When buying tools, consider the price, sure but make a determination on what is right for you based on use.

If your a novice mechanic who just works on things around the house, Craftsman is the LEAST you would want to use.  They are good for the price and adequate to most jobs. If you break a tool, no fuss, no muss, you just drive to Sears and get a new one.  In my early days of wrenching, I was driving to Sears A LOT! 

Craftsman tools are not exactly the highest quality but for an average quality tool, they make up for thier short fall by offering such a good no questions asked warranty.

Snap On, MAC, MATCO are all considered premium quality tools for the professional mechanic.  Nothing Craftsman makes rises up to the quality of the average premium quality tool.  The breakage rate goes way down and this is what mechanics want if time is money!

Premium tools cost a lot more than Craftsman and getting them exchanged in the event that they break is not always easy.  Tool truck guys will brow beat you about exchanging abused tools.  If you are the type to twist screw drivers with pliers, use sockets for drift punches, put pipes on the end or wrachet for leverage you are going to have problems when it comes time to exchange an abused tool.  Sears could care less what you do with it, they will exchange anything!

Final thought is that you need to do your homework.  If you buy a Snap On belt removal tool set, for instance, your buying a re packaged Lisle tool set.  Lisle tools are not bad tools but bought as Lisle tools are FAR cheaper than Snap On.  Snap on re labels and re packages lots of tools and calls it their own.  Be VERY carful buying snap on, MAC or Matco air tools.  You are very likely to get Ingersol Rand, Chicago Pneumatic or some other brand from them.  When Ingersoll Rand costs 1/3 of what Snap On costs and Chicago Pneumatic why would you waste hundreds buying from Snap on Mac or Matco?  In addition, you dont get a lifetime warranty with impact tools just like electrical tools and diagnostic equipment.

Do your research folks!  If it looks like someone elses stuff, it likely is! There is a reason that MAC air tools look like Chicago Pneumatic and Snap on fan clutch removal tools look like OTC, THEY ARE! 

Finally, be very careful when buying any tool that has another name attached to the brand name.  Examples of this are:

Bahco Snap on

Snap On tools promotion for New Holland

Snap On Harley Davidson

Snap on Williams

They look similar, and sometimes are made in a snap on factory, but THEY ARE NOT THE SAME!  Snap on has a factory in Bahco Taiwan.  They build many levels of quality for tools that are sold around the world.  Snap On North America tools are far harder in composition and strength than the others are, thats why they cost more.  You cant get the Snap On warranty for those others either.  Your pretty much on your own if you buy them.  They look similar, but are not even close to being as durable and strong as their Snap On Cousins.

As far as tool boxes go, STAY AWAY from tool boxes that are not quality units.  Craftsman makes a pretty good box for the money and dont digress any lower than that.  Husky, Clarke, and some of the other no name crap out here is like tin foil and uses the poorest quality items for hinges and drawer slides.  Snap on makes several grades of boxes like the KRL and KRA and the Classic line that are not all created equal just like Matco and MAC.  I own 98% snap on hand tools and ALL Matco boxes.  I love Matco's boxes as they are durable and cost effective.  Dont skimp on boxes folks, if you get a bad one, you will be stuck with it forever or scrapping it.  Its tough to sell them on Ebay and no one who can stand in front of it will want to buy it.

Hope this helps you in your tool buying exploits.  Tools are an important part of my life and I spend a lot of time and money doing research into what works the best for me.  I have spent a life time learning the hard knocks of tool buying from discount stores and Sears.  If those are good enough for what your doing, thats great, but if you want a set for the ages, and a set that will retain its value, check out Snap On or Mac or Matco for what is the most comfortable and cost effective.