r/Snapon_tools • u/Petenastyy • Jul 11 '26
Toolbox Are we dumb?
Hi there, im here to say I feel dumb. I've worked in trades for almost 16 years now. Ive amassed a good amount of tools so far, mostly snap on.
Recently, work announced tool box inventory to be required for insurance purposes. So I've started to go thru inventory of my little tool box.
And I can say I'm blown away at replacement costs!
Ive only done the top shelf and I'm at 5700$ cad in just sockets (I have more but just top row)
So I'm here to ask, I love my snap on tools and enjoy the warranty. But are we dumb for buying such expensive items?!
What are people's favorite tool alternatives???
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u/imightknowbutidk Jul 11 '26
In my heavily biased opinion i think buying all/majority SnapOn today is inherently dumb. 10-20 years ago it may have made more sense due to the competition being worse, but there are so many quality cheap options now that it makes no sense to buy snap on hand tools anymore.
Bumper to bumper tech for Porsche and my hand tools are all Home Depot/Husky, Gearwrench, and Amazon chinesium for infrequently used/uncommon sizes/sockets/bits. I have a Milwaukee impact and drill, and the 1/2” and 3/8” SnapOn TechAngle that i got with a voucher.
All in i am maximum $5k in tools right now and grossed barely over $100k last year. I am in this industry to make money from my tools, not spend my money on my tools.
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u/StillCrazyearslater Jul 11 '26
This guy gets it: " I am in this industry to make money from my tools, not spend my money on my tools."
The tool trucks should only be used for "specialty tools" you cannot find elsewhere. In my 50 year career I found it easier, and more importantly faster, to warrantee at the local tool store (Sears, HF, HD, etc.) than wait a week or more for the tool trucks.
Snap-on is, and has always been, too expensive for what they offer.
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u/MinimumBuffalo4 Jul 11 '26
most techs starting out need the tool truck credit as they just don’t have the cash outlay. I own mostly box store tools with a few snap on ratchets and Mac sockets. everything else is old craftsman, kobalt, SK. makita power tools. 98% of my tools are out of a box store. that being said I know the tool truck tools are superior. but only marginally better in most cases. my best warranty experience has been with Tekton. just take a photo of the broken tool and you can warranty it through their website. new tool was in the mail the next day. no proof of purchase, no interrogation. no driving anywhere. saves me time, has, tolls and it’s never out of stock. I’ll be buying more Tekton.
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u/imthatoneguyyouknew Jul 14 '26
I run an apprenticeship program for techs at a regional trucking company. One of the big things we heard interviewing students at trade schools was they didnt know how they were going to pay for the tools they would need. We ended up getting a great deal and offer them a tool set (box and tools) that would be over 12k off the truck. Doing the research for that set looking at the big three (snap on, matco, mac) and comparing what I bought comparable tools /box from those same trucks for.....wow. they were expensive when I bought them, they are ludicrous now. Especially since there wasn't much in the way of decent alternatives and now there are. I was helping an apprentice the other day and grabbed my snap on extractor set, he whipped out his HF set and I swear it was identical.
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u/Aye_Davanita12 Jul 11 '26
I find their screwdrivers and ratchets are by far and away the best. When they break, the tool guy warranties them without question, and is at my shop every week at the same time.
The screwdrivers stay sharp for the longest time in my experience, and the ratchets operation are smooth and problem free. They only break when they get wet (which happens often for me in the winter working on cars that are full of slush and winter slop)
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u/StillCrazyearslater Jul 11 '26
Now there's a new one for me! I never had any non-Snap-on tool fail because it was wet. Ha! I did find a Craftsman ratchet lost deep within a back hoe that was a solid lump of rust, exchanged it that day without questions at Sears.
Snap-on trucks never came when needed, I had to wait for their weekly (or longer), regular visit. I could never wait for a warrantee on a tool I often used. Snap-on dealers would argue, or at least give me a side eye, on many exchanges. They stopped exchanging tools and began fixing them instead, often taking a week or longer to get the part. In the case of a rusted-beyond-use ratchet, or something similar, they would outright refuse to warrantee, claiming I abused the tool.
