Socket set..Halfords v Bacho v Teng

fox0512

Howdy Folks

Just going to jump in-in this section...cant seem to find a tool section..

Any thoughts on these socket sets would be much appreciated...

1. Halfords 200 piece

http://www.halfords.ie/workshop-tools/tools/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-professional-200-piece-socket-and-ratchet-spanner-set

2. Bahco 138 piece

http://toolfix.ie/product/bahco-mixed-socket-spanner-set-138-piece/

3. Teng 111 piece

http://www.handyhardware.ie/product/39874/Teng-TM111-111-Piece-Tool-Set-AFMetric-14-38-12in-Drive

Not my first rodeo with sets but time to invest again and would be interested in your thoughts/experience in any of the above...the halfords set for the money at 150eur sure is tempting but ive heard that the rachets with sockets can be a bit floppy and the majority of the sockets are 12 point which gives me an eye twitch....nothing worse than a floppy set... teng and bahco are 6 point and of good quality I believe...not as much in their kits but ..I would be using the set daily..

Teng and bahco or just examples...better prices than that out there!!

colm_mcm

Not a very logical shortlist, 111 piece teng for €400 odd or 200 piece halfords for €150! Obviously the teng one is limited in what you get but is better quality. You're missing a lot of the more obscure stuff as well as not getting spanners.

FWIW,, I've had the Halfords one for nearly 10 years and it's still 100% despite abuse. That said its not in daily professional use.

It'll really come down to what you're gonna use it for and whether they're paying for themselves. Certainly for having a huge selection readily available in one box the halfords one is very handy.

fox0512

colm_mcm wrote: »

Not a very logical shortlist, 111 piece teng for €400 odd or 200 piece halfords for €150! Obviously the teng one is limited in what you get but is better quality.

FWIW,, I've had the Halfords one for nearly 10 years and it's still 100% despite abuse. That said its not in daily professional use.

It'll really come down to what you're gonna use it for and whether they're paying for themselves

thanks....its hard to pull away from halfords at that money.... i can get the bahco at 245 and teng at 360...still, all that shiney in the halfords box is drawing me in.

CJhaughey

Do you need the ring spanners?
This set is good value but doesn't have the spanners.
https://www.louis.ie/artikel/rothewald-professional-socket-set-150-piece/10003583?list=100562235&filter_article_number=10003583


If you need the spanners and a few more bits and pieces,
https://www.louis.ie/artikel/rothewald-industrial-tool-set-122-piece/10003275?list=100562235&filter_article_number=10003275

fox0512

Nice looking sets...first one especial,, look good quality ....thanks

colm_mcm

This 150-piece Socket Wrench Set from Rothewald puts an end to unprofessional fumbling around with nuts and bolts

Oh thank god

fox0512

:)..

fox0512

pity its all metric :rolleyes:

Dr Turk Turkelton

I'm not 100% sure but I think I read somewhere that Teng sockets are now made with 12 points as well.
Maybe something just to check.

Odelay

I have a bacho 34 piece and a set of sapnners, have yet to be stuck for something. I think a lot of the 200 piece kits are overkill.

D_BEAR

The teng set is about €260 on amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Teng-TM111-2-inch-Metric-Pieces/dp/B004OTOHLG

fox0512

Odelay wrote: »

I have a bacho 34 piece and a set of sapnners, have yet to be stuck for something. I think a lot of the 200 piece kits are overkill.

true...how much of the set would you actually use... spanners and maybe and half of the rest for me... much movement/play at ratchet in bahco?

fox0512

D_BEAR wrote: »

The teng set is about €260 on amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Teng-TM111-2-inch-Metric-Pieces/dp/B004OTOHLG

Thanks...serious price diff

Dr Turk Turkelton

D_BEAR wrote: »

The teng set is about €260 on amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Teng-TM111-2-inch-Metric-Pieces/dp/B004OTOHLG

Wow serious value there.
If you are going the Halfords route borrow an Axa card of someone for an extra 10%.
I bought the professional tool chest and top box on St Patrick's day. I didn't need it but it was such good value. It was reduced to €230 and an extra 10% fit the day and then the Axa card. Got it for €187.

http://www.halfords.ie/workshop-tools/storage/tool-chests-cabinets/halfords-professional-5-drawer-chest-7-drawer-chest

gctest50

fox0512 wrote: »

Nice looking sets...first one especial,, look good quality ....thanks

The crows-foot sockets in the Bahco box can be useful you'd only use them once in a blue moon but saves a lot of hassle


IRIMO are Bahco if you see them advertised

eg

http://www.micksgarage.com/proddetails.aspx?pid=1191590&pk=


.

Odelay

fox0512 wrote: »

true...how much of the set would you actually use... spanners and maybe and half of the rest for me... much movement/play at ratchet in bahco?

Just went out to check the play incase I was missing something. Very little play, it moves up a notch with very little movement. The set is well used and I couldnt fault it. Quality of the steel in the sockets is better than expected, all are unmarked, just a little dirty from oil/grease.
Screw/torx heads are expecially good. Nice comfy set to use.

pm.

