I use my icons everyday working on industrial equipment and everything is holding up great. I have 5 tools boxes full of cornwell, snapon, and icon. Love them for the cost. I find the issue with most tools is the operator.
thank you sir it's not the tool,it's the skill in ur work .this guy Midwest has a full box of brand new tools .he's not a mechanic he's a collector .but people are dumbasses .man I love gearwrench think there just as good as snap on so it's self skill
You are so right , a mechanic that really knows his business doesn't have too hide behind the Snap on name too make up for they're own short comings , a good tech doesn't worry about using only Snap on , they will use any quality made tool that's made for professional use , Snap on thrives on the guys that know nothing but want to show off they're big shiny toolbox , meanwhile the box is bigger than they're Brain , I've seen this too often in the auto repair industry , and history will keep repeating itself , ICON tools are professional level !!!!!
It does not matter what you hate or love. Any tool conversation, any advertisement, any tool nationality. SNAP ON is always in the conversation, best envied tool in the market. 90% of my tools is also SnapOn. I will continue supporting the American brand, that way you get to enjoy the cheaper clones and copies. SnapOn creates, IcOn imitates. I wonder if SnapOn exits the market what copies would you be buying? The reason why you could afford a decent imitation is because SnapOn has set up the bar so high that others are pressured to built a copy that looks ok.
It’s important that we explore other possibilities once a set of 11 wrenches is $550.00 From Snap On. What choice do we have but to see if something can come close for $89.00 to $129.00 for a similar product. Doesn’t have to be better, or even as good, just close. That would make it a better value, what ever brand.
I'm not primary Snap-On actually very limited; but I have used them and the ones I own are a pleasure to use. The thing with Snap-On is they will last you your career and then at the end of 20 or 30 years you'll probably be able to sell them for what you paid. I see guys selling Wrenches from the 80s for 2/3 the cost of new ones at 2023 prices; so not only did someone make money with those tools for their career they're actually selling them for MORE than they actually paid. When I was starting out I just couldn't afford many Snap-Ons and I don't do enough auto mechanic work today to Justify upgrading.
@@OldBeaterGarage yeah but imagine how much work and how fucking long it would take to sell off your set. No one wants to buy a full set up and if they do it’s going to be a long ass wait just to hopefully get your money back when you can buy icon and be se for probably 3k
@@xaphan8581 3k down the toilet. If you are retired you should have plenty of time to sell off sets if you don’t have any kids to pass the tools down to. 1 wrench at a time might be onerous but broken up in sets isn’t hard. I personally think ICON isn’t the worst stuff, but I prefer USA made tools. I guess you younger guys just treat your tools as consumables vs an investment like we did 20+ years ago.
I have 29 tool chests full! Practically every USA brand you ever heard of. Yes I do have icon ratchets and love them. I probably have 200 plus ratchets and the icons are the ones I always grab. So smooth. I feel if used with in their limits you will never have a problem with them. Put a cheater bar on a 1/4 ratchet and torque it 200 plus pounds the will all brake. Personally I just like tools. I try every brand from estate sales and pawn shops. The smoothest ratchet I own are black hawk from the 50s. Amazing how smooth they are.
We used a ton of Wright tools when I was a mechanic in the air force and they were absolutely awesome. My one and only complaint is limited availability.
You certainly don’t need to justify buying ICON from HF. I too own a lot of SnapOn and Matco I’m not a professional, just a DIYer that I’ll do my own car repairs for family and friends.. point is, I have ICON and they’re absolutely as good as SnapOn, they’re a LT tool with absolutely zero issues on returns.. I broke a icon 1/2 breaker bar on a axel bolt and guy at the counter said ok go grab another of the shelf. I’m not particularly partial to any company but cost is always a consideration and whatever tools gets a job done I’d a good tool.. good video 👍🏻
I've seen many professional mechanics try the Icon for one to three months, putting the Snapon or Matco tools down and using the Icon. They all were very happy with them, they said they're worth the money and recommended them. The Icon tools I have bought have been of very good quality. They didnt say they were as good as the tool truck tool, but they said they were good.
Congrats on the deal, I bought a set missing a socket and called hf customer service. They shipped the missing socket at no charge not even shipping. I have all the tool truck brands as well but none of them will do that!
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with icon. People just don’t like things that challenge the almighty Snap-on and let’s be honest, icon was a shot at them, lol. I own a bit of almost everything from Snap-on to Capri to Gearwrench but majority is Matco. Why? The dealer. He’s honest and will tell me if XYZ has something better or better bang for the buck. “Tool Snobs” or haters, fuck them. Do what works for you and let them ruffle their feathers, it’s all noise to feel important. Congrats on wright.
I agree, I don't think there's anything wrong with the ICON line of tools. If nothing more, it places pressure on the larger orginations (tool makers) to keep driving innovation, quality and reliability. Often, when brands see themselves at the top of the mountain, quality, reliability, etc., tends to fall-off, because they feel they don't have anything to prove. When HFT and others challenge the "status-quo" it forces these large corporations to step back and take a look at themselves. We should applaud the work that HFT has done with the ICON series because it will keep all others focused on driving the aforementioned forms of progress!!
I think its cool that you bought some Icon stuff. Since I'm a beginner I mainly buy Duralast (very underrated for being sold by a parts store) plus I get a discount on those, and I also get Pittsburgh/Icon. Well I only own the Icon split beam torque wrench which I absolutely love and I have Pittsburgh wrenches. Otherwise everything else I own is Duralast, Performance Tools, OEM Tools. My impact is Ingersol Rand and my air Guage is Astro Pneumatic.
@@rch5991 Really? I have an 18mm wrench by Duralast and idk. I actually like the Pittsburgh ones better. Cause I got a full set of long Pittsburgh wrenches I use for alignments. I only bought the 18 cause I didn't feel like going all the way to Harbor Freight when AutoZone is right up the street from the shop I work at and the Pittsburghset didn't include 18mm. I think that wrench may be the only tool by Duralast I didn't like. Cause I got a lot of their other tools. The ratchets, sockets, ratcheting wrench set, impact sockets and honestly I like them all. Taiwan don't be playing games when it comes to tools. Neither does Japan from what I hear. I get why folks like the USA built tools though. I used a coworkers old 15/16 Craftsman wrench today actually and oh my word, I loved it. My Pittsburgh kept slipping off this bolt cause I was trying to do an alignment and that lock nut was just so damn tight. But his Craftsman didn't slip. Then again it could be becuase I was using 21 instead of 15/16 even thought the alignment machine said use 21.
@@rch5991 I'll definitely have to. I saw at O'Reillys they had a Lisle brake caliper compressor tool. I'm eventually gonna get it thought I'm on no rush. The C-clamp has been working just fine and I still get brake jobs done well before the time it's due.
I have the icon sockets for a couple years now and so far doing pretty good, They definitely aren’t Snap On quality, but they do the job. Great video 🤘 congrats on Wright sponsorship. The only thing I hate on is when they try to say that their HF or Walmart ratchet is better than a Snap On ratchet and that’s just total BS.
I'm glad to hear from users of the ICON series that they are working out. Personally, I understand that not everyone can afford Snap-on or Mac, and HFT provides an opportunity for those individuals to get their hands on a good quality tool, for a lower price point. The ICON series of tools can't compare to Snap-on, Wright, or MAC, but it doesn't hurt that they inspire to do so. I agree, they should not compare the ICON line to Snap-on!!! Thank you for the congratulatory comment on the Wright Tools sponsorship!!!
