Gearwrench flex-head ratchets are on sale right now, but there’s a slight problem – which one do I focus on or recommend?
First up, we have the 81230T set, shown above, a set of 4 flex-head ratchets. Gearwrench includes a 1/4″ ratchet, stubby 3/8″ ratchet, 3/8″ ratchet, and 1/2″ ratchet, all featuring 90-tooth gearing.
Street Price: ~$130-135 on Amazon
Sale Price: $114.81
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Compare via Acme Tools
These Gearwrench 90T ratchets have a 4° swing arc, 6-position flex-head, and low profile teardrop head with “flush mounted” on/off direction switch.
The average retailer price seems to be ~$132 to $145, with a ~$130 price on Amazon via a 3rd party seller. So with this Amazon sale price of $nearly $115, you save $15-$20 or so in this 4-piece ratchet set.
The 4pc set, above, is appealing, because you get a ratchet in all 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ drive sizes, but also a stubby flex-head ratchet. I’ve been yo-yoing over getting a stubby 3/8″ myself, for use in tighter spaces. But do I really need a 1/2″ ratchet?
More than a decade ago, I decided to buy a 2pc set of Gearwrench flex head ratchets. A 2-piece set with 1/4″ and 3/8″ ratchets is enough to add versatility to my tool box, but not enough to be huge financial risk. What if I didn’t use flex-head ratchets all that often? Well, a 1/4″ and 3/8″ set isn’t as much of an investment into paperweights or dust collectors as a 4pc set.
I use my Gearwrench flex head ratchets occasionally, and would absolutely buy them again.
I don’t recall what gearing my ratchets have, but I know for certain that these Gearwrench ratchets on sale have finer teeth and a smaller swing arc.
One thing I really like about my Gearwrench ratchets, and what makes them useful beyond tasks where I need to access fasteners at an angle is that they’re longer than my other ratchets. This gives them a somewhat 2-in-1 purpose in my tool box.
If you’re on the fence, consider this 2pc set, it’s easier on the wallet but still an impactful addition to your tool kit.
The discount on this set isn’t as good as on the 4pc set, but it’s better than nothing. You could also wait to see if there will be a better discount via Acme Tools, with a percent-off coupon sure to be coming up soon.
Street Price: ~$65-70 on Amazon
Sale Price: $62.28
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Compare via Acme Tools
To be frank, knowing how useful these ratchets have been for me over the years, if I had to make a purchase right now, it would be for the 4pc set. If I consider that the 1/4″ and 3/8″ set is $62, and the stubby 3/8″ is on sale for $35 at Amazon right now, that’s nearly $100, where another $15 would get me the 1/2″ ratchet as well.
The Geawrench 84T 2-ratchet set is also on sale, for $48.
Gearwrench’s 4pc 120XP, 120 position is priced at $118.49 right now, but that doesn’t seem to be a sale price.
You get an even smaller swing arc, but I’d likely stick with the 90T ratchets, above. If I checked tech specs, I would expect to see the 90T ratchet to have slightly smaller tear drop head dimensions.
Yup – the 90T 3/8″ flex ratchet is 11.4″ long and with a 1.25″ head length and 0.47″ head thickness, while the 120XP 3/8″ flex ratchet is 11.5″ long with a 1.30″ head length and 0.55″ thickness. Hmm, that’s actually not a very big difference at all.
See More Gearwrench Deals Here
There’s a larger Gearwrench sale going on right now. Do you see anything else that’s noteworthy?
