Most Dewalt cordless power tool kits and combos come bundled with a tool bag, rather than a tool box or other hard shell case. Let’s talk about that.
In a comment yesterday, a reader said:
Dewalt must have a tonne of overstock of cheap tool bags. Why not containers to go with promoting DXL or Tough System 2.0 /TSTAK?
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This is something I hear a lot.
As a user, there are times when I wish a cordless power tool came with a hard case, tool box, or similar. But for most cordless tools or combo kits, I think I understand why they don’t.
Dewalt packages specific high ticket tools and equipment, such as laser levels, hydraulic press tools, and similar with Tstak or ToughSystem tool boxes.
They also bundle some higher piece count 20V Max cordless power tool kits with a rolling ToughSystem tool box. Such kits typically promoted during holiday season sales at big box retailers.
Dewalt has in the past offered certain cordless power tool and modular tool box bundles, such as the 12V Xtreme cordless drill and Tstak tool box kit shown here.
Others brands have done similar – package cordless tools with modular tool boxes for promotional events or limited time offers.
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Let’s get back to the question. Why doesn’t Dewalt bundle cordless power tools with Tstak or ToughSystem tool boxes?
As I understand it, tool bags are inexpensive. They’re also fairly versatile. If you buy a cordless impact kit and don’t use the bag to store it, there’s a good chance you’ll find a different use for the tool bag.
Thus, a tool bag adds minimal costs to a kit, and is less likely to be wasted.
What should Dewalt bundle their 20V Max XR compact impact driver kit with? A Tstak tool box? But what if the user prefers ToughSystem tool cases? Okay, maybe one of the larger ToughSystem tool boxes? But what if the user prefers tool bags or smaller cases?
If a brand offers a tool bag, users can spend more on the tool box of their choosing, whether it’s by Dewalt or a different brand.
You might think there could be cost savings if you get a tool box with your purchase. Perhaps, but tool bags fold flat whereas tool boxes do not. This means that a pallet of tool kits that are bundled with Tstak or ToughSystem tool boxes will include fewer tools than one with kits bundled with a tool bag.
Basically, each kit box will be larger and heavier, and that’s going to impact shipping costs and freight density.
And, Dewalt sources their tool boxes from different locations than their cordless power tool combo kits. Putting everything together will drive up labor and transportation costs.
Ultimately, let’s say that you want a tool kit and whatever modular tool box that it might be bundled with. It’s definitely possible that it would cost you less to buy the kit and tool box separately.
So, where’s the incentive for Dewalt or other brands to force consumers into paying more for a modular tool box they might not want or need?
Things are more complicated when considering Dewalt because they have two distinct systems. Let’s say there was just one tool box size, as with other brands.
From what I’ve seen over the years, most tool users strongly prioritize lower pricing.
If you get a tool bag and want a tool box, you can spend more for it. If you don’t want a tool box and would forced to buy one as part of your purchase, that’s likely to drive some customers away.
You might then ask why Dewalt doesn’t offer different SKUs, with different storage option bundles featuring the same tool kit. Pricing can be impacted by sales volume.
Retailers like to keep things simple, with higher volume sellers likely preferring the lower priced model.
I am a huge fan of modular tool boxes, Dewalt’s included. If I were in charge of the brand, would I do things differently in this regard? Not at all.
As a tool user, I like to keep my choices. If I want a tool stored in a hard shell tool box, I’ll buy the brand and size I want.
When we’re talking about pricier equipment, or something might come with a lot of components that are best stored in a fitted hard shell tool, box, I’m happy to pay a little more for a modular tool box over an oddly sized hard case.
But for something like a $150 impact driver kit? There’s nothing wrong with tool bags. As a tool user I usually prefer the bag, the option to buy a modular tool case of my choice, and the lower price that is associated with this approach.
Hold on. If it’s such a bad idea, why does Dewalt have different power tool and tool box kit options in Europe?
Europe is a different market with different user needs and wants. Retail customers also have different needs and wants. How many pros in Europe travel to jobsites in pickup trucks?
Different solutions work better in some regions than others.
If retailer such as Home Depot, and surveyed pros started demanding that Dewalt bundle cordless power tools with stackable or modular tool boxes and cases, I’m sure they’d absolutely find a way to do it.
I’ve asked about regional differences before, and it basically comes down to “these decisions are based on what American customers want or don’t want.”
A lot of users will say “I wish more Dewalt tools were bundled with Tstak or ToughSystem tool boxes,” but how many are willing to pay more for it? Are they willing to pay more than if they were able to buy a kit with a tool bag and stackable or modular tool box separately?
What about hard cases, similar the ones that were more popular 10+ years ago? With how heavily the modular tool box market has been growing, it might not make sense to bundle tools with non-connectable cases any more.
If you get a hard case and prefer something like a Tstak or ToughSystem case, or maybe a different brand’s modular tool box, that’s going to be a bigger waste than if your kit came with a tool bag. And the way hard cases are built, there’s not much else you can use them for, at least not without heavy modifications of the internal compartments.
I have thrown away or recycled plastic tool cases, but I don’t think I can say the same about tool bags. Then again, I buy or receive for testing and review a much higher volume of cordless power tools than the average tool user, and so my perspective and habits might also be atypical.
It’s not perfect for everyone, but it makes sense to me. Do you agree?
As a tool user, are you willing to pay more to get a modular plastic tool box with every cordless power tool purchase, whether you want one or not? I think this is what it comes down to.
Think beyond your own wants or preferences. If you were in charge of Dewalt, would you do things differently, at least in regard to how most cordless power tool kits come with soft tool bags?
Derek
Honestly, I’m surprised they still include the bags.
I had a Dewalt 18v drill in a hard case and it was nice, but definitely bulky. Now I keep my drills out for use in my woodshop or to be thrown into the DIY bag when I go around the house to fix something.
I probably have 5 empty Dewalt or Craftsman tool bags. Occasionally I’ll throw stuff in them to carry them somewhere or to let my dad borrow some tools but I still have far too many sitting around. At least they don’t take up a lot of space.
Evan
Im with Derek above. I do not want to pay extra for a hard case, but I would be even happier paying less and not getting a bag.
At the same time, I purchased a Milwaukee M18 brushless (not fuel) impact-drill combo kit around 2018 and it came with a medium Packout. That got me started in the Packout system, and now I own about $1,000 worth of Packouts, so perhaps it was smart for them to include it in my case that time. Maybe it is something they throw in every once in a while?
Jerry
Simple answer: Sell the tools ‘bare’ without a bag, and have a scannable coupon on the packaging you can tear off and buy a bag for a token price, like say $10 or something like that. Don’t want the bag, save a few bucks. Want a bag, you can get a bag when you buy the kit for the token price ($10 was just a suggestion). Should be no problem to have a few bags near the tools. My guess is there are a lot of people like me, who are buying replacement tools, and have a pile of extra bags collecting dust somewhere.
Jared
The same thing could be done for the cases – I was thinking that while reading the article. Does that make sense though? Maybe.
I can see consumers liking that idea as a promotion. If it was a permanent fixture though, it complicates the retail sales process, requires extra SKUs to stock,
What if a customer doesn’t want the bag associated with the tool they bought? They are different sizes for reciprocating saws vs drills, for example. Give them the choice from various options? What if you want the bag for your saw but don’t realize you grabbed a drill bag.
None of these are irresolvable hurtles – that’s not my point. It’s just that there’s an extra step involved which might erode the savings for these cheap bags.
Stuart
That’s an option too, but I think it adds small if not negligible cost to a kit while avoiding complaints from new buyers who need a way to carry the tool, battery, and charger.
Most tool-only options don’t come with a bag.
Kits sometimes work out better even if I just want the battery and not another charger.
Harbor Freight tried the a la carte approach with Hercules cordless power tools, and eventually they went back to offering complete kit bundles just like other brands.