I hope nobody would expect ICON tools to be the same or better than Snap On. If they were Snap On would be bankrupt within a few years since they cost 5 times as much. Just getting close is impressive. Many of the torque testing channels have proven they do just that, they get close. Like Milwaukee and others do as well, some even beat Snap On in certain categories. Making them a good value. Especially for tools we aren’t using every single day.
I think the SK ratchet beat Snap On. SK & Snap On are great but the Icon is tool truck quality compared to Matco . Some torque testing to failure proved its stronger than Mac . When it's within a few foot pounds of Snap On, then it's good for the price.
Heck, I only have Kobalt ratchets, sockets and wrenches. A few Lennox, Channel lock and Craftsman pliers and screwdrivers, etc. It works fine for me. I don't work on cars for a living and I have a complete set of tools. A lot of money is spent by those companies to convince people that their Brand is great and others are junk. And people want to impress others with all the overpriced stuff they 'have.' No one knows that they are in debt up to their eyebrows to a tool truck company, or their house has 2 mortgages and their cars are financed for 10 years, etc. But, they can criticize others for using perfectly fine tools? Whatever.
I use tools everyday. Don't have a lot of snapon yet, but as for the icon stuff the ratchets and wrenches work fine, the sockets just are too soft for the "professional" world. My Pittsburgh pro held up more than the icon sockets.
Grey pnuematic, gearwrench, tekton, capri are all around the same price as icon and are some of the best sockets and wrenches i own. Icon is an easier warranty since you just go in and leave with a replacement but the brands above all will ship out a replacement the next day of the recieiving a warranty request and ive never had to wait longer than 2 days to get it and ive seen q/a issues with the icon stuff more than im comfortable with but if you need something in a pinch they will get the job done but i wouldnt rely on rely on the to take as much abuse.
Its all a stigma.. Back in the day harbor freight did sell really cheap hand tools .. But in last few years they are really stepping there game up with the icon line and a few others.. I have snapon mac and have a set of icon in my cart . they have held up very well. I have the same set . and mostly use my Milwaukee 12v impact with them mostly.. So they are used pretty hard
When I was young and dumb I bought Snap on. I turned wrenches for many years. I still have the basics in snap on. I now look to other companies when I need something specific. I don’t need to spend big bucks for snap on today. There are plenty of good quality companies out there that also offer a good warranty. Icon is one oh them. ? How will the warranty work with that broken set. I thought you had to swap set for set??? I may be wrong.
I could care less what people think , Snap on,Mac, Matco ,Proto, Hazet ,Sthalwille,Wera,Witta,Knipex, Gedore, NWS ,Felo, Powerbuilt, Carlyle, Blackhawk, Williams, King Dick, Thor, Armstrong and Icon,Vessel,Wiha, get what you can afford when you need it . I have reasonably priced stuff that has withstood the test of time and has never failed me and I have had the favorite brand mentioned in your video break and need replacment . I try to get lifetime warranty from companies that have been around awhile. Never fall in love with metal. Avoid Chineesium, cheap wrenches, breakerbars and rachets . They will get you hurt.
..Icon is very good stuff..the problem is, I believe, is the ambitious pricing for something that is not really a "name brand", or at least a widely recognized one or one that has been around a long time...and the fact that it is Harbor Freight..people do not expect to pay a lot at Harbor Freight....Napa Carlyle is similar quality mostly Taiwan made stuff like the ICON..it is usually priced a bit higher than the ICON, also..BUT..Napa can get away with that because they are Napa, not Harbor Freight...
Nothing wrong with getting any tools from any brand man. Plus icon is decent for the weekend warrior's like alot of us. You have a great collection and if you added more icon to it that Would be cool haha. Also an u pm me About those packets to put in the tool box for the crappy midwest moisture LOL
That ICON stuff is way too expensive. I go to HF for the cheap stuff. What I wanted is for them to carry individual sockets and complete sets of sockets and wrenches. What we got was Quinn and ICON. Oh well.
yes, I think the Icon prices are ambitious myself..I compare it to other high-end Taiwan made tools, not Snap-On, in both quality and price..and yes, I go to HF for decent stuff at good prices, not good stuff at high prices...
Ah never mind the haters. Do you. If you have tools to do the job does the vehicle care what tools it took to fix it?? Why should it matter what other people care what you use to fix what ever your working on?? I’m just happy to have the tools to work on stuff. Have a great day like your vids.
I have sk, snap-on and icon I use my icon metric deep Sockets all the time I have been really impressed I did break one though but my fault using chrome impact
I’d suspect HFT has it figured out by now. They understand they need to work on their product quality and for that to work, they need to start producing higher quality tools. They’ll likely never receive the credibility they deserve, in terms of their ICON series, but it’s good to hear others have no complaints
I have lots of wright tools over 20 years of use they have been great . I Work in the gas industry the place I buy them don't ever ask me how I break one if I do it is from
I've been a technician for 28 years, and I've always purchased snap on mac and matco. I have purchased Icon tools so see what they are all about, besides looking like snap on. I will say after using the ratchets and sockets, Ive is been very impressed. They have withstood 1 year of abuse. Are they better thank snap on? No. My professional opinion is, for the money, ICON tools are good. It will do the job. Plus it does carry a lifetime warranty. So nothing to lose. Not everyone can afford tool truck prices. So to hate on any tool is unfare. I feel, ICON works better than the Pittsburg tools. I compare this tool to alot of amazon tools. Great value, works great. Thats what matters. Plus who really cares what others tlhink? It's your money, so spend it how ever you want and make your own judgment.
I have craftsman box full of craftsmen tools and last year I brought a harbor freight 5 drawer tool cart and I been filling it up with harbor freight tools Pittsburgh tools. I'm disable an on a fix income an I can't afford icon
Building a second box I'm a sevice tech got the snap on stuff in the truck but I mainly stay at a single location with a shop for there mechanics. So building a us general with all.icon stuff in it. So far 0 complaints
It actually would be nice if Wright Tools had a tool truck...would be better than the Mac tool truck with all that (mostly) Taiwan and China stuff they are pedaling at very high prices(yes, most of the sockets, ratchets, wrenches are still USA)..but a LOT of it is not..after all, Mac is owned by StanleyBlack&Decker....
