What Brand is most cost effective while quality?

[nflfreak43]

ok guys... in the Fall im going to be leaving Harbor Freight probably and moving to either St. Louis or Champagne, IL and going to school in the Ford ASSET program to become a Ford Technician.

I was wanting to know what brand of hand tools would be the most cost effective but still be quality and long lasting..

heres the options:

1. Stanley Tools (MAC)
2. Silver Eagle (MATCO)
3. Blue Point (SNAP-ON)
4. Kobalt
5. Mac
6. Matco
7. SNAP-ON

 

[DrkMtnDew]

if you're going to school, use your discount to get the best. SO or Matco.

 

[mrholeshot]

The only thing on your list I would buy would be Snap-On to make a living with. There are more options that didn't make your list. If you are getting the 55% Snap-On deal get them while you can.

 

[Fedwrench]

I would definitely take advantage of your student discount to buy Snap on flare wrenches and crowfeet and heavy duty torx bits. Everything else is a matter of personal choice.
Kobalt doesn't offer enough to meet a pro tech's needs.
The obivious choice not on the list is Craftsman which would still be cheaper than a list Snap on tool with your student discount.

 

[nflfreak43]

I would definitely take advantage of your student discount to buy Snap on flare wrenches and crowfeet and heavy duty torx bits. Everything else is a matter of personal choice.
Kobalt doesn't offer enough to meet a pro tech's needs.
The obivious choice not on the list is Craftsman which would still be cheaper than a list Snap on tool with your student discount.

Craftsman is about on the same level of Harbor Freight stuff is nowdays.... its not good enough in my opinion to meet a Pro Tech's needs...

 

[mtkst19]

i agree, use your discount and buy snap on. dont use that money on a box. use it on tools. you can buy a used box for less than 25% of new price on craigslist. you are hard pressed to find snap on tools at 25% of face value.

 

[Skin]

Not sure where the program will be by the time you're in school but Cman does do 20% off for tech students as well.

I'd probably be doing some real shopping. Cman Premium ratchets and extensions. Impact sockets/extensions, pry bars, punches/chisels/alignment tools and wrenches as well most likely. Truck brand chrome sockets/flex ratchets. Bosch screw guns, IR air tools etc... I'd be all over the map.

I'd be cautious about putting all my eggs in one basket. If/when you get a job and you bought all of one brand and theres no dealer around you'll be stuck with mail order purchase/warranty.

 

[nflfreak43]

i agree, use your discount and buy snap on. dont use that money on a box. use it on tools. you can buy a used box for less than 25% of new price on craigslist. you are hard pressed to find snap on tools at 25% of face value.

Harbor Freight boxes do fine for me... already got a service cart, and can get the 90320 13 drawer toolbox for fairly cheap after my employee discount.

 

[Skin]

I have to say if you're looking for a starter box i'd pass on the 13 drawer and get the 56" 11 drawer one HF sells instead. Fewer but deeper drawers are more useful than a bunch of shallow ones.

 

[Roots]

If the Matco and Snap On student discounts are going to be available, I'd highly recommend taking advantage of them if you're not going to go into debt. I personally went mostly with Matco as I thought their Tech-Ed/student discount program was a bit better overall.

I'd also highly recommend you scan some of the sale fliers online from industrial supply houses like MSC, Grainger, Fastenal, etc. You can often pick up very high quality Wright, Armstrong, Wera, Channel Lock, Proto, Knipex, etc. tools at exceptional teaser prices.

To each their own though and congrats on your entry into the Ford ASSET program. Good luck with your education and future career.

 

[Radio Flyer]

I'd be cautious about putting all my eggs in one basket. If/when you get a job and you bought all of one brand and theres no dealer around you'll be stuck with mail order purchase/warranty.

I'm in that boat now. Haven't had a SO route guy in about 5 years. I was dropping off my broken stuff at the local body shop for warranty when their driver is around. Then warranty is handled by the SO industrial dept. that services the shop. Now the pushy sales guy "services" the shop. Don't know how long he will last.


