Tools (automotive): SnapOn vs Nepros

[Sarra]

So, I have limited space for tools. Small box. But, most of what I have is craftsman. Sadly, I had a bad time a few years ago and pretty much lost all of my SnapOn stuff.

 

Since I just bought a Tacoma, and I've been doing small repair jobs here and there on it, I decided that it's time to chuck the Craftsman stuff in a bag, and get some new, higher end tools. Mostly just the basics, box wrenches, ratchets, sockets.

 

I was on SnapOn's website, and was wondering if the asking price was really worth it, when I remembered that Nepros makes tools, too... And after glancing through their catalog, I'm actually stumped at which way to go. I think the Nepros tools are beautiful, and for what I'm doing, overkill. But so are SnapOn. While my Craftsman stuff is... Usable, it's not comfortable, and I'm constantly wishing I had nicer tools.

 

Any reason not to go with Nepros over SnapOn? I mean, yeah, warranty, but beyond that? If I really wanted warranty, I could just get new Craftsman tools, but I don't care that much about it.

[vetali]

Most of my hand tools are snap on, because ergonomically they feel the best in the hand compared to other brands. Husky comes pretty close especially box wrenches (aside from the flank drive wrenches), and is significantly cheaper. A lot of snap ons tools are rebadges too. Precision instruments and CDI torque makes their torque wrenches. Irwin makes their drill bits and tap and die sets.

 

I never buy expensive sockets that I used day to day. I have a set of snap ons and matcos for things that look like they're gonna fight me. Otherwise grey pneumatic makes great sockets and are lifetime. I have had no issues getting their duo sockets warrantied after a few starting to wear after years of impacts, and are my general go-to when grabbing a socket.

 

I get you when you say the craftsman stuff is not comfortable though. Ergonomically they're terrible. I'd say upgrade your ratchets to a higher quality brand like snap on and see how you like them.

[Sarra]

3 hours ago, vetali said:

Most of my hand tools are snap on, because ergonomically they feel the best in the hand compared to other brands. Husky comes pretty close especially box wrenches (aside from the flank drive wrenches), and is significantly cheaper. A lot of snap ons tools are rebadges too. Precision instruments and CDI torque makes their torque wrenches. Irwin makes their drill bits and tap and die sets.

 

I never buy expensive sockets that I used day to day. I have a set of snap ons and matcos for things that look like they're gonna fight me. Otherwise grey pneumatic makes great sockets and are lifetime. I have had no issues getting their duo sockets warrantied after a few starting to wear after years of impacts, and are my general go-to when grabbing a socket.

 

I get you when you say the craftsman stuff is not comfortable though. Ergonomically they're terrible. I'd say upgrade your ratchets to a higher quality brand like snap on and see how you like them.

As far as ergonomics go, the Nepros look to be about the same, or better, than SnapOn, but at a lower cost. Still more than, say, Craftsman, but not overly so. The international shipping is what's painful, though, but if I buy ratchets and box wrenches together, I can mitigate some of that.

 

I will have to get the torque wrench from SnapOn, it doesn't look like Nepros sells those.

[Beerzerker]

Having been around this very topic for at least 35 years I can say Snap-On is overpriced - Very good quality but not worth the asking price of having the name "Snap-On" on the box, which you'll pay for.
They do have a good selling point, that is they'll have the really odd stuff most others don't carry and that's some of what makes them good but for the more common stuff like boxes, way overpriced. Impact sockets for example are of about the best quality you can get period but remember these tools are also made for guys that make a living from these, if you must depend on a tool to do so then it's worth the cost but if not, there are cheaper yet still sufficient tools that does the job.

If you happen to have an older set of Craftsman tools you're fine for the most part, the ones made now are crap in comparison and certainly lack the quality the older Craftsman tools have. I've used my Craftsman set for over 20 years now and it's still a good set of tools, the only thing I had to get warrantied was a 1/2 inch ratchet I broke trying to break a lugnut loose on a forklift and had a cheater on it when that happened. Took it in and they exchanged it, no questions asked even though it was obvious I had ALOT of torque on it.