I am needing some tools to work on hydraulics can you review the wright service wrenches and the angle wrenches i orderd some service wrenchs off of Amazon and the brand i ordered did not look anything like what I got i was so disappointed i sent them back i don't use them everyday so i don't want to spend the money for Snap-on but i don't want junk in my toolbox either
Hi Paul, I sent in a request for the service wrench and angle wrench sets. As soon as they arrive, I'll spend a few days reviewing/using them, then I'll upload a vid per your request. I'll be sure to dedicate the vid in your name. thank you for the support.
my only issue is the price for those tools. the sockets are stupid soft and my experience with warranty was rather negative. If the tools were priced a little lower, and the warranty was less aggressive then the icon tools would be pretty great. I work on big heavy equipment and have negative experiences with these tools and the employees were aggressive with the warranty. they wanted a receipt and the whole set. they denied for abuse even though I work on Cat 657, Cat 395, cat d11 big stuff that have big and tight fasteners. its harbor freight where you should be able to warranty no questions asked
I couldn’t agree with you any more!! This is the exact issue I have with Harbor Freight!! They are a discount store with sub-par brands and quality, therefore they shouldn’t have any objections to anyone trying to warranty tools
The hate is from the tool snobs. Snobs of all kinds exists in every hobby, for example my brother in law is what I consider a gun snob he doesn’t want anything to do with a rifle unless it’s a Browning, Berreta or costs in excess of $1000. I have quite a bit f expensive high end stuff myself but I’m nobody to shy away from a deal, what is not to like nice 22 for $100 or a decent import shotgun for around $200? I
Im a mobile mechanic,I use mostly icon and some gearwrench, I make living with them so far so good, I do love snap on ,I own their sae/metric wrench sets ,worth every penny,icon does make money tho.i agree with you 100%
I love Wright tool. My grandfathered down wrenches were stolen during Christmas which killed me. They're a solid option for USA tools. Right there with SK & Proto. But Icon is equal to Matco at the very least . I'm getting ready to try more myself
There will ALWAYS be people on the internet who just hate to hate. No reason to do it they just do it to try to make people feel bad. I can care less what people think in real life or the internet. What ever tools you have are the BEST tools for you. ICON is fine, Husky is fine, Gear Wrench, TEKTON, CAPRI, what-ever. Just because it is not off a tool truck does not mean it's crap. Screw anyone who as crap to say about your tools or your setup.
There’s something about the feel of using a Snap-on ratchet or wrench. It’s hard to explain. Snap-on sockets don’t have the same feeling. I use the icon sockets with no qualms.
To my knowledge, most of the hand tools at Harbor Freight have lifetime warranty. That means they will be replaced if they were to fail. You also don’t have to wait until the truck comes around. You just go to Harbor Freight and exchange it. No difference except the price and the excessive payments!
Buy or get the Wright Grip 2.0 wrenchs, I have both complete sets in chrome and satin finish because I could not choose between both finishes so I got both 🔧🔧🔧🔧🔧
The people shitting on you for your choice of tools aren't buying your gear and they aren't feeding your family. Buy what you can afford and get the job done. You'll have money saved up to replace the cheap stuff with high quality tools.
Hi, you buy what you want it’s your choice and your money, the public doesn’t pay your tool bill, haters gonna hate when you have haters your doing something right, the only opinion of your tools that matters is your own, I like your box it’s very impressive, very interesting video ty so much, Bob,
Harbor Freight ICON Tools are extremely controversial. It's a direct knockoff of Snap On tools and more like the copy cat of tools. It's great that it's available for the DIY'er at an affordable price but it's still a knockoff of Snap On. Even the packaging is similar to Snap On. It's almost a complete counterfit of Snap On!
I think that’s the big-product of competition. It’s now up to Snap-on to continue offering their best quality, reliability and performance because others are watching and learning. It’s really only a letter of time before someone has a cheaper tool that performs as good as, if not better than the top-tier brands!
I guess I don't view them as a knockoff or competitor for Snap-On...just a competitor for other high-end Taiwan made tools, such as Toptul, Genius, NAPA Carlyle, Gearwrench, etc...
I think people are mad cause they are so close and actually work lol,snap in idiots are mad cause people are getting a decent tool for a fraction on price
I buy gearwrench, sunex, Grey automatic. I have one icon wrench 1/4 flex head. It's a good little ratchet. I have friend use Harbor feight impact scokets and one of the scokets split on him. For dyi guy Harbor feight is ok. But is you turn wrenches every day you should buy only quality tools.
Agreed. There are a number of brands I’d recommend, including Pittsburgh Pro. Not so much impressed with their ICON lineup in terms of sockets, but their wrenches are nice. I don’t discriminate on tool brands… I own and use multiple brands, and wouldn’t complain if I had to only use sub-tier brands for the rest of my wrenching life.
Got a deal on them I won't own them but I don't tell anybody what to buy the only one needs to be happy with the purchase is the one the one who buys them
That’s the way it should be. If a feller asks, then I’ll give him my opinions based on my own experience, but he/she can decide what to buy with his/her own money!
Let them think what they want you do you I've seen lot's of Snapon stuff selling dirt cheap because guys can't sell them for what they are worth and good luck trying to warranty anything that you didn't buy through your account or from the Snapon dealer you are using now so resold Snapon has zero lifetime warranty and if you bought Icon because you can afford to buy it new it has a lifetime warranty no questions asked
The only brand I go by is quality, performance and durability. Whichever offers better quality that exceed all of my expectation with a lifetime warranty replacement wins my vote. I do not like wasting money on flimsy product.
Until your commentor's are paying your bills, they have no right to say what you buy? I own a little bit of everything brand wise, 80% USA tools and the rest what I can afford and what works for me? Most of my premium tools have been bought used or traded for with tools or cash? I'd never recommend buying new Snap On or tool truck brands, unless it is a torque wrench or something very critical? Great buy, sir.
Started my tool collection with a duralast set from autozone when I was about 18-19 years old. I have better tools now, but that ratchet still works lol and if it ever breaks I can take it back to autozone thats like 5 min away and get a replacement. Don't see the purpose to buy a ratchet thats 5 times the price when it works the same. Buy what you can afford. You will have lifetime warranty on majority of the tools you buy.
..If you bought the Duralast ratchet 3-4 , maybe 5 years ago or so, it was probably one of the very good ones made in Taiwan by one of the high-end Taiwan tool manufacturers...those have been replaced by cheaper made, clunkier ones that are made in China now..still a decent ratchet, but if you take yours back for warranty replacement, you will get one of the cheaper quality China made ones, not another really nice one like your old one...kind of like what happened to Craftsman when they went to China...
I don't blame you for buying Icon.I don't consider Icon cheap tools, but I'll buy cheaper tools every so often if I know I probably won't use it too much. Who cares what other people think
I have nothing against icon but their prices are a little inconsistent. The sockets and ratchets are pretty reasonable but I’m pretty set on those. I would like a decent set of sae combo wrenches and theirs fit the bill. Then again people say they’re built alongside carlyle and channellock, which are both significantly cheaper and you can find some used flank drives in that range pretty easily
Hi Greg, I've heard the same regarding the price of the HFT ICON line of tools. My guess is, HFT is still trying to understand what the consumer is willing to pay, versus their fully-burden investment and profit margin goals. The problem is, people don't like inconsistency and HFT will likely never get away from the stigma derived from years of poor quality tool offerings. I was hopeful that the ICON series would help them, but to be honest. I have little to no experience with this brand, so feedback from users is very helpful.
I have commented on the subject a few times and didn’t want to repeat the same opinion people have probably seen before or make my comment too long but you’re dead on. Most of the truck tool guys will never go to them regardless of how good the product is because of the brand stigma and I think they’re pricing themselves out of the market with some of these online companies.
I have used ICON daily as a tech for almost a year now and no problems with them at all. Why pay the premium for snap-on? I have snap-on ratchets but always find myself grabbing the ICON'S first.
What I hate is when people think if it’s not snap on it’s a second rate tool not taking jabs at anyone it’s all personal preference and what you like I own vintage Williams wrenches and ratchets Billings tools Bonney tools indestro tools sk tools and new Britain tools and they are fantastic tools
Tell that to the millions of people that do just that everyday. I think people like to press the limit, while knowing something isn’t necessarily rated for the abuse they’re subjecting the tool to. It’s like buying a Snap-on ratchet…you pay $175 for a 3/8” ratchet, so you try to break everything free using that tool because you expect the highest level of performance and quality, but you overlook the fact that the application requires a 1/2” drive tool instead…but you attempt it anyways…
Snap On = Gucci for wrenchers. Made the mistake of over-investing when younger, poorest time in my life. Tool truck brands strategize on how to extract maximum $$$ from the average tech to a predatory level. I've never had a nut that a Craftsman/ Icon could not remove and only a Snap-On could.
