2020 test18 productsHand Tools
Which Rounded Nut/bolt Extractors And Stud Removers Brand Wins?
A head-to-head test of 18 rounded nut/bolt extractors and stud removers options with the measured results for each. See how they ranked and watch the full test video.
Budget pick
Amartisan
Price shown in test: $24.95
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | Claims | Size | Test1 rounded bolt | Test1 partially rounded bolt | Test1 undamaged bolt | Test2 (post penetrating oil, to failure) | Test | Mechanism | Test3 (stud extractor torque-to-failure) | Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Effecteer Universal Socket$10.49, the least expensive product tested | one size fits most: hex, hook, cap, and nut; made in China; 54 individual hardened steel spring pins that retract to the shape of most objects; comes with an adapter | diameter just over 1 in, versus the 5/8 in test bolt | only 4.6 ft lbs, failed | a little better at 34.6 ft lbs | did great, loosening it at 98.8 ft lbs | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 2unbranded Universal Socket$17.88 | made in China; adjustable by rotating the tool casing, clockwise for a smaller nut and counterclockwise for a larger nut | diameter 1.5 in, larger than the Effecteer | 6.4 ft lbs, struggled and failed | 25.8 ft lbs | not able to loosen it even at 80 ft lbs, a total failure | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 3Go2 Socket$18.99 | made in Taiwan; detailed application steps involving hand-tightening, wiggling, hammer-tapping deeper onto the bolt head, and wrench assistance before using a ratchet | diameter 1.457 in | succeeded outright; transcript states '87 in lbs was enough to loosen the rounded bolt,' with only minor wear to the teeth | not tested | not tested | seemed completely unfazed by the lubricant, maintaining grip and snapping the bolt at 115 ft lbs | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 4Vector Tools Nut Splitter$19.95 | made in China; base adjustable for nut sizes 7/16 in up to 3/4 in | needs about 1.5 in of space from the bolt center, not ideal for tight spots | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | struggled with a grade 8 nut; 110 ft lbs applied to the tightening bolt without success; repositioned for a second attempt but the chisel deflected as it pressed into the nut | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 5Amartisan 13 piece bolt nut remover extractor socket tool set$24.95 | sizes 1/4 in (8 mm) to 3/4 in (19 mm); manufacturer/country of origin not stated in the transcript; tapered reverse spiral flute design | diameter very close to the socket size, described as a great choice for tight spots or hard to reach areas | succeeded at 86.5 ft lbs, no visible wear or damage | not tested | not tested | needed a few taps with a hammer but outlasted the bolt, which broke at 104 ft lbs | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 6Luckyway 13 piece nut remover set$26.99 | made in China; tapered reverse spiral flutes | diameter 0.836 in, slightly smaller than the Amartisan | succeeded, holding grip at 84.4 ft lbs, no visible wear or damage | not tested | not tested | lost grip at 44 ft lbs; a few more light hammer taps improved it to 82 ft lbs, but it lost grip before the bolt broke | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 7Teng Tools nut splitter set$29.99 as spoken in the narration; the video's chapter metadata lists this product at $29.95, a small discrepancy between the two sources | splits nut sizes 5 to 20 mm with the smaller splitter and 14 to 27 mm with the larger tool; made in Taiwan | needs about 1.5 in of space from the bolt center, not ideal for tight spots | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | took 74 ft lbs to drive the chisel most of the way through the nut; repositioned to the opposite side but the tool's size and design put it at a bad angle, and it could not finish splitting the nut; the chisel took quite a bit of damage | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 8Rocket Socket 13 piece nut remover set$69.99 | proudly made in USA; designed to be used with impact tools; tapered reverse spiral flutes | diameter 0.885 in without the hexagonal flats, described as really ideal for very tight spots | succeeded at 85 ft lbs, no visible wear or damage | not tested | not tested | locked onto the bolt and never lost grip, snapping the bolt at 107 ft lbs | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 9GearWrench Bolt Biter, 15 piece extraction socket set$79.99 | lifetime warranty; claims to remove rusted and rounded fasteners, work with hand and power tools, offer 10 times longer impact life, and up to 5 times better gripping force; made in China; designed for 1/4 through 3/4 in | straight flutes with little to no taper; diameter 0.942 in, slightly larger than the other socket-style extractors | the original size slipped at only 15.4 ft lbs; the next size smaller had to be forced on without a taper to help, and that size succeeded, maintaining a good grip and loosening the bolt at 94 ft lbs, no visible damage | not tested | not tested | lost grip at 99 ft lbs; narrator attributes this to the lack of tapered flutes, saying it did not grip quite as well as some less expensive tools | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 10Mophorn 14 ton hydraulic nut splitter$84.95 | designed for 14 to 36 mm nuts; made in China; manual