DURATECH Reversible Ratcheting Combination Wrench Set, SAE, 9-Piece

Why it's worth it

Nine SAE wrenches from 1/4 to 3/4 inch, with a published 72-tooth ratchet, a five-degree swing and heat-treated chrome vanadium steel. It's the budget set that tells you exactly what you're getting instead of hiding behind vague marketing.

DURATECH publishes the numbers other budget brands leave out. You get the tooth count, the arc swing, the steel and the finish treatment right there in the listing. That sounds like a small thing. It isn't — when a cheap set stays quiet about tooth count, it's usually because the answer isn't flattering, and you can't compare what nobody will tell you.

The reversing lever is the feature you'll use most. It sits flush in the head, so you flip direction with a thumb without pulling the wrench off the bolt. On a long run of bolts you'll do that dozens of times. Plenty of sets at this level make you flip the whole wrench over instead, which costs you your position every single time.

From our review of 8 ratcheting wrench sets, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +DURATECH publishes the numbers other budget brands leave out
• +The reversing lever is the feature you'll use most
• +The sizes are the ones you actually reach for
• +It travels well

What to know

• –SAE only
• –Chrome vanadium has a ceiling