When you have to reach for the best socket set, it probably means that you need to deal with something that has gone wrong on the chassis or your tow car.
The first thing to be aware of is that many of the smaller fixings will be Torx head screws on a modern tourer or a caravan tow car. These screws have a six-pointed star/flower-like shape inset into them (or externally) and although many think they were developed to prevent owners tampering with them, that’s not so.
The real reason is that they speed up mass production by reducing wear on the tool bits, and allow for greater torque to be exerted on the fixing. Torx or star bits are now commonly included in most good socket sets and they work well.
While you can buy tools individually for your caravan tool kit, it’s far better value to buy a complete socket set. These come in their own cases, making them easy to carry. Basic automotive sets of tools can be bought cheaply from firms such as Machine Mart (I always go for their lifetime warranty Clarke PRO range). Halfords have great selections and an excellent exchange system on the Advanced range (which also has a lifetime warranty).
You can get reasonable tools from Lidl and Aldi that are fine for occasional use.
Bahco tools are great quality for their price and always worth buying, while the ultimate brands for socket sets include Wera, Facom and Snap-On. In this guide, we’re sharing our pick for the best socket sets on the market.
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What is the best socket set?
Clarke PRO378
Bahco S330
Wera 8100 SC2
Halfords Advanced 200-piece set
The best socket sets
Clarke PRO378
- Weight: 4.8kg
Reason to buy:
- Compact and good value
Reason to avoid:
- No selection of screwdriver bits
Best for value
Machine Mart’s Clarke PRO range all come with a lifetime warranty (excluding the ratchet drive) and are good-value starter sets. Although they also offer a larger set with a wheel brace, the compact size of this PRO378 kit makes it more useful for touring purposes.
The ½-inch sockets range from 10mm to 32mm and have some useful deep-drive examples, while the universal joint and extension bar are handy, together with a couple of spark plug sockets. The only thing missing is a selection of screwdriver bits, but it’s a good set for the money.
Check the latest price at Machine Mart.
Bahco S330
Weight: 2kg
Reason to buy:
- Compact and easy to stow
Reason to avoid:
- Lacks Torx bits
Best for compact size
Over the years, I must have recommended this set hundreds of times in magazines and it’s still one of my favourites. The set pictured here is more than 10 years old. I stash one of these in each of my vehicles. Being so compact, it’s easy to stow, yet it features a selection of sockets (10mm to 22mm), two sizes of spark plug tool, various extensions and universal joints, and a screwdriver and bit set. It’s that compactness and the carefully selected contents that make this kit so useful.
This selection can handle most habitation jobs, thanks to the screwdriver and bit set, and the majority of underbonnet tasks, thanks to the wide range of socket sizes you have
to choose from.
The only negative point to bear in mind is that it lacks Torx bits, so it makes sense to add a separate set of these.
Wera 8100 SC2
- Weight: 5.8kg
Reason to buy:
- Excellent quality
Reason to avoid:
- Multi-angle Zyklon ratchet socket needs buying separately
Best for ease of use
German firm Wera are the Rolls Royce of brands and their 8100 SC2 set is an absolute delight to use, thanks to its superb Zyklop Speed ratchet driver, which offers a clever swivelling head and a fine-tooth mechanism.
The quality can’t be faulted, and the set includes sockets ranging from 10mm to 32mm, with extension bars, a universal joint and a screwdriver set with allen head, cross-head and Torx bits, all in their own sturdy metal case. You can buy the multi-angle Zyklon ratchet socket separately for £66 online.
Halfords Advanced 200-piece set
- Weight: 21kg
Reason to buy:
- Should be able to cover most tasks
Reason to avoid:
- Bulky to store and heavy to lift
Best for long trips
If you only buy one set for almost any vehicle-related job, this is the one to get. It can handle most home mechanic tasks and is ideal for long trips. The quality is good and the lifetime warranty covers everything in the case.
The set includes 100-tooth ratchets in ¼-inch, 3/8-inch and ½-inch sizes, with sockets ranging from 4mm to 36mm, and several deep-drive sockets.
A set of Halfords’ excellent ratchet spanners (from 6mm to 19mm), a breaker bar, alloy wheel sockets and allen keys, with an extensive range of screwdriver bits, should mean you’ll always have the correct tool to hand. It’s not cheap, but Halfords often do discounts, so watch for these and you might snap it up for around £280.
There’s only one downside to this 200-piece set: it’s a little bulky and at 21kg, heavy to lift. But this is a great-value set, worth every penny, and it will allow you to tackle almost
any automotive repair job.
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