We might earn a commission when you buy through our links.
Given the multitude of socket set brands available, selecting the appropriate one to meet your requirements might seem akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. In the past, this could be
highly-rated options
The brands at the top of our list are Snap-On, SK Hand Tools, and Mac Tools. While toughness must be a key factor when selecting a socket set, you might also think about using your budget to support local manufacturers. This could be because fostering domestic expertise or boosting the U.S. economy with your spending seems worthwhile. Still, figuring out whether a product is made in America can sometimes pose challenges.
Nowadays, it’s quite typical for well-established American brands to shift portions of their production process overseas as a way to reduce expenses and offer more competitively priced products. Amidst all the advertising jargon, it’s crucial to understand that “Made in America” and “Manufactured in America” may have distinct meanings. Regarding compliance with the “Made in USA” criteria, the
Federal Trade Commissions
(FTC) shares that there are two ways to do it: qualified and unqualified claims. To help you, we’ve listed several brands that offer sets with both, plus we share more about how they made it to our list at the end of the article. But before that, what does “Made in the USA” actually mean?
Read more:
4 Affordable Tools That Will Simplify Cleansing Your Car’s Windshield Interior Easily
What “Made In The USA” Really Signifies
If something fits its criteria of being “all or virtually all made in the U.S”, the FTC shares that it can make an unqualified claim to be “Made in the USA”. To use this term, the FTC shares multiple factors should be taken into consideration, such as the final assembly plant and percentage of total manufacturing costs. That said, this can get tricky due to a number of reasons. First, it’s important to note that products can be labelled “Manufactured in the USA” without using local materials. Second, there’s no standard rules for evaluating “significant foreign content” during the manufacturing process. Even in the FTC guidelines [
PDF
It discusses taking into account how distanced materials are from the final product, with each situation being evaluated individually. Despite this, various studies have attempted to measure this aspect recently. A 2022 brief addressed this issue as well.
PDF
OUSEA indicated that this typically signifies a product is made up of approximately 80% domestic content on average.
To err on the side of caution, certain companies opt for qualified claims instead. These statements offer more precise information about their production methods or material sources. For instance,
FTC
Highlights permissible clear statements that avoid confusion, like “Assembled in the USA using global components.” Therefore, you might choose socket sets produced in the United States regardless of whether they use domestic or international materials. For those interested in identifying brands that comply with these criteria, continue reading.
SK Hand Tools
Initially a born and bred American company, we’ve talked about how
SK Hand Tools is now partly Chinese-owned
, since it is now owned by Hangzhou GreatStar Industrial based in Hangzhou. Therefore, some of its socket sets indicate their place of manufacture as China, like their SK series.
3/8″ Drive Socket Set
or SK
1/4″ and 3/8″ Drive Socket Sets
However, certain professional tools within their lineup are still manufactured in the United States, distinguishable by the “SK Tools USA” label.
Featuring its corrosion-resistant SuperKrome coating, the SK Tools from the USA
1/2″ Drive Socket Set
The set, costing $219.99 for 13 pieces, comes with a metal rail guard along with socket sizes ranging from 15mm to 32mm. Additionally, this collection features SK Tools USA products.
1/4″ Drive Socket Set
, boasting an average rating of 4.4 stars based on more than 120 Amazon customer reviews. At a price point of $233.34, this set includes 48 pieces featuring their proprietary SureGrip hex design. Alternatively, you can opt for one priced at $54.83.
SK Tools USA 1/2 Inch Drive Socket Kit
This set includes twelve standard sockets ranging from 7 mm to 19 mm. Constructed from alloy steel, the collection has received an average rating of 4.1 stars based on reviews from 32 customers on Amazon. If your search is for bit socket sets, consider this 33-piece option.
SK Tools USA 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch Drive Chrome Bit Socket Set
sells for $324.83, is crafted from S2 steel, and offers various bit socket choices like TORX drive, hex, slotted screwdriver, and POZIDriv screwdriver.
Wright Tool
For more than 100 years, Wright Tool has been reliably producing durable tools, of which they boastfully claim that most are crafted in the U.S.A. The company’s American-made products encompass various socket sets along with their design and engineering processes. Beginning with its
¼” drive socket sets
Its 12-piece Set 212 with 6 Pt. Standard SAE sockets and the 18-piece Set 218 featuring both 6 & 8 Pt. Standard SAE sockets are produced in Ohio. Among over a dozen variations of these sets,
⅜” drive socket sets
Using drive tools, each one indicates that they originate from the United States. This applies to their 11-piece Set 328 with 12 Pt. Standard SAE sockets, 14-piece Set 367 featuring 6 Pt. Standard metric sockets, as well as their 27-piece Set 377 which consists of both standard and deep 6 Pt. metric sockets.