Derek
I imagine the cost to manufacture a bag for Dewalt is pennies.
I wonder if some tariff wasn’t passed years ago that caused manufacturers to stop including cases.
This comment isn’t made to spark a political discussion. Merely wondering if it’s something like the tariff on metal toolboxes under a certain dimension being imported.
JR Ramos
No, it was mostly cost savings but it was also following lots of complaints about the current plastic cases of the time. DeWalt’s hard cases tended to crack or bust wide open not infrequently, and they had issues with their metal latches way back then just as the Craftsman-esque latches today have had. With Makita and Porter Cable the blow mold cases were sturdy but bulky and the plastic latches tended to split/break after time. Makita improved that with new durable (and replaceable) latches. A lot of people still wanted good metal cases like many tools used to be supplied with. And then boom…soft bags started showing up. I can’t recall if it was Makita or DeWalt that did that first (I think Makita) but it really caught on. Nothing governmental about any of it.
P w
They include the tool bags because they know they will be re used for tools and its basically advertising. If you have a bunch of contractors kitted out in DEWALT at your house or business when you go decide to buy a tool for your personal use you will remember “hey those contractors used dewalt i’ll buy a dewalt too”
will
I love the bags for my drill bit and saw blade boxes. I can fit about half a dozen in one bag. On the other hand I have milwaukee 12v hard cases and they’re useless other than storing my drill,charger and batteries with a few bits or blades. They have very few other uses imo. They don’t stack well ,because thwyre slick, and take up more room,because of its poor stackability. Now when I worked underground utilities and we had very few tools,those boxes were nice to have because we could just toss it in a drawer and grab the box if we needed the tool and a few bits or blades. We only really used a drill for drilling hand holes, reciprocating saws were the most used for cutting tree roots after making sure there were no gas or power lines running with it. We did have a guy cut through a main power line which would’ve been 7200v and instant death,but he got lucky and it was dead, that was a close one and the guy was experienced. So unless it’s a tstak or tough system I’ll take the bag,though they could have heavier duty zippers on them. So dewalt,fix your damn zippers!
Scott/Doorguy
I have many Dewalt 20v tools and the most used ones are in a tote with battery holding racks screwed to the side wallls. Very convenient, but there are tools that I use less often and they are big and bulky (15 gauge trim gun and 18 gauge brad nailer). I just ordered 2 aftermarket hard cases at $69 each for these guns. Dewalt doesn’t even offer soft bags for these and they’re an odd enough shape that the largest bags don’t completely hold them. I wish they’d at least off SOMETHING to hold these tools.
fred
I started buying tools in the late 1950’s. Back then tools came either in a carboard box or for higher end (aka cost) items the manufacturer added a steel case. But unless you were a large company buying directly from a wholesaler the MSRP (perhaps with a small discount) was what you paid. That meant that there was probably lots of room for manufacturers and distributors to make a profit – even with a steel box cost added in. Then came the age of discount home centers selling lots of junk tools albeit made in the USA. B&D was one of several companies that responded with their low-end orange plastic line – some ow which were almost guaranteed to smoke if you pushed them. The mix of tool qualities nearly ruined B&D’s reputation – which was mostly saved through their buyout of Dewalt and building up that brand.
At some point Makita entered the US market – often providing blow-molded cases with their cordless tools. I don’t know who started the blow-mold case trend – but it certainly took off. That lasted for many years – but I guess complaints about their shortcomings (e.g. poor stacking, lack of auxiliary storage etc.) got loud enough that they faded in favor of even cheaper bags. So, since bags probably only add pennies to the actual cost – and most mass-market buyers seek low-cost options – bags it is.
JR Ramos
For power tools, I think it was BD that started that trend and DeWalt brought that in full force. Makita, Porter Cable, and Milwaukee followed…about in that order, as they got rid of nice steel cases for the blow molds. Then DeWalt went with a mix of blow mold and hard cases…precursor to Tstak maybe but they tended to crack a lot. When bags first came on the scene with a few tools people were kind of upset, saying that the company was cheaping out and ripping them off because the pricing didn’t decrease (assuming, right or wrong, that the bags were less expensive to produce than cases).
