I Tested Craftsman’s 102-Piece Tool Set. Here’s How It Differs From Other Popular Sets Out There.

5 min readI’ve tested a lot of home tool sets over the years and have found that most follow the same playbook. They offer smaller versions of a brand’s standard hand tools. These tools are adequate for handling the odd job around the house—hanging a frame, assembling some furniture, tightening a loose fixture—but undersized when it comes to more involved DIY projects.It’s also been my experience that purchasing a tool kit with a high piece count doesn’t always translate to actually getting more tools for your money. Often, when you get a 200-piece set, you’re paying for a whole lot of fasteners along with a pretty basic collection of tools.ProsHigh-quality socket set, hammer, and screwdriversErgonomic rubberized grip on each toolNo filler supplies padding the number of pieces in the kitConsTape measure and utility knife are low qualityPieces102Weight14 lbCaseHard plastic chestThat’s why Craftsman’s 102-piece kit stood out when I got my hands on it recently. By filling its molded carry case with mostly full-size, workshop-quality hand tools instead of undersized, lighter-duty substitutes and boxes of hardware filler, it really sets itself apart from others in its class. I spent a couple of months testing this kit, using it to complete various jobs, from installing a ceiling fan to changing out a light switch, to making a few minor repairs to my car. It handled everything I threw at it without difficulty, which made naming it our Best Overall home tool set a fairly easy decision.Solid Tools That Hold Up Under StressFor starters, this set comes with a 16-ounce hammer, which is larger than the 12-ounce hammer I typically see in most home tool kits. It’s big enough to drive in 16d nails, the size they use to build houses. I didn’t quite build a house to test this tool set, but I did use the hammer to hang a picture (with ease), and I hammered together a couple of 2x4s. The nails drove in smoothly and quickly.There are three sets of pliers (slip-joint, channel lock, and needle-nose) included in this set, and I thought each would fit right in with the pliers you’d find in the tool aisle of your local home improvement store. Their beefy size made it easy to pull a nail out of a piece of wood and twist wires together when installing a ceiling fan.The kit’s four screwdrivers and bit driver are the same as those found in Craftsman’s stand-alone screwdriver sets. They have large rubberized grips that allow for a firm grip and black oxide tips that grip screw heads tightly. I found it easier to generate that extra bit of torque when working tougher screws with these screwdrivers than those found in other sets I’ve tested recently.All that said, I can’t give this Craftsman kit a perfect score when it comes to tool quality. The 12-foot tape measure feels undersized and cheaply made. It's especially disappointing considering I think pretty highly of Craftsman’s full-size tape measures. The utility knife in this tool set also has a cheap feel to it. I don’t think it’s something I’d use at all. I’d prefer to just use a pocket knife.Given the quality of most of the set’s tools, I was disappointed that Craftsman went with a 6-inch adjustable wrench as opposed to the standard-sized 8-inch model. The 6-inch size was too small to change out either of the showerheads in my bathrooms, which is disappointing given that changing out a showerhead is a popular and simple bathroom upgrade for a lot of homeowners and renters. It’s a finely made wrench, but those extra two inches on larger models make a real difference when you’re tightening bathroom fixtures.Sockets and Drivers Get the Job DoneIn its heyday as a Sears brand, Craftsman was renowned for the quality of its mechanic’s tools, and this set’s sockets and drivers throw a nod respectfully at those origins. It comes with two socket drivers (1/4-inch and 3/8-inch), which are standard length and have a 90-tooth count that gives them a smaller swing arc than the drivers you’d find in most dedicated socket sets. This made them easier to use in tighter spots, like an engine bay. They also have a large grip and sturdy feel. I was able to pull hard on a stubborn rusted bolt without any slipping.Anthony CarrickI loved the grip and feel of the tool set’s screwdrivers.The sockets themselves match the quality of the ratchets with radiused corners that prevent rounding off when pulling on a bolt, stamped sizes that are large and easy to read, and knurling on each socket that gave me something to grip when hand-threading loose bolts. This is attention to detail you simply don’t see with the sockets and drivers found in the average home tool kit.No Fasteners—Which Is Rare—and That’s a Good ThingThe Craftsman kit is one of the rare tool sets that’s filler-free. None of its 102 pieces include nails, anchors, hangers, screws, or supplies that other kits include to drive up that number on the box. As a result, it has more actual tools than some tool sets with bigger numbers on their labeling, including things I rarely see in other tool sets, like channel lock pliers (great for various electrical jobs) and socket sizes in both metric and SAE.What’s more: These are all useful tools. You won’t find any micro precision screwdrivers or flimsy plastic levels in here. If you do odd jobs around your house and under the hood of your car, then every tool in this kit will see action.Anthony CarrickThis tool set comes with the most common socket sizes in both metric and SAE measurements.Final ThoughtsCraftsman's tool kit caters to those who aren’t satisfied with the lighter-duty versions of hand tools often found in home tool sets. Its hammer, pliers, socket set, and screwdriver are all on par with quality stand-alone tools you'd find at your local hardware store. So while it can still handle smaller jobs, like hanging pictures, fixing a loose doorknob, or assembling prefab furniture, it’s capable of taking on bigger projects too. It also includes an impressive socket set, which makes it a good pick for those whose weekend to-do list involves working on their car.At $125, this kit may seem pricey given its size, but it also doesn’t pad its 102-piece tool count with hardware like nails, screws, and anchors. That said, if you’re after a more affordable option and don’t need the mechanic’s tools this set offers, consider the Kobalt 159-piece household toolset, which is half the cost and still includes many of the essentials for handling the odd job around the house.Shop the Craftsman 102-Piece Tool SetOther Tool Sets We LoveTony Carrick is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in technology, home improvement, DIY, home security, and outdoor recreation. He’s tested and written about everything from home security systems to power tools to gas grills. His product guides, how-to articles, and feature stories can be found in such publications as Bob Vila, Angi, U.S. News and World Report, Field & Stream, Futurism, and Switchful. When Tony isn’t writing, he can be found working on his latest home improvement effort at his home in North Carolina.John Gilpatrick is a Senior Reviews Editor for Popular Mechanics, covering tools, home appliances, yard and garden accessories, and smart home tech. He previously worked for Men’s Health and has bylines on numerous other websites, covering topics as disparate as nutrition, tech, and pet care. He is also a former film critic who’s unusually fond of the Star Wars prequels, and he appeared on Pop Culture Jeopardy in 2025 while wearing jorts and a fanny pack. He is a member of the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS).