I agree with Chopper...when doing this stuff for a living, it was pretty handy to have a truck come around and replace my worn/broken tools. But now when I am out and about as a DIYer...Craftsman tools are mighty hard to beat, and if the tool is needed for a specific one time job only, the light duty Harbor Freight stuff will do...because it is not for a living that I work on my stuff...it is survival, where cost and convenience matters. I may buy Snap-On, MAC and others, but now it is strictly if they do a superior job and I intend to keep it around in heavy use for a long time only. My tools box is a potpourri of brand name tools like Crescent, Proto, SK, Thorsen, and countless others. I also pickup tools that are no longer made, strictly because they work better than the new ones at up to 5x savings in time and money.
Plumbing being a good example, old tools work great, new tools have too long pipe wrench handle with insufficient adjustment range for close quarter work, old style had no problems. Another example Sears and Harbor Freight started carrying long necked/handle pliers for getting into tight places and micro adjusting ratchet spanners now at or under $20 for a set. Snap on you had to pay closer to $150 for the same, yeah the chrome is not as thick or may finish not as trick, but Craftsman still guaranteed, Harbor Freight may not last as long, but try to get by without in some repair circumstances, is a waste of your time and effort (bruised knuckles and all).