Harbor Freight Vs. Gear Wrench Mechanic's Tool Set - Same Thing For $100 Less? | Cheap Tool Review

I agree only use the space the tools actually need and give us 2 extra drawers or 1 big drawer so we can put the tools we need that are missing from the set to our particular truck

considering the Gearwrench is a tool truck brand and the flagship professional line for APEX tool group (they also make crescent) I would go with the gearwrench all day, their tools are top notch and i have several in my box including all those ratchet wrenches, really top quality professional kit, at only $200 that is an amazing deal

I'm from the north and I'd trust my 3/8 gearwrench over anything pittsburgh brand with a ratcheting mechanism, they are about as strong as husky, be lucky to get a few bolts off with them. The sockets and everything else are fine but HF entry level ratchets are absolute garbage.

Being a mobile mechanic and my own boss is awesome

Wow thanks, just what I was looking for. Thanks guys..

That Pittsburgh sat stays in my truck all the time and slides under the back seat. If I'm going to the pick apart I have another tool bag that's got some stuff that the set is lacking that works perfectly.

If you've twisted a 3/8-1/4 adapter nub off once, you should have learned the lesson that one does NOT abuse their tools. That you haven't speaks volumes, Mr. WED Pro. Hah!
I wouldn't even look twice at the Gear Wrench set. Not only is it priced like Snap-Off, it comes in a Single Use Case. Try a drop test on concrete with that little beauty, eh?
I have some Pittsburgh wrench sets I bought 50 years ago, and not one of them has broken. My first HFT store was 6 blocks down the street from where I worked in 1976. Since then, I've acquired more than 400 of their tools. I've only had to return a dozen or so in all that time. That has saved me more than $3k from Matco, MAC, Snap-Off, and Cornwell prices.

I bought the 301 piece set from HF for my mechanic assistant job at a golf course. It has just about everything I need. I recently replaced it with this Gear wrench set that you guys reviewed. There are some things I’ve needed or missed from the HF kit that I really wish I had at times.

How do you know if it’s a crash kit or a home tool kit? If it disappears are you perturbed or livid? Unless you’re David Hasselhoff; KITT probably has a really nice crash kit

The Pittsburgh 301pc tool set is better option. Way cheaper then the Gearwrench. That Pittsburgh you displayed is ok. But not fully complete.

You got a "Like it" just for the K.I.T.T. reference already! ;)

Commenting on the video for the algorithm

The short guy is annoying as hell

Ultimately I'll have to disagree. Yes they are both good kits but if I had to choose witch to go with, I'd be packing the gear wrench. From another professionals standpoint, 9/10 times I need torx/Allen sockets before I'd need 1/2in drive sockets.

You can also buy a small 1/2 drive kit for cheaper than and Allen/torx kit.

Also, don't cheap out on the Allen/torx sockets. There's nothing worse than using a t20 or t25 and it's snapping off in the bolt .

Save the money and buy a cheaper 1/2 socket set and spend more for the torx/Allen

I never meant to do this but my brother n law asked me once…”Why do you use the good tools and bring out the rolling tool box when you work on your car but bring out the plastic tool case when you help me work on my car?”… Uhmmmm…🤷‍♂️

ProjectFarm has tested many ratchet socket brands and Gearwrench does an amazing job and keeps up with Snap-On and other high-end brands.

i bought the harbor freight set and added in the Pittsburgh 32 piece wrench set for 21.99 (18.99 with ITC) and called it a day, I have not failed to be able to work on my GMC, jeep, or ford, with what i have. oh and grab a quinn 1/2 in. Drive Extendable Breaker Bar (29.99) or any 1/2 breaker bar for that matter, it does make life easier.

Gearwrench has a great warranty though. I've never had any trouble with the few times any of their stuff has broken

Harbor freight wrenches do nothing but rounds bolts! Do not use.

Make that 3 people get the Knight Rider reference 🤣🤣😊

No universals kill the Gear Wrench for me. Especially at $100+ over the Pittsburgh.

