Icon Long Double Box Ratcheting Wrench Set Review (Ouch!)

Get the GearWrench Ones, these are overpriced and the quality control leaves much to be desired. Harbor freight is pushing beyond the limits on how these are priced.
#WRDBM-10, 56653

[@tristanblum3048]

Heavy Duty Diesel Tech here. I've had 2 of my double box end gear wrench wrenches fail on me after only 2 weeks of use. Gearwrench is the biggest pain in the ass to warranty. I genuinely don't care about quality very much, so long as the warranty is as easy as HF's you shouldn't really care. Cuz HF is everywhere. However the Mac Truck from Minnesota where I got my Gearwrench sets, isn't exactly in Montana.

[@willb3018]

Harbor Freight is getting out over their skies with their Icon brand. Like many, I was hopeful at first. But not now. tried a couple of things. I do like the roto head ratchets I have (and got with coupon). Look good and, more importantly, working well. But for the most part, depending on the tool I need at the time, my first stop will likely be Tekton when looking for a better tool.

[@kevinragsdale6256]

Tekton is just rebranded harbor frieght tools.

[@josephi6916]

Hey Catus, love your content! Wanted to ask if you'd prefer the Gearwrench of this style or the ones that are spline drive with the added flex head one the ratcheting side?

[@mrweisu]

My secret weapon that trumps all these long wrenches is the GearWrench serpentine belt tool. With 6 point sockets passthrough sockets, it's almost as thin as these wrenches. But they are 6 points and heavy duty. The ratchet is locking flexible with two pieces. The passthrough sockets would offer offsets like the mountain/kabo wrenches. I hope you can review that tool sets. It's hugely misunderstood and underrated.

[@hosocat1410]

Yes. Either on purpose or out of negligence harbor freight is increasingly disregarding the customer base that made them prosperous.

[@truckerpeterose]

I love that HF is expanding their tool offerings but this is just another example of them failing on delivery. I paid $200 for both sets of these from Gearwrench in SAE and metric. HF has lost their mind.

[@rickproctor9621]

I’m very fortunate and can afford Snap-On or other tool truck brands. After reading/hearing the hype about Icon, that is in most cases a fraction of the cost, I gave them a shot. They’re legit. They do need to expand a bit and offer more, but the quality of what they have is there for sure. Make use of discounts and use your savings on family time.

[@oldschoolmodeler]

I bought the 12pc. Gearwrench set like these for $115 last year. Have been great so far.

[@nicknewyen]

While I agree these are a bit overpriced at $180, I have this set and have been using it a lot at a car dealership. I definitely enjoy using these wrenches and they have been working well for me so far. If they made an expansion set to go up to 24mm, I’d have no hesitation to pick it up as well.

[@Supra_Mickey]

The only larger set I’ve seen are the combination wrenches that go up to 32mm with a ratcheting box end

[@sasquatchrosefarts]

This style of wrench with a long handle and 0 degree offset, flat.... They are spendy because they have to be hand pressed by an artisan to straighten them after they are forged. Big long pieces of forged metal don't want to lie flat afterward...... It's only a minute or two per wrench, but the labor adds up and you cant use any dummy to do it. It's a skilled art to use a hydraulic press to straighten a piece of metal.

[@john4kc]

I noticed that chamfer issue right away on the ICON combination wrenches. I was excited to see them in the store and then my eyes zoomed right in on that. I felt them and was immediately turned off. I'm glad you mentioned it because no one else seems to be as detail oriented as you or I am.

[@sweetwilliam49]

How well do the box end fit fasteners! I can’t stand anything that will strip the head off a fastener.

[@_P0tat07_]

Can you review the new icon offset box end wrenches?

[@Crazywaffle5150]

Basically they want to sell you Pittsburg level tools for ridiculous prices. Lol. Yet people talk trash on Snap-on. At least Snap-on actually gives you a NICE tool.

[@vieyraart2720]

Not always , I've had plenty with quality control that needed to go back. Ratchets, pry bars, sockets, etc. Pretty ridiculous actually

[@jwilkers1]

I love my gearwrench set of those, I added a 21mm those are my go to wrenches.

[@fstompo]

Did you get the 120xps or the regular

[@mrbreezeet1]

Does harbor freight sell these wrenches sperate? We lost our 16 mm

[@Jordan-ym5gf]

Love my gearwrench ones. Super easy to warranty too, they just ask for a picture of the tool and then send you a new one. Don't even ask for the old one back.

