TEKTON 3/8-inch drive socket set with 90-tooth ratchet

What it is good at

• Covering the common fastener sizes on a car from one tray
• Six-point sockets that grip a rusted or partly rounded hex without finishing it off
• A high-tooth-count ratchet that still moves a fastener in a narrow wheel well

Check before you buy

• Drive sizes included: 3/8-inch covers most jobs, 1/2-inch is needed for wheel nuts and suspension
• Socket profile and material: six-point chrome for hand use, with impact-rated sockets bought separately for power tools
• The case — a moulded case with marked sizes keeps a set usable, a soft bag does not

Who it is not for

Heavy suspension and wheel work, which wants 1/2-inch drive and impact-rated sockets for a power tool.

This is the set most owners reach for first: shallow sockets for tight brackets, deep sockets for nuts on studs, a couple of extensions and a ratchet that does not need much arc to turn.

The ratchet is the part that decides how the set feels. More teeth means a smaller swing in a tight space, and a sealed head keeps grit out. Sockets wear out or go missing, so check that single sockets and a replacement ratchet can be bought on their own.