I like harbor freight tool sets

I despise sets that come with imperial sockets... I just feel like you're wasting space and money on tools you'll never use.

I do prefer the gear wrench

If those ratchets were flex heads...that would be nice.

In Germany or Europe we need only metric. Also we use much more 1/2 and 1/4 then 3/8, so we need not two sets of wrenches and only 2 sets of nuts not 6 etc. This are good sets for cars and other mashines but not for housework, first you need a hammer (or 3), chisels and punches, pliers for plumbing and electricity, a saw, a level, a file set and you need some stand-alone screwdrivers not this bit thing.

I maybe basis but the ranching wrenches alone makes it worth the money. Have u ever use a regular wrench to take a bolt out 😭😭 its like watching paint dry

Good Video with a Anish for the rattling drill holes and put ear wax tool bit plastic into the mesh and plastic then seal 🦭 it

Tool Name. 🔧 FINDBACK

I'm actually viewing this inside my firebird...i got the kit joke xD

I used to have three socket sets a older just 3/8 Dr SAE and metric shallow and deep pretty decent sizing socket set and the two newer tawian made multi drive versions which had 1/4,3/8, and 1/2 all by great neck from auto zone the just 3/8 socket set was the USA made kit and they are what I kept in my vehicles my 78 Chevy c20 custom deluxe farm truck had the 3/8 USA kit under the seat, my 86 Buick Regal sport coupe with the factory Oldsmobile 307 roller cam v8 and th200c metric transmission had one of the multi drive kits in the trunk and my gas saver lol a 2wd regular cab short bed 88 Chevrolet S10 Tahoe had the other multi drive version of the kit behind the seat.and nowadays I'm pretty sure I'd either pick up the Pittsburgh set of 225pcs or the 2 husky mechanic tool sets I named

I really like the gearwrench sets but they are almost all the 1/4; and 3/8 sets whether it is the 232 90t,the 120xp 233, and the 234 84t and the price ouch!!! For that price I think I would look at the Pittsburgh pro set and the husky 149pc, and the 194pc sets because both are Apex tools and there's a big difference in price between the gearwrench and the husky sets

Obviously I knew they were going to choose the Gear Wrench set lol the reality is the Pittsburgh one is a $100.00 cheaper that’s a huge difference in price and the Gear Wrench set isn’t that much better I would definitely go with the Pittsburgh set especially if you don’t use tools that often the Gear Wrench set would just be a waist of money if you wouldn’t use it that much.

What I'd love to see on some of these kits is a storage area somewhere to chuck that extra socket or driver

I am with Gearwrench Street Team. Just curious how well will Home Depot warranty their product?

i got the ref

certain holes that may be more delicate.

I have and used the Pittsburgh 225 kit for a few years now, it’s my dedicated junkyard tool kit.

Last days of parking lot sale. That Pittsburgh is only 99 with coupon 10/23/22. Go get it 😊

I got the k.i t.t reference loved that show

I ended up buy the Pittsburgh Master Mechanics Set for $129 because it was on sale due to someone opening the packaging but they didn't take anything out of it and it is a great set you can find these things on sale all the time but it's only a great set for the sockets you get with it everything else is kind of mediocre.

Why are you guys mentioning million dollar vehicles and reviews on cheap tool sets?? If I'm wealthy enough to have a million dollar car I'm Not buying a $200. set of tools lol. Also rule of life "you get what you pay for " simple no. If you two guys want to judge tool quality you should be a professional mechanic to start, I'm just saying lol Both of those sets are trash they don't stand up to basic auto repair that has been tested. Nice try guys

Should've got the 301 set

Gearwrench is better it’s an “apex” tool brand

Here's a question:
Could you go to Harbor Freight and "build" a kit that included more useful stuff and less fluff, for about 200$?
I'm talking like, upgrading the standard box-end wrenches to Ratcheting wrenches
Filling out the sockets set
Getting better ratchets (at least in 3/8 and 1/2")
adding a breaker bar or two

What would that look like?

