The Best Torque Wrenches (Review & Buying Guide) in 2023 | Autance

A torque wrench is key part of the toolkit of the serious at home mechanic. It allows you to tighten nuts and bolts to a set and accurate torque. This means they can be tightened sufficiently to avoid loosening whilst the car, truck or machinery is operating.

They also protect nut and bolts from being accidently over tightened which can damage the threading on these key components, lessening their lifespan and making a sudden loosening or failure more likely. Not bad for one little wrench, which is why there are so many makes and models out there on the market right now. Luckily we’re here to help you choose the right one.

The Best Torque Wrench

Torque Wrench Buying Guide & FAQ

Torque wrenches can be something of an overlooked tool to the home mechanic, but this is a shame because they can bring a number of advantages.

Part of this may be that until recently, they were pretty much considered to be a pro mechanics tool, something that would only be used in a professional vehicle shop.

Luckily, those days are far in the past and there is now a range of excellent wrenches on the market deigned for domestic rather than pro shop use.

Naturally enough, some people still have a few questions about these extremely handy tools, questions such as:

Factors to Consider When Buying a Torque Wrench

Due to the various types, sizes and materials that these tools can be made of, there are a number of factors to bear in mind when deciding which tool (or tools!) will be the right one for you.

Just remember these as you consider the various options out there on the market and they will help you make the right decision.

• Accuracy – The whole point of buying this tool is to take advantage of the measurements it can give you during operation. Therefore, it pays to get a model with decent accuracy – otherwise, if the accuracy is poor you might as well save your money and buy a regular wrench!
• Certificates – Carrying on the theme of accuracy, the better models will usually come with a certificate proving the calibration and accuracy of the model that you have purchased. They should also come with instructions on how (and when) to calibrate the tool to keep it accurate.
• Materials – Cheaper models will typically have more elements made of plastic instead of metal. Obviously, this keeps the price down, but plastic, as anyone knows, is not the most long lasting material. You’ll notice that the models we have selected above keep plastic parts to a minimum – even the cheaper models. Buying a tool with most – or all – of the construction in metal should result in a far longer lasting tool that will give better value for money.
• Ratcheting – A wrench with the ability to ratchet is a far more useful tool than one that does not. Most of these tools – and all of the ones we recommend above – come with this ability. It just makes them quicker and easier to use.
• Hard Case – Storage is a bit more of a factor with these tools than with any others because they are calibrated devices. Being banged around in a big toolbox can throw off the calibration and lower the accuracy of the tool. The best way to store this tool is in a hard plastic case, which many of them come with, but it’s worth double-checking before buying. A good case can add years to the lifespan of these tools.
• Scale Readability – Each model has a slightly different way of showing the torque being used and/or setting the torque to be reached. As this is the key feature of this type of tool, it’s worth getting one that can be easily read and used. Of course, the LCD screens on digital wrenches are by far the easiest to use and read. That being said, there are a number of excellent analogue dial style readouts on more traditional models that can also be very easy to use – it’s a personal preference really!
• Handling – finally, just take a look at the handle of the wrenches and try to imagine using them with your hands covered in oil or brake fluid. A tool with a rubberized or plastic handle, or a metal one with nice deep ridges cut will be better to handle – and less slippery. Some models even boast ergonomic handgrips, if you know that you have less trouble effectively gripping a tool during work.

Types of Torque Wrench

There are actually three types of torque wrench on the market, Click –Type, Electronic and Beam.

You will notice that none of the tools we have selected above for our product guide are of the beam type. These are the oldest and most simple type and frankly, they have been pretty much replaced in common use by the other two more modern models.

Beam types are usually very heavy, they are difficult to use and not particularly accurate. The only real advantage they have is that they are usually pretty cheap, but since we found some excellent, modern click style wrenches that are not exactly going to break the bank, even this advantage seems less and less important.

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Click Type

Lovely and straight forward! Set the required torque, apply the wrench head and twist until you hear a click. That little noise indicates that you’ve tightened the bolt to the force you set.

There are a number of advantages to this type, mainly though that it’ so simple straightforward to use. This translates to a typically long lifespan (less parts to break down) and a can usually mean a lower purchase price.

It’s also very helpful that it works by making a noise. This means that you can operate the tool out of direct line of sight – handy for when you are elbow deep in the bowels of a car!

It also needs the occasional calibration, but other than that will sit happily in it’s storage box for months between uses, making it a perfect occasional or even emergency use tool that won’t let you down.

Electronic (or Digital) Type

These models work on the same principle as the click type, except that they have an embedded LCD screen and a little built in speaker. So they will make a noise, usually a buzz like sound, when the set torque has been reached.

In addition however, the screen can give useful feedback on exactly what torque is being applied at any time, meaning you don’t have to rely on listening out. This means that you can incrementally increase the pressure slowly, making digital models perfect to use on more fragile bolts.

The downside of course is that they are almost always more expensive than their equivalent Click style brothers.

It would probably be a good idea to consider a Click style for more heavy duty use such as cars and vehicles, and a digital model for items that require more care such as garden tools and bikes.

Tips on Using a Torque Wrench

• Never use a torque wrench to undo a bolt – they should only be used to tighten them. The risk is that if the bolt is tight, you could accidently apply more torque than the tool can handle safely.
• Always unwind the wrench when you are finished with it. This basically resets the inner workings that are essentially a big spring. Storing it unwound will release the pressure on the spring, helping it to have a longer lifespan.
• Build up pressure smoothly and steadily until you hear that all-important click.
• Each model has a rating for the torque force it can safely handle. Try to avoid going within 25% of the maximum end of that range too often. This will place strain on the inner workings of the wrench; potentially lessening it’s lifespan.
• Most tools come with a marked loading point. This is the point you should hold the tool and apply pressure. The tool will be calibrated for the pressure it will receive when used with your hand at that set angle. Hold and use the tool from this point (or as close as you an get) to ensure an accurate reading.

Sources:

1. How do you read a torque wrench? – HowStuffWorks
2. How to Reverse Ratcheting Wrenches – Hunker