What Do You Think of Husky Tools?

B

Bruise Lee

Joined
Aug 4, 2002
Messages
363
I found myself at the Home Depot yet again. Between my job, my cars, my tenants, my family, and my friends it seems like every week I have at least one or two major repair/installation jobs to do.

Anyway, I found myself lusting after a really nice screw driver set. I already had a bunch of screwdrivers, including a nice Craftsman collection of about 15, which is partially destroyed now due to inappropriate use.

I ended up with a Husky ratcheting T-Driver set with about 40 sockets, Torx, Phillips, and slotted screwdriver bits. I liked the T handle design because you can exert more torque and downward pressure than a conventional design. The fact that it meets or exceeds A.N.S.I. standards, and has a lifetime warranty sold me. Hell, it was only about $9.00!

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Checked it out at home, going to use it on a job tomorrow. Nice design, it even extends easily to 3 different lengths. More plastic than I would care for, but did I mention it was $9.00?

Just wondering what kind of luck you folks have had with Husky tools. It's a Home Depot house brand, right? I heard they are made for Home Depot by Stanley? Do you think they are about as good as Stanley or Craftsman tools? I don't think I could get one Snap On bit for $9.00.

And finally, has anyone had any experience dealing with Home Depot and the Husky Lifetime Warranty? Did you get a new equivalent tool, a lesser tool, or were you totally denied?
 
I like to find a great deal on tools as much as the next guy. I have found it is hard to beat a Craftsman set of screwdrivers on sale. Made in the USA too.

As far as Husky goes, I've looked at them and walked away.
 
I've looked at the Husky boxes, and bought Craftsman instead.

I've been on jobs though where the hand tools were all Husky. Socket sets, wrenches, hammers, those sorts of things. Seem all right to me.

Regardless of brands, I'm not a fan of those screwdrivers with all of the small parts. But for nine bucks, what the hey.
 
I have some Husky gear and it works fine. In fact, I decided that Snap-On wasn't worth paying for the name. I have not had any trouble of them that wouldn't be expected from hard farm use.
 
I don't have any of the tools but I do have 2 small LED lights that I keep as extras around the house. love em, very strong and never have any issues.
 
The older Husky tools were nice, the newer ones, like a lot of things, are not so good anymore. I have found that the best place for getting good tools at good prices is pawn shops. Most pawn shops have no idea that a Snap-on or Mac wrench is worth anymore than the cheap china crap. As far as off the shelf, hard to beat the Craftsman Professional line. Good tools, relatively cheap, and a good exchange, warranty program. You can find good deals on Ebay too. Great tools go cheap all the time.

Tools are like everything else, you get what you pay for. If you are going to use your tools, buy quality once and you won't be disappointed. This goes double or triple for screwdrivers. Snap-On screwdrivers are amazing when compared to Craftsman. The tips do not break and chip and the handles are much better. Again, these are the differences between the price ranges. Sebenza vs Alias. If you can't tell the difference, then the difference won't matter to you.
 
I never cared for the quality of Husky tools. If you can find Proto tools that are made in the U.S.A. you will be getting a good value. Snap on too expensive for me. Armstrong is another brand I have and like.
 
Most Husky stuff is pretty good but the little gadgety things are prone to break.

With regards to tool origin/manufacture, here's an interesting read on who makes what tools: http://www.bricklin.org/techcentral/TCArticleWhotools.htm

"There are three MAJOR players in the USA mechanics tool business: Stanley, Danaher, and Snap-On. "

"Stanley also owns MAC Tools and manufactures MAC tools in the same plants. Now here's the kicker: MAC Tools, Proto Tools (a very expensive industrial brand), Husky Tools, and, (prior to five or so years ago) Craftsman Tools are all made from the same forgings in the same plants. Proto is unique because it goes through addtional testing and certification because it is used by NASA, the military, and industrial customers (including General Motors)."
 
