The point is that it is perfectly possible to buy a new and complete set and then lose bits of it for various reasons. We all know how tempting it is to use a tool and then not put it back straightaway, telling ourselves we’ll do it next time instead. But by the time ‘next time’ comes, we’ve forgotten where we put it. Even though some things will turn up we can still be left with only half a socket set when it should be a complete one.
Socket Sets
There is no doubt that a socket set is a very useful item to have around the home. It could have many different uses all around the home as well as coming in handy for those jobs you need to do on the car from time to time. In fact many people buy one of these sets to keep in the car, as well as having a separate one to have at home.
If you have never bought a socket set before you will want to find out a bit more about them before making your purchase. To that end, we have put this simple guide together for you. You can then read through our Shop Now section to find out where to get these sets from.
A Selection of the Best Selling Socket Sets
What types of socket sets are there?
There are lots of different types available depending on what it is you need. You can buy very large sets which come in fifty pieces or more, but you might find you don’t need this many. The exception would be if you intend to use the set virtually every day. In this situation you might want lots of different sized sockets to hand.
The type of set you buy may also depend on your budget. The bigger the set the more expensive it will obviously be. You can spend anything from about £10 or £20 and upwards when you want to buy a socket set; the top of the range models are a lot more expensive than that!
You will also find that the sets which have both the handle and a wide range of sockets in them tend to come in ready made carry cases. These are excellent as every item has its pre-defined space. This also means that you can easily locate everything and keep it all tidy and easy to access. And of course you can transport the whole lot quite happily from location to location.
What sizes do they come in?
The sockets themselves come in lots of different sizes. They are sometimes defined in parts of an inch, such as ¼ of an inch and ¾ of an inch. These correspond to the sizes of the nuts and bolts you can tighten with them.
The larger sets have more different sizes inside them, so you will need to think about whether the set you have your eye on is going to meet your needs. Do you have a specific job you are doing which is the reason why you are buying a socket set? If you do, make sure the set you like has all the sizes in it that you need.
Of course the better the set, the more sizes it has and the more useful you will find it in the future. It is always better to find a socket set that is as big as you can possibly afford. It lasts much longer and is more versatile in this way.
Can you buy the different parts separately?
Yes you can. If you take a closer look at a socket set which has everything in it, you will see that there are two main components. The first one is the handle that you use with the various sockets. This is called the ratchet handle. The second component is the socket itself – this is the part that comes in different sizes.
Some of the cheaper items you will find aren’t actually complete sets at all. You can buy a socket set which doesn’t have the handle included in it. This is perfect if you already have a set that you want to expand, and you just need a separate set of the sockets in different sizes.
Always make sure that they are all compatible with each other, although you can usually combine different sets together with no problem.
Do you need shallow or deep sockets?
This is another variation on the basic socket sets you will find. Some of the sockets are longer – or deeper – than others. This means you have even more versatility when you are trying to screw or unscrew a bolt or nut. If you don’t have a lot of space to manoeuvre with when you are loosening or tightening a bolt, then you will definitely see the advantage of using a shallow socket. In fact, a deep one may not work at all in this situation.
What are the benefits of buying a socket set?
The main benefit is the number of different jobs it will help you to get done. A ratchet handle is much easier to turn and use than a traditional spanner. A spanner requires a lot more effort to keep on turning it, whereas a ratchet handle makes life a lot easier.
A good socket set will also take up a lot less space than simply buying lots of separate spanners and having to find the space for them all. You have plenty of spanners in one set, effectively, because the one handle can be transformed into lots of different tools.
In conclusion
You can probably see why there is a socket set in so many different homes! No matter what DIY job or repair you might be doing, there is a good chance that you will eventually find it necessary to get that set out. It has so many benefits and uses that no home would really be complete without one.
It is definitely an advantage to decide what you want from your socket set before you actually buy one though. There are so many sets out there that doing a bit of homework beforehand will make your purchase that much easier to complete.
One final thing – be aware of the different brand names available as well. There are plenty of good makes around, such as Forge Steel and Teng Tools, and you will find them all in our Brands section. This can help you to decide which brand of socket set would be right for you as well. Happy shopping!