Flex Head Ratcheting Wrench Torture Test and Warranty Comparison 

I have a Craftsman ratchet from the 1980's that broke on me the other day. It supposedly has a "lifetime" warranty. When I took it to NAPA, they said Craftsman is not the same ownership now, and they would not replace it. Yes, I am aware that Sears is out of business, but when Exxon Mobil bought Texaco, they also bought Texaco's liability for any previous oil spills. My point is, be careful who you do business with. You may outlive the company. I will never buy another Craftsman product again. Yes, I have a long memory. The replacement of the Tekton wrench in this video cost Tekton 1 wrench 1 time, but at the time of my comment, 26,000 potential customers know that they honor their warranty better than the other three manufacturers here. Good for you and Tekton both, sir.

That was an awesome review / test thank you. I'm not a professional mechanic but I have to work on my tractor and you helped me to decide which brand of tools will best serve my needs and in view of the quality mechanic tools that Tekton puts out and their warranty I'm definitely going to buy Tekton tools . thank you again .PS please keep those good videos coming.

I’m new to the mechanic industry and have been buying mostly Tekton for the quality and price. I’m really happy with the products I’ve gotten from them. If they decide to start making big tool boxes I’ll buy one of those too! Great video man. Keep it up

For starters, you're right about abusing warranties; it's killing it for those of us who have a legitimate claim. My best tool warranty experience has been with NAPA and Home Depot...by far. Lowes gave me a hard time about a impact adapter who's magnet fell out the day that I bought it. And simply put, Tekton takes too long for somebody who needs their tools to do a job immediately.

Well done review my friend! I have acquired some Tekton tools myself and have not been disappointed. This video has made my mine up which set of flex heads I will be getting next! Thank you and looking forward to more of your tool reviews!

hey there PK, good to see you ! thanks for another great vid, good to know that these specific tools can (or cannot) stand up well to heavy & extreme use frankly. in regards to lifetime warranty, Tekton seem like they are following the great old school process that the old Sears Craftsman USA had in place (before they sold the Craftsman name), i had returned/exchanged a few USA Craftsman tools over the years, and it was always hassle free like Tekton (they would either replace on the spot no questions asked, or mail to you free of charge). by the way PK, i actually really found your dash-cam vid most educational and sent that particular vid to a number of people because it was not only quite educational, but raised so many good points that are helpful to most everyone, hope that you do more videos like that which can appeal to all us drivers ! appreciate all the work that you put into your YT content, looking forward to more excellent vids in the future, wishing you all the best !

Appreciate your honesty that garage/home mechanics can use gear wrench and other non tool truck brands without getting shade. Also all the timestamps in your videos are fantastic.

Enjoyed watching this video and I appreciate the information that you provided about both the torture test (I'll likely never reach those numbers on a ratcheting) and the replacement. I appreciate how you tested their programs and are publicly saying you won't keep breaking tools just for that. As a tip, if you use a table or tool bench for when you are standing in the shot, it often makes the video look and feel (for the creator and viewer) much more natural. Love the content, and am excited to see more.

Love the videos & all the different tool comparisons. Always looking forward to the next.

I'm glad there are people like you who do this kind of thing to let others know if their money goes to the right place. I wouldn't dare doing something like that, I love my tools too much to destroy them even if the warranty covers it :))

Thanks for conducting a review of these 4 Flex-Head Ratcheting Wrenches. It was just what I was looking for and as a result, I ordered a 13mm Tekton Flex-Head Ratcheting Wrench from the Home Depot. I wanted a 6-point wrench but I didn't find it until I saw this video. Excellent review.

So excited every time I see one of your videos posted!! Watch it as soon as I can!!

Some good information, thanks for doing the legwork. Looking forward to more videos from you!

That hurts my soul watching those shiny wrenches bend. Good stuff, thanks man!

Thanks for more great content, Keep up the good work and we will keep watching!

I liked the test but the best part was the warranty comparison. As a DIY guy I can’t justify paying for the the tool truck brands or find one to exchange. Knowing who has a easy to use warranty is important and less flustering overall. Thanks for your time and effort putting this video together!

