12 Of The Best Mechanic Tool Sets For Every Budget

Mechanics and car enthusiasts rely heavily on their tools (not to mention their favorite automotive podcasts) when it comes to repairs. No matter the task, making repairs or installing new components requires the right tool to get the job done. Without a solid toolset, it can be difficult or even impossible to finish an improvement to any vehicle you may be working on. All sorts of specialty tools feature into an experienced mechanic's workflow, but for those just finding their bearings, a scaled down toolset is the perfect starting point.

Mechanics frequently reach for hand tools first when performing repairs or part replacements. These allow them to apply the exact force necessary to turn, pull, scrape, or push on the target area without additional complication. There are absolutely times when a power tool will be the right fit for a task (like the mechanic-focused power tools from Milwaukee). That's not the focus here, though. Instead, it's absolutely crucial that mechanics who are launching their careers or expanding their workshop home in on a comprehensive tool set that works with their budget. There's a host of high-end options available that plenty of gearheads will dream about, but the reality is that everyone's needs and budgetary restrictions will be their own. This list of tool sets is sure to satisfy any constraints and desires you might have as you address your own tool-buying needs.

The DeWalt 168-Piece Mechanics Tool Kit is a wonderful place to start when exploring what the entry-level rung of mechanics' tools have to offer. Not only is DeWalt a truly respected name in the world of hand and power tools, but the set (available at Amazon) is also listed for just $119. The kit features everything you'll need to get started working in a garage setting and is backed up by the DeWalt logos etched in each tool's chrome build.

The kit includes three ratchets featuring a 72-tooth construction and 5-degree arc swing ratings, extensions, SAE and metric sockets in standard and deep builds, and a screwdriver with additional bits. Allen keys and a set of combination wrenches round out the kit housed within a robust storage case. The budget-friendly price is at the low end of the spectrum, but the brand name elevates what the kit has to offer its users. In addition, a well-curated selection of tools features prominently here (it's not heavy on Phillips screwdriver bits, for instance), allowing you to handle all kinds of workshop needs with a single purchase.

The Craftsman VERSASTACK 230-Piece Tool Set features everything you'd imagine in a mechanic's base kit. The set can be found on Amazon and at Lowe's for $199, making it a decently priced option but certainly not the cheapest. The set comes with Craftsman's VERSASTACK toolbox and includes a range of SAE and metric sockets in both standard and deep formats. A set of combination wrenches adds to the utility of the kit, and it's rounded out by extensions, Allen keys, and a set of interchangeable screwdriver bits.

Craftsman is a name synonymous with quality, but its more recent efforts have definitely missed the famed hallmarks of its past. Even so, this kit features some great functionality upgrades over some of Craftsman's other options as well as competitor solutions. The 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch drive ratchets feature heads measuring 25% thinner for improved access in tight recesses, and the ratchets all offer a 5-degree arc swing rating for impressive turning under extreme limitations. The three-drawer box also makes storage quite easy, delivering a comprehensive kit at a good price point for early entrants into the world of mechanic's tools and tasks.

For $149 it's hard to go wrong with a large tool kit. The Kobalt 297-Piece Mechanics Tool Set delivers on both of these promises. Coming in a durable hard case that's portable or capable of becoming a permanent worktop fixture, the tool set features everything you'll need to get working on a project car for a very reasonable price tag. Part of Lowe's offerings, the Kobalt tool range features a deep blue color palette that's unmistakable. The hand tools aren't blue, however, and feature a shimmering, polished chrome finish that looks perfectly at home in any mechanic's workspace. A range of SAE and metric sockets and three ratchets (in all three standard drive sizes) start the kit off on the right foot. Socket inclusions run the gamut of sizes, with nearly 150 of them finding a home within the kit.

The tool set is lacking in combination wrenches. A few do feature here, but the primary focus lies in sockets and screwdriver bits. The kit also includes extensions and Allen keys, but without a true set of combination wrenches, mechanics working on a host of tasks may find themselves a little lacking in capability. Even so, with a price this low and socket set coverage with such a wide range, it's a very decent option for someone looking to get their foot in the door.

The Pittsburgh 301-Piece Mechanics Tool Set is a Harbor Freight staple. The kit can only be found in store at the moment, so you'll need to explore your local area for Harbor Freight locations if you want to take advantage of the set's expansive offerings. Pittsburgh is one of Harbor Freight's lower cost options, but this doesn't mean the kit is any less worthy of a spot in your garage. In fact, at a price of $200, the expansive tool set features enough gear to get you up and running, alongside a rugged carrying case and fully polished chrome vanadium finish for durability, tool longevity, and a beautiful shine. In reality, plenty of Harbor Freight faithfuls actually rave about Pittsburgh tools and prefer them over the outlet's more expensive options.

