Craftsman vs Craftsman Professional vs Harbor Freight vs Matco vs Mac vs Snap-on -ETCG1

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I get asked about tools a LOT. In this video I talk about my opinions on some of the most popular tool brands out there both for the professional and the DIY. Please keep in mind these are my opinions and just because you have a different one, that doesn't make me, or you for that matter, wrong. It's a discussion people. That said, after years of working as a former DIYer and professional, these are the opinions I've formed about these tools. I hope you enjoy my review.
Thanks for watching.
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Tool Company Links.
Craftsman: www.craftsman.com
Harbor Freight: www.harborfreight.com
Matco: www.matcotools.com
Mac: www.mactools.com/en-us
Snap-on: store.snapon.com
Not featured in video.
Cornwell: www.cornwelltools.com
SK: www.sktools.com
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Комментарии : 2,4 тыс.

@BROKERICHGUYog 8 лет назад

I Like HARBOR FREIGHT... All my tools look new.. Because i am always breaking them and getting new ones. :)

@Nippledozer 8 лет назад

Hahahahahahaha. Half their shit doesn't work from the store... smh

@1pcfred 8 лет назад

+Nippledozer Doesn't work for you. I must buy the better half of what Harbor Freight has.

@Nippledozer 8 лет назад

+Paul Frederick I guess so. I actually have had some good experienve, I love my auto-dimming welding mask. Works great.

@Nippledozer 8 лет назад

+Paul Frederick And I got my welder from Harbor Freight, haha

@1pcfred 8 лет назад

Nippledozer That cheap Chinese hood made you go blind.

@WoodsBallerDrew 8 лет назад

I just use fisherprice tools now. cheapest sets on the market...

@SmdLmd 8 лет назад

They've worked great for me can't complain . Extremely light , great finish 10/10 .

@SillyPuddy2012 7 лет назад

I agree, the Fisher-Price tools are all I use on my 2004 Tiny Tykes car. I used Mac tools, but they just stripped the plastic right off the lug nuts.

@Tonytrinceri1 7 лет назад

Lmfao the only thing that sucks about fisher price tools is when you kid after running around playing fix it with his plastic hammer gets ahold of a real claw hammer and takes that to your fridge or bedroom door smh

@jesuscastillo3394 7 лет назад

Tony 4780 My son did that to my flat screen tv. He said he fixed it.

@wulf-3596 7 лет назад

Jesus Castillo He did (I am guessing)! He let all those people trapped inside the TV escape!

@patrickmockalis6013 8 лет назад

I used craftsman while I was a professional mechanic for years. I had no problems. if you use harbor freight be prepared to visit them quite a bit for exchanges. if you can afford them snap-on, Matco, MAC, Cornwell etc. are the greatest.

@ramrod126 8 лет назад

Did anyone else come here hoping to see "point of failure" tests?

@evilkillerwhale7078 8 лет назад

+Justin Updyke I did

@contrary310 8 лет назад

+Justin Updyke YES ...or any kind of objective comparison really. The whole video is his subjective judgment based on his impressions, personal preference and anecdotal experience, which is not without value but it isn't really a useful comparison based on any sort of data.

@TheGrizzlyBeard1 8 лет назад

Yes

@LPMutagen 8 лет назад

Yes. Was hoping for a failure test or some precise measurements or something other than "it looks porous."

@ramrod126 8 лет назад

+Jonathan Allen Which would tie in with a point of failure test. Rounding of a bolt is just as bad, if not worse, than the tool breaking.

@mark97213 9 лет назад

"If you're stepping up to the plate and you're going to be a professional technician..." The Bolt and the nut don't care if you're a "professional" or a "backyard DIY."

@ETCG1 9 лет назад

Mark Alan Your customers do though. Quality tools perform better than consumer grade. It's more than just price that's different.

@mark97213 9 лет назад

ETCG1 Hardly, they could care less and it's actually quite the opposite. If you try to justify the increased cost of the customers invoice due to use of better tools, they would want you to use tinker toys if it saved them money. As well, if a better tool can save you a fraction of time, it is not any real measure of time which could be reflected on an invoice. Aside, time intervals are set by industry standards in time allotments' for a specific task. I like my Snap-on's but their price has never been justified to me in any real sense by their incremental advantages.

@ericishmael8923 9 лет назад

Mark Alan you must not have worked a flat rate job.

@jillboles2071 9 лет назад

Mark is so correct

@MrTxrebel777 9 лет назад

Thank you mark. I've been turning wrenches for 13yrs now. Hell no to the truck and tool bill!

@clapton924 9 лет назад

Perhaps I would feel differently with the tools in hand - but the differences that you point out between the "high-end" and "DIY" wrenches are quite small. From a cost/performance perspective - I don't think you can make the argument that a Snap-On wrench performs 5x better than a Craftsman wrench....and warrants a price tag 5x more than the Craftsman....you just can't. If the Snap-On wrenches were 2x the price of a Craftsman....well....you might have my attention.

@ETCG1 9 лет назад

clapton924 You also have to consider use. A DIYer isn't going to use their tools as much as a professional. They also don't use their tools to make their living. In my experience the higher end tools are more than worth the price when you consider those factors.

@charlietripi 9 лет назад

As a very mild DIY mechanic, who's had the opportunity to work with professional tools at shops, there is a feel for the snapon tools that a craftsman just doesn't provide. My 3/4 craftsman wrench sometimes hangs up on nuts on the open end. The chrome finish makes it easier to wipe oil off. It's the little stuff, most of it's splitting hairs, but if you're working with your tools 8 hours a day I would jump on the snapon any day over craftsman. You're going to be happier at the end of the day.

@DamienNicholas 9 лет назад

listen to eric on this one... when you become the professional that uses the tools on an everyday- allday basis, you appreciate quality when you use it vs the other tools that make your job harder.

@clapton924 9 лет назад

ETCG1 Good point. Perhaps that's something I would only understand from being a professional mechanic. Thanks for the video.

@bavarianmonkey8326 9 лет назад

besides the metal / forging / machining quality: Try to find a long straight (not angled) box end wrench from a "cheap" brand...I'd say they are rather rare

@walterzoomie 8 лет назад

I'm what you'd call a weekend warrior. I do most of my own auto repairs and other DIY stuff. Many of my tools are excellent, old, US-made Craftsman handed down to me from my late father...solid and reliable as...well...Sears! 20 years ago I bought a nice set of Kobalt metric sockets and ratchets to fill in a few metric holes my tool collection. At that time the Kobalts were US-made with beautiful fit and finish. Solid and reliable also. At about the same time, I bought a set of metric Craftsman deep sockets, which have worked fine but the chrome plating is peeling off. A few months ago I needed to fill more holes in my metric tool collection, and I purchased a set of Kobalt wrenches and an Craftsman item or two. Fit and finish seem fine, but I was dismayed to discover they are both now Chinese-made. I was not happy. I hate buying junk, especially the foreign-made variety. Today, it seems the DIYer never knows what he is getting. It is very hit and miss. The old US-made tools seem best. The US doesn't manufacture anything but porn and crappy websites anymore. :(

@schnauzerdaddy 4 года назад

I also bought Cobalt 20 years ago and have used them quite a bit over the years but because you cannot replace them with the same quality I have switched to tekton And put the Cobalt up for posterity

@legionnair23 7 лет назад

12 years in a heavy duty shop and craftsman's has never let me down. Keep more money in your pocket buy smart don't buy a name

@0321ReconMan 4 года назад

Ya, I agree and im coming from a six figure job. Fixing bikes/ATV's is going to be my side business maybe full-time. I will not be droping 10k on Snapon or MAC lol!

@AV84USA 3 года назад

Craftsman is dead. Without Sears, it’s just a logo, like Bell+Howell or Heathkit

@elid9196 3 года назад

@@AV84USA That's very not true, pretty sure craftsman has never been bigger. Their tools are quite nice now to be honest. I work in a tool store.

@AV84USA 3 года назад

@@elid9196 a tool store? Like Sears? Harbor Freight? Lowe’s? Regardless, I used to buy Craftsman regularly, but now, without Sears backing them up, they are just a nameplate for tools made and sourced elsewhere. I think Harbor Freight has taken over the “pick up local tool that’ll work and is guaranteed if it doesn’t” function that Sears/Craftsman used to fill. Maybe in the future I might have more confidence in the brand, but right now I do not.

