Whether it’s for a holiday or birthday, this Tools Under 30 Dollars Gift Guide Series shows you important, yet somewhat uncommon, tools that any gearhead would want.
Today, let’s talk about Stubby Ratchets.
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When it comes to ratchets, bigger does not always mean better.
Thanks to Archimedes‘ principles of leverage, the longer the lever, the more force you can exert—hence why long-handled breaker bars are an essential tool for turning stuck, stubborn bolts.
But what about the flipside of that equation?
Say you have a bolt or nut that shouldn’t be snugged down tightly, like an oil pan drain plug or an interior trim bracket. For those situations, you don’t want a lot of leverage.
Or say you’re in a tight engine bay and don’t have the space to fit a normal-sized socket wrench.
Enter our friend, the stubby ratchet.
A stubby ratchet is simply a socket wrench with a short, stout handle. And as alluded to above, it can be darn handy in a lot of situations.
For starters, it’s our go-to choice for oil changes, as the short lever mitigates the chance of us accidentally over-tightening a drain plug—or an oil filter, if you’re using an oil filter socket.
It also saves a ton of frustration in a cramped space: Ever spent 10 minutes listening to the thunk-thunk-thunk of your ratchet handle knocking against an obstruction while you make 1/16 of a turn at a time? Then you know what we’re talking about here.
All told, the stubby ratchet is a tool you get, toss in your toolbox, and thank yourself for buying it every time you grab it.
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A short-handled stubby ratchet is an often overlooked tool, even for die-hard gearheads, making them excellent gifts to give and receive. Best of all, they can be pretty affordable, so there’s a good chance you can get a nice stubby ratchet for under 30 bucks.
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