So, the new Wera 2020 Advent Calendar is now available via KC Tool (model 136601). Thank you to everyone who wrote in about it! The question is – should you buy it?
Wera tools are without a doubt fantastic hand tools.
Wera’s 2020 Advent calendars provides a mixed collection of hand tools aimed at all kinds of users, as did past years’ versions.
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This is a good way to be introduced to Wera hand tools, if you haven’t experienced their products before.
On the other end of the spectrum, it’s also a way to provide complementary functionality and features to your existing kit.
Or, if you’re more of a tool collector with a tool box loaded with everything Wera makes, the 2020 Advent Calendar gives you a couple of new exclusives you’ll enjoy owning and hopefully also using.
Wera 2020 Advent Calendar Tool Set
Here’s everything you get:
- Zyklop 1/4″ Drive Mini 3 Ratchet
- 818/1 Stubby Bit Holder (with pop up bit storage)
- Stubby Bottle Opener (323)
- 8794 1/4″ Drive Wobble Extension
- 8790 HMA 1/4″ Metric Sockets: 5.5, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 10, 12, 13mm
- 8767 Torx 1/4″ Bit Sockets: T20, T25, T30 x 28mm
- 8740 Hex-Plus 1/4″ Bit Sockets: 4.0, 5.0, 6.0mm
- 851/1 BTZ Phillips Bit: PH1, PH2 x 25mm
- 855/1 BTZ Pozidriv Bit: PZ2 x 25mm
- 867/1 BTZ Torx Bit: T20, T25 x 25mm
- 800/1 BTZ Slotted Bit: 5.5 x 1.0 x 25mm
But it’s not just a jumble of tools, you also get a handy organizer for keeping everything together nice and tidy, not to mention portable.
What’s so special about this year’s set? First, you get a Wera Kraftform Stubby screwdriver bit holder, plus it has pop-up bit storage.
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This is going to be the star of the show. I looked around and I don’t think you can buy this same screwdriver handle elsewhere, or at least I can’t find it at the moment. The closest I could find is a green-handled stubby bit holder without the Kompakt pop-up bit holder design.
If you think you could do better, look for model 818/1.
And, it’s blue! Well, blue and black. But still, this looks to be a new and unique Wera 2020 Advent Calendar-specific color.
You also get a couple of Torx and metric hex sockets.
I’m thinking I could use these about the hex bit sockets.
You also get a Wera Zyklop mini ratchet, which is one of my favorite Wera tools*, a wobble extension, and an assortment of metric hex sockets.
Lastly, you also get a new and exclusive-looking blue-handled stubby bottle opener.
Price: $66.55 after coupon
Shipping is free with $50+ orders.
For overseas readers, Amazon UK and DE also have this in stock. Amazon UK and DE also often ship to the USA.
Buy Now via Amazon UK
Buy Now via Amazon DE
Should You Buy it???
If you’re new to Wera, this set gives you a taste of everything they have to offer – a mini ratchet, a stubby multi-bit screwdriver, sockets, bit sockets, a wobble adapter, and a cute bottle opener.
I am not new to the brand, but could definitely still use the stubby screwdriver and some of those bit sockets, not to mention the mini ratchet.
I never like paying for duplicate tools, and so it becomes a question of whether not the color scheme and tools most appealing to me are useful enough to justify the $66 and change after-coupon price. So far, I’m leaning towards “yes.”
* I was under the initial impression that this set came with a Wera mini bit ratchet, which is one of my favorite Wera tools. But, with a closer look, you actually get the Zyklop Mini 3 Ratchet.
The 1/4″ bit socket version is the Wera Zyklop Mini 1, and comes with a 1/4″ hex to 1/4″ square socket drive adapter. With this set, you get the Wera Zyklop Mini 3 ratchet, with built-in 1/4″ square drive. The two tools are very similar, but the Mini 3 works with 1/4″ sockets without having to fiddle with any adapters.
I have gotten a lot of use out of my past Wera Advent Calendar tool sets and the individual tools and parts that have since been scattered among my different work areas and tool bags, but I also use other Wera tools and sets even more frequently.
This set isn’t a must-have, and it’s not for users who are first building up their tool collection with essentials.
You might also consider snagging a Wera Tool-Check Plus (via Amazon/via KC Tool) during the next winter holiday deals shopping season. But, while both options have some overlap, the exclusive stubby screwdriver of the Advent Calendar makes a strong selling point.
Keep one thing in mind – I have yet to hear anyone complain about buying a Wera Advent Calendar and regretting it, but I typically hear “oh no I waited too long and missed it!!” a couple of times each year once the tool sets sell out.
