I bought a 300 piece set of craftsman tools last winter for myself.
I opened the SEALED packages up to find not 1 but 2 Mastercraft sockets in the set.
I was also missing a 9/16 deep 6 sided and some other deep socket, I can't remember the size (I was just shocked at getting mastercraft in the pack and missing my most used socket (deep 9/16 6 sided).

I brought the 2 mastercrafts in to the local sears and had to explain where they came from "Yes the craftsman set I just bought. Yes really. I am not kidding." - the guy behind the counter just laughed and said ok, what are you missing. I swapped the 2 mastercrafts for the missing sockets and that was that.

I have to say the value of ANYTHING is in the waranty. My wife comes from a family of mechanics that buy nothing but snap on. SHE even laughs at my little sets of craftsman. I used to get a LOT of giggles pulling out my craftsman roadie kit to repair my Ford at their place (Oh bTW, they are ALL Dodge Cummins mechanics - so they felt the need to laugh harder).

I ALWAYS get the last laugh when I need to replace a broken tool though. I just stroll into a sears store, show them the broken tool, get a replacement off the shelf and I am out the door in under 2 minutes. My in laws just keep a box with all the snap on stuff they can't return cause they have "abused them or used the tool in a way it was not designed for".

What a joke. I look at my 'cheap' - my own WIFE'S words!!! - craftsman set as the best investment I have made in hand tools.

 

Good comment, Ironpants on the box of Snap On that cant be returned because they have been used in a way in which the tool was not designed for. This truely is the main advantage of Craftsman over s-on, sure s-on is a good tool, but they will not take it back if it is abused. Sears on tyhe other hand will take back any hand tool regardless of the sure signs of abuse or misuse.

 

It's all about marketing 'Build a beter tool, one which your willing to stand behind reguardless of how it is used/abused, and the buyer will come back time and again'. I have several Craftsman tools in my boxes, broke my far share is 1/2 breaker bars and NEVER had a prob with getting them replaced. I've now taken to yard sales which advertise tools, most of the time they are chepies, but you can find a Craftsman and even if it is broke and you pay a buck for you just stop by Sears on your way home and low n behold your dollor has turned into a beautiful NEW tool.

 

i hate crapsmens rachets all of mine are broke after one year and when you take them back to be replaced you get a rebuild one, sucks. I have some snap on rachets for 10 yrs. and still use them this day and now own snap ons.

 

To each his/her own. One mans treasure is anothers trash.

 

Thoth88 - Excellent comment on the yard sales. I think I'll give that a try.
I know the first time I borrowed a tool at work, someone then borrowed that same tool from me - without knowing it wasn't mine. They returned it to me all bent and broken. I was choked until I realized it was a craftsman. Saved me having to buy a new one for someone else... which is not fun.

I will loan my craftsman tools out, cause I KNOW they can be exchanged.

Funny thing, I only ever seen the 'No tools loaned' sign on a tool box that contains snap or mac.... I guess they can't afford to loan a single tool out, cause they never know what shape it will be in when they get back.

Everyone has their own style or pref. I don't want to baby my tools. A tool is a tool for a reason. Perform work. At the end of a day, the work is still done, the person doesn't care what was used when they drive away after having their car in the shop.

 

i like sears. you can get cheaper at wal mart but it's poor quality. don't believe me there's always a line up of people returning stuff

i got my sockets and wrenches from from canadian tire... they have them on sale like every other week but sears has deals too if you're patients. anyway lesson's the same.i broke my 7/8 trying to get out a leafspring and using a 3 foot piece of pipe for leverage. they take it back no ???'s asked. times like that it's good they have a return policy

if i have to spend money on something i get it from sears. i have a craftsman drill from them that my mom bought there like 20 years ago. i've used it for sanding a lot and it's still good. i got my demolition saw (sawzall) from them too and used it to cut trees and metal and get it all dirty and it's fine

adjustable wrench got it from sears. only place that sold them with a 15" handle

a/c unit from sears clearance. i have a TV from them that's over 15 years old. i think they're pretty careful about what they put their brand on

ALWAYS get new car batteries from Sears. live in canada and it gets cold

 

How do Craftsman Professional Wrenches, ratchets, screwdrivers, and pliars stack up top the usual premium suspects?

