What's Included In Craftsman's 298-Piece Tool Kit & Is It Worth The Price? Here's What The Reviews Say

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With almost a century of history, Craftsman has long been a go-to tool manufacturer that is synonymous with quality American craftsmanship. These days, Craftsman has its feet dipped in everything from hand tools, power tools, to even elaborate storage systems, and it's not showing signs of slowing down its innovation. Among its many tool sets and kit offerings, Craftsman also sells a 298-piece Mechanics Tool Set (CMMT12139). Covered by Craftsman's Full Lifetime Warranty, its Mechanics Tool Set is designed for both amateurs and professionals, which makes it a great gift for yourself or a loved one looking to get better at working on cars. 

Since 2017, Craftsman has been part of the Stanley Black & Decker portfolio, which has led to some mixed reviews in terms of its manufacturing quality. But take note, although Craftsman does have plants in the United States, it's good to know that this particular kit had China listed as its country of origin on Amazon. So, while the brand is known to make some tools in America, you'll want to check out other options that make tools in the USA instead if this is in line with your shopping values. But, if supporting local products isn't such a big deal for you, there are plenty of things to love about this kit anyway. If you're still curious about what you can find inside this Craftsman's kit and want to know what actual buyers have to say about it, keep reading.

On its website listing, Craftsman mentions that this 298-piece tool kit includes a range of corrosion-resistant tools made of full polish chrome finish. Unlike the Craftsman Overdrive 284-piece mechanics tool set, this particular kit unfortunately doesn't come with a tool box. However, the inclusive organizers do fit other Craftsman tool box drawers. 

As for the tools, it contains several 72-Tooth low profile ratchets (¼-inch, ⅜-inch, and ½-inch), which Craftsman mentions has a 5 degree arc swing and significantly thinner than those from its other sets. With 23 ratcheting wrenches, it covers everything from ¼- to 15/16-inch or 6- to 19-millimeter. In addition, it comes with 166 sockets, which are composed of 81 standard sockets, 58 deep sockets, and 27 bit sockets. With 44 hex keys, you have the option to use one of 28 long arm hex keys or the 16 short arm hex keys. In terms of bits, it has 16 nut bits and 33 specialty bits. 

Out of the box, it also has a slew of accessories that include bit drivers, extension bars, adapters, and a universal joint. For the full breakdown of the kit, you can review its content sheet [PDF] for more information. Now that you know the treasures that this Mechanics Tool Set holds, you may be wondering if it's worth the investment. So, what do people like or don't like about it, and what do you need to consider before adding it to cart?

Priced at $349, the Craftsman's 298-Piece Tool Kit boasts 4.7 stars from over 350 Amazon reviewers. In fact, an impressive 85% of buyers believed it was worth giving five stars. Knowing this, most people who bought it seem to be pretty satisfied with it. In particular, many reviewers think that it's great value for both SAE/Metric sizes and a lube technician mentioned that it works even for professional use. However, as expected, several people have noted that while it does come with organizers, they didn't like that it lacks a toolbox. Not to mention, there have been noted instances of pieces that are missing, like sockets. In addition, a reviewer mentioned that one of the ratchets was defective.

In general, the return on investment you're likely going to get from this set is based on if you already have some or most of the existing tools in your tool box. So, if you have not done a garage inventory yet, it might be worth checking if you're better off buying the pieces separately. That said, it's not the only tool kit in the market, and there are many other highly-rated alternatives sets. For example, WORKPRO offers a Mechanics Tools Kit and Socket Set with 192 pieces that has been rated 4.6 stars by over 4,300 people on average. While it does have fewer tools than its Craftsman counterpart, it retails for less than half the price at $109.99.