What socket wrench set should I buy?

June 22, 2015 8:32 AM

I like fixing things, and I'd like to get myself a nice socket wrench set that will last a long time. Questions include: 3/8" or 1/2" drive, or maybe both? Which brands are good at not rounding your bolts while not being super expensive? What's the best way to store them?

Until now I've gotten by with borrowing my housemates' sets, but now they've moved out and I'm realizing I want my own, and I want it to be a good one.

3/8" vs 1/2" drive - I work on my car and various things around the house. I've gotten by just fine with 3/8" drive until now, even for wheel lugnuts (with a good breaker bar), but I've heard people say it's "too flimsy". Thoughts? Maybe a well-made 3/8" set is better than a crappy 1/2" set? And if I get a full set of 1/2" drive sockets, will I have issues fitting it in tight places?

There's so many brands out there it's hard to choose. Craftsman, DeWalt, Harbor Freight/Pittsburgh Pro, Duralast, Stanley, etc. Which ones are worth getting? I find myself dealing with rusty bolts a lot, so I don't want to get a cheap set that's going to round all my bolts. I have access to Amazon, Harbor Freight, Home Depot, etc.

Storage - I've mostly used hard molded plastic cases so far, and it can be really hard to get the sockets in or out. The line of metal spring clips, where you slide each socket on its own little spring, seems to rust easily from what I've seen. And if you just have them loose in a toolbox, it's hard to find the one you want. Is there a better option? Or a better version of the options I mentioned?

Tentative budget of $30 for a socket set, maybe more if it's really worth it. Definitely want both metric and English.

Thanks for your advice!

posted by danceswithlight to Home & Garden (16 answers total)

Unfortunately, they are all made-in-china crap unless you go to the very highest end.
I just went through this, and have ended up with with a mix of craftsman and the nicer harbor freight stuff, all bought on super sale. I plan on replacing all of it with estate sale finds over the next few years.

The difference between the craftsman sockets that I bought compared the exact same tool from the 60's (grandfather's) and 80's (father's) is stunning. The new one is just so. much. worse.
posted by rockindata at 8:40 AM on June 22, 2015

One advantage of craftsman, though - lifetime warranty replacement. If you're worried about the sockets or wrench breaking, bring them into any sears store for a free replacement. My dad would do that with his craftsman screwdrivers from the 70s which broke.

Regarding drive, I personally found that ⅜" could get a little tougher to find HUGE socket sets in, but the flimsiness was never a problem. I had crappy Husky or Task Force socket wrenches I abused in fieldwork opening overtightened or rusted bolts for years with nary a break while they got covered with water and the like; I used a 15/16" socket to open steel drums and it posed no problems with a ⅜" drive even on my cheap wrenches. How often will you need socket sizes bigger than 15/16"?
posted by Strudel at 8:45 AM on June 22, 2015

Response by poster: Bonus points for anyone who can link to a specific set that I should buy.
posted by danceswithlight at 8:45 AM on June 22, 2015

A 1/2" wrench is HUGE. They're usually used for bolts that have really high torque ratings, so the handle is much longer and thicker. My car has pretty tight clearances, so even the 3/8" is too big for a lot of jobs.

I picked up a the big "mechanic's" set on clearance at a closing Sears, so I've got the whole gamut. It was still $200, but was the full 1/4-, 3/8-, and 1/2-inch set with all the 6 and 12 point sockets (always use a 6-point socket for tough bolts...), metric and SAE. I was pretty bummed that it was all made in China. Really, if I had to do it over again, I would have just gone straight to the source and gotten everything from Harbor Freight and paid less for the same quality. HF has the same warranty as Craftsman, anyway.

Everything on your list is equivalent quality, so shop on price. Snap-on is the best domestic tool, and if you're looking to start an aircraft repair shop, there's Stahlwille
posted by hwyengr at 8:46 AM on June 22, 2015 [1 favorite]

Bonus points for anyone who can link to a specific set that I should buy.

What sizes do you need? What ranges? Just SAE or metric too? Do you work on bikes as well as cars?

What sort of features do you want? Do you want small handle or low profiles? Drill drivers? A torque wrench?

