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Best Cheap Socket Set UK Reviews

By  Enda McLarnon

We review the best cheap socket sets that are currently available on the UK marketplace. We did our research to try and find cheap socket sets that we could use around the house and garden

For us this is the type of tool that we might use maybe a few times a year. We were not looking for anything fancy. Socket sets are useful to have and we do understand that if you plan on doing a lot of work as a mechanic then you need something really good.

For most people though a cheap socket set is probably enough. We found a few and we have listed those below.

The best cheap socket set is the Bahco SL25, which is a 25 piece socket set that is suitable for home use and also for working on your car. It has a good quality ratchet and very well made sockets that don't slip.

Bahco SL25 Socket Set 25 Piece

SOCKET SET 1/4" DRIVE 25 PIECE SL25 By BAHCO

With this socket set you get 25 pieces for well under £20. The set when you receive does look very small and is ideal for a glove compartment in a car.

The set is well made. So far we have used this socket set to replace an outside light, tighten up a bed and to put together some toys for the grand kids and it works just fine.

You get the 1/4"ratchet which feels solid enough and the extension bar which is actually important as it allows you to get at  nuts or bolts that are in at depth.

The case is great and keeps all the bits and pieces where they should be.

There are over 4000+ buyer reviews online and that alone shows that this socket set sells really well in the UK. You get:

  • 1/4" Ratchet
  • Torx bits- T40,T30,T25,T20,T15,T10
  • Adaptor for torx bits
  • Sockets- 4,4.5,5,5.5,6.7.8.9.10,11,12,13
  • 2-PH2 Bits
  • Hex Head Bits- H5,H6
  • 1/4" Extension Bar-Wobbler type.

The ratchet is used by allowing the sockets to click into place by pushing the ratchet in first and then they all click into place easily. When we first tried this we were trying to force them in - don't do that - just push the button at the head of the ratchet and life becomes so much easier.

Check Amazon UK for Availability
Average Price: £20
94% customer satisfaction based on 8,000+ online buyers

BIIB Universal Socket Set (7-19mm)

BIIB Gifts for Men, Universal Socket Wrench, Gadgets for Men Birthday Gifts for Men Who Have Everything, Christmas Mens Gifts for Him Stocking Fillers for Men, Hand Tools, 7-19mm, Silver

This is classed as a Universal Socket Wrench Set suitable for standard 1/4 to 3/4inches and metric 7mm to 19mm nut and other various shape and size objects

The wrench adapter can be used for power drills and ratchet wrenches, instantly adjusted to grip most metric, wing nuts, broken nuts, stripped nuts, eye bolts, square nuts, hexes etc

It uses a universal sleeve that is made of chrome steel and features 54 chromoly steel pins, which are characterized by the highest strength and provide you with a reliable and durable tool for efficient applications and convenient application.

This Universal Socket kit will automatically adjust to any size or shape. It is ideal for the automotive industry, household maintenance, manufacturing industry, construction, and also for home decoration DIY enthusiasts.

Check Amazon UK for Availability
Average Price: £8
90% customer satisfaction based on 8,000+ online buyers

Hi-Spec 12 Piece Metric 1/4in Drive Socket Set

Hi-Spec 12pc 1/4 inch Metric Socket Set with Ratchet Wrench & Extension Bar. Home DIY and Car Garage Mechanic 5 to 14mm Ratchet Socket Tool Set

With this socket set you get 12 pieces for under £15. It is a 1/4" drive socket set.

The parts are made from Chrome Vanadium Steel.

There is a  push-button release on the back that allows quick and easy replacement of the lever reversible finely geared 72 teeth ratchet.

These are 6-point sockets that grip the flat sides of fastener heads, not corners, preventing round-off.