An alternative brand that's on the same level of quality as Snap-On is Mac Tool, these are still expensive but not quite as high as Snap-On itself in most cases. BlackHawk is a "Budget" version of tools that works well too (I believe those are a generic name for Mac Tools - Could be wrong) and if still in the business Cornwell was yet another name to go with that didn't cost as much as either of the previous but still had their tool trucks going around too.

Kobalt is something that used to be "Kinda OK" but even those are of lesser quality now and they weren't that great to begin with.

Matco is along the same lines as Cornwell in price and quality so they are good too and can be used reliably by guys that make a living with their tools.

I'll sum it up like this:
If it's a brand that has tool trucks it's more expensive, if it's in a store and that's it, those are cheaper.
Tool truck tools are also higher quality for obvious reason, those sold in a store aren't by comparison.
 

However for the average guy messing around in their personal shop at home that kind of quality isn't needed (Nice to have though). The old Craftsman tools were made for guys that did their own stuff and were a cheaper, yet good quality set for the average guy. For guys like this such expense isn't required and is a waste to be honest but if you've already got 'em, use 'em anyway like I do.

For my part I still have that set with some Mac tools too, mainly the pneumatic based stuff like impacts, drills and such which I did get from those trucks years ago, I've even got an old Blue Point (Generic Snap-On) 1/2 inch impact that still works great to this day and that's after years of use, bought it in 93 and it's still going strong.

 

A good source of good, namebrand tools for less would be pawn shops, flea markets, estate sales and so on. Won't be in brandnew shape and you really don't know what you'd find but the way cheaper cost justifies trying it anyway.

[airborne spoon]

I've used Snap-On and but never nepros. I prefer craftsman over snap on. y'all say craftsman are uncomfortable i don't see it, if anything the Snap-On ones are less comfortable in my hand. Snap-On are round and that shit makes it hard to grip when there is a little grease on your hand because it wants to roll, vs a craftsman its rectangular and its easy to hold at whatever angle you need to get at a bolt on.

I've been working on cars and motorcycles for about 25-30 years and i mostly use craftsman since that's what i keep in my tool box but i have a few Snap-On and i think they are just overpriced and I'm not a fan.

I've broken about 3 or so Snap-On socket and I've broken a few craftsman sockets and a couple of 1/4 socket wrenches. But given how 95% of my tool box is craftsman it makes sense I've broken more of their stuff. but every time something breaks i just take it to sears or now i take it to Lowes and they do a 1 for 1 replacement no worries. 

but with Snap-On i have to just happen to be passing by a auto shop that happens to have a truck outside and get a replacement its a super big pain in the ass to get a replacement Snap-On.

[IkeaGnome]

My tools, Snap On ratchets, wobbles, and screw drivers. Everything else is Craftsman/Tekton(Amazon), Gear wrench. If I have to cut a tool up or modify it, it's not a Snap On. Tool gets forgotten on the bed of the truck and bounces off, not Snap On.

[WindirBear]

Anything with EASY lifetime warranty. Harbor freight is where I get most of my crap. I hear snap on is really good but that shit is honestly too rich for my blood.

[Beerzerker]

10 hours ago, WindirBear said:

Anything with EASY lifetime warranty. Harbor freight is where I get most of my crap. I hear snap on is really good but that shit is honestly too rich for my blood.

Harbor Freight isn't too bad in a pinch but I woudn't want to try and make a living from what they sell.
I've got some stuff from them before that saved my ass but at the same time it's better to get something of quality because if the tool breaks, it's of no use no matter what the intended useage would be.

 

Snap-On is for the Pros, that's why they are so expensive but the quality is there.
My old Craftsman box from over 20 years ago is still doing the job as I'd expect it to along with all the rest I've got.
Take care of the tools and they'll take care of you.

