I have two craftsman torque wrenches that are complete garbage that I would like to replace.  At work, I use SnapOn and I really like them...but is there anything that you have used that you would recommend.  I did a search on Amazon and there are a ton of different brands: Capri, Tekton, Nordstrand....the list goes on. 

I would call a torque calibration shop and talk with them on which they see as the best quality and serviceability.

I know from dealing with them all the high end tools mfgs. like Mac snap-on and matco ect are very good but there may be other lesser known brands that are actually cheaper and just as serviceable.

We have all torque wrenches calibrated yearly at work and I have my own personal ones done every few years as well. When I worked for independent shops and dealers they would pay to have every ones wrenches calibrated yearly as well. I worked at a couple shops that instituted this after having major warranty repair issues arise from miscalibrated wrenches.

Edited March 5, 20169 yr by Wild and Free

I put a new roof on for a very nice lady and at the end of the job she gave me a Snap-On torque wrench. It was her husbands when he was alive. Years before we worked together putting new siding on his house. They were cool and very proud of that tool..... I will always remember them.

It's hard to beat snap-on when it comes to quality of tools, but that price point?! Geesh!

I currently have a Home Depot brand and for my use, it works fine. If it were something I used very often, I would look at getting a snap-on.

Pawn shops always have a big selection of snap on tools and torque wrenches are always piled up, at least in my area,may want to check there for a good deal on one.

8 hours ago, Wild and Free said:

Pawn shops always have a big selection of snap on tools and torque wrenches are always piled up, at least in my area,may want to check there for a good deal on one.

That's how I got my Snap-On ⅜" 0-75 ftlb torque wrench for $100.  I've got a Mac torque wrench that I have trouble reading the numbers on the scale.  The numbers are etched into the handle and are not very deep or big.

 I bought a Craftsmen torque wrench in the early eighties.  It had a plastic locking ring that broke the 2ed or 3ed time I used it so I put it back in the original box put it away and for got about it.  Fast forward about 30 years and I take it in to Sears for warranty replacement.  Now this wrench looks brand new in the original box with the 'What you need to know and how to use your new Craftsmen torque wrench' booklet.  The clerk tells me that their torque wrenches are warranted for 90 days and it says so right on the packaging.  I said may be now but when I bought this it had a life time warranty and show me on the original box where it says 90 days.  After 20 minutes of yes I do and no you don't I walked out with a brand new Craftsmen torque wrench with a 90 day warranty.  I keep it in my 5th wheel incase I need to tighten a lug nut.     

I've been using CDI, made by snap-on, for the last 3 years with no issues. Only complaint is the smaller ones don't click loudly. 

That's a problem for the hearing impaired, like me.  A friend of mine has a Snap-On torque wrench that does not only ft-lb, n-m, but also torque to yield angle degrees with an audible tone when the set limit is reached..  .