Do you want a set in it's own plastic case or racks for shop drawers?

For light duty round the house stuff, with some automotive, I'd look at a set that runs from 1/4 to 1" SAE. I'd get 1/4 and 3/8 sockets, and adapters to go both ways (3/8 down to 1/4 and the reverse).Get a couple of extender bars, 4" or 6". I'd look at a set of thin-wall deep sockets if you're doing a lot of car work. Finally a screwdriver handle is a really nice option.

I have drawers so I forewent the plastic case. I have a plastic stand that I put the sockets on which works really well. For my tool bag, I have a couple of those spring clips. They fit well in a tool roll.

I do a lot of work on bicycles so I also have a set from 4mm through 18mm. I also have a set of hex heads 4mm through 10mm. A torque wrench is really handy for both car and bike work. I made the mistake of buying a bendy bar one (cheap!), but I'd much rather have the dial in the handle type. I think a torque wrench is worth spending a bit of money on, but it can cost more than your whole driver set.

I've had quite decent luck with the cheap end, Craftsman, Husky and (in Canada) Mastercraft from CT. The cheap stuff is often chunkier than the expensive ones, so if you find the sockets are being blocked from getting access to a head or a nut, you might need to look at a pro grade one. But, if you're just putting lags into a 4x4 to make a planter, a cheap and cheerful Craftsman will work just fine.
posted by bonehead at 9:00 AM on June 22, 2015

Response by poster: Sizes: Largest I've used is 19mm for wheel lugnuts. Smallest I've used is maybe 7mm.

Standards: Metric and SAE, definitely, though the metric gets a lot more use.

Features: Haven't needed anything special yet (regular handle around 10" long has been fine). Unlikely to get an impact wrench. Likely to get a torque wrench at some point.

Yes, I work on bikes as well as cars, but haven't needed sockets for anything I've done on a bike I don't think. Mostly use hex keys.
posted by danceswithlight at 9:18 AM on June 22, 2015

I use the hex-driver adapters a lot on bikes for things like headsets, but even brakes and pedals. There are also specialty socket adapters for bottom brackets. Come to think of it, those are mostly 1/2". These are all places where I want to set torque properly. I was surprised how much I'd been under (and over!) tightening things when I started using a torque wrench.
posted by bonehead at 9:30 AM on June 22, 2015

I got a craftsman SAE+Metric maybe 74-piece set (carrying case) in 99 or 2000, with 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2. It gets about 70% of the jobs done. Is it some cheap POS made in china ? Beats me, don't care, it works. I do car work (including tires, so if you do tires, buy the torque wrench), house-hold stuff, lawn engine work, etc.

The jobs it doesn't get done: you'll eventually find yourself needing a set of regular wrenches (no clearance for sockets, or you need one for the nut and one for the bolt and only have 1 driver, so grab a wrench) - that's 25%, and then deeper sockets (5%, though these can sometimes be done w/ a wrench too).

Only additional things I've bought were a few loose sockets in the "other" drive size (eg I had 19mm in 1/2, but needed in 3/8, etc).
posted by k5.user at 9:35 AM on June 22, 2015

If you ever have to work on farm equipment, you will find that you need a 3/4" set. I have a 3/8" Craftsmen that I bought back in the 70s that is still good, although I have had to replace the ratchet once. For my other sets, 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4" I have bought Harbor Freight, then when the ratchet goes I replace it with a Craftsmen, for the free replacements mentioned above. Most of my stuff is older, but I did have to buy a set of metric wrenches recently.
posted by rfs at 10:27 AM on June 22, 2015

On my 18th birthday, my dad got me a socket set. It's a cheap chinese set - something like this, and the ratchet failed after a year, and I replaced it with a craftsman. I broke the 10mm socket and had to replace it. Other than that, I've had that same set for 20+ years. So, you don't need a top of the line set, unless you want to. It is possible to buy what you can afford and upgrade when things break.

But, notice the difference is about 40 bucks. It's possible to overthink these things.

