My opinion/experience on one of my favorite subjects:
Pliers:
Klien- tried and true choose carefully because they will be around for a while.
Baco- A Snap-on subsidiary they are great tools comparable or superior to Klien (I know some of you think it’s blasphemy).
Knipex- their diagonal cutters are amazing. The channel lock type pliers are an improvement over the original.
Grip-on has a good vice grip style plier you can clamp to a table and use as a mini vice
Ratchets:
Snap-on- the best available and they price them accordingly. You and bet your life on them.
ProTo (Stanley and Husky) my next choice Husky would be my recommendation for value priced tools when you are first starting out (Home Depot).
Screw/nut drivers:
Snap-on- screwdrivers are pretty good they fit the hand nicely
Klien- makes some great cushioned screwdriver/nut drivers these are a very good bet.
Rigid- makes decent screwdrivers as well.
Wrenches:
Snap-on- Simply the best combination wrenches ever no one even comes close. Their box end offsets are great. The ratcheting boxed end wrenches (dog bones) are worth every penny there is no comparison!
ProTo- pretty good
S&K- My second choice after snap-on
Husky- The polished husky wrenches are a close imitation to snap-on a very sound choice for a beginner.
Hammers:
Eastwing- The snap-on of hammers
Malco-sound hammers and duct tools
Drills:
Cordless:
DeWalt- widely available and rugged higher end of the price range.
Milwaukee-very rugged replacement parts easily obtainable
Bosh- pricy but performs well
Rigid- soon to be a competitor with the big boys I would not feel unarmed with one
Makita- a little less robust than the others but it makes up for it in longevity.
Ryobi- great for a beginner very economical and the quality is pretty decent
Corded:
Milwaukee- The only corded drill for many I agree. Tough as a tank.
The others mentioned above same thing here!
Blades:
Lennox- tried and true
Meters:
Fluke- the best all I’ve used
Gages:
Hard to say you will end up with more than one pair if you work on bigger equipment. I was told buy a pair that you won’t cry over when they fall off the roof. You can repair them most wholesalers have parts.
Refco- makes some robust gages catering to the refrigeration side of the house and they have a vacuum pump that looks like a tank. Their refrigeration tools are nice.
Tubing/piping
Rigid- the best tubing cutters reamers all piping tools don’t care for their flare set it does not swage.
Refco- Flare kit flares and swages
NOTE:
I was told along time ago a power tool quality is related to the length of its cord. I find this to be true in almost every case (longer = better).
When you select a cordless drill consider an impact driver. They out perform a regular drill when shooting screws and eliminate wrist whipping
Good drill bits (Lawson products) are expensive so get a Drill Dr. or buy cheap ones with disposable intentions.
Hope that’s enough to chew on.
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Agree with benncool on the Leatherman but Cond. dave whats that with JB vacume pumps being junk . I have used them for years , even have my first one and its over 25 years old and the only thing I have replaced on it is the oil level window being the seal started to leak. I like JB being I think they may be a little lighter and smaller in size. I hant really looked at the Yellow jacket ones tho.
Originally posted by dec Agree with benncool on the Leatherman but Cond. dave whats that with JB vacume pumps being junk . I have used them for years , even have my first one and its over 25 years old and the only thing I have replaced on it is the oil level window being the seal started to leak. I like JB being I think they may be a little lighter and smaller in size. I hant really looked at the Yellow jacket ones tho.
Burned up two of them on one large pull. Neither one was neglected, both had fresh oil. One was 3 years old, the other 10.
Nothing JB makes is worth a plug nickel, with the exception of their control pump, which only works when mounted to a three foot long slab of 2 x 10.
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Depends on which type of tool you're looking for:
