20 Best Tool Brands For Mechanics (2023 Updated)

I’ve been looking at mechanics tool sets in cases for a while and this completely fit the bill! This set is very well rounded and has everything from universal-joints to all size extensions! This set just has everything, things not always combined in others which made this a big win! The tools are very well built and extremely tough as they held up getting some very old parts loose.

The buttons on the ratchets are easy to operate with big or small hands and fingers. The finish is nice and makes for very easy wipe down after use. The hard case is much better than I expected! I knew the set was going to be heavy and when I saw the case had four (thats 4) latches to secure it I was very pleased! Overall its a must for any mechanic who appreciates well thought out quality products! buy again?, Definitely!.

Really great set of tools. They feel great in my hand. They are super strong. And just about every tool I’ll ever need to work with nuts and bolts anywhere. Watch out though – this stinker is HEAVY – 42 pounds.

You’d never put this anywhere inside a car. If you’re moving around your project, you really can’t pull this box around with you. The case is huge when it is open. There is a minor annoyance, one socket always falls out when opening the box.

Some sockets are a little harder to remove than others. I ended up buying a Dewalt 34 piece 1/4 and 3/8 drive metric and standard socket set to carry around for projects. This 204 piece thing is just too massive and heavy to use on remote jobs.

loved the set until I tried to use it. No deep well 9/16 or metric equivalent 14mm. Also missing 15mm Deep well, and 1/2″ end wrench. Unbelievable, these are some of the most common needed sized in the world.

Dewalt seriously dropped the ball on this one. I have over $2K worth of Dewalt tools that I love, and use daily, but I will definitely be more careful buying Dewalt tools in the future.

In my opinion, Dewalt has put together some nice sets. Well thought out, and with almost no repetition of sizes like so many “sets” have. I almost pulled the trigger on this set, but it is completely missing any socket in the 9/16″ size.

1/4″ or 3/8″ drive. C’mon guys and gals, that one is important. Almost nailed it !!.

I purchased this set as a Birthday gift for my Daughter and she loves it. De Walt makes great tools. My son uses this make of tools he has his own construction company. Their grandfather was an auto mechanic.

Our small excavation company runs these kits in every work truck. Great price, Great size for transport and surprising how many jobs can be tackled with this seemingly smaller tool set. However, these tool cases just aren’t rugged enough to last any of our guys more than 2 years.

Some guys less. With the latches breaking, the tools don’t stay organized, guys spending time trying to keep them organized or searching for sockets and things get lost which makes it useless on certain occasions.

Harbor freight unfortunately has no way of allowing the consumer to purchase replacement cases. If these cases had better hinges and latches they would be a 5 star. I could go on and on of why I think this set can’t be beaten for the price otherwise.

I unfortunately see a different brand of tool kits in the future riding in our work trucks because of this issue.

I’ve had this tool kit for several years. I am not a professional mechanic, but I do have 2 Harley’s and 3 vehicles. I have put them through all kinds of abuse and they have always performed well. I haven’t had anything break on me yet.

I know I have had this set for at least 4 years and have used them on all of my vehicle services, motorcycle services/repairs, and lawnmower. They get used quite regularly and I trust them. My friend and I used them to rebuild my 1994 Harley.

I have an older lawnmower that likes to eat deck belts, and this kit comes in handy with the ratchet extensions and the universal adapters that enable me to get in all of the tight places. I’d recommend this set to anyone.

It even impressed another friend of mine who is a Master Harley-Davidson Technician. He uses much more expensive brands, but he really liked how it has virtually everything that is used on a regular basis.

I added a 3/8″ breaker bar and SAE and metric Allen head bits, but that’s about all that I needed. I would definitely recommend this set to anyone who does their own vehicle services or repairs and doesn’t want to take out a second mortgage for bigger name brands.

The fact that it is in a case makes it even better. TIP: I have never had a problem with rust and this is most likely due to the fact that I put a VERY thin coat of WD-40 on them – especially the pliers and wire cutters.

My grandpa taught me that years ago and he still has tools from the ’60s that look brand new. Take care of what you have and they will last. If you strip a ratchet, take it back and get another one. Great set.