I bought a craftsman kit back in 2007 when sears was still the only vender that carried them. Its case was very much like that gear wrench kit having 3 drawers one for each drive type and found it quite useful. I still have it and most the tools it came with (there have been replacements due to loss). But only recently did I buy more tools since I'm getting back into swinging wrench I decided to get a tool cart from HF and got it loaded up with Pittsburgh sockets + ratchets, Icon 3 foot breaker bar, Icon combination wrenches, and adopted some Hercules 20v cordless tools Reciprocating saw, 1/2 inch hammer drill, 1/2 ultra torque impact, 7/1/4 inch circular saw (because I work with wood too) and that LED light bar (very handy). A multi process welder the Titanium 140 as well as a bunch of clamps for both welding and wood working.

All I can say is I need to stay away from that store I'm always finding shit to bring home.

Oh hey I got an idea..... Show us some tools. two heads and a couple of black shirts... Bunch a goof balls.

I’m super glad that I decided to get the Harbor Freight tool kit to simply just keep in my truck as an emergency tool kit, like y’all said JUST IN CASE I’m stuck on the side of the road. It’ll either be the Harbor Freight kit OR it’ll be the Kobalt kit. Only reason I bring up Kobalt is because the bowling alley I used to work at, I worked there for 6 years as a mechanic and became head mechanic the last 3 years I was there and the ONLY tools we had were Cheap ass Kobalt kit and we used to absolutely best the fuck out of that tool set, ratchets, wrench’s, everything got torture tested BASICALLY, especially with me. A lot of the machines had a lot of torque on some of those bolts, like sometimes some of the bolts were supposed to be torqued st like 165 ft lbs of torque.I usually just gave it 3 great tugs lmao, my feel-o-meter was pretty dialed in lol. But when I get whichever tool set I do, I’m going to actually build a box for my truck, I got a 2009 Silverado crew cab, so the rear seats is a split bench seat and so I decided I’m going to be building that box with foam inserts for the sockets and wrench’s because I do plan on putting my 2 alpine Type-R 12"s in the back as well. Or I’m gonna be getting a WEATHER PROOF toolbox for the bed of the truck. I found one that mounts in the bed like in the corner on the passenger side, right in front of the tailgate, and it’s FULLY WEATHER PROOF, so none of the tools are going to get weathered and also there will be other things that have to be kept out of the weather elements.

Gentlemen i’ve always found that on any Crash Kit of Tools i’ve purchased to GeneralAuto , Marine ,and Motorcycle repairs and Maintenance the most important things i need to add right away are extensions and Univerals along with multiple size Adapters i also like to keep a small Complete set of 1/4” Socket and Ratchet set of a decent Quality in its own storage case as i’ve found that the Compact size of having that will allow me to get into tight areas of the Majority of most modernAmerican Cars and Trucks to remove and Install many of the Electronic sensors connected to the ECU and generally pertaining to Emmissions to piss off a couple of my ProfessionalMechanic freinds i like to buy fromWalmart a Stanley Brand Of the 1/4” Socketscand Wrenches because they are made in the same Factory in China as SnapOn brand was also produced in the same facility its a old Joke we like to do because i tape the receipt on the Case and keep the entire kit inmy Glove Box or Center Console of my Chevy 3500 Dually Deisel Truck instead of a $9,0000.00 tool Chest they buy off a Truck on Credit BTW they are twoBrothers i’ve known for over 25 years and i am not a ProfessionalMechanic but actually a retired ProfessionalWoodworker that on occassions has Batered our Services withOne another for some Specialty tools and other Oddball things i will usually toss into a Military asurpluscZippered bag keep in mind i’m only refereeing o these kits and ways for Emergency Kits and Repairs for bigger repairs at my home or Shop i do keep a entire different SelectionOf Toolds locked. up that very Rarely leave that location

Kit completeness is a valid metric, but I will say that in decades of working on cars with my father--who has approximately one million tools, many of them redundant because he's accumulated so many other workshops' worth of stuff along the way--there comes at least one point in every job where you need some abstruse tool you've never needed before and will never use again. It's like a law of physics. :)