@jdmeaux 9 лет назад

Most hand tools are a matter of personal taste. I have had Craftsman for over 45 years which never rounded nor broke. And I have had Snap-On wrenches that didn't last a year. My worst experience was with the 3/4 inch drive wrenches which for some reason kept spinning the clutch. (That's right;3/4 inch not 3/8 inch) But Sears would replacement with little problems. I worked as a mechanic for a few years but constantly found myself going back to the old Craftsman set I first purchased. The Snap-On and Mac felt too thin and flimsy to me. I was constantly hurting my hands using them. (That was before mechanics started using gloves.) I have had tools handed-down to me from my father and uncles some of who worked as mechanics. The tools cover MAC, Matco, Snap-on, and Craftsman plus a set of wrenches Daddy purchased in England back in the 1950's. They have all been used and abused over the years. And now I have tools that will last to hand-down to my grandson to use. And replacement of these tools would run into the thousands of dollars today.

@greenlight_ca5443 9 лет назад

I've owned most brands and honestly the set of SK wrenches are my favorite. Most comfortable in my hand.

@Azlehria 7 лет назад

My dad was a mechanic for 38 years. Started with Snap-on from their industrial catalog when HIS dad was working on parts for Gemini (yeah, that long ago) & had Mac, Matco, & Cornwall (seen any of those guys lately?) hand tools in his boxes. He got a set of Pittsburgh long combo wrenches almost 20 years ago & says they're just as good as any truck wrenches he ever bought. They look VERY similar to your Matco. I got a set of Pittsburgh metric combos about 10 years ago when I was in school that's very similar to your Pittsburgh, & they've held up just as well. I grabbed another set of Pittsburgh wrenches about a month ago while I was on a remote job & they're, unfortunately, totally different. They LOOK similar but the box end has too much recess on the teeth, so they're always trying to cam off lower-profile fasteners - made worse by a loose fit. IF you can get a solid engagement they're just as sturdy as the older tools, but. One of these days I'll remember to compare them to some of the other Pittsburgh wrenches; they do have several designs from apparently different factories.

@Wanous-hv7zo 7 лет назад

yea ok quit doing drugs idiot

@zackpedersen2666 7 лет назад

That was uncalled for.

@thetinkerer5763 6 лет назад

pandorafalters did you get the pros or the regular?

@jmc5341 6 лет назад

It doesn't matter if they are pros or not. Their all cheap Chinese tools. I have some of their wrenches and sockets and they aren't too bad but comparing them to snap on and Mac is absurd.

@thevoxdeus 8 лет назад

Amazing how many people ignore the caveats about the difference between DIY and professional needs and usage. Of course you should not invest in Snapon tools if you're just doing work in your home garage, where your time is cheap and you are only answering to yourself for the quality of your work. Why pay 5x as much for a tool you will only use a few dozen times? As a professional though, you will use some of these tools thousands, tens of thousands or maybe even hundreds of thousands of times in your career. Even a small difference in quality will be multiplied over a long period of constant use. A better tool might mean you skin your knuckles a dozen times less, have to extract a rounded bolt a a dozen times less, and get the job done 5 or 10% faster, all of which are worth something. Dont dismiss the opinion of some one who works professionally 40 or 50 or 60 hours a week for decades just because you have diffetent needs.

@Satchmoeddie 8 лет назад

+thevoxdeus If I spend 8-24 hours a day with a hand tool in my hands, I want something comfortable, and high quality. I can still pull a 144 hour work week, but I am pretty useless for the next week. Cornwell is another wrench company, and their products are high quality, & less expensive then Snap-on. I think Phoenix has 4 Cornwell trucks now. When I became aware of them they had 1 truck for the whole county. Utica Wrench made the 12 point the loads more on the flats. Utica made a few items for Craftsman, but generally not the pro grade stuff. Mac, Proto, Blackhawk, Stanley, Goldblatt, & I forget what others are all owned by the same company now. I have Snap-On, Mac, Matco, Blackhawk, Cornwell, Utica, Bonney, Knipex, Klein, Cooper, etc. When Snap-On closed their will call counter, I kind of went with other tools. S&K makes a damn good ratchet. Blackhawk made a killer 1/4" ratchet, but they are gone now. I broke a lot of Mac torque wrenches.

@thevoxdeus 8 лет назад

***** With all respect, I think you missed my point by a mile. It's not a matter of which job can reflect higher craftsmanship or quality, it's a matter of which job MUST reflect that higher quality. When you are working for yourself, you always have the option to make a decision between spending extra time and money, or accepting a less than perfect result. When you're working professionally, the customer assumes that you're going to do the best job, in a timely manner, at a reasonable cost, and there may not be any room for compromise. But really, it comes down to your individual judgment of what is acceptable to you in terms of cost, time spent, quality, etc. My point is not to say that one approach is superior to the other, just to remind some people that not every one has the same needs. The fact that an expensive tool is not worth the money to YOU doesn't mean it's an over priced tool. Your needs may simply not justify a tool that some one else's needs do.

@xenonram 8 лет назад

+thevoxdeus Your 100% right.

@TofuProductionCinema 8 лет назад

+thevoxdeus Great input and I believe it's a viable one. Happy 2016 :)

@charliecrash3450 8 лет назад

+Omar Vanstone Skill Set is what makes the best final product.

@theoldwizard998 9 лет назад

As a DIYer, I have been "twisting wrenches" for over 45 years. The vast majority of what I own is Craftsman. 30-40 year old Craftsman, forged in the U.S.A. like the wrench you showed. In that time, it was the ONLY DIY choice back then over some really really poor alternatives. The standard Craftsman hand tools of today, even if you can find ones forged in the U.S.A., are just not as nice as the older Craftsman. I think Harbor Freight and Pittsburgh have improved their quality over the past 10 years and are really the DIY choice for today (I have a few Pittsburgh, "specialty" pliers; more than adequate for a DIYer). I SHUDDER when I look at the price of SnapOn tools ! I mean, are they really worth 5-10 times what a Craftsman wrench costs ? Should a person just starting out in the business really put himself in debt thousands of dollars when there are acceptable alternatives ? Worse, most "tool trucks" let you "buy on time". a little bit every week. Your 5-10 times cost could easily be 20-40 times ! I'm sorry, there is much to much PRIDE in owning SnapOn ! Like the difference between Cadillac and Chevy. They both get you from point A to point B in reasonable comfort. Rolex versus Timex. Samsung versus Visio. I will never be able to justify paying for the premium brand, unless I win the lottery !!

@garyronan5568 9 лет назад

Right on brother! and at 62 YO if I win the lottery some other poor SOB's going to be working on the new BMW!

@jtloughry 9 лет назад

I've found Proto tools to be a good alternative between Craftsman and Snap-on or Mac tools. I've had 4' cheater bars on Proto's 1/2" ratchets and not bent, broke, or stripped the ratchet while removing bolts or nuts that do the dreaded "snapping" while coming loose.

@hyperlogos 9 лет назад

theoldwizard998 I buy a lot of old tools at yard sales and you are spot on. The really old Craftsman wrenches are better tools in every way. The new ones seem like bad copies of the old tools.

@theoldwizard998 9 лет назад

EpiDemic117 Wright and Armstrong are both good quality tool companies. More expensive than Craftsman, but much less than SnapOn.

@HumbleMechanic 9 лет назад

AWE, but I like your face :( Like many things about tools(especially hand tools) it comes down to need, preference and budget. I personally use similar Snap-On wrenches, and love them. They are the best wrenches I have ever used. They seem to have a better fit in my hand and AND on fasteners. Great video brother!

@HumbleMechanic 9 лет назад

Oh, and I have a MAC wrench set, and I really don't like them. They are squared in the body, and do not fit the fasteners as well as SO. I took mine home when I upgraded to the SO

@SONOFAZOMBIE2025 9 лет назад

Has anyone used Stahlwille? tempted to get them... i don't really want 9 sets of spanners. 2 for the rest of my life will be fine.

@lompeOELEWAPPER 9 лет назад

Son of a Zombie Stahlwille is da bomb im from europe and use Stahlwille for my wrenches, very good quality and ditto chrome plating, no chipping and very robust, love em

@Oldbmwr100rs 9 лет назад

I loved the snap-on combo wrenches I had, that was until they were stolen! People will steal snap on, but won't touch craftsman pro. I have used the heck out of the metric set I picked up in the mid 90's, and while they're not as nice as the snap on (yeah, you can really feel the difference) they've been amazingly good. Now Sears has changed suppliers with them I believe as the pro set I got 5 years ago didn't say USA on them, they were thicker and heavier, and I suspect were made overseas. Last time I looked, the craftsman's said USA again though. Maybe when the pro line came out they really put in effort to make them very nicely, now they're not so nice. Still, if You find Yourself needing a 2nd set of combo wrenches, check them out, they're often on sale.