If you do a lot of work on cars, you'll want a 1/2" set too - with a breaker bar. This is easy to build piecemeal, if you don't have the cash for a set. The main advantage to a set is the case -it is so nice to keep things organized and tidy.

6 sided tools are less likely to round bolts. 12 sided are easier to use in tight spaces. If you only get one, get a 6 sided.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 10:30 AM on June 22, 2015

3/8" will see you through pretty much anything you come across. I have 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 sets, and I've found I use my 1/4" set far more than the 1/2" set. I can't remember the last time I used the 1/2" sockets.

In regards to Craftsman quality...Craftsman has two lines of tools, and you often have to look closely to differentiate them. The cheaper line is the made-in-china junk. The more expensive line is the good Craftsman stuff. All of my sockets (and most of my other hand tools) are top-line Craftsman. I wouldn't hesitate a second buying them. Good tools.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:04 AM on June 22, 2015

If you can wait, I'd wait until Black Friday for your super-duper socket set... From Craftsman, but keep an eye on the Sears circulars. I have a specific requirement as I need size 22 mm sockets (rather NOT buy them separately, won't fit in case) and one day, there's Craftsman kit, featuring the "passthru" sockets (there's a hole in the middle so it can handle extra-long bolts/nuts so you don't need "deep" sockets) and it's like 60% off. (the $300 kit was available for like $99)

If all this is staying in a garage, look into pegboards so you can hang everything in order, but that is more longterm. Short term the molded plastic case will have to do.
posted by kschang at 11:14 AM on June 22, 2015

Recommend you get a nice 3/8" ratchet handle and whatever socket sets you like - I've used Craftsman before but my current ones are Husky from HD. The quality is nice and they offer a lifetime warranty as well. If you find you frequently work in tight spaces, this SK is the one I use— the shorter handle and flex head can mean you don't have to remove other motor parts for clearance.

Use a breaker bar to save the internals of your ratchet from the torque you need to free a stuck fastener. Use PB Blaster or other penetrant first on rusty or seized fasteners.

I prefer to buy tools either from a local hardware store or from Harry Epstein's, but sometimes you find a deal at Amazon or Home Depot.

On not rounding bolts: Use six-point sockets and a nicer ratchet handle (more points of engagement) rather than a twelve-point socket and a cheaper handle. Same end result, but better purchase on the fastener. The flat sections, not the points, actually do the work on a hex head interface (think about an open-end wrench), so when you use a twelve-point socket you're more likely to round off a bolt/nut.
posted by a halcyon day at 12:43 PM on June 22, 2015 [1 favorite]

I think the idea of grabbing a Harbor Freight kit and then replacing the pieces that break with Craftsman is pretty sharp. The cheap ratchets will break, but you can get a fair bit of mileage out of one before it goes - by which time you've probably lost a socket or two.

My general rule of thumb with tools is to get a cheap set, and if I actually use it enough to expose the limitations, then maybe it's worth upgrading.
posted by wotsac at 12:50 PM on June 22, 2015 [2 favorites]

I'm a bit shocked by the phrase "lost a socket or two", but then I realized that's because I always worked with my (mechanic) Dad's Mac and Snap-on tools. (Also, he was a man who was definitely not Hard on Equipment, so tools lasted.) They're out of your price range, but if you ever see an old set at a flea market or auction or estate sale, grab them.
posted by clawsoon at 1:30 PM on June 22, 2015 [2 favorites]

I picked up a the big "mechanic's" set on clearance at a closing Sears, so I've got the whole gamut. It was still $200, but was the full 1/4-, 3/8-, and 1/2-inch set with all the 6 and 12 point sockets (always use a 6-point socket for tough bolts...), metric and SAE.

I think I bought the same set, also on a closing out sale. The sockets are fine, but comparing the ratchets and handles to the Snap-On and Matco stuff we have at work makes it look really shabby. If I was doing it over, I would spend real money on the ratchets, and pick up Craftsman or even Harbor Freight sockets on sale.

3/8 works fine for most things but having 1/2 for heavier duty moments can be nice. I'd start with 3/8 and get the larger stuff only if you start breaking things.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:19 PM on June 22, 2015 [1 favorite]