[@mechtechtools838]

We have the identical wrenches in Canada under the Maximum brand. Sold at Canadian Tire for $185 USD($250 CAD) but on sale all the time for $75 USD($100 CAD). I have the flex head set, $30 more, and they are really solid nice wrenches. Not visually perfect, as you mentioned, but seem really durable.

[@kcuhc84]

There is a version of these in Canadian tire under the name Maximum. Been looking at them, not sure who the OEM is for them. Expensive but then do go on sale.

[@semiprofessional8470]

They copied snap on font so they're worth twice as much.

[@deeeyewhy5949]

Now the gear wrenches are 285+ tax and harbor freight’s are still the same price. I can get the snap on version without the large sizes used for that price. It’s shame they’ve upped their prices 30% on this master set.

[@Fedwrench]

A lot of picking apart cosmetic issues that don't really affect the tool's performance. I think you would be really unhappy with the Gearwrench Gearbox version since they tend to be a little wavy where the stamping goes and are thinner. One must remember that there is no such thing as an ICON tool factory. Like other brands, Harbor Freight sources these tools from what might be the lowest bidder. In this case, judging from the sealed brass pawl gear screw, it's probably Kabo, who makes many items sold on tool trucks. ICON is purely marketing. Harbor Freight usually caters to the something for nothing crowd so, it's quite a stretch to for them to market something higher end. However, compare ICON pricing to Carlyle. Tekton doesn't offer this type of wrench. The main issue with these wrenches is that they're actually too long to use in many situations. They're great for reaching tensioners, and other buried fasteners though. Even tool truck brand wrenches have issues with markings, and finish from time to time but, the wrench will still turn a fastener.

[@ClientGraphics]

These are pretty much dead on Kabo rebranded. I’ll have to pick up a set and compare

[@chriscas-ToolAficionado]

Hi Fedwrench. You and I have known for a decade now on how to spot Kabo tools. In terms of durability on the Kabo ratcheting mechanism, especially their non-reversibles, they can handle A LOT of torque. I have the specs somewhere. Needless to say, I'd take a Kabo (or Hi-Five stuff) over a Apex/GearWrench ratcheting wrench. I'm wondering if Kabo is releasing all of their factory seconds for Harbour Freight, haha.

[@72fordlegend]

Thoughts on Carlyle (Napa) double ratcheting box end wrenches?

[@brucetaylor1753]

I like mine

[@jadeolin8514]

They are the same as the icons but forged with a much better grade steel and a quality temper.

[@JF-xq6fr]

Wish they made more long box end wrenches with one end 6 pt, the other 12. 12 pt with that much leverage seems to me just asking for a 6 pt "flank-drive" end.

[@68jacen]

Concerned with gearwrench how to return when they break?

[@truckerpeterose]

Gearwrench has an 800# and a very simple warranty process. I just warrantied a 120xp ratchet and a 19mm ratcheting wrench within the last 6 months. Call customer service and tell them what broke and they mail out a replacement. Can’t get any easier than that.

[@fomocore]

I have the gear wrenches and the first came out and I have the long Zaroff set gearwrench like that. I have the long 15 degree reversible ratcheting wrenches and they're excellent. Right now Snap-on cannot make a ratcheting wrench it is as good as the Taiwan design gearwrench Matco Cromwell tekton.

[@jamiehess4211]

They're made in Taiwan by KABO, who made the older SK doubles. Those were fantastic and wafer-thin. I haven't seen the GearWrench sets in person, but checked out a set of these in HF today (on sale) and didn't notice these imperfections. Maybe their QC is getting better since last year.

[@CatusMaximus]

Thanks for the info!

[@michaspi]

Wow, these are embarrassing. The cheap Horusdy extra long double box end wrenches I got from eBay are noticeably higher quality than the Icons. I’ve hooned on the 19mm and 21mm many times working on suspension components, zero issues. I’d worry about the Icon if I had to use it the same way.

[@harveysmith100]

Good review. It shows that all the marketing in the world doesn't stand up when tradesmen get a good look at something

[@johnfuhrman2854]

They are awesome wrenches! With the 20% off coupon, the price is not really unreasonable. I think you got a bad set. The ones I have don't have any of the flaws you found.

[@samarsingh8565]

Ise kahan se khariden

[@studioA.G.T.]

Yikes. I'd rather save up for a Tekton set (if I had a need for such things) or that Gearwrench set you mentioned.

[@matthewdejesus7543]

I just used my tekton set for the first time today. Highly recommend!!

[@javierflores599]

@@matthewdejesus7543 best bang for the buck so far ive been using tekton everything for the past year. I have had no problems whatsoever

[@jessebuck90]

Issues here are mostly cosmetic and won't affect performance, with the only possible exception of the overgrinding on the 19, which could weakening it under extreme torque, and then you just warranty it if it breaks. But yeah definitely overpriced anyway compared to the Gearwrench ones.

