Home Depot sent over a Husky 60pc “Universal” mechanics tool set for review. We’re currently in a paid partnership with Home Depot, and this is one of the tools they sent over this quarter for review consideration.
The star of the show is their 100-position ratchet and gimbal palm ratchet, which I’ve used before with great experiences. I actually really, really like both drive tools, and don’t think I’ve seen anything better for the money.
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100-position? This means that the tools can swing in tight spaces, with as little as 3.6° arc. I haven’t taken the ratchets apart yet, but assume there’s a dual-pawl mechanism similar to Gearwrench’s 120XP 120-position ratchets, giving them motion equivalent to that of 100-tooth ratchets.
This set comes with the 3/8″ ratchet, 3/8″ swiveling palm ratchet, extensions, adapters, a selection of 1/4″ and 3/8″ sockets, and some screwdriver bits.
I have yet to find universal-fit sockets that I like better than 6pt sockets, but they have their benefits. If I had my way, I’d keep a set of 6pt sockets, and a set of universal-style sockets, which do a better job of taking the place of 12pt sockets.
Universal-style sockets are said to be compatible with standard 6pt fasteners, external Torx, square, 12pt, spline, and partially rounded fasteners.
I have had good experiences in using universal-style tools on damaged fasteners, but I’ve never done head-to-head comparisons between 6pt, 12pt, and universal-style tools.
Overall, I think this is a very good compact socket set. Years ago, I bought a Craftsman 94pc socket set for around the same price ($60), and build upon it. If I were starting out with decent mechanics tools today on the budget I had 10-15 years ago, I think this set would be at the top of my list.
It gives you a great selection of sockets, 2 good quality ratcheting tools, and a few extra bits that come in handy. There’s very little bloat, meaning that 60-piece count isn’t inflated with lots of unneeded tools, such as hex keys.
This set doesn’t give you everything you will ever need, but it’s a great start.
So far, I’ve used it on a couple of assembly projects – no auto maintenance stuff – involving both drive tools, a couple of standard socket sizes, one of the deep sockets, and the screwdriver bit holder with a 3rd party hex bit.
The only complaint I have so far is about the configuration. I would have liked to have seen a 1/4″ ratchet in the mix, although the 3/8″ ratchet and gimbal ratchet work adequately with the included adapter.
The gimbal ratchet is available separately, but it looks like the 1/4″ ratchet is only available as part of a separate 20pc 1/4″ ratchet and socket set, or a larger 105pc set. It’d be nice if the 100 position 1/4″ ratchet was available separately, and there was a place in the blow molded case to put it.
Overall, I’m pleased as punch with this set. The next time someone asks for a recommendation for a basic ratchet socket set for general home or auto use, this will be at the top of my list. It has a good selection of good tools at a good price.
Price: $60 (on sale from $80)
Buy Now(60pc set via Home Depot)
Buy Now(105pc set via Home Depot)
See More(More Husky sets via Home Depot)
See Also:
Husky 100 Position 3/8″ Ratchet
Husky 100 Position Gimbal Palm Ratchet
Husky 100 Position Gimbal Ratchet Tool Set
Husky 20pc 100 Position 1/4″ Ratchet and Socket Set
Thank you to Home Depot for supplying the review sample unconditionally.
I mentioned at the start that we’re currently in a paid partnership with Home Depot. That will involve sponsored projects and reader-givebacks such as giveaways. In other words, this review isn’t sponsored in any way, other than the product being supplied to us at no cost.
Speaking of giveaways, would you be more interested in winning a ratchet, gimbal ratchet, or everything that’s part of this 60pc set?
Cr8on says
Everything!!!
fred says
But the set is 1mm short of one of the sizes that is often needed (17mm).
I guess they had to stop somewhere – but sometimes I think wrench sets and socket sets may include sizes picked by marketing gurus rather than mechanics.
Jim Felt says
“Sometimes”??? ;-)~
Nathan says
I’ll take anything if I won. beggar’s not being choosers and all that rot. However of the times I want a try on that ratchet. I sort of want a new 1/4 and 3/8 ratchets.
mattd says
My first ever socket set I bought was a 40 piece black chrome 6pt husky set that is basically this set with a few less deeps and no driver tips to inflate the piece count. I still have it as the set that lives in my car. I actually really prefer the look of the black chrome sets and wish they had more offerings with 6pt instead of “universal” sockets (I know you can get them in Stanley but by having the husky brand they are easier to warranty out even if it is the same tool). My garage set is a husky 250 piece set that I got on clearance for about $30. Of that set only 83 pieces are sockets/ratchets/extensions. 100 of those pieces are driver tips, and there are 3 Allen key sets with each key probably counted individually. I am a fan of husky as their warranty has been super easy (that 250 set had a bad 1/4 ratchet) but this stupid inflation of set sizes with driver tips is getting out of hand IMO.
