Price: £38.99
Buy from: Amazon
How many pieces? 67
This compact kit is a mini home mechanic’s set rather than a roadside kit like the Halfords and Black and Decker, and for the money it’s really great. The tools feel like they’ll last well, and the Hi-Spec lifetime guarantee also backs this up. More than that, for a conveniently dinky 30cm, 2.6kg set it’s actually got the tools that many home mechanics will need, including an electrical testing pen, socket extensions and joints that made light work of our battery bolts, 16- and 21mm spark plug sockets, a spread of screwdrivers and bits, and more. If you’re after an automotive-specific tool kit that’s not massive or pricey but does the job, this is pretty unbeatable. Autocar says 4 stars
4. Vonhaus Socket and Tool set
Price: £99.99
Buy from: Amazon
How many pieces? 256
This is a very well-stocked kit that covers your household DIY and most automotive needs, too. It includes sockets ranging from 4- to 30mm, a variety of extension arms that easily reached the bolts on our old car’s battery, an electrical tester, a host of screwdriver bits, a flashlight, tape measure and much more. Quality isn’t what it is on the Draper and Sealey sets, but the core tools still feel very durable – there is a two year guarantee, as well. The plastic locks on the case feel fairly cheap, though, and at nearly 10kg this is a heavy set to lug around. Autocar says 4 stars
