Lidl Parkside Socket and tool set. Thoughts please.

[Barking Mat]

I also picked up a set of three set squares for 7 euros, 15, 25 and 50 cms, couldn't resist.

Welding helmets are back in at 29.99 euros, but I've got one..

 

[winchman]

I wonder if you will break anything? I doubt it, I feel its a handy little set, we have a Halfords one and its surprising how often I reach for it as its all ready to go spanners and sockets

 

[Barking Mat]

I've only ever broken a couple of sockets in my life, and they were carp.

Wheel nuts with 3/8 kit both times, lesson learnt.

Never broken a spanner.

Don't break much really.

Heavily deformed / twisted a 14mm Allen / hex key, it was made of cheese.

Went and bought a decent one, 14mm , 14 euros!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Thanks for everyone's comments.

I do have a good range of facom, and Halfords pro range and all sorts. All kept in my tool chest, which doesn't get lugged around. Stays at home, safe.

Looks a damn handy kit, for a good price, appreciate it's not top, but for keeping in the car I won't cry if it gets nicked.

Reminded me of the big Halfords kit at three times the price. Correct no Halfords here.

Facom is probably cheaper in the uk, damn expensive here.

I'm a part time mechanic, at work and at home I have decent kit..

I'll see if I can get one on thursday, thanks for the feedback, I'll let you know what I think.

There was a certain inevitability about your purchase, right from post #1.

 

[Barking Mat]

@slim_boy_fat , yep, kind of...

 

[waldershelf]

I've only ever broken a couple of sockets in my life, and they were carp.

Wheel nuts with 3/8 kit both times, lesson learnt.

Never broken a spanner.

Don't break much really.

Heavily deformed / twisted a 14mm Allen / hex key, it was made of cheese.

Went and bought a decent one, 14mm , 14 euros!

I think that people who break tools generally are abusing them or not using them correctly. I once saw a guy (professional mechanic?) put a long piece of pipe on a 1/4" ratchet and then complained that it broke. Of course the SnapOn man replaced it, which is why they are so expensive in the first place.

 

[armalites]

@barking mat I've got Snap Ratchets that cost almost double what that set coat. It's got a good selection and the E-torx is a nice addition not often seen in sets. Tamperproof 1/4 hex bits in hex and torx too.

 

[Barking Mat]

As I said to wife, 70 euros would maybe buy half a dozen facom sockets or spanners.

Late birthday present....

Tools, I like me tools. And me tool. Sorry, had a few....

 

[James1979]

Even snapon are getting funny about things now. My mate did the same as the guy above and got a repair kit. When he said about it the rep replied that he was lucky to even get that as it doesnt cover abuse. Although that guy is a t!t. I fell out with him after I bent a 3' pry bar and he wouldnt change it. Stopped buying strap on over night and although I dont need much nowadays if I do its teng or something I can get locally.

I know its misuse / abuse but I treat that lidl 1/4 set as disposable as it means I dont have to get my decent set covered in carp and lost in the mud under whichever godforsaken machine I'm working on! That said, Its still complete after all this time and I've not bust it yet. I think the 6 point sockets are what makes it strong.

 

[Barking Mat]

I'm sure @James1979 when you stopped buying strap on over night....

Was auto correction....

But who knows?...

I'm getting beyond serious... Shopping trauma.... And alcohol...

Yes. I agree, with your relevant post.

Just ignore me this evening. Day off...

 

[Barking Mat]

Snap on, to Strap on, probably your browsing history auto correcting..

Coat, door...

 

[James1979]

Lol yeah too much time on 'those' sites!!

Was a typo but a semi intentional one - thats what its known as amongst my mates

 

[Fraserb]

I have basically 3 grades of tools, the good stuff that stays in the workshop or shed, the middle of the road stuff that gets taken in cabs and out and about to do jobs and a really cheap set of spanners and sockets for the proper mucky jobs when they get covered in slurry and dropping them could mean never seeing them again. Apart from the expensive stuff feeling a lot nicer to use the cheap stuff holds up pretty well, my cheap socket set that goes from 4mm to 32mm was something like £25. I've had the ratchets stop working as they're packed full of slurry, wash them out, oil them and away you go.

 

[Barking Mat]

Nice @James1979 , just having a giggle....

