Is the hype/price over tool-truck brands justified?

[More Amps]

Personally I'm quite content to have a complete b*****s muddle of all sorts of brands, with only two exceptions - as far as I'm aware, I own nothing from Snap-on or Silverline. Snap-on's too expensive (not to say I'm not tempted sometimes though) and after one too many disasters from Silverline I just won't risk doing myself an injury for the sake of a few quid - (knowing it's a case of when not if something is going to break at just the wrong time) However I'm not earning my living using tools seven days a week...

 

[Brad93]

Wurth another good
one when you need a good quality tool last minute.

Rebranded Knipex, Wera and Gedore

 

[cheb]

People who spend large sums of money on a product are likely to be vocal about good it is. Tools seem to be no exception.

There's a truism about 99% of fishing tackle being designed to catch fishermen.

My own tool set, mostly used for leisure but not always, has lots of makes, 40 year old black Kamasa up to fresh Silverline. There's even some Am-Tech tools in there, now that's quality

 

[hotponyshoes]

Another advantage is the support.

Not everyone has the same interest in tools or processes as most of the people on here.

If you run a factory and something breaks and you need a tool to fix it the ability to 'ring the rep' and have a guy with you the next day who brings several tools that 'might work' gets your line running again.
So when you pay £85 for a tool that gets 5 guys back to work your not really bothered that you could have bought something the same on the internet for £50.
Especially if you don't know what to look for on the internet in the first place..

 

[addjunkie]

I used to have a nice matching set of snap on stuff. I bought box an all from a lad emigrating in a hurry, before her husband found him. Twas nice stuff to use, but when we were burgled and it all went, I was skint and didnt repace it. Now I buy the tool to do the job. So have a selection including some old Kamasa and a set of silver line to abuse spanners ( cut ground bend etc). Halfords pro, etc. but I like Facom, jurys out on Teng offerings.

I must admit the idea of a man who can get you what you need quick if your earning a living, is a good thing, as time is money.

 

[dave h 2]

Whilst I totally get the commercial utility of being able to just ring up a guy, have the exact thing you need appear shortly, then pay on account...

As someone who isn't in that tool ecosystem at all, I can't help thinking that's actually a lot of what you're actually paying for with the likes of MAC, Snap-On, and Teng.

Most of my "good" tools are the more "industrial" brands, like King Dick, Gedore, Elora
& IR but even then I've slowly drifted towards Kennedy (Cromwell's own brand) and Sealey, whilst for less frequently used stuff direct imports like US-Pro and Duratec doesn't seem to be meaningfully lower quality despite a steep price difference.

Last time I bought Sealey I got glass hard torx sockets that shatter when you stress them.
Halfords stuff seems good their big breaker bar takes serious mistreatment.

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Another advantage is the support.

Not everyone has the same interest in tools or processes as most of the people on here.

If you run a factory and something breaks and you need a tool to fix it the ability to 'ring the rep' and have a guy with you the next day who brings several tools that 'might work' gets your line running again.
So when you pay £85 for a tool that gets 5 guys back to work your not really bothered that you could have bought something the same on the internet for £50.
Especially if you don't know what to look for on the internet in the first place..

This makes a lot of sense, with their "industrial" offerings filling a gap for businesses which are too small to have a dedicated technical team/fitting shop/service contract, but big enough that penny pinching on tools to fix an immediate problem would be false economy.

 

[MattF]

So when you pay £85 for a tool that gets 5 guys back to work your not really bothered that you could have bought something the same on the internet for £50.
Especially if you don't know what to look for on the internet in the first place..

Plus, the amount of time you spend looking in order to save a few quid adds up in cost of your time.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Plus, the amount of time you spend looking in order to save a few quid adds up in cost of your time.

Exactly.
If I need a T50 torx driver I'll sit on the sofa and spend a couple of hours trawling the internet comparing prices and reading reviews while the missus is watching telly.
If it's more than £20 for a new one I'll start messaging mates or putting wanted posts on here!
I'd end up with a tool I was happy with and probably save at least 25% over buying from the van.

No boss would want to pay me £45/hr to do that.