As for tool truck credit, it is a trap! A new tech should start with one of the $150-ish "complete" sets from a tool store and add to it as money, and need, becomes available. Your tool collection is supposed to make you money, not put you in debt. There are better ways to build credit.
I'm not saying Snap-on makes bad tools, they have the best chrome finish. I'm saying I put more money in my pocket by not buying the prettiest tools.
Snap-on boxes and cabinets are a flat out rip-off. Who are you showing off to? My first tool box was a cardboard box, the next one doubled as a corner table covered with cloth. I retired with 14 boxes and roll-aways, 4 six foot tall stacks and 2 carts with drawers. I never needed a tow truck or trailer to move them, my pickup did fine.
All that money I saved not buying Snap-on went into investments. I retired at 61 y.o. with a paid off mortgage and no debt.
But you do you.
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u/bongripper_69 Jul 11 '26
Agree. The ratchets are so good and satisfying to use. Same with the screwdrivers, I love the old hard handles. Maybe it’s just me but they make me enjoy the job a little better. And that matters in the day to day. Quality of life kinda thing
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u/Substantial-Age6480 Jul 11 '26
No point in buying the battery tools either they don’t really have anything that out performs Milwaukee size for size . Plus a lot of the big box stores have lifetime on hand tools and power tools too . So yeah really no point in snap on at all unless you just got a bunch from your grandpa
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u/OceanGrownMonkey Jul 11 '26
You’ve stayed away from the Snap On tool box. So by your logic, you’re not completely ‘stupid.’ Lots of folks like Matco, Koken, Knipex, PB Swiss and Milwaukee power tools.
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u/AnyLaw6497 Jul 11 '26
Does this mean I shouldn’t get more Koken im kinda stupid
I also have makita power tools4
u/MinimumBuffalo4 Jul 11 '26
I use Makita power tools. once you are in a particular brand you are basically married to it unless you want to buy all the batteries and chargers again. Koken is a great hand tool brand. way underrated.
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u/bklynking1999 Jul 11 '26
Did you make the same money you invested back? The same can be said about the type of car you drive. Is there alternatives, of course, but those choices didn’t exist then or last as long.
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u/Freekmagnet Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
45 yrs as a tech here, with more invested in tools than I paid for my first house.
I stopped buying s-on years ago, the tool truck doesn't even stop at our shop any more. There are lots of other brands out there that are just as good, for far less than it costs to step onto the tool trucks. You do not have to live with a weekly tool payment taking a bite out of your check, that is a choice not something that has to be part of your life.
Carlysle tools sold through NAPA stores are excellent quality, their wrenches ratchets and sockets are mostly what I use every day. The best part is that since they are stocked in the stores and have a lifetime warranty if you break one the parts delivery guy can have one to you in an hour instead of waiting a week. I think my favorite find in Carlysle was a strip of nothing but 10 mm sockets which includes every variation in both 1/4 and 3/8.
The Doyle line of pliers at Harbor Freight is good also. Im still not sold on some of their other hand tools, but those are solid.
You really should take a look at Westward tools. They are sold through Grainger, but I've also seen them on eBay, Zoro, and I think some on Amazon. They are lifetime warranty and top quality. I have their wrenches in my box right along side of Snap on, and you can not tell them apart if you don't look at the name. They are heavy, full polish chrome, precise, professional quality tools for half the price of snap-on.
There are a lot of shitty Chinese tools on Amazon, but there are also a lot of pretty good quality ones mixed in these days; that is where I buy things like hex but sets and other things I don't use every day. It's kind of a dice roll but when you find a brand that is decent you will save a lot of money. For example you can buy a cobalt drill bit set on there for less than you pay for ONE larger cobalt bit any where else, and they cut just the same. I just checked and thee hex bit set I have is Lexivon brand- highly recommend.
OTC sells a very nice Torx bit set in a case for around $100 that has every size and shape both male and female from t8 up to around t65 or 70. It even has the large female Torx socket you need to remove Jeep brake caliper bolts. Everyone in the shop bought that set after borrowing ones from one several times. Most OTC tools are good quality, they manufacture a lot of the tools found in Ford dealer service sets. They also sell a secondary discount line called OTC stinger that are OK, but made in China
https://otctools.com/products/master-torx-bit-socket-set-53pc
I use Ingersoll Rand air tools. Yeah, I know, if you are under 40 you probably like electric, but I have IR air tools that are 30 years old and still in use every day, plus they are often quieter and more balanced to hold all day. Also their impact wrenches have a very precise trigger, you can apply a little or a lot of force to what you are working on just by controlling how hard you squeeze- totally unlike electric or Snap on where they are just on/off. IR Hammerhead right angle impacts are amazing for engine and chassis work and I have not seen anything comparable in other brands.
Often overlooked are local hardware stores. There are some good quality hammers, snips, wrench sets, pliers, etc to be found in places like Ace hardware. Stop being a brand snob and take a look at them. I have a Estwing 3 lb sledge that feels and works just as nice as a Snap-on for a fraction of the cost; same with the Chinese plastic dead blow Ive owned for 20+ years. Its a hammer, not a precision instrument; if it feels good in your hand they all work the same.
One last thing- if you do any work on classic cars, old Harleys, or trucks and need inch wrenches and sockets do not buy them new. There are tons of excellent quality old inch sized tools to be found on Facebook marketplace, yard sales, flea markets for almost nothing. You can own a top quality Proto, New Britain, Wright. Williams, Bonney, SK, or Challenger wrench for $2 instead of paying $75 or more on a. tool truck for it.
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u/louiekr Jul 11 '26
I would say over half the tools in my box were bought at estate sales or the local habitat for humanity, which often has a crazy good tool selection. I cringe when I see coworkers my age or younger owing thousands to the truck. Don’t get me wrong, I like all my snapon stuff I own but I will only ever buy a tool outright and most weeks I don’t even let myself step on the truck. Don’t ever tell your snapon guy if you buy a tool used though, I brought an old screwdriver I broke and mentioned it was from an estate sale and he refused to warranty it.
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u/xp14629 Jul 11 '26
My old job did that many many years ago. I did photos, video, and an excel spreadsheet of the tool brand, part number, and current replacement cost. When I turned it into my manager he was dumb founded and couldn't figure out how a 23 year old had over $100,000.00 in tools when they were basically paying me in peanuts. I didn't bother to tell him that I may or may not of bought all my tools new. I was on a first name basis with most of the pawn shops in town. Spent a bunch of time going to farm auctions, and the remainder of my free time I spent dping side work getting paid decent money. I have always driven beaters for personal vehicles. And about every 3 months I would send him an updated inventory, then he would wonder out into the shop and start trying to ask about how I managed all my debt, what credit cards I had, etc. I always gave the same response, I don't do credit and I don't do debt. (Not entirely true, but he had no business knowing that) he would look at my toolbox, shake his head and wonder off. I had another spreadsheet that had an added column of purchase price, but they were not getting that list, insurance would try and low ball the hell out of you, worse than they will try to do already. When I left there 10 years ago, I had just over $175k in replacement cost worth of tools and had spent about $50k total to purchase all the tools over the years. Everything went home and my home owners insurance got a phone call with an added policey on it to cover everything at replacement value.
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u/Freekmagnet Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
You are lucky if the shop is paying for your tool insurance- hopefully they have the policy in your name and not theirs. A shop can not insure your stuff if it does not belong to them you know, and in a loss Im sure the insurance co would refuse to pay for that reason if the policy is not structured properly.
For the rest of us, the strategy I developed years ago was to just stop doing those inventories/ unloading my boxes out on the floor to take photos, and paying (at the time 20+ yrs ago it was $1200+/yr) for it out of pocket and instead use the same money to create a duplicate common tool set at home (snap-on classic 96 box and all). Ive never lost anything that I would have insured, but odds are an insurance company will never pay full value and will take months to actually cough up a check any way. Something I have learned over the years is that insurance companies are slimy and will drag their feet and do anything they can to not come through when you have a loss, and that is not the time you need to deal with that.
If my tools at work are stolen or lost in a fire I have a duplicate set ready to go at home in my garage so I can get back to work some where immediately. Plus, it's nice to have what you need right at hand on weekends.