@markyoung13 9 лет назад

Son of a Zombie Stahlwille is good, thanks to the clever design their spanners are light too, first time you pick one up you wonder what exotic alloy they're made of.

@DBYNOE 7 лет назад

Been turning wrenches as a kinda advanced diyer since the 70s, an odd thing about those high end, very thin wrenchs, they tend to dig in to my hands unless I use gloves. I find the thicker craftsman style to be a bit more comfy. Back in the 70s and 80s, the cheaper tools were likely to deform and break under stress or when heavily used. I used to take back Craftsman for replacement quite regularly, snapped or bent two breaker bars removing axle nuts. Lately they all seem to be strong enough so that I haven't broken a wrench in years, even when a bit abused. I think Snapon and Matco were more important years ago when the other guys seemed to use weaker steel, now, not as much difference.

@RockandrollNegro 5 лет назад

Back in the 60s and 70s, there was a huge difference in what you got from Snap-On/Matco/Mac/Proto compared to what you got at K-Mart/Western Auto/mom & pop hardware store. Craftsman was always the 'bridge' brand between those two extremes. Better than what you could buy in most stores but not quite in the same ballpark as a tool truck brand. And then in the eighties and nineties the game began to change and the tool truck brands started cheapening out to compete with the Harbor Freight type tools, who were gradually stepping up their game. Nowadays there's not as wide a gap in quality as there used to be. A high grade Taiwanese tool will be better than a low grade North American tool. On top of that, there's really only two or three big tool manufacturers left in the world. Cratsman/Stanley/Black & Decker/Pittsburgh/Mac/Proto/Irwin are all made in the same factories to the same specs. Apex makes everything else for Snap-On/Blue Point and Pittsburgh/Pittsburgh Pro. In today's world it's just insulting to think that a consumer should pay 10 times more for Snap On when it's not ten times better than the competition.

@KAELIN250 5 лет назад

So basically, your saying technology caught up and all those expensive brands aren't such a big deal now

@mrz80 3 года назад

That's one of my beefs with Snap-On too- they're really uncomfortable to bear down on, even with gloves on. I've got a few Snap-Ons mixed in with my Craftsmans and I'd always have to wrap a rag around the Snap-Ons. I've only irretrievably broken one Craftsman tool and warranty-swapped - a pair of needlenose pliers I dropped just wrong and broke one tip off. I did recently break the 1/2" head on my breaker bar trying to budge an axle nut. Guess standing 200lb (me :) ) on a 5' conduit slipped over the handle was a wee bit too much torque! Still looking for a spare-parts kit for that.

@jrljr69 2 года назад

Snap on wrenches are infinitely better than Pittsburg or other cheap brands. I used to believe otherwise until I was able to get a bolt out with a snap on that my Taiwanese wrench had rounded off. I get my stuff from pawn shops and individuals and not off the truck. About 1/3 of cost of new.

@kyd1972 7 лет назад

Your videos are consistently good. I really appreciate it when the voiceover seems to know ahead of time what he's going to say, and doesn't compete with obnoxious background music.

@JedmcCj-uq5dw 7 лет назад

I've had tools from snap on break. Just broke a 15 wrench yesterday

@danp4203 7 лет назад

I've had more broken sockets and messed up ratchets from Snap-On than any other brand. I'll never buy Snap-On stuff ever. I like S-K wrenches best.

@BoostedDeere 7 лет назад

Dan P - I'm a s and k guy too

@InvincibleExtremes 7 лет назад

Dan P SK is the shit... I always pop in different pawn shops and sog through piles of sockets and combination wrenches and grab anything with USA on it... especialy if its an SK tool...

@jeffreycastillo170 7 лет назад

Dan P Me too. The Snap-On guy dont like me anymore because i quit buying from him, and i warranty my tools from him the most, ESPECIALLY the swivels.

@Yonny316 6 лет назад

The only snap on tools I've had problems with are the vise grips. Which are rebranded Erwin's lol

@timecrawler8810 6 лет назад

Nice review thanks for taking the time to point out those differences

@mikeperez1507 7 лет назад

lol the only wrench that's says what it's made out of and he's like "I'm not sure what it's made of"

@tony4metallicaify 7 лет назад

I'm a professional heavy-duty truck mechanic and snapon or matco is the way to go. but at home use and around the house harbor freight does just fine with me.

@festushaggen2563 8 лет назад

This is probably the most concise and least biased review of these tools I've seen yet. It bugs me when others are just trying to sell me on their brand. I'm not a pro and I don't need pro tools at pro prices so I have no problem spending less for basic tools. I have some solid Craftsman, Pittsburgh, Stanley and Black and Decker stuff that's perfect for me and my occasional needs. Thanks for being real about what's needed for what we do. I appreciate the bottom line perspective about things like this.

@batvette 8 лет назад

sure, but all of the observations seem subjective and useless. The craftsman wrench FEELS more porous? Sharp edges that dig into your hand? All I can say is I have never broken a combination wrench and most everything else is irrelevent.

@jasondiaz9083 7 лет назад

ive broken a few but youre right its not a always thing and for new cars no tool is irrelevant even the weird specialty ones

@theomne 9 лет назад

So weird that I actually watched this video and today IS my birthday. Thanks! Haha

@Brian-wy4hg 7 лет назад

my dad still has his craftsman professional wrenches from his early mechanic days in the eighties lol

@billynolfe3621 5 лет назад

I have the Craftsman professional series that were made here in the states. I have had them for years and used them to make a living. The new Craftsman tools have proved to be little more than junk

@georgebunce749 8 лет назад

Actually it is my birthday. Totally random and crazy that you mentioned that at the beginning of the vid.

@ETCG1 8 лет назад

Sorry to be late but, Happy Birthday!

@TheUslockedandloaded 7 лет назад

Same! I randomly clicked on this and it is my birthday! That's crazy

@gerardoflores6316 7 лет назад

George Bunce no way it's my birthday too

@johnbarthol6493 7 лет назад

I watched this last night and yesterday was my birthday.

@BreakingNVain 7 лет назад

George Bunce When you see random Facebook liberty spooks on the RU-vids... - Jack

@milesej05 8 лет назад

Sad thing is, I have seen only seen craftsman and craftsman pro wrenches and sockets break. I have never had ANY issues with any of my Harbor Freight (Pittsburgh) wrenches or sockets. I repaired railcars for 2 years.

@milesej05 8 лет назад

indytbird so working on railcars with impacts and ratchets but yet I only broke craftsman ratchets and sockets but never a HF one. Is there a reason Union Pacific uses mainly HF sockets? You are a moron

@garygsp3 8 лет назад

+Eric Miles If you are using a regular socket on an impact of course it's going to break. That is why they make "Impact" socket sets. If the wall thickness of the socket isn't at least twice the thickness of a normal socket you're using the wrong one. They more of a machine steel and heat treat the socket to a different hardness to be able to to stand the pounding of an impact socket. In 15 years of maintenance and working at one time with 50 maintenance guys on the maintenance crew the only time I've seen a Craftsman socket brake is when some idiot was using it in an impact wrench, or they had a monster cheater pipe on it. Even then the ratchet usually brakes before the socket.

@LordPenguinYourLeige 8 лет назад

I had a craftsman 3/8 ratchet last 10 years. I'd use 8ft pipes on it and it didn't break. it did finally break the teeth but in its defense, I had a 1 1/2 ton come-along pulling it.

@mikepeachmp 6 лет назад

Eric Miles k

@mikepeachmp 6 лет назад

@jordanrctm 8 лет назад

Well spoken sir. I have an experience to add to this that may spark another debate. I started my professional career in 1987, after tech school. I purchased lots of craftsman, snap-on, Mac and Matco tools along the way. I was also doing huge amounts of side work, so brought most of my tools home regularly. I lost a huge amount of tools at one time due to an accident, and thought I was out of the game. I made it to work and the snap-on rep was there and was a tremendous help. I had a $3,000 bill on their truck for tools I had just lost. He called corporate and had that bill wiped out. Then proceeded to replace over $10',000 worth of tools at cost. That is why I am a devoted snap-on owner. Service means everything. More to the story, but not enough time.

