I started off my Monday with a trip to Home Depot. I bought a two-pack of Stanley hammers on Friday for $15, and last night I noticed the price had dropped to $10. So, I went in for a price-match, and I also needed to buy some more nails.
As an aside, I couldn’t fall asleep last night, and I found myself wondering about what I would say about that Stanley 2-pack of hammers. At $15 for the 2-pack, I’d instead recommend buying a similarly-styled value-priced hammer of your choosing and pairing it with a nail puller or pry bar. Or is it advantageous to have two hammers with different claw styles? But, I guess it’s a moot point, as $10 for two hammers is a hard value to beat.
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I picked up some more hammers and pliers for expanded comparisons I have in the works.
There was a contractor looking for a metal-capped mallet. Unfortunately, they didn’t have one. I asked him if he checked the flooring section, but he had just been there. There was a small Husky dead blow hammer, or a larger double-faced Vaughan rubber mallet, and he didn’t seem happy with either one.
This Nupla dead blow hammer on Amazon was probably what he wanted, or maybe this two-pounder.
It’s unfortunate that Home Depot didn’t have the tool he was looking for, but neither did Lowes or Harbor Freight. You know which store would have had it? Sears from a couple of years ago.
Overall, it was a good trip to Home Depot. I had an equally pleasant visit on Friday, but nothing noteworthy happened then.
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After my visit to Home Depot today, I was off to Lowes to pick up a Craftsman hammer. But first, I wanted to check out the pliers.
I wanted to get Craftsman 8-inch long nose pliers, but the website said there were 0 in-stock and that it was unavailable for in-store pickup. Okay, so it’s not in stock. At the store I found a peg full of them. They had so many of the pliers I wanted that some were stocked on the next peg as well. A pleasant surprise.
But then I went to find the Craftsman 16 oz hammer I wanted. I bought a 20 oz hammer the other day, but the website said they did have the 16 oz hammer at the location I was going to visit today. Great, right? Wrong. I couldn’t find it.
What I did find were a bunch of non-branded red and black hammers that certainly weren’t Craftsman. This image is from my visit to a Lowes store on Saturday. I saw the same today, except even more of the non-Craftsman red and black hammers on at least two pegs.
An associate tried to help me track down the Craftsman 16 oz claw hammer I wanted. We looked up top – nope, no unopened boxes of hammers there. The Lowes website said there were 11 tools in stock. Luckily, he found one in the row of 20 or 22 oz hammers. Hooray!
I went looking for a Craftsman hammer that Lowes said was in stock, and had trouble finding it, but had an easy time finding the pliers that their website said was out of stock and not available.
Another customer saw that I was holding a couple of items and told me they were clearancing out a bag full of hand tools for $100 near the front of the store. I thanked him and said I would check it out. I forgot to do so, since the interaction was before my long search for the Craftsman hammer, but it brings to mind my visit to a different Lowes store on Saturday.
I had been picking up some hammers and pliers, for the same big comparison, and a Lowes associate pointed me towards a couple of tables near the pro section that was filled with tools. He told me “Craftsman is our brand now, and so there are a lot of Kobalt tools at 50% off.”
My hands were full, but I picked up a Kobalt 20 oz hammer. I think it’ll be interesting to see how the Craftsman and Kobalt 20 oz hammers compare, especially since Lowes essentially brought the Craftsman in to replace the Kobalt.
There’s the risk of mixing you up by talking about two visits to two different Lowes stores, but I do wish I only had to make one stop. But, at least I got the Craftsman pliers and hammer I wanted.
I couldn’t find an Irwin hammer, though. Why? Well, according to Lowes’ website, due to local prohibitions, this item is not currently sold in your area. Don’t worry, I was able to order one from Amazon, although at $2 more.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention – I was able to price-match a Corona bypass lopper with Amazon’s pricing. There wasn’t anyone working the assisted checkouts, so I waited to ask an associate at the self-checkout. They sent me to customer service who had to look at the tool, my phone, and then their computer, but I saved nearly $12. This is the kind of tool that probably wouldn’t have traveled well, and so I was happy to buy it in-person and get the lower price.
And then, there was Harbor Freight. I went to one store on Friday and another store location today.
It was the trip to Harbor Freight the other day that lit a fire under me to do some hand tool comparisons. I went to the store to pick up a Hercules 12V drill/driver, because I think it would have made for a good comparison against Skil’s offering. The Hercules 12V cordless power tools launched in February, and I wanted to check it out now firsthand.
