Right now we're using your standard Home Depot run of the mill Allen wrenches to work on research equipment that's $300k+. They work okay, but I'd like to get something of better quality...whether that be made with tighter tolerances, labeled with the size, etc. I can buy from Grainger, Fastenal, Home Depot, and perhaps a couple more places. I have a good budget to work with. Do y'all have any recommendations?

Wiha

PB Swiss

Wera.

What I buy for all our maintenance techs.

They are high, but the best! I have a set of metric and standard. No slip, no round off.

You mean the free allen wrenches you get with particle board furniture and children's toys aint good enough?

I like Wiha also.The difference between them and the cheap one's is very noticeable.

Bondhus also makes good ones, but nothing wrong with Wiha or Wera

I really like Wiha and I have a couple sets of Titan long arm from Northern Tool that's pretty spiffy too. I use the Titans at work because they are RED. I'm the only one with them so if I see a red one, it's mine.

I've used them all in the Tool $ Die biz, best all the way around for the $ is Bondhus . And they ain't cheap. We bought in bulk and were rough on them with cheater pipes , hammers , heat and anything else one could do to abuse them.

Allen brand is good also.

Craftsman that lowes sells isn't bad at all, but if money isn't an issue, Wera hex plus.

Another vote for Bondhus.

Blue point T handles use to be some count...I tore down and built thousands of 50 to 100K air cycle machines with them... I didnt have a budget on my tools either...

Also look for the little snap on ratchet allen head set.....Its got a flat ratchet about 3 or 4 inches long and you plug the different size allen head attatchments or sockets...That thing makes a quick job of allen head removal where you wont strip the ends off reg wrenches

bondhus is what I always get, craftsman is okay. when they start falling out of the holder I replace it. either the holder fails or the keys get lost before they ever wear out.

The devil created Allen wrenches…that’s all I know

SHCS have their place. Quality bolts along with quality wrenches , work fine .

Truth. They are pretty much indispensable on a lot of machinery. I'm partial to Torx bolts too. Recessed hex heads suck.

Wiha

We used Holo- Krome brand SHCS by the 1,000s. They are the absolute best , tried them all. I never was a fan of low heads , but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Small flat heads were the worst . Rounded Allen wrenches and small flat heads don't work together.

Used them for years