J . Newell
I have a very vintage (meaning 1970s) Skil 77 worm drive saw that came in (and still has) an ENORMOUS blow-molded case.
I also have some 1980s Milwaukee (the original Milwaukee) tools in steel boxes.
Makita sanders, Bosch sanders, a Bosch original gen palm router and one of the later mains-powered barrel grip jigsaws (still a favorite of mine). I should get rid of tools that have legitimately become vintage tools during my ownership, but I don’t… 😀
They’re fun from a historical and sentimental perspective for me, but not all that useful in real life. Of course, I don’t use corded tools that often any more anyway. ,l
JR Ramos
I remember those huge Skil cases! I had no idea they were available that far back, though. Bostitch had some big cases available too but you hardly ever saw them.
I’ve got some old Milwaukee steel cases…hanging on to those for dear life and still use one of them a lot (Magnum hole shooter with the lift out tray…high quality box). Some Porter Cable steel cases, too….and I wish I’d kept the Bosch cases I had.
Michael F
The entire point of the original Systainer was that the tool could be shipped in the storage box, thus reducing cardboard shipping weight. Frankly, cardboard is mostly bio-degradable, so I don’t think the shipping waste is that big of a deal, but at least that was the idea.
MM
I remember most Dewalt tools coming with rigid plastic boxes in the early 2000’s. There were a pile of them in my storage room, I almost never used them. For most tools they were excessively bulky and there was little need for dedicated accessory storage. For those tools which did require accessories the boxes were often inadequate. I don’t mind the switch to bags at all, like Stuart wrote the bags are easy to repurpose for other things.
In my opinion the interesting thing is how the box/bag varies between regions.
MFC
Bags and boxes are useless to me. I put all of my dewalt in packout, or toushsystem drawers. I don’t use any regular boxes except for rotary hammers and press tools.
Matthew C
I really like the bags. I have a DeWalt tstack setup for when I need to travel with a lot, but the bags are useful for the smaller jobs. Most of the time my tools are stationary in rolling tool chests, so they are a convenient middle ground. They do get like reusable grocery bags at some point though where once you have more than 3 or 4 they can become a nuisance so not everything needs to come with them. Never want blow molded cases, they are bulky, I can’t fit anything else in them and they are wasteful. Unless a tool needs specific protection I never use them
JR Ramos
A couple of points to consider here in addition to the usual banter (didn’t you do a whole post about this last year, or maybe that was just a bunch of comments on some other post…).
At retail pricing – retail pricing – you can buy the Tstak standard 4″ case on the regular and frequent sales for $16-$18 (seems to hover around $22 normally now on Amazon). Play it vanilla and just cut that in half and let’s say DeWalt is selling that to distributors for $9-$10. It’s almost a pittance and could be included with power tool kits for the same or less money…if they wanted. Of course that will increase freight costs a little (maybe more than one would expect if you haven’t in the freight and purchasing biz), but it’s doable.
Bags…with the majority of them being made in China and also of lesser quality materials than they used to be, even if the construction methods are still good, a simple bag with no internal pockets can be made for probably half of that cost…so call it $5 or a little more, maybe double that for larger bags with more pockets inside and out or adding feet to the bottom, etc. Still pretty cheap.
So maybe it’s a washout in cost, but for sure many of the bags included with tools these days are cheaper than they were even after they got cheaper than they used to be. Some almost seem like that fabric tyvek poly material that you find under couches and recliners…that bad. But probably either one can be included in retail kits for not a lot of difference in materials and manufacturing costs.
That said, these accessories are a grand opportunity for brand marketing if they get out and about and get eyes laid upon them by coworkers, clients, and strangers. Bags are probably more likely to do that and get carried or set about in all sorts of places than hard cases are, for a number of reasons, and whether being used for their kitted intended purpose or not. These are almost as good as t-shirts for spreading a name around.
