The Best Torque Wrenches Properly Tighten Your Nuts and Bolts

It's tempting to spend a little less on an expensive tool like a torque wrench, and if the only thing you're ever going to be using it on is your lug nuts, then a couple (or five) pounds of torque one way or another might not make a difference. If you think you might ever want to work on anything else, like an engine, you're going to be happier buying a good torque wrench now, instead of ending up with a cheap one that you have to replace. As the saying goes, you buy a good tool once, but you pay for a cheap one every time you use it.

CDI Torque is owned by Snap-On, and there's a lot of the same DNA in the Snap-On torque wrenches. In fact, the CDI and Snap-On torque wrench use the same all-metal chromed alloy steel body. The CDI has a 32-tooth head, however, which combined with a very long 25 inch overall length will make it unwieldy in tight spaces. You could replace it with a 72-tooth Snap-On head, if you wanted to. Unlike many torque wrenches, you can both tighten and loosen with the CDI, and it's calibrated to ±3% clockwise and ± 4% CCW counter-clockwise of indicated value, from 20% to 100% of the 30-250-lb.ft. scale. We recommend a 3/8" drive torque wrench for lower torque applications.

CDI Warranty and Customer Service

CDI has several local California phone numbers on the cditorque.com site, which take you to glitchy and hard to understand voicemail. We did get through to a representative quickly, who was able to answer our question. Amazon lists a lifetime warranty on the CDI torque wrench, but their representative confirmed other information that states it's just one year after purchase. There isn't much other useful information on the site.

The TEKTON 24355 1/2-inch Drive Click Torque Wrench is an inexpensive torque wrench that is perfect for household or personal use.

This large wrench is a click-style torque wrench. The user twists the black grip of the wrench to set their desired torque value and will hear a "click" once the nut or bolt they are tightening is properly tightened. It is rated from 10 to 150 ft-lbs and ships pre-calibrated to +/-4% t accuracy. Tekton says the wrench is 18.5 inches in length, 1.8 inches in width and 1.2 inches in height. Made of steel and featuring no plastic parts, the wrench weighs a modest 2.2 pounds and comes with a lifetime quality guarantee.

Due to the size of the wrench and the limited range of motion of the head, some users may find it difficult to use in tight spaces or when tightening a bolt that requires minimal movement.

The company has several different offerings, so if you need a 1/4-, 3/4-, or 3/8-inch drive torque wrench, make sure to check out TEKTON's other products.

The EPAuto 1/2-inch Drive Click Torque Wrench is similar to many other click torque wrenches, but this one is extremely affordable.

If you don't want to spend a lot on a torque wrench, this is a solid choice. The user twists the handle to set the desired torque value and will hear a click once the value has been reached. It features a strong steel construction and is accurate to within 4%. It's rated from 25 to 250 ft-lbs and features both clockwise and counter clockwise operation.

At 18.25 inches in length, this torque wrench much shorter than many other wrenches on this list.

The Tooluxe Dual Drive Beam Style Torque Wrench includes both 3/8- and 1/2-inch anvils and is potentially the cheapest torque wrench on the market today.

If you're feeling frugal, look no further than the Tooluxe torque wrench. This torque wrench has a built-in scale so the user can tell how tight they are torquing a nut or bolt, but the torque cannot be pre-set and therefore it does not click when the desired torque is reached.

A downside to this design is that the needle for the torque scale is exposed and could therefore will bend if the unit is mishandled. It's also a very long tool and is not ideal for those working in tight spaces or those who do not have a lot of toolbox space.

What the Tooluxe wrench lacks in features it makes up for in price. It won't be as durable over time as other wrenches on this list, but will work fine for smaller projects and home wrenchers operating on a tight budget.

While not for everyone, the ACDelco Digital Torque Wrench is a good choice for those who want an accurate and easy-to-use electronic torque wrench.

Similar to a click torque wrench, the user sets the desired torque value using the buttons and LCD display and will hear a "beep" once the correct torque value has been reached.