The kit features three pliers, SAE and metric hex keys, extension bars and adapters, and SAE and metric sockets in deep and standard lengths. An adjustable wrench, a set of screwdrivers, and three ratchet heads round out a truly cover-all-bases tool set that's perfect to get your garage operation or hobby mechanic work off the ground and truly running.

Dirt cheap isn't generally what you'd expect to hear in a description of Stanley equipment. While it's frequently not the most expensive gear around, Stanley has been a mainstay in the hand tool world for almost 200 years (with its founding in 1843). Stanley is perhaps most revered by woodworkers who salivate over the brand's vintage hand planes. In particular, the Stanley No. 1 is a legendary find that woodworkers often try to scope out at garage sales. As for the company's gear for mechanics, the Stanley 201-Piece Mechanics Tool Set is a potentially unique find. It's listed for $120 at Acme Tools, $103 on Amazon, and just $85 at The Home Depot. For what you're getting, dirt cheap is indeed accurate!

The tool set features a hard case and chrome vanadium forging for an unbeatable shine and extreme durability. The quick-release ratchet heads make the kit easy to use, even throughout a long day of work. The kit was produced in China, but for the price, buyers can't really be picky about the country of origin. The kit includes combination wrenches, a variety of screwdriver bits, and both standard and deep sockets that come in SAE and metric sizes. This is a solid brand and a hugely beneficial price.

Channellock is an American icon, producing pliers and other critical hand tools for professional tradespeople since 1886. The company makes plenty of gear in the United States with its "Made in the USA" stamp prominently displayed. The 171-Piece Mechanic's Tool Set isn't one of those products, but it remains stringently adherent to Channellock's high standards of production. Crafted in Taiwan, the tool set features standard and deep sockets in both SAE and metric sizes. Three ratchets deliver a range of fastening and fastener removal coverages. The kit also includes spark plug sockets, four bit sets, a magnetic bit nut driver, and a carrying case, among other essentials.

The tool set certainly isn't part of Channellock's highest performing range; however, for a price tag pegged at $219, the set is highly capable of getting you started in a new garage or allowing you to expand your existing operation (perhaps bringing in tools for a new hand to get working with alongside you). It's backed by a renowned brand and delivers a wide range of capabilities for quite a tidy price. This places it at the top end of the budget-friendly realm or at the lower edge of mid-tier gear.

Shipping from Amazon for $260, GearWrench's three-drawer 232-Piece Mechanics Tool Set is a great choice for those with just a bit more wiggle room to play with in their budget. The set includes two drivers featuring 72-teeth ratcheting combination wrenches with a 5-degree swing arc and 84-tooth, 4-degree swing arc teardrop ratchets that provide excellent turning power in truly tight areas. The ratchet heads come in 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch drive. Extension bits, deep and standard sockets in SAE and metric sizes, and a full set of Allen keys round out the collection.

GearWrench has been delivering high-quality tools since the '90s. The brand might not be as old as some of the pioneers in the tool industry, but it has taken the lessons of its past to heart. GearWrench prides itself on customer outreach and begins new product development tasks based on feedback from users. The company notes on its website that the "original GearWrench ratcheting wrench is now a tool box necessity for almost every professional tool user."

Crescent boasts a truly magnificent backstory. Launched in 1907, the tool company provided solutions to problems ranging from the production of Model-T Fords to repair work on Charles Lindbergh's first transatlantic flight. Today, Crescent tools feature some of the company's legacy brands like Lufkin and Nicholson, adding to the range of solutions that the brand can deliver to mechanics of all walks of life.

The Crescent 229-Piece Mechanics Tool Set features a three-drawer storage box and falls firmly within the mid-range atmosphere of hand tool sets. Shipping for $240 from Acme Tools, the set features fully polished chrome tools that simply glisten as they come out of the packaging. Three different drive sizes ensure that you'll be able to handle an assortment of tasks, and the kit includes standard and deep sockets in both SAE and metric sizes. A range of precision engineered bits and gleaming combination wrenches round out the kit and make for a valuable addition to a mechanic's workspace at a solid price.

Klutch has been delivering quality tools to pros and DIYers alike for 25 years. From its base of operations near Minneapolis, Klutch's catalog is manufactured in its own Minnesota facility, making the Klutch 305-Piece Mechanic's Tool Set a U.S.-made staple that doesn't rely on Chinese manufacturing. Shying away from Chinese origin tools is something that many mechanics who can afford to be a little pickier want to see in their high performance selections: Quality control issues and other key failings in tool design often loom large in China.

