5:33 there's a typo, 140% becomes 125%, should be 140. Also ICON's 86 points for tolerance eventually copied SO's 89, live rankings have been corrected to 555 total. *Why is the video 20mins?* Episodes with a new dyno include the build and how it works, for future questions about it, and because this isn't TikTok *We didn't measure jaw spread because* you have to do it with the hex removed for it to be equal for each tool, some took massive amounts of hammering or a press to remove which opened the jaws even wider to budge it free, and even a couple are still to this day stuck.
I noticed, as im sure a lot of other did also. Its not worth correcting as most people are more concerned with the test results so a typo in the backstory isnt that big a deal. Good of you to point it out though. On another note. Are you going to make those stuck on hex wrenches available as trophies in the merch store? Make a good valentines day gift for the SO. "Im stuck on you babe" kinda thing.
Based on these tests and others that I have seen I'm sold on Icon. If Snap On were about 10% to 20% more expensive, then I would pay the extra price for Snap On. But those things are about 5 times more expensive. That's just too big of a difference considering it really didn't beat Icon by that much. I do wonder if you could bring a pair of calipers and go through several sets of Icon wrenches and measure the open end and cherry pick the ones with the lowest clearance, and basically put together a custom master set. Assuming there are some variances in the wrenches. I think the slight difference in clearance accounts for the majority of the higher scores on the Snap On wrenches.
Harbor Freight is really stepping up their quality. I think theyve realized that the vacuum that was left from Sears going bankrupt was never actually filled, and theyre in the perfect place to fill it. Providing a range of tool quality at a range of consumer/diy to mid level professional grade tools at corresponding price points. Gearwrench did the same thing, and got a bit big for their boots if you ask me, but I always joke with my coworkers that if HF started running a tool truck, theyd run snap on off.
@@ericmorales3146they’re still performing (or even out performing) higher priced brands which is what really matters. Don’t care what color the box is that my tools came in, just make sure the bastards work.
Not super surprised that Icon was within spitting distance of Snap On. The real story here is that TTC has a bright future as a tool dyno manufacturer if they ever choose to persue it.
@@reaperreaper5098 this happens about every 20 years where a cheap brand comes in and take old patents of snap Mac co etc ... And make them and this forces snap Mac co etc... to up the game for another 20 years and if your older than 30 you should remember when craftsmen was king of all that's when snap on come out with new tools that have took others this long to catch them but believe me when I say snap on has new tools but waited for this moment to start producing them and will have a leap in technology which will take another 20 years for others to catch up
Does it? I work in trade, haven’t had many of the same results. In fact exact opposite. Just saying. Screw snap on though, with that said, regardless of the outcome here.
It's actually hilarious how much they charge. I'm an ex CNC operator for them I can tell you one employee cranked out thousands of wrenches in one 8 hour shift. Theyve taken advantage of their "premium" status for decades and the markup is sickening.
@@MaxisBallinonaBudget exactly they built their reputation as the best, but without any competition that would save you money. Now that there is competition in quality at an extremely lower price they better wake up. I own snap on tools and love them, but I picked up the icon wrenches on sale for $70 a set and don't think anything will be able to beat that value.
@@MaxisBallinonaBudget The power of marketing and legacy reputation... I'm European, as a rule I dont know of any American tool brand, but I know Snap-On because a friggin' *novelist* I read some 40 years ago had to mention them in glowing terms as a plane pilot and mechanic. In the middle of his novel! You simply cant beat that kind of branding. (The novel was Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach, 1977). Was he paid for it? Heavens, he might have been!
Thank you for not testing the Mac, I’ve only just treated myself to a set and am happy being under the assumption they are the best around 🤫 Ignorance is bliss
@@OneManAndHisThoughts I knew there were some differences that’s why I said basically, so I don’t get attacked in the comments lol. Good wrenches for sure.
The fact you guys built your own rig is so damn cool. Not letting the fact that no one manufactures something you really want anymore get in your way of owning it is inspiring
We've all been there... and always on what was supposed to be a 5 min job... Though if you're pushing a combination wrench hard enough to break like that those poor gorilla hands will be wrapped in a cast instead of gauze.
The real winners are the people that can afford the tools they need, and I for one see the Icon as one of the best starter tools and just a main tool to keep
Never felt paying huge for tools (snap on) was worth it. Tried a few different brand but my pre China Craftsman stuff works just fine. Have a few other brand that were decent come/go over the years but im not working on spaceships either.
Even as a Snap-On owner (Icon wasn’t an option when I started my tool journey) I completely agree with this. I switched to Snap-On because I started with Husky tools which were pretty awful in comparison. If I’d had Icon, I don’t know that I would’ve switched. That said, the less-than-perfect-scenario performance might’ve pushed me over the edge - my field was boats and rust was a major factor.
@@gordocarbo My first set was a Craftsman X piece set I got for Christmas in the 90s. It was pretty great, and still have some of it. Craftsman's stuff now is garbage in comparison. I used to use cheaper tools as a road service forklift mech, as it's less of a hit if they get lost or stolen. Some of the store bought brands are better than others. As a present to myself, I have one snap on flex ratchet and Snap on set of ratchet wrenches for home/shop. The ratchet wrenches are significantly better than Craftsman (even the older ones,) kobalt, husky, gear wrench etc. The mechanisms are tighter tolerance and harder internals. I've broken all of the brands mentioned except the snapon ones. I thought I broke one, but all it needed was an oil bath to loosen it up.
I started on old Made in USA Craftsman and never needed the Gucci tools. Just bought a set of new Craftsman 120 piece at Lowes in Gunmetal and they are pretty decent for the money. Have a set of Pittsburg that work on the small stuff but you get what you pay for. No complaints because I knew what I was getting.
It used to be as a “regular guy” you’d buy Craftsman. My Dad and Granddad swore by them. Now? I buy HF tools. Icon when I want to splurge, Quinn or even Pittsburgh if I want to save a few bucks. If I was wrenching for a living I’d probably make different choices, but considering the performance I need as a weekend mechanic, they do just fine.
I bought a 1/2 to 3/8 adapter at HF because I needed a socket that could fit in a tight space while using a breaker bar. I snapped the head off the adapter and HF happily handed me a new adapter from a box and probably threw the incomplete set in the clearance section. No questions, no receipts. My 25 year old made in the USA Husky 15mm chrome socket that I put on a breaker bar that split, I took back to home depot ended up being a half hour+ ordeal. With me having to quote terms and conditions on their own website that these sockets had a lifetime warranty and also explaining why I didn't have the receipt from 25 years ago (not that a thermal receipt lasts anyway, they all turn dark and unreadable). They finally came up with the idea that they had to literally "sell" me a Husky socket set, give me the made in China 15mm Husky socket and then "refund" me. (No money changed hands but they had to generate a receipt). Then they stuck the split socket in the set, and tossed it in their return / defective bin.
This is exactly why you guys are by far the most important and best tool channel on UA-cam. No hokey bullshit, no bonus for what you like and don’t like. Actual professional quality data collection. Every time our shop gets a new guy I get their phone number and send them a link to your channel. You’ve saved several young men in my shop alone hundreds of dollars each, and you’ve also dispelled myths and proven theories. Thank you guys for what you do. I’ve been subbed from the very start, and I can’t see any reason not to take your testing as probable facts. You’re doing God’s work here fellas, keep it up
They have done so much to help dispel FUD Lore (fear, uncertainty, doubt/deceit) and all sorts of myths and rumors that have persisted for decades (or longer) it's not funny. Extremely grateful they are doing what they do.
Way to look out for those starting out! Don't go into debt buying tools! I have told that to a hundred guys over the last 30 years. Buy as good as you can afford.
In another life I was a turbine engine mechanic, 4 yrs USAF, 22 yrs production assy., R&O, and test lab at Honeywell. My Craftsman, S-K and Proto tools did 95-98 percent of what needed done ... but for that other 2-5%, I'd buy the Snap-On TOOL (NEVER a set), because dimensionally, it just fit into the surrounding area. This was usually an issue with sockets, but also occasionally with combo wrenches or ratcheting box wrenches. (And we always had to fabricate the occasional custom torque extension in those applications, as well.) I knew a small handful of guys who exclusively used Snap-On ... but most of us had families to feed!
That's what I've seen in the boxes of a LOT of mechanics that didn't drink the truck tool Kool Aid from a young age. Their "bread and butter" tools are an affordable brand, filled in with SO/MAC/Matco for some demanding job. One summer I worked in a shop, the guys who had a box full of truck brand tools were always trying to find ways to be scarce when the tool truck guys came by. Some of them were regularly working OT just to pay the tool guy.
I had a 1&1/8 inch combo Snao-On black industrial finish wrench because it would fit where a regular Craftsman wrench wouldn’t. Are the industrial finish wrenches still available? For a while they even had several different colors available. Nice to see some good quality Craftsman wrenches reappearing. Hope they are made in the USA or at least a free country. Take care.
This channel does not disappoint!! Been watching for a couple years and your quality and rigor keeps increasing. Mad respect that you got the ASME standard, built that test rig, then made more practical tests. This is my favorite tool testing channel by far. Not to mention the range of tools you test.
If you say so. The thought of spending over $100 (honestly over $20) on a set of wrenches at HF makes me nauseous 🤢. Why wouldn’t you spend that money on a used set of Snap On instead? If ICON was so incredible, why do they try so hard to look like a Snap On? They even copy the font.
Had 2 Craftsmen Ratchets blow out. Sent in pics to their customer service asking if I could purchase rebuild kits. They sent me 2 new wrenches, which were upgrades to what I had. This company went above and beyond and has for many years.
Is it weird that I'm completely and totally jealous of your hardness tester? I looked it up and from what I read it's ultrasonic and it can do thin metal down to 1mm thick AND non-flat shapes. Sounds perfect for the knife nerds and all kinds of applications the traditional ones don't work on. WOW. I sure hope not. What do you think of it? -- Also, please keep up the incredible work. Not only is your testing really great, you also have a true knack for presenting information that would normally be dry, boring and sometimes confusing in an interesting and understandable way. (edited to clarify they were talking about metal thickness)
Hey thanks! It's a chunck of change but great for imperfect and round surfaces, I dunno about that 1mm though. As things get very small it can start acting all over the place. Maybe different newton force push down probes do better on small.
@@TorqueTestChannel I just realized I wasn't clear, they were talking thickness there (other testers need more thickness or they read low because of how the metal deformation works). Anyway I believe it's a challenge when the piece being tested gets small in any dimension. For what it's worth they mentioned using a special stand (or something like that) for thin & sheet metal. Now if I just could find the purchase price in the couch cushions I'd be thrilled ... or more likely get a job at work that requires us to buy one.