Unlike other torque wrenches listed here, ACDelco's electronic wrench can be used both clockwise and counter clockwise. It's accurate to within 2% clockwise and within 3% counterclockwise, and has a torque range of 9.9 to 99-lbs.ft.. It's not appropriate for industrial applications or for those who may use their torque wrench every day, but is a good option for the home wrencher.

ACDelco also offers a one-year manufacturer's warranty with the wrench, which protects against defects in materials and workmanship. The wrench is also well-priced for an electronic torque wrench.

This recommendation from Precision Instruments features a dial that allows the user to set the desired torque value from 40 ft-lbs to 250 ft-lbs in increments of five foot-pounds. A small metal cover then locks the value in so the dial does not get accidentally adjusted when you're wrenching away. The dial is said to be more accurate than other "twist handle" style wrenches.

When the desired torque value is reached, the wrench will emit a click that the user can easily hear and feel. Due to the wrench's length, most users should find it ideal for torqueing nuts and bolts above 100-lbs.ft.. The wrench also features a nice-looking nickel finish, a flex head and comes with a protective plastic case. The design of this Precision Instruments wrench is also very similar to much more expensive wrenches from Snap-On. It is accurate to within 4%, Precision Instruments says.

Precision Instruments only offers a very short 90-day warranty, but even so, it should prove to be durable over time.

After using click-type torque wrenches for years, when the time came to spend our own money, we purchased the Icon torque wrench from Harbor Freight for the AutoGuide Garage. It's a long 23 inches overall, with a 15-degree flex head, and chunky molded handle.

Split-beam torque wrenches have a lot of advantages and a few disadvantages compared to click types. The construction costs less to achieve the same accuracy, and they don't need to be reset to zero after every use (the Icon instructions say to do so, anyway). We find the numerical gauge easier to read and set, but it is not as precise as the indicators of a click type, and can be read wrong, depending on your angle. The Icon Harbor Freight torque wrench is marked in five pound-foot increments, so if you need to set your torque exactly to the the pound, you'll want either a digital or click type. Ours came with a calibration certificate showing an outstanding 0.1% accuracy at 50-lbs.ft, 0.3% at 150-lbs.ft, and 1.3% at 250-lbs-ft.. The Icon torque wrench has a satisfying spring-loaded (and highly greased) cover over the adjustment dial, which moves freely, and a high-quality blow-molded case.

The Icon torque wrench is sold only through Harbor Freight, which offers a limited lifetime warranty and 90-day calibration warranty.

This 1/2-inch torque wrench from GearWrench is reasonably priced and can torque bolts from 30 to 250-lbs.ft.

GearWrench says it's accurate to within 3% of the preset torque setting. The presets are not painted in a contrasting color, though, so they may be hard to read in low light settings.

With a high-quality construction and an approachable price, this click-style torque wrench is a good mid-level option. It's manufactured in China and only works in a clockwise direction.

The CDI Needle Dial Torque Wrench is perhaps not as fool-proof as a click-style torque wrench, but has many advantages of its own.

The user will have to pay attention to the built-in dial when torquing a nut or bolt in order to know the current torque rating, rather than listening for a click. The wrench is highly accurate, however, and extremely robust due to the sturdy and thick steel construction. The torque range is high from 0 to 300 ft-lbs. The needle is also easy-to-read and clearly displays the torque value.

A downside to this style of torque wrench is that you may not always be able to see the dial if you are working within a tight space. The dial does have a "memory" function, however, so the needle will remain at the last value it was set to before you took it off of the bolt or nut.

CDI is owned by the reputable Snap-On Tools.

This 3/8-inch torque wrench from well-known tool purveyor Stanley is of a high-quality industrial construction is perfect for professional mechanics or handymen.

The click torque wrench, which measures in foot pounds, is highly accurate and is rated at 20 to 100-lbs.ft.. It also comes with a certificate confirming it will be accurate within 3% of the preset torque rating.

The torque settings do not feature contrasting markings, however, which may make them hard to read in the dark.

If you're looking for a high-quality, no-nonsense torque wrench that manufactures as advertised, you can't go wrong this made in the U.S. wrench.

What is a Torque Wrench?

Why Do You Need A Torque Wrench?

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