[@boosted2.4_sky]

That's a hell of a deal for $80.. of course these aren't worth $180.. But $139?👍 They'll sell all day...

[@cesarconh895]

Harbor freight needs a reality check, their prices have gone up too much

[@asmautollc]

Looks like it’s made by Kabo, judging by the screw in the ratcheting head.

[@chriscas-ToolAficionado]

Perhaps unbeknownst to HF, Kabo is supplying them with all of their factory seconds so that they can get rid of them. Lol.

[@rmr5740]

I won't buy HF at name brand pricing. They're at 2X what they should be.

[@samarsingh8565]

Humse Kashi kharidna Chahte Hain kahan se khariden iska link dijiye

[@JustinSchmidtisobsolete]

I bought the GW wrenches because of your review, and they seemed to have all of the same problems your Icon set has. I am totally disappointed with GW, Apex should have never killed Armstrong, they were truly the best brand under the Apex tool banner.

[@cowboy41231]

I had the same gearwrench set and it was horrible tolerances. The broaching was totally oversized (wrong=stripping nuts), the ratcheting end had horrible slop/backlash, it was the 120xp , junk. I had a very hard time returning them , they were NOT mislabeled, every mm size was like .5 bigger than it should have been... Junk..

[@duster0066]

Why buy better tools? Why pay 3, 4, or even 5 times as much? I'm not sure I can always justify paying so much, but I just had an experience that adds evidence higher prices might be a better way to go sometimes. 30 years ago my Craftsman tool box was maxed out, and I needed a new one. My boss bought a Matco box off the truck, and I decided it was time to go all in on a box. I settled on the $2500 box, but my boss talked me out of it saying you'll have it maxed out in a year. So I went for the $3200 (1990 money) box. I've been dragging it around ever since. Last week while moving it full of tools I phucked up and had a crane wheel on dirt. I didn't see the truck bed was supporting the box so when I drove out over the whole rig went. The box crashed down on a caster at a wild angle, and smashed onto the concrete drawers down. It was full and weighs over a thousand pounds. It was a disaster and I felt worst than after a car crash I caused myself. It was a major operation requiring help to get it upright again. Cut to the chase... Infreekingcredable! Except that the lock is now inop (the drawers were locked) and one corner reinforcement is dented (a 1 inch wide dent I can live with) I can't tell the difference in it's performance. And someday if I'm motivated I'll pull all the drawers and bend the lock pieces back into shape. I'm not kidding guys it fell from pickup bed height onto the driveway. It's the only time in my life I've screwed up that big and gotten off scott free. And when you compare that box to all the cheap ones you can see why it cost 3200 1990 dollars, and why it's still fully mission capable today (with the lock fixed of course). It's built like a tank and intended to last more than a single life time if maintained. It can even be dropped from 4 feet. Color me impressed with Matco tool boxes as they were made 30 years ago.

[@RobtheAviator]

Great story man!

[@niteninja0133]

Love my gearwrench sets I have both full sets of the flex and non flex sets. I'll never spend what they want for icon tools. They are not tool truck quality by any means at all. They are fine for home but I wouldn't ever buy them for my job, if they were given to me then yeah I'd try them

[@fomocore]

those are more petite and have a better finish and trim then the gearwrench. I have both I've had the gearwrench for over 5 years there are very good only broke one. The Matco/icon Flex head small combination wrench are also extremely strong and better than gearwrench especially now they're they're made in China and not Taiwan

[@Operator-fq2fn]

Nah there cheap just got the 5 piece double box end walked away from the snap on version because they where 4x the price

[@itsajeepthing1753]

Can you do a tool box tour?

[@danh2134]

Already done like a year ago

[@charliedee9276]

I checked these out very briefly when replacing my aging collection, was not impressed. Went with GearWrench and Tekton instead.

[@fomocore]

They're worth every penny trust me

[@randywl8925]

I just now noticed this is a three-year-old review. That said, nitpicking over how pretty the tool is has nothing to do with how well it functions. A snap-on five-piece set is $615. Paying $179 for twice as many wrenches is a steal. For the price of snap-on set of 10, you could put one Icon wrench set in each of your vehicles, one in the kitchen, one in your garage, keep one as a spare and donate 6th set to Habitat ReStore. If some dumb-ass wants to pay $1, 200 or more for a similar style wrench, he probably owns a Roller over a period of one year keep the same time as a Timex to within one second. How much do you want to pay extra for "pretty"? Well I'm sorry, but I don't shop at Target and I don't drink Bud Light. 😁 Gimme my ICON !!! The finish on those tools is very nice.