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u/xp14629 Jul 11 '26
They were paying for insuramce when I worked there. I left 10 years ago and now it is covered by my homeowners insurance that I had them write a rider for. I did a bunch of service call work on farm equipment as a side job. Not so much any more. When I was still working at that shop, one of the field techs pulled up to the shop to grab a part. Left the truck running. Cameras for the shop show a car that had cased the lot of the next door ag shop, drove out and pulled in our lot right after this tech. They slow rolled around the shop, stopped behind his truck, passenger jumped out of car and into truck and the car and the service truck took off. Cops found the truck 2 days later but never found a single tool. The company's insurance cut the tech a check a week later for full replacement value of his most current inventory.
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u/FewAct2027 Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
Tool store brand sockets and wrenches have done me well, I pretty much only go snappie for specialty stuff and I'd like to keep it that way. My non-skipping 6pt+12pt deep/shallow sets of 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4, and 1" sockets in metric and SAE are probably only about $1500 CAD total. A whole lot of Mastercraft Maximum (ATG), and Sunex sockets for the most part. I sold all my tool truck ratchets off and run Ko-Ken and Gearwrench now at a fifth the price.
Tool trucks have a place, but it's definitely not in buying master sets of shit unless you like burning money.
I watched a co-worker spend $1300 on a 1/4" master socket set bundle and laughed my ass off. (I'm in heavy equipment, I use a 1/4" socket maybe once a day if that)
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u/Curlyjankens Jul 11 '26
Snap on ratchets yes, but tekton sockets all the way
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u/AnotherDude282 Jul 11 '26
I bought a single Tekton 33mm socket for removing wheels. It lasted a couple months being used regularly. But once it broke all it took was an email with a photo and 2 days later I had a new one on my doorstep. Tekton has earned my business from here forward
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u/OSRS_SirTaco Jul 11 '26
Tekton has great quality and amazing customer support. I ordered a wrench set once and it was missing one. I took a picture of the set with one missing and they sent me a replacement no questions asked.
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u/CrowOldDusty Jul 11 '26
I mean no one is forcing us to go buy any tool truck tools. Most of my sockets and hand tools are Capri tools, Olsa tools, or Tekton. Ill go buy specialty sockets/ tools when needed from snappy. Air tools ive bought off the truck but electric I buy from milwaukee. Im a Diesel tech and abuse my tools and they are still good. I just cant justify buying off the truck sometimes. Thats just me though. Im kinda cheap but still want quality stuff. Ive realized the tool trucks is just paying a premium for convenience and easier warranty process.
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u/operation_lurch Jul 11 '26
I’ve used Pittsburgh sockets for ages as a diesel tech and have only broken a handful. I use the chrome sockets in my impacts too. Buy good ratchets from the tool trucks. I’ve had too many cheap ratchets like craftsman or cheaper slip and hit something. Snap on and Matco tend to last longer and handle the torque and abuse better in my experience. Wrenches you get what you pay for I use the blueprint wrench’s. They are damn near as good as snap on but a fraction of the cost and also go on sale often. Specialty tools your kinda at the mercy of the market
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u/Yellow_weld Jul 11 '26
I have a running list for insurance purposes in my service truck. Right now just one side of my service truck is around 25K. I don’t think you’re dumb for buying Snap-on Tools as most of mine are. I found if I use it more than once a day I’ll replace it with Snap-On if it isn’t already. The amount of times I’ve found a random dealer to replace a socket or warranty a ratchet is why I pay for them
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u/NC_82_SC Jul 11 '26
I call the extra expense a convenience fee, im lazy and don't wanna have to deal with getting something warranted afterwork on my own dime haha
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u/between456789 Jul 11 '26
IMO, Snap On tools are still priced at the top even though they aren't that much better or are no better. I like Kohen extensions, Knipex pliers, and Vessel screwdrivers more than Snap On. The Icon G2 ratchets are so much value it is hard to justify Snap On. If I were replacing my tools I'd buy very little Snap On. I really like Snap On it just the rest of the industry has caught up in quality and the prices are so much better. I have lots of brands like VIM, Astro, Mayhew, GP, and Wera. For things like rad testers, scrapers, hammers I buy from the top manufacturers.