@charliedee9276 6 лет назад

Very good video. I started my collection in 1973 when for my 10th birthday my dad got me my own Craftsman wrench and socket set like the first wrench you showed. Over the years I have built up quite an eclectic variety of tools. I keep them segregated according to quality and frequency of use. My main chest is mainly stocked with Mac, Craftsman Pro and Snap-On's with a few Matco's tossed in there for kicks. I have another chest dedicated to motorcycle tools, in that world JIMS is the only way to go for special tools, but that is another story... The traveling bag of tools that comes on roadtrips with me and the ones that stay permanently in the car are mostly basic Craftsman and HF, some of the Craftsman ones from the original set I received in 73. And one can definitely tell the difference between the high end ones and the lower end ones just by the feel. Over the years I have had to buy tools to do a job or during one when I needed something I didn't have, that has created quite a collection of different makes. Your right on about the investment of tools, the better ones are just that, better. And they perform better. I wrench in Michigan, every bolt over 2 years old is a rusty barely recognizable mess and rounding one off using an inferior wrench on a customers auto is a great way to kill whatever profit you were getting.

@matthewkleinmann 9 лет назад

My pal has had some issues getting replacement snap on tools. If you read their warranty they don't cover what they consider to be misuse, and apparently breaking one is considered misuse. I can say that HF nor Sears has ever given me an issue returning the broken pieces of any hand tool. Just give em the busted one and go and grab a new one.

@timetryp422 9 лет назад

Matthew Kleinmann Yea, read the guarantee small print on the Snap On tool site - you need receipts of purchase to enact a guarantee. Then the issue of "abuse" - all very conditional and biased in the manufacturer's favor. Seems Snap On is more of a status thing, unless you absolutely rely on your tools for a living.

@davenhla 8 лет назад

+Matthew Kleinmann My local sears told me, and I quote "a hammer isn't a hand tool" when i took a rubber mallet type back to get a replacement striking face. When looking at brands with warranty, it is 100% on the local dealer as to what you get for service. otherwise, mail stuff to corporate, it;s the only way to know they will follow the warranty to the "T"

@MarcusDrall 8 лет назад

+Matthew Kleinmann If you're snap-on man is worth his weight he will replace a wrench rather than lose your business.

@dhettinger80 8 лет назад

If you're a professional also remember that you can work these into your tax returns for the next two years. While it isn't a direct return of your investment it does help lessen the blow.

@mrz80 3 года назад

As just a DIYer I always cost-justify tools by comparing tool+parts cost vs. taking-the-car-to-a-shop cost. I'm willing to write off the cost of my time, 'cause most of the time it's kind of fun keeping a 20 year old car on the road. :)

@PagnDad2 8 лет назад

I enjoyed your video very much. It pretty much sums up my own feelings. I have different grades of tools that I have bought over the years, and also have found that you get what you pay for, although sometimes one wonders why the difference is quite so much.

@coffeeisgood102 8 лет назад

Thanks for the info. I never knew that stuff.

@gilbertrodriguez8212 8 лет назад

I own a BMW 740il, with the whole AC Schnitzer package on it. These cars need a lot of maintenance. I do all the work my self, to save money. I kid you not, when i tell you that I've done this with less than $50 worth of harbor freight tools. I've changed the whole front suspension, hood, fenders, and took apart the inside to suede it. While i take great pride in my car, I'm not one of them guys that needs to show off on tools. If i would have purchased what i needed in any other brand, i would have paid hundreds, or over a thousand in some cases.

@Canassamuel 8 лет назад

agree 100%

@IanBuell 8 лет назад

I bought a used E39 540i. Everybody told me the maintenance would eat me alive. So far, with a few Harbor Freight tools, I've been angle to do the alternator, water pump, oil changes, and all the window regulators (some more than once!). I'm just some lower middle class guy trying to drive a car and service it myself. Harbor Freight - as much as possible!!! You must be my BMW brother from another mother...

@gilbertrodriguez8212 8 лет назад

Ian Buell Well brother let me give you a good tip to save money on the maintenance, if you have any U-pull it salvage yards, use them. For example i payed $35 for a $700 hood.

@IanBuell 8 лет назад

+Gilbert Rodriguez I have one close by - they only have to two E39's on the yard. I've gotten a few things there. You're right - they can be MUCH cheaper. I've even haggled on price with them. you can't do that over the internet!

@gilbertrodriguez8212 8 лет назад

Im a lower middle class working guy too, if it wasnt because of harbor freight and the salvage yards, and ebay, I couldnt afford to drive a BMW.

@mondeo984 9 лет назад

Personally I would not choise a single one of those you have selected. They all have 12 points rings which works terrible on stucked fasteners. I would only use 6 point rings where you can really put some weight into it without stripping the fastener

@yoshiko130 9 лет назад

Well in certain situations a 12pt helps access the bolt over a 6pt. you get 2x the angles over a 6pt and yeah you should always use a 6pt whenever you cant. Thats pretty basic

@Tedybear315 9 лет назад

He used the same size and type to show the differences between the brands. He could have just as easy used 6 point wrenches and had someone mention "I'd never use a 6 point wrench because of x,y,z"....

@theoldwizard998 9 лет назад

I bought a set of Craftsman 6 point SAE combination a few years back when they were closing a store. I wish I had bought the metrics ones also ! Nice to have 2 of almost every size SAE wrench and nice to have 6 point wrench when you need it (all of my sockets are 6 point)

@DENicholsAutoBravado 9 лет назад

yoshiko130 I've struggled with the 6 point vs. 12 point conversation for a long time. I've personally had 6 points round fasteners less, than 12 point ones, but I don't own very expensive tools. Maybe this is a commentary about how 6 point sockets are better in some of the cheaper brands. Note though, my newest and most beloved of my 6 point sockets are carefully rounded to have the 12 point round effect, so maybe that's yet another iteration of being better?

@aguynamedmike77 9 лет назад

12 pt is the only way to go in a professional setting. Picture the hands of a clock being held down by a stubborn bolt with lots of do-dads all over the clock face to maneuver your wrench around. With a 6pt you can only access that bolt with your wrench handle at ((12-2-4-6-8-10)) positions. But with a 12pt, your wrench handle can be at any position of any number... 2 examples of good, properly prepared mechanics, is 1 with 12pt box end wrenches and the other with 6pt and 12pt box end wrenches... Just my opinion.

@bobfraley3366 8 лет назад

Right on The difference is price and pro quality Great show keep it up. I was a mechanic for over 30 years and I have worked on about every vehicle out there{brand} both small and large.

@frankcrawford416 7 лет назад

Very nice and fair video. Thanks for posting.

@OdinsCloud 9 лет назад

That Craftsman Professional wrench is no longer made in the USA and hasn't for a while now, they were excellent. I think by far the best deal in wrenches. They only offered them for a short spell then they decided the get rid of the notion of offering high end tools and in fact lowered the quality of even their standard tools. The new full polish / professionals are bulkier and overall not as well designed and of course not made in the USA. The warranty is part of the deal here and If i buy a high quality tool like a USA made craftsman professional wrench and it fails, I do not want a cheaper replacement because you no longer make that quality.

@JPN850R 8 лет назад

+OdinsCloud You're right, many Craftsman tools are now made in China. I was lucky to get Craftsman Professional back in 2006 when they were still made in the USA. What's strange is that when you look for socket sets, they too are made in China but individual sockets are still made in the USA. As a conservative supporter of made in the USA & Japan, I bought some of my Craftsman sockets individually rather than as a set. I'm not willing to support China as they keep invading Japanese boundaries and you cannot expect common sense from them, needless to say taking jobs away from many other countries (went off the topic). If more people are willing to spend a bit of extra when they shop and bitch corporates for moving manufacturing to China, they might think and return those assembly plants (some have already done it as it is too risky to keep manufacturing in China).

@dannyfivefifty 5 лет назад

WHERE ARE THEY MADE????please don't tell me china????

@allis-chalmersb-10 5 лет назад

Thank Stanley. (The tool company)

@henryt9254 8 лет назад

The irony is that I very seldom find a professional mechanic that I am satisfied with their work. I;m not saying that there aren't good professional mechanics, but they are far and few. Regardless of how good their professional tools are, it doesn;t matter if the quality of their work is sub-standard. For that reason, I do most of the work myself and with my DIY tools, I frankly take more pride on the result and sleepy better at night.

@mrz80 3 года назад

Yeah, finding a good mechanic (or better yet, a shop full of 'em!) can be something of struggle. Once I find a good wrench-turner, I talk 'em up all over town so maybe the get more business.

@cobraninetysix3883 8 лет назад

My Shop Teacher....., way back in the day told us that although the craftsman at the time were good, the combo wrenches were made of spring steel and that if you encountered a stubborn fastener, the open end part of the wrench would open and round out the fastener.

@WillThat 8 лет назад

I work off shore and most of the tools I've run into on the rigs are the Stanley Poto. They seem to handle the harsh environment (LOTS of corrosion) pretty well, considering they're not stored in A/C shops.

