Amazon has this Gearwrench 131pc mechanics tool set for just $86, which seems like it could be a fantastic bargain, especially considering that Home Depot is charging $219 for the same set.
This looks to be a new SKU, Gearwrench 89089, which means there’s no information about it online, at least not outside Amazon’s “Vine Voice” free product user reviewers.
That last part is a sign that this could be intended as a holiday promotion, or at least it follows a pattern.
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Update 9/12/23 – the price jumped back up, possibly temporarily. The “typical price” at the time of this posting was listed as $91.07, and current price $85.99. As of 9/12, it was changed to $167.58 as the current price.
This set comes with 131 pieces for $86.99.
Gearwrench doesn’t provide any info about this set on their website, and Amazon’s description is rather spartan. So, here’s what we can tell based on the product images:
3 ratchets, all 84T – 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″
3 extensions
3 universal joint-style extensions/adapters
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55 sockets, all looking to be 6pt
14 nutdriver bits
1 screwdriver bit adapter handle
22 hex keys
30 screwdriver bits with plastic case
That adds up to 131 pieces.
So is this a good deal? Value-wise? Yes, I think so.
From the image, it looks like the 55 sockets are broken down as follows:
1/4″ – 20 sizes
3/8″ – 19 sizes
1/2″ – 16 sizes
That should include both inch and metric sizes.
If the socket sizes are staggered, might this be enough? Possibly, and it does look like they might be. This would mean minimal duplication, which gives you a broad range of socket sizes with just a little overlap.
Personally, I like a lot of overlap, because sometimes I need to size up or down depending on how much space I have to swing a ratchet. Or, I might size down to 1/4″ drive to turn a fastener with a spinner handle, or size up to use a long 1/2″ breaker bar.
I think that $86 puts this set in “hot deal” territory, and I’d certainly buy this set over the “limited edition” 115pc set Gearwrench has been selling for $99.
You get fewer sockets (55 instead of 77), but better ratchets – at the least.
On the same page on Amazon, there are options for a 47 piece set, which is priced at $99.57, and a 53 piece set, which is priced at $109.72.
While those other Gearwrench sets have different tool and accessory selections, the essence of the tools all look to be the same. All of these sets look to include tools from Gearwrench’s regular lineup.
This Gearwrench 131pc mechanics tool set looks to be an excellent buy for $86, assuming they deliver Gearwrench’s typical quality (which is generally quite good for the money).
Ignore the hex keys, nut driver bits, and screwdriver bits, which I typically consider “filler” pieces. While useful, I find it more important to look at the number of drive tools, accessories, and sockets (55).
“Fillers” can still be useful. If I’m not paying much extra, I’ll find a use for extra hex keys and screwdriver bits, especially when the bit set is organized neatly in a grabbable case.
I’d say this looks to be a great deal for 3 Gearwrench full-polish 84T ratchets, 6 drive accessories (extensions and universal joint adapters), and 55 standard/shallow depth 6pt sockets.
Price: $85.99 as of the time of this posting
Should you buy it?
I’ll leave that part up to you. As a reminder, we’re going to start seeing holiday deals in a couple of weeks.
The difficult part is that I can’t tell you whether $86 sounds right as a promo price for this set or not. Speaking frankly, I think that $86 seems too low, especially with Home Depot selling the same set at $219 right now.
Curiously, Home Depot only has 6 in stock and available for delivery. If this was to be a promotionally-priced set, I’d expect to see greater inventory levels.
At the risk of creating more questions, I feel it necessary to point out that Amazon has a Gearwrench 3-piece 84-tooth ratchet set priced at $96.55 right now.
So, with the 131pc tool set, you get sockets, extensions, and accessories for less than just what looks to be the same exact ratchets.
Amazon’s going to have another Prime Day in October. Maybe some brands are trying to get a head start on the deal pricing?
The most difficult part about deals like this is that it’s a new SKU without any pricing history or organic user or customer feedback.
Given what I can see, and my experiences with Gearwrench tools, I think this is a HOT DEAL, but I can’t help but feel reluctant to describe it as such.
BigTimeTommy
Either there are knockoff Gearwrench tools on Amazon or they’ve started producing much lower quality tools to sell at lower prices. I bought a 20 piece ratcheting wrench set last year and the fit and finish are much worse than the older Gearwrench wrenches I compared them to. Lots of play in the ratcheting end, new wrenches are larger but feel lighter than the old ones.
Still happy with the set since it was under $50 and has held up well so far, but maybe GW is declining in quality like a lot of tool brands.
Stuart
The 20pc ratcheting wrench set is a long time special that’s seemingly designed around a promo price point. Non-reversible, right?
Gearwrench does seem to have launched lower priced tools, such as those in their limited edition set that look more like Crescent’s than their own. This set looks like everyday Gearwrench tools, aside from the filler count.
BigTimeTommy
Yeah non-reversible. That would make sense since I got it on sale during the holiday season. But for what it’s worth Sears used to sell seemingly the same set year round at the same non-sale price, around $80-90 if I recall correctly.
Stuart
That set was typically $50 on sale and for Black Friday, going back to 2011 at the least. It might have been available between seasons at higher pricing, but I’d say that at least 99% of sales were at the lower promo pricing.
