Without a doubt, Wera’s Zyklop ratchets are among my favorite hand tools. The Zyklop are swivel-head ratchets that can be used at right angles, completely straight like a screwdriver, or at in-between angles. A free-spinning sleeve you hold with your other hand means they’re great for quickly loosening or driving in fasteners inline.
Right now the 3/8″ and 1/2″ ratchets are available on Amazon for a surprisingly low $55 and $60, respectively, including free shipping. Normally these ratchets are priced at $90 or so, although you can find them for maybe $65-75 if you wait and search hard enough.
The 1/4″ ratchet is also available for about the same price, but if you ask me, it’s more economical to pick up the 28-piece socket and bit set for ~$90 if you want the smaller sized ratchet. Plus that gives you a handy bit holder and a taste for Wera socket and bit quality.
Wera Zyklop 3/8″ Ratchet via Amazon
Wera Zyklop 1/4″ Ratchet via Amazon
Wera Zyklop 1/2″ Ratchet via Amazon
Wera Zyklop 1/4″ Ratchet plus Socket & Bit Set via Amazon
FYI, these ratchets feature a quick release as well.
I have been using the Zyklop ratchet for… a year and a half or so. I really like it, solid yet the ratchet has a nice fine action. I picked up an extension too. Good stuff. I wish I had went all in and gotten the set. I will probably get one anyway. Stupid tools…
I’ve used the 1/2 ratchet, it’s nice but three things:
The reversing mechanism is nearly impossible with gloves.
Sometimes I don’t want the flex head to lock.
The plastic shroud around the handle shank is really unnecessary and makes it seem cheap.
Thanks for the feedback, Allen!
I agree with you on the first point – the direction selection switch is difficult to rotate with mechanics gloves on. It turns relatively easily with nitrile or latex-gloved fingers, though.
I am actually a favor of the set flex-head angles, but see where you’re coming from.
I am also a fan of the plastic shroud since I use my Zyklops in “screwdriver mode” quite often, and the plastic shroud allows me to spin the handle more quickly than if it were removed. But again, I see where you’re coming from.
I’ve had this in use for over a month now, I’m not impressed. The reversing mechanism requires two hands to operate and I still don’t see the use for the cheap plastic sleeve around the shank. How many nut drivers or screw drivers have one ? It’s short for a 1/2 drive ratchet and the ratcheting mechanism needs too much resistance to work, that is on a semi loose nut it wants to turn the nut instead of ratcheting like a good smooth ratchet head should.