If it wasn’t for your vids about Tekton, I wouldn’t know I was missing out on some quality tools.

I used to work with a retail store the reason why they have you bring the whole set is because we had issues with people bringing tools in from the side of the road, plus any black and decker brand tools (Dewalt, craftsman, etc) we had been told by the manufacturer to not warranty any tools anymore even if they had a receipt.

Just in time to decide between these! Hope I didn't miss the giveaway! Would love to see more warrantee comparisons, even if it's not based on sending them in.

Nicely done video and great info. Thanks for making this.

Keep up the good work. Love the past few videos.

Thank you for the warranty section!!! Not that the other information wasn’t helpful, but no one else ever includes anything about the warranty.

Actually I was very impressed with the Craftsman ,, for the price and warranty and convenience in many locations , I believe I will go with Craftsman

Great review! I purchased some Craftsman flex head ratcheting wrenches and was wondering how much torque I would be able to put on them. Quick youtube search and your video showed up. Thanks for posting this. Now I feel very comfortable using my ratcheting wrenches as everyday use. Obviously I am not going to be able to get 200ft lb of torque on a the regular length wrenches but good to know I can lock down the nuts when working on my cars. Thank you again sir.

Thanks for the full torture test.. Love these types of videos.

Everyone talks about Tekton warranty. You actually went through with it, good stuff

I really appreciate the warranty comparison that's super helpful

Fine video. You are responsible for me buying a new set of Tekton wrenches. Thank You.

Thank you 🙏 for the video and this important information I’m building up my toolbox I’m a classic car guy I just placed several orders on Tekton Tool sets 👍🏽 can’t wait for their arrival.

Good to hear about the warranty info.... Would like to see a TEKTON screw driver set video, too.

U say the tools were replaced without issue but running around town to different stores , arguing with several employees is an issue. Tekton all the way.

Was looking for wrenches for work I always bought whatever cheapos I had. Watched couple your videos and glad find someone who thinks like me. Price , warranty and durability. Thanks for your info

Thanks for the information on the tekton tools and warranty services know i feel great to start getting tools from them

If 200 ft-lbs is required another tool really ought to be reached for, so any wrench holding up at that torque is a good wrench indeed.

Tekton are nice tools, I picked up their torque wrenches a couple months ago!

thank for all the hard work testing

I am so in-between with icon and Tekton myself. I have a Harbor freight 1 mile down the road from me but I am also a Michigan boy and love supporting a Michigan based company making great tools. So technically it's easier for me to warranty an icon tool since it would be same day. My Tool box is half and half right now since I can't decide on the better tool that I like using the most. So far Tekton Ratchets, and sockets for me. Not sure about wrenches yet

Glad to see real warranty claim video👍

200ft lbs is a TON especially on the open end with it out at the far end! That means that it was even more leverage for the ratcheting gears than if you had done it the other way around. That craftsman one surprised me

Tekton has a great warranty and like the quality of your videos.

Loving the channel so far, man. You might want to work on the audio as you are distant in a few of them. I'd like to see a video with your back ground with tools. Thanks!

This is really helpful - thank you!!

tekton it's the way to go! And more importantly, if we keep buying from them, maybe one day they can start having all their products made in USA! Having the opportunity of growing more and more!

Excellent video. I have recently purchased a set of GW, but the quality control is terrible on the finish. I returned them and bought a set of Milwaukee flex head instead. I hope you can test those as well, like how much torque they can take and the warranty process.

Tekton has a great warranty! my dad bought a ratcheting socket wrench and broke it after a few years so we had no receipt, no tekton account, no anything, and they sent us out a new wrench same day no questions asked. I now buy all my tools from them.

I've had great luck with Tekton warranty one time they wanted a picture, the other time they shipped it like yours. My Snap on dealer will text me when he is on my side of town, I don't have a lot of Snap on but a few things I like of theirs. Great review, I agree a good warranty is almost better than the quality of a tool.

