I remember like it was yesterday. Walking into the tool shop and ready to browse and not buy a thing. I was on a limited budget at the time (and well even more so now) so I didn’t have anything in mind to buy.
I just wanted to look at the shiny too……what is that!? A compact little tool kit with a 1/4drive socket set and assorted bits?! It was beautiful. Small and compact. Tactile and functional. It was simple and yet so worthy of my money. Did I need it? Nope. I had everything this kit provided in my tool box at work and then again some more of the same at home.
So why should I buy something I already have? First of, it was on special at $69. Nice. It was a bargain. Secondly, I wanted it. Thirdly it was some of my most common tools and bits, I used at the time, all in one place.
The fact it had a 13mm socket for a 1/4 ratchet pretty much sold it for me. 13mm socket was a staple at the time and in a kit like this made it very attractive. So I got it. Did I use it? Definitely. I still do, to this day, with a slight modification of what ratchet I use.
So as you can see the kit has had a few changes to it since I bought it. The torx bits have been replaced with a set of Milwaukee branded items that fair much better with power tools. A few pieces have gone walk about, but I haven’t replaced them as there hasn’t been a need for them.
The 10 years of ownership of this kit and the only down side really is the fact I’ve lost my bit adapter for power tools (also have replacements for that) and the ratchet jams. Not all the time. Just sometimes but enough times to not use it. I swap it out with my overpriced Snap-On 1/4 ratchet which will have more detail about that in another article.
What did I end up using this for? Mainly interior work in cars. Dash work or door trim removal. This was the kit I always had at the ready.
The ratchet for a long time could withstand massive amount of torque requirements to undo bolts – probably why it’s finally starting to give up. Is this a go to kit that Euro Car Techs should invest in. I would say yes. I wouldn’t say buy this Kincrome kit but certainly a kit that has that magical 13mm socket for a 1/4 drive ratchet.
Is this the best thing that came out of 2010? People think the iPad changed the game in 2010. I think this little kit did it for me.
