eBay

tony1963 · ‎04-30-2022

I was going through my tool cabinet the other day which is primarily stocked with Craftsman tools and the occasional multi-brand specialty tool.

Over the years, I found the Craftsman to be a superior brand and the cost is so far below Snap On that you could buy multiple Craftsman and still have less money tied up than Snap On.

I used to use the Snap On scanners (the only Snap On tool I bought) and now I use Matco which is a much better value.

Never spent a dime on the big tool truck either. Yes, they truck stopped by and while employees would buy tools, I said NO for the shop. I would not buy unless it was 1/3 of retail price.

I didn't fund a retirement plan for the truck route driver nor did I make the payments on that truck. I went to the Sears store and did just fine.

vanman1029 · ‎05-03-2022

When I used to turn wrenches for a living, there were Craftsman guys and Snap-On guys. Each month, the Craftsman guys would have a small box of broken tools to take back to Sears and exchange them for new tools, no questions asked. The Snap-On guys had one or two broken tools and the Snap-on truck guy would always argue with the mechanics, telling them they were abusing the tools, etc. He refused to replace about 50% of the broken tools. I always used Craftsman tools and was very happy with them and they were way less expensive than Snap-On tools.

ripsmc · ‎05-03-2022

To me, there is a middle ground. I've got a number of Snap-On tools. While they are expensive some of them are well worth it. On the other hand, I've got some Snap-On tools that were not very good from the very start. Mac, Matco, and Cornwell have worked very well. My 1/2" drive Cornwell SAE and Metric impact socket sets have never failed me in 40 years and were far less money than the Snap-On equivalent.

Craftsman tools are very good tools for the money although I think some of the modern era of Craftsman tools are not very good. Mainly breakovers, ratchets, and so on. I've got several near new Craftsman ratchets that use plastic forward/reverse levers and have a lot of slop in the gearhead even new. Wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, etc are great and equal to or better than SO.

A Craftsman 1/2" breakover finally broke after 35 years. It was replaced free of charge (twice) over the next 2 years and the replacements broke under far less stress than the original.

If I could back the calendar up there would be less Snap-On than I have.

braus3449 · ‎05-04-2022

Snap-On is over-priced from the get go and then add on a very restricted distribution channel and its a poor value in most cases. Sure, it's high quality, but you can get nearly as good for half or a third the price elsewhere. I guess if you're paying for your tools by the week, price isn't really considered. When did Snap On ever have a sale?

donsdetour · ‎05-04-2022

Resale of the snap on is a good reason to go with them.

Just saying...

tony1963 · ‎05-05-2022

Overpriced is an understatement. Every time you hand the Snap On dealer money, you are paying for his/her truck, their retirement plan, what it costs to model the girls in the calendar and so on. Like mentioned before, the warranty on Snap On is dismal.

Craftsman, on the other hand, gives you a new tool and doesn't quibble.

Every time that Snap On truck pulled in, I just smiled as I kept my money in my pocket.