Lowe’s has launched a new Kobalt 3pc 72T quick-release “interchangeable ratchet set.”
Given its $19.98 price tag, I’m betting this is destined for Lowe’s 2022 “holiday gift center,” although it has yet to appear at my local store.
It seems that this 3pc set comes with 1/4″ and 3/8″ palm ratchets, and a handle they can both fit in (one at a time).
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Once I got over an initial “what am I looking at?!” reaction, the new Kobalt tool set made a bit of sense – kind of.
The palm ratchets seem to be a good value by themselves – two for $20 – assuming they work reasonably smoothly.
Kobalt advertises that the palm ratchets are ideal for tight areas and the ratchet handle is ideal for high-torque applications.
To me, the ratchet head looks too large, but it’s hard to tell. Lowe’s doesn’t include any dimension specs on their product listing, and I haven’t seen it in stores yet.
I guess the handle can provide a torque assist for applications where the palm ratchets aren’t enough?
I can think of very many different ways to spend $20 on other more traditionally-styled ratchets, drive tools, or accessories, but maybe this 3pc set can serve some users’ needs?
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Price: $19.98
Lowe’s product page says that the Kobalt ratchet set can be found in their “Seasonal Bay Drop Zone” aisle, which strongly confirms my guess that it’s destined to be a “gift center” item.
If you catch this in-store, what do you think about its size or proportions? I’ll check my stores again soon, but so far I haven’t spotted it yet.
Update: There are now “Lowe’s Loop” user reviews, which is the retailer’s “free products sampling program.” From the review images, the 3-in-1 ratchet looks to be substantially and even comically larger than standard 1/4″ and 3/8″ ratchets.
From one of the reviews, the 3-in-1 weighs nearly 5X as much as a standard ratchet – they show a standard ratchet weighing a little more than 4oz and the Kobalt 3-in-1 weighing more than 19oz.
Colin
Seems like a great product for the Kobalt brand core demographic. 2 ratchet sizes that don’t take up the space of 2 ratchets. Bonus of being a palm ratchet as well.
Will be great for the person who only owns 1 plastic toolbox and touches a ratchet once every 6 months.
R.G.
Except that this guy you’re describing doesn’t know how to use this or any other “ tool “.
Jared
It’s one of those gadgety things that seems interetesting when you first look at it, but you quickly realize is silly.
Sure, it’s both a pair of palm ratchets and two sizes of regular ratchets… but in either configuration it is oversized and awkward.
MM
Agreed, it took me a moment to figure out what I was looking at exactly. OK, it’s two palm ratchets with a detachable handle. Seems like a bit of a gimmick. And like you wrote, in either configuration this seems awkwardly sized. It’s downright huge in 1/4″ ratchet configuration!
John+E
Agreed. Saw these in Lowe’s the other day and it was an easy pass. Way too big and bulky. Quality looks about what you get for the price also.
Blocky
Looks fun and burly to me. I never worry v much about access, but the head size on these might be an exception. Looks about 2.25” across, maybe 11-12” in length. Interesting if the ratchets can be inserted from either side.
I know palm ratchets have a place, but I haven’t ever required one. Palm ratchet supposes I can get my palm in there.
Todd M Shaffer
It is at my local Lowes. Might grab one.
JM
Picked one up a week ago. Feels heavy duty but is much larger and heavier than any other palm ratchet that I have. The first one I tried would barely turn, so I picked another one. They were both very rough but a few drops of oil from a needle oiler and they became much better. Worth the price but big and clunky. Good for tight spaces of when you more control.
Saulac
Should not try to improve a bad idea. But if I may: put the hex on the other side, so that the wrench handle can be attached/removed w/o having to first remove the head/socket out of the fastener. So say for removal and reinstall a bolt, you would start with the head + handle; once lose remove the handle and use only the head; to install, start with only the head then apply the handle at some point. Note that the head/socket always stay on the bolt. If you do mechanic works, you would know the struggle to get the socket onto the fastener head, once you get in, you don’t let go until you are done. And a 3/8 to 1/4 adapter instead of the another head will work equally well.
Jaycob P.
