The Best Socket Sets To Buy

The Best Socket Set You Can Buy

If you’re like me, who loves working on cars and anything with wheels, then you know how important it is to have a good socket set. You also know the feeling of seeing that 10mm fall down into the engine bay.

Whenever I'm working on a project, I roll out my toolbox 100% of the time and take something out of my top drawer. It contains almost everything I need, especially when working on my car. Deep sockets, shallow sockets, pass through socket/standard wrenches, screwdriver bits, and hex keys, all of which I have collected throughout the years.

I want the best tools out there, but sometimes they’re out of my budget. We all use a mixture of cheap and expensive tools, but we want to splurge on some nice, high-quality tools whenever we can. It feels good to have tools that you know will never fail.

I remember one time we were changing the water pump on my friend's 3rd gen 4runner, and it was honestly a pretty easy job. What made it a nightmare was going through the box full of sockets and trying to figure out what size they were.

He had a metal toolbox full of random corroded and stripped sockets that he said he bought at a garage sale. Don't get me wrong, it made the job a little more fun, but it just sucks not knowing if you're using a standard or metric socket. Christmas is coming up, and I have decided to get him a good socket set to replace that old rusty metal box full of sockets.  

What To Look For in a Socket Set?

When on the market for a new socket set, there are a few things to look out for. Whatever your need for the set is, make sure that the set will be suitable for that specific job.

Socket sets will come with some additional tools or in a bundle, so be on the lookout for those. The main things to look out for are drive size, shape, socket size, impact or regular, and additional tools.

Drive Size

Drive size refers to the size of the opening on the top of the socket where it attaches to a wrench or one of your power tools. There are different sizes, and each size has its specific purpose.

If you want a socket set that can be used with a standard socket wrench or an impact wrench, then go for a 1/2in or a 3/8in.

1/2in: Usually, this size is more commonly used when dealing with bigger bolts or nuts. Usually used for jobs that require more torque, like, when working on a car or truck's wheels/suspension.

This size is commonly used with impact drivers and breaker bars. Their socket size selection is limited to bigger sizes.

3/8in: This drive size is more commonly used when working on your everyday nuts or bolts. The socket sizes are plentiful, and you’ll find them in a mechanic’s, DIYer’s, and even a bicycle shop’s toolbox.

This size is usually the best of the three because of the different jobs you can tackle with it. You can use it on smaller nuts or bolts for high-torque or low-torque situations. If you can stick with the 1/2in drive for that.

1/4in: This drive size is essential if working on smaller projects with a lot of hard-to-reach areas. Most of the time, you’ll see yourself using this size in really tight spaces.

The socket sizes available are also abundant, but keep in mind that you’ll most likely use this with smaller nuts and bolts in areas where your 3/8in tool won’t fit. Also not suggested to be used in high torque applications.

Socket Shape:

When talking about socket shape, I am referring to the inside shape of the socket that will go onto the nut or bolt. There are two shapes that sockets come in, six point and twelve point shapes.

Six Point Socket: Six point sockets are by far the most common out of the two. They have to be placed on the bolt or nut perfectly because if not you will strip it. Leading to the socket not gripping the nut or bolt.

Twelve Point Socket: Twelve point sockets are ideal for low torque situations and great for when you’re working in tight areas where you can’t place the socket perfectly onto the bolt or nut.

The extra points let you grip almost any bolt or nut size out there. They are handy, especially if the bolt or nut has lost a little bit of its shape.

Socket Size:

Your two socket sizes are SAE and metric. The difference is that SAE sockets are sized in inches, and metric sockets in millimeters.

Sometimes a metric and SAE socket can fit the same hardware but beware because if using the wrong size, you will most likely end up stripping the hardware. One will fit snugger than the other.

SAE Sockets: these are usually used on older heavier equipment and American cars.

Metric Sockets: these are typically used on almost everything outside of America, especially on imported cars.

I highly suggest getting both sizes because nowadays most American-made things have parts made outside of the U.S which mean that they will be using a mixture of SAE and metric hardware. Having both will make sure that you will get the job done and save you a ton of time.

Impact Sockets or Regular Sockets

So when it comes to choosing between impact and regular sockets, it really comes down to what types of jobs you plan on tackling. Many just use regular sockets for impact-driving purposes, but that can damage your socket and your tool.

Others just get an impact set and use it for everything, which I have personally done, and still mainly own impact sockets, but I do have a set of twelve point non-impact sockets for those hard tight spaces.

Usually, people bring up that impact sockets have much thicker walls than non-impact ones, which means there are a few places they won’t fit where regular sockets will. I have personally never stumbled upon this problem. Usually, the difference in thickness is so slight that you can't even tell if one is thicker than the other.

If that is something that you agree with, then just get two sets, one impact and one regular. I like having tools that can be used in more than one circumstance, and I also don’t want to worry about damaging my tools, so I stick with impact only.

Another thing is that impact sockets are almost always finished with black oxide and not chrome. Chrome sockets are typically your regular non impact sockets. I like how easy it is to clean the chrome sockets, but I have had them peel and chip on me in the past.

The black oxide-finished sockets I have never chipped or peeled on me. They do hold a little more grime on them, but I’m fine with it because I love that it’s so easy to read the printed size on the socket without holding it up to your face.

Additional Tools

Depending on which one you desire, an impact set or a non-impact socket set, you will see that many offer a variety of extra tools in the set. Some come with extensions, universal joints, and sometimes a breaker bar.

Others have more than one ratchet or no ratchet at all. The focus shouldn’t be on the extras. However, if two great quality sets cost almost the same and are similar except for some additional tools, then go for the one with the extra tools.

Our Top 3 Best Socket Sets

I have compiled a small list of the best socket sets you can buy now. Each one earned its place because of a few factors. Their size, versatility, warranty, durability, and brand reputation.

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