[@debrawendling9857]

Did you sell the set for $50?

[@CatusMaximus]

I ended up selling the magic set of these icons I kept the Imperial set. I replaced the matrix app with a more complete set of gearwrench double box.

[@nitrous07me]

I bought them icon double box flex ratcheting wrench set for $119 after you made that video on-’em I used that 20% coupon 😁

[@lynyrd583]

The "Thick" neck on this wrench (or any other) typically notates weaker metal. Snap-On is able to have thinner necks as well as thinner socket walls because their metallurgy is superior, especially when compared to Taiwan or Chinese metals.

[@josefelix4152]

I just bought some Matco American made wrenches and are slimmer and super strong... I don't get how ICON compares to tool truck quality, it's not even close. I own some ICON, Pittsburg pro, Matco, snap-on, and some unbranded stuff, and no ICON does not have tool truck quality, at least not yet.

[@jimwhite5964]

Give ‘em hell, Catus! Thanks for my daily C.M. fix! 😎

[@stansbornak8116]

So I guess Icon is not going to take over the world after all?

[@LongIslandP8ntball]

But amazon will lol

[@alexl5660]

@@LongIslandP8ntball please God no

[@calebikner4925]

A lot of their tools are rebranded the reversible ratcheting wrench he has in the corner is a rebranded Kabo who also produces Matco’s due to the switch design it is patented by kabo and no one else can produce it without going through kabo

[@billlee1724]

I’ve had my eye on that gearwrench set forever! But hey I’ll PayPal you 50 for them haha they’ll be my beaters and I’ll hold them to that warranty, awesome review though

[@kaylamarie8309]

Well heck. Love your channel but hate to find this video. I just bought this set of wrenches now I have to really scrutinize them. Maybe they have upped their game from two years ago...they also upped the price to $199.00. I won't use these everyday so if it's a small issue of not so perfect aesthetics I won't be to too bent out of shape so long as the function is there. They do seem too expensive but they seem rugged and I need the extended reach they provide. Great video as always 👍. Just gave the Icon wrenches I bought a thorough exam and they are awesome. I really didn't notice the flaws you found on my wrenches. They are the exact same ones you have. Perhaps they have addressed their QC issues. Still wish the Icon brand was cheaper in price.

[@claytonscheiber3493]

Yeah, these are overpriced. I want a set of 0° offset wrenches. Great review.

[@thebackwoodsmechanic5029]

Great review man

[@joehyundaitech7961]

I have the gear wrench and tekton set the tekton set is 6 point

[@jdmDC2ftw]

I'm a just a diy-er doing stuff on my car. I wouldnt mind that set if you're trying to get rid of it.

[@mrb1864]

they made by kabo , actually quite durable wrenches but you do need QC them in store minimize finish issues in set you take . You can get same kabo wrenches or other decent taiwan oems in other brands in a 12pc no skip set a lot cheaper . HF has made a total mess of this ICON brand in price and quality level on almost all icon items ...

[@kyl3dr]

You found those wrenches are cheaper in store? I called and they said it was the same price as online

[@CatusMaximus]

Yeah few months back when I got these they were cheaper in the store than they were online but apparently they've change that

[@anthonygarbo8114]

Never buy anything from Harbor freight that isn't on sale with 5 discounts . . .

[@tcantrell1993]

Harbor freight should have taken a leap, and made their ICON brand tools in the USA in order to compete with higher quality brands. They're just re-branded overpriced Chinese tools

[@505fastlife6]

I disagree as I use many icon tools professional everyday and they are holding up well.

[@richb2229]

I have the GearWrench set and they are great!

[@cowboy41231]

I had the same gearwrench set and it was horrible tolerances. The broaching was totally oversized (wrong=stripping nuts), the ratcheting end had horrible slop/backlash, it was the 120xp , junk. I had a very hard time returning them , they were NOT mislabeled, every mm size was like .5 bigger than it should have been... Junk..

[@john4kc]

I'm sure you could post those on FB Marketplace and get your full $80 back, if not more. Maybe take your video down that week. LOL

[@cardo1111]

A good honest review/expose' 👍🏽

[@CatusMaximus]

I appreciate that!

[@randysmith9636]

As a new subscriber I am just seeing this video. Two issues with this set. First the poor person who got 20.00 for this wrench set at a pawn shop. Second, GF has lost their mind with the pricing on many of their ICON line tools. I know they love to compare everything to Snap On but it is only in price. The quality and most important the durability is not there. Regardless of all the truck tool haters the durability of Snap On and Matco cannot be beat.

