Just wondering what people judge to be the best make of socket set. I've been using an OK set (halfords professional) up untill now, but would really like a good one, any ideas?

Most of the professionals I know swear by Snap On. I know one guy who has MAC tools but I think he has a sneaky admiration for Snap On and wishes he had gone that way now.

Cheers

MArk

halfords pro are guaranteed for life. if they break its free replacement. can't go wrong there i think

Halfords pro for me!!
Can't beat a Snap-on ratchet but I'd go for the Halfords pro sockets.... (ie cheaper and if I rip 'em open with too much gusto on the breaker bar I can take them back ).....

I've still got my Teng socket set that my parents bought me when I was 16 and swear by it even after 20 years of regular use.

Cheers

Rich

King Dick for me any time.

lol king dick

Draper do a nice set for about £80 in a large blue box 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 all chrome vanadium and i use them to teach school kids with everyday. Draper are normally pretty crap but these socket sets are great. I am an ex mechanic £8000 worth of tools, Snap on ratchets, spanners and pliers but all of my sockets are cheapies because snap on wont give you a newone if you break one. You can get some cracking socket sets from autojumbles. We buy those Draper sets from BOC.

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Originally posted by Duncan Mould
Draper do a nice set for about £80 in a large blue box 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 all chrome vanadium and i use them to teach school kids with everyday. Draper are normally pretty crap but these socket sets are great. I am an ex mechanic £8000 worth of tools, Snap on ratchets, spanners and pliers but all of my sockets are cheapies because snap on wont give you a newone if you break one. You can get some cracking socket sets from autojumbles. We buy those Draper sets from BOC.

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Snap on are good but not what they used to be. To expensive for home use too.

Halfords are good tools especially the pro range. If you can get a trade card the price goes down considerably.. Teng are good to and are quite reasonable in screwfix. Depends how much you want to spend really aswell. Ive got some halfords standard sets at home and ive have them on a 24 inch snap on breaker bar with all my weight on and the bar curving and theyv never let go. Also theres a chappy at my work and all his sockets are halfords that he uses all day everyday.

Overall Halfords are the best.

I have Halfords Pro range sockets.
Cheaper than Snap On, and still guaranteed for life.

Had them about 8 years, only changed one of the screwdriver bladed sockets, and no quibble at the store.
Cant fault them for the money.

Get my vote every time.

Halfords Pro for me too.

John

quote:

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Originally posted by Danozeman
Snap on are good but not what they used to be. To expensive for home use too.

Halfords are good tools especially the pro range. If you can get a trade card the price goes down considerably.. Teng are good to and are quite reasonable in screwfix. Depends how much you want to spend really aswell. Ive got some halfords standard sets at home and ive have them on a 24 inch snap on breaker bar with all my weight on and the bar curving and theyv never let go. Also theres a chappy at my work and all his sockets are halfords that he uses all day everyday.

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It seems that you originally had to be in the motor trade togetone butrecently they are given out at"managers discretion" so jus ta case of finding the nice young lady rather than the grumpy old man - tell them you build kit cars and spend thousands on new parts (LOL!!) and you should be able toget one.
good luck
Mike

I have a Draper expert set and it has been brilliant. The previous Draper value set I had (very budget!) was made of monkey metal. I spoke to Draper, and they replaced all of the broken parts with Draper expert parts. I have since bought an expert set and it is wonderful!

If what you have do the job you want of them then why spend loads of cash buying "better"?? Put the cash into something more worthwhile such as beer or car upgrades.

Thanks for all the replies, the main reson I want "the best" is that I'm driving down africa and back in march and I don't really want a socket to break when I'm brocken down in the middle of the sahara desert! Am I to understand from the replies that snap-on ratchets are superior but that sockets from other brands (eg halfords) are just (or very nearly) as good as the snap-on ones?

No the Halfords socketts arnt as good as snap-on, but they are upto the job.

I work as a service engineer and use Kennedy from Cromwells. Can't fault them really especially for the price. I really give them some abuse as well regularly using the normal sockets on rattle guns and they are still fine 2 years on. Halfords pro stuff is good as well, I have a halfords pro spanner set and thats always been good!

If you are driving down to africa you dont want really expensive tools in the car incase they get nicked.

Iv got laser tools ratchets at home. Very good quality and not bad priced.

As for the trade card, if you go in there and tell them you do lots of work on cars especially on sundays and will be buying lots of parts they should give you one. Look for the most gimpish looking chav and he should just give you one anyway.

No one has mentioned Britool sockets, always found them to be as good as Snap on myself but not as easy to get hold of.

Second Britool. They're also pretty good value (unlike Snap-On).

adrian

Cant go far wrong with halfords PRO FOR diy use. Ive got their ratchets and sockets from RS. Never had an issue with this combo. Also got a set of Clarke impact sockets. Long power bar for good measure.

I have a couple of old Kamasa socket sets, 3/8" and 1/2" and while the ratchets have broken and been replaced with Facom and Britool the sockets have been well used and stood up to everything with no breakages. Don't get into brand name chasing just for the sake of spending your hard earned, the Halford Pro are as good as any you'll get.