What's the best 1/2" ratchet to buy

I like Facom tools but other people will have their own favorites. A decent ratchet itself can cost more than a complete socket set from the lower end of the market so it depends on how much you consider an acceptable amount to pay. No point in asking people for recommendations if they recommend something like Snap-On, Facom, Bedford, etc that is outside your budget. Personally I've got quite a few of different makes and a basic Machine Mart does the job most of the time despite not being the lightest, smoothest, etc as simply it's normally the one nearest to my hand. Why not visit Halfords and Machine Mart to have a look at what they offer, try them out for feel, weight and such ? As I say maybe not the best but at least you can see them "in the flesh" rather than going on somebody elses recommendation and buying blind mail order only to find not to your taste. Whilst a debatable point whether to leave them dry or grease I always dismantle a new ratchet and grease the internals. I've still got a Kamasa ratchet I bought 30+ years ago that is in GWO so the grease can't have done it too much harm. BTW most of the time I use 3/8" in preference to 1/2".

Have fun choosing

Paul H

Why not just buy a ratchet repair kit from halfords for about 5 quid?

very true

If you were happy with what you had until it failed, then this, surely?

Certainly my Halfords Pro ratchets have lasted me best part of a decade now and have taken plenty of abuse in that time, and if and when they finally cry enough, I'll just buy a repair kit and hopefully give them a few more years life.

Bite the bullet and get snap on
have it for life
with snap on guarantee
worth the price
Ive got a account with them
pay weekly/monthly

iv never had any probs with my draper ratchet set...used a lot and never shown signs of wear

I tried getting the repair kit but it wouldn't fit my ratchet as it was for the professional and I have the advanced.
Lasted me a good 10 years I was tempted to get another but then you never know what else is out there.
I've settled for a tengtools ratchet in the end so wishe me luck!

I tend to a use a 3/8th drive ratchet normally as its easier to wield in the cramped spaces you need to work in under a cars bonnet. 1/4 inch is not man enough for anything but fiddly stuff although for that its good, 1/2 inch is too clumsy a lot of the time although it does have its uses, mostly my 1/2 inch sockets find themselves used with a breaker bar rather than a ratchet.

Halfords advanced tools are very good I never yet managed to break one and mine get a fairly hard life, I also use Draper expert stuff and would recommend their ratchets as reasonably good. The best ratchet I have though looks about 70 years old and came from a random stall at an autojumble, sometimes the old tools you find at car boot sales and the like can be very hard to beat.