Last Updated on July 21, 2026 by Stewart
Spanners and wrenches are a must have tool for any DIY enthusiast, and more often that not, you could also benefit from using a spanner that has a ratchet head as well as an open end on it. Having both ends maximises the use of the spanner, as well as making your overall job a lot easier.
How I Tested These Ratchet Spanners
I used all of the spanner sets below for removing and tightening bolts on my electric lawn mower, as well as several items of furniture. This involved using different sizes of spanner and used both the closed ratchet end, as well as the open end.
Bosch Professional Spanner Set
This is a great spanner set which is part of the Bosch Professional line. I’ll point out from the start that it’s an expensive set. However, I would say that the quality of spanners on offer here well makes up for it. Added to this is the fact that there are 10 spanners in the set. These are 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19mm. This is a great selection and is perfect for a wide variety of task in and around the house. The open ends of the spanners work extremely well and you get a great level of grip around a bolt head.
Similarly, using the ring ratchet end of the spanner works extremely well. In tight spots especially, I was able to tighten bolts in short period of time, as well as tightening them back up. There is a very small swing on the spanner, making the task a lot more efficient. For extremely tight bolts, I would always recommend using the open end first and then use the ratchet end there after. This is to prevent any damage to the ratchet mechanism. When loosening off extremely tight bolts, I didn’t experience any slipping.
I have also dropped these several times and there was no damage to any of them. I like that they’re lightweight and also sturdy, thanks to them being made form chrome vanadium steel. For those using spanners a lot of the time, I would highly recommend these ones. As an added bonus, they also come in a handy, fold up bag.
- The spanner set with seemingly endless possible applications thanks to the combination of an open-ended spanner and a ratchet ring spanner
Last update on 2026-10-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Amazon Basics Ratchet Set
A much more modestly priced set is from the Amazon Basics brand. Much like the Bosch Professional set, these are also made from chrome vanadium steel, so they do have a strength factor to them. There are also 10 spanners in the set, so it’s a good comparison to the Bosch. In terms of sizes, they go up in increments of 1mm from 10mm to 19mm.
I found these to be a bit lighter than the Bosch set above, but the open end does still work very well. It did have a small amount of slipping when trying to undo excessively tight bolts, but the fact that the slipping was minimal at a third of price of the Bosch is very impressive.
The ratchets on the spanners also work extremely well. There is a bit more of a swing needed on it, so it does take a bit longer to undo the bolts. However, in tight situations these are really good for the task. It’s a shame that there isn’t an 8mm in here, but it’s not a huge misfire from Amazon on this.
For those that are on a budget, and want a spanner set that can be used from time to time, I would definitely recommend the Amazon Basics set. It also comes in a nice bag as well to hold them all together.
- 10-piece flexible ratchet wrench set with chrome finish, Made with premium chrome vanadium steel, drop-forged, heat-treated
Last update on 2026-10-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
GearWrench Ratchet Set
GearWrench are a well known American brand that specialises in wrenches, although more commonly known as spanners in the UK.
I really like their ratchet set, and it sits well between the Amazon Basics and Bosch offerings.
Unlike the other 2 sets on the list, this one has 12 spanners in them. The sizes go up in increments of 1mm from 8mm all the way up to 19mm, so this should be more than enough for any task.
They are extremely strong as well and survived many drops from me during the extensive testing. This did not impact on their ability to work and they carried out every task with ease. During the testing, I had one slip which is very impressive. GearWrench have claimed that they only need a minimal swing to kick the ratchet into effect. When comparing it to the Bosch spanners, I only needed a slightly larger swing, so I would agree with their claims on that.
A really great feature of these spanners is that on the open box loading end is that there is off corner loading which will prevent you from rounding off the bolts as readily as perhaps other brands.
One thing that I thought was a bit off a miss with the set is that it doesn’t have a protective bag unlike the other two offerings on this list. Instead, they clip back into a holder. It’s fine, but I would prefer a bit of extra protection for my tools.
Having said that, given that there are 2 more on this set when compared to Bosch and Amazon variants and it’s priced in the middle of them, it’s a big hit. For those that will be using these a moderate amount and need a wider range of sizes, I would definitely recommend the GearWrench brand.
![GearWrench 9412BE Combination Wrench with Ratchet Set Metric, Black, 8 - 19 mm, 12 pieces [Limited Edition] Ratchet Head](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41P4EVAAi2L._SL160_.jpg)
- Included tray for storage and organization
Last update on 2026-10-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.