I’ll probably get one when they end up on clearance for my gimmick tool collection. Picking up the package they are really heavy though. it feels like my 3/4 drive SK.
Stacey Jones
Looks like a poor self defense item or hammer substitute, which are the only possible uses I could see for this. I’ll skip it.
On an unrelated side note, I recently was shopping for a new refrigerator and Lowes supposedly had it in stock and there was only $1 difference in the places I could buy it, and so I thought maybe this once, I’ll shop lowes. Perhaps they could handle this.
I called, was transferred, waited on hold 15 minutes, then the call was dropped. I quickly came to my senses and ordered it from Best Buy! Zero issues.
Joe E.
Kobalt has fallen so far… I don’t even give them a look anymore.
fred
Lowes originally sourced many of their Kobalt sockets/ratchets from Apex – and they came out of the Armstrong factory in the USA. But that did not last forever. Then they were sourcing from J.S. Industries (aka Steelman) with production in Taiwan. I’m not sure about the current OEM.
Mark M.
Totally agree. I have some older sets and one-offs and the quality was surprisingly good for the pricepoint, esp if you could find the yellow tag clearance gems. Now I don’t even think about them. Kind of sad.
Big Richard
I noticed DeWalt also has a new interchangeable ratchet available at Lowes – https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT/5013549737
Little different concept, but an interchangeable ratchet nonetheless.
Mark M.
Mehhh. Even with what looks like scalloped edges a lack of knurling kills the deal for me. Even at $20. Pass.
Nathan
it’s a oddity, I’ll pass. but it would be slightly interesting to know what size hex palm ratchet body has. Like you could turn it with say a 7/8ths or whatever (it’s atleast that large)
James+C
I see it as not so much a ratchet, more of a cheater bar for a palm ratchet.
IndianaJonesy (Matt J.)
I had a similar gadget years ago where the palm ratchet had side and rear square drive receivers for a breaker bar. I only had a 1/4″ drive version, but itw way lower profile than this and had the advantages of giving you a breaker bar over a silly useless handle and of functioning as a flex head ratchet with the side entry. It eventually was relegated to my bike repair kit, but was a much more clever and compact solution than this one. Think it had a few metric sockets in the case with it as well.
D3t
When I saw the term “gift center” that’s all I needed to know. Hard pass.
ICU2
Looks as though it was designed and built by Fischer Price.
Bill
Like the idea but would rather see it in 3/8″ and 1/2″.
David
I have the Harbor Freight Pittsburgh 1/4 and 1/2 extendable one similar but doesn’t have the palm ratchet feature. It’s not much larger than a regular ratchet. Smaller head and has the advantage of making the length adjustable.
Stephen
I asked for a set of gimbal palm ratchets for Christmas several years ago. I’ve used them once.
I can see how some users may have a regular need for them. As a DIY homeowner, car enthusiast and hobbyist, for me they were never useful.
Davethetool
Looks like Bob Villa is back!…lol Always loved his tool selling videos with the ALL-IN-ONE tools that showed him turning lag bolts on a wooden swing set with open clearance 360 degree around the lag bolt! I don’t remember him showing true mechanics tools while working in the engine bay! He may start off the commercial in his garage with a Shelby Mustang parked next to him but then quickly heads outside to show us the tools true capabilities!
Yadda
The gizmotic factor makes it interesting. Grat tool? Probably not, but definitely interesting.
Pete
Saw it at Lowe’s today. It’s an UGLY thing with a huge head and a short handle. With todays car engines packed beyond belief, there is no use in the auto world. Perhaps it finds a use if you have to tighten your deck’s lag bolts.
There is also a reason why this “thing” sells for $20 when a Gearwrwnch 3/8 ratchet goes for $40+.
I have bought enough “one time use” tools to learn the old saying “buy once cry once” and there are no tears on this gizmo – tool whatever you wanna call it.
Paul Udstrand
Kind of interesting in that this harks back to the original Snap On ratchet that used a similar design, i.e. a handle wherein the ratchet was inserted. In the original Snap On you had remove the ratchet, and turn it around to switch the direction. Here we have the same principle but with a selector switch. As palm drives, these things are too bulky, the palm drives I have are much more compact and you can get a set of three for less than $15 at Menards or HF.