Tool Kits

[paulsharvey]

So, it's almost Christmas, and it seems every company had a $89-129 'complete' mechanics tool kit, with a case/plastic box with drawers. Koboalt, Husky, Craftsman, Vevor, ChannelLok, ect. They all seem to be 200-300 piece sets, but most of the pieces are bs screw drivers bits. Gonna get son a set, and originally was gonna get the Quinn socket set ($59) but it's just sockets and 3 ratchets, zero wrenches, ect. For the money, which kit do yall like? Got to be SAE and metric, wrenches are a bonus. Also, it's nice if the case is decent quality and will last.

Home Depot Husky
Lowes Kobalt
Sam's ChannelLok

 

[2manyrocks]

I have a couple of HD husky sets, and I'm concerned that the plastic latches won't last. Also have a Dewalt set in a nice case with metal latches that I think is a better deal even if it cost more.

 

[tacticalturnip]

That's a good question; is there anything that even stands out?

 

[paulsharvey]

Struggleville.net compared the Hart (walmart), Husky (home depot), and Kobalt (lowes) sets, not foe quality, but just what was included. Seems like the Cobalt had more useful stuff, but I do like this craftsman with an actual metal tool box. For pure brand quality, I'm thinking ChannelLok,

 

[paulsharvey]

Here is the Dewalt (Home Depot) and the Vevor

 

[paulsharvey]

I did notice some of the kits only had sockets upto 15mm and 5/8", which is pretty limiting... I use 18mm a heck of more than an 8mm,

 

[rangerfredbob]

I've bought and used the Husky and Kobalt sets a bunch. For myself I bought both and kept one for a camping and used the other to initially stock the toolbox in the shop since I wanted to start fresh instead of the garbled junk I'd been using...

Either's fine, decent stuff in both, the Kobalt box of a couple years ago when I got it had an empty drawer on the bottom for extras which put that one ahead for the camping/wheeling box to throw some adjustable wrenches and pliers in... but the socket retention in the other slides is LACKING... whatever, no regerts... The ratchets are decent on both, fairly fine tooth counts and durable

The similarly priced Craftsman kit at Lowes is full of way more filler screwdriver bits and useless stuff...

Personally the Husky and Kobalt are on equal playing ground. I think the sockets on both go up to 7/8" and thereabouts in metric on 1/2" drive, not much big stuff and the wrenches stop too early for sure...

 

[2manyrocks]

Carrying convenience is something to consider. I have the $99 Husky set. Saved my hide once because it had a socket size that my other sets don't have, but it's not as easy to carry as the other sets. If you just need something for your garage and won't be carrying it around, it's not a bad deal, IMO.

 

[jyoutz]

I have a couple of HD husky sets, and I'm concerned that the plastic latches won't last. Also have a Dewalt set in a nice case with metal latches that I think is a better deal even if it cost more.

I just go to harbor freight and buy zipper tool bags and socket holder strips and ditch the plastic boxes. And they have those nice metal clips to hold a set of box end wrenches.

 

[EddieWalker]

I grew up buying Craftsman socket sets in the plastic cases, and I loved them. I still have one big set that I replace the sockets with something else when I lose one. But Craftsman went Chinese and Sears stopped replacing broken sockets if you didn't have the original receipts, so I started buying Kobalt, which has impressed me. Now that Lowes sells Craftsman, I've tried a few of their products and it's just as bad, or worse then I remember.

I used to think that Channellock was a good brand, but I hated their pliers so much that I replaced them with Kobalt too. They where not very smooth, and I broke the end off a pair of long nose pliers pulling nails out of some door trim.

Since all the kits try to max out their count by filling them up with worthless stuff, I think you would be better off buying smaller kits of just what you need. Wrenches, pliers, sockets, couple of screw drivers, a good quality sheetrock knife, and then buy a toolbox that can hold everything.
On toolboxes, I've found that they need three things to be worth buying. Metal in the hinges so the lid stays on it, a metal latch to keep it closed when carrying, and metal in the handle so the handle doesn't fall off when carrying it. Carry On is by far my favorite brand. I think I have a dozen of the 24 inch yellow toolboxes. I write what's inside the toolbox with a permanent marker so I can line them up on the shelf and know which one I want to pull down. I keep hand tools in one, copper plumbing in one, sanding tools in one, and so on.

As a contractor, I also need a small toolbox with just the basic tools to do most things around a house. I have a small plastic fishing tackle box that has worked well for this. It doesn't have any of the features that I want in my bigger tool boxes, but it's so small that I can't overload it with anything extra either. It's only a foot long, and barely big enough for my tools, which is perfect so I don't put anything "extra" in there like spare parts or extra screws. I have one tool box that full of "junk" that I dig through when I need something odd, and it's too heavy to carry around.