American-made garage gear is something that many in the U.S. take pride in, and Klutch offers just that. Its tool set doesn't feature a toolbox, so you'll need to take this limitation into account, but for $400 from Northern Tool, the set is perhaps a genuine steal. It features a huge range of SAE and metric sockets in standard and deep variants as well as stubbier socket options. It also includes an extension bar, plenty of combination wrenches, and three drivers in differing sizes to tackle any kind of turning task you may encounter. The set is backed up by a lifetime guarantee, potentially making this the only set you'll ever need to buy.

Tekton is a Grand Rapids-based manufacturer of highly versatile tools. The company takes its name from ancient Greek, with "Tekton" meaning a person of skill. Roughly 80% of the company's tools are forged in Taiwan, with most of the remainder coming from manufacturing facilities in the United States (17%).

Tekton's 1/4-Inch, 3/8-Inch Drive 127-Piece Mechanics Tool Set ($675) features components made in Taiwan, Germany, Poland, and the United States (a number of pliers in the set are U.S.-crafted) while the remaining tools come from Taiwan. Tekton is a brand that routinely gets its fair share of compliments from users. It's a quality option that stands at the higher end of the mid-range or toward the bottom range of the priciest kits available. It's also worth noting that the 127-piece kit is far shorter on inclusions that some of the more rounded out selections that it would be competing with for attention when exploring the tool set as a mid-range solution. With that being said, there's no wasted space in the Tekton kit. It doesn't feature things that you're likely to have already, beyond any kits you may have already brought into the garage, like a hacksaw or ball peen hammer. Instead, the set delivers exacting precision among its sockets, combination offset wrenches, and screwdrivers. Standard and deep lengths come in the kit, and it features SAE and metric sizes for expanded possibilities under the hood.

Wiha is a humble tool manufacturer that formed in 1939 as a family-run business by Willi Hahn (lending his name to the moniker: "Wi-Ha"). Today, its catalog has grown from these early roots to encompass roughly 10,000 individual tools, and its operations are overseen by the family's third generation in the business. Wiha tools consistently garner rave reviews from users, with a wide range of applications frequently being represented (from mechanics, electricians, builders, and DIYers alike who dabble in different areas).

The 158-Piece Industrial MRO Kit from Wiha is listed with a special web price on the brand's site for $1,500 (down from a regular list price of $1,667). It features a rolling tool box and a range of standard and specialty hand tools that mechanics will certainly need to tackle a variety of jobs in the garage. The tools are manufactured in Italy with precision machined tips, hardened, heat-treated steel, and solvent and oil-resistant components (in tools like the pliers and cutters) to enhance durability. The set is also covered by the brand's "No Hassle Guarantee" to top off the package. It includes precision screwdrivers and Allen keys, a range of cutters, pliers, and adjustable wrenches, an expansive set of sockets, combination wrenches, and more.

We're now at the absolute cream of the crop in terms of brand recognition and (sadly) price. Snap-On is a legendary name in the world of mechanic's tools. The company has been producing some of the most beautiful pieces of hand tool precision since 1920, when Joe Johnson and William Seidemann hand-bent two sample sets of their early interchangeable wrenches. Since then, Snap-On has become a household name within the automotive industry. It's famous for the Snap-On gear trucks that support traveling salespeople and the company's latest and greatest gear. However, in the modern marketplace, mechanics looking to purchase a piece of history that just might end up being passed down from one generation to the next can buy online. Snap-On stuff isn't cheap, however. Be prepared for some truly insane sticker shock!

Snap-On's Complete U.S. Set 2 features 193 pieces, including Blue-Point (a brand of accessory tools from Snap-On) additions like a ball peen hammer, feeler gauges, and a telescopic magnetic pick-up tool. The Set 2 bundle ships for a truly astonishing $9,695 and comes complete with a toolbox and tool trays to support storage for the entire kit. If legacy and truly elite brand power is what you're after and money is no object, a Snap-On kit should be the gold standard in your mind. Sadly for the rest of us, second-hand finds online and at garage sales are all that we've got in the quest to handle these bad boys.

These tool kits were selected based on performance standards and tool inclusions. User reviews helped separate quality tool brands from those that are simply expensive for the sake of it (Sonic, for instance, is priced as an elite tool brand, but users consistently note low quality production).

Tool sets were organized primarily by price, but the value that tool sets bring to a mechanic goes beyond price. Therefore, options like Stanley's kit were pushed further up the list while Kobalt fell a bit as a result of the brand's build qualities and the exact tool inclusions featured in the sets (Kobalt, for instance, lacks the same volume of combination wrenches that most other sets feature).