Apparently, something is going on with Harbor Freight’s Hercules cordless power tools. The manager of the first store told me that distribution is on hold for now. A supervisor or manager at the second store told me that the Hercules cordless power tools are being “completely revamped.” Interesting…
I checked out the very limited selection of Icon tools, especially the breaker bars. *Expletive in a good way*, those sure were some good-looking tools. I’m going to have to keep my eye on them.
Then I checked out the Quinn screwdrivers and picked up a pair. I also picked up some Doyle and Quinn pliers. *Expletive in a bad way*, I was left with some pretty harsh first-impressions. But, the pliers’ packaging could betray what the jaws really look like.
I asked myself “Hmm, how well do they really compare with Klein?” That’s what kicked off a pliers shopping spree for comparison purposes, and Friday’s unplanned visit to Home Depot.
Surprisingly, my visits to Harbor Freight were extremely pleasant. This was only my third or fourth visit to any Harbor Freight store. I don’t expect to be a regular there, but I do know that I won’t wait two years before going back.
When I spoke to the VP of Harbor Freight’s product development department, he told me that big changes were coming. It has been nearly two years, and so I was curious to see if there were any changes to the store. I didn’t spot major changes although some of their new products are really shattering my expectations, most notably their tool storage carts and the Icon tools despite there only being a couple of new tools so far.
The staff at Harbor Freight were pleasant, friendly, and seemed to be genuinely happy and eager to help. It was wonderful.
I used two coupons at today’s visit, one for a discount on a hammer, and the 20% off coupon. “Would you also like to use the coupon for the free flashlight?”
I went to Home Depot and Harbor Freight on Friday afternoon, Lowes on Saturday morning, and different locations of each store on Monday morning. At these times, Harbor Freight’s tool aisles seemed to be busier.
If you ask me which store I prefer, it’s Home Depot, partly because several stores are closer and quicker for me to get to, but also because I like their brand selection better. But, all of these 6 visits were pleasant, thanks to stocked shelves, clean stores, and courteous staff.
Next up, I have some hand tools to start testing.
Dave
So….. how’s that gonna work out when a person goes to Lowe’s to warrant a broken Kobalt once they’ve closed them all out and replaced them with Crapsman?
Paul Dean
First off kobalt is lowes brand and only reason it’s going away because lowes invested so much in the craftsman brand which is cheaper junk compared to what sears had back in the day
Toolfreak
They will probably offer you the equivalent Craftsman-branded tool as a warranty exchange, or perhaps even whatever brand they replaced the tool with (Stanley, Irwin, etc.) if it’s not Craftsman.
If nothing else, they might look up the part number and give you a merchandise credit for the full or last closeout price, to use towards the cost of a new tool.
Mike Chase-Salerno
I went through this recently and it didn’t go well. It was just a multi-bit precision screwdriver, so not a big deal, but they said it wasn’t covered since they didn’t have a direct replacement. I brought the Craftsman version up, which was very close, but not exact. They ended up doing it for me to “take care of me” but it got processed as a receiptless return and purchase of the near match.
They stated that the Kobalt warranty only covers replacement with a Kobalt tool, so if a replacement doesn’t exist that you’re out of luck.
Not sure if this is just my local store’s issue or if that’s actually to policy. If it’s the latter, it sure takes the wind out of the lifetime warranty’s sails, which they continue to push on the Kobalt tools they’re still selling.
Gordon
I’ll second this. The power strip on my tool cabinet went out less than 6 months after owning it. I took it in because the app said they had one in stock. Well they didn’t. The closest one was a craftsman. The manager was concerned that I wouldn’t want a “non-Kobalt” one so I had to reassure him that my interest was having a working power strip.
But now I’m SOL if the power strip dies. I didn’t buy it, so I have no receipt. So it’s definitely not a lifetime warranty any more.
Nathan
SO wait a tick. YOu’re saying Lowes in indeed getting rid of KOBALT tools. ALL OF THEM? or just the hand tools.
This would be interesting because I’ve heard the complete opposite too.
Now what I find odd is if Lowes is going to sell Skil tools and still sell Kobalt cordless power tools? It would make some sense them if they are going to go full SBD craftsmans. Which I both wonder about being a good idea.