BTW, Ive had the same Matco guy since 1985!

 

[klhitman]

i like snap on and mac but where i work i cant justify the cost so its cman or walmart. people like to barrow stuff and loose it so i limit who gets to barrow stuff.

 

[Case IH]

You cant go wrong with Matco my dad got his set for HS graduation and he still used them today and has never had to replace a tool (he is 45)

 

[plinker]

I'd be cautious about putting all my eggs in one basket.

I agree on this. Look at S-K for example. What would happen to the Craftsman line if sears would go out?

If you get a discount, I would get as much as possible from Snap-on and/or Matco as you wont get it any cheaper later. With either brand you can mail in tools for warranty if need be.

FWIW, Flare nut and angle wrenches I would for sure get from S-O.

 

[crewchief888]

I would definitely take advantage of your student discount to buy Snap on flare wrenches and crowfeet and heavy duty torx bits. Everything else is a matter of personal choice..

Not sure where the program will be by the time you're in school but Cman does do 20% off for tech students as well.

I'd probably be doing some real shopping. Cman Premium ratchets and extensions. Impact sockets/extensions, pry bars, punches/chisels/alignment tools and wrenches as well most likely. Truck brand chrome sockets/flex ratchets. Bosch screw guns, IR air tools etc... I'd be all over the map.

I'd be cautious about putting all my eggs in one basket. If/when you get a job and you bought all of one brand and theres no dealer around you'll be stuck with mail order purchase/warranty.

+1 fedwrench
add to that list from SO
allen bits
i would also look to truck brands for everyday, go to ratchets

everyone has their personal favorites & must haves.

ive used IR impacts
SO air ratchet
most every other air tool was bluepoint, or CP.
CM pro wrenches are mixed in with truck brand wrenches, and even a few raised panels.
most guys like matco impact wobbles for their pinless design
fluke probably is a favorite

my home and work boxes are full of (big 3) truck brands, armstrong, proto,cornwell, cm, SK, duralast, stanley, channellock, knipex, cresent, williams,
and even hf

i think if you dont "shop around" you wont find the best tool for the job

good luck

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

I agree with most of the guys above and their choices. I would get Snap-on for the items that Fedwrench noted but the rest would either be Matco or Blue Point as well as Lisle, KD, SK and a few others. I have some of Matco's Silver Chicken line and they squawk instead of scream.

With your student discount however, I would be loading up on Snap-on and Matco while I could.

 

[diesel research]

heavy duty torx bits.

Nah.
http://www.vimtools.com/home.asp

Definitely don't become brand myopic. Each brand has gems and turds.

If you wait til christmas, matco offers blow out deals to students.

Lots of guys are liking these screw drivers:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001NQQCC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Don't forget the wright 3430 mini ratchet.

HF/Duralast have the best 24" breaker bars I have ever used.

Armstrong is a real sleeper in the ratchet/ratchet wrench category. XL double boexs on the wish list (as long as they still say USA)

 

[Deafautotech]

hey good luck with FORD ASSET school...

i am ford heavy line technician(former chrysler heavy line technician and Indy shop tech).. i had use craftsman tools for while but when do more and more hard work, more tools break on me.. so i has went with three brands as snap on, matco, and mac. I am avoid the silver eagle, blue points, and else because just dont want a junk tools for myself...

again, have a fun and learn a lot at ford ASSET school...

 

[King Bojack]

On a strict budget don't forget the Gearwrench. Guys at my local shop (and me too) have them and GW **** takes a pounding.

 

[diesel research]

They have the best selection, and with a little care will last a long time. Things like soaking in lubricant occasionally, and NOT using them to break bolts free will greatly extend life. They usually fail by stripping out the gears either due to pounding on them or just reaming on them hard. Use a box end wrench to break them free (or buy the double box ratchet wrenches) and long life awaits.

 

[leod]

i would agree with others to get the best stuff as long as you don't get carried away and get into too much debt. even at 50% discount, you're still going to pay for them later.

 

[mkdive]

I voted SO out of the choice available....but I agree about the GW statement above!

