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.
Full List of Socket Set Brands Made in the USA
Made with U.S. quality engineering, these sets are designed to be sturdy and work well on numerous fasteners. With their two ProHold non-magnetic buttons, they’re intended to provide smooth rotation without interference.
The ProHold feature enables you to insert, remove, and change bits quickly and easily from any six-point socket without the use of any additional tools or adapters. Using precise machining for all of their socket sets, it will fit onto the fastener correctly to minimize slipping, stripping, or breaking.
Wright Tools has designed a basic socket set without any fancy features, meant to be durable, affordable and a reliable choice for personal mechanic uses.
The Wright Drive design is intended to provide ten times more contact than other traditional socket brands on the market. By distributing contact stress more efficiently, you can avoid any damage or rounding of fasteners during use.
SK Tools’ flex sockets are ideal when you need to reach fasteners in tight spaces or indirectly. SK Tools uses their special SureGrip impact hex design to avoid any slippage or breakage during use.
These flex sockets are designed to work well for fasteners that are rusted or worn from overuse. They are lightweight and easy to use in a variety of situations. The SK Tools extensions are durable enough to withstand harsh working conditions and resist corrosion over time.
Specifically designed to handle damaged or stubborn fasteners, the Pronto Tools socket set is meant for fasteners of softer materials.
Their special TorquePlus design helps minimize rounding and directs stress away from the corners. This unique feature distributes pressure across more surface area and aids in a reduction of slippage. Ideal for worn or rusted fasteners, the Proto style is well-suited for personal and professional applications.
Pronto Tools also offers a Lifetime Warranty on its products.
Ampco Safety Tools has a lot of great socket sets no matter which variety you need. They are a large hand tools manufacturer and have a big online catalog to browse and find just what you are looking for.
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. It comes with the additional perk of supporting your local economy. We’ve got you covered if you’re unsure where to start when looking for US-made socket sets.
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 detailed “made in the USA” labeling 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.