@@thoughtstream9591 Meanwhile, there’s a Mitutoyo HR-530 with curved surface correction at my job that’s been used once in the last few years. My boss bought it without asking if we needed it and now I think the yearly calibration tech has used It more than us. Somehow there’s no budget for the equipment we do need, of course. That portable one would be really convenient.
The Craftsman set is 11 wrenches vs 14 for Icon. The missing Craftsman sizes are 11, 9 and 7mm. The Craftsman box ends are 6-point vs 12-point for the Icon. That Craftsman set is a good deal for the price.
@@Joe-bm4wx 7 is M4, I'd consider it pretty useful; 9 is special cases for M5 but not common (alternatively hammer if on a rounded M6), still useful. Now 11 is pretty useless.
The price difference is insane. Final score difference has Snap-On beating ICON by only 6% yet at a 500% price increase per wrench. Craftsman within 3% at a 700% price difference. Nice to see Craftsman making good stuff again
@@crherniman So much for lifetime warranty. I have SAE and Metric Craftsman USA hex sockets (about 25 yrs old) that held up tightening a 5th wheel hitch base where two tool-truck hex sockets snapped before reaching the required torque. I still have faith in my OLD (pre-overseas) Craftsman hand tools.
Just brilliant. Have nothing to use the information for as I rarely use wrenches, and as I live in Denmark, few if any of the brands are available here. However, still glued to the screen. You raised the bar for testing tools on youtube. Keep up the good work!!
Ya most countries seem to be lacking in certain tools just because the company that sells them doesnt ship to there. The US gets screwed on price for some really nice European tools, and much of the EU seems to get screwed on the bang for the buck/dirt cheap tools. Had a friend from the middle east that had to import all of his milwaukee stuff and if you think milwaukee is expensive, just you wait until your in a country where people make 1/4 as much and getting stuff shipped from the US cost as much as the tool. Do yall at least get your pd swiss, whia, wera, knipex, stuff for cheaper compared to the US since yall are relatively close?
Living in the Netherlands I have to say no we don’t get those cheaper, we pay more than the prices mentioned in most American review videos. I always thought how crazy that is.
New vacation idea. Come to the U.S., stop in at Harbor Freight or Lowes, and fly home with some nice tools. Maybe have a burger, pizza, and American Whiskey while you're here.
I have a 30 year old scar on my leg from a "professional" grade 19mm spanner that snapped whilst I was standing on it trying to undo a tow ball bolt. I learned three lessons that day. 1. Anybody can put the word "Professional" on tool packaging. If the shop also sells CDs and Pick'n'Mix, don't buy tools there. (Woolworths for older people from the UK) 2. Don't stand on any tool to get more force into it. They are called Hand Tools for a reason. 3. If a bolt doesn't move, think before you add more force. This one went into a threaded plate with a locknut on the other side. Once I figured that out, the locknut came undone with a normal sized ratchet using one hand, and then the main bolt came out easily too.
You should have used a pipe for extension. that would have saved you're leg and then it would have been too tight to unmount the lock nut with you hands :D
@@vihreelinja4743 I had a 1m pipe, but didn't have room to fit that on. Still, the spanner would have snapped at the same torque anyway. (less than 150Nm if I weighed 75kg, the spanner was horizontal and 20cm long. I just stood on it, no jumping or bouncing.)
Nice research and testing, and a big thank you. I’m an older guy, have a lifetime of tools from different places. I worked at snap-on, I’ve inherited tools of all different brands, and purchased from every available brand. So many good quality tools available last 5 years, for every budget. Best advice is to have decent set of tools of good quality. As you break them or wear them out, purchase the best you can find to replace a tool you have worn out. Of course if you make your living with tools, the tool Truck has full replacement warranty, and brings them to you. The guys I know who work on high precision things, use snap-on and I think it’s because of the tolerances, and specialty tools.
I am going to cry foul on this one... I have had tools from tool trucks break over the years and they are about 50/50 on both the warranty and bringing them to you.. both Mac and Snap-On have had one instance of not honoring the warranty (driver) and one instance where I had to go running around to find a truck since I could not send it in. I absolutely HATED trying to find a truck that would replace the tool when I was on a crunch to fix downed equipment and had to resort to some "less than optimal" methods. The last was SK and that was many years ago... I am only talking my own personal issues here and not the dozens of problems I have seen from others. Overall, I was able to take my Craftsman or Harbor Freight to ANY store immediately and walk out with the replacement. so that minor convenience is not worth several hundred dollars more.
Agreed. I only use them when I can’t get the box end on for clearance reasons. I even have Mac micro-turn box wrenches for short arc swings, but better grip.
@narcissistinjurygiver2932 If you're using the open end, it's a last resort, you don't have any other option. ...so what's the alternative? The fastner decides how much torque you need.
Ive been wrenching for 45 years and totally agree , although the occasional lower ball joint nut when the cv axle is fractions of an inch away and the outer tie rod jam nut come to mind.
My entire toolbox is made up of store brand tools from Lowes, Harbor Freight, Home Depot and Tractor Supply. I have friends who are Snap-on partisans who swear their tools are better. And I wouldn't exactly disagree, but they certainly aren't 5x better!
I've always been a Craftsman guy. Between what my grandfather owned, my first full set bought in 1987 and the set I bought two put in my truck to carry because you never know, I have only replaced one 1/4 drive ratchet and I literally walked into Sears, handed it to the clerk, signed a receipt and walked out. I have worked turning wrench, built cars, trucks, motorcycles and even my home with Craftsman tools and my son, as I did, became a Craftsman tool guy too. It's great to see testing like this for me , simply to validate what I have believed for years but, I have never been a "label junky" anyway. Born on a farm, raised working hard, I simply wanted tools as dependable as the problems lol, and I have never had any regrets. Thank you for the testing though. It's very interesting.
I still have most of the snap-on set I got in tech school in 1992. Never had a chrome socket break that did not deserve it. Usually reducer on a breaker bar or on an impact. The teeth in the older ratchets seem like they lasted forever. And then about 10 years ago or somewhere around there the replacement teeth didn't seem to hold up near as long and the ratchets after that honestly didn't seem that great but that was when the company was near the end which sucks. Still got the standard and metric sets. Never broke one. Had them doubled up to where I could see the first wrench bowing sideways though. The four common wrenches I used doing tie rods on alignments I did eventually buy some new ones cuz the jaw started getting stretched from wrench extenders. But since those original wrenches were well over 20 years old at the time I was not too disappointed. I did make it a point to hit swap meets and dig through the wrench buckets and find the maiden USA Craftsman to replace them.
I'm 100% with you always like Craftsman. I know SBD Craftsman isn't the same today, but still have all my Craftsman USA tools and they work for everything needed. ua-cam.com/video/X8m18o1i-qg/v-deo.html
I still have all the craftsman and snapon stuff I got in the 70s. Unfortunately the only two ratchets that failed were craftsman 1/2 inch. Unfortunate because they broke after the closing of the Sears stores. But hey, they lasted 30 plus years!
Here in Finland. craftsman is considered china quality and is one of the cheapest brands. Still they work just fine but tolerances are way out of spec on some of them.
@@alistairblaire6001 yea buddy got lucky and seen there first video and had to be one of the first to subscribe have told everyone I know about it and to prove others wrong that lie
My apologies, I should have had the manors to say thank you for putting so much money, work and research to be able to make these videos for all of us. THANK YOU!
@@dougrobinson8602 torque spec on a 19mm is never above 100 foot pounds. I assume all these wrenches with special jaws break the bolt head clean off , for any undamaged fastener that isn't a stealth bomber bolt at $2000 a piece.
Back in the day my grandpa swore by craftsman, said just as good as snap on but way cheap and back then if you broke a craftsman you could go into sears and get it replaced
The exact same wrenches from the exact same building made by the exact same people is available in another brand for cheaper. This is true of 100% of the ICON line.
Glad to see your commitment to testing things as fairly and consistently as possible within known standards. And I'm not sure why, but it made me feel good to see Craftsmen do well.
Thanks for producing an objective investigation rather than TikTok hype. Still looks to me as though Icon or the specific Craftsman are a pretty good buy for those of us who don't need to pay the exorbitant Snap-on price. I'd consider either of those for replacements if/when my vintage Craftsman wrenches give up the ghost. It would be interesting to see how the older "real" Craftsman wrenches would stack up against Pushy - how about it? Finally, a couple of safety straps around the pushing arm and wrench might just eliminate the flying wrench problem, although it wouldn't be quite as dramatic. Outstanding video!
I'm pretty sure part of the reason the icon vs snapon was a big topic was because of the parking lot sale that was known for a couple months before it started that had the icon anti slip wrenches for $69.99.
I haven't seen it, but have you ever measured if there's a permanent increase in the tolerance of the wrenches after they've been pushed to the limit like this?
Pushy is now the blue collar/hobbyist hero. As a former autotech with many thousands invested in Snap-on, Mac and the like; I can really appreciate real world testing.
Been using the icon wrenches for about a year and a half now daily as a truck mechanic. They grip like HELL on brass air line fittings and i think i paid maybe 400 after sale for the ¼in to 1¼ (and metric set). Could not be happier
@@Pippy1 I’ve had and used ICON wrenches and a few other things. True to what you said, the did the job. I sold mine to a younger tech who needed them and upgraded mine to the MAC knuckle savers, which I like a lot. I didn’t have a snappy guy at the time or I would have gone that way, but I’m happy. Especially for the price, ICON aren’t bad tools. My one gripe was that on some bolts the shoulder of the bolt will ruin the anti-slip texture on the inside of the box end. Other than that they’re pretty solid if you’re using the right tools for the job.
@@trevorsoderquist9110 ive learned over the years that mac tools are better than snap on, i was die hard snap on until i realized mac will warranty like 30% more thing than snappy. they have better pricing for the same or better quality tools, are partnered with dewalt, and sell a lot of other things than snap on. they tried to sell me their handheld air pump for like 600$ and it didnt even come with a battery or charger while i got a dewalt one in a set that came with 2 batteries, a charger, a drill and impact for 350 from mac, no wuestions asked warranty on every single too i get on the truck no matter the brand, if igot it there, hell warranty it for me.
You consider testing the box end side of the wrench with this setup to see how they fare? Really surprised with the Craftsman result. I thought their quality would be sub-par. Great video. Keep 'em coming.