I never use every part of the Advent Calendar tool assortments. But, those that I always initially plan on using do tend to be worth the money. As a bonus, some initially less needed or wanted tools have also come in handy with time.
This is more of a fun, convenient, and collector-oriented tool set, and that’s okay if you could use it and are comfortable budgeting for it.
Buy Now via KC Tool
Buy Now via Amazon UK
Buy Now via Amazon DE
Also Consider These Other Wera Tools
Okay, so $66 and change (after coupon via KC Tool) seems a bit much for tools you aren’t sure you could use. Well, consider these Wera hand tool favorites:
The Wera Kraftform Kompakt screwdriver has built-in bit storage and an extending Rapidaptor bit holder. I bought mine 9 years and have had zero regrets.
Wera’s mini bit ratchet set is also another good introduction into the brand.
I bought one of these sets ages ago, and then a couple of Bit-Check Plus sets after that. This is a good buy if you don’t need the screwdriver handle (available separately) or the sockets included with the Bit-Check Plus assortments. This set is also much more compact and even pocketable.
schill
Amazon has last year’s calendar for $35.01 right now. Was around $50 last time I checked.
https://www.amazon.com/Advent-Calendar-2019-25-Pieces/dp/B07NJYQW28/
Stuart
That’s a good buy! Usually the catalogs sell out quickly, well before December.
TheTool
But they aren’t any good anymore. 2019 and 2020 Advent calendars are more gimmicks and overpriced than previous years. Stahlwille and Hazet know how to do an advent calendar now, Wera not so much anymore.
schill
While I might agree that previous years’ Advent calendars were more complete as tool kits, I have found the stubby bitholder and tee-handle rapidaptor holder from last year to both be very useful. At $35 on Amazon for last years set (down to under $34 now), I find it a very tempting price to get those two holders plus the bits (it’s not like I can’t use the bits and sockets at all).
I do like the stubby bitholder with storage and the ratchet from this year’s calendar. I see it more as a case full of things I can use – but also one that I can replace the sockets with others that are more useful to me. Nobody says you have to keep the kits complete as is.
The bottle opener and corkscrew (from last year) are of no use to me, but that’s the way these things seem to work.
Weren’t the Stahlwille and Hazet calendars significantly more expensive than the Wera calendar (even at the $70 or so price from KCTool when they were new, let alone the lower Amazon price now)?
TheTool
Even if the Stahlwille and Hazet calendars cost more the amount of tools you got for the value was far better than what Wera offered.
As for the stubby bit holder it’s not that great, the bit-ratchet also isn’t better than Wiha’s or Felo’s and Titan offers a 2 pack that has a bit ratchet and that 1/4″ square ratchet.
So really you’re paying for different colors and a much worse value. Sockets are also skipping sizes here and the Tool Check does the same thing. No advantage.
fred
The Stahwille calendar seems to have been priced at $160 last year at KC Tool
https://milled.com/kc-tool/stahlwille-2019-advent-calendars-are-in-stock-Vgnnd_dLpLfzQsn9
The Hazet – was priced at $149 last year at Chad’s
https://discuss.toolguyd.com/t/kc-tool-wera-2019-advent-calendar/1929
Jaycob P.
I believe this year they had last years still for sale until late spring.
James
It’s worth looking at Kincrome’s Advent Calendars if you’re in Australia
Joatman
Would buy this in a second…..but it’s like you said….I’d just be buying duplicates. However, while checking out the link that Schill provided in the post above, I ran across this Wera ratchet…..it’s almost $600. What am I missing?
https://www.amazon.com/Wera-133862-8002-Koloss-Ratchet/dp/B00DYBCA28/
Joatman
Correction……$527.00. But still………
Fish_Stick
Probably last one in stock and the pricing went haywire on Amz. Much more realistic under a $100 from below.
https://www.kctoolco.com/wera-133862-koloss-ratchet-set-1-2-drive/
Stuart
Weird. It’s similar via Amazon as well.
I couldn’t tell you why it’s so pricey via that 3rd party seller.
fred
What the traffic will bear? Sometimes items on Amazon from 3rd parties are up for sale for ridiculously overpriced amounts – perhaps by some mistaken pricing algorithm – or maybe to just sucker some poor-fool buyer. Caveat Emptor!
mattoneous
Just buy from Amazon DE site. You get tools much cheaper even with the shipping costs. They even have stuff you can’t find on the US Amazon site…
Curtis
Take advantage of it while you can. Won’t be surprised to see the option completely disappear over time since customers going that route severely hurts the brand’s US warehouses and distributors. It costs a lot of money (tariff, freight, storage, paying US workers, etc) to get the items to the US and market it here. Also be aware that a US proof of purchase is generally needed with warranty replacements here; brands are starting to not honor warranties for items purchased overseas.
