I bought this set of Gearwrench Roto Ratchets about a decade ago, for $40-$50 or so on sale. Right now, it’s on sale for less than $27 and with free shipping!
Note: This deal might end at anytime. Please let us know if it sells out or the price jumps back up.
Benefits: These swivel-head ratchets are essentially flex-head ratchets that let you use them as screwdriver-style spinners for fast turning, and then you can switch them 90° for higher torque applications. Or, use them as non-locking flex-head ratchet.
Downsides: Some users prefer locking flex-head ratchets. Nearly all swivel-head-style ratchets let you tighten down the pivot action, but only Wera’s allow you to lock the head in any specific angular position. Also, there’s no quick-release function, which is also a pro or con depending on your preferences.
Should You Buy One? I bought a set, and the only reason I don’t use them very much anymore is because I also bought Wera Zyklop swivel-head ratchets which see more use. I use this style of ratchet all the time, and very highly recommend it. Gearwrench is a good brand, and as mentioned I bought this same set, and you won’t see me giving them up any time soon.
Is This a Good Deal? At the time of this posting, Amazon has the 2pc set priced at $26.72, which is a fantastic price. This set is usually priced at $40 and up. I’m not sure what’s going on, but it looks like Sears, Home Depot, and Amazon are in some kind of algorithm, price-matching competition with each other.
I don’t remember this ratchet set ever being priced lower than $40, and a quick look at online price trackers confirms that it’s rare and that the current price is the lowest Amazon has ever sold it for.
At Amazon, they say that the ratchets will usually ship within 1 to 2 months. Order fast and wait.
What Else You Should Know: The Gearwrench ratchets have cushion-grip handles, you get both 1/4″ and 3/8″ ratchets in the set, and they have fine-tooth 72T racheting mechanisms with 5° minimum swing arc. The 1/4″ ratchet is 6.5″ long and the 3/8″ ratchet is 10″ long.
Deal Price: $26.72
Buy Now via Amazon (with free shipping)
Buy Now via Home Depot
How did we find this deal? Every now and then I use our Amazon Tool Deal Finder search helper. Amazon’s search results are a lot more cluttered now than when I first coded this helper script, but it still reveals worthwhile deals like this one on occasion. (If you need the link again, it can be found at the bottom/footer menu on ToolGuyd.com webpages.)
Compare: Craftsman Swivel Ratchets
To put the pricing in perspective, each of Craftsman’s two swivel ratchet sizes are priced higher than this 2pc Gearwrench ratchet set!
