of ratchets but I do have a couple truck brands and the Toptul flex heads are among my nicest pieces in comparison with the SO and MAC I have. They feel very nice, the ratchet mechanism feels smooth and the fit/finish is very nice.

I have several C-man ratchets that at times I'd like to fling across the shop (especially the 1/4" p.o.s. that slips all the time and has already been traded in). So far the Toptuls have certainly risen high on my favorites list and they will be among my go to ratchets.

I also had an extensive socket order but couldn't get much of that due to stock. The ones I did get were a few filler sizes for my set of 1/4" deeps, a set of 3/8" deeps and also 1/2" deeps. All sockets were metric, polished chrome and very well made. They look nice, feel nice and are obviously of good quality.

I purchased a 1/4" (6") and a 1/2" (10") extension, also in polished chrome. These were ok, but not impressive as ALL of the other items in my order. They appear to be of good quality but have some minor flaws in the chrome on both of them at the end where the sockets attach. It looks like paint that ran as it was drying. Obviously has nothing to do with function, but caused me to think of maybe it was a flaw since all of the other polished stuff I got was really, really nice. It certainly isn't anything that would make me return them or anything I think will affect their function. Just cosmetic in my opinion.

I was pleased that the sockets came on rails b/c I was needing to go and buy a few to hold the sockets I had coming in my order and now I don't have to do that. The icing on the cake was a great, black ink, Wrenhandtools pen that I use everday and absolutely love. I NEED a pen everyday and I've come to appreciate good quality ones since I'm hard on writing sticks. The one Mike sent in my package made my day. It's in my pocket right now.

I had numerous communications with Mike via e-mail and on the phone. Mike was very easy to deal with, was very accommodating and demonstrated that he is eager to satisfy his customers and promote a quality product. I had some questions about an upcoming order I wanted to place and Mike gave me some time to put the order together without rushing to get it in before prices went up. He was all about being fair and patient.

I think my Toptul experience has been top notch and I am looking forward to ordering again from Mike. I could go out and get the items I wanted that Mike didn't have in stock from another vendor, but I am not going to do that now. I found the Toptul items I bought to be of high quality at great prices and I will give Mike some more business.

Order with piece of mind guys. I doubt you'll be disappointed. The stuff I have makes me want to find jobs to do just so I can play with it.

Tom

 

[PowderKeg]

...And I bring this up, because the mirror chrome finish is truly stunning, but they are still moving forward in phasing this finish out, which is sort of a bummer. I like being able to offer two finishes on the tools frankly.
So for those out there who REALLY like the chrome, get your list to me of what you want because it is kind of a "last call" on that finish for the near future.

ARGGHH!! It figures!! Everything (the sockets and extensions at least) I sent you on my list I only want in the mirror chrome finish. I'm not crazy at all about satin finishes (for tools). Hopefully there will be enough left to fill your big (my small) order.

Those wobble extensions in mirror are really sweet, and the knurling is cut just right. Shame they want to drop a really good thing. Just curious, out of the total order you're putting together, any guess on what percentage is mirror chrome vs the (blah) satin?

 

[The Muffin Man]

I recieved several ractchets and screwdrivers that I ordered last night. Overall I am very impressed with the quality of the products I recieved. The best part though is a hand written message from Mike thanking me for my first order . Here are some of the pics I snapped today....

Next to the Toptul PH2 screwdriver is my Blue Point.

The Magnet on the Toptul screwdriver is very nice. It has a stronger force then any screwdriver I've owned. For comparision, my Blue Point one can't lift one of the 1/4in screws from my dirtbike. However the Toptul can lift two of the same screws yet still requires a good jerk to break the attraction.

The Ratchets are of great quality too. The 72 teeth feel super smooth much nicer than any of my Craftsmans. They are also nicer than my sealed head Snap-On as well. Though I expected this since the Snap-on is only has 36 teeth. Overall the tolerances must be extremely low since I can not feel or hear any play in the head of the ratchets when I tried them out. The satin finish is again breath taking.

Mike, Thank you for this transaction. I've never experienced a better purchase. You are a quality Dealer selling quality products .

 

[wrenhandtools]

wow thanks!
And I think the pics are that much better coming from customers rather than myself!