Stuart
I don’t recall doing a post on this, but I’ve definitely addressed the same question in comments.
Why Tstak and not ToughSystem? What about Milwaukee and Packout? I’ve seen similar complaints about every brand, such as “why doesn’t Milwaukee package all cordless combo kits in Packout tool boxes.”
Consider some of the comments we’ve seen so far. Some readers want cordless kits bundled with pricy modular tool boxes, while others don’t even want the bags that most kits come with.
It seems better to get a cheap tool bag one doesn’t want, or have to buy a plastic tool box separately, than for everyone to spend more for a modular tool box they might not want.
Many tool brands have bundled select cordless power tools with stacking tool boxes, with Bosch, Dewalt, and Milwaukee coming to mind. There are reasons it hasn’t become a trend.
JR Ramos
Well, I think there are two assumptions: 1) that the tools are coming with *something*, and 2) that price point is important. Hence Tstack given that it serves the purpose and is inexpensive. Sure, they could kit them with more expensive modular latching boxes…if there were enough interest and if the manufacturers *and* the retailers didn’t mind the additional sku’s to keep track of and make space for, they could even offer both options. I’ve always contended that since it was so hard to get these cases and bags (for years…not anymore, though) that it was better to include them with the tools. But times changed and habits/preferences changed. So maybe just a bare tool/bare kit makes more sense *if* they actually lower the price a tag (or keep it steady)…then those who want can go find a bag or case of their liking. Some cases still aren’t available or easy to get, though…a symptom of overseas batch manufacturing and also that whole sku/space thing. Affects some brands more than others. Even Bosch doesn’t have some cases available at all, separately, and they have always been stellar at that kind of thing along with Makita.
But my point with bag vs. case is that I think either could be done for about the same price point these days. 20 years ago the bags were certainly cost savings, to mixed reception.
Stuart
I’d estimate the basic bags could retail for maybe $5 or $7, which is quite a bit off from the $23 the Tstak tool box is selling for on Amazon right now. https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWST17807-TSTAK-Toolbox-Organizer/dp/B00B6K4V80/?tag=toolguyd-20
Dewalt sells tens of thousands of cordless drill and impact driver kits every holiday season at the $99 price point. Who’s paying for the extra cost of a tool box vs tool bag?
We’re talking about i) a product that costs more to manufacture, ii) either the tool boxes need to be shipped to the packaging location or new production needs to be established, iii) higher freight costs to the retailer, and iv) lower packing density at stores.
If we’re talking about online sales, there’s greater warehousing space utilization and higher shipping fees.
Basic tool bags can be sewn together almost anywhere and can be very efficiently shipped.
It comes down to practicality. A tool bag is a cheap inclusion, a modular tool box is not, and it seems this is most important to everyone.
Matt_T
Stuart,
Comparing cost of bag vs. case you also need to figure in a custom insert for the case option.
Good point about the higher shipping costs for online sales. That may be a significant driver of the shift from blow molded cases to a cardboard box which might include a bag.
fred
Price point might dominate, At the higher price point of some tools you do often see them bundled in modular boxes. That’s been true for some Makita and Bosch tools – and it seems to be expected for many European brands like Lamello, Mafell, Festool and even Metabo that they will be bundled with a modular case. But these brands may also want to use their bundling to sort of declare that they represent a step up.
William
There’s an occasional tool that still comes in a blow mold case. For example, DeWalts newest laser.
https://www.acmetools.com/dewalt-20v-max-xr-remote-control-360-degree-line-laser-kit/S0000000016969.html
I would have already bought this if it came is a TSTAK. It seems rather silly for it not to come in a Tstak
Robert
This is not a solution for everyone. But I find the excess Dewalt bags excellent for catching eye balls driving by during the semi-annual community allowed yard sales. Usually when they stop for the bag, they take other stuff off my hands. But right now I’m down to one bag, and I don’t think I need any other Dewalt tools for a while.