@TechTimeWithEric 9 лет назад

I have a big mix of Craftsman Pro series, Snap-On, and Gear Wrench (SK). A big difference between even the lower end Craftsman wrenches and the HF wrench is the jaw strength of the open end. If you're in a situation where you cannot use the box end to break a bolt loose, the jaws on a very cheap wench will spread causing the wrench to slip and possibly round off a bolt head. Of course you probably should be using a line wrench for such a situation, but they may not always available, or not feasible to use.

@jessnjennplus5 9 лет назад

Gear wrench is kd.

@dixoncider7256 9 лет назад

Ben Izatt snap-on also has the marks on the open end wrenches now, called flange drive i think. very impressive to see that cast

@mikes6956 9 лет назад

Snap on and crafstman are not what they used to be quality has gone downhill for both! craftsman in now made in china and it shows. I often turn in a snapon socket i abused for years and the replacement only goes for a few months. the price of snapon tools has gone through the roof some times i can no longer afford the snapon version. Its getting hard to get snapon stuff covered under warranty when i turn in a chrome 3/8 socket that cost 30 bucks and my driver dosnt want to warranty it i dont feel like buying from them anymore.

@Tedybear315 9 лет назад

That's because the driver is being a lazy terd. See my posts above. The good drivers/sales rep will gladly replace the tools. However sense the cost does come out of their pocket until they can get reimbursed for it some will make up excuses or other b/s. If you do what I did, which was to find a local dealer and 'join' the other mechanics on the truck? The dealer won't risk losing face by not doing a warranty in front of other clients.

@garyronan5568 9 лет назад

Tedybear315 Back in the 60's and 70's I worked at A service station (for you young folk's that's A gas station that fixed car's and not your lunch) during the winter and construction in the summer. If you broke A SO tool our driver replaced it with A smile and might even throw in A calendar or A key chain. Now day's you get A surly disposition. I had A 3/8 drive ratchet strip A gear recently and spotted the SO truck at the Hyundie dealer so I wheel in and dig the tool out of my glove box, walk up to the truck and show him that the tool is broken and I get the 3rd degree from the guy. "Where did you buy it?, how long have you had it? How dId it break? Why didn't call your regular guy? (Hell! he died 30 year's ago!!) Then he proceeds to rebuild the thing. Has trouble removing the screws, has trouble finding the proper rebuild kit, drops parts on the floor twice.(here comes the old guy mantra kids!) Back in my day they gave you A new tool and sent you on your way! But at least he didn't hand me the kit and expect me to rebuild it!

@Tedybear315 9 лет назад

The last one I had 'rebuilt' by the local yoyo? One of my best ratchets for tight areas. It finally gave up after many many many years. The guy rebuilt it and tossed the moly lube package away. My jaw dropped. I'm not dipping my ratchets into oil on a daily basis....So I'm sure the next time I need that ratchet? It will likely be rusted together. In that case I'd have been happier if I did the rebuild myself.

@DENicholsAutoBravado 9 лет назад

Tedybear315 Sometimes the tool is as good as the oil that oils it. My wife was into making jewelry for a while. Grit got into the oil inside the tool over time. I worked them over with some penetration oil to get rid of the crud, backed up with a thicker oil that'd stay. I turned clunkers into gold. She was so happy.

@TechSeller 7 лет назад

Love your vids Eric...TY!

@d3w3y0998 8 лет назад

yeah i bought a set of Cornwall wrenches from the tool truck i used them for alignments and other stuff. the problem i have is they keep slipping off and not staying attached. i used a set of snap-on wrenches and i got to see the quality and strength of the wrenches and the durability they had over the set i bought.

@DECIPLESgarage 9 лет назад

As a small shop on a budget I rather have a whole Pittsburgh 22pc fully polished standard set of both SAE and METRIC wrenches for 18.00 on sale VS Craftsman 13pc polished SAE only for 89.00. If I break a Craftsman, I drive 20 miles to Sears. If I break a Pitsburg, I drive 20 miles to Harbor Freight. And no, my Pittsburg wrenches aren't going to break 3 times more often then an outsourced chinese Craftsman Pro wrench! ooooooooooooooo Did he just say that???? hahahaha

@ChristiansWorkshop 9 лет назад

90% of my tools are pittsburgh. and i use them everyday on snowmobiles and atvs and have not yet had a problem

@DENicholsAutoBravado 9 лет назад

BigDaBAMF69 Agreed. I think they've really come up on quality! I read an independent review online about Harbor Freights ratcheting box handle wrenches how they had more teeth and took less wiggle to ratchet. Very true, and very nice to use.

@ChristiansWorkshop 9 лет назад

Ratchet wrenches are the best thing ever made

@game2heart 9 лет назад

That's funny cause Pittsburgh tools are made in China as well.

@DENicholsAutoBravado 9 лет назад

game2heart Well so are craftsman now so did they maintain quality our not? Can't say having never afforded more than one socket from them. It is VERY nice. Had to replace a broken great neck 10mm which was poor and my powerbuilt was lost. ...my friend knew where it was for months in his car and didn't tell me. Should have asked for the $5 in the craftsman. Lol I have to say though for China made...off that one tool it's very good. It's a lot smaller so it's quicker to need an extension but better in a smaller place.

@v8felon 7 лет назад

I'm surprised you like the long wrenches they suck in tight places.

@Koshunae 7 лет назад

I could say the same for shorter wrenches. Every tool has its place, I can generally get more done with a longer wrench than a shorter wrench.

@wulf-3596 7 лет назад

Koshunae Yes, but longer wrenches allow greater leverage (usually) than the shorter ones. All about that fulcrum point.

@AlexGreenwoodUkulele 6 лет назад

That's a great point. I usually keep four sets of wrenches; - Ones that are very long with excellent leverage for those tight bolts - Ones that are about standard size and fit to fasteners really well. - Ones that are stubbies, very short and maybe have a slight off-set. - Ones that I can just cut, grind, heat and bend to make a perfect tool for any tight situation. For example, Mercedes' convertible coupe with the cunt-of-a-steering rack, had to make a spanner with a left-right bend in it to reach one of the PAS lines. It's very dependant on what you store. The mechanics I'm friends with and those I work with share all their tools and between us, we much have over a couple thousand wrenches (five of us total) and probably many thousands of sockets, all for different situations. I know I can walk over to one of the other toolboxes if I've got a particularly stubborn bolt for the RangeRover's dreaded fans or I can run to the other side of the garage and borrow possibly the longest 17mm wrench in existence. (3 meter long 17mm wrench which was merely made for shits and giggles by one of the guys, who has to hang it on the wall above his box because it's so damn big. We could nearly change lightbulbs with it!)

@Adam-ig1vo 5 лет назад

If your wrench has a fulcrum point, you're not using it correctly.😜

@r3d-1truth17 8 лет назад

Thank you for this video. I admire your work ethics and knowledge, and often use your advice in my trials and tribulations called car repair aka saving money. I own a plethora or tools, and not being professional, have enjoyed and benefited from harbor freight tools. Can you say me for air compressors? Something smaller (20-50gal) not shop size, but that can run air impact.

@hannahoconnor312 Год назад

Hey Eric Im a truck mechanic and the funny thing is its 2023 and Matco still hasnt showed up at my shop in 5 years

@jobejahova 7 лет назад

You have GOT to go and buy some Duralast sockets and review them. I know you can swap them at any AutoZone. Tools are the only thing Duralast did right. TRY THEM! I don't think I ever broke a Duralast socket, but I have broken tons of others. One time I did break a Duralast breaker bar (along with two other brand breaker bars) but they replaced it on the spot without even scanning a UPC.

@Photostudioww 7 лет назад

Yugo 505 yup. that's why I use a breaker bar to loosen bolts and nuts then use the rachet. If the breaker bar breaks I use a chisel and hammer to remove the nut or bolt.

@mrz80 3 года назад

Just about all my impact sockets are Duralast, mostly 'cause that was what was in stock around town when I needed 'em. They're pretty nice sockets, seems like.

@GeraldThomasphotojunkie 8 лет назад

I have to say that after a 21 year career in the automotive field my Snap on tools have been undeniably superb! From Motech to retirement, I could not have done it with lesser tools.

@JulesTeh1 6 лет назад

I strongly agree... Way back 8 years ago, when I was working with Honda most of us are using Snap-On tools and doesn't cause any problems provided that you use those tools in a proper way.

