As part of a paid partnership we have with Home Depot, they send over an assortment of tools for review consideration. This quarter, one of the hardest tools to talk about has been Husky universal combination wrench sets.
The hard part is complicated. I generally don’t like universal-style wrenches, but these don’t offend me. I guess I’ve warmed up to spline-style universal box ends in recent years, even buying a number of open-stock Proto wrench sizes.
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The quality is good – better than I expected for the price point.
After these Husky wrenches arrived, another brand sent over an entry-price mechanics tool set for evaluation. The difference in comfort and finish are significant. That raised my opinion of the Husky wrenches more than just using them, adding to the difficulty of finding the right words to describe them.
These are value-priced tools that don’t suck.
There are not many mid-level tools these days that I would consider go-to recommendations, but I think Husky is slowly filling that role. Well, they’re not slowly filling the role, but it’s more that I’m starting to see them in that role.
The downfall of Sears’ Craftsman lineup left a big hole, and it’s been slow for me to see Husky as a brand that could fill it, at least the mechanics tool vacancy. Stanley Black & Decker’s Craftsman brand is a long way away from filling it.
So here’s the bottom line – these are good wrenches, and they are practically a steal. And that’s coming from someone who was once wholly convinced that no universal-style wrenches had a place in my tool box.
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The open ends have “Surface Grip” profile, with special recesses that ensure the wrench grips fasteners on their flats, and not their corners. This is a tried-and-true feature that you typically find in higher-priced wrenches.
The box ends have spline-style universal-type profiles. I have only ever used these on 6pt sockets, and they work well without complaints.
The several sizes that I used never slipped, and were comfortable to use. I like the black finish, and easily visible laser sizing etches.
I found the wrenches to be comfortable to use.
I took the wrenches for granted a little, until I compared the tools side by side with another brand’s entry price offerings.
I upgraded my combination wrenches over a decade ago, going from an adjustable wrench and some loose sizes to a Craftsman 9pc SAE set. That set of raised panel wrenches cost me $20. At the time, I was debating whether to buy the 2 sizes I needed, but rationalized that the price of the set would be worth it if I needed to buy 3 loose sizes total.
These are 10pc sets, with long pattern wrenches, and comfortable slim handles, at the same $20/each price points (at least as of the time of this posting).
At $20 for each 10 wrench set, these are very good buys.
SAE Sizes: 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 7/8 inch
Metric Sizes: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19 mm
I wish that the SAE set came with a 11/32″ wrench, which I use often on #8 machine screw nuts. But besides that, I can’t find much to complain about.
I cannot think of any other wrenches that offer this level of quality at pricing anywhere near what Husky delivers with these sets. Are they my top choice? No. But they’re good tools I’d use, and if I had to start over with no wrenches and a slim budget as was the case a decade ago, these would be the tools I recommend to myself.
fred
Husky was once (founded in 1924) an independent brand. More recently, they were part of Stanley under New Britain Tool Co., Stanley having acquired the brand from Litton Industries in the 1980’s. At some point the brand was sold (or licensed) to Home Depot. HD – now uses various OEM’s for Husky-branded tools.
These sets are (I believe ) made by Apex tool (UPC prefix 037103)
Noah
I bought the ratcheting set that was sold over the Christmas holiday sales.
They’re pretty decent at their price point but the black paint started getting chipped immediately.
Jared
I like Husky generally. I think they undercut the value of their brand sometimes by selling gimmicky “holiday special” tools alongside perfectly serviceable ones . Overall though, most of the regular stock though is pretty good.
I suspect many readers of this blog (myself included), usually indulge in more expensive tools. I’m at a point in my tool collection where I basically have every mechanics tool I need. Most of my purchases are either replacing tools I already own with something higher quality or specialized for a particular task – but if the tool does what I need, costs little and has a warranty – it’s a good value proposition.
fred
HD does indeed “undercut the value” of the brand – sometimes slapping the Husky brand name on things like stubby hammers, pivoting pliers, and gimmicky adjustable wrenches sourced from folks like Iron Bridge Tools, Jiangsu Jinlu and possibly other Chinese OEMs
Diamond Dave
Agree with both comments regarding Husky undercutting or even shooting themselves in the foot by throwing the Husky name brand on gimmicky crap-type tools! I have had no issues with their mechanics tools ie Wrenches or Sockets when used in a DIYer environment and also own 2 of their tools chest combos that have held up in the same environment. With that said, I have had my share of the junk promo, gimmicky Husky tools sold during Christmas and Fathers Days that didn’t last or didn’t work at all! I remember one year when they replaced most of their Ridgid Shop Vacs with Husky Vacs that we’re just junk and cheap! Thank Goodness they wised up and brought back the Ridgid lineup the next year! Great shop vacs! Stay true to quality Husky and use your HDX brand tools for the gimmicky stuff!
Chris
Ar… are you the real Diamond Dave? Ca… can I have your autograph?
Stuart
Other brands do the same.