I’ve been really trying to understand what Snap-on is doing with their alloy chemistry. I find it to be interesting that their sockets and pliers tend to rust very quickly after use. It’s never severe, but it is unsightly. I have several other brands, and they don’t rust at all. CrV and CrMo are the industry standard for tool steel in the USA. Snap-on and others claim to have their own unique chemistry, but I don’t suspect they deviate to much off the standard. What is different is their proprietary heat treatment process, so depending on how that is done, it may have an impact on the rust/corrosion factor. Still studying this subject. As for deformation. CrMo is designed to mushroom, as a result of being able to absorb the energy from impact guns, while not cracking as seen in CrV steel. We need to compare HrC (Rockwell Hardness) of several brands to start our theory
Thank you sir!!! I appreciate the support. I only purchased the ICON sockets due to the low price and absence of SAE sockets for occasional need. I knew this would be a controversial vid, but worth hearing the varying opinions about the ICON line of tools.
There isn't nothing wrong with icon, I'm a hard core snap on fella myself 🤷 I buy new off the truck I buy used off eBay , one of my favorite ratchets is the Pittsburgh pro flex head, I think it's better than my snap on 🤷
Icon is just a rebrand of Carlyle and tekton. Nothing wrong with them whatsoever. Anyone knocking HF products just has too much money and or likes to hear themselves talk just for the heck of it. Sure hf has some crap but 60% of my very small collection is HF 30% craftsman then I have some nice stuff I’ve bought used. Not everyone can afford box truck prices and really you can find box truck quality at lower price points if you do the research and find out who manufactures specific tools.
@@gl9500 hf contracts their tool manufacturing to apex great star and kabo. Tekton and Carlyle are apex except for the double flex zero offset wrenches those are made by kabo.
People are funny. You obviously can buy new off the truck if you want. Nothing wrong with buying a tool that gets the job done. I have Snap-on, MAC, Craftsman, Icon, Great Neck etc. I buy what I can afford and what gets the job done. I have upgraded some tools later in life.
I bought an Icon, low-profile, 3/8, comfort grip, non-flexible ratchet. It’s lightweight, the grip feels good, and it’s 90 tooth. However, my cheap 72-tooth husky 3/8 is significantly thinner. I wish I could slap a grip on my husky and call it a day lol
I am a Tool Elitist. Not the kind that chases Tool Trucks and tells everyone how much they paid for their Super Nice Tool Box. I am a Tekton, Cornwall, ICON, Williams tool person. Function, quality, durability, comfort, etc. I DO HATE ICON THOUGH! My store does not place everything they have on the shelves. You have to ask and the sales person who goes into the back, the warehouse, and brings out what they did not stock. That is ridiculous.
I wouldn’t consider myself to be a “tool elitist” but…maybe I am. I don’t mind cheaper brands for “dirty work” like pulling parts at the local salvage yard. I prefer Snap-on and Wright Tool. I’m not a fan of Harbor Freight in general because they still designs, etc from Snap-on and now Knipex, and claim their products are “comparable.” If they really felt like they had some as good as, or better, they’d cut their own road and build their brand, but I guess it’s easier to ride the coat tails if other brands…
@@MidwestToolReview That they do. They are stealing lots of designs from all makers. However a well made wrench or rachet that does not cost $100 is nice to have. A tool is a tool as long as it does the job intended well. Installing a pump or tearing out a spare part from a scrap heap of spares. I do want to try Wright as they look very close to Williams.
The thing that cracks me up is someone who buys something they might use once or twice in their lifetime, but it MUST BE snap on, or MAC or whatever top tier brand. I mean buy what you want but if you don’t use it or push it to anything beyond shade tree, you really are better off tossing your money out the window.
I’d agree with you if I were jumping on/off of tool trucks to have what I have, plus be in debt like most are. Instead, I found a guy that was a dealer for over 30yrs, and I made some sweet deals. The price I paid for my tools is far less than what you’d pay for your Harbor Freight/Canadian Tire bullshit, and I don’t have to worry about quality. The cheap tool market love people like you because it keeps their pockets fat. Anyone can buy a tool; it takes smarts to buy the right tool at a fair price!!
@@MidwestToolReview You make a lot of assumptions mr “I’m paid by Wright tools”. You don’t know me and you aren’t aware most of my tools come from a tool truck. You should check your ego as your aren’t even relevant on CZcams…
I use my icons everyday working on industrial equipment and everything is holding up great. I have 5 tools boxes full of cornwell, snapon, and icon. Love them for the cost. I find the issue with most tools is the operator.
thank you sir it's not the tool,it's the skill in ur work .this guy Midwest has a full box of brand new tools .he's not a mechanic he's a collector .but people are dumbasses .man I love gearwrench think there just as good as snap on so it's self skill
@@richardsmoczynski9675 He said he was an engineer, so no, he's never used tools as a professional.
You are so right , a mechanic that really knows his business doesn't have too hide behind the Snap on name too make up for they're own short comings , a good tech doesn't worry about using only Snap on , they will use any quality made tool that's made for professional use , Snap on thrives on the guys that know nothing but want to show off they're big shiny toolbox , meanwhile the box is bigger than they're Brain , I've seen this too often in the auto repair industry , and history will keep repeating itself , ICON tools are professional level !!!!!
@@MIKEROADDOG Although I wouldn't personally put it so harshly, I can't say I disagree. And yes, Icon is definitely professional quality.
It does not matter what you hate or love. Any tool conversation, any advertisement, any tool nationality. SNAP ON is always in the conversation, best envied tool in the market. 90% of my tools is also SnapOn. I will continue supporting the American brand, that way you get to enjoy the cheaper clones and copies. SnapOn creates, IcOn imitates. I wonder if SnapOn exits the market what copies would you be buying? The reason why you could afford a decent imitation is because SnapOn has set up the bar so high that others are pressured to built a copy that looks ok.
Any tool is better than no tool.
Very true
It’s important that we explore other possibilities once a set of 11 wrenches is $550.00 From Snap On.
What choice do we have but to see if something can come close for $89.00 to $129.00 for a similar product. Doesn’t have to be better, or even as good, just close. That would make it a better value, what ever brand.
Hey, I can’t argue with that fact!
I'm not primary Snap-On actually very limited; but I have used them and the ones I own are a pleasure to use. The thing with Snap-On is they will last you your career and then at the end of 20 or 30 years you'll probably be able to sell them for what you paid. I see guys selling Wrenches from the 80s for 2/3 the cost of new ones at 2023 prices; so not only did someone make money with those tools for their career they're actually selling them for MORE than they actually paid. When I was starting out I just couldn't afford many Snap-Ons and I don't do enough auto mechanic work today to Justify upgrading.
@Sid The sloth And on top of that some of the Icon wrenches are made in the same factory's as snap on.
