Wiha has come out with a new 93-piece XXL3 PRO tool set, and it’s outrageous in more than one way.
To start off, Wiha centered this kit around a hard shell tool case, and one that I’m not at all familiar with. It has large wheels and an extending handle, as well as fold-out legs.
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Wiha says that there are over 100 pockets and storage compartments, for use with additional tools beyond the ones sold in this kit.
Here is a full list of what the 93pc tool set comes with:
- 5pc PicoFinish Precision Screwdriver Set (26195)
- 5pc Screwdrivers Set
- SoftFinish Slotted Screwdriver 6.5mm x 100mm (30223)
- SoftFinish Square Screwdriver #2 x 150mm (35802)
- SoftFinish X Heavy Duty Slotted 8.0mm x 150mm (53027)
- SoftFinish X Heavy Duty Slotted 12.0mm x 200mm (53040)
- SoftFinish X Heavy Duty Phillips #2 x 100mm (53115)
- 2 Multi-Bit Screwdrivers
- 14-in-1 Stubby Multi-Bit Driver (38090)
- 11-in-1 Multi-Driver (77891)
- 4 Pliers
- Classic Grip Long Nose Pliers 8″ (32621)
- Classic Grip BiCut SuperCut 8.0″ (32636)
- Classic Grip Auto Pliers 10.0″ (32637)
- Classic Grip End Cutting Nippers 8.0″ (32659)
- Hex Key Sets
- 9pc Metric MagicRing Ball End Hex L-Key Set (66990)
- 13pc Inch MagicRing Ball End Hex L-Key Set (66991)
- 6pc Color Coded Magnetic Nut Setter Set (70486)
- 35pc 1/4″ Ratchet and Bit Set (74996)
- 7pc TerminatorRed BitBudy Set (76888)
Okay, so that’s 5 precision screwdrivers, 5 regular-size screwdrivers, 2 multi-bit screwdrivers, 4 pliers, 22 hex keys, 6 nutdrivers, a 7pc bit set, and a 35pc bit set.
I’ve gone over the list a few times, and I only count 86 tools. Are they counting the multi-bit screwdriver components as separate pieces?
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When you add up all of these tools, the total price comes out to approximately $478, although I’m sure you can put together a similar kit at a lower price if you shop around.
For instance, Wiha USA sells the SAE hex key set for more than $54, but at least 2 retailers have it priced at $45. Or, consider the 35pc bit ratchet set, which is priced at nearly $70 via Wiha USA and ~$60 at Tool Nut. Wiha USA sells their 6pc nutdriver set for $50, Amazon has it for $30.
Tool sets are also often less expensive than the sum of their components, but for simplicity, let’s say that this set gives you between $400 and $478 in tools. How much do you think Wiha is charging for it?
Wiha USA says the list price is $1,099.96, and that their “Wiha Web Price” is $999.99.
I’m sorry, but does this look a thousand dollar tool kit to you?
That tool box, though…
Wiha USA shows that you can use it as a step stool if needed.
And, with the legs folded out, it’s just the right height to give you a place to sit for your lunch break.
I’ve seen pricey mobile tool boxes before, such as Pelican’s 0450 tool case. There’s also the Stahlwille Jet Tool Trolley, which looks similar to the Pelican. Think about the type of mobile setup you could put together using $500 worth of Milwaukee Packout tool boxes and organizer!
Wiha doesn’t have any information on the tool box itself, and I haven’t seen anything like it prior to its inclusion in this tool set – have you?? – and so it’s hard to gauge how much value it contributes to the price of the set.
Some of Wiha’s other tool sets are premium-priced as well, but I was nonetheless quite shocked at the $1000 price tag here.
Does the rolling tool box make it all worth it? Maybe they’ll eventually offer it separately – I’m sure there’s demand in a robust technician tool box with fold-out legs, especially if it’s strong enough to double as a stepstool. However, it’s probably not a Wiha product.
I try to be understanding about tools sets aimed at professional and industrial users. Time is money, and many users or their purchasing managers can save a lot of time and effort in buying ready-to-go tool sets compared to purchasing tools and components individually.
Do you think there’s $1000 in value here?
Jerry
In a word, no. If there are say $450 in tools that leaves $550 for the box. For that you could buy a name brand hard tool box, a work platform, a Little Giant ladder and still have money left over.
Jay
Try bringing all that through airport security as a traveling aircraft mechanic we go where the planes stop. Don’t get me wrong it is still too expensive for me but I’ll take it over pelican.
M. Pierre Boucher
I fly all the time with tools, i ditched pelican for thermodyne, airbus and LHT parts containers, big enought to fits all my tools (mostly Wera) with some sortimo for small parts. Never looked back.