Mike
Lowe’s will continue to sell kobalt branded hand and mechanic’s tools and stand behind the product. Also the kobalt power tool line is built to a higher standard then Home Depot’s ridgid line of tools. As for skill there are currently no plans to eliminate that brand from the assortment.
Matt
We have no Kobalt hand tools here. They cleared them out at discount pricing during the Craftsman launch. Perhaps they’ll restock them again? They cleared out the toolboxes and ‘most’ power tools too but both are back now.
I agree on the quality of Kobalt power tools (the battery stuff anyway). I not only thought they were quite a bit nicer and higher quality than the V20 Craftsman stuff, I thought they felt nicer than most of the DeWalt & MetaboHPT lines that they have displays for. I have no doubt it’s above Rigid. They even had a sliding dual bevel battery miter saw. Like the Rigid guys keep complaining about that was discontinued for them. I’m guessing to protect Milwaukee. Craftsman needs to step it up. Side by side it doesn’t look good…
Stuart
That’s what the associate said to me. There were a couple of folding banquet tables with boxes of Kobalt hand tools on clearance at 50% off previous prices though. Those same tools are no longer on the shelves, where Craftsman tools seem to have taken their place.
There are still some Kobalt tools on the shelves. The Kobalt pliers I purchased were on a peg, although the pegs were at ankle-level. I don’t know where they were before, but I don’t think they were all the way down there.
logir
Floor guys have no idea. The brass at the top let very little trickle down. The replacement talk is likely from a shift lead or a misinformed store manager.
The floor guys might be right, but it’s likely just dumb luck.
I work in a related industry, and even manufacturer reps (direct employees, not contracted mfr reps) tend to have very little information about near future product changes.
Gordon
Every Lowe’s is different. Mine still has all the Kobalt hand tools at full price in those silly cardboard, holiday displays. My friend’s Lowe’s cleared out almost everything at $2 a piece.
It’s also not the entire Kobalt line, as mine just got a new set of “Kobalt Professional” compressors. They’re a really pretty, matte, powder-coated blue . They had 3, 30gal+ units on display.
Mopar4wd
I’m curious how it works out. I think Craftsman is a bit of a mistake for Lowe’s. They have spent years building decent brands, I think Craftsman would have made a better fit with ace or true value hardware. 20 even 15 years ago it may have been a good idea, but over time Craftsman fell and Kobalt went up to the point where name recognition and Goodwill bad will likely meant the brands were equal.
Mike (the other one)
Craftsman (old and new) is available at Ace and True Value stores.
I don’t mind Lowe’s carrying them, but I feel like a lot of the Kobalt stuff is better. Maybe they are hedging their bets on the USA-made tools if they ever happen.
I don’t think Kobalt is going away completely, but they have scaled down the offerings at my local Lowe’s.
Mopar4wd
I knew they had been selling them the past couple years when Sears started letting other retailers sell them. I had kind of assumed Lowes had an exclusive but that doesn’t appear to be the case. Given that If I was Lowes I would be very careful about replacing too much Kobalt with Craftsman. I think Craftsman could be a great brand again but it’s a long road back to the domination they once had.
Back when I turned wrenches for a living most guys starting out had lots of craftsman stuff and they swapped it for Snap-on – Mac etc as they moved on. I know I did. I notice visting shops over the past few years for different jobs that more and more of the Pittsburgh Pro Quinn etc tools from harbor freight are sitting on the guys benches. I think Harbor freight knows it too, and over the last decade their quality has really improved.
Mike (the other one)
Exactly right. Why by cheap chinesium Craftsman tools when you can get chinesium Pittsburgh tools for less? Plus with Sears going down the drain, warranties are going to be a hassle. At least HF will let you warranty them there at the store.
Also a lot of HF tools have improved. Not game changing, but the newer “brands” have some decent offerings.
Leif Hanson
Something to also consider about Craftsman power tools. With Sears going away like the dinosaur, where are you going to get parts? Same with Kenmore and other Sears exclusives.
Carl J
Is Kobalt exclusive to Lowe’s? In my opinion, it’s a big mistake to replace the Kobalt with Craftsman. Lowe’s has been building that brand for a lot of years now.
That Craftsman stuff looks like kids play tools and anyone awake in the past decade know Craftsman tools are junk compared to yesteryear. Really is there any difference between Craftsman and Harbor Freight? If I need a cheap tool, I’ll save money and get the HF.