@@OldBeaterGarage yeah but imagine how much work and how fucking long it would take to sell off your set. No one wants to buy a full set up and if they do it’s going to be a long ass wait just to hopefully get your money back when you can buy icon and be se for probably 3k
@@xaphan8581 3k down the toilet. If you are retired you should have plenty of time to sell off sets if you don’t have any kids to pass the tools down to. 1 wrench at a time might be onerous but broken up in sets isn’t hard. I personally think ICON isn’t the worst stuff, but I prefer USA made tools. I guess you younger guys just treat your tools as consumables vs an investment like we did 20+ years ago.
You can have whatever tools you can afford it’s all up to you it’s your money spend it how you want to
Amen!!
Yes get what works for you and if the tool does what you need it to do then who cares what brand
I have 29 tool chests full! Practically every USA brand you ever heard of. Yes I do have icon ratchets and love them. I probably have 200 plus ratchets and the icons are the ones I always grab. So smooth. I feel if used with in their limits you will never have a problem with them. Put a cheater bar on a 1/4 ratchet and torque it 200 plus pounds the will all brake. Personally I just like tools. I try every brand from estate sales and pawn shops. The smoothest ratchet I own are black hawk from the 50s. Amazing how smooth they are.
We used a ton of Wright tools when I was a mechanic in the air force and they were absolutely awesome. My one and only complaint is limited availability.
You certainly don’t need to justify buying ICON from HF. I too own a lot of SnapOn and Matco I’m not a professional, just a DIYer that I’ll do my own car repairs for family and friends.. point is, I have ICON and they’re absolutely as good as SnapOn, they’re a LT tool with absolutely zero issues on returns.. I broke a icon 1/2 breaker bar on a axel bolt and guy at the counter said ok go grab another of the shelf. I’m not particularly partial to any company but cost is always a consideration and whatever tools gets a job done I’d a good tool.. good video 👍🏻
I've seen many professional mechanics try the Icon for one to three months, putting the Snapon or Matco tools down and using the Icon. They all were very happy with them, they said they're worth the money and recommended them. The Icon tools I have bought have been of very good quality. They didnt say they were as good as the tool truck tool, but they said they were good.
Loved to hear you say Wright Tool! I’m slightly biased growing up not far from them. Great video.
cheap tools like this is good when your on the go working in the field in random places. so if it gets lost or stolen its nit that big of a deal
Congrats on the deal, I bought a set missing a socket and called hf customer service. They shipped the missing socket at no charge not even shipping. I have all the tool truck brands as well but none of them will do that!
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with icon. People just don’t like things that challenge the almighty Snap-on and let’s be honest, icon was a shot at them, lol.
I own a bit of almost everything from Snap-on to Capri to Gearwrench but majority is Matco. Why? The dealer. He’s honest and will tell me if XYZ has something better or better bang for the buck. “Tool Snobs” or haters, fuck them. Do what works for you and let them ruffle their feathers, it’s all noise to feel important. Congrats on wright.
I agree, I don't think there's anything wrong with the ICON line of tools. If nothing more, it places pressure on the larger orginations (tool makers) to keep driving innovation, quality and reliability. Often, when brands see themselves at the top of the mountain, quality, reliability, etc., tends to fall-off, because they feel they don't have anything to prove. When HFT and others challenge the "status-quo" it forces these large corporations to step back and take a look at themselves. We should applaud the work that HFT has done with the ICON series because it will keep all others focused on driving the aforementioned forms of progress!!
Tool snobs are the worst. Tools don’t make the tech.
I think its cool that you bought some Icon stuff. Since I'm a beginner I mainly buy Duralast (very underrated for being sold by a parts store) plus I get a discount on those, and I also get Pittsburgh/Icon. Well I only own the Icon split beam torque wrench which I absolutely love and I have Pittsburgh wrenches. Otherwise everything else I own is Duralast, Performance Tools, OEM Tools. My impact is Ingersol Rand and my air Guage is Astro Pneumatic.
@@rch5991 Really? I have an 18mm wrench by Duralast and idk. I actually like the Pittsburgh ones better. Cause I got a full set of long Pittsburgh wrenches I use for alignments. I only bought the 18 cause I didn't feel like going all the way to Harbor Freight when AutoZone is right up the street from the shop I work at and the Pittsburghset didn't include 18mm. I think that wrench may be the only tool by Duralast I didn't like. Cause I got a lot of their other tools. The ratchets, sockets, ratcheting wrench set, impact sockets and honestly I like them all. Taiwan don't be playing games when it comes to tools. Neither does Japan from what I hear. I get why folks like the USA built tools though. I used a coworkers old 15/16 Craftsman wrench today actually and oh my word, I loved it. My Pittsburgh kept slipping off this bolt cause I was trying to do an alignment and that lock nut was just so damn tight. But his Craftsman didn't slip. Then again it could be becuase I was using 21 instead of 15/16 even thought the alignment machine said use 21.
@@rch5991 I'll definitely have to. I saw at O'Reillys they had a Lisle brake caliper compressor tool. I'm eventually gonna get it thought I'm on no rush. The C-clamp has been working just fine and I still get brake jobs done well before the time it's due.
I have the icon sockets for a couple years now and so far doing pretty good, They definitely aren’t Snap On quality, but they do the job. Great video 🤘 congrats on Wright sponsorship. The only thing I hate on is when they try to say that their HF or Walmart ratchet is better than a Snap On ratchet and that’s just total BS.
I'm glad to hear from users of the ICON series that they are working out. Personally, I understand that not everyone can afford Snap-on or Mac, and HFT provides an opportunity for those individuals to get their hands on a good quality tool, for a lower price point. The ICON series of tools can't compare to Snap-on, Wright, or MAC, but it doesn't hurt that they inspire to do so. I agree, they should not compare the ICON line to Snap-on!!! Thank you for the congratulatory comment on the Wright Tools sponsorship!!!
I hope nobody would expect ICON tools to be the same or better than Snap On. If they were Snap On would be bankrupt within a few years since they cost 5 times as much. Just getting close is impressive. Many of the torque testing channels have proven they do just that, they get close. Like Milwaukee and others do as well, some even beat Snap On in certain categories.
Making them a good value. Especially for tools we aren’t using every single day.
I think the SK ratchet beat Snap On. SK & Snap On are great but the Icon is tool truck quality compared to Matco . Some torque testing to failure proved its stronger than Mac . When it's within a few foot pounds of Snap On, then it's good for the price.
If you have “haters” you’re usually doing something right. Keep on rocking!
Couldn’t agree more!!
Remember what the Late Dale Earnhardt said cheer me or boo me you know I am here. Sorry not the exact quote but you get the point
@@peteh4312 yup. Or the classic “hustle until your haters ask if you’re hiring” dude on one of my jobsites had that on a shirt. It stuck with me
Heck, I only have Kobalt ratchets, sockets and wrenches. A few Lennox, Channel lock and Craftsman pliers and screwdrivers, etc. It works fine for me. I don't work on cars for a living and I have a complete set of tools.
A lot of money is spent by those companies to convince people that their Brand is great and others are junk. And people want to impress others with all the overpriced stuff they 'have.' No one knows that they are in debt up to their eyebrows to a tool truck company, or their house has 2 mortgages and their cars are financed for 10 years, etc. But, they can criticize others for using perfectly fine tools?
Whatever.
Smart man.
Life time warranty is a life time warranty. HF is within 2 minute drive from my shop too 😂
I use tools everyday. Don't have a lot of snapon yet, but as for the icon stuff the ratchets and wrenches work fine, the sockets just are too soft for the "professional" world. My Pittsburgh pro held up more than the icon sockets.