Box ends are all more than capable to destroy things, even on low end brands there's so much engagement. It's only on rounded hardware they start to do poorly, but no real standard to testing precisely rounded or rusted hardware the same each time.
I'm quite surprised as well. I swore off Craftsman once Sears sold them off to Black & Decker. I had to warranty a 3/8" ratchet (3) times because they saved costs by outsourcing to China. (The last warranty I finally convinced them to swap me from a 75t made-in-China to an 82t made-in-Taiwan, and it hasn't broken for several years.) Still not buying, especially since I already have a full set of Icon wrenches in standard and metric (including the "extended" sizes they sell as a separate "expansion" set), but it is interesting that Black & Decker, a brand not known for quality by any stretch of the imagination, is actually stepping it up again. They haven't been good since the 90's, so things might be getting interesting in the tool world again.
@@TorqueTestChannel please add to the test the measurements of the jaws after the test to see how far out the jaws are after slips instead of just original measurements
@@davisev5225 The gunmetal chrome finish they came out with a bit ago seems like a bit of a step up. It might be tools with that finish are just a bit better. I’ve got a gunmetal 3/8 ratchet I use at work all the time that’s served me well.
Great testing. My dad machined socket sets for Stanley, Proto, and Ingersoll Rand all at the same time with the same bar stock on the same machine. The only difference was the surface finish that justified the consumer price difference.
Great job guys...i think you just sold some crafstman wrenches....It's no surprise they did so well.I personally am a fan of the carlyle wrenches and the Wrightgrip.I use wright for most but I bought the 3 smallest sae and metric from Carlyle that I use on the small stuff.As a sidenote...You have to buy the long pattern carlyle to get the non slip wrenches..
20 years ago I was in TX and needed a cheap set of wrenches to fix something on my car. Went to HFT and spent $4 for a set of the cheap Pittsburgh wrenches. I'm still using them 20 years later. I've beat the crap out of them, using pipes to extend them, hammers, etc. I never thought they would hold up, but they have and still work fine.
Glad to see some real data on this, even if that doesn't settle it for some people. The thing about this is that the only time I really want to use the open end to break loose or tighten something is on things like tie rod jam nuts, and neither the Icon anti-slip or Craftsman OD even come in those larger sizes like 21, 22, 24, 27. All their wrenches above 19mm have standard jaws. That's why I bought Wright Grips in those sizes, and that is thanks to your previous combo wrench testing.
Another great test video. For the home person the ICON or something similar is all anyone needs. I see both sides to the argument as far as people that use them professionally. I say buy what you think will be best for you and ignore the noise.
@@DrewskisBrews the minute they did that, they’d lose their biggest price advantage. Running tools to techs is a big part of why tool truck tools cost so much. On top of that. If they want each truck to run as a franchise like would be the realistic model, they just lost their entire price advantage. They’re basically a Matco or Cornwell truck at that point. A tool truck selling Taiwanese steel.
You don't get it. Do you think mechanics don't realize HF is cheaper than SnapOn? The convenience of having a guy show up in a truck with a generous replacement policy on every tool that you could ever need is the whole point of truck tools. What mechanic wants to go to HF after a 12 hour shift and argue with a teenager to get his broken ratchet replaced? IKON offers a fraction of the tools that SnapON/Mac/Matco etc. carry. You can't even buy an individual IKON wrench if you lose your 10mm wrench, they're only sold in sets. How competitive is HF going to be if they have to pay for trucks and offer all the same services as the tool trucks? This isn't a new situation. The Craftsmen line at a Sears store used to offer a lot more selection than IKON with US made tools that were almost as good as tool truck stuff. When you account for inflation their prices were basically the same or cheaper than modern IKON.
Great video! It brings back memories of the good ol' days with the Sears/Craftsman warranty. I was a loyal fan of the brand, but like all good things, it eventually had to come to an end.
When I first started in the automotive industry, I could not afford to buy expensive tools. One day after busting my knuckle when my wrench slipped I threw the wrench out the shop door and across the parking lot. I looked up and there was a Snap-On tool dealer with a big smile on his face. I looked at me and said he could help me with that. I spent the money and got a good set that did save many of my knuckles. I have been retired for a few years now, but I have not had to replace a single Snap-ON wrench.
Torque Test Channel.. I am so glad you did this test. I'm tired of people getting so butt hurt over their tool brand losing when I say anything about Snap-on or Icon. I explained the Snap-on nylon nut test was to show their flank drive plus wrench grips better than a regular wrench. OMG people thought I said the test was valid then but not valid now and they called me a Snap-on fanboy for defending them and a lot of other BS. I was defending any of them, just stating what the test was originally for. People really need to keep their mouth shut and stop with the name calling like little children and maybe learn how to read and comprehend what they are reading.
20:02 I would like to see the channel lock brand of the non slip wrench tested. Again similar to the icon , craftsman , but thinner. I've used them for over a year also with fairly good Results and they are very budget friendly. They would be the black set. I got mine on Amazon.
Great video. I use wrenches every day as a diesel mechanic. I use mostly Craftsman wrenches and never have a problem with them other than they are a little bit wide for some tight spots. All my ratchets are snap on but all of my sockets and extensions are craftsman. In my opinion it comes down to what you are willing to pay for and what wears out the most. I have worn out some of my ratchets heads that I use alot and its easy to just get the head rebuilt on the tool truck and be done with it for another 2 years. As for my craftsman tools I have only ever broken maybe one or 2 chrome sockets when I was improperly using them on a impact. Never while actually using them as intended. If you treat your tools right they will make you money every day.
Totally fun to watch. Thanks! When I was a daily wrencher, I was a Snapon/Mac guy. Today, 'not so much'. Most modern name-brand tools can do the trick well enough to get by with. You just have to do your homework to find out which ones are the best of the tier-2 brands, and which have the best warranty. The thing about Snapon that soured me is they no longer honor their warranty on tools purchased 2nd hand. So unless you BUY NEW, you're SOL with Snapon. But what does it matter to them? They control the world market in mechanic's tools and diagnostics devices!
I don’t know why but it made me happy good old Craftsman did so well 😊 Pushy was the real star of the show. Now I have to come up a with a new pet name for my wife 😜
It might be interesting to see a secondary test. After the wrench has been used to then see how it's tolerances are and how well it holds up. This would kind of be like a lifespan equivalent... kind of.
Agreed, we had planned on sort of delving into that. But check the pinned comment, releasing most of these from their hex death grip really buggered them up.
@@TorqueTestChannel I did read that after I commented and that 100% makes. I guess maybe just a few dozen tests up to 100% then release and then do a final test?
I’m just a guy who does all his own work on his car. (Except transmission rebuild and alignment) I love my Icon tools, haven’t snapped one or stripped one yet, fingers crossed. I also have a ton of other brands including Snap On, Gearwrench, Olsa, ect. I think I may even have a set of Pittsburgh sockets somewhere.
@@jamesfarmer1523 honestly I love my precision torque wrenches I bought them off a coworker when he upgraded to the rbrt set I got the 6-19mm set, the 20-24mm set, and the 26,28,30,32mm sets for 400 total. I have however been extremely tempted to get the RBRT 6-19mm set but I can't justify spending as much as I paid for my 3 sets for a single set. Plus I just spent snap on money on the reversible ratcheting wrenches to replace my cheap pittsburgs that I keep breaking.
This video (and all the others) continue to solidify my purchase of those icon wrenches (especially since I got them on sale last week for $99). But more importantly it shows how competitive (or maybe how much rebranding is going on) that tools have become with today’s technology. Never would’ve guessed a Craftsman product performing so well. And with Harbor Freight and Lowe’s lifetime warranty, the average customer is getting within single digit % performance of tool truck brands. It’s a great time to be a tool owner and thank you to TTC for the awesome research based comparison videos!
@@narcissistinjurygiver2932their ratchets confuse me. The quality control on them sucks for some of the models (its not uncommon for the 3/8 roto head to come with zero lube inside) but they are desinged in a very robust way. I wont about my 1/4 roto head chipping a tooth because its a good design, but it leads to a decent about of back drag. Meanwhile, i have a Pittsburgh (maybe pro im not sure) 3/8, 1/4 2 in 1 extendable ratchet and that thing has a stupid low amount of back drag but it just feels like the teeth are ready to fold over. But they are all really good in their own way and the fact that they are repairable and not just sealed heads is amazing. I have my tiny gripes with them, but the only one that matters is the fact that they are inconsistent as hell. If you get any ratchet in any way you have no idea quiet what you are getting. Some are weak but smooth, some are somewhat smooth but strong. Hell you can get the same ratchet just increased in size and itll go from great to garbage. My only advice is to steer clear of the super cheap ratchets, and avoid quinn unless it's the standard 90 tooth that comes in a set, the quick release ones are TERRIBLE.
I have wrenches from all of these brands, and I have trouble finding any difference between my Snap-On and Icon wrenches. I love the quality of both, although Icon does treat my wallet better.
There are techs that spend a lot of time under the hood and would prefer a thinner wrench for working in tight places and sometimes that’s all that’s needed which is why some own SnapOn. When I was wrenching I had a couple of extra longs that were outside a set for just those type of cases. Everyone has their opinions
I use the Kobalt set for exactly that reason. It performed well while being very thin. It fits everywhere except on a Toyota brake bolt that it would fit perfectly precisely on if it weren't so rusted. I had to break out the Pittsburgh because they're comically thin.
Wrench thickness being a huge consideration in the auto repair industry, puts the Snap-on wrenches far above the competition. In my opinion; wrench thickness should carry heavy weight in this sort of competition.
I just keep a set of tappet wrenches on hand for if I need extra thin, which admittedly is not terribly often. But I'm not making a living off of them either. I was a big fan of Craftsman before Sears finally started going off the rails, but after the sale to StanleyBlack&Decker and the discontinuation of the 19.2V batteries for the Ryobi-sourced power tools I basically stopped caring. If they happen to have a tool line that is an above average performer due to being made on the same line as a higher-end offering then I may buy if I have a need, but I'm not going to have brand-loyalty to them after the power tool battery debacle.
Snap-on is soooo over priced by at least 4x that snap-on has lost the competition before it started! Here's a comparison : ICON Professional Metric Combination Wrench Set, 14 Piece .....Harbor Freight Icon brand - $119.99, 13 pc 6-Point Metric Flank Drive® Combination Wrench Set (7-19 mm).....Snap-On brand - $600.75 and Snap-On set has 1 less wrench to boot! Thats a difference of $480.76... I declare Icon the undisputed winner over Snap-Off!
