Tool brands

[elwood blues]

With the demise of Craftsman tools and their lifetime guarantee with Sears going bankrupt who knows what company is making the tools under the Craftsman name. I know they for sure aren't the quality that they once were. I've looked at Husky (Home Depot) and Cobalt (Lowes) brand tools, but I just don't like them. My toolbox and the bulk of the tools in it are Craftsman, and I'm not a fan of buying Chinesium steel tools that are just going to break (looking at you Harbor Freight), but I don't want to drop the amount of money that Snap-On, or MATCO wants for tools for home garage use.

So, what are you all buying?

 

[Belizean]

I mainly have a mish / mash of hand tools I have collected over the last 40 years. Probably 30 % Craftsman with some of those 50-70 years old that belonged to my dad and brother. My buddy who is a real mechanic would come over sometimes to help me. I would be digging around in my toolbox to find something. Last year he gave me a set that is very good quality and is metric and standard and 1/4 inch and 3/8 drive. I believe they are Matco but he said he got them at a good deal off. If I was just starting out it is a nice set. This is my road set now that is easy to toss into the Jeep or car. The best thing is it is easy to tell what is missing.

 

[Scout1067]

Stanley bought Craftsman a couple years ago. I know they still honor the lifetime warranty as I traded in a ratchet last year that I bought at Sears in the early 90s.

I would guess 60% of my toolbox is Craftsman with the rest mostly Cobalt and some Snap-on then off brand or specialty brand. All my electric tools (crimper and cutters etc.) are Channel Lock for instance.

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[elwood blues]

I didn't know that Stanley bought Craftsman. The "new" craftsman hand tools, the ratchets specifically, I don't like how they feel, they feel cheap. Is that just me?

 

[Scout1067]

I didn't know that Stanley bought Craftsman. The "new" craftsman hand tools, the ratchets specifically, I don't like how they feel, they feel cheap. Is that just me?

Yeah, Stanley bought them when Sears was doing a fire sale of all their house brands around the 2015-2016 timeframe. IIRC Whirlpool bought Kenmore around the same time.
They still carry Craftsman tools at the PX on base but I tend to agree with you that the newer stuff feels cheap. I think the Stanley branded tools are better quality than Craftsman now. I don't have deep enough pockets to buy all MATCO or Snap-On.

 

[elwood blues]

That's funny because that's where I saw the "new" Craftsman tools too was at the NEX (Navy version of a PX). And I'm right there with you, I don't have a couple grand to dump on a 6 screwdrivers just because they say Snap-On on them.

 

[Belizean]

You are right about the quality and feel of the new craftman tools. Turning in an old tool for the replacement tool in not a good experience either. I work on a Federal Facility and there is a Coast Guard Exchange with no tools and about the only good deal on anything is Alcohol.

 

[73AMC360]

DeWalt is making some good hand tools. Not just good coordless

 

[007]

I think Crescent brand ratchets are awful hard to beat.

That said, I’d be careful painting Harbor Freight with too wide of a brush. You can buy junk there, but it’s nothing like it was 5-7 years ago. The new Pittsburgh stuff is good and warranted for life.

Next up is Quinn with some of the nicest sockets you’ll find. Blue ring is metric, red ring is SAE.



Icon is their top of the line and it’s high dollar.


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[elwood blues]

You are right about the quality and feel of the new craftman tools. Turning in an old tool for the replacement tool in not a good experience either. I work on a Federal Facility and there is a Coast Guard Exchange with no tools and about the only good deal on anything is Alcohol.

Cheap booze is a staple at any PX, NEX, Class IV, MCX, whatever name it's called on-base exchange store, how do you think we deal with the massive amounts of BS?

 

[JR74CJ5]

The new Pittsburgh stuff is good and warranted for life.

2nd on the HF Pittsburgh stuff - not too shabby, feels nice, and lifetime warranty. Time will tell longevity, but so far so good on what I have bought from them.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Check Lowe's for Craftsman.
Gary

 

[mdeluca]

Lowe's and Ace both carry Craftsman now. The lifetime warranty is still in place.

As to the current quality of Craftsman tools, I can't answer, but the last time I turned a tool in at Sears, Craftsman no longer had any tool that vaguely resembled the one I was turning in. To their credit, they gave me the choice of any tool I wanted in the price range (they actually went higher) of the old tool. My point is that even Sears had warranty exchange issues near the end of their run and I think moving Craftsman to other chains was a good thing.

 

[Manic Mechanic]

i worked on cars as a profession so with that being said the vast majority of my box (including the box) is mac matco and or snap on. however i find alot of times i can fill a tool box with quality tools including snap on and such cheap by going to swap meets and flee markets.

 

[Patrick]

Lately I have lowered my quality standards when it comes to hand tools. The famous local supplier of tools (definitely excluding power tools) made in Asia are actually decent and far cheaper than Snap-on, Mac, Proto, etc. You can just compare the price for a set of impact sockets and is outrageously different. Unless you are a professional, you can get by without the premium brands, on certain hand tools. The professional brand tool truck will go to you and replace broken tools.

A good tool to add to your collection is a giant 3/4 inch drive ratchet and a 3/4 to 1/2 inch adapter. You’ll be glad you did.

 

[Belizean]

I agree on the 3/4 " set. Bought a whole set about 40 years ago for like $45. Used them several times.

 

[gert]

Lol I was getting ready for my trip the other week and picked up a new craftsman tool kit for .59 cents a tool, it was their 200 piece kit for $120 for the box, it’s nice to have all my tools in one box again lol

 

[j6824]

Had good luck with DeWalt stuff myself, and I use it pretty hard (horse farm)

Know a couple guys that do commercial that swear by Milwaukee

 

[doswell]

Most of my tools are Milwaukee. The rest are HF and Snap-On.