The best socket sets
For the person who does their own oil changes, bike repairs and lawnmower servicing. Here's what to get.
A socket set is the heart of any car or bike toolkit: a ratchet and a row of sockets make nuts and bolts quick work, even where a spanner can't swing.
The drive size matters most. 1/4in is for small fixings, 3/8in is the all-rounder for car maintenance, and 1/2in is for wheel nuts and big bolts. Six-point sockets grip better and are less likely to round off a nut.
What matters
- Drive size: 1/4in small jobs, 3/8in cars, 1/2in heavy.
- Six-point sockets, which don't round off nuts.
- A fine-toothed ratchet (72 teeth) for tight spaces.
- Metric for modern kit, imperial for older.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Bahco SL25 1/4in Drive Socket Set (25 pieces)
£20–£30 Price range
Small enough for the car boot or a bike bag, and made to take abuse. Bahco's founder, Johan Petter Johansson, patented the modern adjustable spanner in 1891 and 1892.
What owners say: Owners call it a brilliant kit, good value, compact enough for awkward engine bays, and tough.
A closer look: 1/4in drive is right for small nuts and bolts: bikes, lawnmowers, car interiors and flat-pack. For wheel nuts and big suspension bolts you'll want a 1/2in set.
- 25 pieces, 1/4in drive
- Secure-fit metric sockets
- Compact case, 16.5cm long
- Made in Taiwan
- 2-year warranty
Best for: Bikes, cars and small jobs
- Pieces
- 25
- Drive
- 1/4in
- Sizes
- Metric
- Ratchet
- Ratchet included
#2 of 5
Best for keen mechanics
Draper Expert 18-Piece 3/8in Metric Socket Set
£20–£30 Price range
Hi-Torq six-point sockets from 8 to 22mm grip the flats of a nut, not the corners, so they don't round it off. The 72-tooth ratchet works in tight spaces, and there's a lifetime warranty.
What owners say: Owners find it good value and solid in the hand, feeling like a more expensive tool, with a handy case.
A closer look: 3/8in drive is the all-rounder for car maintenance. Keep the ratchet's mechanism clean and dry, and put a drop of light oil in it once a year.
- 18 pieces, 3/8in drive
- 6-point Hi-Torq sockets, 8–22mm
- 72-tooth soft-grip ratchet
- Chrome vanadium steel
- Lifetime warranty
Best for: Car maintenance
- Pieces
- 18
- Drive
- 3/8in
- Sizes
- Metric, 8–22mm
- Ratchet
- 72-tooth ratchet
#3 of 5
Biggest set
Amazon Basics 201-Piece Socket Set
£75–£100 Price range
A whole mechanic's toolbox in one case: metric and imperial sockets, spanners, hex keys and screwdriver bits, in chrome vanadium steel.
What owners say: Owners find it great value and durable, with sockets that sit firmly, and ideal for home mechanics.
Heads up: There's no 19mm socket in the set, a size some cars use for wheel nuts, so check before a tyre change.
A closer look: At nearly 7.5kg it's a garage set rather than one for the boot. Imperial sizes come in handy for classic British cars, American motorbikes and older machinery.
- 201 pieces
- 3 ratchets: 1/4in, 3/8in and 1/2in
- Metric and imperial (SAE) sizes
- Sockets, spanners, hex keys and bits
- Chrome vanadium steel
Best for: A garage that has nothing
- Pieces
- 201
- Drive
- 1/4in, 3/8in and 1/2in
- Sizes
- Metric and imperial
- Ratchet
- 3 quick-release ratchets
#4 of 5
Best budget
WORKPRO 39-Piece Socket Set (1/4in and 3/8in)
£10–£20 Price range
Metric and imperial sockets in two drive sizes with a 72-tooth quick-release ratchet: a good starter set for someone's first car or bike.
What owners say: Owners find it good quality and value, handy and compact, with both metric and imperial sizes.
A closer look: The quick-release button pops the socket off the ratchet, so they don't stay stuck on after a job. Metric fits almost everything modern; imperial is for older kit.
- 39 pieces, 1/4in and 3/8in drive
- Metric and imperial sockets
- 72-tooth quick-release ratchet
- Spinner handle and extension
- Chrome vanadium steel
Best for: A first set
- Pieces
- 39
- Drive
- 1/4in and 3/8in
- Sizes
- Metric and imperial
- Ratchet
- 72-tooth quick-release
#5 of 5
EGOFINE 46-Piece 1/4in Socket and Bit Set
£10–£20 Price range
Thirteen metric sockets from 4 to 14mm, 21 bit sockets and a universal joint, sliding T-bar and flexible extension for reaching round corners.
What owners say: Owners find it good quality and fantastic value, handy for odd jobs around the house, with a good selection of sockets.
A closer look: The flexible extension and universal joint are the heroes for bolts hidden behind other parts, like the back of a washing machine or under a car's dashboard.
- 46 pieces, 1/4in drive
- 13 metric sockets, 4–14mm
- 21 bit sockets (Phillips, Pozi, Torx, hex)
- Universal joint and flexible extension
- Storage case
Best for: Awkward, hidden bolts
- Pieces
- 46
- Drive
- 1/4in
- Sizes
- Metric, 4–14mm
- Ratchet
- Quick ratchet handle
How they compare
| Feature | #1Bahco SL25 | #2Draper Expert 18-piece | #3Amazon Basics 201 | #4WORKPRO 39-piece | #5EGOFINE 46-piece |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for keen mechanics | Biggest set | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.8 |
| Price | £20–£30 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £75–£100 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | £10–£20 Price range |
| Pieces | 25 | 18 | 201 | 39 | 46 |
| Drive | 1/4in | 3/8in | 1/4in, 3/8in and 1/2in | 1/4in and 3/8in | 1/4in |
| Sizes | Metric | Metric, 8–22mm | Metric and imperial | Metric and imperial | Metric, 4–14mm |
| Ratchet | Ratchet included | 72-tooth ratchet | 3 quick-release ratchets | 72-tooth quick-release | Quick ratchet handle |
| Best for | Bikes, cars and small jobs | Car maintenance | A garage that has nothing | A first set | Awkward, hidden bolts |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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