pete says
It’s a nice set and has a good selection and very little of the extra bits and allen keys to bump the tool count which i like. HOWEVER…. what happens when one of the sockets is lost? I know my home depot only stocks the chrome sockets and the black 1/2 impact sockets. The reason that i love husky sockets is because i can go to home depot and warranty them(which i’ve never had to do) OR simply buy a singular replacement socket for $1-2.
fred says
From the UPC (037103292322) – the 60 piece set looks to be sourced from one of the Apex Tool Group’s (Bain Capital) companies. IMO based on what I see of quality – that’s a better OEM than Iron Bridge Tools (UPC prefix 811187) or the Jiangsu Jinlu Group (UPC prefix 848949) that seem to be the OEM for some other Husky tools.
Stuart says
The gimbal ratchet was the give-away for me.
http://toolguyd.com/gearwrench-gimbal-palm-ratchets/
I’d say definitely Apex Tool Group.
fred says
At one time Husky was a trademarked brand of the New Britain (as in Connecticut) Machine Company when I was buying tools in the 1960’s. Apparently the Husky Wrench company had been founded in 1924 by a Czech immigrant in Milwaukee. The company was sold in 1929 to Olsen and then to New Britain sometime in the 1930’s. New Britain also acquired the Blackhawk brand – and sold out to Litton industries in the 1970’s when Litton was still on its infamous buying binge. We all know what happened to Litton – and during the 1980’s (Litton’s dissolution period) the Litton hand tool division was sold to National Hand Tool. When Stanley acquired National Hand Tool in 1986 they then owned the Husky and Blackhawk (the hand tool part of the business bought by New Britain Machine in 1955) brands. At some point Stanly reportedly started supplying Husky Tools to Home Depot under an exclusivity deal. Husky tools from this era would bear the National Hand Tool UPC prefix (051655). I believe that similar to what Home Depot did with Emerson (with the Ridgid brand name) – they (HD) at some point acquired the exclusive rights (ownership in the Husky case) to the brand names. This gave them flexibility to use the name and source the tools from different OEM’s.
John says
Are size markings painted or etched on?
Stuart says
Laser-etched.
Adam says
I’d be interested in the gimbal palm ratchet!
fred says
You can buy the Gearwrench (same OEM) variant:
https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=gearwrench+81270
Shreeni Rao says
Everything!!
Jason. W says
Overall, I’m pleased as punch with this set.”
What?
I’d gladly take this set off your hands. Being a new home owner and only having about 5 sockets and 1 small rachet, this would be amazing.
Stuart says
Don’t get me started! I looked it up to make sure I was using the expression properly, then started reading about it’s origins, and somehow started reading about the diary of someone who lived in 1660!
Basically, pleased as a serial killer Italian comedy puppet.
fred says
You learn something new everyday! I had somehow thought that the expression derived from the humorous British magazine of the same name.
Having been in both Blackpool and Brighton as a lad in the 1950’s – the Punch and Judy shows did attract a crowd. I’ve not been back to the English seaside since – but don’t recall seeing the shows (but I wasn’t looking for them) when on the coast more recently in Ireland, Cornwall or Scotland. I’m not sure what modern PC parents would or do make of the violence portrayed – I guess it was all in good fun.
Stuart says
I’d never heard of the puppet show, just the expression. I made it a habit to double check whenever doubt exists of a word or expression usage, but this one took me down a much longer sidetrack than I expected.
Apparently Charles Dickens used 2 versions of it – pleases as punch, and proud as punch. Well, Punch.
I now have on my to-do list to take a look at “The Diary of Samuel Pepys.”
Anton says
This is the happiest review I’ve seen on a universal set on here.
What make you say this is better then a standard chrome Husky set? It looks like these are only available open stock in 3/8 drive and most other pieces (extensions/ratchets) are only available as parts of sets. And in my experience, the universal sockets are useless for under 3/8 or 10mm.
Stuart says
Not necessarily better.
If you want a one-set-to-go, this seems to be it.
I started piecing together smaller Craftsman sets, they were annoying to work with. Then I bought a Craftsman 94pc set and used the smaller sets to fill in the blanks and provide spares.
Now I work out of a tool box and have Wera sets for imperial in 1/4″ and 3/8″ sizes.
Piecing a kit is a good idea, but someone doing that usually knows what they want. This is a good starter kit, or portable travel kit, for those who aren’t sure about what they need.
It’s good for basic needs, and is inexpensive enough to grow out from.
Stuart says
Plus, no real gimmicks.
KnuckleBuddy says
Stuart, I’d agree with you. This seems like a good “default” set that can be added to when needed. Universal style sockets are always great and it seems like the price is on point.