Grey pnuematic, gearwrench, tekton, capri are all around the same price as icon and are some of the best sockets and wrenches i own. Icon is an easier warranty since you just go in and leave with a replacement but the brands above all will ship out a replacement the next day of the recieiving a warranty request and ive never had to wait longer than 2 days to get it and ive seen q/a issues with the icon stuff more than im comfortable with but if you need something in a pinch they will get the job done but i wouldnt rely on rely on the to take as much abuse.
Its all a stigma.. Back in the day harbor freight did sell really cheap hand tools .. But in last few years they are really stepping there game up with the icon line and a few others.. I have snapon mac and have a set of icon in my cart . they have held up very well. I have the same set . and mostly use my Milwaukee 12v impact with them mostly.. So they are used pretty hard
Any lifetime warranty tool is a great buy in my opinion EVEN icon
I have Snap On and love them. But I also have Icon. In my experience, my Icons are very close to Snap On in terns of quality and performance.
When I was young and dumb I bought Snap on. I turned wrenches for many years. I still have the basics in snap on. I now look to other companies when I need something specific. I don’t need to spend big bucks for snap on today. There are plenty of good quality companies out there that also offer a good warranty. Icon is one oh them. ? How will the warranty work with that broken set. I thought you had to swap set for set??? I may be wrong.
I could care less what people think , Snap on,Mac, Matco ,Proto, Hazet ,Sthalwille,Wera,Witta,Knipex, Gedore, NWS ,Felo, Powerbuilt, Carlyle, Blackhawk, Williams, King Dick, Thor, Armstrong and Icon,Vessel,Wiha, get what you can afford when you need it .
I have reasonably priced stuff that has withstood the test of time and has never failed me and I have had the favorite brand mentioned in your video break and need replacment . I try to get lifetime warranty from companies that have been around awhile. Never fall in love with metal. Avoid Chineesium, cheap wrenches, breakerbars and rachets . They will get you hurt.
You forgot "Swap Meet"
..Icon is very good stuff..the problem is, I believe, is the ambitious pricing for something that is not really a "name brand", or at least a widely recognized one or one that has been around a long time...and the fact that it is Harbor Freight..people do not expect to pay a lot at Harbor Freight....Napa Carlyle is similar quality mostly Taiwan made stuff like the ICON..it is usually priced a bit higher than the ICON, also..BUT..Napa can get away with that because they are Napa, not Harbor Freight...
My old teacher in auto tech told us all the time
Buy the best tools that you can afford
Stay away from absolute junk but get the best you can afford
Nothing wrong with getting any tools from any brand man. Plus icon is decent for the weekend warrior's like alot of us. You have a great collection and if you added more icon to it that
Would be cool haha. Also an u pm me
About those packets to put in the tool box for the crappy midwest moisture LOL
my issue is when i break a socket they make me bring the entire set in and if one is missing (that pesky 10mm) well they wont exchange it
That ICON stuff is way too expensive. I go to HF for the cheap stuff. What I wanted is for them to carry individual sockets and complete sets of sockets and wrenches. What we got was Quinn and ICON. Oh well.
yes, I think the Icon prices are ambitious myself..I compare it to other high-end Taiwan made tools, not Snap-On, in both quality and price..and yes, I go to HF for decent stuff at good prices, not good stuff at high prices...
Ah never mind the haters. Do you. If you have tools to do the job does the vehicle care what tools it took to fix it?? Why should it matter what other people care what you use to fix what ever your working on?? I’m just happy to have the tools to work on stuff. Have a great day like your vids.
I got a little took chest in my truck(yk in case of emergency) and I got icon and Pittsburgh then I got all my good tools at my work lmao
I just hate that icon skips sizes on wrenches and sockets…
I have sk, snap-on and icon I use my icon metric deep Sockets all the time I have been really impressed I did break one though but my fault using chrome impact
I’d suspect HFT has it figured out by now. They understand they need to work on their product quality and for that to work, they need to start producing higher quality tools. They’ll likely never receive the credibility they deserve, in terms of their ICON series, but it’s good to hear others have no complaints
I have lots of wright tools over 20 years of use they have been great . I Work in the gas industry the place I buy them don't ever ask me how I break one if I do it is from
Mis use not because there is a problem with the tool great video 👍
I've been a technician for 28 years, and I've always purchased snap on mac and matco. I have purchased Icon tools so see what they are all about, besides looking like snap on. I will say after using the ratchets and sockets, Ive is been very impressed. They have withstood 1 year of abuse. Are they better thank snap on? No. My professional opinion is, for the money, ICON tools are good. It will do the job. Plus it does carry a lifetime warranty. So nothing to lose. Not everyone can afford tool truck prices. So to hate on any tool is unfare. I feel, ICON works better than the Pittsburg tools. I compare this tool to alot of amazon tools. Great value, works great. Thats what matters. Plus who really cares what others tlhink? It's your money, so spend it how ever you want and make your own judgment.
I have craftsman box full of craftsmen tools and last year I brought a harbor freight 5 drawer tool cart and I been filling it up with harbor freight tools Pittsburgh tools. I'm disable an on a fix income an I can't afford icon
Building a second box I'm a sevice tech got the snap on stuff in the truck but I mainly stay at a single location with a shop for there mechanics. So building a us general with all.icon stuff in it. So far 0 complaints
I would like to know where are purchasing all your wright socket sets and wrenches and other tools from them ,please .thsnks
It actually would be nice if Wright Tools had a tool truck...would be better than the Mac tool truck with all that (mostly) Taiwan and China stuff they are pedaling at very high prices(yes, most of the sockets, ratchets, wrenches are still USA)..but a LOT of it is not..after all, Mac is owned by StanleyBlack&Decker....
Hell yeah. Wright Tool rocks
Yes sir they absolutely do!!! By far, some of the best impact-grade alloy I've ever used.
I am needing some tools to work on hydraulics can you review the wright service wrenches and the angle wrenches i orderd some service wrenchs off of Amazon and the brand i ordered did not look anything like what I got i was so disappointed i sent them back i don't use them everyday so i don't want to spend the money for Snap-on but i don't want junk in my toolbox either
Hi Paul, I sent in a request for the service wrench and angle wrench sets. As soon as they arrive, I'll spend a few days reviewing/using them, then I'll upload a vid per your request. I'll be sure to dedicate the vid in your name. thank you for the support.
my only issue is the price for those tools. the sockets are stupid soft and my experience with warranty was rather negative. If the tools were priced a little lower, and the warranty was less aggressive then the icon tools would be pretty great. I work on big heavy equipment and have negative experiences with these tools and the employees were aggressive with the warranty. they wanted a receipt and the whole set. they denied for abuse even though I work on Cat 657, Cat 395, cat d11 big stuff that have big and tight fasteners. its harbor freight where you should be able to warranty no questions asked
I couldn’t agree with you any more!! This is the exact issue I have with Harbor Freight!! They are a discount store with sub-par brands and quality, therefore they shouldn’t have any objections to anyone trying to warranty tools
The hate is from the tool snobs. Snobs of all kinds exists in every hobby, for example my brother in law is what I consider a gun snob he doesn’t want anything to do with a rifle unless it’s a Browning, Berreta or costs in excess of $1000. I have quite a bit f expensive high end stuff myself but I’m nobody to shy away from a deal, what is not to like nice 22 for $100 or a decent import shotgun for around $200? I
Im a mobile mechanic,I use mostly icon and some gearwrench, I make living with them so far so good, I do love snap on ,I own their sae/metric wrench sets ,worth every penny,icon does make money tho.i agree with you 100%
I think the Icon tools are pretty nice. I don't have a whole lot of icon tho but I woulda picked that set up for that price.