I enthusiastically recommend it.

the wrench selection, it sucks. It is missing key sizes in both metric and sae. You still need to carry a real set with you to have what you will undoubtedly need. I’m going to fix it by cutting out the moulded wrench holder and putting in a pouch full of the full wrench sets.

While the socket portion of this set is decent quality, the rest is economy grade stuff. They really should make an SAE version and a Metric version. As long as you are not working on a car from the mid seventies you rarely need to have both with you.

The set would be lighter and they could put in a full wrench set.

Craftsmen are first class tools and this tool set was a great value with the sales price discount!

Bought this as a gift for my son and he is very happy with it, I got it on sale and it was a great bargain for being Craftsman.

I was in the market for a portable tool set that would tackle a wide variety of tasks and this set fits the bill completely. Sturdy, well made tools and a well thought out group of tools make this a very handy set.

The ratchets are smooth yet easy to grip. The 72 tooth ratchets make removing fasteners much easier especially in tight or awkward places. The variety of accessories included come in handy for a wide range of tasks.

The assortment of regular and deep sockets are perfect for automotive fasteners and general tasks. There are plenty of sockets and the range is perfect for everything that I do. The combination wrenches are very handy and the DirectTorque heads grip fasteners strongly and make removing stubborn fasteners much easier.

There are two sets of hex keys included and the holder for each set is wonderful for organizing and holding the hex keys. That is a huge plus for keeping all of the hex keys organized and ready for use.

The vinyl grip screwdriver is my favorite screwdriver ever! The grip is incredible and there are plenty of bits for a wide variety of tasks. The blow molded case is a bit large, but holds all of tools securely and is well organized.

The case has locking tabs for each tool that holds them securely in place and prevent sockets from popping out and mixing together. This is a great detail for the case as it is able to hold each tool in place securely whether the case is open or closed.

This tool set is now my go to tool set. It has a great variety of tools and is truly useful.

Although, I was previously unaware of Dewalt’s line of hand tools, I have owned many of their power tools over the years due to their reputation for quality and durability. I was anxious to see if this mechanic’s tool set would live up to the DEWALT name.

After using it for a few weeks, I can say emphatically that it did. First impressions: 1)This set is heavy which cuts down on its portability slightly. If you are planning on keeping this in a tool box in your truck, lifting in and out will be awkward.

Behind a seat or on a bench top in your garage or workshop is the best bet and where mine will stay. 2). Nice selection of bits without a lot of “filler pieces” you’ll never use just to get their piece count up.

Every one of the 172 pieces I can see needing. 3) Nicely fitting, quality case and holders that is actually intuitively designed. The layout actually makes sense here (which is rare) so it’s easy to find what you are needing.

Use: The larger number of teeth on the ratchet makes getting into tight areas a breeze. This was especially useful on a spark plug I was replacing on an older lawn mower. The handles are comfortable and easy to grip.

The quality and finish are exceptional. With a lifetime guarantee, you can’t go wrong. In fact, the only negative comment I have comes not from me but from my 83 year old father who wanted to try them out.

His complaint comes from the size of the lever to switch the ratchet from tighten to loosen. So those with limited dexterity may have issues but the vast majority of users will not.

When I first received this tool set I found about a dozen pieces loose in the case. The loose parts were likely due to shipping because I was able to put them all where they belong and the case holds them tight.

Its not so tight that you can’t get them out either. In fact, all the sockets can be rotated while being held in the case but are still held securely. I also noticed the plastic case has metal latches which snap closed securely.

The other side of the case has actual hinges and not a folded seam like my old set had which this is replacing. The sockets all appear to be of high quality with clearly visible size markings and part numbers.

All sockets are knurled for better handling. I found the knurling quite helpful when working with the sockets. Overall I am very happy with this mechanics set and would recommend it.

Pleasant surprise. Was up late one night looking at pics of nekid women and an add from Wally about this tool set popped up. Went to Wally’s site and checked it out and thought what the heck for $98 pesos I was a thief in the night or a trumpkin depending on the quality of the tools.

Clicked buy now and after I went back and was looking at more pics I got to thinking that I was gonna prob have tears in my beer. I thought a little more and decided that If they weren’t no good I could make trot line sinkers out of them.