Thanks for all the replies. Some good information here. Very interesting to learn who actually makes the different brands of tools.
 
dougo83 said:
I hope you enjoy using your hands to do tasks around the home...
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I do. And when a tool is required I grab one from either my drawers or my toolbox with the satisfaction that its not come cheap chinese or taiwanese casting. Don't get me wrong, in addition to my made in the USA stuff I've got some swiss made stuff, some german made stuff and even some british stuff. All quality. Thats the kicker.

If you were insinuating that its no longer possible to purchase tools that aren't made in china, you are very very mistaken.
 
Well , I have had my Husky Torx set for maybe four years now and it is still going strong , and for 1/10 of the price of that overpriced/hyped Wiha stuff.

I find it just a little interesting that the "buy American" crowd will not think twice about buying German and then balk at a Chinese made tool. :D

Tostig
 
Tostig said:
Well , I have had my Husky Torx set for maybe four years now and it is still going strong , and for 1/10 of the price of that overpriced/hyped Wiha stuff.

I find it just a little interesting that the "buy American" crowd will not think twice about buying German and then balk at a Chinese made tool. :D

Tostig
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I have a very nice Wiha Torx set, but like Tostig said, it had better be nice for the price I paid for it.

I too wonder sometimes about the amount of anti-Chinese bias here. Didn't we fight against the Germans in WW2? Didn't we fight against them before that in WW1? Didn't the Hessians (German mercenary troops) fight against us before that during the Revolutionary War? Didn't American and Chinese soldiers fight side by side against the Japanese during WW2? Of course, the Chinese Communists fought against American Soldiers during the Korean Conflict, but why are we punishing the Taiwanese, our allies then and now, with this kind of mind set?

Yes, the quality of most Chinese stuff is not top rate. But, those of us that are older will remember back to a time when "Made in Japan" (remember that old song Cherokee Nation?) meant it was cheap, crappy quality. Ya, tell that to GM now. Go try and buy an American made camcorder. If you can find one, let me know where it is sold, and I'll buy it.
 
I don't like to buy too many tools these days, the ones worth having have survived the years of my ignorance and are fine working tools to this day, handed down from my dad mostly.
 
Made in China can be the cheapest pos out there or can be of decent quality depending on what price range the importer is trying to hit. I can remember getting a JCWhitney catalog in the early 70's while still in high school. I was advised by a classmate not to buy the handtools listed, this was before China started to export to the USA. When tools are made the lowest price possible they are not worth buying no matter where they are made.
 
Bob W said:
Aren't you typing on a Chinese-made tool right now? :rolleyes:
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Tools are tools, computers are machines. That said, what I am typing on is made by an american company with many american made components and is made a reputation on reliability.
 
Bruise Lee said:
Didn't we fight against the Germans in WW2? Didn't we fight against them before that in WW1? Didn't the Hessians (German mercenary troops) fight against us before that during the Revolutionary War? Didn't American and Chinese soldiers fight side by side against the Japanese during WW2? Of course, the Chinese Communists fought against American Soldiers during the Korean Conflict, but why are we punishing the Taiwanese, our allies then and now, with this kind of mind set?
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Speaking strictly for myself, but who we "like" at the moment has zero to do with my purchasing choices. I don't care if germany is our mortal enemy from now until the end of the world. They have fantastic engineers, and make some excellent products. Thats all that matters.

The chinese, on the other hand, are strictly about quantity. Thats it. From lead in toys to toxic drywall, to generally shoddy stuff, chinese goods are at the bottom of the barrel. The only reason they have so much production is because they essentially have slave labor and an endless supply of workers.
 
The Husky wrenches, sockets, and some of the higher end screwdrivers are made by Stanley. And are pretty good quality. Alot of the cheaper sets and the one you have pictured, are made by Iron Bridge Tools. They are poorer quality, however i've purchased and used some of their stuff with no problems. If you are looking for tools that your grandchildren will fight over, Skip the cheap sets. If you just want something you don't mind beating up or loosing, get 'em. Remember, you get what you pay for, and the fewer moving parts the better.
 
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