George
The Craftsman items currently in Lowe’s are NOT the same products you have seen for the past decade. There are countless articles outlining this on this site.
carl
Maybe not the same product but the same crappy, cheap reputation. They can’t engineer their way out of that.
David Zeller
As a counterpoint to “They can’t engineer their way out of that. ”
In this same article and comments, HF’s latest offerings are referred to as shockingly better than expected and Lowes was referred to as have built up the quality and reputation of the Kobalt brand.
If HF can change people’s minds over time, certainly SBD could (if they wanted) restore Craftsman to a respectable brand.
Greg
The “new” Craftsman in my mind right now is worse than it was with Sears. There’s more gimmicky Craftsman branded tools now than there was while the brand was at Sears and that’s saying something. Any of the “sets” of tools whether it’s sockets etc now are doing the stupid thing of not including a few of the sizes that seemed to have been deemed not necessary or commonly used. Even further insult to injury, those tools aren’t sold as singles either while they were at Sears. You mean to tell me Stanley I’ll never use a 15mm socket, yea sure.
It’s going to take a lot work to make me be a believer of Craftsman again. Get rid of the gimmicky tools to begin with. Next get the manufacturer of the hand tools either back in the USA or in quality hands again (whether or not that’s some Taiwan manufacturer). Make the lifetime warranty not a hassle again. Beyond this for PR get involved in the trades helping out financially or otherwise. Also have user groups inviting people from the various industries you’re trying to cover and listen to their concerns, criticisms, and new ideas. One of these items is probably impossible for Stanley to do let alone all of them so I have no hope.
Leif Hanson
That’s not the only problem with Sears going belly up. Try to replace a broken screwdriver that the handle was busted. No chance. I accidentally dropped my CRAFTSMAN hammer from the roof and Sears replacement was a cinch. I had a claw hammer that the handle was busted and none of the retailers were willing to replace it because I had no receipt from their store. The “ LIFETIME WARRANTY “ is forever gone into extinction with the dinosaurs. I swear that I am never going to buy another Craftsman tool.
Joseph
I agree that the SBD Craftsman tool sets are very strange, and that they have a lot of gimmicky–yet high priced–stuff. You’re also right that they literally told people that on lowes.com when a person asked, “Why isn’t that size included”. It doesn’t make any sense. There sets are much higher priced that Sears, yet they include a lot less.
Apex makes most Sears & SBD hand tools. A few years ago they closed two US plants that made hand tools, and they closed the last one–that used to make Craftsman Professional–a couple of years ago. So that is why there is no more US-made hand tools made by Apex. I doubt Apex will ever come back.
Flotsam
My shopping experiences have generally been very good as well. Some stores are MUCH better than others. The store closest to my house has only been open a few months and is always very well stocked things are laid out much nicer. The store close to my work is very old, cramped and not as nice to shop at.
As a rule i have tried to mostly get hand tools but I did get a Bauer DA polisher recently that is an excellent buy for the money. I also got a Bauer portable band saw which i grant you is not a nice as the DeWalt or Milwaukee model, but mine sees infrequent use and with the aid of an excellent blade cuts metal very easily. Can’t complain for $99. My impact socket set is from HF and they have worked flawlessly for years as a very reasonable price.
My experiences with Lowes and Home Depot has been very much hit or miss. Somedays getting help is impossible and others i find an associate who has a brilliant solution to a plumbing issue i was encountering. I have shopped the big sales at HD and have gotten a fair number of power tools there.
Jp
I’ve had terrible experiences at the local Lowes and with customer disservice at lowes.com. I had the call the executive line for relief. The issue was regarding a warranty with a craftsman product. I don’t plan on buying craftsman after that fiasco or shopping at Lowes. Even if I did buy craftsman, it would be from Ace Hardware or some other retailer.
Matt
@Carl, I mentioned this before but our Lowe’s has Kobalt toolboxes back on display and Kobalt power tools front and center when you walk in. They also have an updated Kobalt power tools section right behind the Craftsman one for comparison. They do have plenty of new Craftsman items on display but Kobalt definitely has a more visual presence in the store again.
They do need to update their website. The 3/8 impact I bought is shown as the 1/2 inch model on their site. Craftsman also had a 10 inch sliding single bevel mitre saw listed on the site with 7 in stock yesterday and now it’s unavailable. Which is it? (Craftsman needs a dual bevel saw by the way).. To be fair I’ve had the same issues with HD & Menard’s websites. I went to purchase a set of Bosch masonry bits at HD a few months ago and they didn’t have any. The website said they had 6.