Three days after I ordered them, they arrived here at BFE America and this was over the Labor Day weekend. Went to the ranch gate and picked them up and on the way back to the Casa I was a wondering if I was gonna be barking like a dog or fall down with a conniption fit when I opened the box.

Dropped the tailgate on the truck and opened the box with my goat sticker and slowly pulled the set out of the box with one eye open and one closed. Got the set out and immediately flipped the lid open to get the punishment over with.

By gawd!! This is a freakin good set of sockets! I was expecting maybe pot metal sockets for the price I paid for tools. I was wrong! These are high polished and have the looks of something that you would buy off a tool truck.

I know these are made in the land of almost right, but what ain’t now days? They got this brand of tool right! I was wondering if I was gonna be shamed to be seen working on something with these tools.

Nope, not at all. In looks they are right up there with the mega dollar tools. Can you strip the ratchets out and bust a socket power dogging on them? Maybe, probably but you can do that on a snap on also.

Now for the good——High polished well marked sockets. Case that holds everything together in its place for the most part and is easy to pack around, bottom drawer has space to through in a set of end wrenches for when you need one.

Some have cried that the case aint no good, I have not seen that fault. Maybe they are Kens and Karens? Now the bad—–I don’t see any really. I’m not a fan of pear head ratchets because I tend to knock them out of gear working in a tight spot.

But–that is just my preference. Would be nice if 1 1/8 and 1/1/4 sockets were in the set. I drive junker trucks and I bought this set to put in one so if I’m a thousand mile from home and I have a break down I’m not at the mercy of those who take advantage.

With this set of tools and a few more I would not be afraid to put a clutch in on the side of the road.

This year I took advantage of Walmart’s awesome sale prices on a variety of HART tools and accessories including this 215 piece Mechanics tool set, to give to my husband for Christmas. PROS: At $98, you really can’t beat the price for this kind of quality and given the amount, and variety of tools that you get, this set is well worth every penny.

The tools themselves seem to be very solid and well made. The entire tool kit came shipped with all of the tools, sockets etc already in place. The case itself appears to be of a very solid, heavy duty construction.

CONS: This tool box has two side latches, one on either side of the drawers. When the drawers are in the closed position, you pushed each of these latches so that they snap tightly into place. This prevents the drawers from opening up by themselves when you are carrying the tool box around.

Normally I would NOT consider this to be a con, however, these two latches are extremely difficult to pull back open. You have to pry each of them them open with your fingertips and because they do snap tightly in place, when you try to force them back open you end up hitting your knuckles right off the side of the case.

It’s quite painful. I bruised my knuckle TWICE trying to open each latch. Hopefully, after some use, these latches will loosen up a little. of course not so much that they won’t continue to snap in place but just enough so that me, or my husband, aren’t yelling out all sorts of obscenities trying to get into the drawers.

I like the socket set but there could be room for improvements such as a “kick stand” for the top. Which tends to open too far and could eventually break the hinges. Another improvement would be a different color for the sizes on the box.

White would work well in low light conditions. The Layout of the 3/8 and 1/2 drive sockets to me seem a bit confusing with some going from low to high and others going from high to low. There seems to be no real pattern but this could be for the boxes weight distribution.

I wish that the 1/4 ratchet was in the same draw as the 1/4 sockets so that I would not have to go into 2 separate draws. Also wish that the sockets went past 1″ size for those bigger projects. Overall I Like this set a lot and would recommend anyone who needs one to buy this.

Lots to like and a great building block to improve on.

This 159pc toolset fits the need for my shop perfectly. These tools are made with great quality. The selection of the 3 different drive ratchets is a huge plus! You still get awesome tools without breaking the bank.

Plus, you can’t beat the lifetime warranty! I would definitely recommend this set to anyone.

Well made and durable. Has everything I needed for a mobile tool set. I’d recommend this to anyone looking to upgrade. Perfect to keep in your trunk for any mechanical issues that might come up.

Got it at my local Lowe’s on clearance (75% off), steal of a deal! Love the case and how everything is organized inside, time will show how this set performs and holds Craftsman good name.

Great quality set! Great price for 200 pieces. The set is well thought out to provide 90% of tools you need in an emergency. I would also carry a knife, slip joint pliers, and needle nose pliers. The box secures the pieces well.