 

[TireTracks]

If you think craftsman isnt good enough, cross Kobalt off the list. They are the exact same tools with a different look and name on them.

I don't understand how you guys break tools all the time. Usualy when something breaks it was doing something it was not supposted to do or doing something in a way it's not suppost to do it.

 

[Even 11]

I would definitely take advantage of your student discount to buy Snap on flare wrenches and crowfeet and heavy duty torx bits. Everything else is a matter of personal choice.
The obvious choice not on the list is Craftsman which would still be cheaper than a list Snap on tool with your student discount.

I'm with fedwrench here, look at your local pawn shops and harbor freight too! As much as Cman and HF gets bashed on here, a lot of their tools are quite useable.

-Dane

 

[pipsters]

Craftsman is about on the same level of Harbor Freight stuff is nowdays.... its not good enough in my opinion to meet a Pro Tech's needs...

A large amount our A&P's working on turbine equipment use Craftsman tools. With overtime these guys are making 6 figures, so it's not like they couldn't afford "the best".

 

[Fedwrench]

No tool brand is as good today as it used to be.
More wisdom for your student discount, don't buy a huge box. Don't go deep into debt. Focus on the tools needed to perform entry level tasks. think wheels on, wheels off, lube, and minor diag and maintenance.
Don't buy a huge box as you may move a time or two to get a raise, better working environment, etc. and moving a huge box is a pain. Plus, the senior cash cow techs usually get two bays and the shop space for a huge box.
Flat rate is feast or famine especially if you're new. Fewer bills means you can get by easier on less.

 

[diesel research]

Get a part-time automotive related job WHILE in school. Preferably in a shop of sorts.

I saw 2 reasons students failed to find immediate work out of school. 1 is lack of tools. Spent all their money on ricer **** or beer. No tools, no job. 2 was a lack of experience. They turned their nose at part time lube tech jobs because they were "too good". Once out of school, have no documented experience other than school, and hard working current students took the entry level lube jobs, so they are assed-out. Plus those hard working students, double dipped and used part time experience plus tech school experience to qualify for ASE testing so they eventually graduate certified, experienced, AND trained (along with tools)

 

[Gregg33]

Not much help to you as I'm in Canada, but here the best tool value is Kobalt (American made tools at great price) and the best tool box value is Gray. Some people in Canada could make the argument that Snap On or Gray (I love the Gray hard line) are a better value for tools, but they are very costly for a new mechanic. I'd venture to guess for Americans the best values would probably be (U.S. made) Craftsman for tools and for tool boxes probably Craftsman or Waterloo.

 

[catfish]

used tools of high quality
skip the new stuff

 

[stopdroplol]

The most cost effective brand is Harbor Freight stuff..no question. Anyone who think's otherwise is just being elitist.

I don't even see how you can conceivable imagine the truck brands as "cost effective". They are the epitome of Brand Pricing lavishness.

You can invest $3000 into HF and have a fully loaded box capable of fixing everything from the bathroom sink to jet aircraft. Or you can invest $3,000 into Snapon and you might* get a decent a box with nothing in it.

 

[CD1]

If you think craftsman isnt good enough, cross Kobalt off the list. They are the exact same tools with a different look and name on them.

I don't understand how you guys break tools all the time. Usualy when something breaks it was doing something it was not supposted to do or doing something in a way it's not suppost to do it.

Agreed!

 

[speed bump]

There is no single most cost effective brand out there. I would say it is more about the individuals ability to discern what they need and what brand best fulfills that need.

The most cost effective brand is Harbor Freight stuff..no question. Anyone who think's otherwise is just being elitist.

I don't even see how you can conceivable imagine the truck brands as "cost effective". They are the epitome of Brand Pricing lavishness.

You can invest $3000 into HF and have a fully loaded box capable of fixing everything from the bathroom sink to jet aircraft. Or you can invest $3,000 into Snapon and you might* get a decent a box with nothing in it.