 

[winchman]

I assume you know the cost of a Snap on 3/8 drive ratchet?
£109.26
https://shop.snapon.com/product/Qui...gy-Standard-Handle-Quick-Release-Ratchet/FR80
That makes your set even better value.
I also have issues getting any Snap on Changed under warrenty

 

[SierraV6]

My only major Snap-on ‘investment’ was a set of their disastrous Eurotools spanners. The chrome came off, the rep wouldn’t replace them and I sold them to an apprentice for not a lot. A couple of the lads I worked with also had Eurotools stuff and also found it to be (expensive) rubbish. In contrast, most Bluepoint gear I’ve bought or used has been very good and decent value for money given the low (by Snap-on standards) price point. Because of this I never fell in love with Snap-on and bought other brands instead, often for a fraction of the price. At the time (nearly 20 years ago now) Britool were selling their satin chrome stuff (the ratchets etc. had black handles with red writing) and there were monthly promotions so I bought loads of it off the local tool van and I still have it all now. The ratchets, although very smooth, didn’t like to be abused and I’m sure it wasn’t as good as the proper old Britool gear but it was great value for money and has served me well. It didn’t have an easy life either working on HGV’s, although I don’t really abuse my tools if I’m honest. These days I buy either Unior or German brands, they’re great if you can live without shiny chrome!

 

[armalites]

I assume you know the cost of a Snap on 3/8 drive ratchet?
£109.26
https://shop.snapon.com/product/Quick-Release-Ratchets-(3-8")/3-8"-Drive-Dual-80-Technology-Standard-Handle-Quick-Release-Ratchet/FR80
That makes your set even better value.
I also have issues getting any Snap on Changed under warrenty

To be fair that kind of thing is regularly on the flyers so you'd have to be mad to pay full RRP, on the latest flyer I bought a set of semi deep sockets and they came with a free extra long handle 3/8 ratchet. Technically the lifetime waranty is with the original purchaser but most decent dealers will swap stuff but they have no obligation to do that, that's a myth.I can totally understand why some dealers are funny with people who buy some beat up old stuff from a car boot then go on the first van they see and demand a replacement. My advice to anyone who only has a few Snap On items but has never bought from a dealer on a regular basis is to find someone they know that has and get them to swap an item for you unless you have the original receipt.

There is no way there is a direct cost/benefit relationship with regards to Snap On stuff but their ratchets are very good. That is the way of the world, top of the line stuff costs way more than it's relative performance increase. Comparing a Snap On ratchet to a ratchet in a generic set is like camparing a new Range Rover with a Dacia Duster. If money was no object you'd buy the Range Rover but is it 15-20 times better than a Dacia? not likely.

I'm not a Snap On queen/evangelist most of my sockets/spanners are Kennedy-Pro but if you pick up a Kennedy ratchet compared to a Snap On one they are a world apart. Some of their pricing seems ridiculous, the hard handle ratchet screwdrivers are £70+ RRP now but if you use/like ratchet screwdrivers you cannot buy a better one and personally I think they are best screwdriver money can buy.The first one I bought was 25 years a go and I still have it now. The crazy thing is if I sold it on ebay/facebook now it would make more money than I paid for it so looking at the bigger picture it was an absolute bargain.

Just trying to put a bit or perspective on things and not trying to defend Snap On.

 

[winchman]

I assume you know the Hard Handles are also sold as Williams? I paid about £50 a set delivered for mine a few years ago the identical set on the van was about £120 at the time. Currently about £70.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WILLIAMS...151286&hash=item415b92ca55:g:oRsAAOSwQTVV-bmQ

Some items are worth the extra but on the other hand it depends how much use you give it, some of it just really nice to own, Winchboy loves the stuff.

 

[armalites]

I assume you know the Hard Handles are also sold as Williams? I paid about £50 a set delivered for mine a few years ago the identical set on the van was about £120 at the time. Currently about £70.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WILLIAMS...151286&hash=item415b92ca55:g:oRsAAOSwQTVV-bmQ

Some items are worth the extra but on the other hand it depends how much use you give it, some of it just really nice to own, Winchboy loves the stuff.

Yes but the Williams hard handle ratchet screwdriver isn't the same as the Snap On one, very similar but not the same. I have a couple of hard handle sets bought on special, mine are orange which makes then harder to lose, screwdrivers are the only things I've claimed warranty on and in both case the blade was swapped no issues. One was a broken tip the other was one that I wasn't happy with the chrome. The one with the suspect chrome the dealer had the blade on the van and swapped there and then.

Some of it is just nice to have, I still smile when I pick up some items I've had years.

When the flyer comes out the first thing I do is check the RRP, sometimes there is no discount and the flyer is just advertising, sometimes there can be as much as 40-50% off the RRP. Some things are actually cheap, my mate bought some battery boots for his 14.4v ratchet, was well chuffed with himself as he got them for £12 each on ebay. Price the Snap On website £4.95!! Oh how I laughed

The hard handle ratchet screwdrivers used to be a spare part on one of our old machines years before I joined the company. All the old timers still have them, was working with a colleague last week who said he probably ordered 10+ of them back in the day. Hasn't got any of them now. He only mentioned it because he was using mine so I took it off him and told him he couldn't be trusted with it.

 

[James1979]

The best thing I got from snap on lately, pressie from a mate in England, was socks!!

I thought they were just a novelty but they are indestructible! Not sure who makes them but I’m really hard on my socks and the cheap ones often don’t last the day.