Hooniverse Asks: What’s your favorite tool brand?

Jeff Glucker

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Over the weekend, I posed a question on Twitter asking folks about their favorite socket sets. The answers varied, as you’d expect, but not by a large margin. The general consensus seems to be that Husky, Tekton, and Harbor Freight are solid choices for the at-home wrench. Modern Craftsman stuff gets a “No thanks!” from most folks, which is an obvious change from a few decades ago. There were a few votes for a brand called GearWrench, and two hand-raisers for a set from Wera, with the caveat, that it’s in the “Buy once, cry once” level of tool purchasing. (I’m dumb and I hate money, apparently, guess which set I ordered…)

So what’s your favorite brand for tools right now? I am using a lot of Milwaukee stuff for my powered tools. I’ve bought into the battery ecosystem there so it makes sense to stay within that brand for my needs. With the hand tools, I’m not partial to anyone and I’m curious to hear what you’re all using out there. I’ve included a few Twitter answers below as well.

https://twitter.com/challengeher/status/1363352904376094721

https://twitter.com/ToniKola/status/1363538830972784643

https://twitter.com/RACEDINANGER/status/1363495161129558017

About

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker is the co-founder and Executive Editor of Hooniverse.com. He’s often seen getting passed as he hustles a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero up the 405 Freeway. IG: @HooniverseJeff

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20 responses to “Hooniverse Asks: What’s your favorite tool brand?”

  1. Neight428 Avatar
    Neight428

    I have a set of Husky sockets/ratchets that are going on 25 years old, still doing fine. Anything this side of the random sheet metal “wrench” that was included with Ikea coffee table I bought a while back seems to do fine for hand tools. Credit Craftsman for their “if it breaks, we’ll swap it out” for setting the standard.

    HF stuff has been covered, setting expectations appropriately works as a strategy, but otherwise garbage tools that break aren’t going to sell enough to get too far into the market.

    Reply
    1. smaglik Avatar
      smaglik

      Pittsburgh Tools: For when it only needs to work once!

      Reply
  2. GTXcellent Avatar
    GTXcellent

    All my hand tools are at least 20+ years old, and a solid mix of Snap On/Blue Point, S+K, Craftsman and no-name (other than screwdrivers – I treat all screwdrivers as disposable and just grab whatever is cheap). Most of my Snap On tools came from grandfather and are at least 50 years old.

    Air tools though – I’ve become a big fan of Ingersoll Rand. Definitely worth the investment (although to be fair, I got all my I/R tools through my brother’s former employment discounts).

    Reply
  3. OA5599 Avatar
    OA5599

    I do like my vintage Crapsman tools, but using them is sort of a double-edged sword. Years ago, I could abuse them past a reasonable limit, and if something broke, it just meant another opportunity to go to Sears or Western Auto to swap it out (and usually pick up a new gadget while there). Now if it breaks, I know the replacement will be inferior to the destroyed tool.

    I didn’t have anything from Harbor Freight until about 2015, but have spent quite a bit there more recently.

    Reply
  4. Scoutdude Avatar
    Scoutdude

    For cordless tools I’m all in on the Milwaukee M12 and M18 systems and have a number of each, with some overlap. I’ve had Makita and DeWalt and at least for now Milwaukee is the king. I’ve also got an old corded Hole Hawg which is the only corded tool that still sees any real use.

    For hand tools I’ve got a lot of Craftsman that are 20-30 years old and I did use those professionally for many years. I do prefer Snap-On Flank Drive Plus wrenches and sockets and their ratchets and have some of those now too. However I do have a number of different sets in cases for keeping in vehicles and right now it is a Husky branded set in my truck since it came in a tool box of sorts that fits well in the side box of my truck. The selection of wrenches is small and there are a few larger socket sizes that I keep in a bucket with my pliers, screw drivers, hammers ect. It replaced a Kirkland branded set that was good, it just didn’t fit that great in that tool box.

    For newer Craftsman stuff they offered a set of black handled, black shaft diamond tipped screw drivers up until a few years ago and I really like them though would rather have them in something other than black and I l miss the color coding of the Iconic Craftsman clear handle drivers that had red for the flat head, blue for the Philips, and black for the Torx.

    Reply
    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      Yeah, I love even my little Milwaukee vacuum. Was thinking of adding the edge trimmer for the yard too, haha

      Reply
      1. Scoutdude Avatar
        Scoutdude

        Don’t have the vac but I do have the string trimmer and blower. Be on the lookout for the package deal at Home Depot. When I got those it was buy one with the 2 XL batteries and the other one was “free”.

        Reply
  5. danleym Avatar
    danleym

    I’ve bought a fair amount of stuff from harbor freight, but I won’t buy sockets or wrenches from them. Bought a set 5 or 6 years ago, and it was utterly worthless.

    I recently went to the store to replace a few random sockets and wrenches that I’ve lost or broken over the years, the store I chose only had Channel Lock brand stuff. As in Channel Lock sockets and wrenches. Had no idea they made that kind of stuff. They’ve been fine so far.

    Reply
    1. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      Channel Lock makes the pliers, but their website indicates that a lot of the other tools, like sockets and wrenches are imported.