Awesome video Brother. Thank you. What is the thinnest wrench they offer. I work on a lot of couplings and always run into wrenches being too fat. Im looking at purchasing some flexheads

I'm about 200 miles from Grand Rapids Michigan where Tekton is located and everything I've ordered through Tekton I literally received the next business day. Monday morning I phoned ordered a 40" 3/4 drive breaker bar And tried to buy a replacement 15/16 wrench I bent in a way that it obviously wasn't used properly because I was using it as a step to climb up on a tractor to work on it Lol I told the representative how I had bent the wrench and they warrantied it out I didn't even send a picture. Tuesday afternoon my new breaker bar and replacement wrench were in my hands.

Tool truck comes once a week by my shop. Getting a replacement in less than a week in the mail is pretty good. Makes me glad I bought a bunch of tekton stuff lately.

I don't think many people are aware of the ease of a warranty for gearwrench. You can create a ticket, send a picture of the broken or defective item, and they will send you a new part, usually not even requiring the return of the old. They are also active on social media and respond fairly quickly there as well. The process usually takes a week or two. Not as fast as going to your local home depot, or harbor freight, but still effective.

Never needed a receipt with Gearwrench, so that is interesting. Their newer wrenches, China made vs Taiwan, have been total junk in many quality areas. I too had failure on the ratcheting portion, but mine are not flex head. I felt the binding came on too quick, just as you discovered here.

Excellent demonstration.

I agree with you. I think that the warranty is just as important as the wrench itself. It doesn't matter if it's tool truck quality or dollar store junk, all tools break eventually. It's how easy you can get it replaced under warranty that really makes the difference. I had the 0 degree offset double box end ratcheting GearWrench 17mm break on me and it took over 2 months to get a replacement. That set got sold to a co-worker the second I got the replacement. 2 Months out of a tool that I use every other day is unacceptable. This is also why I buy Matco at work. Just like Tekton, my Matco dealer doesn't care where you got the tool. If it says Matco on it, he'll warranty it. Can't say the same about my Snap-On dealer. He refuses to warranty tools unless you currently have a truck payment, even if you bought the tool from him. I stopped buying Snap-On and have had to deal with corporate and pay shipping for a few Snap-On tools that I still own. I'll continue using my cheap Taiwan wrenches that get warrantied quick and work for me. I've had to warranty one Tekton ratcheting wrench in the past 2 years of daily use and it took 3 days to get to me, which is acceptable.

Great video! I never even use my flex heads to break 30 pounds plus, guess I don't need to baby them like I do!

Been slowly converting to tekton. I'm currently scheduled to start my apprenticeship with my local chevy dealership on the 20th and it would be awesome to have the 1/4 inch set to retire my old pittsburg set.

Keep up the good work!

I've had a Kobalt hand tool set for 10 years, I've rebuilt a few engines and turned thousands of bolts and nuts with them. I broke my 1/4 ratchet by putting a breaker bar on it lol, brought my 1/4 inch into Lowes and they gave me a brand new 90 tooth! My old one was a 60 tooth, pretty good warranty. I also have sockets for life if I ever lose one, which somehow hasn't happened yet.

For a video idea, you should test Amazon's line of Amazon Basics combination wrenches. Both basic and ratcheting versions. They have some very attractive priced tools. However the downside is the 1 year warranty. It would be interesting to see how those tools take on the use and if a lifetime warranty is ever needed.

I've been trying to settle on which ratcheting wrench set to get this Christmas. I've been leaning towards Kobalt for a while and this seals the deal. You're not the first one to have trouble getting a single wrench replaced out of a set. I'm really after the lifetime warranty like Craftsman had (RIP). I wasn't looking at flex heads before because of strength concerns but clearly it can take some abuse. I'm really surprised that gearwrench didn't hold up better! Just goes to show that brand isn't everything. Thanks for this comparison!!

Got a few tekton ratchets, I want to get the large wrench set that you previously got along with their socket sets.

Great video a majority of my tools are from gearwrench but I think ima start going with tekton

Great video, the warranty process is selling me on Tekton. Capri is supposed to be good to but when I look at the website I am not impressed by what I see as far as the process. Still need a receipt etc. I am replacing a Craftsman USA set (the largest combo they had at the time) that I bought in 1989...I dont have a receipt and dont expect to have to have one.

