Spark Plug Socket vs Standard Socket: Which One Should You Buy?

A plug change in a tight engine bay is the job that sorts the tools out. Spark plug socket vs standard socket comes down to this: a spark plug socket holds the plug while it turns it, and a standard socket only turns the hex. A standard socket can still turn a plug loose, but it cannot lift the plug out of a deep well or hold it steady while it goes back in.

Other tools worth a look

• DURATECH 5/8" Swivel Magnetic Spark Plug Socket with EnhancedCheck price on Amazon
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• 14mm Thin Wall Magnetic Spark Plug Socket 3/8 Inch DriveCheck price on Amazon
• CRAFTSMAN 5/8" Spark Plug SocketCheck price on Amazon
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Below: what sets a spark plug socket apart, how the sockets compare side by side, and the spark plug sockets in the gear section.

Spark plug socket vs standard socket: what sets them apart

A spark plug socket is a standard socket with an insert that holds the plug and a thin wall that fits the plug well. The insert is a magnet or a rubber sleeve. The magnet grips the plug from the top, and the rubber sleeve grips the ceramic insulator, so the plug stays in the socket while it comes out of the well and while it goes back in. A standard socket has neither: it grips the hex of a fastener and nothing else, so a plug turned loose in a deep well can stay down in the well or drop back in when the socket lifts away.

The thin wall matters as much as the insert. Plug wells are narrow, and a socket with a thick wall can bind against the sides of the well before it reaches the plug. The sockets in the gear section all use a thin-wall design for that reason. Reach matters too: a plug can sit deep in the head. The DURATECH and ELEAD sockets in the gear section each list a total length of 6 inches, and each adds a 360-degree swivel joint that lets the ratchet sit at an angle while the socket stays straight on the plug.

Drive size is the same across the gear section: each socket lists a 3/8-inch drive, which the makers list as compatible with standard ratchets and extension bars. Drive size alone does not make a socket a plug socket, though. What makes it a plug socket is the insert and the thin wall, and a standard socket in the same drive size still lacks them.

Side by side: spark plug socket vs standard socket

The table shows the trade in plain terms: a spark plug socket is a specialist, and a standard socket is a generalist. The specialist is built for plug work, while the generalist covers every hex fastener it fits. For plug work, the specialist is the right call; for everything else, the generalist is.

The spark plug sockets in the gear section

The gear section lists the spark plug sockets from the product data, ranked with the strongest listing at the top. Each socket has a 3/8-inch drive, a magnetic insert and a thin-wall design, and each differs in points and finish.

DURATECH 5/8-inch swivel magnetic spark plug socket

The DURATECH socket is a 5/8-inch, 12-point socket with a 3/8-inch drive and a total length of 6 inches. Its swivel joint turns a full 360 degrees for reaching plugs in tight engine bays, and a rubber protective cover inside guards the ceramic body of the plug. The magnetic core holds the plug during removal and installation, so the maker lists it as keeping the plug from dropping into the engine bay. The socket is made from heat-treated chrome vanadium (Cr-V) steel with a manganese phosphate black finish, with a knurled grip for holding the socket by hand and laser-etched size markings. The listing states a 2-year manufacturer warranty.

ELEAD 5/8-inch swivel magnetic spark plug socket

The ELEAD socket is also a 5/8-inch socket with a 3/8-inch drive and a total length of 6 inches, but it uses a 6-point design where the DURATECH uses 12 points. Its swivel joint also turns a full 360 degrees, and a built-in rubber sleeve protects the ceramic insulator while the magnetic core holds the plug during removal and installation. The maker lists the 6-point thin-wall construction for torque transfer in confined spaces, and states that it prevents rounded corners. The socket is forged from heat-treated chrome vanadium steel with a mirror-polished surface that the maker lists as repelling oil and dust, and laser-etched markings show the size. No warranty term is stated in the listing.

A ABIGAIL 14mm thin wall magnetic spark plug socket

The A ABIGAIL socket is a 14mm, 12-point socket with a 3/8-inch drive and a thin-wall deep well design. No swivel joint is stated in the listing. Its built-in magnet holds the plug firmly in place during installation and removal, and the socket is made from chrome vanadium steel with a matte chrome finish that the maker lists as preventing corrosion. The listing gives a long fitment list: 2007 and later BMW turbocharged engines, including the N54, N55, N20, N26, S55, N63, B46, B48 and B58, BMW R1200GS motorcycles, MINI R55, R56, R57 and R60 models, and Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Citroen, Renault 1.2 16v and Peugeot 207 and 307 engines, with more listed in the description. Check the plug size in the listing before buying, since the socket only fits 14mm plugs.

When a standard socket is the right call

A standard socket is the right call for the hex fasteners that sit out in the open: bolts on brackets, clamps and covers where the socket can grip the flats and the fastener can be lifted out by hand once it is loose. For a side-by-side look at socket types built for force rather than fit, see the guide to impact socket vs standard socket.

A standard socket also has a place around the plug job: it can turn a plug loose when the plug sits high enough to lift out by hand. But once the plug is loose in a deep well, the plug socket takes over. Keep a plug socket for plug work and a standard socket for the rest, and the job stays simple.

FAQ: garage tools

Can I use a standard socket to remove a spark plug?

A standard socket can turn a plug loose, since it grips the same hex. It cannot hold the plug, though, so the plug can stay in the well or drop back in when the socket lifts away. A spark plug socket holds the plug with a magnet or rubber insert.

What size spark plug socket do I need?

Match the socket to the plug hex. The gear section lists 5/8-inch sockets and a 14mm socket, so check the plug size in the listing before buying. A socket that does not match the plug hex cannot grip it.

Do spark plug sockets work with a regular ratchet?

Yes. The sockets in the gear section all list a 3/8-inch drive, which the makers list as compatible with standard ratchets and extension bars. The drive size is the same as a standard socket, so the ratchet and extensions already in the toolbox fit.

Magnetic or rubber insert: which holds the plug?

Each style holds the plug in its own way. A magnetic core grips the plug from the top through removal and installation, while a rubber insert grips the ceramic insulator. The DURATECH and ELEAD sockets in the gear section use a magnetic core plus a rubber sleeve or cover, so the magnet does the holding there and the rubber protects the ceramic insulator. For a closer comparison, see the guide to spark plug socket magnetic vs rubber.

What is the difference between a 12-point and a 6-point spark plug socket?

Points are the corners inside the socket that grip the plug hex. The DURATECH and A ABIGAIL sockets use a 12-point design, and the ELEAD uses a 6-point design. The DURATECH maker states that a 12-point socket can be slipped onto a hex nut faster than a 6-point socket, while the ELEAD maker lists 6-point construction for torque transfer in confined spaces.

Can I use a spark plug socket on other fasteners?

A spark plug socket grips a hex the same way a standard socket does, so it can turn a fastener of the same size. Its insert and thin wall suit plug work, though, and a standard socket is the usual pick for general fasteners.

Related: spark plug sockets for tight spaces, 5/8 magnetic spark plug sockets, feeler gauge set vs spark plug gap tool and spark plug gap tools.