Rob
If you order now, it may arrive in time for Christmas of 2023
Jay
So interestingly enough toolguyd serves as my go to site to be ahead of the curve with all things power/hand tools, and I love knowing things before most of my peers do in that regard. Having said that, my boss caught on to this first and showed it to me catching me off guard. Low and behold it had been uploaded here before he saw it, I just hadn’t come on to the site yet. His exact words were “wouldn’t this be awesome”. Now in my field we travel the country and need mobile solutions that are ample in nature. I feel my boss is exactly who wiha is aiming at. The solutions are all here, no need to shop around for individual kits then hash them into a storage compartment. Now me, it’s all about the extra hour it takes to look up what’s needed vs what’s not then putting it into a variant rolling tool chest that can get the task done. But this things premium price in my opinion is because one, it’s all in there and some, and two, look at that damn folding leg setup hahaha. I’m sure it will have a drop down in price as I don’t think there’s enough of my bosses to keep that price afloat.
Blocky
I have stood on an upright pelican 1510 many times. Not recommended.
Ball_bearing
The box sells for around $700 empty on ebay. :/
Numéro de pièce fabricant :930070103E
EAN: 4010995441296
Ball_bearing
I saw a similar tool box some time ago. The legs had some kind of spring system and would unfold on their own. Unfortunately, I can’t remember where, and if I search online, the only thing that comes up is the Wiha version. Schade.
Albert
Were the legs in the lid?
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/dewalt-step-stool-tool-box-dwst25090-092020/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
You could buy a dozen!
Ball_bearing
Definitely not that one.
Ball_bearing
Nevermind, I think I’m mistaking this with a video of Spot the robot being turned on and starting up. (Embarrassed af.) There is a tool talk tv video from 10 months ago showing the toolbox and it’s features. Quite interesting. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XX9AG2jQ7Qw
Stuart
Hmm it’s on Amazon DE and elsewhere, and only with Wiha branding.
https://www.amazon.de/Wiha-44129-Electricians-Empty-Piece/dp/B097C28B5B/?tag=toolguyd-de-21
Close to $700 for the empty tool box still seems like a lot, but it explains the $1000 pricing for just a couple of hand tools.
Jared
That link has a good picture showing the compartment space under the shelves.
Jared
I can’t see it either. That’s not even a complete for a specific job as far as I can tell – e.g. you know how Proto, Williams or even Gearwrench will have kits for “industrial maintenance” or “railway technician” or whatever. You’ll be adding tools to this kit on top of what’s included – and what’s included isn’t really that much.
However – cool box! Not $500 cool, but still. Part of the value for a box like this has to be the organizer aspect. If you buy a Pelican instead – how much money will you spend on accessories or custom foam.to organize it?
That assumes of course, this box is Pelican quality but with a bunch of neat features and an organization system.
MoogleMan3
No way. I’d much rather assemble my own kit; my choice of box, tools, accessories, etc. Many of us already have.
Wayne R.
I like Wiha tools a lot.
I really dislike palletized tool organization, they’re never flexible enough for the tools & practical organization of what an individual uses.
This kit is going to get government-type purchases, by the pallet. Not many others, certainly not by individual users, I believe.
I wonder if those legs can handle treatment by the gorillas under the airports?
Adam
Agreed about the palletized storage. Very clean looking, but there’s always that one weird-shaped tool that won’t fit, and ends up having to go in the ‘wrong’ section.
Nathan
so european tools sold in europe are always more expensive. Years ago working in Germany I saw alot of Stahlwhile boxes of about that size that were aircraft mechanic sets. what we would call a basic line MX setup. Didn’t have that handle but it did have pull along handles and was made to be carted off to fly to a location to work on a plane. IE could go on aircraft as luggage.
I like that handle setup better but the cost is crazy high. The tool set doesn’t make alot of sense other than perhaps for an electrican – and expected to add much more on.
Curious who makes that box.
MM
Looks like a nice set. I think they made a very wise decision by covering some of the basic tools and then leaving plenty of extra room in the case so you can outfit the rest of the set to suit your specific needs. One of my gripes with most of the similar “all in one technician service tool sets” that I’ve seen is that they tend to have little room for adding new tools, have excess tools I don’t need, and are missing tools I do need. This is nice because I’d see myself using nearly everything in the set and there’s plenty of room to add specific tools to suit whatever need the kit will be used for.
…but the price is very very steep. Crazy expensive. You could assemble a similar set of premium tools and a hard case for a lot less than $1000. Or if you were spending $1000 you could get a lot more for your money.
And while I do love my Wiha screwdrivers I would prefer to pick other brands for my pliers and socket set, etc.
Eddie the Hook
What are they smoking in Wiha’s marketing dept ?
JoeM
Yeah, I saw this on the Wiha social networking pages and I kinda snickered to myself. Then I had to come to terms that they’re actually serious about this thing.
