Cased tool kits come in many sizes and varieties.We help you choose the right kind for your needs, and rate five popular kits for quality. For more reviews, go to whatcar.com/class/product-reviews
TESTING PROCESS
A GOOD TOOL kit can pay for itself many times over by helping you to tackle car repairs yourself rather than paying a mechanic to do the work. To help you pick one, we tried five kits, testing the tools on a variety of jobs, including removing the awkward-to-reach bolts around a car battery. We tested smaller kits you might keep in your boot, and larger ones for your garage. We factored in the apparent quality of each set, plus how fit for purpose they were. As ever, value was considered too.
1 Vonhaus Socket and Tool set Price £99.99 Buy from Amazon How many pieces? 256
This is a very comprehensive kit for the price, and includes a socket set with an extended arm, which made light work of reaching the deep-set bolts around our car’s battery.The tools sit tightly in the case, and mostly feel hefty and well made (they’re covered by a two-year guarantee). If we’re looking for niggles, the plastic clips that hold this hefty case shut feel as though they could get broken quite easily, and you can’t see the size of the sockets without pulling them out of their slots in the case.
WHAT CAR? SAYS
2 Halfords motorists’ tool kit Price £24 Buy from Halfords How many pieces? 47
Unlike the larger kits here, this is designed to be kept in your car for emergencies. It includes a selection of sockets from 8-17mm and an extension arm that made accessing our car battery bolts easy.There’s also a tyre pressure gauge, jubilee clips, a torch, electrical tape and cable ties. Considering its size and price, this is fantastic value and could be a lifesaver if you break down.
WHAT CAR? SAYS
3 Hi-Spec Auto Mechanic’s Tool Kit Price £38.99 Buy from Amazon How many pieces? 67
This kit is just 30cm wide and weighs 2.6kg, so it’s a happ