Sears always had other Gearwrench sets frequently on sale as well, but their quality was decent. Theirs were the first reversible and flex-head ratcheting wrench sets that I bought.
It is absolutely possible that Gearwrench lowered the quality of certain SKUs, such as their 20pc non-reversible ratcheting wrench set.
In the case of this mechanics tool set, there are no signs that it’s built to a price point. Or at least, it could be, but there are indicators – such as the 84T ratchets – that suggest its components are everyday Gearwrench quality.
I have not known Gearwrench to have tools of drastically different quality levels. But, their limited edition tool set changed this, and from what you say, the same could be true about some of their seasonally-popular promo-priced tool sets.
If the question is “is it low priced, or made to be cheap?”, the limited clues point towards it being a low-priced deal, at least before it doubled in price overnight. I don’t like that we now have to ask such a question about Gearwrench tools. Hopefully having to ask such a question remains a rare exception rather than becoming the rule.
Pablo
I doubt these were knockoffs, but what I suspect happens, is Amazon automatically tries to be the cheapest and detected this set offered cheaper elsewhere. I’ve seen this happen when a fraudulent phishing site shows up on Google shopping, offering lower prices. Amazon’s repricing mechanism will then change the listed price of their own products to beat the price of the fraudulent site. I’m the guy at our company that goes after these fraudulent sites and the actual counterfeit goods that show up on Amazon and elsewhere, so I see a lot of these shenanigans.
Stuart
https://www.google.com/search?q=gearwrench+%2289089%22
Less than 50 search engine results usually means a product was just released or made available with little chatter. Home Depot is also calling it a new launch.
I’ve seen Amazon’s pricing algorithms behave strangely, matching lower competing pricing as you’ve said, but also when sales volume is extremely low. I’m not sure that’s what was at play here.
Pablo
On Amazon the product details state this item/ASIN has been available on Amazon since August 12, 2021. There were a few reviews of the 131 piece set as early as June 2022. I do think you’re right about Amazon’s pricing algorithms sometimes lowering prices bizarrely. There are also scams where a third party seller lists a seller fulfilled item at a low price, which Amazon ‘s repricing algorithm then tries to beat. That same person picks up the Amazon fulfilled item and cancels his own listing. Those scams are ususally done on low sell through/higher dollar items so a buyer can purchase the item on the cheap. I usually see that happen at hours when there are fewer shoppers. Amazon has for the most part figured out how to avoid the issue, but when I see a price drop by half and then immediately increase it’s usually because someone figured out how to trick Amazon’s automated pricing.
MichaelT
That was fast. Back to 167 today.
Stuart
Thanks!
It looks like maybe the pricing was too good to be true, but the launch timing and tool set configuration suggests that it’s still to be promotionally priced or similar.
This doesn’t look like a $150+ tool set to me.
Matt
Need to check out the Cresent set at Sam’s club. Bought one for my 16 old son to keep in his vehicle. Quality is nice case is heavy duty.
https://www.samsclub.com/p/channellock-mechanics-set-200pc/prod23222413?xid=plp_product_1
Mitherial
+1 for the Sams Club *Channellock Mechanic’s Set. (*Not Crescent!)
It’s a little larger than the GW set picture above (worth keeping in mind) but still quite portable–I often just grab it from the shelf in my garage when working on my truck when I don’t feel like wheeling my heavy rolling toolcase over.
It is not quite the same quality level as Channellock’s core tools, but the *value* cannot be beat.
Joe E.
GearWrench in 2023 is not the same GearWrench from 2013. The quality has taken a major dive. Just look how beefy the lobster claws are on their ratcheting wrenches. Yikes.
Garrett
I still dont understand their 84t/90t/120t strategy. Why produce 2 ratchets that are so very similar? I woulda thunk the 84t would have been made obsolete/extraneous/unmarketable/boring after the advent of the 90t?
Nick Marques
I’ve been a huge fan of Gearwrench products. I think all of my wrench and socket sets are theirs except for a few HF sets. The trick for me years ago was to wait for the Advance Auto Parts online coupons. They were really good and had little restrictions. They frequently had things like $50 off of $200 or $40 off of $150 and other random amounts. I’ve find those coupons, find a set I didn’t have, and order online for delivery or pickup. HUGE savings.
CA
Hey if a guy isn’t a mechanic isn’t Pittsburgh at HF enough to get you by?
Stuart
Depends on what your needs and preferences are.
If you’re not sure, starting with Harbor Freight isn’t a bad idea.
JB
The “Kevin Harvick NASCAR Limited Edition” mentioned at Home Depot, those are not the typical GW sockets or ratchets. The sockets are completely different and very cheap/nasty.
The ratchets are like 72 tooth very wobbly with socket on, nasty clicks, high backdrag.
This current set reviewed here, looks like there’s no deeps, and tbh the article should describe the actual sizes included.
I do however like GW trend towards all sockets in the case standing upright, and the easily removable lid so the lower case section can sit in the toolchest drawer.
Stuart
Sure, but Gearwrench doesn’t publish this information anywhere. They don’t have any list even saying how many sockets you get – I had to count them from the product images. If you buy a set and compose a list of all of the socket sizes, I’ll add it to the post.