[Virus__]

Don't cheap out on something like a torque wrench.. Go buy a quality brand one. But after watching a lot of DeBoss Garage (Rich) & The Skid Factory (Al), both Rich & Al who are qualified mechanics both put their name behind the cheaper brand tools like Princess Auto (Canadian Harbour Freight), Craftsman & ToolPro (Aussie brand exclusive to Super Cheap Auto), whilst yes it would be awesome to have a full SnapOn collection, I could never justify their house deposit like prices for the items. Although saying that Rich soley uses Milwaukee for his power tools it seems & will put his reputation behind them. Some of the stuff i've seen him do with their impact drivers is honestly quite impressive.

 

But then you get other professionals like The Humble Mechanic (Charles)  saying invest in quality tools because they will last you & they are built to do the job. Charles also says go out of your way to build a good relationship with your local SnapOn bloke. But he was a VW tech for a long time, where as Rich was a heavy duty diesel mechanic & Al is more of a every day car mechanic that specialises in turbos.

 

At the end of the day I reckon buy into where you can comfortable afford to.

[TempestCatto]

Dunno if it's been said, but Harbor Freight has their ICON line of tools. Pretty much identical to SnapOn. My dad uses ICON and some other Harbor Fright tools daily. His job is a building mechanic at a nursing home. He repairs hospital beds, wheelchairs, and also does a lot of plumbing, HVAC, and electrical work. He swears by ICON and HF in general. He does have SnapOn tools, but those pretty much stay in the shed anymore. He has broken some of his HF tools before, and just walked in with it, showed a cashier, then was given a replacement no questions asked and free of charge. He doesn't break them often though, despite the abuse they see. If you're just working on your truck, and not using them for a profession, I see no reason to go all out with SnapOn unless you have the money burning a hole in your wallet. Just my two cents.

[Yoinkerman]

I just use whatever set is on sale because I don't feel bad when it breaks from double wrenching or putting a 4' pipe on it. 

 

Or cutting it in half or bending the snot out of it for custom tools.

 

I'm just a hobby mechanic doing car maintenance and engine work.

 

I know I abuse them so I don't bother getting the "good" stuff

[vf1000ride]

Snap On is good if your going to use them daily to make a living.  If you are buying tools for a home toolbox buy the less expensive tools.  I have probably 80% of my tools as Snap On because at the time I was a mechanic for a living, but now that I work from a desk all of the tools I buy are much less expensive.  I find that for the most part the cheap stuff is just fine for something that gets used 2-3 times a year.  I have never heard of the Nepros brand so I unfortunately can't comment on their value.

[Guest]

I have a full snap-on set of wrenches from 3/8ths to 1 13/16. The biggest one was over 200 bucks over 10 years ago. That one I use most specifically for Crane Carrier suspension and the occasional block heater.

 

My box is a Matco triple bay performance series. Purchased in 2004 which came with a set of match metric 8mm to 19mm and other various tools on a promo. 5000 dollars. That box today is a 4s series and closer to 8000 dollars and I don't think the do tool promotions any more.

 

Mac impact 1/2" drive swivels I like the best.

 

Also have a slew of "home made" bent wrenches that vary from China cheap to gear wrench. Which I like the gear wrench - wrench sets for bending what I need from them.

 

My first set of 1/2 drive impact sockets are Craftsman. I've been using them for 2 decades only replacing the 15/16ths socket as it's the only one that ever broke on me. 

 

For a service cart, I went to Harbor Freight and got a little 350 dollar double bay. It's a US general and perfect for in the garage IMO. A similar quality box can be found at Walmart also.

[vetali]

1 hour ago, ShrimpBrime said:

My box is a Matco triple bay performance series. Purchased in 2004 which came with a set of match metric 8mm to 19mm and other various tools on a promo. 5000 dollars. That box today is a 4s series and closer to 8000 dollars and I don't think the do tool promotions any more.

You can get great deals if you just ask your driver what he has on hand. I custom ordered my 4s triple bay in their new plum crazy purple looking color. That was about 7k. Then I got a 4s double bay with a hutch for 6k that the driver had on hand. That box retails for 13k.