      And apparently you should always wear eye protection when using a bottle opener.
      https://channellock.com/product/bocb/

      Reply
  6. kernel_panik Avatar
    kernel_panik

    My most complete tool set is a Craftsman kit from when Craftsman put its money where its mouth is with the warranty. It’s not the toolkit I would choose if my livelihood depended on it, but it’s plenty good enough for a home mechanic. Kits I put together for a specific task (my biking addiction has 5mm hex wrenches scattered throughout several travel cases and saddle bags) are usually used tools or Harbor Freight.

    My favorite tools by far are Silca sets. They make cycling-specific tools (read: all metric) but their tool-steel hex wrenches and bits are a joy to use. Those stay safely in my toolbox.

    Reply
    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      Interesting, tell me more about the Silcas

      Reply
      1. kernel_panik Avatar
        kernel_panik

        I have one of their small torque wrench sets. Small as in 2-8 N-m in a wallet-sized soft case. It’s a size of ratchet that would not be out of place at a big box store checkout line, but built by someone who actually cared. The ratchet is fine-pitched for such a small tool, and the direction switch is smooth. The included bits are both hard and tight-toleranced. The handle has two gripping elements: a set of nitrile O-rings and some knurled surfaces. The actual torque beam is made of titanium, presumably to make it light enough to bring riding.

        My dad has one of their floor pumps; they’re tall enough for an adult to use, and every part of the pump that can wear out is designed to be replaced. This is getting a bit off-topic for a car discussion, but they also make multi-tools and other tire inflation equipment. It’s all painfully expensive, but you can tell someone put a lot of thought into the comfort and longevity of the tool.

        Reply
    2. Salguod Avatar
      Salguod

      Craftsman still has the no questions asked lifetime warranty. I recently brought a broken universal joint into Lowes (where Craftsman is sold now) and was handed a new one, no problem.

      Reply
  7. crank_case Avatar
    crank_case

    Bahco – them Swedes have it figured out.

    Reply
    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Bahco is Swedish? Also one of the companies I find the most in my garage, mostly for woodworking though. For car stuff, it’s Biltema – Swedish Harbor Freight, I guess.

      Reply
  8. Slow Joe Crow Avatar
    Slow Joe Crow

    My main kit is 80s Craftsman with newer stuff from Kobalt (Lowe’s brand) just because I prefer Lowe’s to Home Despot. I also have a bit of HF and some Heyco and Gedore metric stuff (BMW and Mercedes toolkit supplier). I still buy Craftsman sockets and wrenches but haven’t bought a ratchet from them lately.
    Out of sheer weirdness I’d like to find a source for Unior which is Slovenian and has a good reputation for bicycle tools

    Reply
  9. Lokki Avatar
    Lokki

    It would be dishonest to say that I have a ‘favorite’ tool brand; I like what I have but it’s old and although the company name still exists it’s now a Chinese shadow of its former made-in-USA six-point-sockets self. All my sockets and box ends are from a company named Thorsen; they were a pretty respectable name back in the mid-70’s when I purchased my sets and they’ve held up well although I except for one restoration project they haven’t exactly seen hard use. They have a lifetime warranty but as somebody said above, the new stuff isn’t the same stuff.

    I have amazing respect for the old Craftsman warranty. Once in the 60’s my dad (just turn away now, MD Harrell) was working on our two-stroke SAAB 96 engine (all I know is that he wasn’t adjusting the valves) and when he couldn’t a bolt, he took an anvil, a torch, and a hammer, and having heated up a box-end wrench cherry-red, bent it to a shape that would go where he needed. When he tried to restraighten the wrench it cracked. A couple days later we went into Sears tool department and he laid that wrench, cracked, and scorched blue from the torch, and laid it on the counter without a word. I was actually embarrassed because well -wow- talk about -abuse of a tool- and wanted say something apologetic but before I could the clerk said, “Oh my goodness” (people really did say that in the 60’s) and walked away. Instead of coming back with the manager, he came back with a set of tools, opened it and gave my dad the correct replacement.

    Ah, the golden age of Sears and Craftsman…

    Reply
    1. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      I know a guy with a machine shop, and several large storage units full of Snap-On tools. Sometimes he would have, say, three 14 mm sockets but couldn’t find a 13mm. So when the Snap-On guy pulled up, he would ask if he could swap a 14 for a 13.

      “I can warranty it, but only if it’s broken. Is it?”

      “Not yet.”

      Then the two of them would put it in the hydraulic press so it could be swapped.

      Eventually the missing socket would turn up, and they would repeat the process to get whatever size was missing that week.

      Reply
  10. Pinkerton9 Avatar
    Pinkerton9

    For wrenches and sockets, my main set is Stanley, but I bought that in the late 90s and I’m not so sure that a new set would stand up like mine has for over two decades. Cordless go-to is Hitachi. Has held up really well, and I can get new batteries for not so much money. Most of my other tools I found used. My criteria for used tools is simple, whether they are hand tools or electric. Has to be in good shape and made in USA / Canada.

    Reply
  11. Salguod Avatar
    Salguod

    I’m still a Craftsman fan. I feel like their quality took a dip in the early 2000s but has come up since. I thought they were moving production back to the US. They still honor the lifetime warranty.

    My cordless go to is Ryobi. Incredible variety of tools in their 18v line, solid performance and a great value. The only disappointment I’ve had with them is their 18v string trimmer. It’s probably fine for the typical residential use, but I’ve got 1.5 acres and frequently have some bigger weeds and grass to deal with. My 2 cycle Husqvarna had no problems but it was the last 2 cycle I owned and I wanted to get away from it.

    My 18v Ryobi brushless 12″ chain saw is a beast.

    Reply