I'm a truck mechanic with 50yrs in the business & most of my after hours are spent on race cars so I've swung on more wrenches than most people but I never swing that hard on an open end wrench, it will hurt you. I don't have any Snap-on or other smooth wrenches because they're slippery in your hand when wet or oily which is most of the time on trucks.
I feel like cost has to be factored, possibly warranty as well. If I can buy 7x of one wrench and that wrench wins on 2/3 torque categories.... I don't see how Snap-on is on top.... when adjusted for pricing with not a heavy pricing factor the best Snap-on should do is second...... but this is just one man's rambling opinion..
Ah no. Let me educate you. The price for a snap on tool is expensive because of the extensive R@D they did for years. It’s made with American steel. Made by Americans who get paid higher wages than the kids in China and Taiwan. HF just copies what SnapOn does. Of course it’s cheaper but also very wrong
I think points per dollar or something similar might not be the *best* reference comparison, but it feels like it's in the direction one should look. Doing some quick math, if we toss out the Pittsburgh set, the Craftsman actually still scores best in Points / $ if you calculate it both with the set price or the per-piece price (in fact, Craftsman's Points/$ in both cases is greater than the Snap-On and Icon values added together). (EDIT: This is of course with the Icons at list price. If you got them at say, $70 as per the recent sale, they just edge out Craftsman)
As a Dealer mechanic one reason "we" are willing to pay big bucks for some of our tools is because of service convenience, Tool trucks come to us weekly and replace our tools no questions asked, Many times with free upgraded tools, I don't have time to constantly hunt down replacement tools after work, standing in line to argue that it it's under warranty, Also I've had tools that have been replaced/warrantied 5 times or more because they are worked so hard each day.
On the flip side if something breaks I can swing by and grab another on my way home. Multiple brick and mortar locations. I've never had any questions asked on HF warranty. I own plenty of snap on but if I need a warranty I'll have to wait until he shows up.
@@bradm1998 Most of my inconvenience in driving to stores and getting a tool replaced under warrantee (if in stock) was Sears, but No I still dont have time to drive to HF and miss my kids baseball game and dinner.
Pittsburgh tools are excellent for the basic homeowner and do it youselfer. I work in a machine shop and find that Icon is a great tool, add lifetime warranty so I just go to my local Harbor Freight and do an exchange. I have my tool set for over three years and beat the hell out of it with no returns needed, yet!
Both brands have their uses. Snap on is when your work pays for your tools. Harbor Freight is when YOU pay for your tools. Harbor Freight is also when you have to loan a tool to your neighbor with the assumption you do not know when you will see it again.
13:44 I work in component and component systems testing, often destructive, and one thing you learn _quickly_ when working with torsional testing equipment is not to take a chance with shrapnel. You are storing a huge amount of potential energy via elastic deformation in the test sample, and it is often released all at once when a brittle failure occurs. I have personally put pieces of transmission main shafts through walls and into the ceiling, and caught more than one multiple pound shaft in an operator safety guard during ultimate strength testing. Definitely buy a kevlar blanket or thick plexi safety shield (you're recording video after all so you need a clear view, I only record data) and use it, even one accident avoided is worth the cost and hassle!
As a non-professional, I love the harbor freight icon line. The quality is really good and the price is very reasonable for such quality. If I worked full time as a mechanic by trade, I would 100% use snap on. But for me, the guy who just works on his own car when it needs a repair and maybe a friend's car occasionally, snap on just doesn't make any sense for the extra money it costs.
Question remains how many times wrenches can take the beating of 200nm before jaws widen out or snap.This is all good but its just one time monster torque - thats the thing that will show you how durable wrench is.
The cope & seethe of Snappy cheerleaders that spend $1000 on a set of wrenches is Biblical. There is zero justification to pay the *insane* prices they ask.
@innoc3ntbystndr Their warranty service is awful, I've had both tool trucks and corporate deny to R&R. Meanwhile Hobofreight will have it swapped out in 5 minutes. Tekton will have your replacement shipped to your shop in 2 days.
@@COBRO98 , aircraft maintenance tech here. Personally, I didn’t have any problems with replacements. Our tool truck guy has amazing customer service, probably the reason why he’s still in business for almost 25 years now.
@@CPthetooladdict Good thing I'm not a "fanboi" of any brand, simply a smart mechanic. Imagine paying 600% more for effectively the same tools. Suckers are born every day.
As a heavy diesel mechanic. Buy what you can afford when you can afford it. I have expensive and cheap box store wrenches and sockets because. I belt on them with hammers etc. and no matter how good they still get stretched etc.
5:33 there's a typo, 140% becomes 125%, should be 140. Also ICON's 86 points for tolerance eventually copied SO's 89, live rankings have been corrected to 555 total.
*Why is the video 20mins?* Episodes with a new dyno include the build and how it works, for future questions about it, and because this isn't TikTok
*We didn't measure jaw spread because* you have to do it with the hex removed for it to be equal for each tool, some took massive amounts of hammering or a press to remove which opened the jaws even wider to budge it free, and even a couple are still to this day stuck.
I noticed, as im sure a lot of other did also. Its not worth correcting as most people are more concerned with the test results so a typo in the backstory isnt that big a deal. Good of you to point it out though. On another note. Are you going to make those stuck on hex wrenches available as trophies in the merch store? Make a good valentines day gift for the SO. "Im stuck on you babe" kinda thing.
Don't care. I love pushy.
So is it still 140%?
Just build a reverse Pushy to unstuck them. 🤣
Based on these tests and others that I have seen I'm sold on Icon. If Snap On were about 10% to 20% more expensive, then I would pay the extra price for Snap On. But those things are about 5 times more expensive. That's just too big of a difference considering it really didn't beat Icon by that much.
I do wonder if you could bring a pair of calipers and go through several sets of Icon wrenches and measure the open end and cherry pick the ones with the lowest clearance, and basically put together a custom master set. Assuming there are some variances in the wrenches. I think the slight difference in clearance accounts for the majority of the higher scores on the Snap On wrenches.
I bet Snap On never thought they'd be fending off Harbor Freight.
Harbor Freight is really stepping up their quality. I think theyve realized that the vacuum that was left from Sears going bankrupt was never actually filled, and theyre in the perfect place to fill it. Providing a range of tool quality at a range of consumer/diy to mid level professional grade tools at corresponding price points. Gearwrench did the same thing, and got a bit big for their boots if you ask me, but I always joke with my coworkers that if HF started running a tool truck, theyd run snap on off.
😂 they’re not. Hobo freight doesn’t make tools everything is rebranded. They literally just showed the rebrand options.
@@ericmorales3146 you think snap on, matco, and mac dont rebrand their tools?
@@ericmorales3146they’re still performing (or even out performing) higher priced brands which is what really matters. Don’t care what color the box is that my tools came in, just make sure the bastards work.
@@ericmorales3146same thing with snap on. They contract everything out of Taiwan
Not super surprised that Icon was within spitting distance of Snap On.
The real story here is that TTC has a bright future as a tool dyno manufacturer if they ever choose to persue it.
Crazy close, for 1/6th the cost.
I think they already do some
@@racinglightning01 SN = $500, Icon = $130. Closer to 1/4 the cost, not 1/6?
It is 1/6th the price, or better, if you factor in coupons and sales. That's why I love Harbor Freight.
@@reaperreaper5098 this happens about every 20 years where a cheap brand comes in and take old patents of snap Mac co etc ... And make them and this forces snap Mac co etc... to up the game for another 20 years and if your older than 30 you should remember when craftsmen was king of all that's when snap on come out with new tools that have took others this long to catch them but believe me when I say snap on has new tools but waited for this moment to start producing them and will have a leap in technology which will take another 20 years for others to catch up
The fact you built your own machine really shows the passion and lack of bs on this channel. Doing good things!
Does it? I work in trade, haven’t had many of the same results. In fact exact opposite. Just saying. Screw snap on though, with that said, regardless of the outcome here.
If Snap On didn't charge $700 for a set of wrenches nobody would have ever figured this out.
A majority of Mechanics figured it out
Nvr even heard of icon brand wtf
It's actually hilarious how much they charge. I'm an ex CNC operator for them I can tell you one employee cranked out thousands of wrenches in one 8 hour shift. Theyve taken advantage of their "premium" status for decades and the markup is sickening.
@@MaxisBallinonaBudget exactly they built their reputation as the best, but without any competition that would save you money. Now that there is competition in quality at an extremely lower price they better wake up. I own snap on tools and love them, but I picked up the icon wrenches on sale for $70 a set and don't think anything will be able to beat that value.
@@MaxisBallinonaBudget The power of marketing and legacy reputation... I'm European, as a rule I dont know of any American tool brand, but I know Snap-On because a friggin' *novelist* I read some 40 years ago had to mention them in glowing terms as a plane pilot and mechanic. In the middle of his novel! You simply cant beat that kind of branding. (The novel was Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach, 1977). Was he paid for it? Heavens, he might have been!
Thank you for not testing the Mac, I’ve only just treated myself to a set and am happy being under the assumption they are the best around 🤫
Ignorance is bliss
He basically did test the rbrt by testing the craftsman overdrive.
Look on the bright side. If you need a spare, go to Lowe’s :)
@@6atlantisno I choose to believe the Mac woulx perform better to justify the cost of the extra two groves on the wrench 🔧 😉
@@OneManAndHisThoughts I knew there were some differences that’s why I said basically, so I don’t get attacked in the comments lol. Good wrenches for sure.
I'm actually super happy with my Milwaukee combination wrenches: and the video that compares it to other wrenches on a hydraulic press.
The fact you guys built your own rig is so damn cool. Not letting the fact that no one manufactures something you really want anymore get in your way of owning it is inspiring
This is the way Americans used to be. This is the mentality we need to get back to. Home made, not store bought. Metal not plastic.
When the icon snapped, my knuckels instantly hurt for no reason and i swear i felt blood😂
I love how it's a universal pain😂
LOL!! Mine too!
We've all been there... and always on what was supposed to be a 5 min job...
Though if you're pushing a combination wrench hard enough to break like that those poor gorilla hands will be wrapped in a cast instead of gauze.
knuckles
If you're strong enough to break that wrench like that, then you need to quit your day job and try out for the world's strongest man.😂
The real winners are the people that can afford the tools they need, and I for one see the Icon as one of the best starter tools and just a main tool to keep
Never felt paying huge for tools (snap on) was worth it.
Tried a few different brand but my pre China Craftsman stuff works just fine.
