How bad could they be?

[hooblah]

I've been looking at some new hex and torx 1/2" impact sockets. Not wanting to spend oodles on name brand items, it seems you can get some nice looking gear with dodgy looking names... US pro, Bergen, blue spot, huaki, etc. I'm sure it all comes from the same factory anyway. Can't be much worse than sealey can it?

i was specifically interested in something like this:

eBay 1
eBay 2
eBay 3

Ideally I'd like them to be a bit longer, but the price easily quadruples for the same style of socket.

 

[Munkul]

I'd take Sealey over any of those names, to be honest. But they're probably all about the same.

ISS-UK, Kennedy, Bahco and Teng - sometimes you can find some good deals. ISS in particular seems to last fairly well at my work.

 

[Kayos]

Bergen are decent, ive a well abused set of 3/8 shallow impact sockets, I dont have a 3/8 impact gun, I have a 240v Dewalt 1/2" gun and a collection of snapped adapters

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Don't discount the halfords sets. Lifetime warranty on the pro/advanced ranges. I've had mine going on 15 years and have only had to swap 2 or 3. 2 of which were t30 that I had on a 1/2" breaker bar with adapter...

 

[tom2207]

draper experts not the worst either.

 

[Agrismith]

Don't discount the halfords sets. Lifetime warranty on the pro/advanced ranges. I've had mine going on 15 years and have only had to swap 2 or 3. 2 of which were t30 that I had on a 1/2" breaker bar with adapter...

Check the small print, no longer seems to be lifetime on professional just 2 years
Still lifetime on advance or maybe it's the other way round can't remember but has definitely changed

 

[daleyd]

Check the small print, no longer seems to be lifetime on professional just 2 years
Still lifetime on advance or maybe it's the other way round can't remember but has definitely changed

I don't think there is a "professional" range any more, except maybe the odd bits and pieces left over from the old - the advanced seem to be the old professional range, the others are just standard Halfords brand.

 

[Agrismith]

I don't think there is a "professional" range any more, except maybe the odd bits and pieces left over from the old - the advanced seem to be the old professional range, the others are just standard Halfords brand.

I was looking at socket sets the other day and there seam to be 3 ranges
Halfords - no warranty
Halfords pro - 2yr
Halfords advanced -unlimited warranty

 

[daleyd]

I was looking at socket sets the other day and there seam to be 3 ranges
Halfords - no warranty
Halfords pro - 2yr
Halfords advanced -unlimited warranty

I’ve not seen any pro stuff for ages, not that I look that often. Also I don’t think the standard stuff has no warranty? Could be wrong mind

 

[grim_d]

Bergen and US pro are the same.

They are my #1 go to for cheap stuff.

It's always nicely made and I haven't broken any of it yet....and I've tried.

I'd be more concerned with turning the hex into a round on the fastener with an impact gun.

 

[RichardM]

Bergen and US pro are the same.

They are my #1 go to for cheap stuff.

It's always nicely made and I haven't broken any of it yet....and I've tried.

I'd be more concerned with turning the hex into a round on the fastener with an impact gun.

I'm with @grim_d not had a problem with either make for hobby use.

 

[hotponyshoes]

With something like a hex or torx set it might well make sense to buy a full set of cheap ones just to get all the sizes then replace them individually with decent ones as they wear out or break.

I often wonder if it's worth having 15 snao-on sockets on a rail. Yes, they will replace broken ones with no issue but apart from the 10mm and 13mm I don't think I have ever used the warranty for any other sizes and there must be at least 3 or 4 sockets that have never been used but probably cost more than a complete cheap set just for the unused ones.

 

[mr haynes]

Not really had any issue with bergen/us pro either. Tad rough round the edges but my stuff has stood up to abuse pretty well

 

[Munkul]

I often wonder if it's worth having 15 snap-on sockets on a rail. there must be at least 3 or 4 sockets that have never been used

Yes it's worth it because otherwise you'll look at the socket rail and think, what a horrible mis-match of socket brands, disgusting!

 

[mr haynes]

Yes it's worth it because otherwise you'll look at the socket rail and think, what a horrible mis-match of socket brands, disgusting!

And have you ever heard of anyone pleasuring manly goodness over non snapon....

 

[Munkul]

And have you ever heard of anyone pleasuring manly goodness over non snapon....

I mean, I can pleasure myself just fine without snap-on...

 

[Domdom]

And have you ever heard of anyone pleasuring manly goodness over non snapon....

Oh yes. Old Britool, King Dick, some Mac Tools, Facom. Sure I like Snapon and I do have some, but I also have plenty of others including Halfords Pro.
Now if only I could afford such luxury brands as Lorch, Fronius, Bohler etc.

 

[merryman]

Bergen and US pro are the same.

They are my #1 go to for cheap stuff.

It's always nicely made and I haven't broken any of it yet....and I've tried.

I'd be more concerned with turning the hex into a round on the fastener with an impact gun

Another vote for Bergen. I have been using a set at work with the 1/2" drive air wrench (proper one) for the last 15 years. They are long impact sockets. The go to ones I use most are short impacts, not sure what make they are, and we have recently had to replace 12mm, 14mm and 17mm because they got too worn, but the long Bergens are still all good except the 27mm which cracked a few years back. However this size is used on hub nuts, they should be 103lbf + tighten to next split pin hole so it did take a lot of hammer.

 

[tom2207]

I mean, I can pleasure myself just fine without snap-on...

Yes ,,, but your selling your self short ,,, if you cant be good to your self ... who can you be good to.
ill actually confess to owning some things in my tool box for no other reason than I like them
I have a pair of 9 inch snap on linesmans pliers that have never ever been used , I just bought them cos they were nice , come to think of it , Ive a few hammers the same ,, still its cheaper than crack cocaine , { just}.