Why is Snap-On stuff so expensive...?
A few yrs ago I got on a Mac truck to warranty a pry bar, I was looking around and spotted a chrome sockets set and in print, it said "made in China", it still had the Mac price tho. Mac use to be good
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Wilmington, De
10+ year old thread, but very useful reading. So now it seems that Sears has sold off it's Craftsman tool brand to the Stanley B&D . Now in order to know we need to bring our reading glasses to look for Chinese made tools. I'm a weekend mechanic now days, but as a lover of my knuckles, I would never EVER use a Stanley or B&D tool
Game over man Game over! Seems that in order to get good American made tools, you will have to buy Snap-On. (Mac is owned by Stanley B&D)
Game over man Game over! Seems that in order to get good American made tools, you will have to buy Snap-On. (Mac is owned by Stanley B&D)
Wright Tools, SK Tools, and Armstrong are a few. You just need to verify the country of origin before purchasing. Some of the Husky hand tools at Home Depot are even made in the US. I have a few screwdrivers I picked up earlier this year that are Husky and US-made.
My friend use to work for Hendricks and wrenched JJ's ride at the shop and was the 'under Car' guy on the pit crew. Also of there Stuff was from Lowe's and they provided a lot of feed back on quality and fit that they actually incorporated into there brand.
Is it MAC quality, no, is it a reasonable substitute that balances cost/usability For me it is for certain tools.
So far I have used there ratcheting box wrench with good luck. Might be giving there sockets a try next since I just got into LSx stuff and need better assortment of metric stuff.
Is it MAC quality, no, is it a reasonable substitute that balances cost/usability For me it is for certain tools.
So far I have used there ratcheting box wrench with good luck. Might be giving there sockets a try next since I just got into LSx stuff and need better assortment of metric stuff.
Im not a Snap On crack head but I have several tools and a very nice Snap On tool box. What I like about them the most is when I got my tool box there was a card signed by the guys and gals that built it. I know they all probably have families and are just good blue collar people and I know the guy that drives the Snap On truck and alot of his personal battles. All of their hand tools are what I call heirloom tools and can be passed down to my boys so they can take them to the pawn shop when im dead. Their battery tools are different. They are made offshore and no better than Milwaukee and DeWalt.
In short, their hand tools are not made by some 8 year old communist and it means something to have Snap On tools. Nobody cares if you are handed down a nice set of Gearwrench wrenches.
In short, their hand tools are not made by some 8 year old communist and it means something to have Snap On tools. Nobody cares if you are handed down a nice set of Gearwrench wrenches.
The thing I can’t fathom is how a toolbox, which is just bent slivers of sheet metal, costs more than a new car. A car has an engine, electronics, airbags, crash safety standards, higher shipping costs to get it to you, way more R&D to pass safety standards and be better than a competitors car, yet there are some toolboxes that cost more than a Camry.
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My friend use to work for Hendricks and wrenched JJ's ride at the shop and was the 'under Car' guy on the pit crew. Also of there Stuff was from Lowe's and they provided a lot of feed back on quality and fit that they actually incorporated into there brand.
Is it MAC quality, no, is it a reasonable substitute that balances cost/usability For me it is for certain tools.
So far I have used there ratcheting box wrench with good luck. Might be giving there sockets a try next since I just got into LSx stuff and need better assortment of metric stuff.
Is it MAC quality, no, is it a reasonable substitute that balances cost/usability For me it is for certain tools.
So far I have used there ratcheting box wrench with good luck. Might be giving there sockets a try next since I just got into LSx stuff and need better assortment of metric stuff.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 33
From: Fort Worth, Texas
The thing I can’t fathom is how a toolbox, which is just bent slivers of sheet metal, costs more than a new car. A car has an engine, electronics, airbags, crash safety standards, higher shipping costs to get it to you, way more R&D to pass safety standards and be better than a competitors car, yet there are some toolboxes that cost more than a Camry.
I've been wrenching since 86 and I couldn't afford to buy snap-on.mac back then. After going to sears every day replacing my broken **** I had to start. In 88 the shop got broken into and they stole everyone tools. I couldn't afford to pay any more than 20 bucks a week so I went with snap-on because the dealer was cool and let me have about 20k in tools. In the beginning, we all wanted a big res snap-on box. I bought one then traded it in for a new one until I got the one big *** box I have now. I took it home before back surgery in 2000, it never left my house. With all that said the tools are the best (in my mind), they come to you and you don't have to put out all the money up front. The dealer we have said its about 40% mark up. I guess that pays for all the warranty on the tools + once your on the truck you'll find other **** you want
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Joined: Feb 2021
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Think about it in this sense:
Do you want a Guarenteed product that might break when you need it most? Or do you want a product that probably won't break when you need it the most?
Snap on is stronger and is much mnore reliable. Mechanics make money and bsically live and die by their tools. That is why there is a company like Snap-on and MAC that make tools that won't break when you need it the most. Craftsman is good for DIY and some stuff, but for tools that see serious use and are needed, it is very much worth the price.
The extra cost is due to much more R+D and MUCH better engineering of the Tools and other stuff. That makes it cost a little more. Then they use better steel's to make a stronger tool. Take a Craftman Cast tool vs Forged steel. Some of the Snap-on stuff is true Tool quality steel and is about the strongest you can get.