Just make sure you open it correctly or the sockets will spill. We have this as backup in our car. I truly enjoy using this set. The organization of the set and the feel of the tools is all quality. They have a lifetime no hassle warrantee.

I tried the 3/8″ drive to take off my wheels. My craftsman 72 tooth drive stripped (disappointing). Craftsman tend to add a bunch of less useful driver bits to raise the piece number. These provide what you will likely need instead.

All sockets are 6 point which secures to the bolt better. The wrench is 70 something teeth so you can adjust it instead of the sockets. These tools are better quality than current Craftsman. 95$ for this set is hard to beat.

The included tools are quality, but the selection is lacking. It’s hard to figure out the thinking behind the included sockets. There seem to be an abundance of 1/4inch, metric deep sockets. Others are incomplete or not included.

The case is sturdy, but holds the tools so well, they have to be pryed out. Not enough to make me hate the set, but irritating.

I wanted a good quality tool set to carry in my work van. Enough of what you are likely to need when out on the road, but not everything you could possibly need, which would be too onerous to carry around.

This set met the mark. It is good quality, and feels well in your hands. It is pretty complete with common sockets and wrenches, as well as driver bits.

This is a very well made socket and ratchet set. It is very, very, sturdy and does include a release button. The individual sockets are definitely stamped with the SAE or the metric designation. All pieces, the ratchets, the individual sockets, extensions, and angle sockets are finished to a professional finish.

All of the corners, angles, and depressions, and curvatures are manufactured so well that they appear to be almost machined. The case is very sturdy and has a strong metal buckle on every side. I really like the quality of this case.

All pieces of the entire set snap tightly into their slots and definitely stay very well fixed in position when case is opened. I like the way SAE is on one side of the case and metric is exactly opposite on other side making it easy to find everything.

This set includes 28 piece MM/SAE HEX keys, and a large set of star bits with a vinyl grip multi driver. I did a lot of research before buying and am really happy with all aspects of this set. I have used DeWalt power tools for years and I believe they put only high quality products on the market.

I almost forgot to mention how well the wrenches are made, they are well balanced and finished nicely. This is a large set, everything you will need in one place, and I carry it without hesitation up and down my long driveway to whatever car I’m using today.

You will really appreciate the quality, especially if you love good tools.

Purchased for a friend. The drawers dividing by drive size is a perfect idea for him. The tools arrived in great shape and well ahead of schedule. Only 2 sockets had jumped from thei peg and box was in fine shape.

Overall a good set but with it including the 175 bits as the pieces is a little misleading. I upgraded to this one from the 270 set after about 5 years of use due to missing pieces and the case was falling apart.

Comparing the 2 sets it seems to almost have the same amount of usable tools, it has a few more specialized tools like more then 1 spark plug socket and more hex and torx bit sockets. The 1/4 and 3/8 set of sockets seem good but the 1/2 is really lacking and the organization thing in the top for the wrenches wastes a lot of space.

One other issue that may only affect my store is that they don’t have replacements for the tear drop shaped ratchets and if you get a normal one it doesn’t fit in the box. If I had the choice I would have gotten the 270 peice set again if it was available at my store or if I did not need the case I would have gotten the Craftsman 53311 311pc.

I ordered on thursday received on Saturday. All tool where there but one socket due to shipping. Box was pretty beat up. The socket is a 12 point and the kit has a six point of the same socket. It was a 1/4 inch drive and the smallest one.

My suggestion would be to thoroughly count your sockets and do an inspection before signing of on shipping. Fed ex was really rough with this package. I found pieces in the box and I’m not talking the tool box eather, the shipping box.

Over all satisfied. This is what you get. A bunch of screw driver bits you’ll never use but once and a while. In 1/4 inch drive you get some useful T sockets. Deep well sae and metric. Two sets of short sae one 6pt one 12pt.

And one short set of metric. Biggest retention is 6 In. You do get adapters to go In between the sizes 1/4- 3/8-1/2. Open end closed end wrenches. Metric is a complete set. Sae only to 9/16. In 3/8 drive deep sockets are needed instead of the 8pt sockets.

Over all it is a good solid starter kit. But much more tools are needed. Especialy the deep sockets and 12″ extensions in all drives. A universal joint would come in handy as well.