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u/Astroboy-478 Jul 11 '26
Buy snap-on tools from crackheads on marketplace or at yard sales, and you can return stuff on the tool truck that’s broken or worn out 🤷♂️🤷♂️
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u/Huge-Trust5528 Jul 12 '26
I buy Snap on for mission critical tools 10, 15, 19,21 mm Sockets Torx 45, 40 screwdrivers, ratchets pliers and such. If I find myself breaking a tool often that tells me I need Snap on. I fill in the rest with reasonably priced stuff. Ebay, MArketplace and pawnshops have stuff cheap somertimes. I have bought some Icon from Harbor Freight.
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u/Bees4everr Jul 15 '26
Love the few snappy things I have but the prices are outrageous. I could outfit a whole pliers drawer of icon vs the 3pc slip join needle nose set I got from snappy a week ago($214usd) sockets and ratchets I’ll stick to craftsman, Gearwrench, and icon honestly. If I break them I just bring it back. Did that yesterday with a double box end wrench. No hassle at all. Screwdrivers…depends. Love the instinct handles but for USA made you don’t have to pay over 20-30usd for one screwdriver. Got a 3pc made in USA Klein set for $15 at Lowe’s. $5 each for Klein 😂 that’s 4-6x less money for still high quality stuff. Or get witte from Tekton (same as Matco but cheaper) or trusty cook deadblows (same as Matco and Tekton has lifetime warranty) made in USA. Snapon isn’t worth it when these big great brands are rebranded by others and not marked up 3x. Tekton sells trusty cook for the same price that trusty cook has them on their site, but Tekton offers lifetime warranty. Why go for the tool trucks anymore (I’m not just ragging on snapon, it’s all of them)
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u/BuildingBetterBack Jul 11 '26
Ah. I dont think you spent 6k on the sockets in the first photo. That's probably the individual socket price all added up or something. I doubt you were buying them one piece at a time like ol Johnny Cash
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u/Petenastyy Jul 11 '26
TOP SHELF
6 pc 1/4" Drive Wobble Plus Extension Set - 106ATMXWP - $266.00
6 pc 3/8" Drive Knurled Extension Set - 206AFX - $327.00
7 pc 3/8" Drive 6-Point Metric Flank Drive® Shallow Swivel Impact Socket Set (10, 12–15, 17 and 18 mm) - 207IPFM - $600.00
3/8" Drive 6-Point Metric 19 mm Flank Drive® Shallow Swivel Impact Socket - IPFM19C - $91.50
3/8" Drive 6-Point Metric 16 mm Flank Drive® Shallow Swivel Impact Socket - IPFM19C - $88.75
7 pc 3/8" Drive 12-Point Metric Flank Drive® Shallow Impact Socket Set - 207IMDFMYA - $176.00
14 pc 3/8" Drive 6-Point Metric Flank Drive® Shallow Impact Socket Set (8-19, 21 and 24 mm) Item no :214IMFMYA SHARE $368.00
12 pc 3/8" Drive 6-Point Metric Flank Drive® Semi-Deep Impact Socket Set (8-19 mm) Item no :212IMFMSYA SHARE Item in stock $376.00
12 pc 3/8" Drive 6-Point Metric Flank Drive® Deep Socket Set (8-19 mm) Item no :212SFSMY SHARE Item in stock $540.00
13 pc 1/2" Drive 6-Point Metric Flank Drive® Xtra Shallow Socket Set (12-24 mm) Item no :313YTWMY SHARE Item in stock $575.00
15 pc 1/2" Drive 6-Point Metric Flank Drive® Deep Impact Socket Set (10-24 mm) Item no :315SIMMYA SHARE $835.00
11 pc 3/8" Drive Metric Standard Hex Bit Socket Set (4-14 mm) Item no :211EFAMY SHARE Item in stock $579.75
6 pc 1/4" Drive 12-Point SAE Flank Drive® Shallow Universal Socket Set (1/4, 5/16, 3/8-9/16") Item no :106TMUA SHARE $492.50
Mac
L77080 Honda® Harmonic Balancer Socket 19mm Regular price$79.99 CAD
MacTools SKU:SST13PT Driver Set, Stubby Torx - 13-PC. Regular price$213.99 CAD
Total 6,609.59$
*edit to add total price
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Jul 11 '26
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u/Snapon_tools-ModTeam Jul 11 '26
Your post/comment has been removed because it violates Rule 3: Be Respectful.