Our Harbor Freight also has very friendly staff like you encountered Stuart. They must really push for that from the top down. They welcome you when you walk in and thank you when you leave. I certainly appreciate that! The store itself is closing though I believe. There’s a big sign out front saying everything must go. They just opened within the last two years. The parking lot is generally empty when I drive by. I wonder if they do better with online sales.
Adam
I bet those masonsry bits were on a stupid spinner toward the pro desk. It’s happened a couple times to me for bits, where none were on the peg where one would likely first look.
That isn’t as bad as not finding any of 15+ M18 5ah batteries last week so I could take advantage of their current promotion.
And this line from employees saying it could be in the truck is hogwash. If I can order online for pickup, it shouldn’t still be on the truck already with the manifest “received.” That isn’t setting you up for customer disappoint or anything /s.
Still much happier lately at HD than Lowe’s, at least in the main city ones I visit. When I go to some out of town property, the Lowe’s makes up for the garbage I deal with at the other stores.
Jody
Freight is sitting in the back of my store minus the manpower to put it on the selling floor. The new CEO is whacko.
PW
“The store itself is closing though I believe. There’s a big sign out front saying everything must go.”
I LOL’ed so hard at this! This is just part of Harbor Freight’s questionable marketing. “Everything must go” is one of their periodic lines to try and get you to go inside with the impression that there will be “special” deals. Other bogus lines include “Giant Liquidation”, “Final Markdown”, and my personal favorite: “Urgent Blowout”.
HF has some good points, but their tacky marketing isn’t one of them.
Matt
If it’s a gimmick it’s a bad one. Or they at least need to play it off better. The sign is massive and screams ‘store closing’. I get the marketing scare tactics if you will, but in my mind they’re telling potential new customers to just keep on driving to their usual store cause this one will be out of business soon.
They haven’t been open here long enough to pull that stunt and be successful at it.
Jim Felt
This is all so emblematic of “retail”. I’m just glad FedEx, UPS and the good old USPS are just so darn good.
Wiha, the odd Bosch or Hilti, Knipex and Foredom, Engineer and countless others just aren’t going to be in any big box.
And I’m glad we all have so many wonderful options no little thanks to Stuart here and the internet. Oh and many great local and regional specialty tool vendors.
Good time to be a toolhead.
Paul C
HF might not be closing. They run huge “closeout” sales quite frequently. It almost looks like the place is going out of business but mostly it’s the same stuff they normally sell maybe knocking another 5-10% off of it, mixed in with a few things they are discontinuing. As others have mentioned frequently HF is truly hit or miss on a lot of things. I like their impact sockets EXCEPT they are so thick and huge that often I run into problems getting them into narrow spots. So I’m kind of rethinking my socket choice. But Northern, Husky, and Kobalt don’t look much better and I hesitate to spend that much money online site unseen.
Chris
Why are all the employees at my harbor freight meat-heads? They look like the people you see shopping at Walmart.
Also, I’m really curious as to what will come to the Hercules line. I probably wouldn’t buy any of the power tools, but I’m interested in the accessories, more specifically the OMT blades. Brand name ones are expensive, or not available locally.
Stuart
At both stores the HF associates were extremely professional, courteous, and very friendly, creating a very pleasant atmosphere.
Andrew
I have always had good experiences at HF too, not with their tools just with their workers. I am curious about the Herc blades. Of course they were the same price as the diablo blades when I saw them this weekend so that is a no, but maybe a head to head?
Stuart
I can’t make promises, but it’s at least a comparison I can try to keep in mind.
David Zeller
I’ve never felt that way about the people at the two HF near me or the one by my in-laws in Connecticut. They’re just normal people. (And I’m a dual-degree, manager and consulting work in financial and pharma industries, non Walmart-as-you-implied type person. Just a tinkerer, woodworker, DIYer, like many of them, I suppose.)
J.C.
I used to prefer Home Depot over Lowes but that changed when Home Depot decided to no longer staff any of their registers except for one in the lumber department. It’s such a PITA to check out there now, that I’ve completely stopped going there and don’t plan on going back.
Joseph
Did they change the checkout to put the cashier (if there is one) on the same side as the customer? That’s when the practically got rid of the cashiers in our area, or you just see a couple of them talking and telling you that it is a self-checkout.