Have a few other brand that were decent come/go over the years but im not working on spaceships either.
Even as a Snap-On owner (Icon wasn’t an option when I started my tool journey) I completely agree with this. I switched to Snap-On because I started with Husky tools which were pretty awful in comparison. If I’d had Icon, I don’t know that I would’ve switched. That said, the less-than-perfect-scenario performance might’ve pushed me over the edge - my field was boats and rust was a major factor.
@@gordocarbo My first set was a Craftsman X piece set I got for Christmas in the 90s. It was pretty great, and still have some of it. Craftsman's stuff now is garbage in comparison.
I used to use cheaper tools as a road service forklift mech, as it's less of a hit if they get lost or stolen. Some of the store bought brands are better than others.
As a present to myself, I have one snap on flex ratchet and Snap on set of ratchet wrenches for home/shop.
The ratchet wrenches are significantly better than Craftsman (even the older ones,) kobalt, husky, gear wrench etc. The mechanisms are tighter tolerance and harder internals.
I've broken all of the brands mentioned except the snapon ones. I thought I broke one, but all it needed was an oil bath to loosen it up.
I could be mistaken but I thought he said Craftsman was cheaper and better then Icon.
I started on old Made in USA Craftsman and never needed the Gucci tools. Just bought a set of new Craftsman 120 piece at Lowes in Gunmetal and they are pretty decent for the money. Have a set of Pittsburg that work on the small stuff but you get what you pay for. No complaints because I knew what I was getting.
It used to be as a “regular guy” you’d buy Craftsman. My Dad and Granddad swore by them. Now? I buy HF tools. Icon when I want to splurge, Quinn or even Pittsburgh if I want to save a few bucks. If I was wrenching for a living I’d probably make different choices, but considering the performance I need as a weekend mechanic, they do just fine.
I bought a 1/2 to 3/8 adapter at HF because I needed a socket that could fit in a tight space while using a breaker bar. I snapped the head off the adapter and HF happily handed me a new adapter from a box and probably threw the incomplete set in the clearance section. No questions, no receipts.
My 25 year old made in the USA Husky 15mm chrome socket that I put on a breaker bar that split, I took back to home depot ended up being a half hour+ ordeal. With me having to quote terms and conditions on their own website that these sockets had a lifetime warranty and also explaining why I didn't have the receipt from 25 years ago (not that a thermal receipt lasts anyway, they all turn dark and unreadable). They finally came up with the idea that they had to literally "sell" me a Husky socket set, give me the made in China 15mm Husky socket and then "refund" me. (No money changed hands but they had to generate a receipt). Then they stuck the split socket in the set, and tossed it in their return / defective bin.
Craftsman used to be solid tools until like 20 years ago. Now they’re all made from Chineseium
@@joshuajasinski7773 This particular set tested here seem pretty nice..
This is exactly why you guys are by far the most important and best tool channel on UA-cam. No hokey bullshit, no bonus for what you like and don’t like. Actual professional quality data collection. Every time our shop gets a new guy I get their phone number and send them a link to your channel. You’ve saved several young men in my shop alone hundreds of dollars each, and you’ve also dispelled myths and proven theories. Thank you guys for what you do. I’ve been subbed from the very start, and I can’t see any reason not to take your testing as probable facts. You’re doing God’s work here fellas, keep it up
They have done so much to help dispel FUD Lore (fear, uncertainty, doubt/deceit) and all sorts of myths and rumors that have persisted for decades (or longer) it's not funny. Extremely grateful they are doing what they do.
Way to look out for those starting out! Don't go into debt buying tools! I have told that to a hundred guys over the last 30 years. Buy as good as you can afford.
Project Farm
@@clifton4566 +1 for Project Farm. Been watching him for probably at least 5 years. Also very good and worth a watch to anyone who is a DIY'er
@@clifton4566 was going to say the same thing
Let's hear it for Pushy!
Pushy needs his own shirt...Ohhh maybe a pushy plushie?
ua-cam.com/video/vCadcBR95oU/v-deo.html
Hear...
Let’s hear it for failed grammar!
Lfg
In another life I was a turbine engine mechanic, 4 yrs USAF, 22 yrs production assy., R&O, and test lab at Honeywell. My Craftsman, S-K and Proto tools did 95-98 percent of what needed done ... but for that other 2-5%, I'd buy the Snap-On TOOL (NEVER a set), because dimensionally, it just fit into the surrounding area. This was usually an issue with sockets, but also occasionally with combo wrenches or ratcheting box wrenches. (And we always had to fabricate the occasional custom torque extension in those applications, as well.) I knew a small handful of guys who exclusively used Snap-On ... but most of us had families to feed!
My uncle probably sold you them Snap ons or one of his boys if you were near the OK distro area
@@embersaffron5522 Nope ... AlliedSIgnal Aerospace at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. 🙂
That's what I've seen in the boxes of a LOT of mechanics that didn't drink the truck tool Kool Aid from a young age. Their "bread and butter" tools are an affordable brand, filled in with SO/MAC/Matco for some demanding job.
One summer I worked in a shop, the guys who had a box full of truck brand tools were always trying to find ways to be scarce when the tool truck guys came by. Some of them were regularly working OT just to pay the tool guy.
I had a 1&1/8 inch combo Snao-On black industrial finish wrench because it would fit where a regular Craftsman wrench wouldn’t. Are the industrial finish wrenches still available? For a while they even had several different colors available. Nice to see some good quality Craftsman wrenches reappearing. Hope they are made in the USA or at least a free country. Take care.
This channel does not disappoint!! Been watching for a couple years and your quality and rigor keeps increasing. Mad respect that you got the ASME standard, built that test rig, then made more practical tests. This is my favorite tool testing channel by far. Not to mention the range of tools you test.
Perfectly said!!
Appeal to reason?! How dare you. That is not what social media is for
Haha, I thought much the same. /hat tip
If he keeps this up, he's going to find himself appealing to a reason to be appealing to reason...
I'm not even in the market for new tools, but God dang I just appreciate how much you care about CONSISTENT testing.
Hat tip to both Icon and Craftsman - that's a lot of bang for the buck!
Indeed
Just wish craftsman was made in US. Still
If you say so. The thought of spending over $100 (honestly over $20) on a set of wrenches at HF makes me nauseous 🤢. Why wouldn’t you spend that money on a used set of Snap On instead? If ICON was so incredible, why do they try so hard to look like a Snap On? They even copy the font.
@@andrewnajarian5994 marketing my friend
I picked up those Overdrive wrenches just before Thanksgiving last year from Lowe’s. LOVE them!
Had 2 Craftsmen Ratchets blow out. Sent in pics to their customer service asking if I could purchase rebuild kits. They sent me 2 new wrenches, which were upgrades to what I had. This company went above and beyond and has for many years.
Is it weird that I'm completely and totally jealous of your hardness tester? I looked it up and from what I read it's ultrasonic and it can do thin metal down to 1mm thick AND non-flat shapes. Sounds perfect for the knife nerds and all kinds of applications the traditional ones don't work on. WOW. I sure hope not. What do you think of it? -- Also, please keep up the incredible work. Not only is your testing really great, you also have a true knack for presenting information that would normally be dry, boring and sometimes confusing in an interesting and understandable way. (edited to clarify they were talking about metal thickness)
Hey thanks! It's a chunck of change but great for imperfect and round surfaces, I dunno about that 1mm though. As things get very small it can start acting all over the place. Maybe different newton force push down probes do better on small.
@@TorqueTestChannel I just realized I wasn't clear, they were talking thickness there (other testers need more thickness or they read low because of how the metal deformation works). Anyway I believe it's a challenge when the piece being tested gets small in any dimension. For what it's worth they mentioned using a special stand (or something like that) for thin & sheet metal. Now if I just could find the purchase price in the couch cushions I'd be thrilled ... or more likely get a job at work that requires us to buy one.
@@thoughtstream9591 Meanwhile, there’s a Mitutoyo HR-530 with curved surface correction at my job that’s been used once in the last few years. My boss bought it without asking if we needed it and now I think the yearly calibration tech has used It more than us. Somehow there’s no budget for the equipment we do need, of course. That portable one would be really convenient.
The Craftsman set is 11 wrenches vs 14 for Icon. The missing Craftsman sizes are 11, 9 and 7mm. The Craftsman box ends are 6-point vs 12-point for the Icon.
That Craftsman set is a good deal for the price.
TBF, 7, 9, and 11 are useless sizes.
@@Joe-bm4wx 7 is M4, I'd consider it pretty useful; 9 is special cases for M5 but not common (alternatively hammer if on a rounded M6), still useful. Now 11 is pretty useless.
11mm can work as a replacement for 7/16"
@@Joe-bm4wx That's true. The shiniest wrenches in my toolbox are those sizes too lmao. I normally hate skipped sets, but this one is fair.
@@610jrod Its a little tight for most 7/16" but yes.
People who buy Snap-on always seem to let you know they buy Snap-on. Great video as always guys.
The price difference is insane. Final score difference has Snap-On beating ICON by only 6% yet at a 500% price increase per wrench. Craftsman within 3% at a 700% price difference.
Nice to see Craftsman making good stuff again
At least their wrenches are good. I recently bought some craftsman hex socket bits. Snapped 2 on the first use. They wouldn't take them back either.
@@crherniman Pick up the ICON Hex bit set. They're near indestructible and only $45 but frequently can be found on sale for $30.
@@bigd7481 Thank you for the tip! I need them soon too. You can't imagine how frustrated I was with those bits.
@@crherniman HF has their labor day sale going until the 2nd and you can get 10% off or 20% off if you're an an inside track member.
@@crherniman So much for lifetime warranty. I have SAE and Metric Craftsman USA hex sockets (about 25 yrs old) that held up tightening a 5th wheel hitch base where two tool-truck hex sockets snapped before reaching the required torque. I still have faith in my OLD (pre-overseas) Craftsman hand tools.
Just brilliant. Have nothing to use the information for as I rarely use wrenches, and as I live in Denmark, few if any of the brands are available here. However, still glued to the screen. You raised the bar for testing tools on youtube. Keep up the good work!!
Ya most countries seem to be lacking in certain tools just because the company that sells them doesnt ship to there. The US gets screwed on price for some really nice European tools, and much of the EU seems to get screwed on the bang for the buck/dirt cheap tools.
Had a friend from the middle east that had to import all of his milwaukee stuff and if you think milwaukee is expensive, just you wait until your in a country where people make 1/4 as much and getting stuff shipped from the US cost as much as the tool.