I love Wright tool. My grandfathered down wrenches were stolen during Christmas which killed me. They're a solid option for USA tools. Right there with SK & Proto. But Icon is equal to Matco at the very least . I'm getting ready to try more myself
ICON tools are awesome! Excellent quality and value.
There will ALWAYS be people on the internet who just hate to hate. No reason to do it they just do it to try to make people feel bad. I can care less what people think in real life or the internet. What ever tools you have are the BEST tools for you. ICON is fine, Husky is fine, Gear Wrench, TEKTON, CAPRI, what-ever. Just because it is not off a tool truck does not mean it's crap. Screw anyone who as crap to say about your tools or your setup.
There’s something about the feel of using a Snap-on ratchet or wrench. It’s hard to explain. Snap-on sockets don’t have the same feeling. I use the icon sockets with no qualms.
that's because the ratchet determins the smoothness of operating. not the socket.
To my knowledge, most of the hand tools at Harbor Freight have lifetime warranty. That means they will be replaced if they were to fail. You also don’t have to wait until the truck comes around. You just go to Harbor Freight and exchange it. No difference except the price and the excessive payments!
Are the Wright wrenches chrome or satin finish? I want a set of metric Wright Grip 2.0 and was wondering that.
Wright Tool offers both Satin and Full Polished versions of the Wright Grip 2.0 wrench line.
Buy or get the Wright Grip 2.0 wrenchs, I have both complete sets in chrome and satin finish because I could not choose between both finishes so I got both 🔧🔧🔧🔧🔧
I have a full set of icon impact sockets and I really like them
The people shitting on you for your choice of tools aren't buying your gear and they aren't feeding your family. Buy what you can afford and get the job done. You'll have money saved up to replace the cheap stuff with high quality tools.
Wright needs to update their website
They will 🔧🔧🔧🔧🔧
Hi, you buy what you want it’s your choice and your money, the public doesn’t pay your tool bill, haters gonna hate when you have haters your doing something right, the only opinion of your tools that matters is your own, I like your box it’s very impressive, very interesting video ty so much, Bob,
I don't hate any brand I use all brands what ever tool you grab and is in your hand and what ever gets the job done...
Harbor Freight ICON Tools are extremely controversial. It's a direct knockoff of Snap On tools and more like the copy cat of tools. It's great that it's available for the DIY'er at an affordable price but it's still a knockoff of Snap On. Even the packaging is similar to Snap On. It's almost a complete counterfit of Snap On!
I think that’s the big-product of competition. It’s now up to Snap-on to continue offering their best quality, reliability and performance because others are watching and learning. It’s really only a letter of time before someone has a cheaper tool that performs as good as, if not better than the top-tier brands!
For real snap on actually tried to sue HF over them copying them. Especially the Daytona floor jack.
I guess I don't view them as a knockoff or competitor for Snap-On...just a competitor for other high-end Taiwan made tools, such as Toptul, Genius, NAPA Carlyle, Gearwrench, etc...
I think people are mad cause they are so close and actually work lol,snap in idiots are mad cause people are getting a decent tool for a fraction on price
I only buy cheap tools when I am in a pinch aka stuck on the side of the road and a local gas station has tools.
I buy gearwrench, sunex, Grey automatic. I have one icon wrench 1/4 flex head. It's a good little ratchet. I have friend use Harbor feight impact scokets and one of the scokets split on him. For dyi guy Harbor feight is ok. But is you turn wrenches every day you should buy only quality tools.
Second tier tools are just fine for the casual DIYer.
Agreed. There are a number of brands I’d recommend, including Pittsburgh Pro. Not so much impressed with their ICON lineup in terms of sockets, but their wrenches are nice. I don’t discriminate on tool brands… I own and use multiple brands, and wouldn’t complain if I had to only use sub-tier brands for the rest of my wrenching life.
I could't find any of Write tools 12 point, impact, swivel, shallow sockets. Would love to price those out!
Hi Ben, I will inquire with my rep and see if they offer 12pt universal sockets in impact.
Is not the quality of the tool but the quality of the man using it.
I think that comment has merit, but while tools don't make marginal techs experts, they do allow the talented individuals to excel at their work!
Got a deal on them I won't own them but I don't tell anybody what to buy the only one needs to be happy with the purchase is the one the one who buys them
That’s the way it should be. If a feller asks, then I’ll give him my opinions based on my own experience, but he/she can decide what to buy with his/her own money!
Let them think what they want you do you I've seen lot's of Snapon stuff selling dirt cheap because guys can't sell them for what they are worth and good luck trying to warranty anything that you didn't buy through your account or from the Snapon dealer you are using now so resold Snapon has zero lifetime warranty and if you bought Icon because you can afford to buy it new it has a lifetime warranty no questions asked
The only brand I go by is quality, performance and durability. Whichever offers better quality that exceed all of my expectation with a lifetime warranty replacement wins my vote. I do not like wasting money on flimsy product.
Until your commentor's are paying your bills, they have no right to say what you buy? I own a little bit of everything brand wise, 80% USA tools and the rest what I can afford and what works for me? Most of my premium tools have been bought used or traded for with tools or cash? I'd never recommend buying new Snap On or tool truck brands, unless it is a torque wrench or something very critical? Great buy, sir.
As long as the tool fits firmly without slack i dont care so much who makes the tool i hate tools that have a lot of play and feel loose on an object.
Started my tool collection with a duralast set from autozone when I was about 18-19 years old. I have better tools now, but that ratchet still works lol and if it ever breaks I can take it back to autozone thats like 5 min away and get a replacement. Don't see the purpose to buy a ratchet thats 5 times the price when it works the same. Buy what you can afford. You will have lifetime warranty on majority of the tools you buy.
..If you bought the Duralast ratchet 3-4 , maybe 5 years ago or so, it was probably one of the very good ones made in Taiwan by one of the high-end Taiwan tool manufacturers...those have been replaced by cheaper made, clunkier ones that are made in China now..still a decent ratchet, but if you take yours back for warranty replacement, you will get one of the cheaper quality China made ones, not another really nice one like your old one...kind of like what happened to Craftsman when they went to China...
I don't blame you for buying Icon.I don't consider Icon cheap tools, but I'll buy cheaper tools every so often if I know I probably won't use it too much. Who cares what other people think
Commenting on the video for the algorithm
I use ICON and Mac RBRT all day. Both work great, Harbor Freight warranty is second to none.
There is certainly a convenience factor that must be considered when buying tools from HFT.
Agreed James, Snap On or Icon, love your channel either way ….
I have nothing against icon but their prices are a little inconsistent. The sockets and ratchets are pretty reasonable but I’m pretty set on those. I would like a decent set of sae combo wrenches and theirs fit the bill. Then again people say they’re built alongside carlyle and channellock, which are both significantly cheaper and you can find some used flank drives in that range pretty easily
Hi Greg, I've heard the same regarding the price of the HFT ICON line of tools. My guess is, HFT is still trying to understand what the consumer is willing to pay, versus their fully-burden investment and profit margin goals. The problem is, people don't like inconsistency and HFT will likely never get away from the stigma derived from years of poor quality tool offerings. I was hopeful that the ICON series would help them, but to be honest. I have little to no experience with this brand, so feedback from users is very helpful.