Much the same as stock for my day job.
I can make most things I need.if I have to.
With 99% of the stuff I buy, I already know places to buy it cheaper.
But, if I'm busy and it's needed in a hurry I can pick up the phone at 2pm and a little man in a van will bring what I need to me.
If they don't have what I need they won't waste my time or freak me out by ringing me back to tell me that.
They'll find an equivalent and get that to me.
Costs more but the customer pays for it.
And, if I have the stuff I need before the end of the week it saves the customer a fortune as they don't have to pay weekend rates

 

[Ian X]

Facom tools and Halfords Industrial tool cabinets, are all I need.

Facom guarantee, take any tool which hasn't been obviously damaged through idiocy, they will replace, no receipts needed, no questions.

They hardened on their warranty when they were bought out but mostly the original premise is honoured. This August I took a No2 Supadriv hand driver in to my local suppiler which is just a decent family owned hardware store, part of the tip had sheared through a few years of work hardening use. I bought the driver in England from Cromwell in Salford in 2014 and made a warranty claim in France in 2024, it was replaced without quibble.

 

[angellonewolf]

cant say the same about snapon other half brother used to work as a machanic spent ££££ on tools and yes when he was spending they swaped them once he had a full tool kit and only bought now and again the excuses started oh you abused it etc

i wont buy any parktool stuff any more as i used a bottem bracket tool a more than a few teeth came off can only assume its went brittol with age so sent an email with a photo saying i was disapointed in the tool they came back with you where not using it right was not held square and thats why it happens i replyed after your tool failed i used a lidl bike kit bottem bracket that removed it in the same manner so i dont believe what your saying is right then i got a responce quite rude repeating it was not the tool and nothing they can do full stop

hence wont pay the extra for the so say quality for parktool (add in to this im only a hobby bike mechnic that fixes his own and my kids bikes and a few friends bikes)

 

[Trevorleach]

I know people who bought Snap-On for thirty years and they saw out various van roundsmen. They all knew they were paying top rate and could have ordered from a supplier like Cromwell Stahlwille or Facom for less and enjoyed a quality warranty service when needed. The convenience of someone calling just where you use the tools is a big draw. People love racks of shiny chrome or tool steel things that go click-click and especially love boxes full of puller legs, beams, claws. I buy a lot of gear by internet but there is nothing to compare with having an emporium of goodness right in front of you. If you use them for to make a living then the price premium of Snap-On makes little difference.
One thing about Snap-On, I think their ratchets are primitive, Facom every time.

Ah Facom ratchets, the sure way to disappointment, always that stupid spring that seems to break, then they just plain wear out.

 

[Barking Mat]

Ah Facom ratchets, the sure way to disappointment, always that stupid spring that seems to break, then they just plain wear out.

I so disagree.

Take it back then, get a brand new one that'll last another 30 years.

For free.

 

[Trevorleach]

Most of my work tools are snap on and jolly good they are to, most of my home tools are the cheapest money can buy, spanner on spanner/hammer to ratchets and all still working, though life span in a real workshop would show their flaws pdq.

I really like Snap On, but the last few years their prices are just mad.

 

[Trevorleach]

I so disagree.

Take it back then, get a brand new one that'll last another 30 years.

For free.

Used to use them steel erecting 30 plus yrs ago, poxy things always playing up in the end think they got binned, have two 1/4 ones in my work box, one never works correctly, the other never feels good, neither gets any use as I just want things to wok every time.

 

[tom2207]

Most of my work tools are snap on and jolly good they are to, most of my home tools are the cheapest money can buy, spanner on spanner/hammer to ratchets and all still working, though life span in a real workshop would show their flaws pdq.

I really like Snap On, but the last few years their prices are just mad.

yep , long 1/2 inch ratchet at over 230 quid , and a simple breaker bar 24 inch is 127 quid ,,, its serious money to be spending even if you make your living with it.

 

[Barking Mat]

yep , long 1/2 inch ratchet at over 230 quid , and a simple breaker bar 24 inch is 127 quid ,,, its serious money to be spending even if you make your living with it.

Halfords 24" breaker bar just keeps taking all the abuse I give it.

I've got this lovely 3/8" stubby bendy handle ratchet driver I love too.

 

[Mick Annick]

I so disagree.

Take it back then, get a brand new one that'll last another 30 years.

For free.

My local tool supplier (also my steel merchant) charges 1€ to handle warranty returns to Facom

 

[Barking Mat]

My local tool supplier (also my steel merchant) charges 1€ to handle warranty returns to Facom

Really ? Why ?

I've used a couple of places round here, take a month or so but no quibbling.

€1 that's a litre of milk in Super U.

 

[cheb]

Chortle.