Hexagon socket set in the test 2022

The Asaki hexagon socket set for Torx screws made a good impression in our test. The product offers a complete set of high quality Torx spanners at a relatively low price. The spanners fit perfectly into Torx screws. High torques can be applied with the long handle. Another positive aspect is that there are no signs of use even after testing. A holder bag with practical sorting is also part of the set. Nevertheless, a better fit for the spanners in the holder bag would have been desirable, as would packaging with contact information appropriate to the product.

ℹ️ Here we take a closer look at packaging. Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important factor. In addition, adequate protection of the product must of course also be ensured.

The Allen key set from ASAKI arrived in a typical Amazon dispatch bag. The mailing bag was easy to open without any tools thanks to the tear strip. Inside was the spanner set, shrink-wrapped in a blister pack. This is a transparent packaging made of hard plastic with a pocket inside that matches the shape of the product.
The blister had a tear in the top right-hand corner and a small piece of the bottom right-hand corner had broken off. As the blister is very robust packaging and the product itself is not sensitive, the product was fully protected at all times despite the damage.
From our point of view, a blister pack would not have been necessary. Although it is a very secure form of packaging, it is not necessary for the type of product. A simpler and more manageable packaging, for example made of cardboard, would have been perfectly adequate. As the blister cannot be opened non-destructively, it cannot be reused. The advantage of the blister is that the key set is completely safe from dirt and scratches.
Tools such as scissors are required to open the blister. The cut-open blister is sharp-edged. Although this is unpleasant when unpacking, there is no risk of serious injury.

ℹ️ Most people’s first impression after unpacking is immediately memorable. Are the contents of the pack complete and does the manufacturer make it as easy as possible for me to use the product straight away?

The hexagon socket spanner set consists of a total of ten parts: Nine Torx spanners and a holder bag with hinge. The holder bag consists of a black and an orange plastic part, which are connected via the hinge. The individual spanners are located in precisely fitting holes, which means that the spanners are sorted by size. The sizes range from T10 to T50. The sizes are labelled next to the holes on the holder bag.
The set does not come with instructions for use, but this is not absolutely necessary for a product of this type. Instead, there is a simple graphic on the back of the packaging showing how to use the spanners.
The full manufacturer’s name and contact information can also be found on the back. The latter consists of the company address and a telephone number without the corresponding area code. However, both are only printed in Chinese characters. There is no e-mail address.

ℹ️ Before we start the practical test, we take a close look at the product processing. How high quality are the materials used? Is the look and feel satisfactory?

According to the manufacturer, the individual spanners are made of hardened chrome vanadium steel and have a long lever. The spanners also make a very high-quality impression in practice. Even the smallest spanner can hardly be bent, so a long service life can be expected. The manufacturer’s name ASAKI, CR-V as an abbreviation for chrome vanadium steel and the respective size of the Torx are printed on the long side of the spanners.
The holder case cannot quite keep up with this very high-quality impression. The plastic does not feel quite as high-quality as the metal of the spanners. Although the keys can be easily removed from the holder and pushed back in again, they are not well secured. If the filled holder bag is turned upside down, some of the keys fall out. Most keys also have a little play in the holes of the holder bag. The design of the holder bag, which consists of just two relatively small pieces, is therefore entirely in keeping with the principle of sustainability, as significantly less material is required than for a closed cover.

ℹ️ Our practical test is the most relevant and therefore the most important. Here, the product has to undergo a wide range of criteria and tests. We check the functions and product promises of the test article.

By sorting the keys in the holder bag according to size, the right key can be found quickly. The low weight of the holder bag also makes it ideal for mobile applications. Unfortunately, the holder bag lacks a suitable eyelet or comparable device for attaching the holder bag to a belt or in a tool case. The eyelet for hanging the holder bag on typical supermarket shelf hooks is unfortunately too small.
The keys themselves are excellent to use. The spanners fit perfectly into Torx screws and ensure that the torque is transferred securely to the screw. At the end of the short side is the safety Torx with the corresponding circular indentation in the centre.
The long side is relatively long at 95 mm (T10) to 220 mm (T50). This allows high torques to be applied without great effort. In practice, however, it is noticeable that the short side is somewhat short at 18 mm (T10) to 45 mm (T50), especially with the small spanners. This forces the user to switch to the long side quite early on if not enough torque can be applied with the short side. However, when using the long side, it is difficult to support the spanner at the short end. This is particularly necessary if components are to be screwed together without pre-drilling.
Although not directly intended for this purpose, the “misuse” of the spanners on classic hexagon socket screws was also tested. These could also be screwed without any problems, even if the spanner naturally does not sit quite as securely in the screw as in the corresponding Torx screws.
Overall, all assigned tasks could be completed quickly and reliably with the spanners. Even after the test, the spanners showed no signs of wear, not even on the edges of the Torx profile. The fear that the coating applied by the manufacturer to prevent rust would come off during use was not confirmed. Accordingly, the ASAKI spanner set can be certified as being of high quality.

ℹ️ Finally, we look at how the product compares to the competition. Can it keep up with the competition in terms of price and quality? Would we generally recommend buying it? We also analyse consumer reviews and check whether the critical and positive reviews are actually justified.

On the Amazon platform, consumers have given the product an average rating of 4.4 stars. The quality is often criticised. Many customers like the fact that the spanners perform their tasks reliably. In our practical test, we were able to confirm that the spanners are generally very easy to use and fulfil their task reliably, but that there is room for improvement in terms of the quality of the holder bag.

Prices of up to €33 are charged on the Internet for equivalent products. Very inexpensive products are available from as little as €10. With a price of €15.16, the hexagon socket set from Asaki is currently between the lower and middle price segment. The price ratio is reasonable for the quality and scope of services that you receive.