Kind of tools you guy like

[gram101]

What brand of tools do you guys like best Craftsmen, Matco, Snap-on, or SK. And explain why?
Thanks Jake

[Ghoste]

I like Snap-On for the way they feel in your hand and overall quality.  Their selection never fails to amaze me either.  That being said, the price drives me away and I have a lot more Craftsman stuff in the box than Snap-On.  The price is so much better and they are very nearly the equal of the much vaunted Snap-On IMO.

[bigcountry]

I like Craftsman, They are just as good as any other tools, plus have the lifetime warranty.  Their rachets suck as of lately though, I have a set of the long handle Snap-On ratchets, me likey.  But as most will agree, the Snap-On stuff is pricey.  I have used S&K, Matco, Snap-On, Mac, Kobalt, Duralast and Craftsman, and as far as hand tools go, Craftsman is up to par with the rest of them. Plus, you can't beat the lifetime free replacement guarantee, if you break it, just take it back to the store and get a new one.  I also have a nice set of GearWrench ratchet wrenches that have stood up against some high torque applications.

[69*F5*SE]

I have a nice Snap On cabinet full of Snap On tools that I got for a good deal but, I still reach for my Craftsman stuff when it's convenient.  Snap On makes some nice stuff but, if I didn't have them I'd still have my old Craftsman set to do the same job.   

[RD]

KD, SK, and craftsman

[Tilar]

I made my living with Snap-On from '73 till 2002 when I semi-retired. I've bought them all, but always ended up going back to snap-on. Craftsman is what I call a home tool for the reason that even though they will warrantee their tools, I spent too much time running back and forth from the shop to sears to get a replacement, and even then sometimes they would whine and bitch because they would say "I was using them in a way that was not intended".

I thought it was going to take an act of congress to get them to replace a handful of screwdrivers once.

Once, one of the mechanics in the shop dropped an outrigger on an open bottom drawer on his new snap-on box, and the dealer replaced it. Somehow I think Sears would have bucked at that one.

[ITSA426]

Anybody notice Sears is introducing a new line of tools.  I think it Envoy or something like that.  It looks to be the Green Chinese replacement for Craftsman.  I'll just wait for the Snap-On truck.  More money but less hassle.  Nobody argues quality.

As for the kind of tools I like - usually bright, shiny and sharp enough to really hurt myself. 

[richard pettys 73]

i like cobalt myself  they are not that expensive and they are just as good as any other tool imo

[69bronzeT5]

I have Jobmate tools and I have very little. All I have is one tool kit

[Ghoste]

Cody, the Mastercraft tools have come a long way from what they were not all that long ago.  A little more money than the Jobmate stuff but a lot better quality and they make a nice alternative until you can afford to get into professional grade stuff (Snap-On).

[Rolling_Thunder]

mostly I have Craftsman - I have NEVER had an issue with them as far as breakage or warranty problems - These tools have been in my household for 15+ years and none have broken.   My grandfather had an OLD (1938) Breaker Bar that he finally traded in (the pivoting head had begun to spread the tips causing slop) at a local Sears...   They gave him a Complete tool set and a roll away - and put it on display...     

I have used snap-on as well but own very little of it...   too pricey for a "hobbyist" tool set...    if you're a professional mechanic then it is different - but they always seem to have the right tools for the job.

[Chatt69chgr]

My original complete tool setup was Craftsman.  I still have all of them and use them regularly.  I've noticed that the rachets are cheap now.  And they don't have the thin wall sockets in 7/16, 1/2, and 9/16 like they used to.  I bought the Gearwrench ratcheting end wrenches.  Got them at Sears when they were 1/2 off.  I like my Craftsman screwdrivers but Klein makes better ones.  I like the Craftsman nut drivers.  They usually put them on sale about once a year. 
In the last few years, I have picked up several sets of impact sockets made in India that were real good.  I've also bought a lot of tools at Harbor Freight.  Some of their tools are as good as any Craftsman stuff I ever bought.  You have to pick and choose here.  I mostly get their "Professional Level" tools.  Have bought 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive socket sets.  They also have some nice specialty wrenches.  Don't let anybody tell you that all of the Harbor Freight stuff is junk as that's not the case.  Note that their stuff is beginning to increase in price.  I've been noticing this over the past 6 months or so.  I'd get all of that stuff while the getting is good.
S-K tools are real good.  I have some of those.  Also have some Armstrong. 
I've looked at some Snap-On and they are really good quality but I couldn't afford them.  If I was a professional mechanic, I'd probably have a complete set of Snap-On.
Almost forgot.  The General roll-about and add on mechanics chest as well as the add on hanging end cabinet is better than the Kennedy cabinets I have.  They put those on sale about twice a year during their spring and fall sidewalk sales.  These type cabinets make it easy to organize your tools.

[oldschool]

I like Snap-On for the way they feel in your hand and overall quality.  Their selection never fails to amaze me either.

I AGREE WITH GHOSTE,AND YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

[firefighter3931]

I like Craftsman but i have other stuff in the tool chest ; KD, SK and my air ratchets/guns are Chicago Pneumatic.

I'm still using the same Craftsman timing light i bought 30 years ago as a 16 yr old kid and it works flawlessly. 


Ron

[mikepmcs]

I paid over $100 for this

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=hand&item_ID=78365&group_ID=20402&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I paid $20 for this not too long after.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950480000P?vName=Tools&cName=HandTools,GeneralPurpose&sName=Screwdrivers&psid=YAHOOSHOP01&sid=IDx20070921x00003b

Survey says....  

I'll stick with craftsman for hand tools only.  I agree that their ratchets are CRAP though.  They break after about one complete job.

I've had quite a few different brands over the years.  Air tools I like IR. I've had the same impact for just about 20 years.

Craftsman isn't the same craftsman it used to be.  When Ron bought his light is when they were the primo tool IMO.  Just like Sony, used to be the best, now they are getting cheaper by the day.

[mopar_nut_440_6]

I started out with Craftsman but eventually upgraded to Snap On wrenches and screwdrivers and ratchets. I also have some Snap on Sockets and specialty tools. I have quite a bit of Proto as well as I used to work in a parts store which carried that line and I could get the stuff for a very good deal. I also have KD and Lisle tools.

I have a variety of air tools Hutchins, IR and CP. Some cheap stuff too but you definitely get what you pay for there.

My electric tools consist of a variety Milwaukee, Bosch, Makita and Ridgid, all very good products IMHO.

I also find myself buying quite a bit of stuff at Princess auto, although not great tools they can get me out of a jam for a tool I would rarely use and never buy unless it was dirt cheap!

[C_stripes]

I love snap-on ratchets. As stated before, they feel very nice and they operate so smoothly. I have mostly Snap-On tools. But be warned. It doesn't take a whole lot to rake up a $4k bill on the Snap-On truck. I also love Snap-On's locking extensions. They are sweet. I would recommend NOT taking them to a wrecking yard though, if you loose something. It costs allot more to replace than a craftsman.

[WingCharger]

.

[jaak]

I use craftsman sockets, all my wrenches, and ratchets are stanley. The stanley professional wrenches are nice for the money (40 bucks a set) and have a lifetime warranty. I absolutely hate craftsman wrenches, They are too thick, some one told me its because they use a cheeper steel to make them so they have to make them thicker so they dont break as easy, although I have broke a few of them, and same with there ratches, they are junk. I also have a small collection of some mac, and snap on, my impact is a snap on, I think I paid 250ish for it a few years back and well worth every cent I paid for it.

Jason

[darkfiire5000]

Personally like Snapon especially when Im working on car in the shop cause I have broke like 4 of my craftsman tools.

[GreenMachine]

   I'm gonna have to disagree about the craftsmen ratchets being crap. Now, the teardrop shaped head ratchets aren't all that great, but the round head ratchets like the one in my pic are excellent. I bought this set about 20 years ago when I got my first car, it was a "Made in China" set. I added the Craftsmen ratchet about 8 years ago. It has been to numerous junkyards where I've had to improvise with cheater pipes quite often. I think the tooth count is a happy medium as to not strip out, but still ratchets very smoothly.
   "Gearwrench" combo wrenches are one of the best tools I've ever bought.
   As far as air tools, I would buy a high quality DA and Impact wrench, but for the rest, cheap ones have sufficed.

[NHCharger]

I use Craftsman, mainly because the Sears store is two minutes from where I work. I have gone thru close to a dozen ratchets in ten years, but they always give me a replacement with no hassle, can't argue with that.

I did buy a Sears compressor once . That was the biggest turd of a tool I ever bought. Finally threw it out the back of my work trailer one day and bought a Rol-Air.

[SFRT]

I HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS..EQUAL MIX OF SNAP ON, MAC, MATCO SOME S &K, KNIPEX. but, oddly, I always seem to grab the Gearwrench ratcheting stuff first.

I also always look for old stuff, hammers.old hammers are always nicer for some reason. I have a whole subsection of old  brass hammers and punches. cant get enough.

[1969chargerrtse]

Sears craftsman since I was a kid, and that was a real long time ago.

[Ghoste]

I wonder if many of our answers would change if the question was purely hypothetical and money was no object??