@johnmcfadden802 8 лет назад

Solid review and solid points! Always been more of a Craftsman house, though some higher end gear has shown up in the garage over the years. But something that does stand out is The Craftsman Warranty...one occasion for example...standard wrenches required Johnson bars slipped over the ends to get the leverage needed when working on a bus and bent a couple of them rather badly but they still worked and got the job done...once we were back on the road we simply stopped off at a Sears store, held up the bent wrenches and said "They Broke" ...no questions asked and they were swapped out on the spot...one of them they didn't have a standard version available and gave us a "professional" instead...hard to beat that..

@ronaldboutan2511 8 лет назад

Harbor freight for me. Not the best but you get more tools for your cabbage

@Wanous-hv7zo 7 лет назад

more garbage for your money so you can keep buying more garbage and filling up the landfills in the US. you are a cheap ass idiot

@iammattbennett 8 лет назад

just a bunch of voodoo and speculation... I FEEL like the matco is higher quality. It FEELS stronger. No basis on actual fact. I have no opinion either way, but this argument lacks anyone doing real testing it seems.

@timm5970 3 года назад

It has more to do with how the tools apply torque so yeah its about feel. He just doesnt know how to tell you that

@WrecklessEnterainment 8 лет назад

We used cornwell at NTB and I will say all I used was their stubby impact and I love the thing! It'll do all the work of a regular impact and fit into nice small places where most won't fit.

@AGearHead4Life 8 лет назад

Great Video Eric!

@ghffrsfygdhfjkjiysdz 8 лет назад

ETCG1, nice video. Many videos on youtube talk about pros and cons of consumer and pro tools. But, as a diy type of guy, what i would love to see is a video showing or explaining things that pro tools can do, that consumer tools can't. Yeah, Chinese craftsman tools are rough and bulky, which is a pita to deal with on everyday basis, but are there actually situations where fasteners are so close to each-other that smaller snapon tool can get them off, while bulky, non-ergonomic, crappy Chinese made craftsman can't? What can we, the weekend hobbyists not do with crappy tools, that we could get done with snap-on grade tools?

@vidard9863 7 лет назад

yes. he owns all those tools for a reason. those long double box wrenches and a hammer are the best way to take off fan bolts, there are some bolts that you just can't get without the right offset. BUT the question is time and money. how often do you come across that bolt? is it worth ten times the cost? okay so you have to remove the alternator to get that bolt and for that the belt, it adds an hour to your project.... as a tech that is pay, and it adds up quick because it happens every week. as a diy... meh once a month it eats some free time.....

@wmpiamtv2619 7 лет назад

Vidar D those cheap craftsman can be tweaked with a torch and a vice. You only paid a dollar for the wrench. If your running into the same problem weekly, customize your tool.

@papacap979 7 лет назад

Chrome_Vandium is the only way to go. plated tools chip and loose there tolerance ( correct size ). pro quality tools have better heat treatment and makes ALL the difference. as in spring at the mouth of the wrench. to soft they open under load, to hard they snap off under high load.

@wormfood868 7 лет назад

Chrome vanadium tools are also chrome plated, so chipping is still, potentially, an issue.

@maverickdallas1004 7 лет назад

Erik Biesemeier ...It depends on the quality of the chrome plating. Some use the more costly industrial hard chrome, others use cheaper decorative chrome. Though toolmakers usually never disclose what kind of chrome plating they use, how well it holds up should be an indicator.

@dsub1994 6 лет назад

I have a set of sidchrome (was the Australian snap-on equivalent back in the day, now about as good as Kobalt) spanners that are chrome vanadium and my experience is that the tolerance from the factory matters a lot more. Big clearances result in the spanner rubbing along tight bolts which strips even the best Cr-V plating over time - clearance is where it's at. Also, the likelihood of actually stripping the spanner before stripping the fasteners is practically zero to be fair.

@CrazyPetez 3 года назад

Several decades ago, I talked to a gentleman who had been a principal in a tool forging company that made DIY quality tools. In answer to my question Craftsman vs. Snap-On quality, he said it was all in the about the tolerances of the dies that forged the tools. Snap-on held tolerances of their dies to much tighter specs. That fits right in with what you said here Eric.

@richardsquires6534 8 лет назад

30 years of wrenching, and when you come for my snap-on wrenches you will wrench them from my cold dead hands. Actually they fit just right, they're stiff enough (won't spread on a difficult fastener), and they feel like an extension of your hand. I've owned the other brands, and always came back to them. They cost more, but... 30 years... Do the math. I only got paid to do the job once (flat rate), so I want to do it well. Great vid!

@phlodel 8 лет назад

Snap On tools are guaranteed for life, if the dealer deigns to honor the guarantee. I've had Snap On dealers refuse to replace tools that they didn't sell to me.

@1stfloorguy59 8 лет назад

My cousin fought the snap on driver for not replacing a socket wrench he didn't buy from him... After words he replaced it and now goes to that shop 3 days a week. In my cousins defense the guy was being disrespectful about it and pretty much asking form it.

@phlodel 8 лет назад

***** You shouldn't have to fight to get what Snap On promises. It's the individual dealers that are the problem but they have Snap On painted on the side of their truck. I'm a professional mechanic and I never buy Snap On tools.

@1stfloorguy59 8 лет назад

+phlodel That is how the argument started the original dealer retired and the new guy\truck was trying not to replace anything he didn't personally sell. Needless to say my cousin is heavily invested in snap on so it would of been a huge loss for the new guy not to deal with him after. So they both apologized to each other and now get along fine but they did roll around for a few minute on the side of the truck lol

@phlodel 8 лет назад

+1stfloorguy In effect, Snap On tools are only guaranteed for the life of the dealer's business.

@1stfloorguy59 8 лет назад

+phlodel That is depressing so 60k investment and warranty is worthless after your guy retires.

@tuffguy407 8 лет назад

to me a thicker wrench is a better wrench!! when im applying pressure i want some meat to grab onto

@forge52100 8 лет назад

+fred smith The reason there thicker is because they use a cheaper quality steel and need the extra meat to come close to the same strength. SK tools makes a thicker professional grade tool that is more suited to industrial equipment, snapon is more suited to automotive and aerospace where you don't necessarily need a cheater bar to break a bolt.

@giantgeoff 8 лет назад

+Dingle Berry they're beautiful and insure the hell out of them

@MrPAULONEAL 8 лет назад

That's what she said...

@Onhaey 8 лет назад

Tell me how good that goes with a thick pot metal craftsman or Pittsburg wrench when it snaps in half.

@MrPAULONEAL 8 лет назад

forge52100 If you need to break bolts loose step up to 3/4" or 1" ratchets/sockets...

@adamtheheavyequipmentmechanic 8 лет назад

good video, i agree all those will get the job done, just wanted to add i have a few snap-on tools that where purchased and used professionally by my grandfather, my dad and myself now for ten years, so you are absolutely right that tools can be an investment.

@dewrus2153 8 лет назад

ETCG1-Nice video with good info...thanks! If you ever do a follow-up video, it would be interesting to see a comparison of each wrench fitting on a bolt head. This would show the variations in tolerances. When I was young and broke, I bought some cheap combination wrenches and found they fit hardware poorly...either too tight or too loose. That was 20 years ago so it would be interesting to see if tolerances on the cheaper tools have improved. Thanks again!

@nateacgd1122 7 лет назад

for the most part cheap wrenches are not that bad, it's the sockets you have to worry about, I've had them split like they were made of clay. But trying to explain that to my wife when she looses my good stuff and replaces it with harbor freight is impossible

@DrewLSsix 7 лет назад

i cant destroy my old basic pitsburg thick wall impact sockets, chrome or otherwise thin walled sockets are another thing entirely. i used to keep some HF chrome sockets on hand because they made handy stripped lug nut removers. regular rounded nut removers tend to just chew away lug nuts.

@scottthompson292 7 лет назад

Impact sockets are designed to take maximum punishment and I prefer them in almost all instances. (Obvious exception is where a thick wall socket physically won't fit.) There's a reason why the warranties of standard sockets feature a clause that basically says void if used with an impact wrench.

@maverickdallas1004 7 лет назад

Nate ACGD ...If you want sockets that are the most resistant to splitting, you can't beat the 6-point black impacts. Even the cheapies are quite tough.

@mrreymundo5383 7 лет назад

Not what I was hoping for. A true comparison would stress different types of wrenches to the breaking point and measure the force required. Wrenches are all the same until you put a 6 foot pipe on the end of it and lever it without mercy.

@existentiald562 3 года назад

I will say we were in a pinch and needed to disconnect the front drive shaft on a f250 and the only wrench we had was a 12 point 12mm craftsman ratchet wrench and we put the pipe you use for a jack and turned them sumbitches out one by one no prob

@Golo1949 7 лет назад

Hi Eric, we call them combination spanners here in the UK, open ended and ring. To us a box spanner is a completely different thing! Love your videos.