TheTool
Cheap shipping disappeared since COVID. The prices aren’t anything to write about now.
Rob
My Wera Kraftform Kompakt is stuck in extended mode and will not collapse back down. I like my regular screwdrivers from them but the Kompackt got stuck the 3rd time I used it.
Bonson
Mine is the opposite, it shot out, flew about 4 feet, including the spring. Can’t get it back together. The handle is terribly uncomfortable regardless. The extension is pointless with that rapidapter tip. I cringe every time it gets recommended on the internet, which is much too often.
But I really like the organization of their products like what’s in that Advent Calendar.
PeterC
Why do so many 1/4 inch socket sets come with a 5.5mm socket? I am 73 years old and have never run across a nut or bolt that required it.
Eric
It’s been used on a lot of cars mostly for interior trim pieces.
TheTool
Because some things actually require 5.5mm.
Pietro
Electronic and tiny electric boxes use 5.5mm.
Seth
The heat actuator in my Nissan Armada has a bunch of 5.5mm bolts Under the dash.
Erik
In computer hardware it’s a very common size.
TheTool
“What’s so special about this year’s set? First, you get a Wera Kraftform Stubby screwdriver bit holder, plus it has pop-up bit storage.”
Uh that’s nothing new. Wera has had stubby bit holders before, and other brands had it with pop up bit storage. This is just a gimmick and overpriced. 2018 and previous were better advent calendars. 2019 and 2020 are gimmicks.
Stuart
Link? Model number?
I can’t find any current Wera stubby multi-but screwdriver with built-in bit storage.
The Wera advent calendar is always a gimmick.
TheTool
Example:
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B003GDIQIG, I didn’t say it had built-in bit storage but other brands had it way before Wera. Wera is really late to this. The 2018 and 2017 advent calendars weren’t a gimmick and actually had worthwhile bits and handles. 2019 and 2020 started that trend with it being a gimmick.
Stuart
Depends on your definition of gimmick.
The advent calendar is an attention-grabber, and while not frivolous, the assortment of tools always makes it an “I want that” (or not) instead of “I need that” type of purchase.
They try different things each year.
I like that they now have unique tool offerings, rather than just a sampler pack.
I believe 2013 was my first advent calendar: https://toolguyd.com/wera-advent-calendar-tool-deal-122013/
I feel that more recent Wera advent calendars feature much more focused curation.
TheTool
“They try different things each year.”
But they can’t even get it right since 2019. So what’s the point? You want a proper advent calendar look at Hazet or Stahwille.
Stuart
I can’t find a good pricing reference, but if I recall correctly Hazet and Stahwille calendars were a lot pricier and a little more specialized.
TheTool
Yeah they cost more but the value offered in the advent calendar actually ended up saving more money than if bought individually.
schill
“Yeah they cost more but the value offered in the advent calendar actually ended up saving more money than if bought individually.”
I’m pretty sure you can say the same thing about the Wera calendar.
Basically, I think they are all designed to get you to sample the company’s products. Some people will be willing to pay more for what they see as a complete toolkit. Others will be willing to pay less to get some things they like or just to see what it’s all about. I think Wera does a pretty good job of providing a sampling of their products for less money than the others.
I already know that I like Wera tools, so I don’t need to buy the calendar to sample them. But if the calendar has stuff that looks useful to me, I will consider buying it. If it doesn’t, I won’t.
fred
I think that I read that Advent calendars started in Germany – perhaps in the 1800’s.
I remember them as a kid – given to us – so that we could anticipate the coming of Christmas. Each of the 24 doors – had some little trinket or piece of hard candy behind them – and a note of inspiration intended to help you prepare for celebrating the birth of Christ.
During the season of Lent we were given Mite Boxes – a place to put some part of your weekly allowance or earnings as a sacrifice. The proceeds were collected and were said to go to the poor members of the congregation.
John Blair
The Zyklop Mini 3 is $40 by itself. So if you want it, is the rest worth $27 to you?
mattd
I would have to agree with the other commenters that the past couple years seem to have gone down hill. I bought the 2016 calendar and it came with a full set of individual screwdrivers plus some driver bits, 2018 had the full VDE driver set plus extras, then in 2019 it basically became a bitcheck set with a bottle opener, and this year seems to continue the trend of a bunch of bits plus a bit holder 🙁
I will also add that I would LOVE to see an American company come out with this style of tool set. If husky, craftsman, kobalt, crescent, stanley, Irwin, dewalt, milwaukee, klein, greenlee, or channel lock would package their Christmas special tool sets in a calendar I would be all over that.
