Tools.

[ADV_93]

Just a general question on good quality but also cheap tools.

Seeing what experiences people have had etc. Recently bought some "bergen" tools and they've been alright, but yeah, just seeing what cheap tools people can recommend and what experiences you've had.

Cheers.

[Piggy]

never had them myself, but friends rave about Halfords tools...lifetime guarantee etc. decent price too.

I like my Signet to be honest.

[lolsteve]

Silverline and draper ratchets have both failed on me when my Chinese 5 quid toolkit stayed true . So avoid them
Halfords standard ratchet was one of the nicest ones I've used and i have a hapfords pro kit now although they jeep jamming

[Piggy]

hapfords pro kit now although they jeep jamming

you can service them, they always put such a small amount of lube inside them....take apart, clean, grease, put back togetheir and vwala!

although, if its the spanners, just try cleaning them out and using some 3 in 1 oil

[kentiiboii]

Yeah Halfords pro kit is brilliant, been nicking my dad's for last 5 years, not long ago bought my own.

[306Puggy]

Got a socket set from Aldi, quality is good but the box moldings are very loose so every time you open the box all of the driver bits just fall out everywhere, it's really annoying, so based on that alone I wouldn't recommend the big Aldi socket set, buy their individual items by all means, just not the big box socket set with the 1/4" and 1/2" ratchets in them.

[lolsteve]

Well I got the kit for christmas , it was jammed as soon as I got it out the box went into the store to replace it and the guy threw up a fuss about the warrenty not covering the ratchet which I replied "okay buts its 2 days old and I havent used it yet because it was broken on arrival" he then begrudgenly gave me a replacement which has also jammed

[Dum-Dum]

I destroy cheep tools but I've never had an issue with the halfords pro stuff.

[ADV_93]

Got some halfords professional ratchet spanners and they seem to work quite well! I've got a advanced 3/8 ratchet and it locks every time i apply pressure to it.

Anyone know anything about this "Bergen" brand?

[Curt]

I think Bergen is just another name given to cheaper generic tools, I see the same stuff pop up over and over and one of the names is usually that... "Good quality" and "cheap" don't usually go too well together, applies well to tools. Halfords stuff is generally good and convenient to get hold of.

As a general rule, there's nothing wrong with having plenty of cheaper tools to smash around and abuse. But stuff like ratchets, ratchet spanners, sockets and torque wrenches etc want to be decent quality. I use Snap-On ratchets and torque wrenches, but it's always good to have some old spanners/screwdrivers/bars and stuff to beat the shit out of if need be.

[Tom]

Halfords pro, its the best thing for the home diyer, i reckon you could use there stuff day in day out but people are show offs and like the tool truck. Of course some people say snap on or nothing. Nothing wrong with teng tools either tbh my local motor factors sell teng stuff so any little bits i buy are all teng. And Edd China uses them so they much be good Just my 2p, dont shout at me.

[Curt]

There's definitely nothing wrong with Teng, I like their tools. I like my little 3/8 torque wrench .

[ADV_93]

I remember watching someone break 2 snap-on T40 torx sockets trying to get a bolt out, then a bloke bought a no-name t40 socket that cracked it off.

Halfords pro seem to generally be favourited i see!

Just another name to throw out there, they're not necessarily cheap but Britool expert range!

[Niall]

I think Bergen is just another name given to cheaper generic tools, I see the same stuff pop up over and over and one of the names is usually that... "Good quality" and "cheap" don't usually go too well together, applies well to tools. Halfords stuff is generally good and convenient to get hold of.

As a general rule, there's nothing wrong with having plenty of cheaper tools to smash around and abuse. But stuff like ratchets, ratchet spanners, sockets and torque wrenches etc want to be decent quality. I use Snap-On ratchets and torque wrenches, but it's always good to have some old spanners/screwdrivers/bars and stuff to beat the shit out of if need be.

100% this. With ratchets, spend as much as you can. If you use a snap on ratchet, you will notice the difference big time but like Curt said, sometimes you need a screw driver or spanner to to smash to pieces and don't care if your break it.

[martindixon18]

same as most I use Halfords Pro. Not to expensive, good quality and a life time guarantee!

[ConorTRG]

Ive a mix of brands, ive a good bit of draper expert spanners, sockets and ratchets and ive never had a minutes bother with them. Some of the cheaper brands I would have is us pro and neilsen also seems decent enough ive there stubby spanners and extra long spanners and havent broke any yet. Have also started buying beta stuff but its quite expensive.

[ADV_93]

Fairly certain the US Pro/Bergen are made by the same people too. But in the tool industry you hear a LOT of rumours about who makes what etc.

[ConorTRG]

Yea thats true theres alot of rumors of whats what. The us pro stuff also seems fairly similar to sealey. Ive various sealey timing kits and have seen the us pro versions which look identical.

Last year I bought a neilsen sac clutch tool, every bit of it was the same as the dearer sealey version even the manuals inside the box were sealey for some reason.

[Curt]

As I said earlier, a lot of it is just generic tools which are all the same, just with a different brand/price.

[bashbarnard]

I work as a tech I use mainly teng, halfords pro and sealy . some bits for me were worth paying for snap on but not a lot. I've even got a set of sockets from Argos I got when I was 14 and most are still going even after 7 years in the trade. Stanley spanners and ratchets are OK too

[Dean]

I've been using the halfords ratchets, and they're ok as long as you grease the insides up, if not they jam pretty easily.
However i've been using bluepoint ratchets, and havn't failed me once.
Cheap crappy draper ones end up exploding the side of the ratchet, so just get welded up to be used as a small breaker bar.

[ADV_93]

Got some good experience here guys! The good old weld and use again method has been done with a breaker bar of mine and it's had some rate hammer too since! Agree with the halfords and jamming, the 3/8th is a nightmare for jamming

[Curt]

That's about the only thing it's really worth spending out on Snap-On for, is the ratchets. Although they could do with being a little softer IMO. Oh and tool boxes, of course...

[ADV_93]

That's about the only thing it's really worth spending out on Snap-On for, is the ratchets. Although they could do with being a little softer IMO. Oh and tool boxes, of course...

Might have to crack the wallet and get some snap on ratchets, no spending for a month though...

My tool box is Snap On, pre-dates me by 20 years, easily. Still works perfectly.

[ConorTRG]

What draper ratchets are yous bursting? Ive a 3/8" and 1/2" one of this type:



Use the 1/2" one near enough every day and had various pipes on it and have never had a problem with it, and its about 4 years old.

[ADV_93]

What draper ratchets are yous bursting? Ive a 3/8" and 1/2" one of this type:



Use the 1/2" one near enough every day and had various pipes on it and have never had a problem with it, and its about 4 years old.

My half inch sockets are all Draper, they've had some stick and are fine. Not used the ratchets but i hear Draper Expert stuff is pretty good

[THE_Liam]

Surprised no one has mentioned Clarke, I'm a huge fan of their stuff. Better quality and cheaper than Halfords in my opinion...

[lolsteve]

Draper...

[7057sam]

Surprised no one has mentioned Clarke, I'm a huge fan of their stuff. Better quality and cheaper than Halfords in my opinion...

Second that got a fews bits though machine mart and all good so far

[Curt]

Draper...

Those type of ratchets are rubbish, I'm not surprised