DeWalt 18-Piece Metric Combination Wrench Set

First impressions and setup

A good wrench set should disappear in your hand—only noticed when it saves your knuckles or frees a stubborn fastener. That was my experience the first weekend I put this DeWalt set to work on a small suspension refresh and a couple of bike repairs. The layout is straightforward: 18 metric combination wrenches with an open end on one side and a box end on the other. The beams are a medium length with a familiar DeWalt polish, and size markings are easy to spot without hunting.

Out of the box, fit and finish are what I expect from DeWalt’s mechanics hand tools. The chrome plating is even with no sharp edges, and the box ends are neatly broached. The beams have rounded edges that don’t bite into your hand when you have to lean into a fastener. Nothing fancy here—just the basics done correctly.

Build, geometry, and ergonomics

The star of any combination wrench is the box end, and on this set it’s a 12-point design that engages cleanly and allows you to index in tight angles. The broaching starts easily on slightly mushroomed bolt heads thanks to a light chamfer at the lead. The open ends are reasonably thin for access without feeling fragile, with a subtle relief cut that helps them bite the flats rather than just the corners. On the bench with a machinist’s scale, tolerances on the common sizes (10–19 mm) were tight enough that there was no meaningful play on undamaged hardware.

Beam shape lands in that Goldilocks zone: not as svelte as a “thin pattern” professional wrench, but slimmer than many budget sets. The box end carries a modest offset—enough to give your fingers clearance off the work surface without forcing you into awkward angles. It’s a comfortable wrench to hold and to use, and after a long afternoon there were no hot spots in the palm.

Coverage and sizing

With 18 pieces, coverage spans the most common metric sizes you’ll see in household, bike, and automotive work. You can service everything from 8 mm hose clamps and small brackets up into the low-20s for suspension bolts and axle nuts. There are typical gaps at the extreme ends that many sets in this class share—if you routinely need very large sizes or oddballs like 23 mm, plan accordingly. For most general mechanics tasks, I didn’t find myself wanting.

Size markings are deep-stamped and filled, so they’re legible in poor light and still easy to read after some grime and a wipe-down. I appreciate that DeWalt stamped both sides; it saves the little dance where you flip wrenches to find the correct one.

Performance in the shop

I ran the set through a spread of tasks: replacing end links and sway bar bushings, loosening a stubborn alternator bracket bolt, and doing cockpit tweaks on a road bike. The box ends held well on smartly torqued fasteners and didn’t cam off even when I leaned hard. On a couple of rounded JIS-style bolts, the open ends weren’t magic, but they did better than perfectly flat jaws—once I seated them squarely on the flats, I could nurse the bolts free without adding further damage.

Access is always a question with combination wrenches. The head thickness here is average; I could sneak into most places a standard combination wrench can go, but not the truly tight spots where a thin pattern, crowfoot, or ratcheting wrench would shine. The 12-point box end helps with indexing in cramped quarters, and the 15-degree offsets on both ends give just enough swing when you’re working against a frame rail or firewall.

Torque-wise, I didn’t feel any alarming flex in the larger sizes. I used a torque wrench to verify reassembly, but for breakaway the longish beams on the 17–19 mm wrenches gave me enough leverage to start most fasteners without a cheater pipe. The smaller sizes have good feedback—you can feel when a fastener is about to move versus when you’re about to round it.

Durability and finish

After a few weeks of use and a couple of cleanings with mineral spirits, the chrome looks intact with no flaking. The box ends haven’t mushroomed or burred, and the open ends show only light polishing on the jaws, which is normal. Dropping them on concrete left the expected scuffs but no chips. The plating cleans up quickly; a rag and a bit of degreaser are all it takes to get them back in the drawer-ready condition.

As ever, don’t use a hammer on a wrench and don’t use the open end as a pry bar—the set feels robust, but it’s still a precision tool. Treated like a wrench and not a chisel, it should hold up well for years.

Storage and organization

The included rack is serviceable. It keeps the sizes in order on the bench and in a drawer, but it’s not something I’d trust loose in a truck. If you transport your tools, consider upgrading to a locking wrench organizer or a roll. The wrenches themselves nest well in a drawer, and the consistent beam profile makes them easy to grab by feel once you’re familiar with the lineup.

What I like

• Solid, predictable fit on common metric fasteners
• Comfortable beams and rounded edges for long sessions
• Clear, durable size markings on both sides
• Balanced head thickness: slim enough for most spots, stout enough for torque
• Sensible offset on both ends improves knuckle clearance

What could be better

• Not a thin-pattern set; ultra-tight access will still require specialty wrenches
• The rack is basic and not roadworthy
• Gaps at the extremes of the size range may matter for niche work
• These aren’t ratcheting wrenches; if speed in tight spaces is your priority, you’ll want a different style alongside this set

Value and alternatives

This DeWalt set sits in a middle ground where the quality exceeds entry-level imports but the price usually stays below premium truck brands. If you’re comparing, Tekton offers long-pattern options that trade some clearance for leverage, and Gearwrench’s ratcheting sets excel in speed but sacrifice some strength and thickness. For a general-purpose combination set, this one hits a very practical balance—enough refinement to feel good in daily use without straying into boutique pricing.

Who it’s for

• DIYers who want a dependable, complete metric set for vehicles, bikes, and household tasks
• Home mechanics who value comfort and clear markings over ultra-thin profiles
• Pros who need a reliable backup set for the cart or mobile kit

If you’re a professional working daily in tight engine bays or industrial equipment with limited clearance, you’ll likely supplement this with thin-pattern, S-wrenches, or ratcheting wrenches. But as a primary combination set, it holds its own.

Care tips

• Wipe down after greasy jobs to preserve the plating and keep the markings legible
• Store in a rack or roll to avoid dings that can affect jaw fit
• Use the box end first on stubborn fasteners; save the open end for speed
• If a fastener looks rounded, seat the wrench fully and pull square—don’t rock on the corners

Recommendation

I recommend this DeWalt wrench set for anyone who needs a solid, no-drama metric lineup that covers the common sizes with good ergonomics and reliable fit. It isn’t the thinnest or the flashiest, and it won’t replace a ratcheting set for speed in cramped spaces, but it gets the fundamentals right: consistent tolerances, comfortable beams, durable finish, and useful offsets. For general automotive, bike, and around-the-house work, it’s a trustworthy companion that does exactly what you ask of it and gets out of the way.