Nathan says
When i was young, my aunt introduced me to the Tintin comic series by belgian author Herge. Since then, i’ve often joked with her that everything i need to know about the world outside the US i learned from Tintin.
The character Captain Haddock uses the Punch and Judy show as a point of reference for one of his scathing insults. That’s what got me to look it up.
fred says
Tintin wristwatches are still popular in some circles. One of the main protagonists (Mlle. detective – Aimee Leduc) in murder/mystery novels by Clara Black seems to make a point of her wearing one.
z2w says
The “universal” spline sockets will prevent my from recommending this set. These sockets routinely round off six-point nuts (which is the bulk of what you work on, with an entry-level socket). The average consumer doesn’t see spline fasteners and external torx. Six-point and 12-point sockets are far more useful and are generally safe for use on six-point nuts.
goddardpool says
Agreed, no one that wants to maintain their sanity should use universal sockets. Sure they have their place, but they definitely shouldn’t be targeted to entry level consumers.
Instead, I’d go for this combination as an entry level set:
Your friend has shared a link to a Home Depot product they think you would be interested in seeing.
$25- 3/8 in. Drive SAE/Metric Standard Shallow Socket Set (18-Piece)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/202934484
$19- 3/8 in. Drive Deep SAE Socket Set (10-Piece)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/203559420
$19- 3/8 in. Drive Deep Metric Socket Set (10-Piece)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/203559422
Totals out at $63 so far with rock solid sockets, and a decent foundation to build upon. Home Depot has better sets of hex bits on sale every so often for less than $15 from Dewalt, Makita or Milwaukee.
You can add a 1/4″ Husky ratchet and socket set for $20 in the future.
At $60, the universal set is hardly an ok purchase. At its regular price of $80, one can do better by piecing a kit instead.
Jim Felt says
Stuart.
I was curious about the black finish on these and noticed one thread writer used the term “black chrome”.
What exactly is this set’s finish? And how would it possibly stand up in the long run to normal heavy chrome on steel?
Never noticed this kind of finish before on an entire set of tools.
10-4
fred says
Here is a link to one of Allied Chemical’s original patents:
https://www.google.com/patents/US3723261
Mike says
The product description lists it as ‘industrial black’ finish. Inevitably that means black oxide finish. It’s used for two reasons – it’s easy to apply and it’s cheap.
It’s better than bare steel for corrosion protection, but just barely.
Hang Fire says
“I haven’t taken the ratchets apart yet, but assume there’s a dual-pawl mechanism similar to Gearwrench’s 120XP 120- position ratchets, giving them motion equivalent to that of 100-tooth ratchets.”
Please don’t assume. There are single pawl fine tooth import ratchets on the market, and some of them are not that strong. A 3/8″ ratchet should be able to withstand a grown man’s weight pulling down on the end of the handle, without binding internally. Reverse and test in the other direction and then check functionality. That’s a simple enough test anyone can perform.
Stuart says
Then they would call it a 100-tooth ratchet.
“100 position” ratchet? Made by Apex Tool Group whose 120-position ratchet tech works in a very specific way?
Fine, it wasn’t an assumption, it’s an educated expectation.
Brad says
Definitely dual-pawl.
http://photos-us.bazaarvoice.com/photo/2/cGhvdG86aG9tZWRlcG90/54e7d4b5-12a2-5202-aba3-e8f34938a7f8
Toolfreak says
I’d agree that this isn’t really a good starter set, mostly because of the spline-drive sockets. They might be useful for some damaged and less common fasteners, but a starter or any basic set should really have 6 point sockets, maybe 12 point if you’re pushing it and going cheap.
I’d also say a set like this isn’t really one you can build on, since Home Depot doesn’t offer much in the way of sockets or accessories with the same black finish as this set. You might be able to get a larger set later on, or maybe add a black color 1/4″ and 1/2″ drive set with ratchets, but usually stuff like this is made for a limited time and it’s expected you will just use it until you lose enough pieces to either sell it at a garage sale or keep the ratchet and toss whatever sockets are left.
For $60, you can do a lot better.
Brad says
1/4″ ratchet is available in-store, depending on location, for $20.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-1-4-in-Drive-Ratchet-H10014RAT/301175128
Though for another $10 you can get the 1/4″ 20-piece set.
They also have 3/8″ and 1/2″ flex head lockable ratchets.
John says
Does anyone else worry that the black-chrome finish might be confused with black-oxide impact sockets? Bad things can happen when standard sockets are used with pneumatic impact tools.
Stuart says
These are smoother and shinier; they’re not easily confused, visually or by feel.
fred says
I have wondered in the past – if the black finish (what appears to be black paint in some cases) was not put on some tools intentionally to deceive the uninitiated. Black oxide coatings have been used on drill bits, industrial wrenches and impact-rated sockets – among other tools. Black is also the color chosen for many impact-rated nutdrivers and bits – but steel grey or black is also the color or other insert bits too. I don’t think that legitimate brands use black chrome to confuse buyers – and I would expect that quality black-chrome plating is not dirt cheap. These Husky sets – coming with a hand ratchet – are clearly meant as hand tools.
