Now that Craftsman tools are garbage...

[bigted83]

Craftsman and Stanley for handtools, and have some rechargeable craftsman stuff that's never let me down

[Ucantctchme]

Snap-on, I don't care what country the owner lives in. Repairing cars and trucks is what I do all day everyday. They are still the best and I can't afford to not use professional quality equipment. They can be purchased On the net but be prepared to drop some coin. Blue point is not the best or even close, beware. Still better than harbor freight though.

[SSRob]

I've never had an issue with Craftsman hand tools. For power tools I go with Bosch.

[Capthowdy]

I am a master Technician of 25 years and I use mainly Snap-On...There is no substitute...

[Majic]

Gotta call BS on the Craftsman rachet being plastic. I own a Dears Hometown Store and have rebuilt hundreds of Craftsman rachets...ALL parts are metal and are built in USA!! All Craftsman wrenches and screwdrivers have lifetime warranties. NOT power tools and some think...never have been. Craftsman wrenches have "Made in USA" stamped on them. I probably have 500 rachet rebuild kits in stock...come on by and you will see no plastic!!

[halo8hkk]

i use craftsman exclusively, ive never broke a ratchet (and i do stupid stuff like using cheater bars) i have broken several sockets but i just take it back and get a new one. for air tools i use harbor freight. air tools is about the only thing they make that last. i do wish craftsman had stronger sockets but for the price i have dubbles and with the lifetime warranty its worth it. id buy from the tool trucks but id have to get a second mortgage on my house to pay for them.

[clg_98ta]

I still buy and use a lot Craftsman hand tools... wrenches, sockets, (higher end) screwdrivers, etc., but I'll admit they aren't what they once were.

However, the only Craftsman power tools I'll buy are the "Professional" grade. They're equivalent to the regular Craftsman line of 15 years ago. The regular line of power tools now are probably not up to Harbor Freight standards... they're just crap.

fyi, Sears doesn't manufacture anything... They just have stuff made with their brand names on it. The suppliers can change every few years, which is why quality can vary.

Sears in general has gone downhill, and I'll be very surprised if they're still around in 5 years...

[victoryred1ss]

Mostly Craftsman for me. They work well for 99% of the stuff i do

[Majic]

FYI...the manufacturer of Craftsman tools has not changed in years....

[The Beard]

At home, Craftsman, never had a problem. At work Snap-on.

[Rich1]

I have SK ratchets and sockets from over 25 years ago and they are still good. I also have Craftsman sockets and Stanley impact sockets.

[Majic]

As a Sears store owner I see problems that are encountered and the quality of tools...both hand tools and power tools. Certainly the Pro line of Craftsman is superior to the regular but the problems arise when regular sockets are used in pneumatic tools and std. 3/8 drive sockets are used with 1/2 in adaptors and LONG breaker bars. Craftsman rachets are totally rebuildable....I have done hundreds and all parts are metal. Like any other moving part rachets require periodic attention. Most rachet failures I see are due to being clogged with dirt and grit. A shot of WD every now and they does wonders. I'm not sayiny they are any better or worse that any other brand....all should be maintained. I can say they are made by the same vendor that has been making them for years and to the same standard. Power tools, especially the ni-cad powered ones......,OK...take a ni-cad battery and let it sit...it discharges. They also develop an memory and remember charge and discharge levels. The newer Lithium-ion batteries do not and are far superior. They can be used in the 19.2 C3 tools that were ni-cad...but you need a different charger...upgrade and you have far fewer problems. Sure you can buy a better power tool...but not for any where near the price....check it out...I have many times.

Also...remember...screwdrivers are not pry bars.....but if you break a Craftsman screwdriver it will be replaced.

[Njja]

I have 40 years worth of Craftsman tools with a few Snap-On thrown in. They have never failed me yet. I have only had to have a couple of items replaced over the years.

[Bell040]

I have a bunch of Kobalt tools. I haven't had one fail yet, and I abuse them pretty hard.

They aren't on the US made tool list though... although they are made by the U.S. based Danaher Tool Group, like Craftsman. After doing a bunch of reading, it looks like they are a mix of mainly US and Mexico.


US made tools: http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/tools.html

and about the snap-on and craftsman tools...

....

Craftsman brand hand tools, made for SEARS by Danaher Tool Group, are now a mix of USA-made and imported. (Craftsman power tools are imported). Available from SEARS and KMart.

....

Snap-on Tools: a business division of Snap-on Inc., Snap-on Tools Group manufactures tools for motor vehicle service and repair at 4 facilities in the U.S. (Elkmont, AL; Algona, IA; Elizabethton, TN; and Milwaukee, WI). Known for their franchised dealer vans, Snap-on tools are now also available online. Many, but not all, tools imprinted with the Snap-on name are made in US, other tool brands (including Blue Point) are imported. County of origin is provided for each product on the Snap-On website, so check before you purchase.

Looks like the best thing to do is look at each tool for the "Made in the USA" markings.