Mike (the other one)
I don’t mind the bags. They are great for drill/driver bits, accessories, and odd hand tools for smaller jobs.
The bags also sit on unlevel surfaces, whereas the boxes would slide right off.
John
The cases are just always kind of inconvenient. Put the tool in a certain way, wind the cord just right, turn the handle the right way, all that and you don’t have any room to leave bits or accessories you might want. Tool bags solve all that and are quicker to grab things out of or toss back in.
Wayne R.
I’ve grown to really dislike tool bags. Yes, I can toss in a lot of stuff, but what I need is always on the bottom – and the bag interior is *always* (usually) black. I can’t tell if I’ve managed to put everything back in when I’m done.
I agree that the cases were always short-sighted when it came to space for additional stuff, too.
Steven Phillips
I think you’re right on with this one as usual. One more nice thing about the bags is because they did flat as mentioned, they’re much easier to stash away for use later, use that can be for anything.
F
I’m much happier with tool bags. I remember twenty-five years ago I bought my first cordless drill in a blow mold case and that thing just sat around my basement taking up valuable space. It was nice keeping the tool and charger organized. But I never used it to take to a job. I just used homemade wooden totes. To carry the tools I needed. I eventually just recycled the case. AND I still have that old craftsman 9.6 drill and light and they still work. Though one battery did die. Now I have all Milwaukee M12 tools and they all came in bags which I use frequently. But I’m no pro. Just my own experience.
F
I meant 14.4 volt drill and light.
Bill
I find the bags useless. I have a pile sitting collecting dust. They don’t stack, so not good for storing things. Being a bag, they’re not great for storing a tool + accessories in an orderly way. I’d rather save a couple dollars and not get one included. On the other hand, I still use metal storage boxes from Milwaukee tools I purchased 30 years ago.
I’d prefer they create bundle discounts. Buy a tool, and get a bundle rebate on a bag, cheap box, or a high end modular box. Return either item, lose the full rebate. It might actually drive some extra sales by giving people a choice.
Wayne R.
Agreed.
Kingsley
In the UK their kits all come in tstak and no bags.
I have a few of the bags from USA purchases and I use them for other things like toiletries when travelling!
The kits in the UK are often more expensive than the individual items, so I’ve rarely bought them.
Frank D
For many tools that came in blow molds, I still have the blow mold, to actively store the tool in.
Bags? I have two large moving boxes full of them. I never use them. They may be handy to pack things for a move, and that’s why I keep them. For the rest … meh. Over a dozen each soft cases for bosch, ridgid, ryobi is just a mess.
Many duplicate or multiples of the same size and style. Mostly black with a colored top; so if you put them on open shelving with the smallest side facing out; you’d have to come up with a labeling system so see what is what on the side. Just not worth it.
Rx9
I hated the blow mold cases, and I’m glad they’re gone. A dedicated tool box also allows greater space and flexibility, including what brands you pick. I happen to have a bunch of Milwaukee stuff sitting in Dewalt boxes.
Nate
I give away the bags, because the last thing I want is some tweaker breaking into my car because the saw a Milwaukee bag…. that happens to contain a change of clothes because that’s what I needed a bag for.
I’d much rather the sets come with no bag or box at all. It’s just waste.
Big Richard
Anytime I sell a tool, a battery, a charger, etc., I throw it in a bag. I don’t even ask them if they want it, they show up to buy a $10 charger and get a free bag.
John
It depends on how you work. About 1/3 of my job is workshop based and 2/3 is remote. Having my tools (drills, drivers, etc) “out” in my workshop and throwing them in a “go bag” when working remote doesn’t work for me. I store each of my tools in a case, together with their accessories. Nothing gets left behind.
“Branded” tool cases don’t stack with cases of another brand. Milwaukee with Bosch? Nope! Dewalt with Festool? Nope! DeWalt with other DeWalt? Also, sadly, no.