You cannot go wrong with Craftsman tools! They are easily some of the best tools on the market. Have been using the toolset on our vehicles among other things and they work great! My only complaint is the case it was placed in.

There is a plastic piece that snaps the drawers together so that they dont wobble that was of low quality. The first one on the left came broken, and the one on the right broke about 2 weeks after use.

There is a very small plastic outer piece that connects them together, so its no wonder it broke so easily! Other than for that great toolset! Would buy again!.

very easy to use, strong wrench and ratchet, excelent product

COMPACT, HAS PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING I NEED!!! A+++++++

This case is jam packed full of tools in a small case Looking for another just like this I’ve changed over to the husky hand tools. when I have a problem. take to store. here is a NEW one. NEW ONE. Is what it is craftsman.

Combination wrenches very difficult to remove & replace in lid. Tool drawers dont slide in & out as they should. Tools are fine. Storage unit needs help

Need tools? Looking something reliable on markets and its expensive? Get this one, promise you will be happy! I was looking for tool box and good set of tools, so this came with everything Exactly same tool set at Home Depot will cost you $270 plus tax.

I bought the same set whilst in America to keep there. Unfortunately because of the shipping & import tax you end up paying twice as much. Its still worth the money anyway, great little hobby set!

Great tool set for the money, Well worth it. Somebody gave me a gift card, I thought what could I possibly want at Target? I saw this set online, they had it on 14th Street, all the Tools are drop forged.

Star bits ,metric, even has a little circuit Tester,electrical tape, a couple of Deep well Sockets, Sturdy Bi fold case , Not a Bad addition to your bigger tools.

They came on time. I ordered them just for some things in my garage like my new large snow thrower. An addition to my others, but the wife did not mind the price was good lol. ANd it has both U. S. standard spark plug ratchet.

They seem to be made well, my brother is a mechanoc and he used them. He said they are not like his but they do the job and he could not break them. He is good at that! So over all a good product.

I have not had a chance to use this item yet. I bought it for my car, just in case I would break down along the road. ( Just in case I have some nice man willing to stop and help me ). It looks strong and has everything someone would need to work on my vehicle.

The actual tool set is great but the case is terrible. Every time you open the lid many of the sockets fall out. Same thing happens when you try to close the lid. I tried another set and it was worse.

When I called Dewalt they informed me that the case was not included in the warranty as it is considered a “shipping case”. If you want a good set of tools that you intend on moving to another case buy this.

If you are looking for an all inclusive set to use and carry with you in the included case I suggest you buy from another manufacturer.

I purchased the big set during a sale. I expected to provide them as my ‘borrow’ tools for those who visit to work on their projects. On a day when a rusted T40 bolt on a 1989 frame was breaking my tools, I grabbed the Dewalt in desperation.

I applied everything I had. Suddenly, there’s a firm snap and the wrench went slack. I thought, “Yep, it broke. ” No, it didn’t break. The bolt had snapped loose and I was impressed. I’ve experienced the same with the sockets; Strong.

The Taiwan tools in 2018 are are a complete turn-around from what I have from 15 years ago. This tool-set at the 2018 price is unbelievable. The case is not great. Some cases will drop tools as you attempt to close it.

The ratchets seem very good, but the mechanism may not be as awesome as the sockets. I have yet to use the Allen-keys. I wish they offered expansion socket-sets. Currently, I’m looking to expand the range of larger 1/2″ drive sockets and it appears they will be purchased individually when available.

Its not gonna set you back at the price, its case is durable on the exterior, the inside of the case could be modified to fit better so that sockets and alan wrenches wouldnt fall out of it when you open it.

I personally do prefer to have the impact ready sockets as they are supposed to be able to absord the wear and tear better. Regardless its still a worth it purchase. I use mine on the boat at work so.

Being a homeowner and hobbiest I also use them in repairing our personal vehicles and they have stood up to the toughest rusted bolts that I’ve dealt with. We are buying another set soon for our oldest Grandson so he can start out with a decent tool set.

This hasnt been used yet, since its still a few days til Christmas, but it is a good looking seemingly heavy duty set of tools! Definitely a good value for the money. Stanley is a great brand and jI cant wait for the kids to recieve them! My only complaint at this juncture is that when they arrived (home delivery) a lot of the pieces were dislodged and mixed around.

