cheep quality socket set

photoboy

I need a good socket set for not too much money.
what changes as the price goes up?...some sets are £20 from argos similar looking ones are £350 snap on.
where the hell is the best compromise???

hartcjhart

halfords pro range

Zanzibar

Ahh, the old socket set dilemma.

There are probably more makes than you can shake a stick at - most of the budget ones are ok actually, Draper and the like, but some no-name ones are a bit poor fit and finish wise.

I assume you want a standard 1/2" set for general car use with the spark plug sockets.

The best value basic set I have found is at Costco - £26 get you a really nice set in a good case (Mastergrip 27 piece). I like that the spark plug sockets are magnetic and not the standard rubber bung type that jam on the plugs.

Halfords stuff isn't bad but always wait until they are having a promotion on.The £199 set is £99 just now - but its only worth £99 in reality I'd say. Not sure how much you get off if you have a Halfords discount card



http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/205198/socket_sets.html

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/products.php?cat=Deal%20189%20-%20Xmas%20Deals%201
(for the Bahco 1/2" set)

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=36498&m=395773&v=e

blue_haddock

hartcjhart wrote: »

halfords pro range

Yep thats the stuff i was going to recommend even before i opened the thread.

Good quality stuff at a decent price.

Hintza

I nearly always end up with the carp that splits.........:(

Mind you I am my own worst enemy, if it still doesn't shift get a bigger hammer or a longer bar....:)

hewhoisnotintheknow

wait until the halfords have their half price socket offers again, they are really good, i abuse them no end and they are fine

cyclonebri1

Second the Halfords pro range.

Also if you have a Cromwell tools near you, (these service the engineering industry and are usually situated on ind estates), Their own branded Kennedy range are excellant value for money. I always bought these as an excellant standard item when purchasing for the company I worked fors' eng dept.:beer:

I also bought a Kamasa set back in 1970 when I decided to build a beach buggy, that's completed 1/2 doz home built cars and done most of my maintenance since that date, can't vouch that they are still the same quality tho'

mcjordi

im a sod for snapping sockets and bolts. now i must say halford pro sockets i have, have taken a lot of abuse and havent snapped yet ! touch wood

hartcjhart

and do not forget the lifetime guarantee on them

goldspanners

halfords pro definatly, i have a rack of halfords sockets, they been hammered and smashed on to more rusty nuts and bolts than i care to remember over the past 10 years and had a large power bar on the end of most of them (obviously without a scaffolding bar to extend its leverage,honest halfords) and ive never had to replace any of them,the chrome has come away on some of them but they stil look ok and the chrome didnt try to slice my finger open like it does on the cheaper sockets.

if you cant get halfords pro then draper expert would be my next choice or stanley, the stanley stuff can be very cheap but its good quality if you buy from thier expert/pro range.

oh and for anyone else interested in tools they should treat themselves to a stanley rotator drive ratchet. i bought one in the states 4 years ago, i though it would maybe only last a year and then break, ive still got it and use/abuse it every day and it still works well, its very handy for tight spaces. i think B&Q sell them nowadays,failing that you can get them on ebay. when i went back to the states last year i bought a few as spares and sold a few to work mates aswell,they all love them to.

Rolandtheroadie

Dont know if anyones mentioned it yet, but i went with HALFORDS.

Got the big one, they always do it for £100 at some point. and i think they reduce the one below to £69.99 now and again too.

You gets what you pay for where tools are concerned.