phantom564

I know this is probably the most subjective question possible, but I thought I'd ask anyway:

What company makes the best hand tools?

My dad has all Mac, SK, and Snap-on...with a few smaller items (drills, etc) from Craftsman.

I have all Craftsman tools and have been finding more and more of them are failing me lately. I've had to make about 3 trips to Sears just to have tools replaced in the last few months and I'm thinking about switching to Mac.

The reason I bought Craftsman in the first place was because they are relatively cheap and have the lifetime warranty but now I think I'm having to use that warranty just a little too much.

Whudda ya'll think?

Elbert

Snap_On and Mac are two of the best, and along with that the most expensive. I think craftsman tools are one of the best buys for people who don't make their living using them all deay every day. I have mostly Snap-on and Mac tools , but along with that I have a lot of craftsman. If you don't need some of the specaility tools then craftsman tools are usually a good buy.

broughy84

All I have are craftsman. I like them because if they break all I have to do is take them in and get a brand new one. That being said, I would love to have a set of Snap-on's. That's all my dad will buy (although he is a diesel mech, and that's what he does 10 hrs a day.)

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Matthew Brough
1998 Chevrolet Venture -- 104,000 miles
1988 Chevrolet Silverado -- 156,000 miles
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GMMerlin

Thats like asking people who their favorite ball team is.
As a guy who has turned a wrench or two let me say this.
Craftsman...good tools for the DIY, but they will let you down under pressure (chrome sockets and flare nut wrenches mostly)
Sears does offer a "professional grade" on some of their tools, but I have not tried them.

MAC..they were once good tools, but the quality has dropped since Stanley took them over about 10 years ago.
Inexpensive and basic.

Cornwell..same as MAC..inexpensive and basic..decent tools

Matco..great quality tool at a semi reasonable price (prices comparable to Snap on)plus Matco has a good selection of tools to meet the needs of a pro.

Snap on..overrated IMHO and expensive as hell.
Snap on tools are good, but I don't think they are any better then Matco.
Personally I like their ratchets and have some that are over 20 years old.
If you look in my tool box you will find tools from all four I mentioned.

I would look on EBAY and buy my tools there.
If you want special tools (testers, meters and others) check out www.thetoolwarehouse.net

__________________
Why do you never have enough time or money to do the job right the first time, but enough time and money to do it again?
Got all the certifications
25 years ASE Certified Master Technician
GM WCT
Yea..I work at a DEALERSHIP....got a problem with that?

phantom564

I'm a little surprised by the responses to this one...my father was a Mac dealer for a while and when I was a kid I asked him why they didnt offer to fix a broken tool like Craftsman does...he said because it's nearly impossible to break Mac tools...(and obviously, because the tool trucks come to you when you buy Mac and Snap on, etc.)

I always assumed Mac was the best and that Snap On was an overpriced version of Mac...did Stanley have that big of an impact on quality? They bought out Mac almost 20 yrs. ago (to the best of my father's knowledge) and I thought they still produced good tools 10 years ago.

So....i guess to change up the question a little bit...if you had to buy all your tools again...and trust your knuckles to them for the rest of your life...what would you go with? Matco and Snap On may be the best in toughness, but what is the best comprimise in price and quality for the
non-mechanic DIY-er?

joe92k1500

My dad is a retired auto mech. he bought his set of Snap-on tools ( wrenches, sockets, ratchets, whole works) used from a fellow mech in the early 80's. Not one has broken in that time period. And he isnt really nice to them at all. not bad for at least 30 yr old tools. If i had the money i'd buy snap on, since i dont I still have had good luck personally w/ craftsman. Being a DIY'er i'd stick w/ craftsman.

wafrederick

Read some of the warrenties,Snap On,Matco do not warrenty anything worn out.To warrenty them if worn out,break them.My father went through that,one was from Matco and Snap On.My father once worked at a Chrysler/Dodge dealer,the Matco dealer would not warrenty a worn out 10mm deep socket and my father had to break it to warrenty it by putting a 10mm allen wrench in a vice with a 1/2'' breaker bar,1/2 to 3/8 adapter.Craftsman has the best warrenty,no questions asked and stay away from their refurbished ratchets.The refurbished ratchets are junk,one of my father's friends went through that.Mac used to be called Mac and Mac until 1979.One side went on it's own and Matco was in the tool buisness.Snap On's air tools and equipment are junk,although their air ratchets are very good.If you want to know Ingersall Rand makes air tools for Mac,Matco,Cornwell and Craftsman's professional line of air tools.

Mr. Smith

I have 30 year old craftsman tools and I have no trouble. While Snap-on and Mac are nice they aren't that nice for their price. I mean stuff breaks that why Sears has the policy they do. I don't believe in paying 3 times what the product is woth for a name.

phantom564

Yeah...I mean, money was the main reason I bought Craftsman...it's just so frustrating to have to get them replaced all the time...especially when I'm working on my truck and can't take it off of jackstands to return the very wrench that should be fixing it.

Maybe the answer is to get a set of Snap-On/Mac/Matco for the more torque-involved repairs (breaker bars, pry bars, 1/2" wrenches) and use Craftsman for the rest.

I know that personally when I'm torque-ing down as hard as I can on a Craftsman 1/2" breaker bar and my knuckles are lined up with a nice piece of sharp metal so that if it breaks I'll break my hands, I feel a little nervous in the back of my head.

I have to admit that Craftsman has never failed me in the smaller tools like screwdrivers, 1/4" sets, and small wrenches.

Just somethin' to think about

wafrederick

Craftsman has the worst toolboxes.My father has a Snap On tool box about 20 years old that the drawers still open although it has been tipped 3 times.If it was a Craftsman toolbox,it would of been replaced twice.Mac,Matco,Snap On have the best toolboxes.I like Mac,Snap On and Sk ratchets better than Craftsman.If you break a Mac,Snap On,Sk ratchet,you can just replace the ratchating mechanism instead of replacing the whole ratchet.

chevyman4life88

snap on all the way... they cost more but it is deffinitly worth it, not a better tool out there in my opinion.

heavyredchevy

I totaly agree with that. They by far have the best warrenty. We once heated up a wrench and bent it to fit it in a tight place. (it was a spare) We then later took it to sears and told them it just bent when we were trying to lossen a nut and they replaced it. No questions asked. I didnt expect to get a new one, and was shocked when the man handed me a new wrench.

wafrederick

Snap On does not warrenty anything worn out.Only way to warrenty a worn out Snap On socket,wrench is to break it in a press,etc.Snap On's Equiptment are 100% junk.My father has a Snap On transmission jack made by Lincoln that leaks most of the time since day one he bought it.Luckily he has a $500.00 Transmission jack that puts the Snap On transmission jack to shame.Snap On's new scan tools are junk,all I heard are problems with them and have to be sent in for repairs

jocat54

Having worked as a technician both professionally and DIY for over 30 years (mostly dealerships,ugh!) I have found that if you use the wrong tool for any job it will probably fail at some point, having said that if you were to look in my toolbox, there is a wide assortment of brands. Each brand has its pros and cons. Really hard to beat craftsman warranty though. I have broken snap-on tools, and all other brands but that was using them for more than they were designed for.

skipr

I like the tools made in China, now those are some quality forged steel there....LMAO. No, but seriously I surprised noone mentioned Proto tools, are they not good? I paid alot for mine, and been very reliable for me.