We didn’t wait until the last minute, and neither should you. If you’re looking for the best gift to get your loved one or someone you don’t like, we give you the Mechanics Christmas Gift Guide 2017. We narrow down our gift choices for the mechanic in different price categories.

Instead of just giving you a plethora of items in no order, we break them down into their respective categories. Gifts priced around $25, $50, $100, $300, $500, and even $1,000. If you’re looking at gifts more than this, that is one lucky recipient, and we can help with this too. Just ask us.

Be sure to catch the Woodworkers Christmas Gift Guide for 2017 as well.

Mechanics Christmas Gift Guide 2017 Categories

Mechanics – Under $25

E-Z Red WR1500-B 15-Piece Magnetic Wrench Holder

Nobody likes a messy toolbox, regardless of the actual condition it may be in. E-Z Red makes organizing your wrenches easy with the magnetic wrench holder. Made to fit 15 of your favorite wrenches. For less than $25, you can help to make the world a better place. At least, you can help to make a mechanic feel better about their wrench drawer.

E-Z Red offers the wrench holders in a longer 24-piece model as well. Furthermore, the wrench holders come in green, blue and red anodized aluminum bodies.

Get the E-Z Red WR1500 here.

The Strap Jacket – 2 Jackets and 2 Ratchet Straps

We all have to haul something from time to time. Whether it’s on a trailer or pickup-truck, for work or for play, if we’re hauling it, we need to secure it as well. The new Strap Jacket is a convenient and very useful tool. It works as a hook-and-loop (velcro) fastener pocket to secure the loose ends of your ratchet strap. Not only that, it provides a way to store your ratchet straps as well, in a very neat and orderly method. Multiple Strap Jackets even fasten together with the hook and loop sewn onto the outside of the jackets as well.

We’ve used the Strap Jackets for a few weeks now, and they are definitely handy and easy to use. They also easily stow away under the seat, without the mess of loose straps.

You can pick up a pair of the Strap Jackets here.

Mechanics – Around $50

DeWalt Tough Box 23 PC 1/2 Drive Impact Socket Set

Every mechanic needs a set of impact sockets, and, of course, the most popular size is the 1/2″ drive. DeWalt has recently expanded their line of mechanics tools over the past couple years, and they’ve upped the quality as well. Made from Cr440 steel, these impact sockets are sure to last, and DeWalt covers them with a lifetime warranty. No need to take it back to the store, just shoot them an email with the broken tool listed, and they’ll send you the new piece, at no charge. You don’t even have to take in the old socket.

We covered this DeWalt impact socket set in a review, not too long ago. This kit is an easy and inexpensive gift that fits very well in our Christmas Gift Guide 2017. Purchase your DeWalt Tough Box 23-Piece Impact Set.

Milwaukee 475 Lumen LED Rechargeable Headlamp

Everyone needs to see what they’re doing. Mechanics find themselves either under a hood, under a dash, or under the car itself. Shop lights are great, but sometimes you need the light directed where you’re looking and where your hands are. The Milwaukee 475 lumen LED headlamp does just this. With the rechargeable USB RedLithium battery, you don’t have the worry of purchasing batteries. At least, not for a while.

In High flood mode, you get two hours of runtime (300 lumens). In low, at just 20 lumens, the runtime jumps to 24 hours. Charging the headlamp with the included USB cord will deliver 80% of the charge in less than 1 hour. The IP 54 rating ensures water and dust resistance. You can purchase the Milwaukee LED headlamp here, or from your local Home Depot.

Mechanics – Gifts Around $100

Nitrocat 1056-XL 1/2″ Composite Compact Air Impact Wrench

Every mechanic needs a stubby or compact air impact wrench in their tool arsenal. The NitroCat 1056-XL delivers 550 ft-lbs of max torque and weighs in at only 2 1/2 pounds. Users will appreciate the one-handed operation, with the speed selection and direction controls located right behind the trigger.

AirCat/NitroCat’s patented “silencing technology” provides a low noise level of just 85 dBA. A triple heat-treated steel hammer mechanism and anvil ensures durability, and AirCat stands behind the NitroCat 1056-XL with their 2-year warranty.

Get the NitroCat 1056-XL here.

Husky Mechanics Tool Set (230-Piece)

It’s hard to beat a 230 piece mechanics tool set for just $100. Husky covers the gamut of typical sockets and ratchets for the beginner. With 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ sockets in both metric and SAE, you have it all in one place. The 230-pc kit also comes with wrenches, extensions and various drive bits as well.

Made from chromium-vanadium (Cr-V) steel, you get strength and durability. In addition, Home Depot covers these with a lifetime warranty. The included ratchets are 72-tooth design, so you get a 5° swing arc.

You can pick these up online here or at your local Home Depot.

Hot Wheels Car Care Products

If you have a real car nut in your family or friends list, then you may want to check out the Hot Wheels Car Care Products. No, it’s not just for the little Hot Wheels bought at the department stores. This is the real deal for real cars.

The kit includes their Wash & Wax, which is, of course, their soap solution for washing. Epic Shine is their spray-on wax, just spray it on and wipe it off. Pro Tire Cleaner takes care of your car’s sneakers, while the All Wheel Cleaner will get the grime off those custom wheels. Finally, the Pro Tire Finish will give those tires the dressing and shine they deserve.

Mechanics – Gifts Around $300

Ingersoll Rand W5132 Mid-Torque Cordless Impact Wrench

Cordless tools continue to infiltrate the mechanic’s world, and this includes impact wrenches. We reviewed the Ingersoll Rand W5132 mid-torque impact wrench several months ago, and it’s definitely a market leader in the mid-torque cordless category. With 550 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque on the 3/8″ anvil, the IR W5132 will successfully perform the majority of most mechanic’s daily tasks.