I have commented on the subject a few times and didn’t want to repeat the same opinion people have probably seen before or make my comment too long but you’re dead on. Most of the truck tool guys will never go to them regardless of how good the product is because of the brand stigma and I think they’re pricing themselves out of the market with some of these online companies.
Awesome video congrats on the Wright tool sponsor. Big leagues now 👍👍
Icon is the best tools
I like Harbor Freight!!
I have used ICON daily as a tech for almost a year now and no problems with them at all. Why pay the premium for snap-on? I have snap-on ratchets but always find myself grabbing the ICON'S first.
what model adjustable proto ratchet is that in your draw ?
I will get that info and post for you later this week!
I got craftsman box when I had some money to afford it
Haters gonna hate.... Congrats on the Wright deal....
Icon are rebranded Taiwanese tools. At a higher price point.
What I hate is when people think if it’s not snap on it’s a second rate tool not taking jabs at anyone it’s all personal preference and what you like I own vintage Williams wrenches and ratchets Billings tools Bonney tools indestro tools sk tools and new Britain tools and they are fantastic tools
Man..I watch for that old stuff all the time at flea mkts. And yard sales..best tools ever made.
I want to know about your beetle
Hey haters gonna hate still a decent quality tall and has a lifetime warranty and they have harbor freight everywhere so easy to #Warranty
I wouldn't use any chrome sockets any brand on an impact they won't last very long
Tell that to the millions of people that do just that everyday. I think people like to press the limit, while knowing something isn’t necessarily rated for the abuse they’re subjecting the tool to. It’s like buying a Snap-on ratchet…you pay $175 for a 3/8” ratchet, so you try to break everything free using that tool because you expect the highest level of performance and quality, but you overlook the fact that the application requires a 1/2” drive tool instead…but you attempt it anyways…
Snap On = Gucci for wrenchers. Made the mistake of over-investing when younger, poorest time in my life. Tool truck brands strategize on how to extract maximum $$$ from the average tech to a predatory level. I've never had a nut that a Craftsman/ Icon could not remove and only a Snap-On could.
Always love a good deal, $26 can't hate on that price!!😀😎
Absolutely!!
Great video.interesting nice tidy bench like i have. Why so many ratchets? looks good
Bought out a retired Snap-on dealers 37yr stash. Many were sold, but many were also kept and warrantied as needed.
Didn't know there were NERDS in the tool category as well 🤣
What a shame! jajajaja
Jajajaja…
Not True,If a junk tool rounds off a faster, you are worse off than not having one
I agree with you.
Maybe you can explain why Snap On sockets always mushroom out on the drive end.
They don’t all the time it depends on how you treat your tools
I’ve been really trying to understand what Snap-on is doing with their alloy chemistry. I find it to be interesting that their sockets and pliers tend to rust very quickly after use. It’s never severe, but it is unsightly. I have several other brands, and they don’t rust at all. CrV and CrMo are the industry standard for tool steel in the USA. Snap-on and others claim to have their own unique chemistry, but I don’t suspect they deviate to much off the standard. What is different is their proprietary heat treatment process, so depending on how that is done, it may have an impact on the rust/corrosion factor. Still studying this subject. As for deformation. CrMo is designed to mushroom, as a result of being able to absorb the energy from impact guns, while not cracking as seen in CrV steel. We need to compare HrC (Rockwell Hardness) of several brands to start our theory
I love you stuff man haters are haters brother.
Thank you sir!!! I appreciate the support. I only purchased the ICON sockets due to the low price and absence of SAE sockets for occasional need. I knew this would be a controversial vid, but worth hearing the varying opinions about the ICON line of tools.
There isn't nothing wrong with icon, I'm a hard core snap on fella myself 🤷 I buy new off the truck I buy used off eBay , one of my favorite ratchets is the Pittsburgh pro flex head, I think it's better than my snap on 🤷
Icon is just a rebrand of Carlyle and tekton. Nothing wrong with them whatsoever. Anyone knocking HF products just has too much money and or likes to hear themselves talk just for the heck of it. Sure hf has some crap but 60% of my very small collection is HF 30% craftsman then I have some nice stuff I’ve bought used. Not everyone can afford box truck prices and really you can find box truck quality at lower price points if you do the research and find out who manufactures specific tools.
Carlyle and Tekton don't make tools. So no, it's not a "rebrand."
@@gl9500 hf contracts their tool manufacturing to apex great star and kabo. Tekton and Carlyle are apex except for the double flex zero offset wrenches those are made by kabo.
People are funny. You obviously can buy new off the truck if you want. Nothing wrong with buying a tool that gets the job done. I have Snap-on, MAC, Craftsman, Icon, Great Neck etc. I buy what I can afford and what gets the job done. I have upgraded some tools later in life.
Even if a tool is a bit weaker it has better warranty.
I hooked you up with those 1/4 mid length.
I bought an Icon, low-profile, 3/8, comfort grip, non-flexible ratchet. It’s lightweight, the grip feels good, and it’s 90 tooth. However, my cheap 72-tooth husky 3/8 is significantly thinner. I wish I could slap a grip on my husky and call it a day lol
I am a Tool Elitist. Not the kind that chases Tool Trucks and tells everyone how much they paid for their Super Nice Tool Box. I am a Tekton, Cornwall, ICON, Williams tool person. Function, quality, durability, comfort, etc. I DO HATE ICON THOUGH! My store does not place everything they have on the shelves. You have to ask and the sales person who goes into the back, the warehouse, and brings out what they did not stock. That is ridiculous.
I wouldn’t consider myself to be a “tool elitist” but…maybe I am. I don’t mind cheaper brands for “dirty work” like pulling parts at the local salvage yard. I prefer Snap-on and Wright Tool. I’m not a fan of Harbor Freight in general because they still designs, etc from Snap-on and now Knipex, and claim their products are “comparable.” If they really felt like they had some as good as, or better, they’d cut their own road and build their brand, but I guess it’s easier to ride the coat tails if other brands…
@@MidwestToolReview That they do. They are stealing lots of designs from all makers. However a well made wrench or rachet that does not cost $100 is nice to have. A tool is a tool as long as it does the job intended well. Installing a pump or tearing out a spare part from a scrap heap of spares. I do want to try Wright as they look very close to Williams.
The thing that cracks me up is someone who buys something they might use once or twice in their lifetime, but it MUST BE snap on, or MAC or whatever top tier brand. I mean buy what you want but if you don’t use it or push it to anything beyond shade tree, you really are better off tossing your money out the window.
I’d agree with you if I were jumping on/off of tool trucks to have what I have, plus be in debt like most are. Instead, I found a guy that was a dealer for over 30yrs, and I made some sweet deals. The price I paid for my tools is far less than what you’d pay for your Harbor Freight/Canadian Tire bullshit, and I don’t have to worry about quality. The cheap tool market love people like you because it keeps their pockets fat. Anyone can buy a tool; it takes smarts to buy the right tool at a fair price!!
@@MidwestToolReview You make a lot of assumptions mr “I’m paid by Wright tools”. You don’t know me and you aren’t aware most of my tools come from a tool truck. You should check your ego as your aren’t even relevant on CZcams…
It's your money and your choice. I don't let other people influence my decisions.
Got my Sub keep it up. Looking forward to the Wright tool reviews