I had a $50 a week tool truck payment on three different trucks for close to ten years.
Yes, Snap-On are the best... and most expensive. In most cases... no questions asked.
Mac, Cornwell and Matco are in the mix also and represent the hierarchy of hob knobbing within the actual professional mechanical trade.
The difference between a Craftsman 1/2" wrench and a Snap-on is much more than guarantee deep.
Craftsman tools have been made by Asian Companies with the lowest bid since the 1960's. There have been at least a dozen different Craftsman tool suppliers over the years. All of them build to low spec with low quality alloys. Something that doesn't matter much to the home and hobby mechanic but is a serious issue for pro's.
For instance; When Craftsman brought out its "professional line" in the early 2000's, I tried a set of metric wrenches. They had the look and size/ thickness' of the pro tools so, what the hey...
After 4 days of common everyday open end wrenching with the 10mm, the jaws had spread to 10.5mm = Junk
It will take a decade of use for the Snap-on to do that and then, since you paid $27 for it up-front, you get another one for "free." Not really free at an initial cost of $27. Do you want to use your "lifetime" guarantee every couple weeks?
I still have a lot of Snappy hand tools and a couple other useful automotive specialty tools but I sold most all of it when I got out of the Biz. When I replace now, I just go to a pawn shop, but even there, I'll pick out the old pro tools like Proto and Blue Point.
Another issue with expensive tools is keeping them yours, they start to disappear. Something else worry about.
The right tool is important though, I've since bought several bicycle specialty tools yet I will never buy an expensive bike rack. Those things are outrageous for what they are.
I just looked and I still have a couple of those old Craftsman "pro" wrenches. The bigger ones less used seem to last.