It's like mild steel vs Chrome-moly steel.
Do you want a Guarenteed product that might break when you need it most? Or do you want a product that probably won't break when you need it the most?
Snap on is stronger and is much mnore reliable. Mechanics make money and bsically live and die by their tools. That is why there is a company like Snap-on and MAC that make tools that won't break when you need it the most. Craftsman is good for DIY and some stuff, but for tools that see serious use and are needed, it is very much worth the price.
The extra cost is due to much more R+D and MUCH better engineering of the Tools and other stuff. That makes it cost a little more. Then they use better steel's to make a stronger tool. Take a Craftman Cast tool vs Forged steel. Some of the Snap-on stuff is true Tool quality steel and is about the strongest you can get.
It's like mild steel vs Chrome-moly steel.
One of the best ratchets I have is a 70's model Husky. Nothing is made like it used to be. I can say that I've been in a factory that is a supplier to Snap On and they produce a quality product in the USA. If that means something to you then Snap On might be worth the price. Since i use my tools on an accasional basis, Harbor Freight stuff is good enough for my needs for the most part.
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Joined: Jun 2021
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High gross margins? Compared to whom? The average gross profit on Snap-On tools is 38%, including all the tools ("outside" and Snap-On labelled). This is well within the framework of what is typical in a retail business and is, in fact, less than many.
The correct answer includes a combination of marketing methods (the dollars go up the chain, from manufacturing, to management, to franchisee. The other part of the answer is quality. Note Snap-On sells "Blue Point" branded tools in which the sockets, for example, are 1/4 or less the price of Snap-On branded sockets.
The correct answer includes a combination of marketing methods (the dollars go up the chain, from manufacturing, to management, to franchisee. The other part of the answer is quality. Note Snap-On sells "Blue Point" branded tools in which the sockets, for example, are 1/4 or less the price of Snap-On branded sockets.
Snap on prices have gone insane levels. I wrench for a living and make more then I ever have. Hard to justify some of the items. They recently had a shop vac in the flyier. $1200 dollars haha. Still love the wrenches and use a lot of there tools. Just a lot of them are in the stratosphere. I buy more Mac lately.
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Joined: Nov 2021
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Raining on the parade. I grew up in my families True Value hardware. I respect a good tool. Times have changed, product engineering has become a science of how shitty can we make something till the internet calls us out. Money is the goal market share is the game. Market share is not always as it seems though. Here is where it gets tricky. Most products now are made at factories that manufacture for multiple corporate buyers and they run 3 or 4 grades of the same product. Just swapping out bezels, color and then some higher end parts for cheaper ones in the lower end parts.
. Snap-on doesn't make most of their offerings. They may have had some control on the quality of interchangable, but they have been caught bon too many occasions in product reviews being identical to another way less expensive brand. Don't believe me Google it, YouTube is full of examples.
Don't hate the player. No point reinventing the wheel. Some of their tried and true products are as solid as they are timeless. Sockets, still the best in the industry....well mine are at least 30 years old. So.....Good luck keep your powder dry.
. Snap-on doesn't make most of their offerings. They may have had some control on the quality of interchangable, but they have been caught bon too many occasions in product reviews being identical to another way less expensive brand. Don't believe me Google it, YouTube is full of examples.
Don't hate the player. No point reinventing the wheel. Some of their tried and true products are as solid as they are timeless. Sockets, still the best in the industry....well mine are at least 30 years old. So.....Good luck keep your powder dry.
TECH Addict
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,513
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From: PDX-OR-USA
I have a SnapOn Aerospace crescent Wrench, a 6" one ,, they were north of 200 bucks, in the early 90's. Solid billet forged stainless.
I got it as a work gift/prize years ago and ever time I use it its like.. dang that thing is made good. when you spin the clamp down it grabs the bolt head.
I also have their ratcheting screwdriver, the black one, hold bits inside the handle, have used it for going on 30 years..
has the finest ratchet in it I've ever found works perfect on delicate screws or stuff your trying to break,
they are about 150 bucks, worth every penny.
I got it as a work gift/prize years ago and ever time I use it its like.. dang that thing is made good. when you spin the clamp down it grabs the bolt head.
I also have their ratcheting screwdriver, the black one, hold bits inside the handle, have used it for going on 30 years..
has the finest ratchet in it I've ever found works perfect on delicate screws or stuff your trying to break,
they are about 150 bucks, worth every penny.
Harbor Freight now has a 24K gold plated Icon ratchet for all you ballers.
I was at my mechanics last week. I noticed he had a Mac air gun. I asked him about it and he said they are made by Ingersol Rand and better quality than Snap On air guns.
I was at my mechanics last week. I noticed he had a Mac air gun. I asked him about it and he said they are made by Ingersol Rand and better quality than Snap On air guns.
Launching!
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 245
Likes: 21
Best toolbox value out there right now is US General hands down. The roller bearings, drawer slides and thickness of the sheet metal is among the best. I’m a tool maker by trade so I have Kennedy tool boxes. I bought a US General add on box and it is actually better quality. I took the US General logo off of it and added a Kennedy logo. The red finish matches perfectly so no one is the wiser.