Tekton certainly has my attention.

I agree,they are selling the warranty...I just decided to go for like 400 bucks worth of goodies from their site for that sweet 10% discount.

Just what I was looking for about warranty. I like the no hassle warranties. Great job

Nice vid. Thank you. Looks like its Tekton 4me.

Tekton warranty is amazing love there tools

love the content man! I wanted to ask you what tools and brands of tools should I get when starting off in the trades? (I'm an apprentice going into truck and coach).

I was gonna pick up some gearwrench wrench’s but they to expensive for me lmao so I’m gonna pick up some tekton thanks for talking abt them and testing them

Good job, hope you do other brands in future videos.

Love the videos!

Problem is if they don't sell the individual wrenches separately there's no part number / SKU for them to put in the computer to exchange it for you. That's why they want you to bring the whole set. the set has a code they can just scan in and give you a new set. There's always a way to do it but half the time the regular employees don't know it you need a manager

Good review 👍

I am looking forward to the Milwaukee flexhead. They are supposed to be out this month.

Agree on the part about breaking stuff but it IS interesting to see how good most modern Taiwanese stuff is nowadays. I remember we used to have drawers of Japanese and Taiwanese sockets which were cracked, broken or about to become so and always at the most inconvenient times. That stuff actually was junk and replaced with old craftsman but the newer husky harbor what have you and tekton stuff holds up just as well.

I like your reviews!

I am still really looking forward to the final kaizen foam layout, I am doing the same thing.

Yea, Tekton isn't bad. Definitely worth checking out for hand tools if you work on auto, marine, aviation etc. Awesome warranty program, and they have an easy site to navigate, buy, and claim warranty with fast turn around. Anything that says "Made in China" (which all their tools show country of origin) stay away from. Their Taiwan, Canada, and U.S.A. stuff is good.

I have a ton of Gearwrench Ratcheting Wrenches sadly they bind up a lot, haven’t broken one though.

I recently bought a tekton impact socket set can you do a review on their hammers

Personally I’ll probably never buy another Gearwrench tool again. I started a claim on a 10mm ratchet wrench. But to keep the story brief, it took me “8 MONTHS” to get my replacement!

Any thoughts on gearwrench? Im building my tekton tools set Rn but I would loved to know what other brands that don’t skip sizes like tekton.

good idea ! .... thanks !

It would be interesting to see how Milwaukee does with this test. The Milwaukee flex ratchet wrenches appear to be beasts.

Hello again Project Karr's Thank you for another Great Video. I can sympathize with you on Lowes/Craftsman warranty process. It's beyond dumb!!! Especially, since Stanley, Black and Decker stated the Craftsman warranty is still the same!!!!!! So what gives?

Love tekton tools love the warranty

In order to be Torquing to what your torque wrench is set on you need to be using the torque wrench at a right 90° angle to the ratcheting wrench that you’ve got attached to it. When you’re adding the torque wrench straight to the ratcheting wrench you added length to the whole thing and more leverage therefore you’re talking the nut or bolt at the end of the ratcheting wrench to a much higher foot pounds than what you’re talking to is actually sent to.

Great video

Curious to see how home depot handles husky tools

Great video. Tektons warranty is top of the line.

Thank you for your video

The ratcheting mech on the city craftsman was pretty durable, I'm surprised.

I bought a Craftsman socket set about 4 years ago....while organizing them recently, I found a defect in a socket that I've never used. Local ACE does not have that particular size in normal stock, so a claim and photo submitted via internet to Craftsman. Received a replacement socket....HOWEVER, the tooling has changed since 4 years ago, so it does not match the rest of my set.

A Tekton master set sure would be nice

Good tool's love the tests to

Yup exactly what I have read. Kobalt makes a better ratcheting mechanism therefore the ratchets and ratchet ends of the wrenches are better but... the open end of the Tekton wrenches perform better than the kobalts .

Hello I have never won a tour yet thanks for the giveaway like that too👍😎🛠✌️

Smart way to run torture tests without a torque gage or torque wrench calibrator!

great video

15;15 HAHAHAHAAHHAAHA " hey it didn't get stuck that time"