TheTool
Just to see how bad the calendar has become just look at what Stahlwille or Hazet offered as their calendar.
fred
Perhaps it would not be thought of as politically correct by or for a US company to do this – unless they could offer some equivalency for the members of various other religions and belief or non-belief systems.
Our “happy holidays” greetings was likely aimed at not offending anyone – although it probably still does. So you can imagine how the religiosity of “Advent” might be taken as an offense.
Mike Welch
Doesn’t seem to hurt Lego’s Advent calendars.
David A.
I really enjoy the unique, non-industrial style and the addition of color that Wera puts into their tools. This seems like a continental trend- USA-based tool designers like to make everything industrial and unadorned with hard black and chrome surfaces and sharp edges (e.g. Klein, Craftsman, Dewalt, Milwaukee). Whereas the European companies like to tone down the industrial look with eased-over edges, matte finishes, and colors (e.g. Wera, P.B. Swiss, Wiha, etc.). Just a generalized observation- regardless, Wera does a fantastic job of distinguishing their tools visually from other manufacturers and the standout style they embrace is refreshing.
TheTool
So do other manufacturers like Channellock, Klein, Irwin and others. Wera screwdrivers are easily distinguished just like Klein and other brands.
Sean
I’m going to pass on this year’s Wera Advant Calendar. For the price and the selection, I’ll just treat myself to a Sunex 1/4 master impact socket set instead.
Sean
I do wish other companies also had advent calendars
James
https://www.kincrome.com.au/33p-1-4d-sktandbit-set-calendar
https://www.kincrome.com.au/advent-calendar-2019-47pce-kit
Sean
James: thank you for the Kincrome tip.
I’ve never heard of Kincrome today.
It looks like Speedway Motors, here in the USA, sells these tools.
It doesn’t appear like the 2020 Advant Calendar is out yet but I’ll keep my eyes peeled over the next couple of months.
I wonder what the pricing is like for these calendars
James
They are an Australian brand and are really strong here.
The last couple of years they have been full socket sets or mini tool kits and have retailed around $79
Eric
I am a big Wera fan anyway, but these Advent calendars are an almost automatic purchase for my now because of the joy they bring out in my kids. It is a month-long way to watch the kids have fun learning about new to them tools, and some of that is built into the price.
I assumed these were aimed at kids with the art and the small basic sets (plus the accessories for “dad”).
I am afraid to write here what I would pay for a nice all Made-in-USA tool advent calendar for my kids.
MT_Noob
Maybe we should start a thread of “what 25 tools would you put in your own 2020 advent calendar”? Maybe either mix-and-match manufacturers or choose your own brand. then we could make our own toolguyd version calendar. You’d have to buy your own tools, and make your own calendar, but it could be a fun family project (even if you know what is behind each window.
Mike
I just received mine and to be honest, I’m not seeing the value. What exactly is a person supposed to do with this kit?
The bit holder seems cheap and the finish is pretty bad…molding nubs on the handle.
Its like an eclectic set of random pieces, with no particular purpose. I don’t really understand it, but after several years of reading about them, I pulled the trigger.
What am I missing here? Is is good for working on bicycles or computers or ???
I’m not against it, but I’m surely not for it. I fits all nicely in the little case, but I can’t for the life of me imagine a scenario where I’d grab the little case and go do something of value with it. Further, why is there an empty socket spot? To add one, evidently, or torment someone who digs through the packaging to locate the missing socket, which doesn’t exist.
The bottle opener seems nice, if only I had a bottle needing opened.
TheTool
It’s a gimmicky set nothing more.
Andy
It’s a decent sample of Wera’s product. And the empty socket spot is for the extension. Now go get a beer.
Jared
2021 Calendar is out now (at least in some places). Too soon?
Stuart
Thanks! I’ve received a couple of tips and am only waiting on USA availability.
I’m sorry, I had to remove your Garage Journal image; it’s hot-linked and will only show for logged-in members.
The 2021 calendar was revealed, and you can order it from Germany but it’s not yet available from USA sources. KC Tool estimates that it should start shipping in early October. Or, you can order from overseas in the meantime.
https://www.kctool.com/wera-136602-advent-calendar-2021/?rfsn=5802283.d413ea5 (use coupon TOOLGUYD4LIFE)
https://www.amazon.de/dp/B08Q22CMG8/?tag=toolguyd-de-21
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Q22CMG8/?tag=toolguyd-21