[TheArete]

It’s been said from cars to computer parts to tools to good set of Knives… you get what you pay for. And for the most part it holds true, Farberware has got nothing on Classic Wusthoff, nor does Husky have anything on Snap-On.

There is a point of diminishing returns however, where you’ve spent WAAAaaayyyy more than needed and are getting very little if anything more/over the cheaper alternatives. Will there be times when you go to Harbor Freight, Tractor Supply or that strange “store” down the street and buy a ratchet or drill that costs a nickel and lasts forever and puts up to abuse… yes. That being said the”percentage” of that happening is significantly lower with cheaper tools and significantly higher with better tools.

Kobalt, Rigid, Husky, Mastercraft, etc… These are usually Store Brands (Lowes is Kobalt, Ridgid is Home Depot) that are usually produced by a different brand or larger conglomerate company. As mentioned, the production has moved over seas, especially to China. I have a set of ratchets, sockets, screwdrivers, and pliers from Kobalt, Stanley, Craftsman, Rigid, etc… as well as power/air tools. I’m staring at a ratchet with destroyed teeth that skips constantly, a dewalt drill that is cracked and falling apart, and several pairs of pliers with shattered tips. That’s cheap for ya. The steel isn’t the same, and even kobalt clamps will “bend” rather than clamp said objects.

Snap-On, Matco, etc… usually make fantastic products. As was mentioned it really comes down to each individual tool and how it was designed. I’ve seen shitty Makita saws, but Fantastic Hitachi Impact Drivers (their the leader of drills IMO but suck at most other stuff), bought great Socket sets from Stanley that lasted forever and heck… even Ridgid is known for Great pipe tools and Wet Vacs. As a climber… I buy the pretty and expensive stuff (Petzl, Arc-Teryx) but the cheap stuff as well… I just make an informed decision. If you’re like me and know that hot dipped handles last forever and won’t slide around on ya when working with fence or pulling the hose off in the car… you’re less likely to pick up that “super cheap” off brand with the crappy grips because you know they’ll be twisted off in a matter of full work days.

My advice… buy cheap… super cheap… and figure out what you hate about it… what you can live with… and then go buy something that fits your criteria. Hope it helps.

[Author]

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