As for its
½” drive socket sets
With driving tools like the 22-piece Set 472 12 Pt. Standard Metric Socket Set, the 19-piece Set 422 12 Pt. Standard Socket Set, and the 24-piece Set 425 12 Pt. Standard & Deep Socket Set, each of these nine variations meets the requirements. Each set among these three adheres to the specified conditions.
¾” drive socket sets
Additionally, the driving tools also come from the United States. Finally, both do so as well.
1 “Drive Wright Tool Socket Sets”
The 21-piece Set 821 with standard 12-point SAE sockets and the 29-piece Set 829 featuring standard 12-point SAE sockets both meet the criteria of being made in the USA.
Proto Tool
A popular
brand of tool for automotive technicians
As previously noted, Proto has long been an ally of prominent figures in American history. The company’s tools have found their way into the kits of experts involved in projects ranging from constructing the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to working on NASA’s Apollo 11 mission. To this day, Proto remains one of the leading choices for professionals.
best hand tool brands
Those continue to be utilized in sectors such as railroads and aviation.
Now that it’s under Stanley Black & Decker ownership, it becomes part of a lineup of global tool manufacturers including DeWalt, Craftsman, and Bostitch. As a result, you can find various kits, for example, an 8-piece Proto J5441R8SAE ½” Drive Advanced set.
Hex Bit Socket Set
The list includes countries such as Taiwan as their country of origin. Nonetheless, Proto has several items that claim to be made in America, available for purchase on Amazon. Among these, certain Proto listings specify the United States of America as the place of manufacture, including the 12-piece Proto 1/4″ set.
Drive Metric Socket Set
sells for $61.86. Additionally, there is the 12-piece Proto J47202 set with 6-point 1/4″ tools.
Drive Metric Socket Set
that sells for $91.40.
Ampco Safety Tools
Of the items in this lineup, Ampco Safety Tools distinguishes itself by providing more detailed claims about its products’ origins. Rather than simply stating that their tools are “Made in the USA,” they specify which particular parts come from abroad. For instance, within their online catalogue, every one of their socket sets is described as being “Made in the USA (with a sliding bar for extension made using UK components).”
As of writing, the
Ampco Safety Tools
The “Made in the USA” socket sets include:
a 15-piece W-160M 6 Point 1/4” Drive Metric Socket Set,
a 12-piece W-160 6 Point 1/4” Drive Inch Socket Set,
a 21-piece W-260 6 Point 1/2” Drive Inch Socket Set,
a 26-piece W-260M 6 Point 1/2” Drive Socket Set,
a 9-piece W-290 6 Point 1/2” Drive Inch Socket Set,
a 15-piece W-291 6 Point 3/4” Drive Inch Socket Set, and
an 11-piece W-291M 6 Point 3/4” Drive Metric Socket Set.
It’s crucial to be aware that Ampco Safety Tools and their pricing might intimidate those who aren’t prepared. When you look at Amazon, Ampco Safety Tools’
W-160 1/4″ Drive Socket Set
sells for $1,209.08, whereas its
26-piece 1/2-inch Drive Metric Socket Set
is priced at $2,342.26. Furthermore, it includes a set of 15 pieces.
W-291 3/4″ Drive Socket Set
Even comes with a steep price tag of $3,532.48. However, you could potentially discover more affordable choices among the used or slightly opened items listed on eBay, such as the
9-Piece W-290 1/2″ Drive Socket Set
going for $449.99.
How We Selected These Tool Brands for the List
Unlike
tire brands
Which require specific codes indicating their place of manufacture right on the tire, determining where socket sets are made isn’t as simple. Moreover, considering how numerous iconic American brands have undergone various changes in ownership over time, it’s understandable that their manufacturing practices might vary too. Indeed, certain big corporations with extensive tool ranges could produce some items domestically while others come from overseas facilities.
To compile this list, we initially focused on businesses that advertised their items using phrases such as “Made in USA,” “Made in America,” or “Manufactured in the USA.” While these statements aren’t always precise, they hold validity in certain instances. Following this, we examined both their official sites and profiles across e-commerce platforms like Amazon, where we sought out detailed information regarding their origins or manufacturing facilities.
It’s worth noting that numerous American-made socket sets might remain unexplored, particularly those produced earlier when certain U.S.-based firms hadn’t yet changed ownership. Therefore, should you decide to inspect these tools personally at stores, examining the product labels will help verify their origin. For added certainty, consider contacting each brand’s customer service via live chat or phone for definitive confirmation regarding where they manufacture their products.
Interested in staying updated with the newest technology and automotive developments?
Sign up for our complimentary email newsletter.
For the most recent news updates, detailed guidebooks, and practical advice, delivered once via email.
Read the
original article on Dailyexe
.
