Craftsman 1/4", 3/8" & 1/2" Drive Thin Profile Ratchets give you the ability to reach in tight spaces.  These ratchets have super comfortable handles and are covered entirely in high polished chrome. With a 60 tooth ratchet gear inside, you only have to move the ratchet 6 degrees to get it to index to the next "click." This is significant because the regular Craftsman ratchets only have 36 tooth ratchet gears which means you have to move it 10 degrees.

These new ratchets are an amazing improvement on what many folks considered to be a decent ratchet. The regular ratchets, which Craftsman still produces and sell along side this new model, serve as their base line ratchets. The new Thin Profile Ratchets are included in some of the new higher end tools sets they sell. The best way to understand how great these new ratchets are is to compare them side by side with their previous generation siblings.

The new Thin Profile Ratches (above)
with the previous generation models (below)

The easiest to spot difference between the new and old models are the finish of the new Thin Profile Ratchets. The highly polished chrome finish that covers the entire tool looks much nicer than the unpolished finish of the old. Next, is the overall profile of the head and handle of the new ratchets. The old ones are what they refer to as the tear drop style with many squared off corners and more basic straight grip handles. The new ratchets feature flowing lines, rounded edges and curves that make the tools appear more streamlined. The handles on the new ratchets are larger and fit the hand more comfortably than the older model too.

Now where we really started to see the difference was in the size and depth of the ratchet heads. The new ratchets are about 1/3 shorter in height, which means you have a much better chance to fitting in that tight space. Also, on the head, the release button is flush with the surface of the ratchet further reducing the thickness. We are happy to report that these new tools' ratcheting gear has 60 teeth on it verses the previous model, which had only 36. This is significant because now, rather than having to rotate the ratchet 10 degrees to get to the next click, you only have to rotate the ratchet 6 degrees. This means you can fit the ratchet in that really tight, cramped space and still have the ability to rotate it.

The individual model numbers for each of the ratchets are as follows:

Craftsman 1/4" Drive Thin Profile Ratchet
Price: $24.99
Item: 00944994000
Mfr. Model: 44994

Craftsman 3/8" Drive Thin Profile Ratchet
Price: $32.99
Item:  00944995000
Mfr. Model: 44995

Craftsman 1/2" Drive Thin Profile Ratchet
Price: $39.99
Item: 00944996000
Mfr. Model: 44996

Testing and Use

We have used all three sizes of these ratchets for working on car motors, repairing outboard boat engines and install lag bolts for a deck. No mater what the project is, if it requires us to use a socket set, we almost always grab these ratchets. Whether we are working in cramped spaces or not, these ratchets are a joy to use. They are much more comfortable in the hand which means we almost never use our older models. We have not had any problems with them and even if we did, experience has shown that the Craftsman Forever Guarantee will take care of them for us.

Conclusion

The Craftsman 1/4", 3/8" & 1/2" Drive Thin Profile Ratchets are for anyone who has to spend some time turning wrenches. With features and quality to rival some "pro" brands that cost two to three times as much, these are a steal. For our Professional rating, we gave these ratchets a 10/10 since they offer high quality and performance. For our Value rating we gave these ratchets an 8/10 because while they are not the cheapest out there, they are still less than some of the “pro” competition and they are within the reach of a serious do-it-yourselfer.

About Craftsman Tools
Craftsman Tools is one of the most recognized brand names in America. The Sears company began offering craftsman tools in 1926. Since that time the brand has become synonymous with quality. Craftsman offers complete lines of woodworking tools, power tools, mechanic tools, lawn and garden equipment and much more.