Amazon Sells Surprisingly Cheap Socket Sets, But Are They Any Good?

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As the largest online retailer, it’s no surprise that Amazon’s listings are filled with great deals on useful items. However, there are some things to avoid buying from Amazon, so it’s a good idea to do some research before making a purchase. While Amazon Basics socket sets are cheap, whether they’re any good is a different question.

Shopping at Amazon is fast, convenient, and typically budget-friendly, but buying tools from relatively unknown brands, like Amazon Basics, online can be a gamble. Amazon lists itself as the manufacturer of Amazon Basics socket sets. Amazon Basics, formerly the Denali brand, is Amazon’s store-branded tool line made for Amazon by suppliers in Asia. This is a similar approach to other retailer-owned brands like many of those sold by Harbor Freight, Lowe’s Kobalt, or Home Depot’s Husky brands. So while the brand name is recognizable to customers, it doesn’t necessarily tell us a lot about the quality of the tools.

Trying to determine the quality of the Amazon Basics tools we’re looking at online starts with viewing the glossy images and reading any specifications provided on the product page. While the tools are often backed by the self-promoting “Amazon’s Choice” label, it’s often better to look for user reviews and independent product tests before clicking the “Buy Now” button.

As with most things in life, there are some Amazon Basics tools worth buying and others we should avoid. Amazon Basics socket sets are generally highly rated on Amazon, with reviews for various mechanic’s tool sets containing sockets apparently lumped together as each have 12.6K reviews and 4.7-star ratings.

Project Farm tested an Amazon Basics tool kit (alongside other kits) that included a ⅜-inch-drive socket set among other tools designed for household use. The video host notes that the tool kit is “Made in China” before putting the sockets and ratchet to the test. Using an impact wrench to test the failure point of sockets up to 200 ft-lbs, the Amazon Basics socket was failure-free up to 203.7 foot-pounds. The included ratchet handle only withstood 100 ft-lbs before starting to bend and the internal ratcheting mechanism failed at 160 ft-lbs. While the Amazon Basics ratchet failed under less load than Kobalt or Pittsburgh ratchets, it surpassed the Craftsman ratchet.

Most of Amazon’s Amazon Basics socket sets are offered as part of a mechanic tool set that often include wrenches, hex-keys, and other tools. One such item, marked as “Amazon’s Choice: Overall Pick,” is the 201-piece mechanics socket tool set with case, priced at $53.98 with free two-day Prime shipping available.

While you shouldn’t rely exclusively on the Amazon “Overall Pick” label when shopping online, especially for socket sets, it’s not a bad sign for tools. Amazon’s criteria for a product earning the label indicates it must hold at least a 4-star rating, be purchased often, and have a low rate of returns. Just don’t be fooled into thinking an Amazon employee is rating these products based on how they perform.

Another “Amazon Choice” option is the Amazon Basics 19-piece ½-inch-drive 6-point shallow impact socket set for $55.99. The set only includes SAE-sized impact-rated sockets, no metric sizes, ratchets, or extensions. Socket sizes range from ⅜-inch up to 1-½-inches in 1/16-inch intervals without skips. They feature chrome molybdenum alloy steel (Cr-Mo) construction and come in a fitted carrying case measuring 10.2 by 8.5 by 2.4 inches.

Amazon Basics socket set options also include specialty sockets, like the 14-piece external Torx socket set ranging from E4 to E24 sizes in ¼-, ⅜-, and ½-inch drives. While the set comes in a storage case for $11.60 and earns a 4.6-star rating on Amazon, it’s not labeled as an “Amazon Choice” since it is frequently returned.