Like me, you may be looking for the best socket wrench under $50 in late 2018/early 2019. What I look for in a good socket wrench is one that has a lifetime warranty, fine-teeth, and is well-reviewed. The best socket wrenches are also ones that professional mechanics have tried out and say that they work well. Maybe you don’t want to spend $100-150 on one socket wrench from brands like Snap-On or Matco. There are some great ratchets out there that don’t break the bank and give you the feel of a Snap-On ratchet for a fifth the cost.
Best Socket Wrench Under $50?:
I found that for the price you really can’t beat the Gearwrench 120XP line of socket wrenches. They have the best reviews and offer the most value for your money. You can buy the Gearwrench 120XP full socket wrench set on Amazon for an amazing price here
(links to Amazon).
Here is an awesome review of the full set of 120XP ratchets (you can buy individual ratchets as you need as well).
They are basically a ratchet that has the same technology as many tool truck brands at a quarter of the price. The 120 tooth technology also gives the ratchet an awesome hand-feel with very little backlash and extremely low degrees of movement to click to the next tooth. To read more about the 120xp ratchets check out my full review here.
The best 1/4″ socket wrench under $50 is this 1/4″ 120xp flex head ratchet
. It is ABSOLUTELY perfect for the beginner or entry-level technician who wants a strong and durable 1/4″ socket wrench.
The best 3/8″ socket wrench under $50 is the 3/8″ 120xp flex head ratchet
. The 3/8″ version is also PERFECT for the beginner or starting mechanic and offers you everything you need in a daily use 3/8″ drive socket wrench.
The best 1/2″ socket wrench under $50 is this 1/2″ 120xp flex head ratchet. Once again this is the same Gearwrench 120xp technology, but seriously it offers so much value for less than $50 for a 1/2″ ratchet you really cannot beat this price!
The drawbacks?
Sure, sometimes the finish on the ratchets isn’t as perfect as the tool truck brands, but they are a heck of a deal for what they are. Also, unlike the tool truck brands where you can warranty your tools on the trucks– you will have to bring your Gearwrench ratchets to the nearest Gearwrench retailer for warranty (or send them in).
Or you can buy individual wrenches that use the 120xp technology for under $50, it all depends on what drive socket wrench you need (1/4″,3/8″, or 1/2″ drives). If you are unsure what size drive you need you can read my post here where I go through all the tools needed to work on cars with photos and descriptions.
Conclusions:
I personally have found that many beginner mechanics end up buying really crappy socket wrenches. They are heavy, stiff, have huge amounts of backlash. Sure, you can use them for car repair.
Really having a high-quality set of hand tools is the best start to being efficient and fast at wrenching on your car or truck.
To see the top-ranked socket wrenches on Amazon right now click here.
Or if you want to read about the top ten cool automotive tools out right now click to read my post here. I asked thousands of professional mechanics on Facebook for their favorites and compiled the list. Do you own any of these or all of them?
GearWrench 81215P 120XP Full Polish Flex Teardrop Ratchet, 3/8-Inch
Less than $50
Pros
- Lifetime Warranty
- Professional Used & Approved
- Low Backlash
- Low Degree of Arc
- Ease of Use
Cons
- Finish Quality
- They won't be on sale forever!