 

[pirana]

I received my first order a few weeks ago, just a 1/4 dr. deep metric socket set & a 3/8 dr. short metric set in satin finish. I think they look real nice & are well made. I gotta have a couple of those ratchets, they look good!

 

[The Muffin Man]

wow thanks!
And I think the pics are that much better coming from customers rather than myself!

I sent you another email with some wrenches and other tools I'd like to order as well .

Edit: PS the site looking good too!

 

[wrenhandtools]

Wow thanks!!!

I must admit, most of the time I don't know who's who with these handles that you all use!!! ha ha ha

And yes, the site is a work in progress, but at least there is a little progress.......glacial in speed maybe.....but progress.

 

[geaugafletcher]

My order arrived yesterday - standard and deep sockets in 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2, a few extensions and a rivet gun. Everything looks top-notch - I'm looking for excuses to put them to use and find out if the looks presage the performance.

The stain finish is terrific - Mike was right in his guess, I do like it better than the chrome.

The chrome extensions have a well-made wobble end - push the socket on a little farther, and it locks down. There's a little patch of knurling on the shaft, not very deep.

 

[beelsr]

My order arrived a week or 2 ago. Finally, here are the pics. The cherries have been popped, no new out of the box glamour shots here... (Merk, continue at your own risk...)

Needed a little stubby P1. Works great. Handle is comfy. Nice thumb rests and palm swells. Green is hard, black is soft. Conformable to the hand under pressure/squeezing, tough enough so you can't feel the handle twisting around the shank, just enough tack with hand-sweat to stick to the hand and not slip. Much better handle than the Craftsman black & red pro drivers (I have 21 of them). I think I'll be buying some more...

Ad-hoc durability test on the grips. Squeeze like heck with a nail to make indentations.

About 60-75 seconds later, the indentations are gone.

Typical finish. Bad light in the garage, others have better pics.

Cover plate fits just a little loose, which is fine. The plates on my Ferrets are so tight - even tighter than S&W revolver side-plates. Tight enough and enough contact area for a good seal - loose enough for simple servicing. Excellent. 3/8" drive socket in the back for support.

Even the lube is green!

Works great. Went out and busted some nuts loose on the backhoe. Ratchet just yawned.



THIS is a well-made pair of pliers! I own about a dozen pairs of dikes. To me, they're the "can you make a pair of pliers" item. These are NICE. Grips are soft enough without being overmolded ricer-looking trash. Black oxide finish is superb. Sanding of tips excellent. No need to Kroil these out of the box - full range of motion with no sticking or binding. Nicer than all my Knipex dikes.

Perfect alignment and cutter facing.

After about 100 cuts of 12-2 and 14-2 wire scraps, cutters still look new...

 

[john w]

Thanx for the info and GREAT pix! Nice to see new tools getting used right away - really justifies the purchase to me.

 

[superautobacs]

THIS is a well-made pair of pliers! I own about a dozen pairs of dikes. To me, they're the "can you make a pair of pliers" item. These are NICE. Grips are soft enough without being overmolded ricer-looking trash. Black oxide finish is superb. Sanding of tips excellent. No need to Kroil these out of the box - full range of motion with no sticking or binding. Nicer than all my Knipex dikes.

WOW, that's a statement there.

That stubby phillips looks good, especially the raised palm grippers.

 

[Merkava_4]

beelsr
superautobacs
The Muffin Man

You guys are fantastic - those pictures are stunning!! Thank You.

 

[Fedwrench]

I recently placed my first two Toptul orders for a ratchet, some extra long wrenches, those cool hex ended extensions, screwdrivers, and some other odds and ends. First off, Mike does a great job of getting the order to you quickly if he has it in stock. Secondly, the tools I have are great quality and well designed and a bargain to boot. If you're looking for quality tools at a decent price, try some Toptul tools from Mike at Wrenhandtools.com
Caution, it may be habit forming though.

 

[The Muffin Man]

Here is a 3/4in standard combination wrench from Toptul side by side my Snap-On flank drive plus. The Toptul measures out to a hair over 9-1/2" long while the Snap-On is 11". The Chrome finish is superb, I'm not even going to say how lustrous it is (I'll let the pictures do that .)

The Snap-On has a slight yellow hue to the finish as depicted in the photos (though I havent cleaned it with any solution prior to taking these pics.) I just wiped both down with tissue paper to remove finger prints.