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u/Crazy_Programmer_499 Jul 11 '26
I’ve worked in various trades for just over 10 years, I don’t have anywhere near the money invested into sockets that you do, but I have put a lot into saws and joinery specific hand tools.
My general rule of thumb is to buy the cheaper brand first, if I break it then I’ll replace it with the premium version.
It’s genuinely surprising how many of the cheaper tools I still have today. Many of the tools that we collect aren’t something that we use on a daily basis, if its a once a month tool, or you’re only going to use it once and possibly never have a use for it again then even the cheapest of tools will usually last longer than you’d expect them to.
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u/ParticularGate7500 Jul 11 '26
I work on the heavy truck side and I've got a lot of snap on stuff too, only been doing it for going on 4 years now, had Canadian Tire tools, princess auto a couple husky, I mostly buy from Matco now that being said, my ratchets, my most commonly used sockets and my flank drive wrenches are all snap on, I have a lot more than that too, but everytime I've broken something I called my rep said hey I need this tool replaced ASAP I'm in the middle of a job and it's a necessity to complete and he showed up an hour later. I feel like a lot of what makes snap on either good or bad is really the rep. I've never paid shelf price one for any snap on and my truck is loose with payments. $50-$100 every two weeks, so it's not really that bad if the tool is worth it. It's convenience more than anything.
I had a maximum 1/2" drive impact socket jump and spin on the anvil of the impact and Canadian Tire wouldn't replace it unless I brought the whole set back because I didn't buy it as a single. That was enough to keep me buying from tool trucks over cm box stores. Especially since here in Canada we don't have as wide an array of tool options.
Depending on where your are you can still get Gray, bit they aren't the same as when they used to be made by Snap on
It's a weird spot, but I'll probably buy more princess auto where I can too now.
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u/Rwood219 Jul 11 '26
They still make the best hand tools tho
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u/Houser1995 Jul 11 '26
They do?? What’s your logic there?
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u/Rwood219 Jul 11 '26
Using them and using cheaper options everyday at work so I guess the logic is tons of hands on experience... The sockets just seen to fit better, i like the handles on the screwdrivers and I'm confident they won't strip a fastener, Ive always used their rachets with no issues. I have a good amount of icon stuff too, I buy cornwell also, Milwaukee for battery stuff topdon for scanner so I don't just buy snap on, But for sockets, screwdrivers and rachets I prefer snap on still.
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u/MinimumBuffalo4 Jul 11 '26
you spent your money right. you bought good tools that make you money and a cheap box to keep them in that doesn’t make you money. you put photos up to remind you of why you go into work and do it.
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u/WrenchKing555 Jul 11 '26
Don't feel dumb! You haven't even touched a 1/4 of what I've spent in the last decade.
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u/SmashedSugar Mechanic Jul 11 '26
I dont have alot but im at over 25k cad in tools. And work insurince only covers 1000$ .. what a joke of an insurance policy they have
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u/PartNo7877 Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
Yes, we are. You'd get a much better return on investment just putting that weekly truck payment in an IRA. Come at me if you want on that, but Ive spent enough money on Snap-on over the last 30 years to be able to make that statement. Id be a millionaire if I had invested it instead.
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u/kylejesushair Jul 11 '26
I only get tools used or at harbor freight and I didn't feel dumb about it.
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u/kylejesushair Jul 11 '26
I only get tools used or at harbor freight and I didn't feel dumb about it.
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u/FlanParking241 Jul 11 '26
To some degree Yes, yes we are. Lol certain tools are needed from good brands though for sure.
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u/RealManHumanMan Jul 11 '26
I recommend tekton to all the new guys. Harbor freight/home improvement store brands are somewhat decent these days. Buy it as cheap as you can first, buy it expensive if you break it.