I was once told (not by Husky) that this is for brand familiarity, or something to that effect. That doesn’t quite make sense to me.
DeeEyeWhyyy
I’ve got the 105-piece black Husky mechanics tool set from Home depot. Not the highest quality tools, especially the ratchets leave a bit to be desired, but man are they pretty to look at. I have two complaints with the set though – one they scratch easily, and two Home Depot doesn’t sell all of the black tools individually so if you need to warranty a single piece you have to bring the whole set back and get a new set.
Koko The Talking Ape
Thanks for the tip! I have been thinking about a set of wrenches to stay in a portable kit, but I wanted something with those recessed inside corners that wasn’t too pricey.
pete
They look VERY nice. But i just can’t stand universal stuff…. it bugs the crap out of me for some reason. Like many have said before, i think husky make some really good stuff but they discredit themselves by putting their name on some crappy tools.
Take this wrench for example- If it was a chrome wrench that was a 12pt it would be a solid contender against any premium brand. And i can hear it now[it aint no snap on] lol your right and thankfully not!
fred
In one of those convoluted twists in the tool manufacturing business – I read that J H Williams (now Snap On’s industrial brand – once (1930’s and later) distributed Husky wrenches under a collaboration deal.
Joe
Husky , top of the lower end tools ? Kobalt ? Great for kids to learn with…but other then that I do t see the point of lower end tools. In the end they actually cost more. Broken tools, ..can’t complete the job at hand, stripped bolts or nuts just prolong the task at hand. …my time is much to valuable to waste on bad tools not get the job done expeditiously.
I can buy the best tools but I can’t replace time.
fred
Husky and Kobalt are just house brands for Home Depot and Lowes respectively – like Craftsman was for Sears. The quality likely depends upon how the “house” spec’ed them out, what they were willing to pay and the deal they cut with the OEM – regarding expected performance, quality control and cost. Kobalt used to source wrenches from Apex (factory in Taiwan) – like these Husky wrenches – but I think that some of the newer Kobalt wrenches may be sourced via JS Industries (Steelman) from factories in China
Stuart
I’d value Husky higher than Kobalt, and both brands a lot higher than current Sears Craftsman.
Higher than Husky? Maybe Dewalt. Maybe Tekton too? Then Gearwrench.
I’d consider Husky higher than Stanley, too.
The mid-range mechanics tool market doesn’t have as many strong players as there used to be.
Turbo
Have you tried the Channellock combination wrenches? Where do they stack up on your list? They got extremely hyped up on Youtube for being very similar to the more expensive Napa Carlyle combination wrenches. For what it’s worth made in Taiwan.
It’s the Channellock Combination Wrench Sets 309443 & 309435
Stuart
No, I haven’t. Channellock sells a number of licensed tools, but I’ve tended to ignore them since due to very specific availability. Certain tool sets might only be available at one specific wholesale club, for example.
For personal use, I tend to prefer brands that offer open stock tools. For example, if I need a replacement or a duplicate of a specific size, or a less popular size, such as 11/32, I’d like to be able to buy it from the same product family.
Tom
One of my concerns has always been the spline design on the box end stripping things. Is that a legit concern for wrenches like this? I’d love to see a comparison of different brands with that design, just to see if some manufacturers have better tolerances that help mitigate the risk.
Tool Of The Trade
Just because they’re not priced in comparison to snap on or mac tools (which aren’t worth the price) doesn’t mean that they are low end tools and can only be used for learning purposes. And owning snap on or mac tools doesn’t make you a better mechanic or look more professional. How often do customers ask mechanics what brand of tools they own? Very seldom if not ever. There’s not a rule that says mechanics can only use the most expensive brands in order to considered professional. I do my own mechanic work on all of my vehicles and guess what, I’ve never had a problem with any of my Dewalt, craftsman, husky, Stanley, plomb, fleet, penncraft, or any of my mechanics tools that aren’t snap on or mac. I own some snap on tools, but I don’t use them very often.
pete
I completely agree. The “premium brands” are always mentioned with the lifetime warranty as being part of their value but they also at the same time say their premium brands never break. Yet if their dual 80 breaks you’ll be lucky if your tool truck has the rebuild kit on the truck, more than likely it’ll be back ordered. But then again if your premium tools ‘never break’ than how come that company makes rebuild kits of them?
fred
Lots of chicken and egg conundrums can surround these questions. Do better tools make for better work? Can expert mechanics do good work with less than perfect tools? Can poor mechanics do good work with even the best tools? Do better tools inspire those learning the trade to aspire to better work? Can really poor or ill-fitting tools do any decent work at all? For a broached or otherwise formed box wrench end – what tolerance in size variation is acceptable? Can a XX-mm nominal wrench provide acceptable fit if it is slightly oversized? By what % or by what absolute tolerance band? Does it matter if the box-end is 6pt. 12pt. or spline? What about so called flank-drive styles? Is there a size tolerance in the manufacture of nuts and bolts that needs to be considered?