Toptul...

Snap-On...

Toptul Box end...

Snap-On box end...

Some more close ups...

 

[wrenhandtools]

Just want to mention, you can get a complete set of standard and extra long Toptul for less than 1/2 of the price of SO set.

 

[nmk_61802]

Mike,

Did you get my wishlist that I emailed to you? I haven't heard from you regarding it.

 

[jgira12]

Hi Mike, just want to be sure you have my wishlist as you suggested. thanks. I am ready to order too.

Jerry

 

[Nova72]

hope you got mine too might have to start calling you santa clause.

 

[wrenhandtools]

Let's hope I don't have to work with elves!!!

 

[bennyy]

mike
Hope you got my wish list also. thanks

 

[Leonard 95]

Damn, he is gonna be busy cause I just sent one in also.

 

[The Muffin Man]

Damn, he is gonna be busy cause I just sent one in also.

In the same boat .

 

[Speed-Racer]

I am curious if anyone has pictures of well used Toptul wrenches or sockets. Many are comparing them to the tool truck quality, the finish based on the pics and reviews look great. Wondering if the tolerances, durability and strength are really the same, as the industrial brands?

 

[terry1769]

I got the price quote on my first wishlist back and it wasn't high enough so I sent in another.

 

[amishman]

Just curious, what the rest of you are ordering? Socket Sets? Wrench Sets? curious.

tj

 

[pirana]

Just curious, what the rest of you are ordering? Socket Sets? Wrench Sets? curious.

tj

I've got a couple of socket sets already & just ordered a ratchet & some extensions. Plan to order a 75 degree offset double box end wrench set, maybe a torque wrench, a few more ratchets & before all is said & done probably more stuff as well. I wish they offered a ball hex socket bit driver set. Unless I just overlooked it.

 

[Bo Heck]

I wish they offered a ball hex socket bit driver set. Unless I just overlooked it.

Yea I wanted some of those too, but youre right, none there. My list consists of screwdriver set, socket sets, gearless ratchets, rotohead ratchets, metric wrench set, pliers (since a review here said they liked them better than knipex), impact swivel adapters. maybe something i forgot

 

[posaune]

Another wish list sent.

 

[PowderKeg]

Just curious, what the rest of you are ordering? Socket Sets? Wrench Sets? curious.

tj

Mostly extensions (wobble, locking), u-joint sockets, screwdrivers (already got a few sets), the stubby swivel-head ratchets. The wobble extentions I got earlier are of excellent quality, the screwdrivers comfortable also. May add a few odd wrenches in at the last minute to fill out a few metric sets.

 

[The Muffin Man]

Just curious, what the rest of you are ordering? Socket Sets? Wrench Sets? curious.

tj

I'm going with some wrench sets, hacksaw, screwdrivers, and some other small items.

 

[ddrewyor]

I just received a set of the metric ratcheting combo wrenches in satin. They look good and seem to be of the same quality as the other Toptul items I have seen and purchased. Still waiting on an excuse to try them. I have placed the order for the SAE set. Mike, whats timing for your next order? Thanks

Dave
________
Easy vape vaporizer

 

[posaune]

Just curious, what the rest of you are ordering? Socket Sets? Wrench Sets? curious.

tj

I'm trying to fill in holes in my tool collection that don't get used too often (so I can't justify spending Snap On money) but that would be nice to have. So far, my list includes extensions (wobble, locking, locking impact), universal sockets (metric and SAE), a long breaker bar, long pattern metric combos, and 75 degree offset box wrenches (~$38 vs $100 more for Stahlwille? - I love German tools but this seems a no-brainer).

 

[iamhistory]

I'm in as well.

Flare nut wrenches, combination wrenches, various sockets, etc.

Looking forward to getting the order and working with the tools. I used my new Toptul 1/2 flexible ratchet the other day on my tractor and it was a pleasurable experience.

 

[ddrewyor]

I'm in as well.

Flare nut wrenches, combination wrenches, various sockets, etc.


iamhistory - you will have to let us know how the flare nut wrenches work out. There is a thread on this very subject and it would be interesting to see how the Toptul flare nut wrenches perform.

Dave

Incidentally, how can I quote and have it appear in the box vs. looking like text. Thanks
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Irish cooking