Anyone who uses tools regularly understands that purchasing tools can be a challenging experience. Depending on the type of work you do, it may be necessary to buy higher-end or more specialized tools, which frequently come with inflated price tags. While these tools may be essential for your job or hobbies, acquiring expensive products can be challenging. Fortunately, it's not always necessary to buy the highest-dollar tools you can find, and there are many places where you can buy quality devices
for reduced prices.
Of the places where you can shop for discount tools, Tractor Supply is often overshadowed by chains like Harbor Freight. Tractor Supply offers a huge number of products, which include everything from side-by-side ATVs and lawnmowers to sporting goods, clothing, and tools. The company's tool inventory is more expansive than you may expect, and includes underrated items that you may overlook.
We checked out the Tractor Supply website and identified four underrated tools that you may want to consider adding to your collection. We based our selection on things like product application and features, price tag, and user reviews, but we'll cover our methodology later. For now, here are four underrated tools you can buy at Tractor Supply.
Read more: 7 Harbor Freight Icon Tools That Are Worth Buying (And 3 To Avoid)
Gearwrench Torx And Bit Socket Set
Regardless of your trade or hobby, there's a chance that your work involves using fasteners, like Phillips-head and slotted screws or six-point hex-head bolts. However, many types of fasteners exist, and depending on your job or hobbies, you may encounter two additional fastener styles: Allen and Torx heads. Many people are familiar with Allen-head fasteners, thanks to their widespread use in furniture, but they're also used in the trades, like auto repair. Torx fasteners are used in everything from automotive applications to small technology and have an indentation that looks similar to the asterisk symbol.
If you do use Torx and Allen fasteners regularly, you may be interested in the Gearwrench Torx and Bit Socket Set. The 40-piece kit, while labeled only as a ¼-inch drive set, includes Torx, E-Torx (inverse or external Torx), and Allen sockets in ¼-inch, ⅜-inch, and ½-inch drive sizes, making it versatile and well-suited for a large number of jobs and hobbies. The tools come contained in a blow-mold case and feature a limited lifetime warranty. The bits are constructed of heat-treated S2 steel insert bits and exceed ASME torque requirements. Each socket features large stamped size identifiers, and the kit includes various Torx sizes and SAE Allen keys. The Gearwrench Torx and Allen socket set costs $49.99 and is well-rated both on external tool enthusiast forums and on the Tractor Supply site, where it boasts 4.6 out of 5 stars based on dozens of user reviews.
Rugg Leaf Scoops
There are numerous tools designed to help keep your lawn looking pristine, covering everything from mowing a lawn and picking up grass clippings to trimming shrubbery and cleaning up fallen leaves. While gathering large quantities of fallen leaves into a pile is tedious enough on its own, it's often more frustrating trying to scoop those leaves up and put them into bags for disposal. The standard method typically involves using your rake as a shovel and your free hand to secure the leaves as you transfer them into bags. However, that can be difficult, and it's a solid way to hurt your hand.
Instead, you can pick up a set of Rugg Poly Leaf Scoops from Tractor Supply to simplify the task and prevent injuries to your hands. These ingenious 14-inch scoops are designed to fit over your hands via two loops or handles, allowing you to clean up large amounts of leaves and move them to a trash can or bag. They're constructed from durable polypropylene and are ideal for all types of weather and yard activities. The bottom section of the scoops features a serrated edge, enabling you to clean finer debris out of grass, and the scoops are advertised as being ideal for everything from cleaning up leaves and thorny trimmings to moving and scattering mulch. The Rugg leaf scoops cost an affordable $7.99 and come highly-rated by customers, featuring 4.9 out of 5 stars based on more than 50 user reviews.
Gearwrench Ratcheting Wrench Set
Wrenches are an example of a type of universally useful tool. There's basically no limit to the number of applications, trades, and hobbies that necessitate the use of wrenches, and these extremely handy devices are absolute tool box essentials for even the most casual DIYer. However, standard wrenches do come with some limitations: namely, the fact that you have to spin them around and around in order to remove or install a fastener. If you're working in a tight space, you may not be able to move the wrench very much, which can slow you down significantly. Fortunately, there are other options, like ratcheting wrenches. These devices feature a ratcheting box end, allowing you to crank the wrench back and forth instead of spinning it in circles.
If you're interested in grabbing a solid set of ratcheting wrenches, you may want to consider the Gearwrench Assorted Ratchet Wrench Set. The 20-piece kit includes 10 SAE ratcheting wrenches and 10 metric ratcheting wrenches, making the set ideal for a vast number of trades and applications. The ratcheting box ends feature 72 teeth, requiring only five degrees of rotation to move fasteners, while the off-corner loading design enables superior grip. The tools are constructed from heavy-duty alloy steel and coated in a polished chrome finish for durability and visibility, and each tool meets or exceeds ASME and ANSI specifications. The Gearwrench ratcheting wrench set costs $89.99 at Tractor Supply and comes with excellent customer ratings, boasting 4.8 out of 5 stars based on more than 200 user reviews.
SmartStraps Bungee Cord Set
Bungee cords never get the same love and recognition as screwdrivers and hammers, but they're immensely useful tools and are deserving of a spot in any well-stocked tool box or car emergency supply kit. Functioning like giant rubber bands with hooks attached at each end, bungee cords allow us to secure loads of boxes or cargo, and they're also extremely handy for various tasks and projects, like safely keeping a disc brake caliper out of your way while replacing rotors.
Anyone considering adding a collection of bungee cords to their kit may want to check out the SmartStraps Assorted Standard Bungee Cords. The 20-piece kit includes four 24-inch bungee cords, three 36-inch bungee cords, three 48-inch bungee cords, six mini bungee cords, and four toggle balls. The cords' hooks feature steel cores coated in plastic for long-lasting strength and durability, while a double-jacket cover protects the cables against UV rays and wear. The rubber cables are designed to maintain their elasticity and strength, even after years of use. The SmartStraps bungee cord set costs $19.99. It's well-rated by Tractor Supply customers and comes with 4.7 out of 5 stars based on 75 user reviews.
Why Did We Choose To Include These Tools?
While searching the Tractor Supply website for tools to cover, we considered a handful of criteria, including tool application and features, price, and user reviews. We wanted to identify a selection of tools that meet various real-world needs while also being less mainstream than standard hand tools. Each of the devices covered here can be useful for various applications while also being beneficial to seasoned professionals.
We also considered the price. Because these products are underrated compared to more popular and mainstream items, we didn't want to select overly expensive tools that creep further into the category of niche products than simply being highly useful, albeit less popular. The tools here cost less than $100, and several fall below the $50 mark. We were interested in identifying products that real users found to be useful for numerous tasks and combed through hundreds of products to pick these four, selecting only those with a minimum of 4.6 out of 5 stars based on dozens to hundreds of user reviews.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
