There are plenty of utility knife deals at Home Depot and Lowe’s holiday tool deal gift centers right now – here are the best bargains at both retailers.
Milwaukee FastBack Compact Utility Knife 3-Pack – $19.97
This is my favorite style from Milwaukee’s FastBack line. If I didn’t have at least 3 already floating around in different tool bags and drawers, I’d be all over this deal.
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This deal is also eligible for an additional “buy more, save more” discount. Buy 3 eligible Milwaukee hand tools, and you save another $10. Buy 5 and you save $30.
Dewalt Atomic and Flip Utility Knife 2-Pack – $16.88.
This 2-pack gives you a full-size “push and flip” utility knife, with cutting hook and spare blade storage, and a compact Atomic folding utility knife.
Note: I’m now seeing a price of $14.88 online, but it’s hard to tell if it’s nationwide. Maybe Dewalt caught a glimpse of Milwaukee’s promo and adjusted the price.
Gerber EAB Pocket Utility Knife 2-Pack – $19.88
I came across a Gerber EDC-type folding utility knife 2-pack at one of my local Home Depot stores. It has the Home Depot-exclusive topo-style graphic in two colors – one with a silver finish, and one with a black finish.
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I can’t seem to find this deal on the Home Depot website yet, but will check back in case it pops up.
See Also: Home Depot has an Exclusive Gerber EAB Utility Knife
Craftsman High Visibility Folding Utility Knife – $5.98
Maybe you won’t misplace this one? At this price, maybe get a couple, just in case.
Klein Flickblade Utility Knife 2-Pack – $17.98
If you want to give Klein’s relatively new utility knife a try, take a close look at the 2-pack. As with the other deals, you save a couple of dollars compared to if you just buy 1.
Note: Lowe’s website is showing a higher price for me ($19.98).
What about Husky and Kobalt? Both retailers have entry price point utility knives by both brands. They’re a bit utilitarian, but typically good values. I tend to skip over them when photo-documenting the holiday deals, but here are links to the deals in case you’re interested:
Husky Lockback utility Knife 3-Pack – $14.96 at Home Depot
Kobalt Lockback Utility Knife 3-Pack – $14.98 at Lowe’s
Which Would I Buy?
My first choice would be the Milwaukee Compact FastBack, especially with the “buy more, save more” offer that includes a better selection than last year.
My second choice, or first if I didn’t need 3 and couldn’t split with a buddy, would be the Dewalt 2-pack.
A distant third choice would be the Craftsman hi-vis model, and a backup just in case I still misplace it.
I’m a bit disappointed – Lowe’s seems to have skipped ToughBuilt this year. Home Depot, on the other hand, has a couple of interesting Gerber deals.
Don Julio
Not the deal offered, but the Klein Flickblade 44303 all day.. Better features than those in the Lowe’s deal. Better action and far more comfortable than the four Milwaukee Fastbacks I own and like a lot.
Fastbacks have a wire belt clip which is less comfortable on the fingertips than the Flickblade belt hook when deploying with one hand. The Fastback also has a stiffer spring on the release button than the Flickblade. The Flickblade is just easier and more comfortable to deploy.
The 135 degree intermediate locking position on the 44303 Flickblade is sweet, and the 1 + 5 blade onboard blade carry is as good as what the Fastback offers.
I like the Fastbacks and I think their scales are more durable, at least cosmetically, than those on the Flickblades.
The Flickblades in the Lowes deal are fine, and that’s a good deal, but they’re a step below the best utility knives that Klein offers.
Alexk
I don’t need another utility knife, but that Klein looks comfortable. Next time I have a need or G. A. S. attack, I’m going to pick up the 44303.
Michael G
The deals of the day at Lowe’s include massive kobalt socket sets (6 or 12 point) for only $150. While a good price, do you know anything about the quality of Kobalt sockets, and whether they will hold up, both in terms of not rusting and having good strength?
Frank? Frank
Pretty sure it doesn’t matter too much with Kobalt. Should they ever fail, just take it into Lowe’s and they’ll pull a new replacement for it and send you on your way, no questions asked.
At least that’s how they used to handle Kobalt tools
Wayne R.
While a good replacement process is better than a “suck it” policy, the idea that going to a store for a replacement is any kind of comparable to a so-good-it’ll-likely-never-break quality is laughable, right?
Stuart
Not to mince words, I don’t bother taking notes about the Kobalt mechanics tool deals or socket sets anymore. I’d sooner buy Craftsman at Lowe’s, or Milwaukee at Home Depot. Maybe Husky, but their latest generation cases disappointed me.
I feel that Kobalt is mostly targeting entry price point shoppers these days. Their socket sets could be good, but I feel the brand lost its identity a few years ago, and everything seems to change year to year.
Some of their hand tool promos are interesting – I have some on order for review, and might try a few others.
Scott F
I am all but done buying anything but the standard button-slide mechanism utility knives that have been around forever. I cannot get the blades to stay in any of the 3 fastback knives I own (1 with quick release blade mechanism, 2 without). I am sure this is user error, but I’m tired of fiddling with the 3 little Phillips screws only to have the blade pull out on first use every time- or get the blade to slide into the quick release in a way that seems right only to learn it’s not.
Jeremy
I had the Gerber knife and I never felt comfortable using it. Something about that extra exposed blade always felt unsafe.
Nate
Klein beat Milwaukee imo but I’ve switched over to a Roxon now. I have a utility knife and an awesome pair of scissors and I can swap the blade holder for a multitude of different toolsets if I choose to. I carry the file in my pocket to swap out on demand.