I have standardized on stackable toolboxes and wheeled cart. Every tool goes into one, including accessories. I made custom cabinets for my shop so each box has its own cubby. I don’t have to unstack the pile to get the box I want. Working remote today? Easy. Grab it, put it on the cart and go. Working in the shop? Reach up and grab the case. Easy peasey.
Bottom line, I don’t like bags or blow-molded cases. They are just an extra expense for something I’m going to throw out.
Bill
So which brand of case works best for your storage and transportation needs?
John
I have DeWalt TStak. They are smaller with less wasted space than Toughsystem. They are cheaper than Packout or Tanos. I got a bunch of them when they were on sale for $17.
Paul
I think it would be cool and cost efficient if they came with a fitted foam or plastic tray in the box that could be out in a toolbox. Easy to package and light to ship and could be used in many brand boxes. I think bosch 12v stuff came with trays for a while. Lots of mechanics hand tools now come with foam cut outs or plastic trays.
Stuart
Yep, Bosch used to have L-Boxx trays available for certain cordless power tools so that you can pop them right into cases you already had. They discontinued this practice in the USA.
MattW.
Have you seen the assembly video on dewalts page for made in usa with global materials. A specialized robot puts the product in the bag on a assembly line in half a second it seems. Clearly the bag is easier to package and making that for big old t stacks would mean human labor or expensive robot arms.
Rj
I store my power tools on shelves. Hard cases fit on shelves much better than bags as they’re thinner and stand more upright than bags that tend to flop, spread, sag, and snag. Definitely prefer the hard cases.
J . Newell
In theory I appreciate the blow-molded cases and occasionally buy them second-hand, but in reality they’re enormously inefficient in terms of storage volume.
I do get a lot of use out of the square-sided Milwaukee M12 soft cases. I have quite a few of those that I’ve put Kaizan foam into for storage and semi-efficient transport of M12 tools.
Matt Perry
I tried modifying a blow-molded Milwaukee case for general use and was unable to do so. I like cases if I can repurpose them for other things.
Bags are useful that way. I repurpose them into gear bags for the cars, camping bags, general work bags, lunch bags, that kind of thing. I’d be interested in kits that do not offer bags at a lower cost.
What I’d REALLY like to see is tool kits that don’t come with a charger. Just a tool and battery. I already have lots of chargers, but having extra batteries is always good.
MM
I agree the charger situation gets irritating, I don’t mind having more batteries either, but I certainly don’t want any more chargers, unless they happen to be top tier fast chargers but those are very rarely found in kits, and even then I wouldn’t have a need for more than one or two of them.
I did have an idea that could solve this problem though: imagine a modular charger designed so that multiple of them can lock together and share power–both AC power so all of them can operate off just one cord, and also DC power so their outputs can be added together. If you have just one of them it works like an ordinary basic charger. But as you couple more of them together they could then either fast-charge by combining the output from multiple modules into one battery, or they can act like a gang charger which charges multiple batteries at once.
Just as an example, imagine each module is 2 amp output. If you have three of them joined together then you could either charge 3 batteries simultaneously at 2a each, or it could charge one pack at 6a.
They could be designed so the power cord is removable when the units are joined together. Let’s say you have one such charger already and you just bought a new tool that came with another one. You’d take the 2nd charger, disconnect its power cord, and then join it to your existing one, converting it into a dual-station charger with twice the output power.
This keeps individual chargers inexpensive while simultaneously allowing them to be useful even for established users.
Matt Perry
That sounds like a brilliant idea, which means it’ll never get made. 😀
JR Ramos
I don’t know what kind of mod you were aiming for but blow mold is easy to reshape with judicious use of a heat gun. I picked up one of Milwaukee’s 1/2″ impact socket sets last year when they were on a great sale…no room for anything extra in the case (actually a time where I value the case). Heated up the plastic where I wanted extensions to go (one at a time), put the extensions in there, shut the lid with some weight on it, and presto. I reshaped two of the socket cradles as well so I could fit other sockets in those spots. The plastic will start to look a little “wet” when you’ve just about gone too far with the heat…once you get it pliable, work quickly with your shaping/weight/cooling….works a treat. There are some blow molds which aren’t as agreeable to this because of their particular designs but most are fine. Sometimes doing this is far and away better than trying to futz with foam or whatever.