@jmc5341 6 лет назад

Well said. Any thoughts on Cornwell.

@ad356 9 лет назад

i thought the cheap Pittsburgh brand wrenches were decent until i started breaking them. the first wrench i broke i thought it was fluke and now have several that are broken. i only use these tools at home on my own cars and my farmall cub ( a really, really high quality tool- the tractor that is) i am not a professional mechanic but i do a ton of my own repairs i do not pay anyone to fix anything usually. anyways after i have broken several of them i am pretty disappointed they seem well made but are cheap junk. i have some older craftsman and they are durable. new craftman made in china, sorry i will NOT buy those. if i want a cheap chinese tool i will just go to harbor freight. if i want a fairly decent and slightly less expensive tool i used to go to craftsman..... i expect american made. if a craftsman hand tool is not made i here i will not buy it. i vote with the money that i spend and i vote for american made tools when i can afford them

@jtloughry 9 лет назад

Check out Proto Tools. They are made by Stanley / Mac Tools have a good fit and finish. Proto costs a bit more than Craftsman, but not near as much as Mac or Snap-on.

@ad356 9 лет назад

how are my wrenches breaking.... i use them regularly. i do ALL of my own auto repairs, i live in the crappy rust belt. sometimes i am using allot of force to break free a rusty fastener. i am not always easy on my tools but i get the job done. i am not one of those people that uses my tools only on occasion. i drive old cars... when they have problems i fix them myself

@ToeCutter454 9 лет назад

andrew donohue one great place to pick up used sets of tools(and most of the time antiques that are still far superior to today's) is flea markets! i wish i had a million dollars for all the nice sets i've seen that were FRACTIONS of the cost because someones grandfather or husband passed and they don't know what to do with them. flea markets and/or garage sales! that's the place to do real tool shopping! aside from some more moderns specialty stuffs.

@speedtuff 9 лет назад

I don't think you know that MAC tools and Snap-on have stuff made in china, as well as every fastener you buy off the shelf anywhere i.e. (Fastenal, Menards, home depot, Lowes, Ace, Hardware Hank, CAT, holo-krome), and >98% of all stainless steel period are made in china. The only difference is when US companys doesn't do quality controls and/or doesn't pay company's in china to do it. It's the US being cheap not china, you always get what you pay for.

@redneckon2wheels529 9 лет назад

I have a lot of Pittsburg tools cause I'm a teenager and don't live with my dad anymore (who is a diesel mechanic and has tons of tools I was using) and they work fine for basic stuff I just use them to fix broken lawn mowers and basic repairs on my truck and motorcycle but once my dad gave me his craftsman professional series set cause he has a lot of snap on and Mac so he dousn't use them anymore and they save me a lot time because I don't have to go to the store once a month to replace broken tools

@speedy63663 7 лет назад

"feels strong" love it. very quantitative.

@usafa1993 6 лет назад

Nice video on feelings regarding finish and feel.

@simitarknut2201 8 лет назад

I am an industrial electronic technician by trade. Years ago I worked for a third party repair facility. We would sometimes buy equipment and refurbish and resell it. While I was there we bought a laser engraver for tool steel and it had programs in for Craftsman and Snap-On and several others. That leaves me to believe some tools are made in one factory and just have the different names engraved on them.

@eipi5173 9 лет назад

i was hoping on tests...not opinions

@alfirst9087 6 лет назад

He did mention that he'd been using those wrenches for 10+ years. That's enough of a stress test for me!

@eliasshadow5643 5 лет назад

You must be new to his videos.

@678friedbed 9 лет назад

I get mac and snap on are a little bit stronger and such compared to craftsman but that HF tool doesn't belong any were neat the craftsman. Those HF tools are such junk. I went to use some one else's set of HF tools and I could watch the tool actually expand around the bolt, it didn't damage the bolt at all because the bolt material was stronger the the tool. As for macs and snap-on I don't know how you can spend up to four times more for a tool for practically the same tool considering craftsman and snap-on are made by the same manufacturer. not to mention the only way for diy person to get a hold of a snap on truck is to find a shop that they visit and wait till it shows up unlike craftsman where you just head down to your local sears and get your new tool or get your broken one replaced.

@russellbeery3339 9 лет назад

I agree with you 100% those HF wrenches total junk,not insame legue as american craftsman raised panel and nowwhere near US Craftsman pro.

@matthewescobedo3535 9 лет назад

Snapon.com

@dixoncider7256 9 лет назад

Matthew Escobedo yep, right on line. and a fine site too.

@songohan1413 8 лет назад

I'm a 19 year fleet mechanic, I worked on Cars, Minivans, Trucks, Airport GSE, Material Handling Equipment, Military series vehicles, airport snow removal equipment. We have Snap-on, Matco, Mac, and Craftsmans tools in our tool boxes. I can honestly say i can't tell the difference on which what tools are better, professional series tool or diy tools. However, they all do the same purpose for me, and that is to fix broke vehicles.

@jamiesimpson1786 8 лет назад

Here in New Zealand, we don't have Harbor freight or craftsman, but do have Repco and Genius. Both excellent value for money. I used to buy Snap On, but then I got married..😉 I have been in the auto trade for 30+ years and have had SK since day one. My father started in the game in the late 1940's with SK. I still have have many of his SK and SK Wayne tools, including a 1/2 drive ratchet I use nearly every day. 60 years and still going strong. In saying that if I need to replace a spanner (wrench) I would go for the likes of Repco. Like most mechanics, you have enough "good quality" tools to do the tricky jobs, but I find you can lose or break a cheap tool just the same as an expensive one. And replacing the cheaper tools under warranty is easier. Tool truck guys ask heaps of questions.

@larcoal2963 7 лет назад

ZERO problems with my Kobalt tools... had them 10+ years.

@Community-Action 7 лет назад

Larcoal2- my problem with kobalt is finding a set with every wrench from 10 to 20mm. Bought a set and the 17mm and 13mm was missing.

@boosted2.4_sky 7 лет назад

skojo3e I go to Home Depot and single wrenches as I need them...I too like the Kobalt brand tools.. Cost is fair.. Quality is as good as any..

@yeshua1176 7 лет назад

kobalt is decent for the price

@Koshunae 7 лет назад

I've been using kobalt sockets for a couple months now because their all I have at the house right now. I gotta say that they do get the job done but have some shortfalls. The ratchet that came with it, a standard 3/8" drive, is pretty fat at the head and can be a pain to get into some of the smaller areas, however I haven't had a tooth break inside YET, like many other cheap ratchets that I've had.

@Damon2131 7 лет назад

I would really like to see how well these tools do under a pressure test.

@FootageFactory 8 лет назад

I enjoyed watching your video and your opinion.

@bearmare9710 8 лет назад

Snap On is wildly over-priced and, honestly, in the majority of instances, over-engineered and over-designed. Of course, you are excessively paying for all those extras. For a ratchet set, professional grade is not a bad idea. For something simple and non-mechanical, Craftsman works every well. More often than not, people buy into image over sound economy, which can be a poor decision more often than not.

@batvette 8 лет назад

many line mechanics I have known buy a snap-on box for image then fill it with craftsman tools.

@edwardlance2379 4 года назад

I dunno, go watch some of the ratchet tests around youtube where they are tested to failure on hydraulic measuring devices. The snap-ons snap alright, typically at around the same pressures and torques as any other decent grade ratchet. Anyone who claims snap-on is the best period is just a fan-boy. They're quality tools, no argument there, but they aren't so extensively better than other quality tools that they warrant their ridiculous prices. Then again, some of their stupidly expensive tools aren't even worth 1/4 the price. For example: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ck_O5U1Tyz8.html

@timothywhieldon1971 7 лет назад

all that talk and no bending or trying to push them to the limits until one snaps TOTAL FAIL

@tupera1 7 лет назад

Also he mentions weight, head angle, and tolerances but gives no data. How hard is it to weigh something; or measure its angle; or use a micrometer???

@timothywhieldon1971 7 лет назад

just another jagoff trying to be a youtube channel. such fail

@kruger-wl5nr 7 лет назад

hm that's funny he has over 110,000 subscribers and you don't seem to have a channel. I'd say he's doing ok.

@davidthorne6796 7 лет назад

He has another channel ya nimrod's. And after over like 20 years as a pro mechanic you can feel weight and see angles... he's probably been wrenching longer then you smart butts have been alive so you might what to listen up instead of spout off. You should also check out the other channel...since it's like one of the highest rated on RU-vid.....

