What socket set - bacho/draper

[Pistonheader101]

looking to buy a 1/2 socket set.

Any recommendations?

heard halfords pro is meant to be good, as is draper and bahco.

[journeymanpro]

Bahco is nice stuff but Halfords warranty wins it.

[Pistonheader101]

thanks - I see they have a 20% off sale at the moment so might nab the 100 piece kit from there

[thebraketester]

You won't go far wrong with Halfords stuff.

[Krikkit]

The halfords 1/2" sets are pretty much indestructable, but the Bahco stuff is much nicer to use imho.

[rustednut]

Krikkit said:

The halfords 1/2" sets are pretty much indestructable, but the Bahco stuff is much nicer to use imho.

I think nicer to use is an important consideration, if you are using the tools daily,regularly.

For less frequent use, indestructability with good warranty cover is probably just as important.

Tools are very personal items and how they feel in use is often undervalued, but it is relevant to the amount of time they are used.

[paintman]

Much of the kit I bought years ago is Facom.
Halford's Pro is very good & for odd sockets my usual go to. I also have one of their 1/2 drive ratchets & very good it is too.

Wouldn't have any qualms buying one of their sets when the offers are on.

[markcoznottz]

paintman said:

Much of the kit I bought years ago is Facom.
Halford's Pro is very good & for odd sockets my usual go to. I also have one of their 1/2 drive ratchets & very good it is too.

Wouldn't have any qualms buying one of their sets when the offers are on.

Ironically the old Halfords stuff was made by facom....

[whj]

Halfords do nice little moulded trays that fit straight into their cabinet drawers, Ive developed a bit of a bad habit with the bloody stuff and can't stop buying it,

[CustardOnChips]

Can't go wrong with Halfords Pro.

[Cliftonite]

I have AA membership and thereby get 10% discount at Halfords.

(If only I had a Halfords Trade Card instead!)

HTH.

[SturdyHSV]

Another vote for Halfords Pro, absolutely beat on it, treat it with no care whatsoever and the only thing I've managed to break is snapping a torx head when I got irritated with something not undoing and 1000Nm impact gunned it

The warranty and the fact they're almost always open relatively nearby over the weekend exactly when you need to replace the bit you just broke to continue working is invaluable.

With that in mind the big discounted sets are great value in my opinion (as an amateur spannerer, if it was my full time job maybe I'd 'invest' elsewhere)

[gallopingclothespeg]

Cliftonite said:

I have AA membership and thereby get 10% discount at Halfords.

(If only I had a Halfords Trade Card instead!)

HTH.

Not at the moment.
I was looking at the 175 piece socket set last week and it was cheaper with the current promo than it was with a trade card!

[julianm]

This Koken stuff is very good quality & nice to handle - https://www.uktools.com/ko-ken-3201amw-38-drive-42...

For years I used 1/2" drive Britool stuff but found that 3/8" drive will do pretty much all you need & for anything horribly stubborn I reach for an impact wrench & have a few impact sockets just for those sizes.

[rambo19]

Halfords for me, restored loads of landies using it.

[Josho]

From a professional garage point of view: Halfords.

It isn't up to the task for our standards but you would be hard to beat it for a home kit. I have one at home.

[Captain Answer]

Got quite a lot of Halfords and Halfords pro sockets and ratchets- never had an issue with them... 1/4 ratchet starting to go a bit wooly now but still soldiering on after 12 year, will buy another Halfords one when it lets go