Do yall at least get your pd swiss, whia, wera, knipex, stuff for cheaper compared to the US since yall are relatively close?
Living in the Netherlands I have to say no we don’t get those cheaper, we pay more than the prices mentioned in most American review videos.
I always thought how crazy that is.
@@littlejack59 for EU you can get cheap not bad quality brands, e.g Neo. Of course, there is Hazet, Beta, Gedore, Wiha, for the higher quality ones.
@@jackrules1726 US prices do not include VAT (they are not final prices), so 21% extra just being in the NL. Still, they are likely cheaper overall.
New vacation idea. Come to the U.S., stop in at Harbor Freight or Lowes, and fly home with some nice tools. Maybe have a burger, pizza, and American Whiskey while you're here.
I have a 30 year old scar on my leg from a "professional" grade 19mm spanner that snapped whilst I was standing on it trying to undo a tow ball bolt.
I learned three lessons that day.
1. Anybody can put the word "Professional" on tool packaging. If the shop also sells CDs and Pick'n'Mix, don't buy tools there. (Woolworths for older people from the UK)
2. Don't stand on any tool to get more force into it. They are called Hand Tools for a reason.
3. If a bolt doesn't move, think before you add more force. This one went into a threaded plate with a locknut on the other side. Once I figured that out, the locknut came undone with a normal sized ratchet using one hand, and then the main bolt came out easily too.
You should have used a pipe for extension. that would have saved you're leg and then it would have been too tight to unmount the lock nut with you hands :D
@@vihreelinja4743 I had a 1m pipe, but didn't have room to fit that on. Still, the spanner would have snapped at the same torque anyway.
(less than 150Nm if I weighed 75kg, the spanner was horizontal and 20cm long. I just stood on it, no jumping or bouncing.)
If it wasn't this instance that injured you to realize the tool is not at fault, then it would've been something else.
Nice research and testing, and a big thank you.
I’m an older guy, have a lifetime of tools from different places. I worked at snap-on, I’ve inherited tools of all different brands, and purchased from every available brand.
So many good quality tools available last 5 years, for every budget.
Best advice is to have decent set of tools of good quality. As you break them or wear them out, purchase the best you can find to replace a tool you have worn out.
Of course if you make your living with tools, the tool Truck has full replacement warranty, and brings them to you.
The guys I know who work on high precision things, use snap-on and I think it’s because of the tolerances, and specialty tools.
I am going to cry foul on this one... I have had tools from tool trucks break over the years and they are about 50/50 on both the warranty and bringing them to you.. both Mac and Snap-On have had one instance of not honoring the warranty (driver) and one instance where I had to go running around to find a truck since I could not send it in. I absolutely HATED trying to find a truck that would replace the tool when I was on a crunch to fix downed equipment and had to resort to some "less than optimal" methods. The last was SK and that was many years ago... I am only talking my own personal issues here and not the dozens of problems I have seen from others. Overall, I was able to take my Craftsman or Harbor Freight to ANY store immediately and walk out with the replacement. so that minor convenience is not worth several hundred dollars more.
As a technician of 15 years im here to say i rarely use the open end of a wrench
But when you have to, it really does matter
Agreed. I only use them when I can’t get the box end on for clearance reasons. I even have Mac micro-turn box wrenches for short arc swings, but better grip.
@narcissistinjurygiver2932
If you're using the open end, it's a last resort, you don't have any other option.
...so what's the alternative? The fastner decides how much torque you need.
Ive been wrenching for 45 years and totally agree , although the occasional lower ball joint nut when the cv axle is fractions of an inch away and the outer tie rod jam nut come to mind.
Maybe you don't work on hydraulics, gearbox or pto. Plenty of opportunity to need many options of open end wrench.
My entire toolbox is made up of store brand tools from Lowes, Harbor Freight, Home Depot and Tractor Supply. I have friends who are Snap-on partisans who swear their tools are better. And I wouldn't exactly disagree, but they certainly aren't 5x better!
I've always been a Craftsman guy. Between what my grandfather owned, my first full set bought in 1987 and the set I bought two put in my truck to carry because you never know, I have only replaced one 1/4 drive ratchet and I literally walked into Sears, handed it to the clerk, signed a receipt and walked out. I have worked turning wrench, built cars, trucks, motorcycles and even my home with Craftsman tools and my son, as I did, became a Craftsman tool guy too. It's great to see testing like this for me , simply to validate what I have believed for years but, I have never been a "label junky" anyway. Born on a farm, raised working hard, I simply wanted tools as dependable as the problems lol, and I have never had any regrets. Thank you for the testing though. It's very interesting.
I still have most of the snap-on set I got in tech school in 1992. Never had a chrome socket break that did not deserve it. Usually reducer on a breaker bar or on an impact. The teeth in the older ratchets seem like they lasted forever. And then about 10 years ago or somewhere around there the replacement teeth didn't seem to hold up near as long and the ratchets after that honestly didn't seem that great but that was when the company was near the end which sucks.
Still got the standard and metric sets. Never broke one. Had them doubled up to where I could see the first wrench bowing sideways though. The four common wrenches I used doing tie rods on alignments I did eventually buy some new ones cuz the jaw started getting stretched from wrench extenders. But since those original wrenches were well over 20 years old at the time I was not too disappointed. I did make it a point to hit swap meets and dig through the wrench buckets and find the maiden USA Craftsman to replace them.
I'm 100% with you always like Craftsman. I know SBD Craftsman isn't the same today, but still have all my Craftsman USA tools and they work for everything needed. ua-cam.com/video/X8m18o1i-qg/v-deo.html
I still have all the craftsman and snapon stuff I got in the 70s. Unfortunately the only two ratchets that failed were craftsman 1/2 inch. Unfortunate because they broke after the closing of the Sears stores. But hey, they lasted 30 plus years!
Here in Finland. craftsman is considered china quality and is one of the cheapest brands. Still they work just fine but tolerances are way out of spec on some of them.
@@vihreelinja4743 They're like that in the states too nowadays. After about the nineties or so they started being made to china specs.
Don’t know how this channel slipped under my radar. You guys do some impressive work.
nice
@@alistairblaire6001 yea buddy got lucky and seen there first video and had to be one of the first to subscribe have told everyone I know about it and to prove others wrong that lie
My apologies, I should have had the manors to say thank you for putting so much money, work and research to be able to make these videos for all of us. THANK YOU!
Well now how am I supposed to break my knuckles with fancy schmancy not-slippin wrenches
Nature finds a way
Be impaled by shrapnel from the Icon
I'm sure some bolt or nut will snap long before you exceed the capability of your tools. Dress accordingly!
@@dougrobinson8602 torque spec on a 19mm is never above 100 foot pounds. I assume all these wrenches with special jaws break the bolt head clean off , for any undamaged fastener that isn't a stealth bomber bolt at $2000 a piece.
Break the bolt, then you get to nurse your hand while you try to extract what's left 😅
This is my favorite tool channel on UA-cam by far. Keep up the good work guys!
Take my subscription. Best narration, best science, best testing I've seen on one of these sorts of channels so far. Thanks loads, folks!
I watched that grease till it came out of the tube like my life depended on it. Thanks Grandaddy.
My bet is that WrightGrip 2.0 is top dog (and significantly less $$ than SnapOn). So good.
And made in the USA
Back in the day my grandpa swore by craftsman, said just as good as snap on but way cheap and back then if you broke a craftsman you could go into sears and get it replaced
One of the best channels in all of UA-cam at it again 🙏🏽
No flash, clear and direct data collection and communication. Nicely done! I am now a subscriber!
I dont know why I enjoy this channel so much, but its great. I appreciate the commitment to accurate testing.
TLDW: Yes for the price point ICON is very very close within 5-10 on each test. So if your in the market for great wrenches get them.
And the Craftsman does even better for even cheaper
The exact same wrenches from the exact same building made by the exact same people is available in another brand for cheaper. This is true of 100% of the ICON line.
TLDW: Icon is overpriced when Carlyle & Milwaukee are identical for cheaper.
PUSHY for President!
Politicians have skeletons in their closet, PUSHY has 10mm's
Don't be so pushy about it 😂
@@TorqueTestChannel Just as long as there are no 9mm's
@@steveholder7289 My grease fittings are 9mm. Had to buy a wrench just for that!
I’m all for our new robot overlord, hell it’s a better candidate than the current ones
These videos have been my favorite from your channel! I would love to see Carlyle and Milwaukee thrown into the same testing setup
Glad to see your commitment to testing things as fairly and consistently as possible within known standards.
And I'm not sure why, but it made me feel good to see Craftsmen do well.
I recently bought the SAE and metric Icon sets for $70 each 😱 They've been lovely to use, especially compared to my old Mastercraft Maximum set
Thanks for producing an objective investigation rather than TikTok hype. Still looks to me as though Icon or the specific Craftsman are a pretty good buy for those of us who don't need to pay the exorbitant Snap-on price. I'd consider either of those for replacements if/when my vintage Craftsman wrenches give up the ghost. It would be interesting to see how the older "real" Craftsman wrenches would stack up against Pushy - how about it? Finally, a couple of safety straps around the pushing arm and wrench might just eliminate the flying wrench problem, although it wouldn't be quite as dramatic. Outstanding video!
I'm pretty sure part of the reason the icon vs snapon was a big topic was because of the parking lot sale that was known for a couple months before it started that had the icon anti slip wrenches for $69.99.
When. Is this parking sale?
@@LARULES100last week it ended
Yet the Craftsman are just a hair above that every day and the extra sizes in the Icon set are unlikely to ever be used.
@@LARULES100 One of the few guarantees other than death and taxes is there always being another Harbor Freight sale.
@@LARULES100u missed it😮
I haven't seen it, but have you ever measured if there's a permanent increase in the tolerance of the wrenches after they've been pushed to the limit like this?
I want to see this test
Yes please
No.
Pushy is now the blue collar/hobbyist hero. As a former autotech with many thousands invested in Snap-on, Mac and the like; I can really appreciate real world testing.
Been using the icon wrenches for about a year and a half now daily as a truck mechanic. They grip like HELL on brass air line fittings and i think i paid maybe 400 after sale for the ¼in to 1¼ (and metric set). Could not be happier
@@Pippy1 I’ve had and used ICON wrenches and a few other things. True to what you said, the did the job. I sold mine to a younger tech who needed them and upgraded mine to the MAC knuckle savers, which I like a lot. I didn’t have a snappy guy at the time or I would have gone that way, but I’m happy. Especially for the price, ICON aren’t bad tools. My one gripe was that on some bolts the shoulder of the bolt will ruin the anti-slip texture on the inside of the box end. Other than that they’re pretty solid if you’re using the right tools for the job.
