Is Stanley a good brand for tools?

[amdhunter]

I just bought this ratchet set from Amazon for $50 ($9 off $45 dollar or more on Stanley tools) and am just wondering if Stanley is a good brand or not. I kind of like the blacked out look, and easy to read lettering, which made me get this one over others.

I probably would have gone with Craftsman, but I hear they are made from China now, and the Snap-On are kind of on the expensive side for someone like me who'll use it a few times a year.

So, did I get robbed? :\

 

[stargazr]

So, did I get robbed?

No, Stanley makes good stuff, plenty good for home use. I have some of their basic carpentry tools for around the house, but never tried their ratchets. I have a Craftsman set.

I like the black finish, and the laser etching. That's an expensive option with Craftsman sockets.

 

[Ksyder]

Yeah Stanley stuff is quite decent for the price. I've used lots of it over the years, and the quality never really seemed to go down, just the price as the supply of cheap tools increased with Chinese manufacturing.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Rachettttttt

 

[OBLAMA2009]

they are like many companies, they have different lines of tools. i used to buy woodworking tools and their best tools used to be the very best available (chisels, planes and stuff like that). but a lot of that stuff wasnt available in the average hardware store, you would have to special order it or go to a specialty store.

 

[BoomerD]

Stanley makes "OK" tools. Definitely not "good," but suitable for most "homeowner" kinds of uses.

 

[fstime]

Are you a professional in the trades who will be using the tools day to day to earn a living or someone who just needs a set of basic tools around the house for misc. tasks.

If the later, most basic/consumer grade tools are enough. It would be worthless to spend big bucks on something you use one a month.

 

[phucheneh]

Stanley is bottom of the barrel. Basically the same stuff you'll get from Harbor Freight.

That said, their sockets normally work. Although I have encountered some with inexplicable design features (outside of socket is taller than inner hex portion, as if they engineered it to for maximum slippage).

Their ratches (maybe ten teeth in the damn things) are god-fucking-awful, though. And you'd be better off with one good adjustable wrench for home use, as opposed to a set of their patented Gumby-jaw wrenches (if you need open end). Craftsman wrenches are almost as bad, honestly.

My preference is torward lesser-known brands, which are often carries on tool trucks as cheaper lines, and available online as a better alternative to Craftsman/Stanley (there used to be a big difference between those...it's all Chinese crap now) for only a little more cost.

 

[shortylickens]

Umm, no, Stanley is NOT Harbor Freight. Not even close.

 

[phucheneh]

Right, you can buy 100 piece sets at Walmart for like eight bucks because they're such top quality.

Stanley fanboy; that's a new one to me.

 

[reallyscrued]

If you need to ask, they're fine for you, but I prefer Sears/Craftsman locking mechanisms and trade in policies.

If you were some sort of professional, you'd probably be using MAC or Snap-On tools without asking a board.

 

[KK]

Right, you can buy 100 piece sets at Walmart for like eight bucks because they're such top quality.

Stanley fanboy; that's a new one to me.

It's not like the dudes a mechanic. Get over your fucking self and your tool superiority complex.

 

[silverpig]

Umm, no, Stanley is NOT Harbor Freight. Not even close.

You know what's even worse? Job-Mate. I bought a cheap socket/wrench set for emergency use in my car, just to keep in the trunk. I took it out one day to use it around the house and 2 of the sockets snapped in half. If you're going a little past finger tight, it was alright, but that was it.

 

[drebo]

I have a little socket set from Harbor Freight and it's garbage compared to one from Stanley.

I prefer Craftsman to Stanley, but that's just because I like the style better. At the end of the day, they're probably just about the same.

 

[BoomerD]

It's not like the dudes a mechanic. Get over your fucking self and your tool superiority complex.

That's really what it comes down to...if the OP is gonna use the tools daily to earn his living...then Stanley sucks...and he'd know it.

For occasional homeowner use, they will be fine.

IMO, even Craftsman has gone to shit in recent years...but they still back them well. (not that the warranty makes any difference when one fails on you at a critical moment.)

 

[classy]

They make decent stuff for the price. Craftsman tools are still the best tools. Husky for lower price is pretty damn comparable.

 

[amdhunter]

That's really what it comes down to...if the OP is gonna use the tools daily to earn his living...then Stanley sucks...and he'd know it.

For occasional homeowner use, they will be fine.

IMO, even Craftsman has gone to shit in recent years...but they still back them well. (not that the warranty makes any difference when one fails on you at a critical moment.)

I am probably going to use it once or twice a year at most, and keep it in the car in case of an emergency.

Probably super overkill what I need it for, but I don't have any tools at all in the car, and this seems to be a good start.

 

[zanemoseley]

I've got a small $15 - $20 3/8" set of Stanley's in the garage to use for oil changes and other small miscellaneous tasks and so far the work well. I just bought a 1/2" Kobalt set from Lowe's and they're nice as well.

 

[CaptnKirk]

If you want to get sockets, get a set of 'Spline' (12 Spline) drive sockets.
they will engage and fit anything &
are a flange engagement. For wrenches Proto makes ratcheting box end wrenches in Spline drive.


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[edro]

Stanley is bottom of the barrel. Basically the same stuff you'll get from Harbor Freight.

No they aren't...
They are decent homeowner grade.

 

[Baked]

I got a set of Lowes Cobalt 3/8" rachet set. It has served me well doing routine maintenance on my car. Made in China, but looks and works like a quality product.

 

[Imp]

They're usually the cheapest brand at the main hardware chain in Canada. Consumer/home grade stuff.

 

[phucheneh]

It's not like the dudes a mechanic. Get over your fucking self and your tool superiority complex.

You know why people post threads like this? To ask for opinions.

My opinion is that Stanley is not much different from any other Chinese tool brand. No, they're not made in the Mac factory or whatever internet rumors you may have heard (or is it Matco? I'm rusty on made-up information).

Did I say that they wouldn't work for general home use? Nope.

Just don't fool yourself into thinking that a long-standing 'American brand' is good quality, when, in reality, it's just a label stamped on the same Chinese sockets.

Said Chinese sockets are hard to break on things around the house or minor automotive maintenance, though.

I've had multiple people call me out on various 'superiority complexes.' No. Rather, some people have an 'infer things from information that isn't there' complexes.

I will confirm that yes, I do have a shitpile of tools. Lots o' money there. But guess how much cheap stuff I have? A lot.

Perhaps comparing to HF is a bit much- I've never tried their chrome sockets. If clearance is not an issue, their impacts hold up fine, though. And they go better with the impact drivers that a lot of people get in drill/driver combo kits.

The one thing I will stress, though, is that most people don't realize how truly shitty a Stanley ratchet is until they've used even a marginally good one. It makes tasks a hell of a lot easier and more painless. I've even used parts store brand ratchets with much finer mechanisms, that I would strongly recommend over the Stanleys. I'm not even sure why it would cost them more to use a few extra teeth or make the gears fit tighter.

 

[Imp]

You know what's even worse? Job-Mate. I bought a cheap socket/wrench set for emergency use in my car, just to keep in the trunk. I took it out one day to use it around the house and 2 of the sockets snapped in half. If you're going a little past finger tight, it was alright, but that was it.

OMFG, Job Mate is total turd. Don't ever buy their screw driver sets. The metal they use is terrible (too soft?) and wears out easily.

Mastercraft is also questionable. It's priced more, but it still doesn't feel like they're good quality.

 

[zerocool84]

I've had a Stanley socket/wrench set for almost 10 years now. Use it for working on my car and around the house and still works fine to this day, never had any problems with it.