Best Mid Price 1/2 Click Style Torque Wrench? Craftsman Lexivon Husky Icon Gearwrench Sata Kobalt 

I just picked up the Craftsman 250 ft. lb. torque wrench on sale for Christmas at only $65 and this helped me feel better about my purchase.

Thanks for the review! Might have to pick up the craftsman or the husky one soon!

Good video man I appreciate the work you put in to help us make an informed decision 👍

Surprised your channel hasn't gotten way more viewers yet, definitely deserves them. I have watched all of your torque wrench videos and checking out others. I've also started buying and testing more torque wrenches of various styles. It's addicting to get into. I got an Icon after using a snap-on and it's a solid tool. I tested a husky first given it's lifetime warranty. The Icon is a huge upgrade. It's just so much easier to feel it reaching the click and to use. Further, the husky has a lot of play and the Icon is tight. Thanks for creating these.

I'm honestly shocked you don't have more subs. This channel is great and is bound to explode in views soon!

You deserve more subs bro…keep up the work. Im sure youll make it

Thank you for your time and video!

I just bought the Husky and I feel so much better about it after watching this!

Used the Craftsman to install new heads on a Ford 5.0 engine, did the job just fine. I use various tools, but for TW's Craftsman has always been my goto and never let me down.

Awesome video!

Amazing that the ICON 1/2 drive is good on the high end but lackluster on the low end. Just the opposite of the 3/8 drive fixed head you reported. LOL. The deal breaker for me was the flex head on the ICON as I use it for brake and suspension work. Your test results are satisfying to me because it sees mostly the mid to high settings. Adding the new 5-70 ICON 3/8 drive flex head to my collection for things like spark plugs and caliper bolts may not be a bad idea.

Lots of great data, I still like the look of that Lexivon wrench. Thanks for doing all this testing.

Just amazing. Great work sir.

Husky doing work!

Great video. That Husky surprised me. A lifetime warranty as well. Not bad.

I bought Kobalt 3/8” torque wrench and love it. Have no issues so far. I came here to see 1/2” and as expected it has good results. So far I am in between choosing Craftsman’s and Kobalt. I have seen mixed reviews saying that Craftsman ratcheting mechanism catches and locked up.

Great video! Nice to see they all passed but the Sata is definitely a deal breaker - too short, we're not always torqueing easy accessed bolts. Thanks for the work you do!

I wish you tested the Tekton clicker. I have my eye on the triple set. I’m not big on HF tools but I did get the Quinn digital angle t-wrench. It’s not to bad. Thanks for your tests they definitely are helping us.

I have been looking for a mid range Torque Wrench. I was hoping to see a review on the Harbor Freight mid range Quinn click wrench. The only thing I don't like about the Craftsman is it only has a 90 day warranty. I bought a Craftsman about a year before Sears closed. It only lasted 2 years and the click stopped working and the rachet gear broke. I spent nearly $100 for a wrench that only lasted 2 years.

I bought the same Craftsman torque wrench shown in this video. I then checked the torque accuracy with a Quinn digital torque adapter. I set the torque of the Craftsman at 76 ft-lbs. When I turned the Craftsman's handle very, very slowly to creep up to the set point of 76 ft-lbs, the Quinn torque adapter indicated that the Craftsman peaked at 81 ft-lbs when the click on the Craftsman engaged. However, when I turned the Craftsman at a somewhat fast, average turn rate, the click happened at around 75.8 ft-lbs, pretty close to the torque setting. The moral of the story is that click-type mechanical torque wrenches should not be turned too slowly. They should be turned at a decent rotational rate to click at the correct torque setting.

Just picked up that Icon today 20% off, i chose it cause it proved to be the one most accurate for the price across multiple reviews. plus i like the all metal design. what ive noticed from watching so many reviews is that the same torque wrench can have different results which is why i hesitated on the lexivon, one result would show perfect numbers but another would show barely passing or not passing out of the box or after 1000 cycles.

I’ve had 3 of the craftsmen they all break In the ratcheting mechanism and I only use it for wheels.

I would have really loved to have seen Tekton included in this testing. I understand it’s a lot of options and money.

What does a lot of play mean in the ratchet head? I just purchased a Mastercraft Maximum 3/8 drive and I noticed it has considerable side to side play in the ratchet head. Should I be concerned? Great video by the way! Thanks.

The only click style that I have is a Dewalt that is buttery-smooth... the thing is really good... other than that I have digital torque wrenches... I used to have the Pittsburgh click style torque wrenches from Harbor Freight Those are actually really good for the money...gave em to my brother who still uses them... The Craftsman is pretty much like the DeWalt the fit-and-finish on the DeWalt is nicer also comes in a kit with 5 lug sockets an extension and a breaker bar and a pen style flashlight for about a hundred bucks really nice set... to have around for changing tires

Craftsman is fantastic for the home mechanic use heavy duty reliable name brand shit for everyday usage always! I put good trust in craftsman I love the torque wrench I bought their 3/8s one for engine work. I use them on my vehicles several I own. Cars to big trucks. I have many tools over the years I try not to get em too dirty and I try and be good to them especially anything expensive. Torque wrenches should stay in good shape because all you take em out for is to get a bolt torqued to spec or a couple. Then you clean it off if dirty and put it back to sleep in the case.

I work in a dealership, I used tekton 1/2split beam I've used the craftman and the husky... The craftman feels amazing but unsure the life expansion(aka unsure how it will stand up as daily use) Husky is right behind the craftman(if not the same) I've taken apart the husky to regresse and noticed after 1yr use(plus or minus) some teeth on the ratchet(not pummel) has some damage and hasn't skipped yet Tekton handle gives you a 1in surface area to torque(which starting to hurt my hand after 3weeks of use daily(I wrapped gauze around the handle to add cushion) My 2 cents

I would love to see how the kobalt and gearwrench compare to a nos Armstrong USA made. Have you seen Proto's new smart torque wrench?

The husky is only $65 CAD at my local home Depot. Are they running them out of stock/not making them anymore? Definitely grabbing a 1/2 and 3/8 after watching this

That Husky is very good.Plus the lifetime warranty no questions asked policy is like how Craftsman used to be......I score one for the Husky.

Just started learning how to do basic auto repairs and need a torque wrench for basic maintenance of 3 family cars. I’m just looking for a mid tier, not too cheap, not too expensive quality 1/2 inch torque wrench. Any suggestions? I had a Husky in my hand yesterday at Home Depot but put it down because I wanted to research a bit first?

I got a precision instrument 3/8” torque wrench and I love it but I need to get a 1/2” torque wrench but those are more expensive so idk if I should just get something cheaper like tekton? Or maybe a torque adapter and a breaker bar?

The lexivon has a limited lifetime warranty I've bought quite few little bits FROM them (speed extension for lug nuts, gas soldering gun it even makes ya nuts glow red for easy removal, socket adaptor for your hand drill, pinned flexible joint 1/4-3/8-1/2 good for the price and a set of flip sockets and extension )I just don't understand what a limited lifetime warranty is is it a lifetime other tool with that person who bought it or is it expected 2 or 3 years and that's it ❓

Craftsman is tempting at $60 but lifetime warranty on a Husky for $90 just seems like a better bargain. Is the higher tooth count on the Craftsman actually noticable when working?

Only the Sata is sold where I live. None of the other brands are 😢 And the two Sata I see sold, is nothing like what I see here. It's a 40-200 Nm, 1/2", with a... green anodized? grip and a 1-5 Nm 1/4" with the same green anodized grip.

Hart ratchets im so far going to say dont try as a budget options. Their 1/4 came stripped out of the box and the 1/2 anvil has play like what you had shown with the Sato, prlly worse. Their sockets seem fine for budget crap.

If ever there was a tool not to cheap out on it is a torque wrench. I have heard and know of to many people who bought cheap torque wrenches only for them to snap off bolts. I own 6 torque wrenches, 5 are Snap On and one is a CDI, Snap On owns CDI and CDI makes Snap On torque wrenches.

Your scientific approach is awesome, contrasted to "torque test" channel, which uses homemade test equipment and questionable methods.

Lexivon seems to be the least expensive one.

What is a warm up cycle?

Where's Tekton my good brother?

This sounds weird that you chose Craft over Icon. Icon has flex head, more teeth for making your job easier at tighter spots, and shorter is great because some places you don't have that space to work with. Not to forget lifetime warranty over 1 year. Is the reason you say Craft because it's just a few inches longer? That's personal preference and a cheater bar can help any wrench be longer. I would also say a printed label in red can help with the numbers on bottom for easy reading. But working with many wrenches for years I never cared, I can figure out the main setting and then the turn dial I can do with my eyes closed, just count in your head.

If you understand how these are made and how they work, you would know there will not be a big difference among them. If you consider the fact that ALL of them will lose calibration over time, the choice is clear: Buy the cheapest!