The ratcheting socket wrench, popularly called as a ratchet, is an effective hand tool that can be attached to a socket and that in turn can be attached to a nut or bolt.

Among the different brands that produce ratchet sets, Gearwrench and Craftsman are the topmost ones and which one to choose from among them is ambiguous.

If you ask the experts or the professionals who have used these tools at some point in time, you will not get a concrete answer. Some will tell you Gearwrench is better while others will vote for Craftsman.

To solve the Gearwrench vs Craftsman dilemma, we shall go for a detailed discussion about the two but before that let us have an idea about the history of these two companies

Craftsman

It originated as an American company during the early 1920s and slowly spread to the rest of the world. It is a producer of a number of tools starting from po?wer tools to garage door openers which are manufactured in different locations. 

The ratcheting tools which are our topic of discussion today are produced in Taiwan, China. You will be surprised to know that the brand which is producing sophisticated tools with widespread usage in every sphere initially had only the farmers as its customers.

Craftsman has introduced a number of tool-lines, some of them being the Sears, the Companion, and the Evolv. The last one mainly includes the home-owners and people interested in DIY projects as its target customers.

Gear Wrench

It is a brand of the Apex Group Tools which is incidentally the cradle of the Craftsman tools too.

The difference lies in the fact that for Craftsman, it is just the factory where it is manufactured under contract whereas for GearWrench it the mother company. Just a few years ago the Gear Wrench tools were manufactured in the US.

If you are a novice and are buying a ratchet set for the first time, Craftsman should be your ideal choice. This is available at a much lower cost and is good for beginners to try their hands on.

On the other hand, Gearwrench tools are comparatively better in terms of quality- by quality, we mean both durability and finish. So, these tools will be better from design perspectives and serve your purpose well.

At the same time, they will last longer. This is the gist of the Gearwrench vs Craftsman dilemma and is explained in more details in the lines to come. So read along to know more...

According to most of the people, Craftsman vs GearWrench tools does not have any difference in them. They are more or less similar with respect to performance. However, there is a fine line of difference between the two.

GearWrench’s tools are a little better than Craftsman according to most of the users.One significant difference between the Craftsman and GearWrench tools is that the Craftsman tools lack a proper finish.

The chrome plating in most of the Craftsman models is not really good. This is the reason why many users prefer GearWrench. However, according to a few others, the incredibly low price at which these tools come make this flaw ignorable.

They also come with a one-year warranty and thus, if you find any minor flaws, you can always go for a replacement.

Some users have also noticed that the GearWrench wrenches are open at one end and ratchet at the other while for the Craftsman ones both ends are ratcheting. If both ends are ratcheting, the advantage is that it can serve for multiple sizes with a lesser number of wrenches.

On the other hand, if only one end is ratcheting, you do not need to have a separate wrench with an open end. However, in this case, you will only be able to work in a few particular cases since one ratcheting end will limit your scope.

So, which wrench to consider as the advantageous one will entirely depend on the user. If he needs to work with multiple sizes, Craftsman wrenches will be better. Again, if he prefers a wrench with an open end, GearWrench will be beneficial.

The ratcheting mechanisms of the two wrenches are comparable, though Craftsman is believed to be a bit smoother according to some. GearWrench, on the other hand, has got a thinner profile.

GearWrench 120XP Ratchet Set

One of the unique creations of GearWrench is its 120XP ratchet set. This is mainly because of the dual, stacked pawls in the set.

The 60-tooth driver gear is alternately engaged by two different offset pawls. This helps in minimizing the swing arc.

Or, in other words, it helps in loosening or tightening the nuts through small amounts of swing arcs.

GearWrench 81230F

 The GearWrench 81230F ratchet set is yet another polished tool kit from GearWrench which comes with greater accessibility and strength.

This low-profile tool set also gives you an added leverage

GearWrench 9702

 GearWrench 9702 13 Piece is a 13-piece set of flex heads which includes flex-heads of various dimensions.

It is much better than the reversible ones that have a problem with changing directions.

GearWrench 81916 Combination Wrench Set

 The GearWrench 81916 Combination Wrench Set uses the surface dry technology of GearWrench and consists of a 22piece metric set along with an 18piece SAE tool set.

The tools are not too heavy to be handled with one hand but are heavy-duty in nature.

They are designed in such a way that "knuckle-banging" is reduced to a large extent.

GearWrench 81309 Tool Set

The GearWrench 81309 tool set is featured by a Drive Quick Release ratchet.

It comes with a number of features like full polish chrome finish, a tear drop-shaped handle and its ability to meet or exceed ASME B7.0.

Gearwrench 00417A

 Gearwrench 00417A is another classic product from the Gearwrench brand.

The tools are made from alloy steel and come with a polished finish. It is a must-have in your mobile service vehicle.

It is available at an affordable price and also has a tray for easy storage.

Craftsman 35334

The Craftsman 35334 is a 334-piece tool set which provides you with a range of different tools like standard and metric so that you do not face an issue finding the right tool that would serve your purpose.

The array of options that the tool set has to offer sets it apart from the rest. The ratchets in this set come with a quick release mechanism. Apart from ratcheting wrenches, hex sockets, extensions and other such tools are also there.

There are three drive sizes of ¼, 3/8 and ½ inches.

Vintage Craftsman Flying V-Series ½” Drive Ratchet

 The Vintage Craftsman Flying V-Series ½” Drive Ratchet with Port Oil is a vintage-looking tool which comes in handy for your purposes.

As evident from the name, it is capable of giving ½ inch drives.

Craftsman 200-Piece Tool Set

 It comes with 6-pt and 12-pt sockets and wrenches, unlike the universal one that comes with spline-style sockets and wrenches.

They have a simplistic design but are quite durable and sturdy in nature.

Bottom Line

As evident from the above discussion, Craftsman and GearWrench are quite similar to each other and it is not easy to distinguish between the two and choose one. However, the selection will depend on the perspective of the user.

For someone who prefers a wrench with an open end, GearWrench will be better. Again, for someone who needs a wrench with both ends ratcheting, Craftsman would be the ideal choice.

Also, if you are a professional and are looking for quality tools, GearWrench is your thing while for those who are new in this field and want to try their hands at something cheaper, Craftsman would be fine.

So choose your wrench brands according to your needs and get started!