And – probably many more issues surrounding what warranties imply. Are they signifiers of quality or just marketing gimmicks? How convenient are they to use?
What help are they if a failed or poor tool results in damage, lost productivity, work stoppage or injury?
KeithinKC
There’s a huge difference between doing your own mechanic work on your family’s 5 cars and doing mechanic work on 5 different cars every workday of every week. I have done the latter and still do the former.
For my family cars I don’t need high end tools, because I only work on each of the cars a couple of times per year. I still do everything up to timing belts and head gasket replacements myself and a set of cheapie wrenches and Tekton impact sockets handle most tasks just fine.
For me, higher quality tools didn’t make for better repairs, it made for less downtime due to broken tools or poorly fitting applications.
kent
Flat black wrenches? No thanks.
I can’t always work indoors, and have no interest in burning my hand when I pick up a wrench that’s been in the sun.
fred
Chrome plating- may reflect a bit more of the sun’s energy away – but it can get pretty hot too.
I’d still pick the chrome because I think that high quality chrome plating probably offers belter durability
Frank D.
Unfortunately HD / Husky has slapped and continues to slap their name on some really low quality stuff, especially around the holidays. Makes one angry just thinking about the wasted $$ where things were on par or below HF quality …
Coach James
Licensing their name to be put on junky stuff is not unique to Husky. The exalted Snap On company does the same thing. I have seen SO’s name on pocket knives, bottle openers, flash lights plus a few more things that were Dollar General lovel items.
Nathan
ok so back to the review discussion.
Why do you call these universal when the open ends are marked as a specific size. Are they universal in that they will snuggly work on their inbetween metric counter parts.
Or just because of the spline end? Also on the spline thing – I’ve been against them for years because some of the early ones rounded or damaged fasteners of in between sizes. But are today’s version in a quality tool useable at high torque? IE would you feel comfortable knocking on one with a rubber mallet to bump loose say a brake caliper bolt off a truck?
I use that as my example because that’s often what I end up needed to do – now I admit I often use a socket and breaker bar – but occasionally due to space constraints I’ve been known to knock on a combo wrench in the same situation. But my combo wrenches are non-ratcheting – sized specific quality items in either 12 pt or 6pt.
fred
“Universal” – possibly that they can substitute for 4-point, 6-point, 8-point and 12-point. I’m sure they claim that they can handle older square nuts and hex nuts.
They may (Stuart might know for certain) also claim compatibility with Triple-Square, 12-point spline , Ribe-Polydrive or XZN fasteners. I don’t think they would work well with E-Torx bolts – or pentagonal head bolts (as in water meters) – but I may be wrong.
Stuart
It’s just the box end that’s considered “universal.” And that’s marketers’ words, not mine.
Universal-style spline-shape box ends are touted as fitting a range of fasteners sizes, including square, 6pt, 12pt, spline, E-Torx, and damaged or partially rounded fasteners.
Nathan
Thank you for clarifying. When I see universal fit on a wrench/socket I see it more as universal SAE/Metric/6pt/12/pt
I got a gift kobalt double drive ratchet one year that came with “universal sockets” and I keep the sockets inside the house for use on furniture and the like. I wouldn’t trust that to turn something like a brake caliper bolt for example.
Stuart
Those are also often described as “universal” sockets. I call them paperweights.
Gabe
Having bought the metric version of this set before I found this site, I can confirm the ‘universal’ box ends don’t round out fasteners. I have personally *hammered* on the 10mm, 14mm, and 19mm wrench to crack rusty bolts on a crusty 240SX. The splines will dig in and mar the surface if you really torque on them, but won’t round or slip.
The paint does chip off easily. I find the handles very comfortable.
Ron
Uh, 35 odd years ago I started purchasing Snap-on when I was an aircraft mechanic. High on the list was, as Stuart mentioned, they grip the fasteners on their flats and they have some rotation in the tight spaces. Of all I purchased, I’m missing 3: a 7/16″ combo wrench my former father-in-law farmer “It’s just a wrench.” lost in a field, a 10″ 1/4″ extension in a wall where I avoided yet another fight with my ex when I started to go after it and a pair of needle nose pliers that at least I know they aren’t in the belly of an aircraft as I’d moved on by then. So the stuff we spend a lot of $ on in my experience we tend to watch over.
So that said, everything else is mid-level “This is all I need” stuff. I was looking at a Kobalt set yesterday, and walked away. But I think I’ll follow Stuart and run down the valley to the HD and get the one 5/8″ I need for the tool post slide bolts on my 70 year old engine lathe and see how it works. There is just barely a flat and maybe 2/3 space for the wrench head.
E
Stuart, would mind creating a list of the tool manufactuers in the order you would rank them? Interested in what your opinion would be.
Joseph
Just picked up a set of these tonight, they’ll be going back tomorrow. Garbage! Flats on the open end deformed without even using a cheater.