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, vetali said:

You can get great deals if you just ask your driver what he has on hand. I custom ordered my 4s triple bay in their new plum crazy purple looking color. That was about 7k. Then I got a 4s double bay with a hutch for 6k that the driver had on hand. That box retails for 13k.

That's not a bad deal.

I have a hutch and side locker also. 

The locker I purchased used for 700 bucks I think it was. Hutch full price, thing that was 1200 bucks new with matching key locks which I had to pay extra for.

[vetali]

17 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

That's not a bad deal.

I have a hutch and side locker also. 

The locker I purchased used for 700 bucks I think it was. Hutch full price, thing that was 1200 bucks new with matching key locks which I had to pay extra for.

Damn, a hutch for my triple bay is 3k, and a locker is nearly the same. I was planning on buying that, but when that double bay offer came up it was a no brainer. Plus I have 2 lifts and a flat stall so having a 2nd box is nice. Trying to get them to put a lift in the flat stall so I have 3 lifts, but they don't want to.

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, vetali said:

Damn, a hutch for my triple bay is 3k, and a locker is nearly the same. I was planning on buying that, but when that double bay offer came up it was a no brainer. Plus I have 2 lifts and a flat stall so having a 2nd box is nice. Trying to get them to put a lift in the flat stall so I have 3 lifts, but they don't want to.

The hutch I purchased a few years after the box. Inflation I guess.

 

Lifts are expensive and at least around me, the county/state have regulations against in ground lifts because of soil contamination when the seals go bad. 

Which I always like better than above ground racks. 

[Sarra]

I'm actually really glad I was able to keep my SnapOn impact sockets. I have a 22mm that works for my new truck lug nuts, and I've got a (shitty) compressor now, so I'm going to grab a new impact and use that for tire rotating and such.

 

The Nepros are appealing because for the price of a pair of SnapOn ratchets, I can get three Nepros ratchets (stubby, normal, and long/breaker). I have a decent Blue Point breaker bar, too, which I always used on my Subaru's lug nuts.

 

I think, what I will do, is order a Nepros ratchet, and try it out to see how I like it. If it's great, I'll order the other two and get a set. If not, I'll get Mac, Matco, or something similar, and go from there.

 

I still have a mostly complete set of Craftsman sockets, plus some Pittsburg impact sockets I recently picked up, plus my larger size deep impact SnapOn sockets, so I should be good there. Oh, I have a low profile ratchet and sockets, the other SnapOn tool I held on to.

[WindirBear]

On 8/12/2021 at 10:18 AM, Beerzerker said:

 

Snap-On is for the Pros, that's why they are so expensive but the quality is there.

The quality is definitely there. The stigma that it's for pros just shouldn't stand today. Even if I was a "pro" I could buy 2 or 3 pairs of top shelf harbor freight tools for probably the same price as one snap on tool. With the exception of some tools.

 

[Beerzerker]

4 hours ago, WindirBear said:

The quality is definitely there. The stigma that it's for pros just shouldn't stand today. Even if I was a "pro" I could buy 2 or 3 pairs of top shelf harbor freight tools for probably the same price as one snap on tool. With the exception of some tools.

 

For some tools you are right, a cheaper tool is the way to go such as screwdrivers for example. No way I'm paying way more for a single screwdriver off the tool truck than I could get a entire, cheaper set for.

Screwdrivers are probrably THE most abused tool there is since we have to use them for so many things aside from screws themselves and if used, they show it and because of that you'll always be replacing them.

As for any "Stigma", actually it's deserved - Any tool that breaks when used is useless and if it's a tool required to finish the job that's a holdup.

 

That means you have to stop, go out and get it replaced, come back and finish.
Downtime on a repair, while it can be a real thing isn't viewed well by any customer waiting for you to get it done. I've been there and done all that in this exact situation, no amount of explaining "Why" made them happy about it and can even cause complaints from them to your boss - Yes that has happened to me too and there are customers that's just an ass and looking for something to complain about, usually to try and get some of the repair cost down (At your expense no less).