Al Barrera
As a contractor it’s really simple. I live in northern NJ a few miles from NYC.
Go to a HD at 7:30 am and then go to Lowe’s at the same time. The HD is bustling with contractors pushing carts in and out and loading up their trucks with tons of building materials. The Lowe’s parking lot is a ghost town. The facts are simple…….HD is kicking Lowe’s butt in all areas. HD stocks the right kind of building materials that we actually use in our day to day business. Lowe’s is till delusional in believing that the homeowner market will bolster their sales. Volume is Volume and HD rules in that dept.
Jared
I personal prefer Lowe’s over Home Depot, mostly because it seems that my local Lowe’s seems to have more of the random things I need over the local Home Depot. One area that Lowe’s really cleans HD’s clock is appliances. The Lowes always has a better selection most importance does next day delivery. Every time I looked at Home Depot they tell me at least a week for delivery. Well that does me no good if my fridge decided to die the day before I have a bunch of family coming to visit for a week.
I’m also at the point that if I need a hand tool that I’ll use sparingly, I’ll hit up Harbor Freight before the others. I don’t do power tools, save for the rare situation that it’s cheaper to buy the tool than renting.
Kizzle
Why is all Kobalt stuff on Lowe’s website “Due to local prohibitions, this item is not currently sold in your area”?
Stuart
I’m not seeing that, I only saw that for the Irwin hammer.
Kizzle
Anytime I look up Kobalt Xtreme Access I get that message. Why would any tools be prohibited? Even your Irwin hammer?
Joseph
I think it is a way–an odd way–to say that it is out of stock in your area.
Andrew
I live craftsman and want nothing but the best for the brand. I am impressed with the brushless tools but let’s be real nobody has ever come to craftsman for power tools. They made their fame on hand tools and here is where I think they have fudged the release. They are just ok. The sockets all seem to be rusting in the store and the ratchets cannot be serviced. In short, they are throw away tools and for that might as well go to harbor freight. I do like the red line of tool boxes they are far superior to the Sears line. The random mechanics tools are not there either such as a brake kit that Sears had. In fact a survey of their website leaves mechanics tools lacking. Hopefully this will change with the new Texas plant but we will see.
Joseph
You saw the new SBD Craftsman rusting in the store?? That’s terrible. I did not know that there ratchets could be serviced.
If they use the same low-grade materials imported from China in Texas, I don’t see what the difference could be. SBD like “Assembled in the USA” not Made in the USA, so odds are they will import all of the raw materials.
MichaelHammer
It’s amusing to me that the inconvenience of looking for product, looking for an associate who then helps you look for a product only to finally find one in the wrong location doesn’t bother you. How much time did you waste in there? Seems like that $12 hammer was more like $112. It’s why I avoid the box stores like the plague.
Stuart
Oh, their inventory management system is very flawed and has greatly frustrated me on multiple occasions. But today, at least I didn’t leave empty-handed.
Albert
In my younger days, I would have looked forward to a trip to HD, Lowes and HF. Now just thinking about it fills me with dread.
Toolfreak
Funny thing about that Nupla metal-capped dead blow hammer – the local Sears (when it existed) had one in stock for years, but it was well used because it was the hammer the store associates grabbed when they had to rearrange the shelving or assemble/disassemble the fitness equipment or whatever else. It still had a place on the wall of hammers, with a label and signage and all that. It was weird to see the hammer look worse and worse over the years yet keep being out for sale at full price.
rick
Stew, we refer to that as a dead blow hammer, and I’ve purchased them before at both home depot and harbor freight. Some are metal capped, most arent, but the metal capped ones have mostly been relgiated to automotive body work tools.
Leif Hanson
Due to experience with ANY online store. If you look to see if the item is available locally, DO NOT BELIEVE what you see. Irregardless of what the store, WALMART,ACE HARDWARE, SEARS, JC PENNEY, etc, they are not updating the websites on a regular basis. I have tried multiple locations and I have been told that they have been out of stock for several weeks on the item(s). Always call in advance and get reassurance from the company that your item is in fact in stock.
Joseph
My dad always says the same thing, and I agree! You can also add that people steal things to that list, or that the numbers just maybe off.
