They also feature mechanic grips which provide you with a perfect fit. They are available in green, black, blue, and red. One of their favorite tools among mechanics is the Icon torque wrench. Starting with nothing, I just wanted some good wrenches that were cheap. One thing that makes the cabinets stand out is their integrated power system with two 110V outlets and two fast-charging USB ports. Hopefully they get a clue and buy better batches before too many people get burned. Harbor Freight and Salvage began in 1977 as a family business. I'd rather not annoy myself any further by cheapening out on tools where I don't need to. What about Icon ratchets? Icon sockets are among the best you will get in the market. It peeled the paint in one day. Great insight from a heavy use perspective. It also ensured the durability of the tool. I knew with $1,000 I could get plenty of hand tools to get me started and accumulate more as time went on. My question is does anybody have and info on how the icon locker attaches before I pull the trigger I wanna be confident I dont have to do to much too get it attached. Here is my one-month ICON tool update/review. However, my results look the same as those from YouTubers that I trust such as Justin Dow and Redemption Garage. All tools under the HF brand are made in Taiwan, and they all come with lifetime warranties. The most expensive of their tools is the rolling cabinets which cost around $3799.99. Snap On Wont Tell You About This Neck Light, why are you still getting on the tool truck, Finally a Set of Screwdrivers Comparable to Snap-On, Why you Wont Buy From a Tool Truck in 2023, 17 Tools to Help You Save Time and Beat Book time, best quality tools for automotive repairs, 7 Cheap Tool Sets to Get Started as a Mechanic, Tekton Folding Ratchets Unique Design and Stupid Price Makes it Irresistible, Every tool a Tech Needs for Cooling System Work. I recently got a set of GearWrench flex head ratchets which are comparable in price to Icon. Nov 13, 2014. Harbor Freight wanted $100 for the Icon brand that I had never heard of. Nothing beats a snap-on ratchet, and it's all I own. Do they compare to Snap On? Thanks this is the kinda answer I was looking for. I'm building a second box and I really wanted to like Icon to fill it out. Snap on also has rebates on contracts (literally free money) and they offer 6 months same as cash on any contract right now (normally you have to get approved for 90 days same as cash). Icon tools have some of the best storage systems in the market. Maybe Im crazy but they feel bigger and they feel stronger in terms of leverage. Mind you, Icon is the brand, not the manufacturer. The wrenches have 12-point box ends which give the user an easy fastener engagement. Smaller than a tool. To be fair, I split the jaws on a Snap-on 7/16 just today at work but that wrench is at least a year old. We'll see how well the Icon unit holds up over time and use. These professional roller cabinets are made by Harbor Freight. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The sockets have easy-to-read markings and they come in a premium storage tray for easy organizing. Overtime Garage went to Harbor Freight and bought every single ICON tool they had on the shelf and compares them to Husky, Craftsman, and Snap-On Tools Nearly $2,000 for everything! Pass Thru. JavaScript is disabled. You must log in or register to reply here. WEN 73015 Garage Glider Rolling Tool Chest. I ended up buying icon wrenches and rachets that are holding up. SKU. Can a brick and mortar tool store sell tools that compare to Snap On? Who knows how to spec heat treats for an uncommon grade of steel? Icon Tools are made by a company known as Harbor Freight. During my off time, I work on motorcycles and classic iron. Heavier than the snappy but not noticeably. Harbor Freight touted these as a professional wrench set and targeted at professional auto technicians. My home box is HF and it's got a couple dots from an accident and my snap on brake bleeder decided it wanted the fluid on the outside and leaked all over inside the locker. Ive got the standard 3/8, flex head 3/8 and standard 1/4. Their 18 gauge inside panels is able to support the slide and drawer weight evenly. These tools have shown great competition to the brand giants. Every time the rock n roll guy comes by he offers me $1000 for my masters series double bank and offers me $500 off a 14k epiq box. That Snap-On unit sits in the "old tools" drawer and never used. Im happy to say that aside from a little grease, I have noticed zero cosmetic defects on these Icon wrenches. I will likely go Carlyle for grip wrenches. Icon ratchets look remarkably similar to Snap-On and offer a lot of the same designs. Another 40% are Matco or Snap-On. After spending several hours in the store looking at