I'll say in all honesty Snap-On tools do hold up well, even in situations that involves actual abuse to the tool just to get the job done but even in that case if it breaks it's just as useless and unlike a brick and mortar store, you have to either wait on the tool truck to come around again or go to a store to carry on.
That's the flip-side of it.

However:
When it comes down to getting it done I'd rather buy one at a higher price of good quality and have an excellent chance of it holding up than buy three of a much cheaper, lesser quality tool and take that kind of a risk - Does nothing for making you look good in a customer's eyes or anyone else's.

I speak from over 35 years of doing this and I'll take the higher quality, more expensive tool anyday in a situation when it just has to work.

[Ravendarat]

Screw drivers are for screws, thats it. If you are using them for anything else than it means you dont have the right tool for the job. I have a snap on ratcheting screw driver right now, then I have husky screw drivers but I have used the regular snap on ones as well and they hold the screw better and definitely feel better to use so Ill be switching to them at some point when I wanna spend the money. I do use my tools professionally and while its very rare for me to break a tool its nice to know that I call my driver and if its urgent he stops by with a replacement inside a couple hours usually. I spent years saying I couldnt justify their tools, then I actually started buying them and its getting harder for me to say that. I would not buy things like the cordless hand tools from them as I think the quality of those is subpar compared to the price you pay, as is their soldering devices, both of which are outsourced to another company and just branded snap on.

[Beerzerker]

4 hours ago, Ravendarat said:

Screw drivers are for screws, thats it. If you are using them for anything else than it means you dont have the right tool for the job. I have a snap on ratcheting screw driver right now, then I have husky screw drivers but I have used the regular snap on ones as well and they hold the screw better and definitely feel better to use so Ill be switching to them at some point when I wanna spend the money. I do use my tools professionally and while its very rare for me to break a tool its nice to know that I call my driver and if its urgent he stops by with a replacement inside a couple hours usually. I spent years saying I couldnt justify their tools, then I actually started buying them and its getting harder for me to say that. I would not buy things like the cordless hand tools from them as I think the quality of those is subpar compared to the price you pay, as is their soldering devices, both of which are outsourced to another company and just branded snap on.

Ain't no one going to have "The Right Tool" for everything, everytime, life just doesn't work like that.

 

I'm not going to disagree about screwdrivers - I know what they are supposed to be used for but then again.....
If in a real situation, damn the "Intended" useage:
If you've got it and it can be used, go ahead and get the work done or you could loose way more than the cost of another screwdriver.

I mean, you just gonna piss away $2000 to save a few bucks by being "Picky/Peculiar" about how you would use your tools?

When you don't have the right tool for the job and you MUST get it done:
Figure out what can be used....
Call someone else that has it....

Waste time and wait on the tool truck or just go out and get the right tool.

Your call and be sure you let the customer know what's up with all that.

[vetali]

10 minutes ago, Beerzerker said:

Ain't no one going to have "The Right Tool" for everything, everytime, life just doesn't work like that.

Look at any millwright's toolbox, "the right tool" for some of their jobs is 3 different tools welded together. Then smacked with a hammer for QC.

[Beerzerker]

1 minute ago, vetali said:

Look at any millwright's toolbox, "the right tool" for some of their jobs is 3 different tools welded together. Then smacked with a hammer for QC.

Exactly because you'll never walk into a store or onto a tool truck and "Find it all" - Sometimes you gotta make it yourself and it's not like I haven't done that before.
It's making it work, which by modifying a tool(s) is what was done with your example.

I'm not gonna sweat a screwdriver over getting it done, they make more of 'em everyday and no prob to replace it vs losing a crapton of $$ over it.

[Ravendarat]

I was more referring to when people use a screwdriver as a punch, or to pry something or similar type common abuses. There is no reason someone that is doing this as a job shouldnt have things like that on hand unless its an odd circumstance like an emergency in the field or something as opposed to being in your shop where your tool box is