@@trevorsoderquist9110 ive learned over the years that mac tools are better than snap on, i was die hard snap on until i realized mac will warranty like 30% more thing than snappy. they have better pricing for the same or better quality tools, are partnered with dewalt, and sell a lot of other things than snap on. they tried to sell me their handheld air pump for like 600$ and it didnt even come with a battery or charger while i got a dewalt one in a set that came with 2 batteries, a charger, a drill and impact for 350 from mac, no wuestions asked warranty on every single too i get on the truck no matter the brand, if igot it there, hell warranty it for me.
You consider testing the box end side of the wrench with this setup to see how they fare? Really surprised with the Craftsman result. I thought their quality would be sub-par.
Great video. Keep 'em coming.
Box ends are all more than capable to destroy things, even on low end brands there's so much engagement. It's only on rounded hardware they start to do poorly, but no real standard to testing precisely rounded or rusted hardware the same each time.
Project farm did it already anyway
I'm quite surprised as well. I swore off Craftsman once Sears sold them off to Black & Decker. I had to warranty a 3/8" ratchet (3) times because they saved costs by outsourcing to China. (The last warranty I finally convinced them to swap me from a 75t made-in-China to an 82t made-in-Taiwan, and it hasn't broken for several years.)
Still not buying, especially since I already have a full set of Icon wrenches in standard and metric (including the "extended" sizes they sell as a separate "expansion" set), but it is interesting that Black & Decker, a brand not known for quality by any stretch of the imagination, is actually stepping it up again. They haven't been good since the 90's, so things might be getting interesting in the tool world again.
@@TorqueTestChannel please add to the test the measurements of the jaws after the test to see how far out the jaws are after slips instead of just original measurements
@@davisev5225
The gunmetal chrome finish they came out with a bit ago seems like a bit of a step up. It might be tools with that finish are just a bit better. I’ve got a gunmetal 3/8 ratchet I use at work all the time that’s served me well.
Great testing. My dad machined socket sets for Stanley, Proto, and Ingersoll Rand all at the same time with the same bar stock on the same machine. The only difference was the surface finish that justified the consumer price difference.
Great job guys...i think you just sold some crafstman wrenches....It's no surprise they did so well.I personally am a fan of the carlyle wrenches and the Wrightgrip.I use wright for most but I bought the 3 smallest sae and metric from Carlyle that I use on the small stuff.As a sidenote...You have to buy the long pattern carlyle to get the non slip wrenches..
Still would hurt your pride buying harbor freight? Boo hoo
This is what I subscribe for. Please do an updated socket episode
20 years ago I was in TX and needed a cheap set of wrenches to fix something on my car. Went to HFT and spent $4 for a set of the cheap Pittsburgh wrenches. I'm still using them 20 years later. I've beat the crap out of them, using pipes to extend them, hammers, etc. I never thought they would hold up, but they have and still work fine.
Glad to see some real data on this, even if that doesn't settle it for some people. The thing about this is that the only time I really want to use the open end to break loose or tighten something is on things like tie rod jam nuts, and neither the Icon anti-slip or Craftsman OD even come in those larger sizes like 21, 22, 24, 27. All their wrenches above 19mm have standard jaws. That's why I bought Wright Grips in those sizes, and that is thanks to your previous combo wrench testing.
Big Wrights !
im so glad you pulled out the overdrive set of wrenches at the end. I bought that set of wrenches because of your videos months ago
Best tool channel on UA-cam. Only tool channel that uses actual measurements instead of the feels. Nice.
the nylon nut gimmick: toolbear was pissed the other day!
Strap on salesman: "You had it on backwards"
Toolbear: "THERE IS NO BACKWARDS"
I love the attention to elimination of variables.
I think it's veryn good and it's a good initiatif and the attention paid to eliminating variables
The graphical test results displayed during test was great.
Another great test video. For the home person the ICON or something similar is all anyone needs. I see both sides to the argument as far as people that use them professionally. I say buy what you think will be best for you and ignore the noise.
For the in shop person. Icon is all you need lol
Clearly didn't watch the same video.
If HF really wants to put the hurt on, they should send out tool trucks. The entertainment potential is limitless
@@DrewskisBrews the minute they did that, they’d lose their biggest price advantage. Running tools to techs is a big part of why tool truck tools cost so much. On top of that. If they want each truck to run as a franchise like would be the realistic model, they just lost their entire price advantage. They’re basically a Matco or Cornwell truck at that point. A tool truck selling Taiwanese steel.
@@trevorsoderquist9110that and they just don’t offer enough icon tools to be work a tool truck
You'd be surprised by the amount of shit made in china on the Mac truck 😬
You don't get it. Do you think mechanics don't realize HF is cheaper than SnapOn? The convenience of having a guy show up in a truck with a generous replacement policy on every tool that you could ever need is the whole point of truck tools. What mechanic wants to go to HF after a 12 hour shift and argue with a teenager to get his broken ratchet replaced? IKON offers a fraction of the tools that SnapON/Mac/Matco etc. carry. You can't even buy an individual IKON wrench if you lose your 10mm wrench, they're only sold in sets. How competitive is HF going to be if they have to pay for trucks and offer all the same services as the tool trucks? This isn't a new situation. The Craftsmen line at a Sears store used to offer a lot more selection than IKON with US made tools that were almost as good as tool truck stuff. When you account for inflation their prices were basically the same or cheaper than modern IKON.
@@jimmyjakes1823 i hope your not replying to me because your the one who doesn’t get it then. I literally stated a reason HF can’t do tool trucks 🤣
Great video! It brings back memories of the good ol' days with the Sears/Craftsman warranty. I was a loyal fan of the brand, but like all good things, it eventually had to come to an end.
When I first started in the automotive industry, I could not afford to buy expensive tools. One day after busting my knuckle when my wrench slipped I threw the wrench out the shop door and across the parking lot. I looked up and there was a Snap-On tool dealer with a big smile on his face. I looked at me and said he could help me with that. I spent the money and got a good set that did save many of my knuckles. I have been retired for a few years now, but I have not had to replace a single Snap-ON wrench.
I can’t find a snap on truck
I don't know anybody that's ever had to replace a wrench, regardless of brand. They're made of hardened steel so why would anyone replace one?
@@jayryan7473You must not use them enough. They wear out just like anything else
You had a single slip, some hurt knuckles, and threw a lot of money at nothing. Clown 😂
@@jayryan7473gets lost, stripped, bent, broke.
Torque Test Channel.. I am so glad you did this test. I'm tired of people getting so butt hurt over their tool brand losing when I say anything about Snap-on or Icon. I explained the Snap-on nylon nut test was to show their flank drive plus wrench grips better than a regular wrench. OMG people thought I said the test was valid then but not valid now and they called me a Snap-on fanboy for defending them and a lot of other BS. I was defending any of them, just stating what the test was originally for. People really need to keep their mouth shut and stop with the name calling like little children and maybe learn how to read and comprehend what they are reading.
Awesome! Videos like this are why I'm always checking TTC when buying tools!
20:02 I would like to see the channel lock brand of the non slip wrench tested. Again similar to the icon , craftsman , but thinner. I've used them for over a year also with fairly good Results and they are very budget friendly. They would be the black set. I got mine on Amazon.
I've heard they're the same as Carlyle
Not finding these on Amazon, can you share the model number thanks!
Great video. I use wrenches every day as a diesel mechanic. I use mostly Craftsman wrenches and never have a problem with them other than they are a little bit wide for some tight spots. All my ratchets are snap on but all of my sockets and extensions are craftsman. In my opinion it comes down to what you are willing to pay for and what wears out the most. I have worn out some of my ratchets heads that I use alot and its easy to just get the head rebuilt on the tool truck and be done with it for another 2 years. As for my craftsman tools I have only ever broken maybe one or 2 chrome sockets when I was improperly using them on a impact. Never while actually using them as intended. If you treat your tools right they will make you money every day.
Totally fun to watch. Thanks!
When I was a daily wrencher, I was a Snapon/Mac guy.
Today, 'not so much'.
Most modern name-brand tools can do the trick well enough to get by with.
You just have to do your homework to find out which ones are the best of the tier-2 brands, and which have the best warranty.
The thing about Snapon that soured me is they no longer honor their warranty on tools purchased 2nd hand.
So unless you BUY NEW, you're SOL with Snapon.
But what does it matter to them?
They control the world market in mechanic's tools and diagnostics devices!
I don’t know why but it made me happy good old Craftsman did so well 😊
Pushy was the real star of the show. Now I have to come up a with a new pet name for my wife 😜
how about Washy? or Cleany? I prefer Cooky
0:19 😂 “pushy” I had to pause the video because I couldn’t hear it over laughing. Love this channel.
I did the exact same 😂
A lot more relevant than the snap-on plastic nut trick. Thanks for doing such great testing.
It might be interesting to see a secondary test. After the wrench has been used to then see how it's tolerances are and how well it holds up. This would kind of be like a lifespan equivalent... kind of.
Agreed, we had planned on sort of delving into that. But check the pinned comment, releasing most of these from their hex death grip really buggered them up.
@@TorqueTestChannel I did read that after I commented and that 100% makes. I guess maybe just a few dozen tests up to 100% then release and then do a final test?
@@TorqueTestChannelwhat about 10-100 runs at 80% rating and then measured.
I’m just a guy who does all his own work on his car. (Except transmission rebuild and alignment) I love my Icon tools, haven’t snapped one or stripped one yet, fingers crossed. I also have a ton of other brands including Snap On, Gearwrench, Olsa, ect. I think I may even have a set of Pittsburgh sockets somewhere.
Now we just need the battle of the tool truck brands. I can't justify the cost, but I do love the Mac wrenches..
Mac are probably the most reasonable priced of the tool truck wrenches at lest there precision torque wrench wrenches
@@jamesfarmer1523 honestly I love my precision torque wrenches I bought them off a coworker when he upgraded to the rbrt set I got the 6-19mm set, the 20-24mm set, and the 26,28,30,32mm sets for 400 total.
I have however been extremely tempted to get the RBRT 6-19mm set but I can't justify spending as much as I paid for my 3 sets for a single set. Plus I just spent snap on money on the reversible ratcheting wrenches to replace my cheap pittsburgs that I keep breaking.
