Craftsman VS Kobalt

[Lanse]

Hey yall...

Well, im in the market for a new tool set, and i really like the looks of the kobalt 227 piece socket set...

I dont have any experience with kobalt tools, but in the store, they seem really comfortable in your hand, and look to be pretty well made.

I hear some of the craftsman tools are now made in china, and both the craftsman and kobalt sets are about the same price, have about the same tools in them, and both have a lifetime warranty.

So, does anyone know anything about these kobalts?? Which would you go with, if you had to choose?? One main reason im leaning towards the kobalt set is that the nearest sears is pretty much on its last legs, and is more then likely going to be closing up shop soon. The lowes is way bigger, always busier, and theres a second one not too much further away, so that if i did break something, it would be easier to go replace.

 

[evilboweivel]

I prefer Craftsman, guys I work with prefer Kobalt.
based on what you save about the stores, I would buy Kobalt and enjoy
Ron

 

[Gary from Muleshoe]

I haven't used the Kobalt name, but I have used Satnely tools and they seem to be as good as Craftsman and unless it has changed recently Stanley should have the same warrenty as Craftsman.

 

[keh]

Kobalt imports more of their tools AT THE PRESENT TIME. Craftsman recently started stocking Chinese flare nut wrenchs with Craftsman on them. Kobalt screwdrivers are imports.

Craftsman and Kobalt are both made by Danaher which is a large tool conglomerate(sp). Danaher also owns Matco.

The Kobalt ratchet and the standard Craftsman ratchet share the same guts even though the outer appearance is different. The standard Craftsman ratchets do not have a real good reputation, however , some people are very rough on ratchets. Time is money to a professional mechanic and they will put the pressure on a ratchet to remove a fastner rather than take time to get a breaker bar. My personal attitude is to take the small amount of time and get a breaker bar. If you don't have extra ratchets and break one, you are out of business until you can get the ratchet repaired.

Craftsman makes a thin profile, high polish ratchet which is real good. It feels good in the hand, has a smooth action, and is strong. A set of three 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive thin profiles costs $100 at sears but sometimes they are put on sale. I reccommend you get these and a 1/2 drive long breaker bar.

The Craftsman combination wrenches are hard to beat. I've never had trouble with one.

As far as I know the Craftsman Professional screwdrivers are good. I had a failure with a standard Craftsman phillips. Had good service from a Snap on and a SK.

There is presently criticism of the current Craftsman sockets, basically having to do with their appearance compared to earlier ones. No complaints about them breaking more than others. I haven't compared them with Kobalts. My opinion is that they are both equally strong.

Do the math, check prices on everything.

KEH

 

[Anonymous-0]

I would find a vendor in your area that sells SK. They are a little more expensive, but much better without paying snap-on prices. Other then the ratching wrenches, I think everything is USA made.

 

[Kevin2]

Made in USA (Danahar) Lifetime warranty on the tools (not the case). Good price. Better finish than Craftsman, store closer. Go for it!

 

[RoyIA]

I have had a 3/8" SK socket set since 73. It has been good. However, I heard that they went bankrupt this summer and discontinued their business.

 

[Bill-KCKs]

This store may not be helpful in this case, but when shopping for tools their catalog is usually worth a look. I'm not sure they even know what all they have in that building!
Harry J Epstein

 

[ASEguy]

Do you remember when they were SK-Wayne?

 

[DJM75]

craftsman has been sold to ace hardware most stores are selling craftsman now but next year there is no more warranty on craftsman.

 

[sjh]

Can you provide a news link to prove that. Ace did partner with Sears to sell craftsman tools. I can find no info on a buyout.