Ken
It’s been interesting to see the transformation at my local HF. A few years ago the staff was curt and none of them actually used tools themselves. More recently, I have seen more friendly DIY types hired but not the whole staff yet. Also recently, their “top” line tools (not their “value” line) have improved to the point where some of them actually function as good as a brand name tool. It is hit or miss and you have to carefully look the tool over to check its quality. Not professional grade at all (as they claim) but much better than 5 and 10 years ago. When my company is paying I usually buy the Irwin, Lenox or Diablo. If I’m paying, I might look at HF on a tool by tool basis.
Bill
So, what is the deal with Craftsman and Kobalt at Lowes. I was told when I contacted Kobalt that they are still going to be carried by Lowes. Is that wrong?
Mike (the other one)
My local Lowe’s put all their Kobalt tools on clearance and replaced most of their hand tools with Craftsman.
The Kobalt screwdrivers are now only available in sets, so you can’t get that one driver you need. They have Craftsman screwdrivers, both the classic style and new style individually, but those are made in Taiwan and China. The Kobalt acetate handle screwdriver were made in USA.
Recently, they have brought back Kobalt sockets and wrenches, and you can still get the individual sockets. I figure the Craftsman stuff isn’t selling as much as they thought, so some stores are stocking both.
Bill
Thanks. My young adult son has gravitated to the Kobalt cordless tools. Good price and decent reputation. Knowing the issue that I have with loving Bosch but them seeming not to have a large tool selection, I would hate to see him steered in the Kobalt direction if they are going to be disappearing. I think it is time for another cordless tool comparison and picks by price or work need. 🙂
Bill
Oh, and Bosch has just about disappeared totally from the Lowes near my home. So, I either feel like I need to order online which I hate or tools or find another brand to invest in.
Mike (the other one)
This is a big issue for me. I’m often hesitant to invest in a major power tool purchase because I don’t know if that brand will still be carried at the store if I need to return it, or want to get another tool that uses the same battery system.
Leif Hanson
I have been buying Ryobi tools for years. As I see it,they are going to be a large mainstay in the cordless tools.
Dave
https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gear/a28359/megabrands-tools-graphic/
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/tool-brands-corporate-affiliations/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
It’s been my experience that Crafstman “went cheap” 20 years ago. However, you could find “hard to find tools” like a thread file and tap-and-die sets at Sears.
Today, you have to know, unfortunately, exactly which tools at exactly which stores are reliable? I like Kobalt pliers and a couple of their clamps, however, dont need their screwdrivers as my Crafstman have lasted 30 years.
HD has better selection of sanding discs and specialty drill bits.
It’s amazing, to me, how many power tool brands are controlled by Black and Decker! I remember when they were a good brand at reasonable price.
So, just to round out this comment:
1) If it’s a daily used hand tool, HF will sell you 4 for the price of one at other stores.
2) If you want the best possible hand tool, my guess would be that Snap On is what you want? I dont own ANY Snap On tools as they’ve always been too expensive for me.
3) My Skil laser level is one of my most prized tools, however, not sure I would buy anything else made by them?
4) What ever happened to 6-point sockets and box-end wrenches?
For specialty woodworking tools (simply a bar clamp with greater than 4″ web depth) you may want to look here: https://woodworker.com/
Always watch for quality? There are lots of cheap tools out there! I only hope B&D continues the quality of DeWalt power tools?
Thomas Dang
The free coupons from harbor freight are halfway decent, those blue flashlights in particular I find handy.
Mark
I was going to fill my garage with Kobalt cabinets, but coudn’t find one of them I needed. It was on the website with no stock, and said only available in stores. I checked, and the guy told me that Lowes was getting rid of all the Kobalt cabinets and switching to Craftsman. He said the one was online still because one of the stores still had stock.
I went with Husky.
MSgt Mac
I think that you should visit Harbour Freight on a more frequent basis. Many of us make many purchases from this store. We are home owners and frequently don’t need to spend high dollars on a tool that we will only use once in a while. I am not a contractor and am retired and on a fixed income. I do look at each item I purchase quite closely to check for quality. I do not need a cordless drill that will last for years and years. Neither to I need one with a longer run time between charges. Please help those like me, and perhaps the younger folks just starting out in life who can make this store work for them.
John
I have been able to find the good Craftsman tool at a Sears hometown store in Kilmarnock. The ate very nice and helpful. I worked at Sears back in the. I have 5 toolboxes full of Craftsman tools. And all are very reliable. As well as bags of Craftsman power tools. I will continue to rely on Craftsman.