oil pump pushes a knife into the nut | diameter 2.5 in, definitely not ideal for tight spaces | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | the test nut was torqued to 100 ft lbs; the tool successfully split it cleanly, after which it could easily be moved with pliers; the narrator rotated the nut 180 degrees and split it again successfully; minimal thread damage, described as a small line where the tool touched the threads with the threads still in good shape; no visible damage to the chisel | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 11Irwin Hanson bolt extractor set$91.6 as stated in the transcript, possibly a truncated figure such as $91.60 | 1/4 through 3/4 in; manufacturer's online product description says it can be used with impact tools; made in USA with global components | not tested | the original size lost grip at 61.9 ft lbs; the next size smaller was tried and broke at 57 ft lbs while being installed on the rounded bolt, with a chunk of the tool breaking off and never being found | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 12Snap-on bolt extractor kit$263, the most expensive product tested in the entire video | made in USA with global components | diameter nearly identical to the Irwin | the larger 5/8 in size lost grip, like the Irwin; a smaller size succeeded, maintaining a good grip and loosening the bolt at 82.3 ft lbs, with a small amount of wear to the flutes | not tested | not tested | did a terrific job locking onto the bolt and not letting go, the bolt broke at 108 ft lbs | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 13DeWalt stud extractor$16.99 | claims to easily remove damaged bolts and studs, 6 through 12 mm, with a universal design that fits all types of fasteners; made in China | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | functions like a chuck on a drill press; counterclockwise rotation tightens the tool; main body just over 1.5 in diameter, tapering to just over 1 in | had more strength than the bolt, providing enough torque to snap it off; held up very well with no visible damage | not tested |
| 14ARES bolt extractor$19.82 | 1/4 through 1/2 in, self-tightening; made in Taiwan; claims to break free rounded, rusted, and painted-over bolts | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | performed exactly the same as the DeWalt, outlasting the stud with no visible wear or damage and gripping well | looks identical to the DeWalt stud extractor aside from a chrome finish |
| 15Powerbuilt stud remover$19.94 | 1/4 through 3/4 in; claims to grab onto the stud for easier removal; chrome molybdenum gear claimed for strength and durability; made in Taiwan | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | gear bites into the stud as it's rotated counterclockwise; diameter over 2 in; offset design fastens to the bolt, requiring a lot more swing space (the narrator had to remove an adjacent bolt to fit it) | won the torque contest with ease once there was room to swing it, gaining a terrific grip and breaking the bolt at 99.5 ft lbs, no visible wear or damage to the gear or tool | not tested |
| 16Lisle stud remover$23.76 | removes studs from engine blocks, exhaust manifolds, cylinder heads, and other applications; range 3/8 through 3/4 in; made in Taiwan | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | performed very well, outlasting the bolt just like the Powerbuilt, no visible damage to the gear or other parts | same diameter as the Powerbuilt and looks identical to it |
| 17GearWrench stud extractor$33.38 | removes 1/4 through 3/4 in studs; unique off-center gripping wheel claimed to sit flush against the flat surface to grip the stud at its lowest point without damaging threads; lifetime warranty; made in USA | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | gear supported by the tool body on each side; can turn a bolt clockwise and counterclockwise; diameter close to 2 in, needs more swing space like the Powerbuilt and Lisle | seemed a little quicker to gain a firm grip than the Powerbuilt and Lisle | not tested |
| 18ABN stud extractor$39.19, the most expensive stud extractor tested | made in Taiwan; design with three steel pins and three steel sleeves | smallest diameter of all the bolt extractors tested, about the same as an impact socket, just over 1 in | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | made quick and easy work of the contest, easily snapping the bolt at 105 foot-pounds, no visible wear or damage | not tested |
How it was tested
- test 1: attempt to loosen a badly rounded 7/16 in grade 5 bolt torqued to 100 ft lbs, falling back to a partially rounded bolt and then an undamaged bolt if unsuccessful; torque required in ft lbs (or the tool's own splitting mechanism for nut splitters); 7 of the 12 rounded nut/bolt extractor products succeeded
- test 2: only tools that succeeded in test 1 were retested on penetrating-oil-sprayed rounded bolts until either the tool or the bolt failed, torque in ft lbs; only 4 of the tools carried forward outlasted the bolt
- test 3 (stud extractors only): torque-to-failure contest against a stud/bolt until either the tool or the bolt broke, torque in ft lbs
“I'm really impressed with Amartisan considering the very affordable price. The Rocket Socket though is definitely the one I would go with if you're willing to spend a few more dollars. Finally, the stud extractor that I like the best is ABN.”