I bought the halfords set only this week, reduced from 350 and a lifetime no quibble warranty it's a no brainer

CJhaughey

fox0512 wrote: »

pity its all metric :rolleyes:

https://www.louis.ie/artikel/rothewald-professional-imperial-tool-set-92-piece/10003570?list=100616605&filter_article_number=10003570

TrailerBob

I've had a 150 piece halfords professional set since 2008. Really is a decent set, and while mine isn't in daily use, it has had plenty of work on tractor restorations with the imperial stuff, as well as my own car maintenance. Set is fully intact and haven't broken any of it. Obviously Teng gear is very good, as are others like King Tony, but you won't find better value for money. Unless you are a mechanic of some sort, there's no reason to look beyond the Halfords set.

crasy dash

Dr Turk Turkelton wrote: »

Wow serious value there.
If you are going the Halfords route borrow an Axa card of someone for an extra 10%.
I bought the professional tool chest and top box on St Patrick's day. I didn't need it but it was such good value. It was reduced to €230 and an extra 10% fit the day and then the Axa card. Got it for €187.

http://www.halfords.ie/workshop-tools/storage/tool-chests-cabinets/halfords-professional-5-drawer-chest-7-drawer-chest

That was a steal if I had the room I would buy both of those in a shot.

fox0512

TrailerBob wrote: »

I've had a 150 piece halfords professional set since 2008. Really is a decent set, and while mine isn't in daily use, it has had plenty of work on tractor restorations with the imperial stuff, as well as my own car maintenance. Set is fully intact and haven't broken any of it. Obviously Teng gear is very good, as are others like King Tony, but you won't find better value for money. Unless you are a mechanic of some sort, there's no reason to look beyond the Halfords set.

small engine mechanic... all garden gear etc...think your right, great value and certainly tough enough for working on ride ons etc

gctest50

fox0512 wrote: »

small engine mechanic... all garden gear etc...think your right, great value and certainly tough enough for working on ride ons etc

You need a zero-degree / gearless / stepless rachet for that craic or an air rachet

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=gearless+ratchet&_sacat=0

gctest50

and a 90 degree gearless

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/90-Degree-3-8-Drive-Gearless-Angle-Drive-Gearless-Right-Angle-Socket-Adapter-/261771670525?hash=item3cf2ceb3fd:g:UyUAAOSwstxU2m8e

fox0512

nice little ratchet ...have air gear....aldi's finest rattle gun at 24.99....its still going...one thing for sure you wont over cook a bolt with it

gctest50

only yoke for the tricky places

'course be €97.99 here though

TrailerBob

Please God not the 'multi fit' socket..

fox0512

gctest50 wrote: »

only yoke for the tricky places

'course be €97.99 here though

oh nice....i have a tool problem.. so much cool stuff out there

ArnieSilvia

Unless you have specific application, I haven't had any use for AF sockets in automotive related repairs I did on 1993-on Japanese & Euro cars. This is where I would be looking for saving. Get some separate Laser (not too bad budget sockets IMO) set of sockets for these once in a moon jobs so you don't need to carry them every time you do a regular job.

I wouldn't let bling (chrome) direct me to the tool either. Satin matt FTW:D

In my experience, it's the precision and choice of materials that count. You need a lightweight and strong metal that won't bend letting it slip.

Sockets and spanners should have a profile that is driving the nut in the middle, not on the edge of the contact area.

My 2c on some relevant tools I bought:

Halfords - I have ratchet spanners, too heavy, too much play, I could never trust open ends. I could never trust 12 point sockets too, sorry.

Bahco - my first set of decent spanners, light, strong, precise, don't slip. Decent tools. No personal experience with sockets.

Teng - I have a set of spanners (light, precise, strong, don't slip), hex bit set, impact driver (one you hammer on) - both unbreakable, deep 1/2" sockets - never slipped on me.

Draper 3/8" deep and shallow set, nice to carry on to smaller jobs, precise enough but not as good as teng/bahco, developed too much play in the ratchet over few years of use, to be expected really.

Lidl 1/2" set it keeps going, precise enough for most jobs, ratchet developed play but still respectful performance for the price.

Laser - some of their stuff I own is of surprisingly decent quality and worth checking out.

There's something about Bahco/Teng You'll like - they are light and strong. It might not matter for small jobs but when you crawl under that car after working on it for 10 hours then that extra weight feels like a ton (that's why my Draper 3/8" set is used so much). And if you have to undo a rotten exhaust manifold nut you'll grab that Teng socket not a Draper one. As many will agree, you buy these once.

If I was to buy my tools again, I'd buy all commonly used tools from Teng and rest from Laser.

fox0512

thanks for detailed reply... I guess where I am with halfords is IMO...ok its a great price for sure but if there is play in ratchet and then ratchet to socket especially deep sockets then it just feels all kinds of wrong for me..top of my pet peeves ... I can just see myself under a machine thinking why did i go for the bling .... the set ive being using up to now was bought in argos, must be 15 years plus ago for 25 notes...

martyc5674

My 2 Cents.
Go for Bahco or Teng.. also chrome very often gets chipped, personally i dont like the look of chrome sockets anyway.
If you are making an investment dont go for 12pt.
Go for less pieces and higher quality.. half the stuff in that "200" youll not use or need, or very likely have already.
Marty.

Kubota

My advice is to get the better quality tool as you pay for what you get. Bacho or Teng would be ideal for the home mechanic.
I have draper 1/2 set for years still going strong. I bought a Bacho S106 set a at approx 129 sterling before Christmas ( This covers 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch with some everyday use spanners.) I also got a Bacho S330 3/8 set from amazon also for approx 35 sterling, the 2 sets were under 200 euro and in my opinion are better value and more robust than the set from Halfords.
I previously bought a 1/4 inch set from halfords and the sockets seemed to be slightly loose in the ratchet. I always turn to the Bacho ones now if needed.
Best of luck with whatever you go for OP.