Your thoughts?

My Craftsman pro wrenches appear to be every bit as good as my Snap-On except for the Flank Drive Plus feature that I sometimes love and other times am indifferent to.

I would be very cautious about the ratchets and screwdrivers...

 

I have a few of the Craftsman "Professional" tools. They're ok, I suppose... not sure if they are really much better than the standard stuff.

I have a wide variety of tools, but mostly Crasftsman out of convienence. I used to work at Pep Boys back in the late 80's and oddly enough, my main 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drive ratchets I bought there. They're Snap-on knock-offs made in Japan but have held up well over the past 15 years of occasional wrenching. I actually like them better than my Craftsman ratchets. Easco/K-D are also in my box as I went from Pep Boys to a parts house that sold them. My flex-head 3/8" ratchet, metric sockets & wrenches and a few philips drivers are by them.

I've had a bad experiences with Craftsman power tools and stick with Makita, DeWalt and other name brands for that stuff.

Husky tools have also found a home in my box. Similar in price to Craftsman, but made to better tolerances and finish, IMO. Unfortunately, my local Home Depot doesn't re-stock much so I usually end up across the street in Sears...

I do a lot of work on our Euro cars, so I also shop online for various specialty tools. When you need a cam-holding tool for a VW TDI, that's pretty much your only source...

I've lusted over Snap-on for years - and even had an account with the rep when I worked at Pep Boys - but reality prevailed (I was a parts counter guy - not a mechanic) and I managed to avoid having to pay the "Crack-on Dealer" every week like so many of the young mechanics Pep Boys hires. Still, I've been wanting to start an account again to pick up the occasional bit.

 

Im a auto tech student and Im on a tight budget so I bought the 318 pc craftsman tool set. I love them they are great tools. Ive broke a extension and a couple of ratchets using a cheater bar. When I broke the ratchet I broke 2 of them in the same day and I went there twice in one day and they exchanged it with no problem. I would recommend craftsman for a home mechanic with not alot of dough

 

I broke 2 1/2" drive Craftsman breaker bars in the same day (a result of using my 2 1/2 ton floor jack handle as a cheater) and the guy at Sears swapped 'em both out without batting an eye. My grandfather, an ex-Ford service instructor, almost exclusively used Craftsman sockets and wrenches when he worked for Ford. He also has quite a few Cornwell tools...I'm not familiar with the brand, but almost all of the 3/4" drive stuff I have was made by them and it appears to be tough as nails.

Now I just use a 3/4" drive breaker bar with a 3/4" to 1/2" drive adapter and I avoid the weak link completely. Even with a 2' cheater added to it, I've yet to break any sockets or adapters.

 

I just checked the Snap on website (CDN).
Very expensive for a starter set of mechanics tools.

For the same price, I can get a huge set of craftsman, boxes to store them in, AND the vehicle to use them on....

Oh well, everyone has a preference.
I buy craftsman for the warranty and long term investment.

If craftsman made a diesel compression tester, I would have one in a second.... At the moment, I may be forced to make my first snap on purchase....

 

I have used craftsman tools (among others) for about 40 years. In the past few years, sockets and extensions from them are much thicker than the older ones. I put this down to their being a lower (cheaper) grade of steel. In cases, the finish is not as smooth as it once was, also. The ratchets I grab for are the snap-on or mac. My MAC 1/2 ratchet is a thing of beauty and makes me feel good every time i use it. Recently, craftsman have added a lot of really funky pliers and such made from riveted up sheet metal, all part of the cheapening process, I guess.

 

I agree, the only problems I've ever had with Craftsman were the ratchets. I bought a set 1/4 3/8 and 1/2, busted all three while working on my old Vette's suspension. I replaced them and busted them again, third time I took 'em all back for a refund and replaced them with Snap On. Never had a problem with the Snap On even when I stand on 'em!

Oh yeah, I replaced all of my screwdrivers and impact wrenches with Snap On;-)

 

100 grand of snapon but no dealer to warrenty the broken stuff i have to look for one every time craftsman no problem