 

[Plane Bart]

Just brought a set of Craftsman Open Ended Racheting wrenchs and Box end ratcheting wrenchs these were made in China they work good for building conduit racks where an open end ratcheting wrench is good they bight nice and tight when useing open end, the other sets that I purchased were SAE and Metric sets for twenty a set of 5 with 10 wrench sizes all ratcheting open ends were made in Tiawan
Looked at Gear wrenches that I love and they are made in Tiawan also
The Craftsman wrenches are available in sizes over 1 1/8" where Husky and Kolbolt are only availiable in sizes up to 1 1/8"s. this is something to consider.
on the otherhand Craftsman does not carry the odd ball sizes like they used to like 19/32" and no longer make deepwells in 3/8" drive in 20mm,23mm, and 25 mm I hate incomplete sets.
Just my Opinion I would go with Sears you can always on-line order also, not a Kolbolt fan at all.

 

[markct]

good luck on that, sk filed for bankruptcy

 

[Wild Bill]

this is bunk, craftsman is still craftsman, and they still have the warranty on their hand tools. I have bought several hundred dollars worth of craftsman hand tools in the last 6 months, trying to upgrade the tool box a little. Every piece I have bought is clearly marked "Made in USA". I like that a lot. Quality is just as good as ever.

And yes, I am a craftsman hand tool fan.

Don't get me started on their power tools though!

 

[Pops1532]

(quoted from post at 23:23:58 09/30/10) good luck on that, sk filed for bankruptcy

Did they cease operations? Lots of companies file for bankruptcy protection and continue to operate.



As for Craftsman being made in the USA..... I bought a Craftsman brake bleeder wrench that was made in Japan nearly 30 years ago when Sears was advertising all Craftsman tools were made in the US.

 

[Wild Bill]

Boy that sk Wayne comment hit home! I bought a mostly complete sk Wayne 1/2 inch socket set at a yard sale Saturday, and now I'm on the Hunt for the two missing sockets.

 

[DJM75]

I found a news link after my local carquest told me about the warranty going away I think I found it at the sears site. Don't forget sears is owned by Kmart and they are not into tools and if you think its bunk wait till next year when you can't replace them anymore then tell me I am willing to wait.

 

[JimDRIl]

I still have and use my SK set bought in 1950 from Western Auto. Great tools. I wonder if the new ones will last that long?

 

[Anonymous-0]

I had my socket toolbox stolen a few years ago, and I replaced it with the Kobalt set. I have been pleased with Kobalt for farm use.

 

[greygoat]

Stanley closed up their plant,(in Connecicet?)
and moved everything to China, putting hundreds
of Americans out of work ! For that reason alone
I wouldn't buy anything new labeled "Stanley"

 

[Pops1532]

(quoted from post at 03:07:50 10/01/10) Boy that sk Wayne comment hit home! I bought a mostly complete sk Wayne 1/2 inch socket set at a yard sale Saturday, and now I'm on the Hunt for the two missing sockets.

Try ebay.

 

[WGM]

Danaher makes most Craftsman hand tools.

 

[trucker 40]

I have a Craftsman 3/8 drive ratchet I bought in the 1980s,which looks a lot like a Snap On ratchet and (knock on wood)have not broke it.I used it for about 4 years every day when I was a mechanic,I still use it a lot,I used it today in fact.Ive about wore the chrome off of it.I will go get a breaker bar but I have used the heck out of that ratchet.Its outlasted 2 or 3 other brands that I have.Even Snap On.Ive had to fix 2 or 3 of those Snap On ratchets since the 1980s.

If you want your ratchets to work good and last,take them apart,clean all the dirt out of the teeth with a wire brush,or something,grease them with some kind of grease,put them back together.If you do that when they start acting up,or once a year,or if they are full of dirt,they will last a lot longer and work a lot better.Even those cheap Craftsman ratchets that come with a set of tools will work better if you do that to them.You probably need grease them before you use them the first time.Another ratchet that Craftsman has that holds up good is a fine tooth ratchet that looks like the cheap ones.There are other brands that hold up good too.I think SK holds up good.