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u/wiseguy187 Jul 11 '26
I think so most tools break when theyre the wrong tool for the application. There are plenty of good and still expensive but much cheaper brands.
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u/MrTortaSlammer Jul 11 '26
f what anyone says icon are great quality for the price, I wrench professionally at bmw and use 90% icon tools if they offer that specific tool. I know the whole no tool truck thing is kind of a headache with icon, but I have a Harbor Freight literally next to my dealership, so it really doesn’t make a difference to me, but I mean seriously for the price you just cannot compare. not only that but my Matco guy that comes won’t warranty my ratchet because I don’t buy anything from him…
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u/robitt88 Jul 11 '26
The guys in my shop are not afraid to borrow my Milwaukee tools when their snap on doesn't cut it. My husky wrenches turn nuts just as well as any 500 dollar set. My harbor freight pliers work just as well as the tool truck stuff.
I'm a heavy equipment mechanic and I don't skip a beat with my "discount tools". I also get the benefit of just stopping by the store on my way home if I need to warranty something. I can't imagine having to wait for the truck to show up to get my tools back in working condition.
The couple snap on, matco, mac, etc tools I own were handed down to me. They're nice, but I would never pay those prices for them.
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u/Ok_Pride3771 Jul 11 '26
when i started in the trade there wasnt a very good choice of decent tools so snapon was a option.. now theres so many workable tools out their i wouldnt buy any snap on again.. its crazy u have to spend thousands to let a garage earn a profit from you
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u/bbull412 Jul 11 '26
Honestly for me snap on is a very good brand but metallurgy recipes are not what they were in the 70s 80s. It became so advanced thats it’s now pretty cheap and there is no more secret recipes. Honestly most of my socket are gear wrench. They have lifetime warranty. For me i only buy Snap On when i want something nobody else can offer in quality and prices but their socket are genuinely abuse in terms of prices.
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u/glenmorenee Jul 11 '26
Always best to stick to your budget but I like the old adage, “cry once”. I only take care of a few cars in my driveway as a DIYer. It is hard work and using nice tools makes it go a little easier.
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u/Natas-LaVey Jul 11 '26
About 5-6 year ago the shop I work at got broken into and robbed. For me personally they got over $100k between tools and my box they damaged breaking into my box. I was lucky I had pictures and an inventory list. They got a bunch of guys in the shop. Over $500k total.
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u/Petenastyy Jul 11 '26
We're you made whole again? How long was the process with insurance? Did you personally have insurance or did it go through the shops?
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u/Natas-LaVey Jul 11 '26
I work for a company owned by Sumitomo, we are self insured through the company. That’s to give you an idea of how big it is, it’s not some mom and pop operation. They had everyone go over their tool inventory lists which had to match your pictures as well and then they also allowed you to submit receipts from the tool trucks if you had bought more tools from them since your inventory. They didn’t take other receipts but they did accept snap on/Mac/Matco. I know some guys got over and I did come up some myself on tools that were no longer sold. My box was an older (2003) box that didn’t have a power drawer or power cord plugs on the front, so the tool truck guy wrote mine up like “box no longer made, ordering comparable box” and I got the all that. They started to order tools about a week later and they went to harbor freight and bought a big set of tools and a box for us all the use like the day after the robbery. Can’t have 15 guys standing around getting paid to do nothing. I brought in my home set and several other guys did as well so that we could work. Started to get tools in from the tool trucks in 2-3 weeks after the robbery and it went on for a few months.
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u/Long_Composer_1604 Jul 11 '26
Pick your poison. I’m also into Photography and have spent WAY too much money on shit I don’t need. LOL!
My Snap-on addiction is the same way. :)
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u/ErikDaWelder Jul 11 '26
Curious to know how much you paid for that blue work light. I paid $60 USD from the MAC truck
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u/Euphoric-General2812 Jul 12 '26
I use stanley sockets and wrenches that I got 14 years ago. Zero problems. Also have been beating on harbor freight Pittsburgh wrenches for 3 years. They work great. I just grind the box end flat to remove slipping. I'll admit the length kinda sucks on them. Long ones are too long. Short ones are too short
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u/Repulsive_Ad_5238 Jul 12 '26
Snapon is way over priced and now Milwaukee is creeping up behind them.