Donny
I HATE the bags. First thing I do is toss it and go find a suitable hard case and add my own custom cut foam.
What I would like to see is them DROP the bags AND the charger AND the low aH battery. I have plenty of chargers and I suspect most people aren’t buying their first Dewalt tool unless it’s a drill so they’re in my boat. Didn’t we all start with a drill? And the batteries are often too small to do the tool justice. Take their oscillating saw. It’s so weak with the included 2Ah you would want to return it after using it. Use a 4aH or 5? The tool is a beast. Now ADD a proper hard case.
That would be a professional tool lineup. Instead Dewalt comes off as harry homeowner now especially with Milwaukee on the scene in a big way. I was never jealous of other brands before now. I look at my Dewalts to which I am committed to and if I was doing it all over again? I would probably choose the red tools.
Dewalt when it was launched was promised to be professional tools made in America above Black and Decker. Their justification for sending black and decker overseas and closing production in the US. They have lost their way.
JR Ramos
When DeWalt was launched it was nothing more than a new bright yellow (daring) housing and an extremely aggressive marketing campaign. The tools were nothing more than rebadged BD Professional/Kodiak tools – zero difference in any of them. It took a few years for them to start really introducing new tools with new engineering and gradually those earlier lines/labels disappeared altogether (they were just aimed at differentiating various outlets/distributors such as sears, contractor suppliers, and service/repair centers). They never promised anything except that impressive happy policy and a longer warranty than what was the norm at the time. The BD/DeWalt rep who tended our needs loved to take the DW100 3/8″ drill and chuck it hard down a store aisle to show how tough it was. He did that one day and picked it up with a nicely bent chuck/shaft. lol I don’t think they ever made a big deal about made in US, either, but except for Makita, the old “real” Ryobi, and Panasonic, the tools in stores back then were still US made. They may have been the first to emblazon the boxes with the little US flag icon. Moving production off shore was a long process – for everyone – and not taken lightly but also taken seriously as it became “necessary”…BD/DeWalt no different than anyone else there in power and hand tools. I thought they still assembled some items here in the US and at least some parts were made here, but yeah, majority is China and Mexico for them. Sounds like they’ll suffer price increases from tariffs more than other companies, given the 25% Mexico about to hit.
JR Ramos
And to get nittier grittier, when DeWalt was first bought and reborn and launched again (70s?) it was just a few heavier duty bench and smaller floor machines. Not a hand power tool to be seen. They died (again) and BD revamped the name recognition in 1992 (or was that 1993?) when they turned their tools yellow. At that time we still had a few of the DeWalt large disc sanders, belt/disc sanders, and a radial arm, all nicely black in color. Delta took over.
SteveP
The only power tool boxes I have are for my old Makita stuff. They look brand new, because they are – in storage and never used
Not sure what the other brands offer, but who wants a bulky box with a molded-in space for as charger (making is useless for other purposes) for every tool? The charger is out on a workbench and I only need one charger for many tools. I have extra Makita chargers I will never use (well, they do fail so spares are handy)
OTOH, tool bags I don’t use for the actual tools they came with can be repurposed in dozens of ways. As a DIY guy, I am not packing up my van every night and taking tools to worksites, so I understand my needs differ from others, but tool bags are much more flexible IMO
Barilla
In Europe you can buy tools bare, or in TSTAK boxes. Just google any tool name with NT added at the end, like DCS569NT. This is a tool + TSTAK deal only, no battery or charger.
For combo kits, or kits with battery and charger I think they always come with a TSTAK. Literally the only time I’ve seen the bag is when a guy was sent some tools from his uncle who lives in USA.
It’s curious how DeWalt treats US and EU markets so differently.