Craftsman vs. Snap-on vs. Mac. vs. ac delco vs. rubbermaid

I have been a professional Diesel Mechanic for 23 years. In that time I have broken several sets of Craftsman sockets, but still have my original 20 year old, Matco 1/2 drive socket set. In that time I have broken one socket and it was the first day I had the set, not another one since.
I also think Snap-on (rip-off) is a great tool but the company are prima donnas who often act as thought it has been your priviledge to buy from them. I had several thousand dollars worth of Snap-on (rip-off) tools and held an account with them for six years. I had a revolving charge account with a $2500 balance (I had $5000 or so worth of tools) and when I lost my job I missed one , count them one, payment and they came to repossess my tools. They took some of my tools, about $3500 worth (a wrench or two) and came back saying it was not enough. I sold the rest of my Snap-on (rip-off)tools and will never buy another one. Since then Snap-on (rip -off) has sent me three different bills over six years each for an ever changing amount they believe I owe them, but have NEVER sent an itemized invoice or even a letter saying why! :rant:

Since then I have bought mostly Craftsman, which I think is junk,especially the screwstrippers, er.. screwdrivers, but it is all we've got here.

 

craftsman for most tools because I am the DIy'er. the other problem sometimes and I'll admit to it is that you don't have the exact correct tool you'll pick one "that will work" then 'PING' OUCH! as it breaks. I use craftsman for general wrenching and yes their ratchets do suck (though I also have a 1/2" drive set down to 3/8" nut size and if i need more torque than I can do with a standard 3/8" ratchet handle then i break out the breaker bar. for screwdrivers and standard pliers I like Klein in the electrical tool isle of HD.
I have round the teeth off of more "Vice Grips" than I'd like to admit. Channel Lock makes awesome channel locks and I NEVER trust craftsman for that (pinched too many fingers with craftsman channel locks that broke at the wrong time) I've also learned to use pipe wrenches to replace the need for vice grips and channel locks though. I do have an ASE set of open end and box end wrenches that don't get enough use currently that I got at an auction for 5 bucks (1/4" thru 1-1/4") of S-K.

-nate

 

Snap-On. There are some things you can skimp on and get by with,but great tools are worth every dime spent. "Quality is remembered long after Price is forgotten"..sound familiar? That's TA performance's motto also...nuff said.

I will also second whoever mentioned Ingersoll-Rand air tools...I used the new for the time composite impact when it was new and really liked it. Took a lot of beating. Countless falls off the lift and a co-worker also left it wedged by the lift leg and let the lift down on it,left a dent in the case but didnt stop it at all. The composite case made it real light,the bottom exit exhaust didnt blow brake dust in my face and the setting switch was easy to operate even with gloves on...Fish

 

I've made my living with snap-on for the last 25 years. I've got about a restored GSX invested in them. At my shop at home I've got about half craftsman and half snap-on. I notice that after using my craftsman tools for awhile, they hurt my hands. The wrenches do work good for line wrenches for some reason. Scott

 

When I used to wrench I bought mostly Snap-On. I can't afford to do that anymore so I buy Craftsman when I can if I need something. But after over 25 years my Snap-On tools are still awesome, aside from the ones I wore out (and got replaced) when I was still wrenching. I prefer the feel of Snap-On ratchets and wrenches in my hands, especially if I'm using them for long periods of time.

My old IR air wrench is pretty well shot now after the same time frame, it's probably time to replace it.

 

I like my mac tools. I dont mind snap-on (like to call it strap-on sometimes) but i see the Mac guy everyweek as to the snap-on guy i only see him about once every two months. And besides I get half price on my mac tools. but i have some craftsman here at home to work on the cars with.

 

I think alot of people are exactly right, every manufacturer has some great items. If I had to pick one though, it would be Snap-on. One that hasn't gotten mentioned that I feel makes the best ratchets is Facom. Their ratchets are a joy to use every time I pick one up. They have an unbelievable fine tooth range of motion.

I HATE Mac's ratchets that 'supposedly' have the clutch instead of the tooth mechanism. They flat out suck. Mine breaks all the time, i've quit using it completely.

Snap on sockets and wrenches rock, altho when the hammer comes out, so does the Craftsman stuff, and when i take it back all thrashed to hell, they just tell me to walk over to the isle and get another. Most of my stuff is Craftsman.