Well I shall be elitist then. In the last month I can think of multiple times where HF tools cost a customer more than buying multiples of the equivalent SO item. Now thats a customer who may or may not really care that some cheap hand tools cost them an extra $1000-5k on a $1.5-3 million job but when it starts affecting my bottom line then I start caring. Getting an extra hour a day on flat rate at $15 is about $3000 a year extra take home, if a better impact gun, better hex bits, or more expensive better laid out tool box helps me gain do those jobs that much faster each day then it will pay for itself in the long run.

Not that there isn't room for HF tools at all: For a lot of occasional use tools and quite a few of the basics they are perfectly fine.

 

[mrholeshot]

The most cost effective brand is Harbor Freight stuff..no question. Anyone who think's otherwise is just being elitist.

I don't even see how you can conceivable imagine the truck brands as "cost effective". They are the epitome of Brand Pricing lavishness.

You can invest $3000 into HF and have a fully loaded box capable of fixing everything from the bathroom sink to jet aircraft. Or you can invest $3,000 into Snapon and you might* get a decent a box with nothing in it.

There are a few good tools at HF that will stand up to professional use. Sorry but most of the stuff won't hold up under what a line tech puts tools through. Buying quality tools to maintain the ability to do your job is not being an elitist. It's being smart. The OP has HF boxes he wants to fill with good tools. Thats smart. Buying a 3000+ dollar toolbox and filling it with HF tools would be not too smart. There are alternatives to tool truck brands that can get the job done. For the most part HF isn't one of those brands

 

[jeffk14]

A large amount our A&P's working on turbine equipment use Craftsman tools. With overtime these guys are making 6 figures, so it's not like they couldn't afford "the best".

^^^This.^^^

I don't even see how you can conceivable imagine the truck brands as "cost effective". They are the epitome of Brand Pricing lavishness.

^^^And this.^^^ Even at half-off, truck-brand tools are way overpriced.

Don't forget Duralast from AutoZone either. IMO, Duralast and Stanley are both a great value, even if they're both imported.

 

[Mike83]

I have to say if you're looking for a starter box i'd pass on the 13 drawer and get the 56" 11 drawer one HF sells instead. Fewer but deeper drawers are more useful than a bunch of shallow ones.

I find the opposite is true for me. I have lots of tools that are less than 1.5" high (wrenches, ratchets, pliers, screwdrivers) so for me square footage is more important than volume.

 

[moparmuscle88]

buy use truck brands wherever you can and fill in with your SO discount for the rest... let me tell you that people who say craftsman or anything less is good enough are wrong, they may get the job done, but maybe not as fast, as comfortably, and the most important, how often do they have to warranty their tools?

in a shop thats money lost when you have to take the trip to sears to get a tool replaced while your in the middle of a job

 

[mrholeshot]

A large amount our A&P's working on turbine equipment use Craftsman tools. With overtime these guys are making 6 figures, so it's not like they couldn't afford "the best".

A&P techs don't have to deal with overtorqued, rusted and inferior fasteners like many line techs do. Not many 20 year old turbine engines in the sky that have never been apart. It's a diffferant kind of work.

 

[crewchief888]

A&P techs don't have to deal with overtorqued, rusted and inferior fasteners like many line techs do. Not many 20 year old turbine engines in the sky that have never been apart. It's a diffferant kind of work.

kinda off topic,
but do many dealer line techs deal with 20 yr old cars?

i'm not trying to stir up anything,
i see 20 -30 year old equipment quite often.

 

[mrholeshot]

kinda off topic,
but do many dealer line techs deal with 20 yr old cars?

i'm not trying to stir up anything,
i see 20 -30 year old equipment quite often.

In Ford and GM dealerships it can be quite often. Especially if the dealer has been in business for quite awhile and is well established. You never want to turn away customer pay work because you tools arn't up to the task

 

[Lambo nut]

Might sound kind of silly but here is what to do.
Pick everything out you would want to buy in Snap-on, including the boxes.
Now buy TWO of everything in Craftsman instead, including the boxes. Set them side by side to have a back up of everything.
Take the money left over and buy yourself a beater car/truck to get around in...........I guarantee you it can be done.

Kevin