How does this tool set look?

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https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-300...olished-Chrome-Mechanic-s-Tool-Set/1000251051

I'm currently using random odds and ends tools I've bought over the last 30 years and thrown into two beat up old tool boxes. A few have gotten lost over the years. Time for an upgrade.

Are those foam trays standard size? Or you have to buy their brand tool chest to keep those in?

I'm worried about Craftsmen since Sears is in a death spiral and the brand was pawned off to Lowes. Kobalt I have nothing against.

Other suggestions welcome, but stay 3 digits.
 
From what I have seen, Kobalt are basically the same Apex/Danaher-made tools sold by Stanley and others. They're Taiwanese made and are generally good to go, although you can find the same stuff in Harbor Freight and other 'tool' stores for less money.

Lowe's has chosen Craftsman over Kobalt to be their premium in-house brand and so you'll continue to see those Kobalt tools sold cheap
 
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Stout said:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-300...olished-Chrome-Mechanic-s-Tool-Set/1000251051

I'm currently using random odds and ends tools I've bought over the last 30 years and thrown into two beat up old tool boxes. A few have gotten lost over the years. Time for an upgrade.

Are those foam trays standard size? Or you have to buy their brand tool chest to keep those in?

I'm worried about Craftsmen since Sears is in a death spiral and the brand was pawned off to Lowes. Kobalt I have nothing against.

Other suggestions welcome, but stay 3 digits.
Click to expand...
That's the set I have. Other than not including a couple of popular size wrenches. It's a great basic set.
 
Here's an eye opener for those not in the industry:

https://toolguyd.com/tool-brands-corporate-affiliations/

Who-Owns-What-Tool-Brands-2019-Update-2.jpg
 
Ikarus1 said:
From what I have seen, Kobalt are basically the same Apex/Danaher-made tools sold by Stanley and others. They're Taiwanese made and are generally good to go, although you can find the same stuff in Harbor Freight and other 'tool' stores for less money.

Lowe's has chosen Craftsman over Kobalt to be their premium in-house brand and so you'll continue to see those Kobalt tools sold cheap
Click to expand...
when Danaher was still in Bessemer city, I'm pretty sure they were stamping out Kobalt, craftsman, Stanley, some Mac, Proto and the stuff you would see at Napa(cant remeber that name)
 
Mike Overlay said:
when Danaher was still in Bessemer city, I'm pretty sure they were stamping out Kobalt, craftsman, Stanley, some Mac, Proto and the stuff you would see at Napa(cant remeber that name)
Click to expand...
yeah I guess they sold off their tool division to various new entities now. Who knows what is made where anymore. I have bought my son several of the $30 Stanley 'black' toolsets at Walmart and similar stuff at HFT and can't tell a difference. He's just gonna loose them anyhow.

My US made craftsman tools stay locked in their cabinet.
 
They give the size of the trays in the description.... Just measure your drawrs.

"Each EVA foam tray measures 22 x 15-1/2 x 1 inch"
 
Just an FYI, Craftsman has always been manufactured by other companies under a contract. They have never had a strictly Craftsman manufacturing plant.
 
Mike Overlay said:
when Danaher was still in Bessemer city, I'm pretty sure they were stamping out Kobalt, craftsman, Stanley, some Mac, Proto and the stuff you would see at Napa(cant remeber that name)
Click to expand...
A lot of those tools ended up at the Dallas flea market from employees.
 
Stout said:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-300...olished-Chrome-Mechanic-s-Tool-Set/1000251051

I'm currently using random odds and ends tools I've bought over the last 30 years and thrown into two beat up old tool boxes. A few have gotten lost over the years. Time for an upgrade.

Are those foam trays standard size? Or you have to buy their brand tool chest to keep those in?

I'm worried about Craftsmen since Sears is in a death spiral and the brand was pawned off to Lowes. Kobalt I have nothing against.

Other suggestions welcome, but stay 3 digits.
Click to expand...

90% of my stuff is Kolbalt, only had one socket to crack and they didn't give me an issue exchanging it. They are good. I use Matco ratchets so I have no idea how the ratchets hold up.

If you have a box to fitt it all, get them. Otherwise I would get the one that is the plastic box with the plastic socket holders and then just pull those out and chuck the "toolbox" and put the trays in your own. I have done that and a year later I'm glad.
 
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I really like what they did with those foam pads and labeling them!
It's a nice touch and that looks like a great starting kit/basis for automotive work
 
Ikarus1 said:
From what I have seen, Kobalt are basically the same Apex/Danaher-made tools sold by Stanley and others. They're Taiwanese made and are generally good to go, although you can find the same stuff in Harbor Freight and other 'tool' stores for less money.

Lowe's has chosen Craftsman over Kobalt to be their premium in-house brand and so you'll continue to see those Kobalt tools sold cheap
Click to expand...


