Snapon- Top quality industrial/automotive
MAC- Top quality automotive
Matco- Top quality automotive
Cornwell- Top quality automotive
Proto- Top quality industrial
Wright- Top quality industrial
Klien- Top quality electrical
Armstrong- High quality industrial
SK- High quality industrial/automotive
Blackhawk- High quality industrial/automotive
Craftsman-Mid quality industrial/automotive
Kobalt- Mid quality automotive
OTC, Lisile, KD- Top quality speciality automotive
Iwrin- Top quality locking pliers, high quality products
Channellock- Top quality pliers
Cresent- Top quality adj wrenches
Stanley, Husky- reasonable quality imports

There are other good brands around, but these are some of the most common and easily found

 

This is how I figured it out, if a tool cost $X at a Brand name vendor and I could find the same/comparable tool, w/ life time warrenty, some where else for a WOLE lot cheaper belive me I would replace it X times if I had to. I have other things that I could spent that money on, like food, kids...

 

This post was too long for me to read the entire thing but this is what I have seen working around professional techs, wrenchers, mechanics or whatever they want to be called these days.

About 99.99% of professionals would get by just fine with Craftsman tools which are about 75%-95% less than the price of Snap On tools. The problem is most professional wrenchers are tool queers and most shops end up with a "my box is better than yours war" which in the end equates to mechanics spending a new car payment on tools each month.

Snap On tools are great tools. By no means are they worth the extra money. If Snap On didn't finance tools to people with poor credit they would be out of business in a month. What's that tell you?

 

I work as an Aircraft Engineer but I also wrench on my own vehicles. While your average Craftsman tool set is more than sufficient, in most cases, for the home work, it is lacking in the 'fit' department for work purposes. In the hangar I would estimate that 90% of the engineers I work with have at least 50% of their box filled with SO or Mac. The fit is far superior and the movement of things like ratchets is much finer. When you are jamming your arm into a hole and have about 1/4" to move the wrench, these things become VERY important!
I personally use about 30% Craftsman and 70% mix of SO and Mac. This gives me a good mix of quality versus cost.
The one thing I will NEVER understand is the guy who makes $20/hr and goes out and buys that $3000 tool box from SO!! The same quality boxes can be had from Waterloo (or subs) for about 1/3 the price. After that, you are just paying for the SO emblem on the side... (and maybe the stereo system).

 

That's the bottom line...'pretty sticker'

 

At work all I have is Snap-on, but at home I have alot of craftsman tools. Most of the craftsmen tools I used at work until I could afford Snap-on. At home thats all I need, and they work great, but wrenching all day Snap-on is the only way to go. I also have some Husky tools, and some of the rachets I like better than Snap-on. Cornwell tools are alot cheaper than Snap-on, but you have to find a dealer which can be hard. Just my two cents. Jesse

 

I have always used craftsmenand kobalt, and have never had a problem with any tool from either of them. Last time I went to sears I seem they have a thin-profile ratchet that looks and feels pretty good. Recently I bought a Husky Pro micro 3/8 and I'll tell you that ratchet it awesome. I might go back and pick up some ratcheting wrenches.

 

I've got a mix of tools, Snap-On, SK, Gray, Craftsman, Williams, Mastercraft and some other strange stuff that was just too cheap to resist and I have no reason to trust it or particularly value it.

As fars as I know, I'm only going through this life once and everytime I pick up a Snap-On wrench or use some of the other high end tools, it's a pleasure. The mid and low end work but it's not the same pleasure.

Pat