I'm an electrician by profession rather than a mechanic so my thoughts are biased in that direction. When working with electrical equipment, it's Kleins and my Simpson 260(S-4) ...... or nothing. For mechanical work it is Craftsman, or nowadays Proto, when Sears started competing with K-mart, (I think it was a merger.....) I quit using them.
I can tell you, there is a difference between Taiwan and mainland Chinese. I have a Grizzly lathe I bought when I first started learning machine work. A G1550. Taiwan.... The current model is G4000, from PRC. A world of difference, and a radical price difference. I suspect why they changed models. Bottom line here, a 1952(?) Craftsman 12x36 is what I use day to day doing armature repair. It is sloppy (read loose) but is much more stable.
For most other day to day work, is is whatever I can lay my hands on. If it doesn't last, well, that's when I look for good stuff. If I stumble onto something good at the flea market or pawn shop, I'll grab it and give away the cheap one. But even the cheap ones are known brands most times. Milwaukee and Porter Cable power tools are the norm in my shop. HF may be OK but I don't like their power cords or switches. B&D and Skil are pretty good, once you get above the consumer level. DeWalt used to be very good, but today is a fancy B&D in a yellow case.
I do recall the old time millwright suppliers tool brands and when I find one I grab it. There was one (Armstrong?) that didn't have a warranty simply because it didn't need it. You would break a Grade 8 bolt before you bend the wrench. Those days are long gone though. I have to grab them when I find them.
Snap On? As good as a Stanley with a different brand name is about it. In my line, no better than Proto, which is in reality a Stanley product. A Klein wire pliers(?) I use has been around 30+ years and still will cut a hair. I couldn't ask for better than that.
For what it's worth here, I have been retired for several years. And have a good memory still...... For good tools.