But I wouldn’t say that some low-end vendors might not use black paint (which is cheap) as a marketing gimmick. Most of the Asian-made big axle-nut sockets that I’ve seen are black in color. I’ve seen some with flaking black finish (paint I guess) – and some are clearly not impact-rated.
Mike says
If someone can’t tell the difference between a tempered thinwall socket and an impact socket they likely don’t understand why an impact socket should be used anyway.
fred says
I was thinking more about sockets like these:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=B000XRPLL8+
Painted black – not exactly thin walled – but not impact tools. I would hope that the manufacture includes a warning that it should not be used with an impact gun – but some folks may find out the hard way.
BTW has anyone tried any of the IR Power Impact sockets?
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=B01D8IPBQS+
Dave says
Wait til something needs warranted. Your local,Home Depot service desk will give you a phone number to call, and when you do, odds are that you’ll find that the replacement is somehow cheaper and of lesser quality. For instance, if that’s a nice, relatively decent ratchet, a few years from now the closest one to it (that will be its replacement under warranty) will be shorter and have an inferior ratcheting mechanism. They continue to cheapen up their tools over time.
Anything Husky brand needs to be bought knowing it’s of a disposable quality and the warranty is pretty much worthless if a few years or more has passed since that particular item was being sold.
I broke a Husky 18″ breaker bar. No longer in their line up. It was replaced with a skinny, cheap 15″ model as that’s the garbage they currently offer.
I can’t quite remember the details of the warranty on a Husky tape measure. I wish I could-maybe someone here can jog my memory—but I seem to remember them replacing it with something that had no further warranty. Seems the warrantied for life tapes were so cheap that they had to do something to get out of replacing them more than once.
Pass.
fred says
I can’t imagine that anyone starts out buying a tool thinking that they will have to exercise their rights under some warranty. For commercial users – a tool failure in the middle of a job costs you time and money – or possibly injury if it fails catastrophically. The idea (skeptics might say the marketing ploy) of the warranty is that the company will stand behind their product. They want to convey the notion that they would not be offering a lifetime warranty if they expected lots of failures – so products that carry such warranties must be of high quality (right??) Its sort of like banks in the 1920’s that built their branch buildings with big stone columns out in front. They wanted to convey the notion that they were solid here-to-stay institutions – a safe place to put your money. Folks who lost their savings in the bank failures of the 1930’s learned something else.
So my advice is, when buying a new tool, pay attention to the quality of the tool first and foremost. Will it meet your needs and expectations? Is it fit for purpose and the sort of tasks you will put it to? How is the cost compared to its value to you? Will it continue to perform as long as you are likely to want it to? If you like the answers to those questions, then a warranty might be modestly valuable sort of the icing on the cake. But be prepared that you might discover that the warranty turns out to have as much value as sending coals to Newcastle.
Nathan says
That’s a good point. Warranties are mostly marketing fluff these days. While i was happy in the end with the upgrade i got following a problem with a Milwaukee M12 Fuel tool, if i hadn’t been willing to return the original tool and be without it for a few weeks, it wouldn’t have been possible to get it handled at all. It was fortunately not a complete failure and finished up the contract i was working on before returning it for warranty, but that’s not usually a luxury available to people that work with tools. If it breaks, you got to go buy another one right away so you can keep working.
I had the same experience with an MSI motherboard that went bad after six months in a little PC i assembled. It took over a month to get the return, required me to mail it to them at my own expense, and when it came back “repaired”, they had somehow broken the second RAM slot. I’m just using it with a single stick of RAM now. A warranty is purely a legal and marketing dodge with these companies. It’s not time or money-smart to try to invoke it.
Unfortunately it’s not always possible to determine the quality in advance and even quality goods fail.
Jim Felt says
If I may I’d like to interject a very good warranty experience I just had with Bosch.
I register my tools for their 3 year warranty and while registering a batch of 18v CORE batteries the Bosch customer service rep noticed I’d previously registered an 18v sidewinder saw. She said it’s handle wouldn’t accept the latest CORE batteries and she’d send me a call tag to have it updated. She did and within a week my saw now is in futureproof mode and utilizes the newest Bosch batteries perfectly.
“Within a week”! Not bad.
And yes I do indeed never register with them online. Bad Apple-centric experience years ago and now I just call from an iPhone to register.
Nice eh?
Joe says
Omg so I just bought this set and was so excited to use it! I had two 7mm bolts to remove and the socket kept slipping. I had to go get my 6 point sockets to finish! I’ll never buy a universal set again