Quality sockets and spanners

[CornishPete]

I've had every brand going I think and for the home mechanic/enthusiast I really don't think Halfords advanced range can be beaten for value for money. They have crept up in price since I last bought something but I assume everyone else has too so it's relative. If you're a professional mechanic using them day in day out then snap on etc at 4 times the price probably can be justified even if it's not 4 times better! Same goes for good quality building trowels, welding helmets, snooker ques, Cornish pasties etc... You get the gist!

 

[Brad93]

I've had every brand going I think and for the home mechanic/enthusiast I really don't think Halfords advanced range can be beaten for value for money. They have crept up in price since I last bought something but I assume everyone else has too so it's relative. If you're a professional mechanic using them day in day out then snap on etc at 4 times the price probably can be justified even if it's not 4 times better! Same goes for good quality building trowels, welding helmets, snooker ques, Cornish pasties etc... You get the gist!

i've been on a set of Halfords Advanced spanners for a good ten years if not longer

 

[Memmeddu]

Beta are good quality professional tools and not ridiculous money.

Plus it's still an Italian company, with most of the production made in Italy (plastics and screwdrivers in foreign countries but all spanners and sockets are still made in Italy)
And another thing it ain't never been bought by someone else .
Beta bought many other companies
Abra beta for abrasives
Helvi for welders
BM for electrician stuff
Robur for chains ,carabines ,ropes etc
Plus years and years in most of the box in motorsports

 

[SierraV6]

Most of the decent brands have been mentioned, except Unior (who everyone seems to forget!). Quality European made tools for less than Facom or ze Germans…. (Having said that I have loads of Facom, Elora and Gedore stuff).

The problem with the likes of Draper Expert etc. is that they’re too clunky for automotive use. I’m not saying they’re poor quality as they’re not (indeed they’re good for flogging! ), but the jaws, and ring ends in particular, are too thick. They’re fine for applications where access isn’t an issue but no good in engine bays etc.

I can’t say that I’ve really noticed a drop in quality when it comes to Facom, but Bahco (and Irimo) are very hit and miss these days. It depends on the specific product in my experience.

 

[Craig-SM]

Socket sets Ive had are Halford Advance, good value but not sure on quality as I broke quite a few sockets without any kind of abuse. They always exchange them without issue but if your car is in bits and need to put it back together to get to Halfords to exchange the broken item it gets frustrating. I still have a lot of other Advance tools that I really rate just not the socket sets.
Teng are nice and like they’re sockets aren’t chromed so you get more grip with oily fingers but still expensive stopping me expanding the collectio.
Bahco is my current socket sets and again not chromed. Taken plenty of abuse and only broken a universal joint whilst using it on the big Milwaukee Torque gun. A quick phone call and they posted another out that arrived next day, I may have missed out that it had been used on a torque gun.
I have a small 3/8 Wera socket set in the boot of the car. It’s nice with a flip over ball wrench. Like their other stuff it's really well made and some unique touches but very pricey.

Quality and price I’d recommend Bahco everyday.

 

[li150ss]

I stick with what i know, my snap on stuff is 40 + years old now and still great (not that i use them that much now) if i'm mising odd piece i need i bye (snap on) second hand of ebay. I did get a Teng 1/4 drive socket set for a present about 10 years ago and i'm quite impressed with that

 

[JOEPRO]

I have alot of Draper Expert socket sets. Never had a single part of them break they have been great.

Sealey Premier or black series are high quality IMO, at least for a home gamer.

 

[SierraV6]

Teng are nice and like they’re sockets aren’t chromed so you get more grip with oily fingers but still expensive stopping me expanding the collectio.
Bahco is my current socket sets and again not chromed.

Without wishing to be pedantic(!) they are chromed, it’s just that they’re not a polished finish. Worth bearing in mind actually when cleaning etc. so you don’t damage the plating.

 

[8ob]

If you keep your eyes open there are still bargains to be found, picked up this virtually unused old school Britool metric/af socket set for less than the price of a tat one.

 

[brightspark]

i have a fair few sets of half inch drive sockets but hardly use them .prefer the 3/8th drive ones that can be used on cars in small confined spaces

 

[Beeezer]

I posted this a while back. Explains who owns which brands.

View attachment 396282

Where’s electra becom? I thought makita had them?

 

[MetalMonkey]

Where’s electra becom? I thought makita had them?

Elektra Beckum? They were acquired by metabo many years back. Now owned by KKR along with Hitachi.

 

[steveo3002]

i think the cheap end stuff is way better than what cheap dregs would have been 30 years ago

id be tempted to fill the box up with us pro and the like and any thing known to get abuse i would be browsing for used brand names

 

[8ob]

i think the cheap end stuff is way better than what cheap dregs would have been 30 years ago

id be tempted to fill the box up with us pro and the like and any thing known to get abuse i would be browsing for used brand names

I would agree to a point, especially with spanners and sockets, never had any failuers with us pro stuff. Its the bit sets, ratchets and breaker bars that let down some of the cheaper brands.

Bob

 

[Rannsachair]

Perhaps I have been unlucky, I do not rate Halfords advanced ratchets: I have had two1/4" failures on the same one and one 1/2" ratchet mechanism all with little use. The Halfords sockets and spanners, even ratchet spanners have been good. My old Britool and Facom are still good as is a Teng set I have had about 40 years. My other modern stuff is Teng and Wera and am happy with them, I particularly like using Teng ratchets and the Wera telescopic handle ratchet.

 

[steveo3002]

only thing halfords has going for it is that you can exchange broken tools same day if in stock

cant say ive been overly impressed with anything ive picked up , and i dont want to buy a set of 200 thats half imperial and wont ever get used

 

[Rannsachair]

only thing halfords has going for it is that you can exchange broken tools same day if in stock

cant say ive been overly impressed with anything ive picked up , and i dont want to buy a set of 200 thats half imperial and wont ever get used

I meant to add, my nearest Halfords is a 4 hour round trip away, so not that handy to exchange. I use whitworth sockets most, not many modern sets with them....

 

[SierraV6]

only thing halfords has going for it is that you can exchange broken tools same day if in stock

cant say ive been overly impressed with anything ive picked up , and i dont want to buy a set of 200 thats half imperial and wont ever get used

I’m a self confessed tool snob but I agree. I’ve used a mates socket set and for me it was “ok” in a get-what-you-pay-for kind of way. It was certainly nothing like Elora, Gedore, Unior etc., but I suppose not everybody wants or needs premium tools at the end of the day….

 

[steveo3002]

honestly cant remember when i last broke something , and then i was probably using the wrong tool for the job

 

[SierraV6]

honestly can remember when i last broke something , and then i was probably using the wrong tool for the job

Same here, I don’t generally abuse stuff. I do have a Britool breaker bar with a slight bend in it which resulted from desperate measures though!