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What's the best tool you've ever bought?

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Richsgarage

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Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
105
Location
Nebraska
So... Every-time my brother shows up... which is about once a year. I like to show him all my new tools. That's our thing. I say.... Wholly ****! "I think this is the best thing I've ever bought!" I then show him about ten things that I bought, That are all "The best thing I ever bought" I didn't realize this until... He finally said.... Dude... you say this almost about every tool you buy. I was like... oh..

Do any of you think... "The same way?" All my tools are the best thing I've ever bought!
 
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Richsgarage

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
105
Location
Nebraska
I could go on... and on. Let us all know what you're favorite is. One of my favorite pliers are the little craftsman 4513 slip joint pliers. I have like 4 or 5 of them. All in different places that are convenient to grab. I love them.
 
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Burt Shaver

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Joined
Dec 7, 2023
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1,296
Location
Iroquois, Ontario Canada
In regards to automotive repair I would have to say 20 ton press. I got a great deal on it, it was already discounted at TSC and then they gave me a further discount because the box was torn to shreds. I saved the cost of the press and more when I did the first wheel bearing in our Mazda 2, I ve since used it for more wheel bearings, rear driveshaft universal joints, various bushings.
 
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MushCreek

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Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
9,834
Location
Upstate South Carolina
There are so many different tool categories that it's hard to pick one tool. Big metal-working machines? My Bridgeport mill. Corded power tools? My Bosch jigsaw. Cordless tools? Milwaukee M18 1/4" driver. Hand tools? Wera Hex-Plus hex keys. Then there's wood working tools, yard tools, etc., etc.
 
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Schurkey

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Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
2,379
Location
The Seasonally Frozen Wastelands
Best tool I ever bought? Whatever happens to fix the problem I'm dealing with at the moment.

There is this story, though.
I had a "Sears Best" Craftsman Round Head Fine-Tooth (45 teeth) Quick-Release 3/8" ratchet. Used to be common as dirt. They were all over.
Craftsman_RHFTQR_RepairKit_01.jpg

I was using this professionally. And it was a six-month rotation. Six months, needs a repair kit. Six months, needs an entire ratchet because the internal teeth are worn. Six months, needs a repair kit.

I got sick of this merry-go-round. Yes, Sears was good about replacing the worn ratchet/repair kit, but I was tired of needing replacements. So I bought a Snap-On long-handle 3/8 ratchet, and made The Snap-On Man put their quick-release repair kit into it. (I also bought the same thing in 1/2" drive.)

The 3/8 long-handle became my favorite ratchet, used for almost everything. The original guts lasted from perhaps 1988 until I retired in 2003, and in hobby use until about 2008 or perhaps later, at which point a new repair kit was installed and is still going strong in hobby use.
Middle ratchet, just above the copyright notice. The final iteration of the Craftsman ratchet is on top.
3-8 Ratchets_LG_01.JPG
If only the Snappy Roto-Ratchet had a quick-release head.
 
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Hannahranga

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Joined
Mar 8, 2023
Messages
217
Depressing not that often, it generally goes something like this. I have a problem, the internet says if you have $brandname version of X tool it's easy, go to tool shop, see price of $brandname tool, see knockoff next to it for significantly, ponder if I'll actually do said job often enough (or are the consequences for going wrong significant enough) to justify the better option. Generally my wallet wins.

Tho my current this was a very justified purchase is punching above it's weight, I've got a baby claw hammer that lives on my tool pouch. It'll never be a proper hammer but it's a significant improvement on reaching for my pliers to hit something with
 
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HannibalLecter

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Joined
Aug 26, 2023
Messages
405
The best thing I ever bought, which could be considered a tool in a sense, is my watch, a Longines Hydroconquest Automatic, which has been through hell and high water. It never leaves my arm, I've had it for 15 years now and it still brings me joy. As for handtools, probably my wera L keys and the koken zeal 1/4 ratchets and nuts. And my engineer scissors
 
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Debcrow

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Joined
May 14, 2019
Messages
4,107
Location
New Mexico
When we were teenagers, my brother and I bought a old homemade metal blacksmiths table with a Oswego vise and an Anvil attached to it. Been using that table for over 55 years. Used the vise for pressing in U joints, bearings, holding welding projects, etc. Table for ever kind of repairs, rebuilds, etc. Anvil for all sorts of projects. Used and abused when we had no money to buy the 'proper' tools to do the job. The table was originally made some time in the late 1800's and has been outside in dry New Mexico for as long as we have owned it.
 
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CoogarXR

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
6,875
Location
Ohio
As a guy who grew up with Odd Lots Hong Kong pot-metal tools, when I bought my first USA Craftsman 1/2" drive socket set at a flea market, it was a game changer. That purchase sent me down the road of quality tools. Being able to transfer all my power into the bolt was amazing. All my cheap socket sets before, if I leaned into them, the handles would bend, the sockets would explode or crack, but that Craftsman set was the best thing teenage-me had ever handled up to that point. Working on cars became much less frustrating when the problem was only with the car, and not compounded by my ****** tools too, lol.

I still have most of that original set (I mean I still have the complete set, but some of it was warrantied with newer stuff over the years). And it's still my daily-driver set. I might grab different ratchets now that I have had some experience with other brands, but my old USA Craftsman sockets will probably never leave. I would rank that set as one of the best tools I ever bought.

Same with my Hitachi 12v impact. It's small, lightweight, perfectly balanced, the battery lasts forever, and it's very strong for a 1/4". I do a lot of electronics work, and it just saves me so much time and wrist pain. I love it to death.
 
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DrinkMan

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Joined
Sep 13, 2020
Messages
1,253
Location
Georgia, USA
This thread reminds me of a question my wife and I get frequently - "which is your favorite car"? Which leads to our answer every time - "Whichever one I am driving".

Whenever we get done with a big project that almost kicks our asses, we have a running joke - need to name the MVT - Most Valuable Tool. What tool made this project possible to do?

But, since I have to answer with just one tool - Our Lift.
 
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YesIHaveAHammer

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 1, 2025
Messages
913
Hand tool - Knipex Pliers Wrench 250mm. My first really good tool.

Knife - Morakniv Chisel Knife.

Power tool - Milwaukee M12 Surge hydraulic impact driver.

Workshop equipment - Stanley multi angle vice.

Transport - Wiha Cordura tool pouch. Perhaps more the idea of having a compact collection of useful and usable sized tools.
 
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