Purchasing tools, including socket sets, can be confusing if you are unsure of what makes the brands stand out from the competition. When you want high-quality craftsmanship, you want to go with brand names made right here in the USA. Below, we found all of the socket sets that are American made.
Complete List of Socket Set Brands Made in the USA
Bonhus began to manufacture their first product, the Balldriver® in 1964. The company has since then taken pride in providing the nation and beyond with high-end and timesaving tools.
Made with U.S. quality engineering, their products are proudly manufactured in their Minnesota facility across the stream of the mighty Mississippi River.
Wright Tools prides itself in its quality, and American-made sockets, ratchets, and wrenches. Their products are built with no frills and are durable and reliable, while still remaining an affordable choice for personal mechanic uses.
SK Tools produces specialty tools for professional builders and manufacturers. They have been making precision and durable products for more than 100 years. During WWII, they produced ammunition and shell casing. Now they have switched to domestic tools with the same amount of quality and strength!
Proto is a large company producing a wide range of industrial tools. They make everything from power tools to wrenches and deliver the same level of quality with each product.
Additionally, Pronto Tools offers a Lifetime Warranty on its products.
Ampco Safety Tools have been continuously produced in the USA for more than 100 years. In fact, AMPCO was the first company to produce aluminum bronze safety tools! These durable tools are a sentiment to the quality of American made products.
Mike’s YouTube Video on American Made Socket Sets
How To Find Socket Sets Made In The USA
When expanding on or upgrading your toolbox, you may want to buy a socket set for work around the house and on your car. A good tool set should last years, so you don’t want to settle for something cheaply made in giant manufacturing hubs like China. Instead, you should spend the extra few bucks to find a socket set made in the USA.
Buying a US-made socket set starts with understanding country of origin labels. Let’s dive in there, then shift to material sourcing and a few other shopping tips.
What Does “Made In The USA” Mean?
Before we dive into the ins and outs of finding socket sets made in the USA, let’s define what it means for something to be made in the USA. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) states that a company can use this label if “all or virtually all” of the product is made in the USA. In other words, everything from the sourcing of the raw material to the assembly of the product must take place domestically.
To learn more about this, check out our made in the USA products shopping guide.
Materials
To find socket sets made in the USA, the first step is researching the material used to make these sets. Knowing where the source material comes from and whether it is produced in the USA will help you find US-made sockets.
Sockets are made of steel. Steel is primarily produced in China, producing more than half of the world’s steel. So, when looking for steel products, including sockets, you’re likely to run into Chinese steel more than steel from any other country.
However, the United States ranks fourth in the world’s steel production. So, if you’re after exclusively US steel, you can certainly find it. In fact, if you are looking for quality steel that will last, US steel is the way to go; US-made steel is three times stronger than Chinese-made steel.
Any reputable American brand should use US steel for its quality.
Labeling
The next step to finding socket sets made in the USA is to look at the label. Title 19, Chapter 4, Section 1304 of the US Code states that any product made abroad must be appropriately labeled with the country of origin. This piece of legislation is a massive help in finding US-made products. On top of that, the FTC protects the usage of the “made in the USA” label, so in theory, finding US-made products is as simple as looking at the label on the product or its packaging.
Unfortunately, the reality is not as simple. Firstly, the FTC does not do the best job of policing the usage of the label. There is no pre-approval process, so it is up to the individual companies to determine whether or not their products meet the “made in the USA” requirements. And ultimately, it is up to the consumers to report any misuse of the label.
There are also a few other things to watch out for. Namely, companies may use similar phrases to trick consumers into thinking their products are made in the USA. For example, “designed in the USA” or “assembled in the USA” actually means that only a part of the processing takes place in the United States. Another commonly used label is “made in America,” which may mean that the product was made in Canada or Mexico.
A final thing to watch out for is the American flag sticker. The use of the American flag on labels is not protected. So if there is a flag sticker, don’t automatically equate it with the product being made in the USA.
Other Tips
Here are some more tips to help you find US-made socket sets.
Check The Website
Check the company’s website. “Made in the USA” is a huge selling point, so companies will likely advertise this fact on the “About Us” page or the product page. Conversely, if the product is made abroad, the company will likely keep that fact quiet. Remember that although companies are required to label their products with the country of origin, this is not the case for any online or promotional materials.
Online Shopping Sites
Websites like Amazon often state the country of origin in a product’s “Product Information” section. The FAQ section may also be a good place to look for the country of origin.
Call The Company
If you’re still unsure where a particular socket set is made, simply call the company and ask!
Socket Sets Not Made in the USA
When doing our research, we came across several tool brands that aren’t making their socket sets in the USA. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve listed these brands below as well as where their socket sets are being made.
- GearWrench – Made in China and Taiwan.
- Tekton – Made in Taiwan.
- Neiko – Made in China and Taiwan.
- Harbor Freight – Made in Taiwan.
- Sunex – Made in Taiwan.
- WORKPRO – Made in China.
- Mulwark – Made in China and Taiwan.