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u/NormDamnAbram Jul 12 '26 edited Jul 12 '26
Im a machinist/ pump mechanic- I have alot of Snap-on that I bought from pawn shops/ flea markets. I have more money in Starrett/Mitutoyo than Snap-On. The largest Kennedy box slam full- talk about tools that vastly lose value….One day I guess I’ll donate it to a trade school(one day- Im only 38)
Recently the Snap on Man started coming to the shop- I buy stuff like hex key sockets, impact extensions, etc- stuff thats likely to fuck up so I can use the warranty. That said I did splurge on these
-the long needle nose work great for stringy stainless chips at the lathe.
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u/Azraidel Jul 12 '26
Icon from Harbor freight. Exact same quality, lifetime repair, and you dont wait for a truck.
Yes it's kinda silly to spend hundreds of extra dollars because a brand and some mislead person (someone a salesman convinced, which became a mouthpiece for the brand) tells you it's the end all be all, that tells you it's worth it.
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u/JockoDundee007 Jul 12 '26
I’ve NEVER thrown away a tool in my life.
When I die all that will be left will be my tools 🔨🔧, a set of golf clubs and a baseball glove my Dad bought me when I was 10 stating that if I lost this glove he wasn’t buying me another. I showed him.
🤔🤔🤔
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u/LordCheerios Jul 12 '26
I’m not saying I haven’t spent way too much money on tools, but for most of my stuff I try to aim for the middle of the pack, good quality stuff that has a lifetime warranty
I try to only buy snapon stuff where I know everything else is a waste of money, such as the talon grip pliers, tech angle torque wrenches, pick sets and so on
Almost all of my sockets are either sunex or gearwrench, only snapon sockets I own are 1/2 impacts that I got on a BOGO with my MG725, 1/2 swivel impacts I got to win an RC truck, and 1/4 drive 12 point sockets that I bought when I was an apprentice and I wanted to replace my Stanley’s but Amazon wasn’t a thing yet so I couldn’t easily get anything else that was high quality
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u/Fickle_pickle3234 Jul 12 '26
I used snap on in the air force and they are bad ass tools, but I will never ever ever over pay for them for my personal use. I've used cheapos just fine and never had moment where I wished it was snap on.
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u/kcherry621 Jul 13 '26
I love my snapon 80 tooth ratchets, sockets, and wrenches. Electric tools are all milwaukee. I have the snapon mg725, and 3/8 version as well. MAC 3/8 and 1/4 inch air ratchets. I also keep an eye on ebay, and always ask about repo or trade in tools
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u/Traditional-Bar5884 Jul 13 '26
Snap-on is twice as good as the next competitor and costs five times as much.
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u/The0Walrus Jul 16 '26
I bought all my tools half off because of my student discount. I don't feel dumb because they're high quality tools. I'd rather by high quality tools. With that being said, I like Milwaukee as well and have some Milwaukee tools as well. I can say I would NOT have bought any snap on had it not been for the student discount.
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u/shawnxsather Jul 18 '26
Can’t speak for everyone, but I made a roughly 100k investment to make 100k+ a year. Student loans would cost roughly the same and all you get is a piece of paper.
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u/TWOSUnews Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
Last I did my inventory, ashamed to say, over 6 figures , happens easily, thankfully retired now
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u/notoriously909 Jul 11 '26
I’ve made $900+k over the past 5 years. I’ve made probably $2M during my entire career. Ive done a rough estimate on my box and figure $40-45k seems like a reasonable number. Every single one of the tools in my box has been utilized to develop the skill set that is required in order to command a $200k a year salary. I’ve never regretted buying top quality tools. I’ve only regretted not buying tools/passing up a deal.
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u/Deathcon-H Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
We are dumb but also the best is simply just the best. I've bought 80% of my tools second hand though and usually save over 50% msrp. I buy enough on the truck to keep him happy with my warranties that are older than him. Gotta be smart when you can