[@joshchase3365]

My harbor freight has the extralong for 200

[@josefelix4152]

I will not spend over 100 for ICON tools, I might as well get the good stuff

[@austingoleman9431]

I pretty much refuse to pay 200 bucks for any hand tool from harbor freight I’ll get on market place or Craig’s list and add a few more bucks and get name brand wrenches

[@danieldelpha1315]

This may be why they are not in stores, well that i have ever seen.

[@lennysantucci2177]

The gearwrench 120xp flex head double box end ratcheting wrenches are garbage they slip off bolts the snap-on ones are better but highly expensive $300 for parcel set lol

[@lennysantucci2177]

Also they bend easily

[@TONYSTARK-jh2wu]

Gearwrench 120xp are trash the tolerance is so of it's not even funny I returned my set.

[@Joseph-vj2ph]

Age old adage. You get what you pay for. There are no good deals in life. Just fair transactions.

[@Saladon89]

I feel that the Icon stuff is a little overpriced for what it is. And I dont really like the name Icon, sounds like an entertainment brand rather than a tool brand.

[@Spectt84]

Who would of guessed... Harbor Freight is excellent at making ultra cheap tools that will just "get the job done", but when they try to make something nice to compete with the professional (tool truck) brands they fall flat on their face. Remember last year when everyone (but you) was so excited about Icon going toe-to-toe with Snap-On? That didn't last long. Sounds like now, you place them beneath Gearwrench, Sunex, Tekton quality levels... HF should stay in their lane and do what they do best!

[@johnb1121]

Idk I've mad a lot of money with H.F an the same amount of money with my Snap-on tools difference is I paid more for the Snap-on tools...

[@scottcarlon6318]

Mountain makes good set.

[@brucetaylor1753]

The Gearwrench large set is cheap for a reason just keep that in mind.

[@Ed.01]

I'll take them for the $50.

[@hollywood21639]

It's the same as the Pittsburgh junk, just shinier and more expensive.

[@allazar32]

I'll buy them off of you

[@gevang6346]

For $50........... I will take those off your hands.

[@KyleE-pm1nt]

I'll buy them for 50 today...

[@88FCRX7]

I'd take em for $50

[@44warden]

How does someone review USED tools??

[@davidkaufman9574]

Those should be the tools that get reviewed. Someone else breaks it in and then a true review happens.

[@davidkaufman9574]

But this isn't much of a review. Does it work without breaking? I commented without completely watching.

[@athhud]

I never had a good feeling about Icon from the start, in spite of all of the hype. Sadly I am learning, time and time again, that they are even worse than I could have imagined. I own one Icon tool. The 3/8 breaker bar. I paid too much for it even with a coupon, but my obsessiveness compulsed me to buy it, simply because it matched and completed my set of Pittsburgh Pro comfort grip ratchets and breaker bars. At the time I bought it, Icon grips and Pittsburgh Pro grips were the same color. Now they’ve changed the color to that hideous reddish color that will only look worse as it gets dirty. Not to mention they are apparently over-priced garbage. I am almost certain that my 3/8” breaker bar will forever be the only Icon tool I own. Hell, I may buy a Pittsburgh ratchet just to put the grip on the breaker bar. I’m embarrassed to have icon in my tool box....

[@charlespayne1909]

$7000 for all 104 icon hand tools

[@Jdl223]

I wont buy anything from icon. Pittsburgh pro was great I don't agree with trying to replace it with this line of tools, especially for increased pricing on a similar quality product

[@LongIslandP8ntball]

Icon is junk...its overpriced as well.i sold all of my icon stuff except my snap ring pliers

[@iamher6422]

You get what you pay for... 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@zylent8251]

You shoud remove that sentense how your reviews are gonna to be, I mean pretty quick review and quick review.

[@ClientGraphics]

🤣🤫

[@jonnylong7927]

What? You mean harbor freight tools aren't better than snap on, mac, matco after all????!!!! NOOOOOO

[@cafe100mph6]

bad review! these are top quality, tool trucks carry the same ones! lifetime warranty at harbor F!

[@dereksmith5551]

Both those iwrenches are junk but gear wrench are made in China at least icon stuff is made in Taiwan and yes there is a difference those wrenches are made by the same manufacture as Matco‘s mountain all those junk brands

[@combatjm89]

Hate the outro music...

[@dereksmith5551]

If you buy cheap wrenches you get what you get quick complaining

[@noereyes4979]

Help a friend lol ill give you 80$ haha