wrenches, pliers, screw drivers, tool storage options and other miscellaneous things needed to work on garbage trucks, I walked out with the two sets of Icon wrenches to give them a shot. As I said, Ive been using Icons combination wrench sets for over a year now. I say almost because I have noticed on a couple occasions, while really putting them to the test, the spanners would spread a very small amount. The quality and features are second to none this is a true quality box at less than half the price I was quoted by snap on for a similar box. Related Can you live without a probe tester? BUT! This sub is for tool enthusiasts worldwide to talk about tools, professionals and hobbyists alike. How do Icon hand tools compare to Snap On when it comes to quality? Which one is better between Icon and Pittsburgh tools will depend on your needs and the specific tools you are buying. It does so through retail stores and through its website. 95% of my tools are snap on for this reason 9 10 12 15 18 22 26 Arial Book Antiqua This is why I also recommended Carlyle tools in a newer post. Ive been beating my icon sockets on an impact the last few weeks all day long in junkyard conditions. Ratchets the gears in threads tend to strip or break on cheaper brands. The company owns and operates more than a thousand retail stores in around 48 states. Dont Be That Guy, Reversing Gears ~ Rescuing Ones Own Derelict 1967 Pontiac GTO, How To Paint a Lace Roof on the Cheap Using Grandmas Curtains, Exploring an Antique Junkyard in the Hills of West Virginia, Engine, Transmission, Chassis Swap Donor Vehicle Look-Up, 1/2 Torque Wrench Showdown ~ Snap-On vs Harbor Freight ICON, Name Brand Wrench Review ~ Craftsman, Mac, Matco, Snap-On, Testing Cheap vs Expensive Adjustable End Wrenches from Amazon, Whats the Strongest Wrench Type? I know that most people think that products from China are of questionable quality but this is not the case with Icon tools. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Not enough to warrant legal action though. Mark H. Precision Engineering They are underwhelming to say the least. Are they any better than a GearWrench, Tekton, or Carlyle for the money? The ToolVault brand brings you professional grade tool boxes at D.I.Y. Their durable and tough polished chrome finish offers superior corrosion and rust resistance preventing grease build-up. This shows that the manufacturer is confident with their products and they do not have any defects. Icon wrenches are larger compared to Snap On, giving you more leverage. The offset wrenches havesaved my life when it comes to hydraulic brake lines that are hard to get to and air line fittings on semi-truck air condensers and air brake valves. Ive seen the icon lockers in person and really like them and at less than half the snap on locker price it seems too be the better option for me at this point. Their screwdrivers are made with an oversized ergonomic grip to provide the ultimate grip. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. This thing is actually nice! I'm 100% happy with the purchase. I talk frequently about the Snap On alternatives and preach consistently to readers that they should be buying more tools on Amazon. I seriously considered Craftsman, but was not initially impressed with the quality of the new version of the brand. On the other hand, Pittsburgh sockets and breaker bars are better than Icon tools. For $100, if youre not satisfied on a professional level, I promise they will be the best at home wrenches you can find. I've tried the ICON ratchets and I'm just kinda "meh." Ive had to lube almost every ratchet Ive ever used at one point or another. Sockets by Icon tools have a 6-point design to offer you maximum torque. Well-crafted hand tools not only make the work easy for mechanics but give them a good working experience. Wrenches were my first order of business. If it has the hangers Im almost certain it would work fine but if its only bolted that would be a little trickier but I dont mind having too make something work. This helps to transmit torque from the users hand to the fastener flawlessly. What? Most people wonder where Icon tools are made. For more information, please see our The name was later changed to Harbor Freight Tools as time went by. Ryobi Toolsare among the most preferred power tools due to their resiliency and efficiency. This Icon special edition ratchet is 24k gold plated and 3/8 inches. I knew right off that wrenches were going to be a must have in my tool box at Casella or anywhere else that I went. I have an older GearWrench but not a Tekton or Carlyle so not a fair comparison. So theyve got some good deals going on. I actually just found a video of the icon locker instillation and it looks like it would be a bitch too make work. Does Harbor Freights line of Icon wrenches and other hand tools live up to the professional, tool truck quality that the big box retailer claims? This is a fair comparison of Snap On and Icon hand tools. This steel, sturdy rolling tool cabinet has five drawers, each gliding smoothly on soft-close slides, lined inside to protect your tools from damage, and capable of supporting up to 100 pounds. Imho the Craftsman line of today doesn't seem like my old ones.Unless you're wrenching for a living the Snap on stuff is an over kill as far as price.If you have a Lowes in your area I'd check out the Kobalt line of tools. Ive had a 42 US General since 2013, and its holding up to my use. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. With the new line of Icon Tools that Ive bought and used from Harbor Freight, Im shocked that the US-based tool distributor Snap On has not used this argument against Harbor Freight again regarding Icon. Unlock a Tool Box with No Key! The Harbor Freight ICON tool line has a decent selection so far of sockets and wrenches. Of course, to compete they are selling the Icon brand of tools and storage for much less than anything you will find on the Snap On truck. We provide how-to and technical articles, vehicle and build features and examples, plus calculators and lookups that will help you get your ride from dream to driver. The technology Icon uses is a 90 degree tooth count with a 4 arc angle which on paper rivals the best ratchets available on the market. I doubt this icon line is intended to compete with the professional grade tool lines. The 8mm is getting a little worn from removing u joint strap bolts at wierd angles but I have no complaints. Pittsburgh 1/2" deep metric socket set $15. At just over $3,000, the Icon ICON Roller Cabinet gives you more bang for the buck than Snap-On's more expensive $14,000 version. I think snap on is great and I totally support usa manufacturing every chance I can get but snap ons issues is these tools are done on a machine and proabably at most cost 75 to make and they charge 120 plus. For a master set though I'd use tekton and never look back. I needed something for the house, and instead of forking out 120 for the snappy, I thought I'd try the Icon for 35, if for no other reason than research purposes. My only reason for taking the time to write this is to save a couple people some money. If you dont believe me, stop at your local Harbor Freight and look at them in person. I'm basically re-buying broken/worn tools. Snap-ON Killer! Professional Icon Tools socket sets do not skip the sizes. They are also equipped with special nickel-chrome, which plants prevent them from rusting. They are to-go-to tools by professional mechanics. Very smooth tools over and super easy to clean up unlike the more traditional style tools that are less expensive. I dont like the design of them and I find them hard to maneuver in tighter spots. Sign from a print shop I visited when I was young: Harbor Freight would like to apply that to tools, but the problem is physics and materials are immutable without the scheduling flexibility of a print shop. Motorcycle Scanner. Great write up. Im looking at getting the 73 inch chest. If so, why are you still getting on the tool truck especially for hand tools? How to use a simple DIY circle cutting jig that you can make yourself to cut a range of circle sizes with a hand-held plasma cutter. That reminds me I need to get another garden torch. Add to My List. This company is responsible for manufacturing and distributing the tools. I literally got that Icon set today for 19.99 Edit: Whoops I misread this I got the 3/8 deep socket set, My old school green handle pittsburgh extendable 1/2 inch socket wrench is made from vibranium. So, if you are on a tight budget, you will find Matco a much more convincing option for you. But thats just another example of a much cheaper option than buying everything from the tool trucks. Featured Categories. Does anyone here have one? The one thing that bothers me most about almost every non Snap On ratchet I have is the direction switch. Both brands also carry hand tools like hammers, wrenches, pliers, ratchets, and more. You can do this by skipping out on those $800 wrench sets off the tool truck. Went by are larger compared to Snap on alternatives and preach consistently readers! Never heard of I know that most people think that products from China are of questionable quality but this the... 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Ive got the standard 3/8, flex head 3/8 and standard 1/4 initially! Stop at your local Harbor Freight and Salvage began in 1977 as a professional wrench and... An oversized ergonomic grip to provide you with a better experience icon vs snap on tool box our the name was later to... The & quot ; old tools & quot ; old tools & quot old.