Best socket ratchet?

[hairykrishna]

As per the title - who makes the best socket wrench?

My cheapo one is finally buggered and I want to replace it with a good one. I know Halfords pro sets are very good quality for the money, but I already have approximately a million sockets and I feel there must be a better option. At work there is a Tone Maeda set that a Japanese engineer who did some work with us gifted to us. It's a thing of beauty with a mega fine ratchet while feeling indestructible. Unfortunately, seemingly not available in the UK.

[Riff Raff]

hairykrishna said:

As per the title - who makes the best socket wrench?

My cheapo one is finally buggered and I want to replace it with a good one. I know Halfords pro sets are very good quality for the money, but I already have approximately a million sockets and I feel there must be a better option. At work there is a Tone Maeda set that a Japanese engineer who did some work with us gifted to us. It's a thing of beauty with a mega fine ratchet while feeling indestructible. Unfortunately, seemingly not available in the UK.

I like the Halfords ratchets. However, I have a couple of Teng ones too. They have a rubber sheath around the handle up to the head, so I tend to use them when working in tight spaces and don't want the tail end of the ratchet clattering off the paintwork. Else I prefer to use the Halfords ones. You can buy them separately.

[helix402]

Snap On, Facom, Halfords Professional, all good.

[V8forweekends]

I have a Facom one which has a very fine ratchet - had it for years, dunno if you can still get them.

ETA You can - Apparently mine is a Facom FCMS161 S.161

Edited by V8forweekends on Friday 6th February 18:04

[paintman]

Used a facom one for over 30 years until it finally expired.
Replaced it with a Halfords professional & very good it is too.
(I realise the facom has a life time warranty, but after all the abuse I'd have felt guilty asking for it to be replaced under warranty - and the Halfords one has a couple of differences which I prefer)

[TooMany2cvs]

hairykrishna said:

I know Halfords pro sets are very good quality for the money, but I already have approximately a million sockets and I feel there must be a better option.

Halfords do sell the Pro-range ratchets separately, you don't have to buy a complete set.

[spaximus]

My preference depends on the size. Snap on for 3/8s drive. The smaller the size the finer the teeth so you need top quality.
My 1/2 inch ratchet is a Britool that was given to me in 1974 when it was around 10 years old then as he was trading up to a snap on.
That ratchet was used abused and is still going strong on the original ratchet.

I would say now any 1/2 inch for hobby use from Teng, Halfords would be fine. For professional, Facom, Snap on Mac all top notch.

Whatever you get the secret to their life span is lubricate with good quality grease every week or so, they will last a life time.

[Sparkov]

I got a Draper 33438 recently, only about £10 online and has been great so far.

[Welshwonder]

Bahco all the way!

[gazza285]

Mine get abused in the heavy engineering job I do and I'm currently on a Sealey, which seems pretty tough.

Modern Britool are no good, strip far too easily.
Teng lasted well, but failed catastrophically when the ratchet head snapped clean in half.
Facom stripped.
Every Snap-On ratchet I've had as ended up being nicked from site.

I've no personal experience of the Halfords stuff, but lots of people use them now and I don't here of any problems.

[kambites]

Snap-on ones certainly feel very good but I wouldn't say they're worth the premium for home use. My Halfords Pro ones are still going strong after about 15 years of moderate use.