Socket Sets

An essential for any toolkit, socket sets provide tradesmen and home DIYers alike with the versatility required to get any fastening task done. At RS, we supply an extensive range of hundreds of socket sets, designed to make light work of any project ahead of you.

With options from world-leading brands including Wera socket sets, Wiha socket sets and Makita socket adapters - as well as our very own RS Pro socket sets - our range offers the quality, durability and value to meet both professional and domestic needs.

What is a socket set?

A socket set comprises of multiple types and sizes of socket tool used for the fastening or loosening of nuts and bolts. By including numerous socket types and sizes in one bundle, socket sets offer users a versatile and convenient working solution. Typical socket sets are packaged in a single carry-case, box or pouch, making them easily portable and usable across a wide range of tasks.

Because of the huge variety of nuts and bolts there are out there, it's likely that no single socket set you buy will contain every socket you need. Indeed, while most comprehensive socket sets will include a socket for most fastener types, they won't necessarily cover every size of fastener. With that in mind, it's worthwhile considering what types of nuts and bolts you're most likely to come across in your everyday work in order to find the right socket set, or sets, for your requirements.

What are socket sets used for?

Socket sets can be found in virtually every commercial and home garage across the country. Their versatility means that they're used for all fastening and loosening applications, from basic tasks such as taking apart or putting together furniture through to complex mechanical jobs involving heavy-duty machinery.

Socket sets are most commonly utilized in automotive garages, with many standard sets including attachment sizes to suit the most common nut and bolt gauges found on cars, trucks and other vehicles. Socket sets are also readily used in heavy industries such as motor and shipbuilding as well as a range of DIY and household projects.

The additional level of user-friendliness that socket sets offer also means that they're the best choice for tackling trickier tasks such as loosening tough or rusted fasteners, which in turn minimizes the chance of damage to tools and fixtures as well as injury to the user.

What are the different types of socket sets available?

Socket sets vary on two basic principles: type and size. The key differentiator between socket sets is often the range of fastener sizes over which they're designed to fit, but it's important to be aware of the different types of socket set and their corresponding uses when you make your initial purchase.

The most common socket set types are:

• Impact sockets sets: designed for use with power tools such as electric or pneumatic wrenches, impact sockets are generally made from alloys like chrome molybdenum steel. The slightly softer but thicker makeup of impact socket alloys makes them less prone to shattering, while the sockets are frequently dipped or coated to boost their anti-corrosion properties.
• Imperial socket sets: while the rest of the world largely uses metric measurements, the imperial SAE standard is still the go-to measurement standard domestically. Imperial socket sets are therefore readily used in the US, although metric values are typically used for socket head measurements today.
• Deep socket sets: deep socket sets are comprised of sockets fit for use with bolts that are found far down in a vehicle or fixture, for when the bolt protrudes from the nut or for when the fastener is recessed.
• Hex socket sets: otherwise known as a six-point socket set, hex sockets fit over a standard six-sided hexagonal nut or bolthead. The most common type of socket in use today, hex socket sets are built for everyday use and offer huge versatility.
• 12-point socket sets: otherwise known as 'bi-hex' sockets, 12-point sockets work as hex sockets do but with fastenings carrying twice the number of inner faces. As well as offering 12 points of contact for easier seating, 12-point sockets can also be used with square nuts and bolt heads - something which hex sockets cannot do.

In terms of sizing, socket sets come in a wide range of sizes in both metric and imperial format. They are two primary measurements to consider:

• The size of the drive socket, which is always given in imperial measurements. Common socket sets are one of the following: 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4" or 1".
• The size of the socket head, which is typically given in metric measurements (mm).

Generally speaking, socket sizes can be categorized into three size brackets:

• Small socket sets: typically 3/8' or 1/4' socket sets, with socket head sizes range anywhere from 3mm-22mm.
• Large socket sets: typically 3/4' or 1' drive sockets with head sizes ranging from 19mm-50mm for larger, higher-torque applications.
• 1/2' socket sets: 1/2' drive socket sets offer the middle ground between small and large as the central measurement in the typical socket set range. Socket heads range anywhere from 8mm-32mm.

At RS, we feature an expansive range of small, large and 1/2' impact socket sets from the very best names in the global market. We supply hundreds of Wiha socket sets as well as a select range of Wera socket sets, plus countless other options from the likes of Apex Tool and our very own RS Pro socket set range. Use the filters at the top of the page to round your search down via manufacturer as well as a variety of other advanced criteria.

Find the perfect socket set for you needs with RS

With hundreds of socket sets from which to choose, everything you need for your next job is right here in the RS range - whether that job is part of your everyday profession or a DIY passion project.

If you'd like to know more about our range or have a question surrounding the tools needed for your particular requirements, our customer service team is always on hand to help. In the meantime, be sure to check out our expert content hub, where you'll find plenty of helpful advice and knowledge surrounding many of the great products in our catalogue.