Is there any truth to Home Depot / Lowes power tools being cheaply made equivilants of the real thing?
I’ve heard thаt іf уου take apart a drill (DeWalt, Makita) frοm one οf thе hυgе box retailers аnd compare іt tο thе exact same drill frοm thе manufacturer, уου wіll bе surprised wіth thе quality differance. Iѕ thеrе аnу truth tο thіѕ οr іѕ іt аll hogwash?
My BF works for Lowes, and we own quite a bit of stuff from there and we reflect it’s of fantastic quality. We have never had a problem, but we steer clear of the Home Depot for obvious reasons!
Never heard that one.
In context to your question, the lower quality tools do exist, but they are not specially built for Lowes/HD. The lower end tools are made to look like the commercial sets, but are of a lower quality to justify lower pricing. This applies to appliances, too. But, they are still fantastic values based on lower pricing. On the flip side, don’t fall for the modest guy wanting more for the same tools available to them too. The only way to know for sure is get the model numbers. If you subscribe to Consumer Reports, you will notice small discrepancies between the model you see and the one in their ratings. These small changes elude to differences in construction to justify price.
Most Huge Box stores will go for the lowest price, but they do avoid the “plastic” versions.
Different model numbers of the same tool type can have lower quality “guts”. If you are going to be using the tools to make a living, pay the price and buy at a contractors store. I have not had harms with HD or Lowes tools and I use them often and hard. For the prices I paid, I am very pleased.
If its the same model number, then its the same tool. Particular things, what your saying is right. An example is a DELTA faucet. From Home Depot or Lowes, you will find some plastic, where if you bought it from a supply house, it would be all brass. They have the same number except one has a letter in it. Tools are the same.
Unquestionably not right. I have a excellent friend who works for Dewalt (one of the best tool makers) and they sell the same tools to HD or Lowes that they sell to any other vehicle.
That is hogwash. There may be different models but an identical model number will really be identical.
In addition Home Depot carries a line of hand tools that have a lifetime warranty equivalent to the one that Sears has on Craftsman Tools. If one breaks ever you can bring it back for a free replacement. If they didn’t reflect that was unlikely to happen they would not risk a hand tool warranty like that.
Now who, pray tell do you reflect sells the real thing, if it isn’t the retail giants? where do you, and others like you, get these thoughts from?
I had my Makita from Home Depot until I retired after twenty years and it went through four batteries and two chargers, I would say I got my money for it. I have my Milwaukee for the same time period and five years after I retired I had to buy a De Walt. By the way, I used them everyday and bored through cement with them all the time hanging gates, etc. I guess that would be a testimonial.
Hog wash. A name brand tool is a name brand tool. There are look alikes from China but they lack the name brand on them.