Stanley also now owns Craftsman tools
 
Ikarus1 said:
From what I have seen, Kobalt are basically the same Apex/Danaher-made tools sold by Stanley and others. They're Taiwanese made and are generally good to go, although you can find the same stuff in Harbor Freight and other 'tool' stores for less money.

Lowe's has chosen Craftsman over Kobalt to be their premium in-house brand and so you'll continue to see those Kobalt tools sold cheap
Click to expand...
Yup, the distribution centers are in Apex, NC and another in SC. It was painful when they'd drop a line and fill a open topped dumpster with new tools to be picked up as scrap metal.
 
The only downside to this set is lack of mobility. My Craftsman set of a similar size came in a self-contained plastic case. I made a sliding tray on my workbench to hold the case in the open position. When I need to take the tools with me, I close it up into suitcase mode and it goes. It’s admittedly heavy and a lot of tools to take along (i.e. on a road trip), but the option is nice.
 
First thing I would check is be sure it doesn’t skip any common wrench or socket sizes. Common practice with many in the kits and sets to make them cheaper. Kobalt is usually pretty good about it but worth checking.

Kobalt as a brand has been hit or miss from my experience. Dad has a 3/8 and 1/4 socket chrome sets that has been been pretty good and complete over all for the sockets but the ratchets suck. After a little wear they will not stay locked in one direction and change themselves and very aggravating. They will warranty them but they have done it 3 times so that gets old every couple months.

If you think you might want an impact someday you may want to just get individual sets of wrenches and get the sockets seperate to get impact rated sockets. I use air tools mostly and moving to battery mostly and very rarely have a need for a chrome socket any more. If you decide to go that route I have been pretty impressed with sunex impact socket sets for balance between price and function they are also thinner walled so you can get in tighter areas.
 
@Stout If you are not an auto mechanic and are buying for the home then get any cheap set. They all are made in Asia and will get the job done. The gears in a ratchet and the reverse latching mechanism may differ but they can be replaced cheap.

I am new fan of Milwaukee’s electrical and metal working tools. Switched to Ridgid for all power tools after having almost everything.
 
Stout said:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-300...olished-Chrome-Mechanic-s-Tool-Set/1000251051

I'm currently using random odds and ends tools I've bought over the last 30 years and thrown into two beat up old tool boxes. A few have gotten lost over the years. Time for an upgrade.

Are those foam trays standard size? Or you have to buy their brand tool chest to keep those in?

I'm worried about Craftsmen since Sears is in a death spiral and the brand was pawned off to Lowes. Kobalt I have nothing against.

Other suggestions welcome, but stay 3 digits.
Click to expand...


Greetings from a tool junky!

I would not be afraid of either Kobalt of Craftsman tools (current Craftsman included). That's a nice set for the $. Buy them and don't look back.
 
Stout said:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-300...olished-Chrome-Mechanic-s-Tool-Set/1000251051

I'm currently using random odds and ends tools I've bought over the last 30 years and thrown into two beat up old tool boxes. A few have gotten lost over the years. Time for an upgrade.

Are those foam trays standard size? Or you have to buy their brand tool chest to keep those in?

I'm worried about Craftsmen since Sears is in a death spiral and the brand was pawned off to Lowes. Kobalt I have nothing against.

Other suggestions welcome, but stay 3 digits.
Click to expand...
I own it, and it works great for around the house. I have about 4 different sets of tools, craftsman, kobalt set in the picture, another kobalt set that I keep in the Jeep, and a largish impact matco set

I use the linked set more then any on the others.

Mike Overlay said:
when Danaher was still in Bessemer city, I'm pretty sure they were stamping out Kobalt, craftsman, Stanley, some Mac, Proto and the stuff you would see at Napa(cant remeber that name)
Click to expand...
Correct, they make for a ton of people
 
Ikarus1 said:
From what I have seen, Kobalt are basically the same Apex/Danaher-made tools sold by Stanley and others. They're Taiwanese made and are generally good to go, although you can find the same stuff in Harbor Freight and other 'tool' stores for less money.

Lowe's has chosen Craftsman over Kobalt to be their premium in-house brand and so you'll continue to see those Kobalt tools sold cheap
Click to expand...
Agreed...I have never been a gear head, but grabbed a old Jeep to learn on.. an bought my wrenches from harbor freight onsale with coupons ect so far no issues
 
I'll be the voice of dissent and recommend piecing together your own set of USA made tools. Kobalt, New Crapsman, New Stanley, etc replace tools for free because it is cheap enough to crank out garbage and just give you a new one.

If I were to put together a set like that, I would shop around for some old S-K wrenches and (old) Craftsman sockets.
 
They are not Cornwell or Snap On quality but decent. I keep a 3/8 set in the car for work, if it gets stolen, I'm not out of much.
 
Thanks all!
 
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