@jjmturbo 7 лет назад

David Thor

@mr.nobody9630 7 лет назад

Yesterday, I was at the salvage yard and found a 14 mm " Snap-On Wrench" SOEXMI4 just laying under a car...after 10 seconds of holding that wrench in my right hand. I felt that you are talking about the feel, and weight there is just something about the wrench itself. I cannot describe it. So I am going to purchase the 10,12,17,19 mm is the coming months to work in my Honda just to complete a set.

@mr7wi 8 лет назад

I'm not a pro - I don't use these tools to make a living. But as a consumer in the DIY market, I only want to make the purchase once. Buying on the cheap has always cost me more in the long run: the cheap thing breaks soon after I buy it, and I end up replacing it with the unit I should have bought in the first place. Your comparison pointed out some of the features I should look for when shopping for tools. Thanks for the upload - keep up the good work.

@neilsdahlberg1323 8 лет назад

Buy American Tools--Save your country////Save your own job !!!!!!

@jackofalldenton4347 3 года назад

Most people don’t understand what you’re saying

@N4ANE 9 лет назад

New Craftsman is just junk now I think they are worse than going to harbor freight. Now also being a professional mechanic I have found Gearwrench to be a very good tool company considering that I beat my tools from time to time they are holding up great. I work on big rigs

@ZackKnierim 9 лет назад

Is it because a minority of Craftsman is Chinese made now?

@N4ANE 9 лет назад

Zack Knierim I personally dont care where it is made but I would rather it be made in the U.S.A then I would know that someone like me is making money providing for there family and so on and so forth I thinks its there qualitie of there work and what they make the tools from and how easy or in craftsman case its hard as hell to warranty

@ZackKnierim 9 лет назад

N4ANE makes sense and I meant majority not minority. Overall it appears Snap-On is a pretty good brand just isn't the best bang for your buck.

@N4ANE 9 лет назад

Zack Knierim Snap-on is good but I will side with you one on not the best bang for your buck I have mostly gearwrench and matco I have a snapon box (bought second hand) and a flex head 3/8 ratchet (bought second hand)

@ZackKnierim 9 лет назад

N4ANE oh yeah? I've learned stuff about tools from my dad because he's always buying new ones for work and has a fair variety. He's got a few tool boxes and has some Matco, Snap on,Craftsman, and a couple other brands of tools. I personally have a small tool box from the '50s that I use, the brand is Duplex, I've got Craftsman ratchets and wreches, and the sockets I do have that I bought and weren't given are Pittsburgh(HF) brand just to stay cheap because I'm not doing major stuff yet.

@charliecrash3450 8 лет назад

My background past included competing in amatuer drag racing, building motor/trans and chassis set-ups. I initially purchased Craftsman, Proto, Williams, as well as specialty Snap-On wrenches. Lately, I've been purchasing HBF Pro tools and I'm very satisfied with their performance (as well as saving a few bucks) for the diy mechanic/weekend warrior. When doing critical measurement work, use will always use quality tools, such as torque wrenches, depth mic, calipers, laser devices, etc.

@ainzooalgown7589 8 лет назад

my 1st set of tools was a used snap on set from a local auto repair place that were getting rid of their old stuff and replacing them with new one and its lasted me nearly 10 years and still feels like it will last me another 20-30 years

@Thomas_Deering_King 8 лет назад

Five bucks says, blindfolded, you can't tell the difference between most of these. You see the SnapOn name, and you think $$$$, and you rationalize the "quality" because of the money you spent. Try it.

@ericthecarguy 8 лет назад

+Thomas King I disagree. Any professional mechanic could probably identify their tools blindfolded with their hands tied behind their back. Yes, Snap-on does overcharge for their products, but the money you make back with them as a professional more than makes up for a lifetime worth of use. Not so with the DIY. IIt really irks me how so many people ignore the part at the end where I differentiate between DIY and professional use. I never said Snap-on tools were the best on the planet. I said that if you're a professional, I would recommend professional tools over DIY tools. Yes, there IS a difference and it's not just the price.

@realphilippines8031 8 лет назад

+EricTheCarGuy Wrong

@forge52100 8 лет назад

+Thomas King Wrong, I've worked professionally as an aircraft mechanic and can tell you there is a noticeable difference between professional tools and DIY. Snap-On is well worth the price, they have tighter tolerances, better steel and heat treat, better finish, thinner profile, better balance and fit your hand better for less fatigue. I have an assortment of tools, the ones I use all the time are professional grade, the ones I use once in a while are DIY chepo's. If you spend 10-12 hours a day turning wrenches you can easily tell the difference in quality.

@sc928porsche8 8 лет назад

+Thomas King I have no problem telling the difference blindfolded. After being a professional for over 40 years I have held a large variety of tools in my hands. It has also been my experience that the snap-on tools fit better and last longer than others. Case in point 12 point sockets. after a few years of heavy use the other tools begin to fit loosely and then you begin rounding off the nuts and sometimes that leads to banging up your knuckles. If you are going to do it professionally you cant beat a snap-on..................period.

@ramairgto72 8 лет назад

+Thomas King Eric is right, i'm not a pro, but I have worked on cars since I got my first car in 92', cheaper tool tends to feel "sloppy" on a nut, be it loose or without the right leverage and the open end seems to cut into your palm. On contrast, the higher end tools seem to mate; to the surfaces and give you a less stressful time moving it.

@inanecathode 7 лет назад

"It feels porous." Oh piss off. Stress test them until they fail.

@77nizzova53 7 лет назад

He doesnt want to break his precious tools.....

@Koshunae 7 лет назад

Matco and Snapon have a lifetime warranty no questions asked.

@wulf-3596 7 лет назад

Koshunae As does Craftsman. The problem is, let's say you have a 50-75 year old tool (or whenever Craftsman started selling them, and you go to return it. If you break that, yes, you can go and return it. However, if that style of tool is no longer made (i.e. not as long lasting as the older versions), you cannot exchange it for an exact replacement. The replacement will be the newer, and most likely not quite as long lasting as the one it is replacing. That was the case when my Dad brought back one of my Grandfather's tools (after he had passed away), and the replacement didn't last anywhere near as long as the first one.

@simcove1978 7 лет назад

So does harbor freight and craftsman every thing he goes over does.

@wulf-3596 7 лет назад

simcove1978 If they are anything close to a decent company, they should. Especially the hand tools. I do not think that any company, not without serious documentation, has anything approaching that length of warranty on power tools though.

@matthewpritchett8760 3 года назад

Have you tried the harbor freight icon series wrenches yet?

@bkpickell 8 лет назад

As a person an ex-professional mechanic, I've owned about every wrench out there and still have most of them. My favorite by far is my Mac ratcheting Flank Drive Combination wrenches. I had a car come in with a rounded off drain plug.. So rounded that it looked like a bearing from a roller skate. No other wrench would remove the drain plug, but the Mac wrench took it off without so much as a slip.

@jeffleonard8788 8 лет назад

so basically......after 20 minutes......all the tools are good and the differences are minor and they all work good. well done. LOL the only real difference seems to be that some are shiney and some are dull. and it took me 20 minutes to figure that out. next time, show a picture and draw a line to the shiney ones. thatll save me over 19 of those minutes.

@deasttn 6 лет назад

Sorta. In the end we all die, the rest is just details, right?

@JoeHynes284 6 лет назад

i like the way you put it

@johncarden2823 8 лет назад

Craftsman is china there tools have really went to shit and that's all I use to buy not no more owed all different brands there all about same quality nothing is USA that is sad

@chillyfingers123 7 лет назад

something I've noticed with some snap on wrenches is that they have little teeth that dig into the nut instead of stripping it. really comes in handy

@claudeabraham2347 5 лет назад

Very good. Thanks.

@spoonyspoonicus4648 8 лет назад

snap on is over price and over rated rubbish.

@jameskoralewski3583 6 лет назад

Eric, I'm 100% with you. The cheaper stuff is ok for bicycles or around the house stuff, but if you're a car or airplane mechanic, go for the snap-on and you will never regret it.

@whydoyouwantmyname5857 8 лет назад

I have a craftsman 3/8 ratchet that my dad originally bought in the 80s. I've used it to break lug nuts loose with 3 foot pipes on it. This was back when I had no clue what I was doing (15-16 years old). Fast forward 10 years and we still have that damn ratchet. Never broke. Can't say that you won't find snap-on in my box at work though.

@brandenkelley3794 7 лет назад

Hey Eric what's your take on using non professional grade aka craftsman to make tools you need because I don't want to cut up a snap on or expensive wrench