This video (and all the others) continue to solidify my purchase of those icon wrenches (especially since I got them on sale last week for $99). But more importantly it shows how competitive (or maybe how much rebranding is going on) that tools have become with today’s technology.
Never would’ve guessed a Craftsman product performing so well. And with Harbor Freight and Lowe’s lifetime warranty, the average customer is getting within single digit % performance of tool truck brands.
It’s a great time to be a tool owner and thank you to TTC for the awesome research based comparison videos!
Your icon rebrand is nothing like snap on
@@jnmc-vx4fw 2% difference according to the video we’re commenting on😂
@@narcissistinjurygiver2932their ratchets confuse me. The quality control on them sucks for some of the models (its not uncommon for the 3/8 roto head to come with zero lube inside) but they are desinged in a very robust way. I wont about my 1/4 roto head chipping a tooth because its a good design, but it leads to a decent about of back drag. Meanwhile, i have a Pittsburgh (maybe pro im not sure) 3/8, 1/4 2 in 1 extendable ratchet and that thing has a stupid low amount of back drag but it just feels like the teeth are ready to fold over.
But they are all really good in their own way and the fact that they are repairable and not just sealed heads is amazing. I have my tiny gripes with them, but the only one that matters is the fact that they are inconsistent as hell. If you get any ratchet in any way you have no idea quiet what you are getting. Some are weak but smooth, some are somewhat smooth but strong. Hell you can get the same ratchet just increased in size and itll go from great to garbage. My only advice is to steer clear of the super cheap ratchets, and avoid quinn unless it's the standard 90 tooth that comes in a set, the quick release ones are TERRIBLE.
@@bigbrown2690 it’s a YT video. Snap On grows 2-5% every year. There’s a reason men and mechanics still buy snap on over HF , guess why .
Best test channel I have found for torque testing! Thanks for posting this line of products!
I have wrenches from all of these brands, and I have trouble finding any difference between my Snap-On and Icon wrenches. I love the quality of both, although Icon does treat my wallet better.
If I did my math right the icons are 94% as good at ¼ the price.
@@bdkj3e Even better when you get a coupon that makes the Icon $70 recently.
There are techs that spend a lot of time under the hood and would prefer a thinner wrench for working in tight places and sometimes that’s all that’s needed which is why some own SnapOn. When I was wrenching I had a couple of extra longs that were outside a set for just those type of cases. Everyone has their opinions
I use the Kobalt set for exactly that reason. It performed well while being very thin. It fits everywhere except on a Toyota brake bolt that it would fit perfectly precisely on if it weren't so rusted. I had to break out the Pittsburgh because they're comically thin.
You don't own snap on its still financed 😂
Wrench thickness being a huge consideration in the auto repair industry, puts the Snap-on wrenches far above the competition.
In my opinion; wrench thickness should carry heavy weight in this sort of competition.
I just keep a set of tappet wrenches on hand for if I need extra thin, which admittedly is not terribly often. But I'm not making a living off of them either.
I was a big fan of Craftsman before Sears finally started going off the rails, but after the sale to StanleyBlack&Decker and the discontinuation of the 19.2V batteries for the Ryobi-sourced power tools I basically stopped caring. If they happen to have a tool line that is an above average performer due to being made on the same line as a higher-end offering then I may buy if I have a need, but I'm not going to have brand-loyalty to them after the power tool battery debacle.
@@TWX1138 I have a set from my grandfather, old craftsman tappet wrenches. They get used with love and not gorilla power.
Snap-on is soooo over priced by at least 4x that snap-on has lost the competition before it started! Here's a comparison : ICON Professional Metric Combination Wrench Set, 14 Piece .....Harbor Freight Icon brand - $119.99, 13 pc 6-Point Metric Flank Drive® Combination Wrench Set (7-19 mm).....Snap-On brand - $600.75 and Snap-On set has 1 less wrench to boot! Thats a difference of $480.76... I declare Icon the undisputed winner over Snap-Off!
The snap-on flank drives used to be $300 canadian, now they're a $650 set. If they come back to that pricing they're worth it.
Snap-On has always been a status buy.
Selling you what they think are ‘good’ tools.
But a good mechanic can do good work with any tools.
I'm a truck mechanic with 50yrs in the business & most of my after hours are spent on race cars so I've swung on more wrenches than most people but I never swing that hard on an open end wrench, it will hurt you. I don't have any Snap-on or other smooth wrenches because they're slippery in your hand when wet or oily which is most of the time on trucks.
Any chance you could give Pushy an attitude-appropriate used wire brush-head eyebrow?
I feel like cost has to be factored, possibly warranty as well. If I can buy 7x of one wrench and that wrench wins on 2/3 torque categories.... I don't see how Snap-on is on top.... when adjusted for pricing with not a heavy pricing factor the best Snap-on should do is second...... but this is just one man's rambling opinion..
I totally agree
Ah no. Let me educate you. The price for a snap on tool is expensive because of the extensive R@D they did for years. It’s made with American steel. Made by Americans who get paid higher wages than the kids in China and Taiwan.
HF just copies what SnapOn does. Of course it’s cheaper but also very wrong
I think points per dollar or something similar might not be the *best* reference comparison, but it feels like it's in the direction one should look. Doing some quick math, if we toss out the Pittsburgh set, the Craftsman actually still scores best in Points / $ if you calculate it both with the set price or the per-piece price (in fact, Craftsman's Points/$ in both cases is greater than the Snap-On and Icon values added together). (EDIT: This is of course with the Icons at list price. If you got them at say, $70 as per the recent sale, they just edge out Craftsman)
This video is literally the best wrench testing video I’ve ever seen 🔥 and all the brands I was hoping to see!
Above and Beyond the Call of Duty. Much appreciated
modern warfare
As a Dealer mechanic one reason "we" are willing to pay big bucks for some of our tools is because of service convenience,
Tool trucks come to us weekly and replace our tools no questions asked, Many times with free upgraded tools, I don't have time to constantly hunt down replacement tools after work, standing in line to argue that it it's under warranty, Also I've had tools that have been replaced/warrantied 5 times or more because they are worked so hard each day.
On the flip side if something breaks I can swing by and grab another on my way home. Multiple brick and mortar locations. I've never had any questions asked on HF warranty. I own plenty of snap on but if I need a warranty I'll have to wait until he shows up.
@@bradm1998 Most of my inconvenience
in driving to stores and getting a tool replaced under warrantee (if in stock)
was Sears, but No I still dont have time to drive to HF and miss my kids baseball game and dinner.
P.S. Ill use my MAC tool until Snap-off comes to the shop, and after 20+ years I've had "one too many" trips after work for a tool.
P.P.S. I use the HF tools at home!
They come to you to collect your paycheck.
Pittsburgh tools are excellent for the basic homeowner and do it youselfer. I work in a machine shop and find that Icon is a great tool, add lifetime warranty so I just go to my local Harbor Freight and do an exchange. I have my tool set for over three years and beat the hell out of it with no returns needed, yet!
Both brands have their uses. Snap on is when your work pays for your tools. Harbor Freight is when YOU pay for your tools. Harbor Freight is also when you have to loan a tool to your neighbor with the assumption you do not know when you will see it again.
neighbor - "can I borrow a tool?"
me - "do I gave just the harbor freight Pittsburg set for you, in fact, don't bother bringing it back"
Sweet, sweet vindication. 😂
same, I kept thinking that a nylon nut doesn't really demonstrate how good a wrench is at turning actual fasteners. glad I was right
Not out of the woods yet,Mr Subaru. Snap-on lost the nylon test.
@@sanchocloset5987 didn’t when I did it
? How does getting beat at performance by a craftsman wrench vindicate snap-on? Snap-On has always been a status buy.
13:44 I work in component and component systems testing, often destructive, and one thing you learn _quickly_ when working with torsional testing equipment is not to take a chance with shrapnel. You are storing a huge amount of potential energy via elastic deformation in the test sample, and it is often released all at once when a brittle failure occurs. I have personally put pieces of transmission main shafts through walls and into the ceiling, and caught more than one multiple pound shaft in an operator safety guard during ultimate strength testing. Definitely buy a kevlar blanket or thick plexi safety shield (you're recording video after all so you need a clear view, I only record data) and use it, even one accident avoided is worth the cost and hassle!
As a non-professional, I love the harbor freight icon line. The quality is really good and the price is very reasonable for such quality. If I worked full time as a mechanic by trade, I would 100% use snap on. But for me, the guy who just works on his own car when it needs a repair and maybe a friend's car occasionally, snap on just doesn't make any sense for the extra money it costs.
“TikTok says…” doesn’t mean anything to me. Anything on that platform has zero credibility.
It has negative credibility. I assume it's wrong and in this case I would have been correct. So it does mean something.
Nobody on that site knows how to actually work for a living.
its brainwashing, brain rotting, and short attention span having people for a reason.
Strong work, Gents. I love the thorough and multi dimensional look at your tool tests. Please keep them coming.
Question remains how many times wrenches can take the beating of 200nm before jaws widen out or snap.This is all good but its just one time monster torque - thats the thing that will show you how durable wrench is.
The cope & seethe of Snappy cheerleaders that spend $1000 on a set of wrenches is Biblical. There is zero justification to pay the *insane* prices they ask.
Most mechanics are after the Warranty and service. Snap on will replace broken tools no questions asked.
@innoc3ntbystndr Their warranty service is awful, I've had both tool trucks and corporate deny to R&R.
Meanwhile Hobofreight will have it swapped out in 5 minutes. Tekton will have your replacement shipped to your shop in 2 days.
@@COBRO98 , aircraft maintenance tech here. Personally, I didn’t have any problems with replacements. Our tool truck guy has amazing customer service, probably the reason why he’s still in business for almost 25 years now.
@@CPthetooladdict Good thing I'm not a "fanboi" of any brand, simply a smart mechanic.
Imagine paying 600% more for effectively the same tools. Suckers are born every day.
As a heavy diesel mechanic. Buy what you can afford when you can afford it. I have expensive and cheap box store wrenches and sockets because. I belt on them with hammers etc. and no matter how good they still get stretched etc.
Whenever Torque Test Channel post a video I hear Tim “The Toolman” Taylor go “aurgh aurgh aurgh!”
Yessir! Happy Friday
I've been telling people about these overdrive wrenches but they don't believe me
I picked them up last November. LOVE them!!!
@@funkmon been using them sense they were available to order. Their bad ass and almost identical to my buddys 900+$ of mac's
@@ALEX-xd7ko HOw did he pay 900, they're about 330 list and you can always trade in to bring the price down