 

[trucker 40]

I dont know anything about Kobalt tools.Ive glanced at them in a Lowes before.I do have Craftsman tools.Craftsman is made in the USA by some company.Sears has been hurting for a while,but I dont think Lowes is doing all that great.I mean if I had to bet on which one will still be her in 20 years I would say it will probably be Sears.
Places like Lowes and Home Depot buy stuff by the warehouse full that somebody else couldnt sell.On some things anyway.I dont pay a lot of attention to Lowes to know,but I think they sold a different brand a few years ago.Look at a Lowes,then look at a Wal Mart.I think I read where Wal Mart owns Lowes.Wal Mart does the same thing Lowes does.they buy a warehouse full of stuff that somebody else cant sell and sell it.Sure not everything.Plus now since they are so big Wal Mart has Chinese factories making stuff for them.Probably for Lowes too.

I think I would go with Craftsman for that reason there.We could get into a war with China if we arent careful.Selling the China junk here has ruined the USA.Craftsman has been around a long,long time.The 1990s were not kind to stores like Sears and Montgomery Ward is long gone.Sears might go too,but you arent going to break a Craftsman wrench any way.About the most you could do to a Craftsman wrench is bend it.If you bust a Ratchet you could buy a good one from Mac or someplace if Sears goes under.

It doesnt matter what tools you buy,you have to take care of them.If you just throw them on the ground when you are done until you need them again then it wont matter what kind of tools you get,you wont be able to use them because you cant find them.If you take care of them they will last a long time if you buy USA made.The only thing I can remember having to take back and get it fixed was a Craftsman ratchet and a few sockets.The sockets broke trying to take unbelieveably tight bolts out of a Caterpillar motor.Also dont use chrome sockets on an impact wrench.You might get by with it,but it might break your socket,and it will wear out the anvil on your impact wrench.

 

[ASEguy]

Good luck Bill. Those will be very hard to find.

 

[trucker 40]

htp://www.marketwatch.com/story/sears-agrees-to-sell-craftsman-tools-at-ace-hardware-2010-02-20

Ace Hardware did not buy Sears.All Sears did was let Ace Hardware sell Craftsman tools.Sears owns Craftsman and has thousands of stores that stock Craftsman tools.Ace Hardware only sells part of Craftsman tools.

The link tells about what Sears and Ace Hardware did.

I would say the chances that Ace Hardware would ever be big enough to buy Sears and K-Mart is about zero.

 

[trucker 40]

htp://www.marketwatch.com/story/sears-agrees-to-sell-craftsman-tools-at-ace-hardware-2010-02-20

Ace Hardware did not buy Sears.All Sears did was let Ace Hardware sell Craftsman tools.Sears owns Craftsman and has thousands of stores that stock Craftsman tools.Ace Hardware only sells part of Craftsman tools.

The link tells about what Sears and Ace Hardware did.

I would say the chances that Ace Hardware would ever be big enough to buy Sears and K-Mart is about zero.

 

[C.R.]

Buy the best tools that you can afford you will have your tools for a lifetime a good tool is a pleasure to use however a poorly made tool is a struggle to use and not worth the broken knuckles and rounded off fasteners Dont be afrade to build up your kit a peice at a time my stuff is mostly crafstman and I watched the sears flyers and purchased wrench and socket sets as they came up on sale

 

[Plane Bart]

The set of open end ratchet wrenchs with box end ratchet wrenchs that my apprentice brought are stamped MADE IN CHINA, the set I brought say Craftman but not made in China you had to look at the small print on package.
I like them and they work well even if made in China and Tiawan I have mostly Craftsman, but also have alot of Snap on Specialty tools and a full 1/4" drive Snap on set SAE and Metric.
a good tool is a good tool bottom line I don't care where it was made if it works.

 

[Jason the Red]

I could spend all day in Epsteins. Great store with great staff.

 

[Anonymous-0]

s-k is being bought by IDEAL Industries. they also own pratt read and western forge tool companies..napaguy