It does have a molded case- but the tools do not fit snug inside.

I bought one 201 pcs Stanley Toolset and received TWO! I am a loyal customer with many purchases but I don’t deserve this kind of a deal. If you will send me a no cost shipping label I will be happy to return it.

Thanks!.

The 234 pc Dewalt mechanics set is a great product. As with most Dewalt products, they are well made and quality products are used. There are so many sizes and both metric and SAE and are well organized.

It is heavy to carry, which keeps the kids from playing with it. The case however holds items tight on the “lid” portion, but the bottom portion the items are loose and fall out super easy. If you open it upside down watch out, your toes will get smashed as everything comes tumbling out except those items in the lid portion.

Those in the lid you have to pry out.

Great high(er)-end name brand quality for great price. I can not find this exact set (using DWMT45434) on DeWalt’s website, but can find similar collections that include the same basic tools that cost a lot more.

Purchased two of these sets as a great start for each of my two sons. One will be used as intended, as a Mechanic’s set (on vehicles, etc). The other one will probably mostly be used for random house-type work, which may be overkill – but is there such a thing as too many tools?.

This has been the best tool set I have owned. The set has everything you need in a hurry when on a road trip or when you are working in your garage. The thing that impresses me the most is that this set has 234 pieces and the case is not that large and none of the pieces fall out of their slots.

I have owned multiple tool sets by multiple brands and this Dewalt set is by far the best I have owned.

Just bought this tool set – I’ve got tons of Duralast tools and have no issues, so I’m sure I’ll have no issues with these, but this case is seriously terrible! I have the set that’s in the product video, and that case is good – THE VIDEO DOES NOT SHOW THE CASE THAT YOU GET WITH THIS SET! You have to carry this case flat and with the correct side facing up; if you carry like a briefcase (which the handle encourages you to do), you will have a giant mess when you open it up.

Personally, I use these sets to store inside my vehicles for roadside emergencies, and the loose manner in which all the sockets sit in here makes this set terrible for that… Really is too bad, because these are good tools.

If this set will live in your garage, it’s a good set; unfortunately I’ll be returning.

Having owned multiple Duralast tool sets and assorted tools in the past, I had no negative expectations when I purchased this set to keep in my project car. Apperently somewhere along the line, the design of the case changed, from a press tool in style, to a set tool in style.

(Also the external design changed near the handle) This is all well and good if you store your tools flat, but the second you carry this case, most of the interior contents proceded to fall out of their respective place, and create a headache when you open it the next time.

Maybe the design has changed back to the older (better in my opinion) style, but who knows. In closing, the tools are fine, the case, plainly sucks.

I was a little nervous buying this tool set after comparing many other brands but was quite impressed after using it. Excellent quality and good selection of tools included in the kit. I did a major repair on ford 3.

5 duratec internal water pump/timing chain in my home garage and this kit was excellent! Quick tip: the wrenches have a lock/release button which keeps the socket locked on so it wont fall off! Five stars!.

How do we write a critique of a new set of tools that’ll probably last 100 years? The finish and size markings are perfect. The case/tools layout is balanced and easy to carry. Excellent buy.

this set was a gift for a son. he is about to step out on his own and he needs to get a number of tools. these sockets will enable him to do the light and medium duty work.

Made in Taiwan. Made to high standards. Wrenches grip fasteners firmly. Nice set. I have other smaller sets of Channellock branded mechanics tool kits that are also made in Taiwan and didn’t hesitate to purchase this 171 piece one.

Great buy! has everything a person would need for quick repairs. nothing to involved, but tune ups, breaks, oil changes are easy with this set. Bonus the case is perfect. no loose tools ever! everything stays in place.

Amazing. highly recommenced.

Bought this 200 pc set  for when I need it used the bit driver that’s the screw driver looking piece that you can put different bits  for the first time and the magnetic that holds the bot in place came off, REALLY!!! I’ve used a couple of  wrenches and the ratchet handle a couple of times still working but a little worried if they’ll mess up like the bit driver, if that bit driver is poor quality I imagine so are the others.

I wouldn’t recommend this brand.