Okay… I like the Wiha brand… They are remarkable for their 4mm precision bits, and I will grant them the extreme prices for managing to machine that kind of precision so durably, and regularly through their entire runs. I even have a significant problem differentiating Wiha from Wera in this respect, key word being respect. I definitely respect the company, but even then… Once they start packaging things together like this… I become very uncertain. Especially when you consider the prices. It’s hard to take either company seriously when they put together various tools. All the same tool, in a set? No problem there. But when either company tries to span multiple applications… Fasteners, Wrenches, Electrical, whatever else they try to combine… They usually end up with a case like this that,,, frankly… Doesn’t make any sense for the tools they include.
Make no mistake, I’d genuinely consider the case alone, or the tools alone… but put them together in one package? I start having trouble. For one, I would likely pick different tools to put into it, or different panels to hold specific things, or even to store things related to what I use, but that come from another company. Separate, they’re all good things… but the choices they make to include in a kit? That doesn’t work well for me. A line of Kit/Benches? Not too shabby for Wiha to do. Trying to sell it as a one-kit-fits-all solution? Uh… No… Sorry… Not everyone buys Wiha for the same products. You can cover a lot, but I’d be throwing out 90% of what they included in all likelihood. It’s a waste of money to not be able to customize it yourself.
MM
I thought they did a pretty good job keeping this set fairly generic. To me this is more of a blank canvas than it is meant to be a one-size-fits-all solution. The case is very large compared to the relatively small number tools they give you with it so there’s tons of room to grow, and the tools they did include are quite generic and useful for a number of trades. Of course there are tons of “holes” in the set for any trade, but I think that’s the point. I think the idea is that they provide a box and some basic tools and then you’re meant to complete the set by filling in the empty space with whatever is specific to your needs. So maybe an electrician would add a bunch of VDE insulated tools, a multimeter, knockout punches, etc, a mechanic would add pry bars, sockets, wrenches, T-handle drivers.
That said the price is still nuts in my opinion, if you’re dropping a grand on a tool set you ought to be able to get a lot more than what comes with this set.
LGonTG
There could be a great market for a mobile toolbox that is strong, large, friendly and easier to use than a metal toolbox. Lord, I wish there was something out there for $200 or so rather than the military master tool box that has the drawers, etc.
Plain grainy
One of the tool sales companies made a couch out of toolboxes. They used 4 Packout rolling boxes with handles extended to support couch back. Had a padded seat & backrest over toolboxes. Then had material small tool pouches for end arm rests. I think they valued it around $600.00
Albert
https://twitter.com/AcmeTools/status/1378082353269071875/photo/1
Adam S Cosper
I want that rolling tool case. Put Veto branding on that case and people would easily pay six hundred dollars for it.
Brian M
Wiha is starting to lose my interest. A growing number of their items are being made in Vietnam, and the prices aren’t going down despite lower production costs of Asian manufacturing and increased margins from selling direct to customer. I do not like that they’re undercutting their distributors by selling direct to customers either.
Felo, Gedore, Witte and Stahlwille still make all their tools in Europe. Wera makes most but they do have items, like their ratchets, that are made in Asia.
Cole McRae
A coworker and I were talking about tools the other day, and I recalled there was a tool company that sold complete sets in briefcase style boxes. For the life of me I cannot remember the name of the company. I’m pretty sure the tools were decent quality but looking at the sets they always gave me 1980s/70s vibe. Anyone have any idea?
Stuart
There are quite a few brands and companies that offer preconfigured technician tool kits these days. Perhaps you’re thinking of Jensen?
OldDominionDIYer
Absolutely laughable! $999 is an insult to most people. The Packout Rooling Tool Chest is larger and can be had for under $200! the 96 tools could be had for under $75 from Dewalt and it’s a 108 piece set! Just terrible! Sell it in Europe, maybe they’ll like it!
Carl
I’ve owned one of these for a while now. Wouldn’t trade it for anything else. Choked on the price tag at first, like so many others. Then just looked back at all the money wasted on junk products, soft bags, rucksacks, other hard cases. Could have saved myself a bundle, if only this thing had been on the market earlier. Never liked Pelican, too heavy super-expensive, used to work with their cases offshore, dragging them up and down gangways, up a set of stairs, down a set of stairs. Once you’ve done that across a couple of decks, it becomes a work out. This Wiha case is somewhat more compact, but therefor way more manageable, particularly due to its large dia. wheels. And it sure makes a nice seat. Cases like that don’t get treated nice in the offshore world. This thing is rock solid, accommodates and protects all my must-have tag-along electrical tools. So yes, outrageous, indeed.
Sean Kelly
Is the product discontinued. I can same to don’t it anywhere?
Stuart
It’s possible. Wiha might be able to point you a replacement set.