Even with a tool as simple to use as a torque wrench, there is enough minutiae to warrant a rankings of the top brands. These are SlashGear’s recommendations.
The humble torque wrench is one of those tools you probably won’t use too often, but should probably always have on hand. Its main use is automotive, as many people use them every year to loosen the lug nuts on their flat tires to put on a spare. There are many types of torque wrenches out there as well, and they are all universally useful. Pair one with a good floor jack and some good technique, and changing your tires becomes rather easy. Most of today’s vehicles that come with a spare also come with a torque wrench, but it’s something you may want to check, especially if you bought your car used.
If you’re in the market for a good torque wrench, it’s probably a good idea to learn who the big players are. In general, most tool brands make a torque wrench, and you can find them at any hardware store or from online retailers like Amazon. That includes budget-friendly brands from Harbor Freight and big dogs like Snap-on and Mac Tools. In most cases, almost any brand is good enough for casual use, but those who want a step above do have some options for things like accuracy. Stanley
Stanley is a big name in tools, and the brand owns a lot of other tool companies as well. The company acquired Black and Decker in the late 2000s, and the two have been a single company ever since. They are best known for their power tools and hand tools, and you’ve likely seen them on store shelves all over the place. Some of the tools are even made in the U.S., which people tend to like.
For torque wrenches, Stanley has six available through its website, although you can find some online at retailers like Amazon. What’s nice about Stanley is that the brand keeps it simple. All six torque wrenches they offer have different strength ratings that range from five nanometers all the way up to 340 nanometers in sizes that include ¼, ¾, and ½ . That is more than enough for casual use, and the different sizes let you buy one that is compatible with your existing socket set. Customer reviews tend to be pretty good as well.
Stanley places low on the list for two reasons. The first is that the brand doesn’t offer more advanced tech like competitors, and its availability in-store is a little less than stellar. Otherwise, there’s not much wrong with Stanley. Husky
Husky is best known as one of Home Depot’s house brands, and you can readily find their tools all over store shelves right next to brands like Ryobi. There is nothing wrong with Husky hand tools, and the brand is pretty well known for being a great bargain for DIYers without breaking the bank. You won’t find anything super specialized in the lineup, at least in terms of torque wrenches, but this is one of the better ways to get one to change a flat tire without spending too much.
The brand keeps it simple with three torque wrenches. They include a ¼-inch that supports up to 200 inch-pounds of force, a ⅜-inch that can do up to 100 foot-pounds, and a ½ -inch model that does up to 250 foot-pounds. These are fairly basic models, although all three have excellent user reviews. They’ll definitely work for DIY tasks, changing tires, and similar work. For reference, lug nuts require around 80 to 100 lb-ft of torque, so if you’re swinging for that, you may want to skip the ¼-inch torque wrench.
Husky is available exclusively at Home Depot and nowhere else, and its lower placement is due to a lack of tech features provided by brands further up the list.Klein
Klein Tools makes some pretty good stuff. The business is family-owned and operated and has been for its entire existence so far. They are best known for their hand tools, although I personally know them best for their multimeters. I bought one many years ago, and it still works perfectly to this day. In any case, Klein doesn’t sell a ton of tools in any one category as the brand tends to get it right with fewer options.
Klein offers three torque wrenches on its website, along with a torque wrench set that includes bits and other tools. There are also some other variations available at places like Amazon, so we’re unsure of the total number of models, but there are at least three or four. They are fairly standard ⅜-inch and ½-inch torque wrenches, with maximum torque ratings of 100 lb-ft and 250 lb-ft, respectively. Since Klein doesn’t offer a ¼-inch model, you can buy any torque wrench from them, and it’ll be strong enough to change a car tire.
Generally speaking, Klein is on par with Stanley and Husky in terms of torque wrench quality, and that’s not a bad thing. It also gets great customer reviews, even if it’s a bit more pricey than the other brands. Harbor Freight brands
Harbor Freight is a good place to buy a lot of tools, including torque wrenches. The company owns many of the tool brands sold there, so we decided to lump Harbor Freight’s selection into a single section to talk about them. Of those brands, three sell torque wrenches at Harbor Freight, including Pittsburgh, Icon, and Quinn. Of those three, Icon and Quinn have the most options. All told, there are over a dozen options for torque wrenches at Harbor Freight.
They come in standard ¼-inch, ⅜-inch, and ½-inch sizes, although their torque figures are significantly higher than many competitors, with torque values that are equal to most of the others you’ll see on the market. There are two things that help Harbor Freight’s selection stand out. The first is the existence of electronic torque wrenches, which puts Harbor Freight on par with competitors like Craftsman and Tekton. The other is this neat little device called a digital torque adapter, which gives torque readouts on non-electric torque wrenches.