From the tip of the anvil to the rear of the impact measures only 6-1/2″. Surrounding the anvil is a halo-style LED light that illuminates the entire work area. In fact, you can even set the light to be a work light while you’re not using the impact. The 5.0 Ah 20V lithium-ion battery provides the power to the brushless motor and hog-ring style anvil. Ingersoll Rand also provides an ergonomic and chemical resistant rubber overmold to ensure durability in the harshest environments.

Click here to buy the IR W5132-K12 3/8″ Cordless Impact Wrench.

Power Probe PPKIT04 4 Master Kit with ECT3000

With more and more components under the hood being electronic, great diagnostic tools are a must-have. Just a test light won’t cover you anymore. Our pro loved the Power Probe IV for diagnosing trouble circuits, as reflected in our review. The Power Probe will not only help you identify a short, but you can also power up circuits for testing. Whether it’s power window motors, relays, or headlights, that Power Probe IV puts more power in your hands.

With eight (8) different test modes on the LCD screen, the user can quickly select the best mode for the situation.

• VDC Mode – This mode tests DC Voltages.
• Feed Test Mode – Use this mode to check voltages on static circuits or voltage drops on active circuits.
• ACRMS – This mode tests AC Voltages where an RMS measurement is needed.
• P-P – Measure Peak-to-Peak AC Voltages.
• Hrz Frq Cntr – Hertz Frequency Counter for measure AC signals. I’d like to buy a vowel.
• Fuel Inj Mode – Use this mode for Fuel Injector Circuit testing.
• Drv Test Mode – Test the transistors inside the modules with this mode.
• PPECT Mode – Use this mode for locating open circuits.

In addition to just the Power Probe IV, the Master Kit also includes the ECT3000 electronic circuit tester, and more. Just the Power Probe IV is available for less than $150, and the Power Probe IV Master Kit comes in just a bit more. Get the Power Probe IV Master Kit.

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Mechanics – Gifts Under $500

Proto Proto Tool J6014E 1/2″ Drive Electronic Torque Wrench 12.5-250 FT-LB

No doubt, Proto has been a standard setter in the industrial market for decades. Their precision tools exude quality, performance, and durability. A good torque wrench is a must-have for every mechanic, whether you wrench on vehicles for a living, or you’re a garage weekend warrior. The Proto J6014E electronic torque wrench brings together the quality of Proto and the new age of digital readouts.

The J6014E is a 1/2″ drive that has a working range from 12.5 to 250 ft-lb. Precision accuracy is an outstanding +/- 2% CW and +/- 3% CCW, and this accuracy is valid from 20% to 100% of the full working range. Yellow, Green, and Red LED lights provide visual cues for the user, in addition to the digital readout and even an audible buzzer.

Check out the Proto J6014E Torque Wrench.

Milwaukee M18 FUELCordless 1/2 in. Gen II High Torque Impact Wrench Kit

Of course, who can resist owning the winner of our Best High-Torque Cordless Impact Wrench Shootout? The new Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2767 High Torque impact wrench delivers up to 1,400 ft-lbs of breakaway torque and 1,100 ft-lbs of max tightening torque. This is with a battery.

The M18 FUEL platform gives you a brushless motor and lithium-ion battery. In addition, the user has 3 speeds to choose from, in addition to the bolt-removal mode. With the Milwaukee 2767 impact in the bolt removal mode, it senses when the fastener is loose and automatically slows the anvil to just 750 rpm. This ensures that the fasteners don’t go shooting across the shop.

The Milwaukee GenII 2767 impact wrench comes with a 5-year warranty.

Mechanics – Gifts Under $1,000

Sunex Tools 8035XT – 3 Drawer Service Cart With Sliding Top

Tool boxes have always been an important asset to the mechanic, or any other technician that works with tools. Service Carts have proved to be a big help for tool storage, as well as a huge time saver while working in the shop. The Sunex Tools 8035XT 3-drawer service cart with sliding top brings sexy and functional together. The sliding tops open opposite of one another on the top of the Sunex service cart. Each sliding top offers shallow storage, while underneath the tops, the open area provides much deeper storage, along with a power strip with typical 120V outlets and USB outlets.

Furthermore, the stainless steel work surface is impervious to just about anything, and the protective edge bumpers absorb any unintended impacts with objects. The Sunex Tools 8035XT is available in Red, Orange, Green, Blue, and Black (8035XT, 8035XTOR, 8035XTLG, 8035XTBL, and 8035XTBK respectively). We had a chance to see this Sunex Tools Service Cart in person at one of our tool shows, and we are very impressed with the quality and usable features of the box.

Get your Sunex Tools Service Cart here.

Unlimited Spend Gift Category

Ingersoll Rand R4i Rotary Compressor with Total Air System (TAS)

If you’re looking here in our Mechanics Christmas Gift Guide 2017, then the recipient of this gift is one lucky and blessed person. Every shop needs an air compressor, and Ingersoll Rand has been a market leader in pneumatics for almost a century. In fact, it’s not uncommon to spot old IR compressors still running in shops, even after five or six decades of use. This is a true testament to the quality of the brand. Our Shop Tool Reviews shop runs the Ingersoll Rand R4i rotary compress with the TAS (Total Air System) unit attached.

This is the very system that we’re recommending for our top gift, in the unlimited category. The rotary system runs very quiet, so you can easily have conversations over the compressor, while it’s running. Furthermore, the TAS unit dries the air, so there is no worry about moisture attacking your system or tools. We are continuing to review the R4i, to ensure durability and functionality. You can take a peek at our install and start-up of the Ingersoll Rand R4i Compressor here.

For more information and to purchase the Ingersoll Rand compressor, click here.