 

i am a professional maintenance mechanic, and everyday i open my box and use......PITTSBURGH tools!!!ok now before you all start cracking up, let me explain. where i work i am up to my elbows in phosphoric acid every day, try using your pretty shiny snap on, mac or even craftsman tools on my equipment and you will cry rivers after you see what the acid does to your finish. so i was even suprised that pittsburgh tools arent half bad. rachets are crap of course, but acid will eat any rachet alive. at home i use craftsman or napa. i like my 10 yr old craftsman rachets waay better than the new junk.

 

I have never heard of Pittsburg tools but in CT New Britain tools are fairly common with older mechanics/technicians. I have very few that have been handed down to me. They are very well made as New Britain tools (probably like Pittsburg tools) made tools for several other companies. It seems nearly every older mechanic I know has atleast a few New Britain tools (usually wrenches) in their tool box.
The best tool is the one that gets the job done with out damaging anything.

 

I worked for SEARS years ago and and have only broken one socket ever. Considering it was older than I was, I cut them some slack.

As for the "new" ratchet design, it does suck and all the crticisms voiced here are dead on.

 

IMHO, as an independent auto tech and now shop owner for over 20 years, nothing even comes close to Snap On hand tools. As a young tech, I could not afford Snap On and did not want to go into debt, so I suffered with Craftsman (which are fine for home use/light duty stuff).

Yes there are some strange corporate Snap On politics, but from a functionality/durability standpoint, Snap On hand tools are in a league of their own.

Inferior tools end up costing more for folks earning a living with them, in terms of lost productivity, esp for flatraters.

 

what little tools I do have are craftsman,rest are discount store specials
they do the job for me

 

The majority of my tools are Craftsman, but I have a couple ratchets and rails of sockets from Snap-On that I use almost exclusively. As for combo wrenches, my K-D GearWrenches are the best tools I ever bought.

I just realized I could probably sell half my tools and buy more parts for the car. I've got lots of doubles.

 

I have mostly Craftsman stuff that I bought 40 years ago. I think they were better tools back then, especially the ratchets. The thing is-nothing seems to stay the same anymore=companies bought and sold-going 'offshore" and the ever present 'value engineering'(where a perfectly good item is reengineered to not last quite as long as before=engineered the value right out of it!) I wouldn't be surprised that Sears (and some others)just put their tools out on bids (the quality specs may vary)and they have been made by many outfits over the years-

 

I cant afford a real tool set, so i went to the local pawn shop. They had bins filled with random sockets and wrenches, for between 3 and 50 cents a piece, and i built a full tool set, includeing deep sockets, combination wrenches up to 1-1/8 inch for about 120 bucks.

The good part about it is some of them are craftsman, so i can trade in the broken ones for free brand new ones.

For my money, craftsman is the best, however, Snap-on is definetly a far supirior tool. The reason i like craftsman is that just about every town has a sears, so i would rather go there than wait around for the truck to show up. If i was professional, i would want the good stuff.

What is really funny is when im working with someone that has good tools, and they need to borrow something, they go over to my chest, stare for a second at the riddiculouse pile of random brands, then point and laugh at my sorry existance

 

I was a master tech for 10 years and I believe that Snap-On tools are the best, especially on older rusted vehicles. I have broken every Craftsman socket I ever owned and the only time I broke a Snap-On is when I "accidentaly" heated them or put a 4' pipe on the end of a breaker bar. I also had the drawer full of no name "custom" tools that saw the torch and grinder to create.

 

Big Blue!!

 

Wow, strong hands.

 

I think that, probably, Snap-On tools are the best. It doesn't hurt that my old buddy Doug Herbert is sponsored by them.

I use mostly Craftsman tools. They are the easiest to get hold of. One of my best friends works in the Hardware Dept. at the Local Sears store. Also, I have found some really, really good deals and I sell Craftsman tools at ridiculously low prices at the AutoFair and the Buick events including the GSCA Buick GS Nationals.

 

As a child of 10 to 12, Dad made a trip to Sears for a torque wrench. There were others costing more but Dad bought a mid-priced model. Why? He said, "You've got to match the tool to the job. Why should I spend $80 when $35 does as well?"

That said, I use Craftsmen. Most of them Dad bought in the late '50s.