Small socket sets also offer a wide budget range. You can spend nearly $200 on a truly premium set or opt for a simple set that's barely over $15 but can still last multiple years.

Using the British Standard, we tested each set's 10mm socket to 1.5 times the required limit - around 85lb/ft. The extension and ratchet were taken to just over 122lb/ft. We looked for a range of ...