The sockets clip on and off easily from the rail and keeps them organised and easy to find. This rack can hang securely on the wall within reach and keep your work station clutter-free

Check Amazon UK for Availability
Average Price: £13
92% customer satisfaction based on 1,700+ online buyers

  • 10x CRV METRIC Sockets 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14mm
  • 100mm extension bar

WORKPRO 14-Piece Metric Sockets Set

WORKPRO 14-Piece Metric Socket Wrench Set (4-13mm), Anti-Rust Cr-V Steel, 1/4" Quick Release Drive Ratchet 72 Teeth with Extension Bar

With this socket set you get 14 pieces for well under £15. It is a 1/4" drive socket set.

The parts are made from Chrome Vanadium Steel.

There is a  push-button release on the back that allows quick and easy replacement of the lever reversible ratchet.

The ratchet has a cushion grip.

It comes in a small plastic container.

Check Amazon UK for Availability
Average Price: £15
92% customer satisfaction based on 3,000+ online buyers

  • 12 sockets 1/4 ": 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12,13mm
  • 1pc 1/4 "x 3" extension bar
  • 1pc 1/4 " ratchet handle
  • 1pc plastic container

TOOLZILLA 26 Piece 1/4 Inch Drive Socket Set

TOOLZILLA Drive Socket Set, 26 Piece 1/4 Inch Socket Set, Ratchet Spanner Set for Every Size, Home DIY, Working or Craft Socket Wrench, Chrome Vanadium Steel Torque Wrench Set, Ratchet Screwdriver Set

With this socket set you get 26 pieces for well under £17. It is as the name states a 1/4" drive socket set.

The parts are made from Chrome Vanadium Steel and the case looks good and also allows you to easily access the sockets.

This has a strong ratchet, extension bar and a socket adaptor

It comes with the most commonly used size of sockets

Check Amazon UK for Availability
Average Price: £17
84% customer satisfaction based on 700+ online buyers

  • 1 x 1/4” Dual Sided Compact Ratchet (Length: 130mm)
  • 1 x Extension Bar (Length: 50mm)
  • 1 x Socket Adaptor (Length: 25mm)
  • 1 x Circular Grip Attachment
  • 1 x Ergonomic Organiser Case
  • 12 x 1/4" Sockets:
    4mm, 4.5mm, 5mm, 5.5mm, 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm, 10mm, 11mm, 12mm, 13mm
  • 11 x Bits:
    Flat Head: 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, Phillips: PH0, PH1, PH2, TORX: T10, T15, Hex: H2, H3, H4

Like the first socket set, this is also really small in size.

Cheap Socket Set Buying Guide

A high quality socket set can set you back a few hundred pounds. For some of the big brands that garages use such as Facom, Stahlwille and Gedore you will pay anything from £400-900.

The reality is that most of us don't need a sockets set of that size or of that high quality. Most home owners really only do need a few socket sizes to be able to do most jobs around the home or to do some basic maintenance on the car.

Most socket sets these days come in metric measurements and almost always in millimetres.

Most Common Socket Sizes

The bigger socket sets will have sockets ranging in size from 4mm to 32mm. That is plenty of choice and will do almost anything around the home or on a car.

The cheaper socket sets will not contain as many sockets and typically they will contain sockets ranging from 4mm to 13mm. In other words, they leave out the larger socket sizes.

Spark Plug Socket Sizes

A big mistake that many buyers make is that they will buy a cheaper socket set in the belief that they will be able to use them to change the spark plugs on a vehicle.

Spark plug sockets sizes will be either a 16mm size or a 21 mm size, and in cheaper socket sets these are not included. Just be careful if you are buying a cheaper one that these are included. Otherwise you will have to buy these separately. 

A Good Quality Ratchet

if you forget about everything else, the most important part of any socket set is the quality of the ratchet. This is where the socket is attached to and can then be turned clockwise or anti-clockwise.

These use sets of interlocking teeth to ensure that you can exert pressure on the socket. When removing tough nuts or bolts they often require a lot of pressure or as some people call it brute force.

You never want that ratchet to break as then that will mean buying another one. They are not cheap to buy. So make sure that any socket set you buy has a high quality and well made ratchet.

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