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I went to Lowes and looked at their Dewalt cordless.I asked where the Atomic Dewalt they didn't know what I was taking about. I asked the main manager he Never heard of Atomic.....WHAT? Go to HD. They don't carry the Atomics.
@@colemine7008 I got the same kind of phishy "prize" reply. Hacked is not the word for it. Copycat is a better term. It's a fake account. They do not have control of his real account. They copied his photo (logo / avatar image) and created a username to be very close to his.
I clicked the ellipsis dots by the phishing reply, and clicked to "Report." There was no option to report a fake account. Of the choices, only two seemed even close: "Unwanted commercial content or spam" or "Misinformation." I think I chose the first one, planning to report a second time to use the other one, but the reply was hidden from me as soon as I report it the first time.
@@richardtronson7635 I'm kind of dissapointed with Lowes, they had a very good selection of Husqvarna lawn and garden equipment up until a year or two ago, now its like its a huge emphasis on Craftsman. Funny, I used to think Craftsman was a great quality, but seeing how he said if you were buying Craftsman/Black and Decker you may as well go to Harbor Freight has me seriously reconsidering that.
You are 100 pct correct. I'm a self employed finish carpenter, to get better pricing I did my homework. Home depot carries contractor grade tools, Milwaukee, makita, hilti, Bosch and serious DIY offering Dewalt and Rigid. The lumber is decent as for quality. Lowes is geared toward the homeowner, Menards is the retail lumber center offering groceries, building materials, okay quality tools plus pro grade Bosch. The lumber is the worst,cracks. Split, gouges etc. Yet carry quality vehicle care products abd pro grade Purdy painting supplies. Masterforce tools offer free replacement. A friend tells me to stop wasting money on pricer tools. I had bostich nail gun it misfires, double nailed, drove to deep or not deep enough, dry fire. Last a year. Was a kit with compressor noisy it was. Bought Senco gun It was 200 like bostich kit, it works as contractor expects. Add pr grade compressor that us full.in 1 minute, takes 10 seconds to refill. Take your choice buy low quality replace it rather soon add problematic or spend extra own it for near life get the job done quicker.
@@jeffalan6339 there is no hilti in the store near me. my menards is huge compared to the home depot near me. so it just has so much more stuff. lowes isn't close buy so I basically never go there. imo I feel like menards is aimed at diys. since it has other stuff like groceries. toys and bigger sections of displays. also a fuck ton more carpet. it has even overhead rollers. compared to homedepot with just 3 smaller units.
Each store is individually owned and hence what they carry will vary. And buying from 1 Ace doesn’t mean you can return it at another. Sales can be different too. But as a HD employee, I’ve sent a fair number of customers to Ace if we don’t stock what they’re looking for.
I have been able to find brass slotted head screws at Ace that were utterly unavailable at the big boxers. I use them when restoring little antique wood furniture, and I age them so they don't look brand new. I know phillips head are better, but I just can't bring myself to put those on the old goodies.
Yes, I agree with your evaluation. I would also add that Home Depot and Lowe’s special drawers of hardware are either empty with what I need or they are mismatched with random pieces of hardware that people threw in there so they could go on break.
Or jerk customers who can't be bothered to put stuff back into the correct bin. I always double check length/size/ etc of every piece when grabbing a bunch of something from one of the bins.
I buy all my tools used on ebay. I just nabbed an old school Porter Cable 548 worm drive jig saw - incredible power and precision. $99.00 plus $30.00 shipping.
Best places for fasteners and hardware, Ace Hardware wins hands-down by me. Particularly if I don't need 100+ of the fasteners; forget buying individual bolts and screws at Lowes or Home Depot (we don't have Menards in FL).
@@bobalman Yep, when my local big box stores don't have the specialty hardware I need, it's McMaster Carr for me. Also, if you need quite a few of a particular fastener, McMaster is less expensive even after you factor in the shipping cost. McMaster Carr is fabulous. 👍😁
@@bobalman Thanks. Bookmarked. I have had so many odd size things I can't find anywhere. They sell lots of tools too, and I can already see some I might want.
I go to my locally owned hardware store first (though they sometimes have issues getting stuff in stock), then Ace, then if I still can't find what I need, I'll go to Lowe's (which is about an hour away from where I live).
Yea, Ace is pretty much the go to fasteners or if I need random bushings/spacers when making prototypes. McMaster Carr is always amazing if you can wait a few days for the shipping.
I worked at Home Depot for 8 years back in the late 90s. At that time, the employees were actually expected to know their area. So much so that I ended up apprenticing as an electrician after all the random crap I had to know about working in the electrical department. Not to mention at that time, our store manager was big on preventing liability so would give bonus points if you took the time to study whatever appropriate building codes for the local area were (always being clear that you were not a licensed blah blah). Times have changed however as labor was always one of the costs they were looking to trim. So hence, you now have the automated summon button that calls Jeff from lumber over to help you find that exotic fastener you need. Hard to know the area when your "area" is half the store.
i went the other day for something that was shown to be in-stock online, laminate countertop trim. showed online they had 16 available. i sorted through all the stock there, which actually was out of order, no embellishing. having worked retail, i put things back where they should be, no issue with that. i then went to look for a guy that supposedly knew where the laminate was, and he looked up the inventory and said, "yeah it should be here". so then he did a cursory look around at stock up top, giving up under 5 minutes and said, "well it could be anywhere, even in plumbing. maybe try another store." this guy was in his late 50s, if not early 60s. laziness is a curse and a cancer. why care if no one else does. he also said, "call up another store first, and see if they'll go do a visual check." instead of doing that himself, he told me that like it would help me hahaha! i felt like going to the truck and ordering it online for in-store pickup, but ultimately knew they would put it on hold or something dumb like that. so i drove way the heck out of the way to another HD to pick up that laminate i needed. customer service isn't what it used to be at all.
@@Janzer_ These people don't get paid sh*t. And you want them to solve all your problems? I don't rely on store employees to do anything for me. I even go to self-checkout once I find what I need. Be lucky the store is even open.
I think this was a retail wide thing in the 90's. I worked for Office Depot back then in Business Machines and we had to know about every piece of equiptment that we sold. How it worked, if it used ink aproximately how many pages it would yield common issues and how to solve them. On top of that we had to have working knowledge of the rest of the store so if a customer asked about mont blanc pens or business cleaning supplies we could actually answer. I really enjoyed it back then even though we weren't paid much. Now I don't even go to Office depot unless Its an emergency.
a bygone era for sure. Good living wage job opportunities employee's may once have been replaced with temp positions; sad they have little incentives to learn more about products.
As a 27-year ex veteran of Lowes. i can agree with you completely although I do not have any experience with Menard's. There are a lot of reasons why each retailer carries the items they do, and it is not always a cut and dried choice. I look forward to your video about the tool Companys. A long time ago we sold the new Dewalt 12" compound miter saw for less than what we paid for it. Many of my customers thought we were crazy for doing that and many out right called me a liar to my face. It was what we called a Loss leader at the time, and it lasted for a long time. The black and decker snake light was another. But it wasn't used to make money it was used to get you into the store, we made up for the loss easily with what we call add on sales like blades accessories etc. All retail company's do this. One thing i did take pride in though was knowing what i was talking about when it came to tools and hardware, I have been a woodworker for 40 years and grew up with a father who was a tool and die man. we were raised to know tools and treat them correctly. and as a tool / hardware dept manager for most of my years with Lowes I made sure the people working for me knew as much as they could. However, in recent years knowledge like that is no longer required by the big box stores. I still run into old customers here and there and all can remember the help i gave them many long years ago. To me that is what retail is bonding with your customers giving them whatever it is they need. But customer service has been replaced with corporate service now that's why most woodworkers use smaller places like Rockler or Klingspor or online stores but even that's ok because the big box stores are not looking for those types of customers anyways Any ways you should do a video about screw nut and bolt companies if you think brand choice is limited. Thanks for great videos and displaying those wings (I'm an ex-Detroiter as well)
The policy changes which they have made in the last year or two regarding their veterans is appalling at Lowe's to say the least. Where as they brought a lot of veterans in by offering discounts they have slowly removed all veterans discount from everything except the not so ordinary purchases which only really comes down to nickel and dime discounts... They've removed discounts on most of the items that especially I bought in bulk which includes lumber, appliances, some electrical, and many home improvement items. They also used to give the military discount on items that were marked down but not as a percentage. Now they don't do that anymore. They've stopped tying the military discount to the MyLowes app which is a benefit they pushed to veterans that you could tie them together and not have to do your discount and mylowes separately. In other words they removed the benefit for no apparent reason but to hope that you forget to ask for your military discount or you don't realize that they're not tying them together anymore. A few months back they reduced their return policy to 30 days whereas they used to allow you to go back as far as you had proof of purchase. I can tell you as someone who plans out my projects months in advance and a lot of times I buy more than I need so that I don't end up having to run back and forth that it is not practical with home improvement or woodworking to not be able to return these items if you find later you didn't need them.
I generally like menards because they seem to have more " budget friendly " items. However, I bought their El cheapo bench top drill press, and It has a wobble, and won't drill true with holes that are close together. The wobble allows the bit to wander. Also, the chuck sucks too.
I second this, and I'm generally an HD 1st guy. There's no Menards near me either, and while I agree completely about the organization of the Lowes hardware selection, they have enough more of the weird stuff than HD, that they're often my first choice if I need less-common hardware. That said, if I'm looking for really uncommon hardware, I either go directly to Tractor Supply, or I just order online and wait a couple days. I order from Fastenal if quality is important, otherwise I order from wherever is cheapest or fastest, depending on which is more important to me at the time.
@@davidguenther8170 I do not use my military discount for a business because I don't have a business. That being said I have bought lots of things in the last 15 years for the five houses I've owned during that time, many of them home improvement and many of them being appliances, as well as building shops and outbuildings and wiring them. Prior to moves I planned all the improvements that would be done after the move. This is the pre-planning I am speaking of not something of a business nature - I do all my own work and don't hire people for things that I can do myself. These are corporate policies being pushed to the local according to the manager. I have a problem with a chain that pushes their respect for veterans to get their customers and then takes all of the benefits away, amounting to nothing more than having an upfront parking spot being the only thing left as a benefit.
As someone who goes to Lowes exclusively. My personal opinion is that Lowes can’t cultivate a power tool identity, because they are caught between two brands competing for the DIY dollar where the most money is to be made. Lowes was fine with Chevron’s Kobalt line until SBD bought Craftsman and essentially forced it upon Lowes. So what Lowes needs to do is keep one and ditch the other, and refocus on a quality product that rivals Ryobi’s price point and selection. Only question is, which brand’s parent company do you worry about?
I've seen every "project farm" video and have to say I'm pretty surprised how well the masterforce saw blades held up in the test. That being said I was also surprised how often craftsman comes up on top of recommended brands, tape measure and shop vac come to mind.
Thanks for sharing. "Project Farm" is a great channel; I love the rigorous testing he does. And Stumpy is no slouch either - I got my brother hooked on this channel .
I also was a little confused on the shade he was throwing at Craftsman. Almost all of the craftsman brushless tolls are a model of Dewalt painted red. The craftsman circ saw is one of the best I’ve ever used and I’ve used a lot of different models.
ebb and flow. In time, they might see a big return on bringing in those names, the ones who reinvest in their business & become the next "best" tools. Home Depot has everything I need, though. I prefer them & their prices are better.
It's weird, I'd have said that about HD. I bought a slim dryer vent from both, and se3veral other hardware items like that. and HD seems to be the "discount handyman/'contractor grade' " store, just the cheapest non name garbage possible. Lowes seems to carry a little more of the smaller companies and specialty stuff in my area. Really is hit or miss.
@@EricLS It’s the other way around oin my experience. I wonder whether different regions get supplies of different things beyond the mainstay power tools & appliances/furnishings/doors/windows supplies.
The only thing I go to Lowe's for is Floor Tile. Never been in a Minard's, however Home Depot has lost much of my business due to their Employees lack of knowledge and availability. Ace Hardware is excellent but they do not carry the Quality wood working tools you can find at Home Depot. Harbour Freight has a "few" descent tools for woodworkers and I have a 12" miter saw from Harbour Freight which is excellent.
I will say I have seen my local Lowes carries a lot more brands than yours does, specifically Metabo being one of notable ones...but I still stick to Home Depot for my preference as well Also, Ryobi has a bad wrap from it's earlier years but as time has drawn on their quality has stepped up MASSIVELY by comparison. Most tools offer brushless versions and power is definitely there - a good example is my 1/2" Ryobi impact had no issue taking axle nuts or crankshaft bolts off They definitely still have quite a few crap tools, but for drills and impacts they are definitely on par with the bigger brands. I have mostly stuck to Makita for specialty cordless tools otherwise
In my area Lowes and Home Depot duke it out. The Third alternative is Ace hardware, which is a bit pricier, but the hardware selection is great, and there is always somebody on the floor to help you find stuff.
Ace Hardware stores are also much better to their employees, on average. They operate as a franchise system / cooperative. "Ace Hardware is a retailer-owned cooperative where independent owners operate the majority of locations, even though it is sometimes considered a franchise system, Ace “franchisees” or retailers not only own their individual stores, but also serve as shareholders in the organization."
Ace is my go to for anything small since I moved last year but that is mainly because Ace is less than a mile from my house and is very well stocked and had extremely friendly staff. I have been to other Ace stores that are not nearly as nice. Lowes, home Depot, and Menards are all a 15-20 minute drive. The couple extra dollars or cents I pay for hardware at Ace is easily made up by there fact that I can drive to and from Ace and get what I need in less time than it takes to just get to one of the others.
Our neighborhood Ace closed during the pandemic due to a disagreement with the landlord over their lease, very sad. I could walk to it in 5 minutes and didn’t need to get on the (very congested) highway, which was ideal when I needed a certain bolt or plumbing piece in the evening 10 minutes before closing. The next nearest Ace is about 35-40 minutes away on a good day, so now I end up going to Lowes instead which is only 15 minutes away.
Poor Metabo HPT (Hitachi). I feel they are criminally overlooked. I don't have any of their cordless stuff, but I do have a router of theirs on my router table and their table saw is absolutely awesome. As far as their cordless tools, they seem to be trying to be in the same vein as Makita (not saying they are).
Regarding Lowes staff not knowing where things are, I usually go to Home Depot near where I live, and use their website while at the store to find where the items are in the store.
I run my own woodwork and handyman gig, my shirts are two colors, one is orange and one is blue. I’m frequently asked if I work there according to the color of my shirt, I tell them that I don’t, but whip out my app and offer to help them anyway😊 I can also give them a business card in case they need some help.
That is just your stores management. The one I worked at they made us all learn the basic layout of the store and to call individuals for that specific section.
Generally, if I stop someone for help, that’s what they do. I get a little frustrated having to stand there and watch them try to figure out where in the store it is, or what to search on.
I'm another veteran of Lowe's. They've slipped a lot and I blame much of that on their management. What can you expect of a CEO that came from JC Penney? The worst mistake they made was switching to Craftsman. They spent decades building up their Kobalt brand, and what they have of it seems to be okay. But someone told them they needed the Craftsman name to compete. The Craftsman brand name is like an old harlot that's been passed from owner to owner, and after being owned by K-Mart they were pretty much at the bottom. But somebody at Lowe's bought somebody's sales pitch and then picked up the Craftsman brand. Although it appears they've figured out that there's still a lot of brand loyalty for Kobalt. I guess their efforts to build up that brand worked. I fully agree with you about sticking with a battery system. I have a lot of Porter Cable 20 volt equipment and will seek them out before switching. For outdoor battery systems, I've been a solid believer in the Kobalt 40 volt Max system for a number of years and the batteries are never a problem. Well, I should note that they don't like below zero weather powering a leaf blower, but I understand that and charge them as soon as they warm up a little. For cordless hand tools I bought a number of Porter Cable 20V lithium tools several years ago and they are still running strong with no battery problems. I will note I keep all my rechargeable batteries indoors in a heated space and recharge them before putting them away. I also try to rotate through all of them in turn. On thing you didn't mention is tools for construction. I have had great luck with the Hitachi/Metabo equipment, and really like their top of the line 12" corded compound miter saw with the laser indicator. Their air nailers have worked well for me and been less trouble than my older Senco nailers. For stationary corded equipment I still lean toward Delta, even though they aren't quite what they used to be "back then." I don't know about the others, but Lowe's still carries some Delta, although you might have to order it. I think it's really necessary to know what you're looking at when you go shopping. A wide selection doesn't do much good if it doesn't include your preferences. And I've found that there are times I still go to my local Ace Hardware for some of the odd things nobody else carries. And there have been a number of times when Fastenall has rescued me too!
One store I think you need to include is Ace Hardware. They may not have the huge selection of tools. My local one is mostly Milwaukee. Their hardware selection is by far the best. Also they seem to have the most knowledgeable staff and a lot of them, so you don’t have to search for an associate.
I just tried Ace for the first time this past weekend and was mostly disappointed (compared to Menards as my usual go-to). The kicker for me was their very poor selection of cement board fasteners. Basically 1 option and only Philips head. I learned that lesson once that you really want robertson heads for anything you need to drive below flush like cement board screws.
@@mgelliott86 I'd be using torx head instead personally as they are easier to find here. wish square head was more common I hate Philips, at least it's not slotted.
My father-in-law is an Italian immigrant who came to the U.S. in the 60’s, He worked as a terrazzo grinder for many years until he retired and his favorite tool was (and still is) the Mikita angle grinder. So much so that whenever I may be helping him with any job requiring the use of an angle grinder, any make or model or size, he’ll say “Go-a give me the “Makeet”.
Your father-in-law knows what he's talking about. I've been a stonemason getting close to 30 years now and Makita is just a golden name to me. Grinders particularly.
Menards used to have a great selection of hand and power tools. They used to carry a large selection of Makita, along with Bosch and other brands. As they moved towards Masterforce, they pushed out a lot of the other brands. I agree that Home Depot has the best selection of cordless tools. I rarely go to Lowes for anything these days.
Hitachi, now Metabo, has a good reputation from what I've heard. Basically their low end Shop Tool stuff saves me from having to go to harbor freight. I'm sure it's the same thing with a different name.
Ryobi rocks on the construction site. 1# you can forget them and come back in the morning and they are still there. All the others seem to grow legs on a busy job site when your back is turned. Been a carpenter all my working life . I’m 60 and still framing , roofing , doors and trim.
@@edwardwinter6266 in my experience , when another trades person show up with their ryobi tools , odds are they are pretty good . On the other hand typically , the slackers show up with expensive ones like Milwaukee etc. and they look brand new. Not always. There are alot of good people with the expensive tools that should go without saying . But I’ve never met a slacker in all my years with ryobi.
Ryobi is Milwaukee’s homeowner line. I’ve used them over the years in and off and found them fine. Been in construction since 95 and have used various brands but landed on Milwaukee. Although recently have been using some dewalt 20 volt stuff.
I've stuck with Ryobi specifically because they have stuck with the same battery format and it's worked great. One battery for everything is fantastic and I've never worried about getting new batteries.
This is very interesting. Although the selection is very different that the one I have in my area in Canada, I will say that it comes down to both the Store chain and the individual store management. For the same chain, you may find a store where everything is tidy and well labelled and another store where you think a a-bomb was detonated not too long ago...
Nick Offerman quite LITERALLY knows more about woodworking than most Lowes, Marvin's, and Home depot employees put together. He's a very talented craftsman.
I think you have one of the greatest woodworking channels in all of TH-cam. I enjoy your videos very much. I realize harbor freight may not be your most favorite place to shop, but as someone who's diverted of DeWalt has the years have gone by Hercules brand at harbor freight equals or exceeds dewalt particularly sliding miter saw job site table saw and now their newest addition the planer. I use these tools every day and they've been more reliable than my previous DeWalt versions. I believe these Hercules products are as good as any brand you'll find at the big box stores.
The one thing to add with Lowes is that they honor lifetime warranties in-store for Kobalt and Craftsman. Like you, I mostly got to home depot and found that their lifetime warranty tools are all handled through the respective companies, aka a big headache passed onto me. Now, I go to Lowes anytime I need a new yard or hand tool (which typically have the lifetime warranties).
The last Craftsman wrenches I purchased do have the lifetime warranty. However, the comfort in my hand makes it the last wrench I grab from my toolbox. I have 40-50 year-old Craftsman wrenches that are comfortable to use and they are my choice anytime. The newer ones just hurt my hands when I need to really pull or push to break a bolt. Some issues are simply fit and finish and others are the lack of sufficient metal for a man to grip and feel confident it isn't going to cut my hand or snap.
Did ya all know, All the brands associated with Stanley, aka Dewalt, porter cable have service centers where you can mail in a broken or damaged beyond repair electric tool for repair or replacement for a max charge of $89.
I bought a little ryobi table saw that...well, 'detonated' is about right, motor literally went off like a grenade. Contacted the company and wound up with a gorgeous folding Rigid tablesaw that was 3x the value. Sometimes they really do back their stuff!
I work at Lowes service desk and youre right, ive swapped out old craftsman socket wrenches and a Kobalt metal rake that was beat to shit and broken. The customer got it 5 years previously and we swapped it out right there. Id feel a little petty returning a 5 year old lawn tool that i used and abused and broke naturally but hey we will exchange it for a new one and you dont even need the receipt or anything.
I’m one level above a DIYer (I sell a couple thousand dollars a year worth of my work) and I use the Craftsman 20v tools from Lowe’s. I switched to them to standardize my batteries about three years ago. I made my choice because of the ability to integrate much of my farming and outdoor tools with the same battery system. So far I’ve been very pleased with the system. Everything works as it should and I’ve yet to have a tool fail. The worst inexperience I have is the brad nailer which is a little finicky about the length of brads it likes (it was also the only tool I have that was second hand so I can’t vouch for how it worked new). But for the most part, at the price point, the fact that I usually get a 2A battery with the tool and how well they work for me, I think they are fine. I use at least two of these tools on a daily basis. That’s been my experience with roughly two dozen tools in this system. I’m by no means saying I think these are the. Eat tools ever made - I just think they are very passable for the novice/hobbyist and are half the price of Dewalt (which I think is no longer worth their price). My $.02
Additionally, Lowes still offers me a 10% discount as a veteran every day. Although they have recently limited some of the items, the tools are still included.
I own a bunch of the B&D 20V tools and I actually like them. I standardized on them because they are a good value and I only have to stock one type of battery for my B&D Matrix System, various other drills and drivers, a weed wacker and even a pole saw. I'm on my second Matrix Power unit but I abused the first one for years and finally wore out the brushes (which are not replaceable) but I bought a new one on sale for $50 and it came with a 2A battery.
I will always go to home depot for tools and certain woods. I go to menards for items all 3 carry because they're usually cheaper and always have the 11%rebate going on. I rarely go to lowes because they're almost always more expensive. Though not on the list I always go to Ace for hardware because of the selection and employee knowledge.
Definitely Ace for me as much as I can. If you are ever assembling/disassembling furniture that uses a 5/32" allen key you absolutely will not be able to find a high quality hex driver for your drill at any home center in my area. You might occasionally luck out and be able to buy a 50 pack of various poorly built 1" long drivers with one 5/32 which may kind of do the trick if you also have a quality extension, or maybe a close enough T20 torx that will work in a hex slot for a little bit until the teeth get ever so slightly damaged and you start stripping every head. Ace REALLY shines when it comes to bits with the ISOMAX line, IMO. Actual professional grade. And finding someone who knows what they are doing, or at least which employee should know seems almost guaranteed. The main issue one might find with Ace is because they are more of a bottom up co-op of individual stores rather than a top down corporation, they don't all seem to carry the same stock. Oh, and I don't think I've ever bought lumber there beyond a little project panel or some dowels. But then again as a woodworker rather than a carpenter I try to buy as little wood as I can from a home center anyway. While I personally find Ace's selection of power tools underwhelming (particularly since I happen to be a Bosch guy) in some ways that's a plus as it saves me from wasting money on a new toy that I don't really need for the project at hand. And on another note there's the... I really don't know what to call the type of store. Farm and home center? Places like Farm & Fleet/Fleet Farm, Tractor Supply, Rural King, etc. Mostly regional, kind of shop I jokingly call "Men's Target." The type of place where you walk in to buy a pair of pants, and you walk out with a shop vac, a couple coils of rope, an old fashioned hand cranked meat grinder and a big generic looking bag of the weird regional candy you didn't think was sold anymore (Candy Raisins in my case. Not chocolate covered raisins but these gummy nuggets that taste like... I'd say somewhere between lilac, honey and ginger.) Maybe a a couple pig ears for the dog and a nice hammer. And, sure. I'll pick up a Pearson's Nut Roll at the cash register.
I was pretty broke when I started getting into some woodworking so I ended up with Kobalt cordless tools. So far they have served me well. I've been using them for a little over 2 years now and I really have no complaints. For whatever that's worth. I understand they aren't premium tools but they get the job done and are cheap to buy extra batteries for.
Kobalt makes some good stuff. I say that as a dedicated user of Fein and Festool. But every Kobalt tool I've used has been solid and long lasting. Their drills are powerful, and the battery life is outstanding.
I started with Hart, the Wally World brand. I got a hedge clipper and a weedeater, and a couple batteries, but... now I'm going DeWalt. Hedge clipper seized, but weed eater's going strong. Oh well, I got two different battery families...
I know you didn't mention nailers, but I really like Lowe's selection. Metabo has some really nice offerings there as well as a really nice 36V hybrid lineup.
I bought a Hitachi belt sander there on sale, because they were changing the brand name to Metabo and wanted to get rid of the Hitachi branded stock. That thing is a beast! All aluminum and powerful!
I think you dismissed Lowe's Kobalt brand way too quickly, when comparing battery powered tools. I went in Lowe's a couple years ago, intending to buy a Dewalt impact driver. After talking with an associate, and seeing the difference in price, especially the batteries, I decided to give the Kobalt a try. Over the next couple months, I ended up purchasing six Kobalt battery powered tools, and have been very impressed with the quality.
Same goes for the brushless Craftsman impact. Although they are a tiny bit larger and felt lighter/cheaper, my buddies Craftsman impact had more gusto than my m18 brushless fuel high output impact
It's always worth checking McMaster-Carr for hardware. A lot of times I can get a pack of 25 for what a pack of 5 costs at Lowes or HD. For anyone working with Metric, just forget the big box stores. I also find the HD Stainless hardware to be an utter joke. I bought some 3/8in bolts and lock nuts and I sheared the bolts as soon as they hit the nylon. I was only using hand tools too!
McMaster is great but shipping (both cost and time) often kills the deal. Their website is fantastic for finding what you need though so it's a great option when you can't find something locally and don't need it immediately.
If I were still working full time in the trades, I might still choose Ryobi for value. Price vs quality. Not the absolute best (I've used all sorts of tools, esp old school Milwalkee, Porter Cable, Hitachi, Makita). I'm not using these at that all day every day level, but I've done a lot of work with no problems with Ryobi. That said, the battery lock in 100% sucks. And it is not an accident. Imagine that every corded tool brand required a proprietary connector. Or more realistically every electric company used different voltages and frequency. You move to a new town, none of your appliances work.
I still avoid Home Depot for political reasons, as it's CEO is hard into Trump and the Big Lie. Lowe's actively supported black owned businesses during the BLM protests. I have a Home Depot 5 minutes from me, but I still drive 20 minutes to get to Lowe's. (I'm not sure where the nearest Menards is.) Support businesses whose practices you can support.
I feel so lucky that I not only have one in my area but that I get to work at a Rockler. Hopefully stores like Rockler and Woodcraft can expand out further so people don't have to go to the home centers so often for their woodworking supplies.
@@baddog4347 Yes. I would love to see more woodworking stores like Rockler but they do tend to be more pricey. But if you're going in to look for a hinge for a small box like a jewelry box or something you know you'll find it at Rockler. You'll have a hard time finding a 1 or 1.5 inch hinge at any of the big box stores. I'd have to order mine off of Amazon. I imagine this is true for other types of hardware as well like catches or locks.
@@ScottCleve33 Agree, and I'm a Woodcraft fanboy. Unfortunately, the closest one to me is up I-95 headed TOWARD D.C., inside the Beltway. This generally means I'd prefer to smelt brass, cast it, and whittle my own hinges than drive up there. Wish they'd expand a bit more.
Lucky! I live in New Mexico, so the hardware stores search can be scarce in selection my area, I've ordered Rockler many times before, their dust collection products are tough to beat! even if it is a bit pricey to be in there. I definitely can admit I can drop a paycheck and some in that Denver store. I feel like i did at Toys R Us as a kid whenever I walk in.
I have to agree with all of your suggestions. Side note: I’ve been a fan of Irwin products for years and recently purchased their 8 or 9 piece forstner bit set only to discover it does not cut as well as the Harbor Freight set and find myself using the Harbor Freight set before reaching for the Irwin’s!
I worked at Menards for several years and imo it's equivalent to Harbor Freight in quality tools overall. They do have a good selection of screws and hardware though.
We don't have Menards in the Coeur d'Alene, ID/Spokane, WA area. I don't like Home Depot. This goes way back and in a couple visits hasn't changed, they have terrible service. Also, when going through their tool aisles, it reminds me of being back aboard ship. They are extremely narrow. I'll stick with Lowe's for most things. I order online from known quality companies like Grizzly. I have a WoodCraft 45 minutes away where I get good hardwoods, finishes, hardware, and some tools, like Rikon.
Our Menards has a really good hardware selection IF the item you want happens to be in stock. Ace Hardware is a good alternative for harder to find small hardware.
If you haven't been to a Harbor Freight store lately, they can no longer be dismissed as only selling inexpensive lesser quality tools. Yes, there is still the stuff there that makes one cringe, but they've really stepped up their game in the past couple of years with the creation of the 3 tier "Good-Better-Best" tool lines, with their Bauer line in the middle and the Hercules line at the top for power tools and accessories. The Icon and Doyle hand tools are also the top tier. TH-cam test channels such as Project Farm, has found Hercules holding their own with and in some cases bettering Milwaukee and DeWalt. The same goes for the Icon and Doyle tools that were tested. I own the Hercules 20V cordless 1/2" drill/driver, the reciprocating saw and 6-1/2" circular saw, all have been fantastic in build quality and performance. So much so, that I no longer buy DeWalt, which in my opinion has become overpriced (especially the batteries), and declined in quality. I don't mean to come off sounding like a total HF fanboy.... just relaying that they deserve reconsideration if you haven't been there for a while. I totally agree with The Home Depot Diablo brand, the carbide table saw blades are first rate... they are private label made for them by Freud. When initially introduced, the older packaging used to say "Diablo made by Freud", but that's been dropped, but if you look where they are made... it's Italy where Freud is made.
DeWalt cordless power tools have definitely gone down hill. We have a DeWalt drill at work, and every time I use it I wish I had my Ryobi (who have done the opposite and stepped up their game with their 18v one+ HP line of tools).
Yes, Harbor Freight does have a wider varitety of stuff but I find that their quality tools (or their top of the line tools) are out of the price range of a weekend handyman and woodworker like me. On the other hand their lower end and more affordable stuff just aren't worth buying. I do go to Harbor Freight but it's to by that one off tool that I absolutely need for a project or a task but that I know I'll never use again. That's for power tools though. I find that their hand tools like sockets and wrenches are decent enough. Again I'm just a weekend mechanic so take that for what it's worth.
Harbor freight has its share of junk, but I concur their "better" and "best" lineup (Hercules) are 100% on par with Makita and Dewalt for less $. I'm blown away with the power, durability, and class-leading battery of my Hercules drill and circular saw. I've even had good experience with many of their 'lesser' power tools like Chicago Electric, especially for the price. They have both crappy and high quality hand tools. Ugliest store- like the Dollar General of tool stores, but without all the scams. I don't care about an elegant shopping experience, mainly value. I shop at all 4, but typically get the best bang for buck @ HF.
I'm more of a home depot and the ranch and home stores kind of guy. Never really found what I was looking for in lowes and most of the time Lowes and Home Depot are across the street from each other.
This was a enjoyable video, You also have to consider how each store manager runs their particular store. We have many home depots where I live (5 in a 25 mile circle) but a couple are run poorly and two are run very well and always stays well stocked. I agree with you with the 3m cubitron sanding disks, while they are great for sanders they are horrible if you need to bend them (cubitron 2 net) for curved sanding, the sanding material cracks and is brittle off the main pad.
@@jeolman1 No other way to interpret your "joke." Sorry, and that's coming from a 53-year-old man here. I remember those commercials with John Madden. It was a good change since even then the stores were packed with great female employees.
As a DIY weekender and newly retired, I went with Ryobi for a couple of reasons. First, for the price they are decent tools overall, especially for my needs. Are they "the best" tools? No, but they aren't the worst either. Again, I'm no contractor and don't really have the need for that quality of tools and the higher expense that goes with them. Second, Ryobi never has and never will change their battery system. Tools/batteries from years ago will work with tools/batteries of today. Now don't start on "Brandx" is so much better. I know they are. But Ryobi does what I want for what I consider a reasonable price. Those of you that prefer Milwaukee, Dewalt and so on, good for you (no sarcasm). You do you and I'll do me. I won't badmouth anyone for their choice of tool brand.
I agree completely with all of this. I will say though, I have found that Lowes tends to be more consumer friendly, while home depot is more contractor friendly. Lowes generally has much nicer stuff in regards to furniture, bathroom fixtures, lights etc. Home Depot is more for getting the job done, Lowes is for finishing it up and making it look pretty.
I think it depends on which store you go to and where it's located. Where I live (in suburban Cleveland) we have two stores that are equal distances away from us. One in towards Cleveland and one further out in suburbia. The one in Cleveland is totally contractor friendly. They practically run the store. On the other hand the one further out into suburbia is much more home owner friendly. I'll hardly ever see a contractor in that store. I'd prefer to go to the one in suburbia because I'm just a home owner but the stock there isn't as good as the one in Cleveland which keeps more of a variety of stuff on hand. Lowes on the other hand we only have one of in the area and it was the last one there so I've just never had a reason to switch to it other than the occasional one off stuff. I do prefer MinWax over Varathane which has me going to Lowes. While HD and Lowes are both about a 5-10 minute drive to get to Menards is about a half an hour drive to get to but I do like their hardware section and they have some better options in the lumber department.
I find that product for product Menards is usually cheaper. If its not cheaper, its the same price (plus probably an 11% off). Oh, speaking of that Menards 11% off sucks, mail in a paper form, get a paper rebate, all stupid snail mail. When Menards does their 11% off, Home Depot does theirs, and you can fill it out online and get a real gift card.
I generally think you nailed it with regards to Home Depot and Lowes (I don’t have a Menards to compare). One whole category I think you missed is bigger corded power tools like the jobsite table saws, miter saws, etc. I think Lowes has a better selection and usually better prices than HD in this category in my area. You can almost always find dewalt planers at Lowes and you have to order them online at HD in my area.
I also prefer Lowe's for budget hand tools, I find that for things like pliers, screwdrivers, and saws, Kobalt, Craftsman, and Irwin tend to be pretty well made compared to the really cheap stuff, and I usually prefer them over Home Depot's brands
I agree with you about Lowes having a wider selection of bigger corded power tools, and agree with Fowler Askew that Lowes has better selection of hand tools. For cordless power tools HD beats the others.
I prefer Bosch Routers (Corded) and bits, and you are definitely right about the table saws, The home depot where I live carries Ryobi galore (bandsaw, table saw, drill press) so to me the Lowes in the next town an hour away becomes the sure fire for power tools, but past that I prefer Home Depot everything else, Material, hardware, abrasives, gardening etc...
I'm a Makita fan too. I started with corded tools, back in Hungary, but after moving to Canada, and having to leave all my tools behind (220V) I decided to always go for the cordless option if possible (and when I need the power, like a table saw or router). But I remained loyal to the brand. Until this week, when I couldn't find a 4 1/2 inch circular saw for a very specific demolition task. I opted for Dewalt, and instead of buying a Dewalt battery and charger, I got a converter on Amazon for 25CAD. So I can use my Makita batteries with Dewalt tools without issue. I was a bit afraid that the voltage difference (Makita provides 18V, Dewalt requires 20V) will provided an inferior user experience but the saw cuts fine, even with more demanding materials.
One thing I really hate about box store tool selections is not what they have but how they group tools by brand instead of by type, makes comparing items very difficult
That is a good point but my guess is that may be less a store thing as it is a brand thing. Those displays seem to be set up to display the brand and may be a requirement of the brand to display them like that with their entire line of tools.
If you look at it from a store point of view, it would be a real pain to restock from a shipment of xxxxbrand to a shelf where they are scattered all over. And I do not find it overly difficult stocked as is. Once I have figured out which item I like, a repurchase is looking for the brand area, and finding the item. I think it works OK as is. Just the initial round of shopping is more complex.
I'm in the UK, have absolute no need to watch this particular video, and yet I enjoyed every minute. Shout-out to Makita I'm a fellow fan. Thanks again for a very well made video.x
About eight years ago I bought a delta tablesaw and stand from Menards and the first day I bring it on to a job site a contractor son try to do a taper cut which is a freehand cut by turning the cheap fence crooked well about three years ago I took that tablesaw back to Menards and told them that the arbor was messed up and it cuts crooked because it did that ever since then and they had a new version of the same model and this one was rack and pinion and I walked out of there happy man and to this day I love that tablesaw probably the best thing I ever got out of Menards rare find
There’s so much missing here! Hitachi/Metabo tools never seems to get mentioned in these comparisons. Not sure why that happens. Also, I personally get a lot of things at the local farm supply stores (RK and TSC here) which are great for specific categories of stuff like bearings, welding, and automotive. And there are two local hardware stores that absolutely destroy any big box store for product knowledge and customer service. When I need advice about an item, the last place I go is a big box store.
I love Hitach/Metabo tools. Mostly pneumatic tools, but electric ones as well. I have a lot of those, and a fair number of Dewalt and Bosch tools. I mostly get them at Lowes because they typically have what I want. If you’re lucky there is an actual woodworking store reasonably close by. I like Wood Werks in the Columbus area. They’ve got the good stuff. Festool tools, Whiteside router bits, General Finish stains and varnishes, etc. Not cheap, but very good. On the topic of sandpaper, one thing I can’t find *anywhere* anymore is the plastic film sandpaper. That stuff was super flexible and great for sanding rounded molding. Doesn’t seem like it’s made anymore…☹️
Perhaps Metabo is great...but my one recent experience with them with a table saw from them was so abysmal as to make me absolutely rule them out forever. The saw arrived with a critical, broken plastic bracket...something that apparently was so common that I found tons of people complaining about it, and Metabo was out of the part. But the part that REALLY pissed me off was that Metabo handled this by requiring me to wait 4 to 6 weeks for the part AND sign an agreement that this was the only thing wrong with it and that I could NOT request any other replacement parts from them for this purchase. Yes, seriously. I could not even run the saw, but they wanted me to certify that was the only thing wrong with it???? I returned the saw and vowed to NEVER buy anything from those people ever again!!!!!
@@LarryB-inFL wow, good to know. I could forgive a broken part. I could forgive a manufacturing problem that resulted in a lot of parts being bad IF they followed up with bad customer service. But that “agreement” where you sign away your rights is outrageous. Many defects can’t be detected until you run the machine for a while and since they’re requiring you to sign the paper before you get the replacement part, you have no chance to find out if other things are defective before you sign an “agreement” saying they’re okay.
Something on the order of 25 years ago I bought a Hitachi sliding compound miter saw from Lowes. I remember going into the store for something a year or two later and seeing that they no longer had that particular saw. I asked the tool dept guy why not and he said the tool was too good. "I sell you that Hitachi and I'll never see you again. I sell you a Makita and you'll be back every 5 years for a new one." Cynical, perhaps, but bang-on. I'm still using that Hitachi constantly, and it's still holding up just fine. :D
We have a small shop that is extremely similar to ACE in selection but they also cary more exotics like festool and sawstop. What sets them apart is every employee knows exactly where every nut and bolt is in the store! Got to love the small shops! Oh and why all the Craftsman hate :D :D
Especially since Dewalt and Craftsman are nearly identical these days (other than cosmetically) as they are both owned by Stanley Black & Decker (and most items are made in the same facilities).
I pick from all three and Amazon. I like Amazon’s ratings, and sometimes after settling on a tool based on ratings, I’ll check the prices at the box stores. I like Menards for larger selections, especially for lumber, they don’t have a panel saw to cut 4x8 plywood to 2x8 which I can fit in my car. I like all three, I wish Home Depot was closer.
It’s like you were reading my mind. I have abused the hell out of my ryobi and they have really held up. I do not like the gator brand. Their glue is so hard that if you flex the paper at all the abrasive falls off. Only 3M for me. I will definitely be ordering some cubitron.
This. We got gifted a ryobi drill/driver when we bought a house like 15 years ago (maybe more, I'm too old). I think I have been waiting for 5 years for it to die, or even stop working well, so I can justify buying into some new battery stuff. Another house, several back to the studs bathroom renovations, a new kitchen, a shed, 15 ish raised beds, lots of furniture assembly, home repairs, a small deck build etc. etc. Basically 15+ years of projects and repairs... the only people we hired were for rooves and boilers. And the damn driver won't die... no plastic even cracking.
I used to be an Hatichi nail gun guy. They lasted forever. As a trim carpenter, I never had to worry about showing up at a speck home builder's subdivision. My guns never failed. But with the purchase by Matabo, the same look a like guns, are crap. Enjoy ur videos
I like home depot for the brand name tools (milwaukee n dewalt)and accessories, but menards is by far my favorite overall. Decent customer service, more choices, and their store specific tool brands like performax are awesome for the price. Especially for corded tools that HD doesnt carry.
Nice informational video! For Skil, i can say that the quality and durability is a lot better since it is renewed! I have the 12v drill / driver set, and use it every day as furniture maker! It is lightweight, comfortable and powerfull enough for my demands.
In my area there is no Menard's. And here, at least, Lowe's wins hands down over Home Depot in all categories except stains. I prefer Varathane stains now after using Minwax for years. My finish of choice is Pre-cat Lacquer and not available at any of these stores. Getting assistance from employees at Home Depot is almost a joke here.
I used to really favor Home Depot, but lately, Lowes has been getting more of my business. Better prices, better selection, and more stuff actually in stock. They also have a better selection of spray paint. The only spray paint at my HD is Rustoleum, which is fine for most stuff, but they don't have any clear flat or matte. Krylon wins that battle hands down, and I can only find that at Lowes. Like you, no Menards here.
Having gone to a multitude of different Lowe’s Menards and Home Depot‘s I can tell you it’s the management at the individual stores and their staff that really make the difference. I’ve been in some stores where the staff was very knowledgeable and in others a customer is asking about a specialty blade and the employee has no real clue it was directing him to an almost $200 diamond blade but considering this was a one time cut of concrete he done a whole lot better with those self-sacrificing blades, Do you know those kind that are brown have fibers and epoxy you put it into the saw and cut whatever it is you need to cut and they will shrink in diameter as you’re going through the cuts. Another gentleman was asking about narrow kerf blades and the salesman had no clue about the difference in kerf the different blades made. I also happen to love my craftsman I’ve pretty much had them all my life. Of course had to get my tools back when I was in my teens and they were still made in America and everybody had them. I’ll admit I’ve burned up a couple craftsman cordless drills that had more to do with me using them to grind drywall and the dust got into the electric motor and burned it up so it’s basically my fault.
In my 40 years as a journeyman carpenter, I have found; The only questions a big box associate can answer, is what’s written on the label or box, as they read it in front of you. If you need info, look around for a ‘dusty’ customer with a pencil in their ear and a tape clipped to their belt…most of them will be happy to recommend something, I know I always will.
I’ve been a cabinet maker for over 20 years. It was funny listening to this video. Your assessment is 100% accurate of the various situations with the big box retailers
Many times I find that Menards carries (or at least catalogs for ordering) materials / supplies the other two never have and never acknowledge. A wider variety of plywoods, sizes up to 5x10 (can never get that at either of the others) and HDPE plastic in not only 1/4" 4x8 in stock, but an ordering option for 1/2" 4x8 HDPE. Trouble for me is the closest one is a long trip from here. But.. they are building one in our area. Then I will have the choice of the three named here.
My experience with Menards is always a complete lack of organization, so it's a surprise to see you applauding their organization! I guess there's more variety than I'd expect from store to store.
When I lived in Minnesota (NC now), my biggest complaint about Menard's was the fact that their stores didn't seem to have a standard layout. Lowe's and home Depot are pretty much the same two layouts everywhere you go.
As a Veteran, I avoid Menard's. I get a 10% discount at Lowe's and Home Depot on the spot. Menard's makes everyone mail out for an 11% rebate, but that rebate is given on a store card, so you have to spend it there.
You bring up a good point of being locked into a battery system. I prefer corded tools for around the house for DYI since the tools may sit for months or years before I use it. Another advantage of corded tools is you don't have to be brand loyal to buy. Hand tools is a whole another story.
My go to sandpaper is 3M Xtract Cubitron. It is similar to the Mirka abranet in that it is a mesh and works with any sander. It doesn't clog, cuts fast and lasts a long time.
Lowes has gone downhill over the last few years. Almost every time I've gone there over the last year I ended up putting all my stuff back and walking out to head to Home Depot. Annoying cause Lowes is closer to my house. It's stupid cause I'll check the spot where the item should be, none will be there yet there will be plenty up on the top stocking shelves and I don't like waiting around for someone to come help me.
Lowes has one thing in our town that for some reason neither Home Depot seems to have with any consistency - a working panel saw. That's a survival necessity for me so I can get 4x8s knocked down to bite-sized chunks that'll fit in my car. :D
We only have Menards in our area…when Menards , gets wind of any body planning on coming to town, John buys the land that the other store was planning on using…and locks it up!
@@captainmurphy4720 You have to get out of believing he's there for you. He's not. He's there for him and is using you to make his fortune.That's called being in business.
Can confirm, at Lowe’s the employees also have no clue where the 1/4 x 1/2 bolts are. The organization is also different between every location. Then for no reason it seems every store has a mirror version where the whole store is flipped at different locations, usually the lumber is on the left side of the store.
Harbor Freight has really stepped up their game across the board over the past couple years. You should give the Hercules brand of power tools a shot, and the Quinn hand tools.
Great advice, my nearest Lowes and Depot are pushing 25 years old and their tool sections both are not so good, not kept up to date, and I hate that every last cordless tool is tied down so tight, that you cannot hold it for feel. Why not put a chain or cord on the tool and make it a dummy tool with weight in it so it will never work if stolen, since they probably never sell the demo models anyway.
Lowes is slowly becoming irelevant, and losing out to HD one brand at a time. Personally I shop at Ace first. Good brands, great service, and the owner is smoking hot.
Just something to add about home depot and Ryobi tools is that they have a massive lineup , the battery format has remained for over 20 years, and the annual Ryobi Days has gotten a lot of people into their lineup with the battery combo + free tool deals they always run. I haven't been happy with their lumber or their hand tool selection in my area , but they have made Ryobi an attractive proposition for diy'ers and have a decent selection of everything else.
I've bought several Metabo HTP (formerly Hitachi) power tools and cordless tools lately, and I'm pretty happy with them. As far as I know, they're only available at Lowes in my area, and they're a little expensive at list price, but I've bought everything I have on sale and that's made it worthwhile. There aren't near as many tools in their line as in Makita or Milwaukee or even Ryobi, and that's the only downside for me so far.
Still looking forward to breaking out my metabo htp router, got from menards though. Recently got a metabo framing nailer but I think that was amazon. For cordless stuff I've had good luck with makita, had their 12v drill/impact/light combo (the light was meh, replaced with a stinger), the 18v lxt is nice. It's rare the stores have a price better than amazon for me. Hate to keep supporting amazon over local stores but prices are hard to beat, returns are simple with prime and drops right at my door which is a plus with current gas prices.
Visited my first Menards just today. I was blown away by that store! I found a variety of Olsen scroll saw blades. Never seen that in person before... and their lumber selection was crazy... New construction windows on the shelf... "log cabin" siding samples... 8 different sump pumps... 1000 square feet of ceiling fans... I could go on. Wish I had one within 100 miles of home.
I worked for HD a few years ago and found they did not have hardware - especially metric fasteners - like Lowes did. The power tool preference for me is based on what I have but I also am not a daily user so I gravitate towards less expensive brands. Good video - keep up the good work.
We have home depot and Lowe's in our area. In fact, they are in the same shopping complex. Since it takes me about two minutes to go from one store to the other, I tend look for the best prices. Generally, but not always, I found the home depot has the best prices.
I've been in the contracting business for over 25 years and while I'm not a huge fan of the big box stores I have to agree with you that Home Depot is better for power tools than Lowe's (but Amazon is better than both of them). I do generally use Diablo blades because they cut fairly well and if you trash one of them you're not out that much. To me wood glue is wood glue as long as it's alaphatic resin (yellow glue). I do believe Minwax is a good deal better than Varthane, especially the polyurethane. As far as lumber goes I think Lowe's lumber quality is superior to Home Depot (just try framing with Home Depot's Hem Fir 2 x 4's all of the time) I believe the best place for lumber and mill work (i.e. trim and doors) by far are localized lumber yards. I have found their quality of prehung doors, interior trim and even framing and decking lumber is far superior to the big box stores at the same price or less.
Sometimes it pays to check your local hardware store - the one in my small town is an independent (not affiliated with any chain) and I've been able to get some things there at a slightly better price than the box stores. For special items they may have to order them, so it takes a few days to get them, but I'm hardly ever in a hurry.
Last summer, my friend turned me on to Diablo Blades. I pretty much always use them now. I am doing some home renovation that includes taking down lots of plaster and lath walls. The Diablo Sawzall blade lasts easily three to four times longer than the Dewalt blades I was using before.
Agree on 99.9%. I don't buy cheap tools. I did buy a Rockwell oscillating saw (corded) years ago when they first came out. I really like it. It's heavy duty, and has been a great tool. I now also have DeWalt battery, which is often more convenient, but still have and use the Rockwell too.
Thank you for doing these comparisons. I trust your judgement and value your opinions as I have come to value your videos, which are top-notch and I have learned a huge amount from them. Please keep 'em coming.
Most everything talked about on here comes off a FedEx or UPS truck at my home. I plan ahead as much as possible and will even wait a couple of days on a project for a better price or product. As far as Black and Decker and Skil they aren't what they once were. But I have a Skil 3x18 belt sander and Black and Decker 1/4 sheet finish sander. I bought as a junior in high school back in 1989 for a gun cabinet I built in wood shop. Everyone used them in the class for months nonstop. After high school I used them for a couple of years working for a contractor where I was the finishing guy. I still use the belt sander, the wear plate on the bottom is mostly worn away from use. The finish sander finally croaked about a month ago. I can't convince myself to throw it away after all these years. I may wire it to a rafter in my shop out of the way. LOL
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I went to Lowes and looked at their Dewalt cordless.I asked where the Atomic Dewalt they didn't know what I was taking about. I asked the main manager he Never heard of Atomic.....WHAT? Go to HD. They don't carry the Atomics.
I think you have been hacked. I got one of those, I won a prize things claiming to be you.
@@colemine7008 Can you be more specific?
@@colemine7008 I got the same kind of phishy "prize" reply. Hacked is not the word for it. Copycat is a better term. It's a fake account. They do not have control of his real account. They copied his photo (logo / avatar image) and created a username to be very close to his.
I clicked the ellipsis dots by the phishing reply, and clicked to "Report." There was no option to report a fake account. Of the choices, only two seemed even close: "Unwanted commercial content or spam" or "Misinformation." I think I chose the first one, planning to report a second time to use the other one, but the reply was hidden from me as soon as I report it the first time.
As a DIY person, the retirees that Ace hires are worth a lot to me. Helping and teaching are part of their business model.
Not where i live. Most are ignorant teens.
Only Menards carry nitrocellulose lacquer…
Ace is super solid but like twice the price of any other place
@@leroyjenkins7968 Definitely gotta do the research. Solid find
Me too. I am a journeywoman Maker. I like them because I favor supporting a business in my small town.
I’ve always felt that Lowes caters more to home owners while Home Depot is geared towards contractors and hard core DIY’ers.
Lowes
Lowes is the worst place to go for any thing the employees will hunt with you for the item and then I go to Home Depot and get the item I want
@@richardtronson7635 I'm kind of dissapointed with Lowes, they had a very good selection of Husqvarna lawn and garden equipment up until a year or two ago, now its like its a huge emphasis on Craftsman. Funny, I used to think Craftsman was a great quality, but seeing how he said if you were buying Craftsman/Black and Decker you may as well go to Harbor Freight has me seriously reconsidering that.
You are 100 pct correct.
I'm a self employed finish carpenter, to get better pricing I did my homework.
Home depot carries contractor grade tools, Milwaukee, makita, hilti, Bosch and serious DIY offering Dewalt and Rigid.
The lumber is decent as for quality.
Lowes is geared toward the homeowner,
Menards is the retail lumber center offering groceries, building materials, okay quality tools plus pro grade Bosch.
The lumber is the worst,cracks. Split, gouges etc.
Yet carry quality vehicle care products abd pro grade Purdy painting supplies.
Masterforce tools offer free replacement.
A friend tells me to stop wasting money on pricer tools.
I had bostich nail gun it misfires, double nailed, drove to deep or not deep enough, dry fire.
Last a year. Was a kit with compressor noisy it was.
Bought Senco gun It was 200 like bostich kit, it works as contractor expects. Add pr grade compressor that us full.in 1 minute, takes 10 seconds to refill.
Take your choice buy low quality replace it rather soon add problematic or spend extra own it for near life get the job done quicker.
@@jeffalan6339 there is no hilti in the store near me. my menards is huge compared to the home depot near me. so it just has so much more stuff.
lowes isn't close buy so I basically never go there.
imo I feel like menards is aimed at diys. since it has other stuff like groceries. toys and bigger sections of displays. also a fuck ton more carpet. it has even overhead rollers. compared to homedepot with just 3 smaller units.
When it comes to specialty fasteners I’m Ace Hardware all the way. Their selection is quite impressive.
Each store is individually owned and hence what they carry will vary. And buying from 1 Ace doesn’t mean you can return it at another. Sales can be different too. But as a HD employee, I’ve sent a fair number of customers to Ace if we don’t stock what they’re looking for.
I have been able to find brass slotted head screws at Ace that were utterly unavailable at the big boxers. I use them when restoring little antique wood furniture, and I age them so they don't look brand new. I know phillips head are better, but I just can't bring myself to put those on the old goodies.
There's a better chance of finding quality help at these smaller hardware stores too.
Same here. Ace is the place.
A true hardware store is always going to have a better hardware section. This is about home centers. They're two different kinds of store.
Yes, I agree with your evaluation. I would also add that Home Depot and Lowe’s special drawers of hardware are either empty with what I need or they are mismatched with random pieces of hardware that people threw in there so they could go on break.
Or jerk customers who can't be bothered to put stuff back into the correct bin. I always double check length/size/ etc of every piece when grabbing a bunch of something from one of the bins.
@@stevenlarson6125 basically the same as the shopping cart test
Home Depot was a mess. I believe in the small highly stocked hardware and lumber stores where actual trades people work.
I buy all my tools used on ebay. I just nabbed an old school Porter Cable 548 worm drive jig saw - incredible power and precision. $99.00 plus $30.00 shipping.
Best places for fasteners and hardware, Ace Hardware wins hands-down by me. Particularly if I don't need 100+ of the fasteners; forget buying individual bolts and screws at Lowes or Home Depot (we don't have Menards in FL).
@@bobalman Yep, when my local big box stores don't have the specialty hardware I need, it's McMaster Carr for me.
Also, if you need quite a few of a particular fastener, McMaster is less expensive even after you factor in the shipping cost.
McMaster Carr is fabulous. 👍😁
@@bobalman Thanks. Bookmarked. I have had so many odd size things I can't find anywhere. They sell lots of tools too, and I can already see some I might want.
I go to my locally owned hardware store first (though they sometimes have issues getting stuff in stock), then Ace, then if I still can't find what I need, I'll go to Lowe's (which is about an hour away from where I live).
Yea, Ace is pretty much the go to fasteners or if I need random bushings/spacers when making prototypes. McMaster Carr is always amazing if you can wait a few days for the shipping.
I worked at Home Depot for 8 years back in the late 90s. At that time, the employees were actually expected to know their area. So much so that I ended up apprenticing as an electrician after all the random crap I had to know about working in the electrical department. Not to mention at that time, our store manager was big on preventing liability so would give bonus points if you took the time to study whatever appropriate building codes for the local area were (always being clear that you were not a licensed blah blah). Times have changed however as labor was always one of the costs they were looking to trim. So hence, you now have the automated summon button that calls Jeff from lumber over to help you find that exotic fastener you need. Hard to know the area when your "area" is half the store.
i went the other day for something that was shown to be in-stock online, laminate countertop trim. showed online they had 16 available. i sorted through all the stock there, which actually was out of order, no embellishing. having worked retail, i put things back where they should be, no issue with that. i then went to look for a guy that supposedly knew where the laminate was, and he looked up the inventory and said, "yeah it should be here". so then he did a cursory look around at stock up top, giving up under 5 minutes and said, "well it could be anywhere, even in plumbing. maybe try another store." this guy was in his late 50s, if not early 60s.
laziness is a curse and a cancer. why care if no one else does.
he also said, "call up another store first, and see if they'll go do a visual check." instead of doing that himself, he told me that like it would help me hahaha! i felt like going to the truck and ordering it online for in-store pickup, but ultimately knew they would put it on hold or something dumb like that. so i drove way the heck out of the way to another HD to pick up that laminate i needed.
customer service isn't what it used to be at all.
@@Janzer_ These people don't get paid sh*t. And you want them to solve all your problems? I don't rely on store employees to do anything for me. I even go to self-checkout once I find what I need. Be lucky the store is even open.
I think this was a retail wide thing in the 90's. I worked for Office Depot back then in Business Machines and we had to know about every piece of equiptment that we sold. How it worked, if it used ink aproximately how many pages it would yield common issues and how to solve them. On top of that we had to have working knowledge of the rest of the store so if a customer asked about mont blanc pens or business cleaning supplies we could actually answer. I really enjoyed it back then even though we weren't paid much. Now I don't even go to Office depot unless Its an emergency.
a bygone era for sure. Good living wage job opportunities employee's may once have been replaced with temp positions; sad they have little incentives to learn more about products.
That, and out of twenty registers only two are staffed... what's up with that?
We’ll you have to give Menards a thumbs up for having the best grocery selection!
@@gags730 I usually settle for the bag of yogurt covered pretzels myself.
Great candy selection... sometimes I go there just for the candy. Boss does not look too closely at the receipts... Menards, yeah, ok.
Jajaja
I think where Lowe's shines is when you're decorating, not woodworking. Their selection of colors, patterns, styles, etc is the best in my experience.
Home Depot for framing, Lowes for finishing.
I'm a Sparky, but I been PM on many home builds.
As a 27-year ex veteran of Lowes. i can agree with you completely although I do not have any experience with Menard's. There are a lot of reasons why each retailer carries the items they do, and it is not always a cut and dried choice. I look forward to your video about the tool Companys. A long time ago we sold the new Dewalt 12" compound miter saw for less than what we paid for it. Many of my customers thought we were crazy for doing that and many out right called me a liar to my face. It was what we called a Loss leader at the time, and it lasted for a long time. The black and decker snake light was another. But it wasn't used to make money it was used to get you into the store, we made up for the loss easily with what we call add on sales like blades accessories etc. All retail company's do this. One thing i did take pride in though was knowing what i was talking about when it came to tools and hardware, I have been a woodworker for 40 years and grew up with a father who was a tool and die man. we were raised to know tools and treat them correctly. and as a tool / hardware dept manager for most of my years with Lowes I made sure the people working for me knew as much as they could. However, in recent years knowledge like that is no longer required by the big box stores. I still run into old customers here and there and all can remember the help i gave them many long years ago. To me that is what retail is bonding with your customers giving them whatever it is they need. But customer service has been replaced with corporate service now that's why most woodworkers use smaller places like Rockler or Klingspor or online stores but even that's ok because the big box stores are not looking for those types of customers anyways Any ways you should do a video about screw nut and bolt companies if you think brand choice is limited.
Thanks for great videos and displaying those wings (I'm an ex-Detroiter as well)
The policy changes which they have made in the last year or two regarding their veterans is appalling at Lowe's to say the least. Where as they brought a lot of veterans in by offering discounts they have slowly removed all veterans discount from everything except the not so ordinary purchases which only really comes down to nickel and dime discounts... They've removed discounts on most of the items that especially I bought in bulk which includes lumber, appliances, some electrical, and many home improvement items. They also used to give the military discount on items that were marked down but not as a percentage. Now they don't do that anymore. They've stopped tying the military discount to the MyLowes app which is a benefit they pushed to veterans that you could tie them together and not have to do your discount and mylowes separately. In other words they removed the benefit for no apparent reason but to hope that you forget to ask for your military discount or you don't realize that they're not tying them together anymore.
A few months back they reduced their return policy to 30 days whereas they used to allow you to go back as far as you had proof of purchase. I can tell you as someone who plans out my projects months in advance and a lot of times I buy more than I need so that I don't end up having to run back and forth that it is not practical with home improvement or woodworking to not be able to return these items if you find later you didn't need them.
I generally like menards because they seem to have more " budget friendly " items. However, I bought their El cheapo bench top drill press, and It has a wobble, and won't drill true with holes that are close together. The wobble allows the bit to wander. Also, the chuck sucks too.
I second this, and I'm generally an HD 1st guy. There's no Menards near me either, and while I agree completely about the organization of the Lowes hardware selection, they have enough more of the weird stuff than HD, that they're often my first choice if I need less-common hardware. That said, if I'm looking for really uncommon hardware, I either go directly to Tractor Supply, or I just order online and wait a couple days. I order from Fastenal if quality is important, otherwise I order from wherever is cheapest or fastest, depending on which is more important to me at the time.
@@davidguenther8170 I do not use my military discount for a business because I don't have a business. That being said I have bought lots of things in the last 15 years for the five houses I've owned during that time, many of them home improvement and many of them being appliances, as well as building shops and outbuildings and wiring them. Prior to moves I planned all the improvements that would be done after the move. This is the pre-planning I am speaking of not something of a business nature - I do all my own work and don't hire people for things that I can do myself. These are corporate policies being pushed to the local according to the manager. I have a problem with a chain that pushes their respect for veterans to get their customers and then takes all of the benefits away, amounting to nothing more than having an upfront parking spot being the only thing left as a benefit.
As someone who goes to Lowes exclusively. My personal opinion is that Lowes can’t cultivate a power tool identity, because they are caught between two brands competing for the DIY dollar where the most money is to be made. Lowes was fine with Chevron’s Kobalt line until SBD bought Craftsman and essentially forced it upon Lowes. So what Lowes needs to do is keep one and ditch the other, and refocus on a quality product that rivals Ryobi’s price point and selection. Only question is, which brand’s parent company do you worry about?
I've seen every "project farm" video and have to say I'm pretty surprised how well the masterforce saw blades held up in the test. That being said I was also surprised how often craftsman comes up on top of recommended brands, tape measure and shop vac come to mind.
Thank you for this input!
Thanks for sharing. "Project Farm" is a great channel; I love the rigorous testing he does. And Stumpy is no slouch either - I got my brother hooked on this channel .
I also was a little confused on the shade he was throwing at Craftsman. Almost all of the craftsman brushless tolls are a model of Dewalt painted red. The craftsman circ saw is one of the best I’ve ever used and I’ve used a lot of different models.
Also kirkular saw and jixaw and wrenches and various hand tools: Crapsman is definitely above the Cryobi in quality.
I've been disappointed to see Lowe's steadily ditching quality items in favor of no-name, "barely viable" stuff over the past 10 years
ebb and flow. In time, they might see a big return on bringing in those names, the ones who reinvest in their business & become the next "best" tools. Home Depot has everything I need, though. I prefer them & their prices are better.
It's weird, I'd have said that about HD. I bought a slim dryer vent from both, and se3veral other hardware items like that. and HD seems to be the "discount handyman/'contractor grade' " store, just the cheapest non name garbage possible. Lowes seems to carry a little more of the smaller companies and specialty stuff in my area. Really is hit or miss.
@@EricLS It’s the other way around oin my experience. I wonder whether different regions get supplies of different things beyond the mainstay power tools & appliances/furnishings/doors/windows supplies.
Kobalt power tools are better than Makita Ryobi and Milwaukee what the hell your talking about? go watch Project farm
The only thing I go to Lowe's for is Floor Tile. Never been in a Minard's, however Home Depot has lost much of my business due to their Employees lack of knowledge and availability. Ace Hardware is excellent but they do not carry the Quality wood working tools you can find at Home Depot. Harbour Freight has a "few" descent tools for woodworkers and I have a 12" miter saw from Harbour Freight which is excellent.
I will say I have seen my local Lowes carries a lot more brands than yours does, specifically Metabo being one of notable ones...but I still stick to Home Depot for my preference as well
Also, Ryobi has a bad wrap from it's earlier years but as time has drawn on their quality has stepped up MASSIVELY by comparison. Most tools offer brushless versions and power is definitely there - a good example is my 1/2" Ryobi impact had no issue taking axle nuts or crankshaft bolts off
They definitely still have quite a few crap tools, but for drills and impacts they are definitely on par with the bigger brands. I have mostly stuck to Makita for specialty cordless tools otherwise
In my area Lowes and Home Depot duke it out. The Third alternative is Ace hardware, which is a bit pricier, but the hardware selection is great, and there is always somebody on the floor to help you find stuff.
Ace Hardware is great for finding less common bits/tools. If I can't find it at home depot that's where I head.
Ace Hardware stores are also much better to their employees, on average. They operate as a franchise system / cooperative.
"Ace Hardware is a retailer-owned cooperative where independent owners operate the majority of locations, even though it is sometimes considered a franchise system, Ace “franchisees” or retailers not only own their individual stores, but also serve as shareholders in the organization."
Ace is my go to for anything small since I moved last year but that is mainly because Ace is less than a mile from my house and is very well stocked and had extremely friendly staff. I have been to other Ace stores that are not nearly as nice. Lowes, home Depot, and Menards are all a 15-20 minute drive. The couple extra dollars or cents I pay for hardware at Ace is easily made up by there fact that I can drive to and from Ace and get what I need in less time than it takes to just get to one of the others.
Our neighborhood Ace closed during the pandemic due to a disagreement with the landlord over their lease, very sad. I could walk to it in 5 minutes and didn’t need to get on the (very congested) highway, which was ideal when I needed a certain bolt or plumbing piece in the evening 10 minutes before closing. The next nearest Ace is about 35-40 minutes away on a good day, so now I end up going to Lowes instead which is only 15 minutes away.
I like Ace for hardware items. I think the way they have the hardware setup makes it easier to find.
Poor Metabo HPT (Hitachi). I feel they are criminally overlooked. I don't have any of their cordless stuff, but I do have a router of theirs on my router table and their table saw is absolutely awesome. As far as their cordless tools, they seem to be trying to be in the same vein as Makita (not saying they are).
I'll second a vote for Metabo HPT! 🙂
Yup. No one talks about them. And they have high quality tools. I am in there cordless line. And it s great. They stand by there products.
Regarding Lowes staff not knowing where things are, I usually go to Home Depot near where I live, and use their website while at the store to find where the items are in the store.
This is honestly one of the best things to happen to shopping Walmart does it as well. Every big box store should take the time to do it.
The Lowes App has it as well. The orange and blue store are each good and bad in their own rights.
I run my own woodwork and handyman gig, my shirts are two colors, one is orange and one is blue.
I’m frequently asked if I work there according to the color of my shirt, I tell them that I don’t, but whip out my app and offer to help them anyway😊
I can also give them a business card in case they need some help.
That is just your stores management. The one I worked at they made us all learn the basic layout of the store and to call individuals for that specific section.
Generally, if I stop someone for help, that’s what they do. I get a little frustrated having to stand there and watch them try to figure out where in the store it is, or what to search on.
I'm another veteran of Lowe's. They've slipped a lot and I blame much of that on their management. What can you expect of a CEO that came from JC Penney? The worst mistake they made was switching to Craftsman. They spent decades building up their Kobalt brand, and what they have of it seems to be okay. But someone told them they needed the Craftsman name to compete. The Craftsman brand name is like an old harlot that's been passed from owner to owner, and after being owned by K-Mart they were pretty much at the bottom. But somebody at Lowe's bought somebody's sales pitch and then picked up the Craftsman brand. Although it appears they've figured out that there's still a lot of brand loyalty for Kobalt. I guess their efforts to build up that brand worked.
I fully agree with you about sticking with a battery system. I have a lot of Porter Cable 20 volt equipment and will seek them out before switching. For outdoor battery systems, I've been a solid believer in the Kobalt 40 volt Max system for a number of years and the batteries are never a problem. Well, I should note that they don't like below zero weather powering a leaf blower, but I understand that and charge them as soon as they warm up a little. For cordless hand tools I bought a number of Porter Cable 20V lithium tools several years ago and they are still running strong with no battery problems. I will note I keep all my rechargeable batteries indoors in a heated space and recharge them before putting them away. I also try to rotate through all of them in turn.
On thing you didn't mention is tools for construction. I have had great luck with the Hitachi/Metabo equipment, and really like their top of the line 12" corded compound miter saw with the laser indicator. Their air nailers have worked well for me and been less trouble than my older Senco nailers. For stationary corded equipment I still lean toward Delta, even though they aren't quite what they used to be "back then." I don't know about the others, but Lowe's still carries some Delta, although you might have to order it.
I think it's really necessary to know what you're looking at when you go shopping. A wide selection doesn't do much good if it doesn't include your preferences. And I've found that there are times I still go to my local Ace Hardware for some of the odd things nobody else carries. And there have been a number of times when Fastenall has rescued me too!
One store I think you need to include is Ace Hardware. They may not have the huge selection of tools. My local one is mostly Milwaukee. Their hardware selection is by far the best. Also they seem to have the most knowledgeable staff and a lot of them, so you don’t have to search for an associate.
Ace is always my go to for hardware
I just tried Ace for the first time this past weekend and was mostly disappointed (compared to Menards as my usual go-to). The kicker for me was their very poor selection of cement board fasteners. Basically 1 option and only Philips head. I learned that lesson once that you really want robertson heads for anything you need to drive below flush like cement board screws.
Ace is often independently owned and vary wildly in quality
@@nathanzastrow5688 Robinson is my preferred screw head for pretty much anything
@@mgelliott86 I'd be using torx head instead personally as they are easier to find here. wish square head was more common I hate Philips, at least it's not slotted.
4:20 - Rigid and Milwaukee are not the same company. Rigid is a brand owned by Emerson Electric, whereas Milwaukee is owned by Techtronic.
My father-in-law is an Italian immigrant who came to the U.S. in the 60’s, He worked as a terrazzo grinder for many years until he retired and his favorite tool was (and still is) the Mikita angle grinder. So much so that whenever I may be helping him with any job requiring the use of an angle grinder, any make or model or size, he’ll say “Go-a give me the “Makeet”.
Your father-in-law knows what he's talking about. I've been a stonemason getting close to 30 years now and Makita is just a golden name to me. Grinders particularly.
Menards used to have a great selection of hand and power tools. They used to carry a large selection of Makita, along with Bosch and other brands. As they moved towards Masterforce, they pushed out a lot of the other brands. I agree that Home Depot has the best selection of cordless tools. I rarely go to Lowes for anything these days.
Hitachi, now Metabo, has a good reputation from what I've heard. Basically their low end Shop Tool stuff saves me from having to go to harbor freight. I'm sure it's the same thing with a different name.
Ryobi rocks on the construction site. 1# you can forget them and come back in the morning and they are still there.
All the others seem to grow legs on a busy job site when your back is turned.
Been a carpenter all my working life . I’m 60 and still framing , roofing , doors and trim.
😆
Also great to use when training someone or teaching a young family member because it usually ends up being a great first tool.
@@edwardwinter6266 in my experience , when another trades person show up with their ryobi tools , odds are they are pretty good . On the other hand typically , the slackers show up with expensive ones like Milwaukee etc. and they look brand new.
Not always. There are alot of good people with the expensive tools that should go without saying .
But I’ve never met a slacker in all my years with ryobi.
Ryobi is Milwaukee’s homeowner line. I’ve used them over the years in and off and found them fine. Been in construction since 95 and have used various brands but landed on Milwaukee. Although recently have been using some dewalt 20 volt stuff.
I've stuck with Ryobi specifically because they have stuck with the same battery format and it's worked great. One battery for everything is fantastic and I've never worried about getting new batteries.
This is very interesting. Although the selection is very different that the one I have in my area in Canada, I will say that it comes down to both the Store chain and the individual store management. For the same chain, you may find a store where everything is tidy and well labelled and another store where you think a a-bomb was detonated not too long ago...
Nick Offerman quite LITERALLY knows more about woodworking than most Lowes, Marvin's, and Home depot employees put together. He's a very talented craftsman.
Is this your way of saying Nick Offerman doesn't know that much? Or that all employees combined know a lot?
I think you have one of the greatest woodworking channels in all of TH-cam. I enjoy your videos very much. I realize harbor freight may not be your most favorite place to shop, but as someone who's diverted of DeWalt has the years have gone by Hercules brand at harbor freight equals or exceeds dewalt particularly sliding miter saw job site table saw and now their newest addition the planer. I use these tools every day and they've been more reliable than my previous DeWalt versions. I believe these Hercules products are as good as any brand you'll find at the big box stores.
The one thing to add with Lowes is that they honor lifetime warranties in-store for Kobalt and Craftsman. Like you, I mostly got to home depot and found that their lifetime warranty tools are all handled through the respective companies, aka a big headache passed onto me. Now, I go to Lowes anytime I need a new yard or hand tool (which typically have the lifetime warranties).
The last Craftsman wrenches I purchased do have the lifetime warranty. However, the comfort in my hand makes it the last wrench I grab from my toolbox. I have 40-50 year-old Craftsman wrenches that are comfortable to use and they are my choice anytime. The newer ones just hurt my hands when I need to really pull or push to break a bolt. Some issues are simply fit and finish and others are the lack of sufficient metal for a man to grip and feel confident it isn't going to cut my hand or snap.
Did ya all know, All the brands associated with Stanley, aka Dewalt, porter cable have service centers where you can mail in a broken or damaged beyond repair electric tool for repair or replacement for a max charge of $89.
At the end of the day, Harbor Freight has hefty guarantees, it's still economics
I bought a little ryobi table saw that...well, 'detonated' is about right, motor literally went off like a grenade. Contacted the company and wound up with a gorgeous folding Rigid tablesaw that was 3x the value. Sometimes they really do back their stuff!
I work at Lowes service desk and youre right, ive swapped out old craftsman socket wrenches and a Kobalt metal rake that was beat to shit and broken. The customer got it 5 years previously and we swapped it out right there.
Id feel a little petty returning a 5 year old lawn tool that i used and abused and broke naturally but hey we will exchange it for a new one and you dont even need the receipt or anything.
I’m one level above a DIYer (I sell a couple thousand dollars a year worth of my work) and I use the Craftsman 20v tools from Lowe’s. I switched to them to standardize my batteries about three years ago. I made my choice because of the ability to integrate much of my farming and outdoor tools with the same battery system.
So far I’ve been very pleased with the system. Everything works as it should and I’ve yet to have a tool fail. The worst inexperience I have is the brad nailer which is a little finicky about the length of brads it likes (it was also the only tool I have that was second hand so I can’t vouch for how it worked new).
But for the most part, at the price point, the fact that I usually get a 2A battery with the tool and how well they work for me, I think they are fine. I use at least two of these tools on a daily basis. That’s been my experience with roughly two dozen tools in this system. I’m by no means saying I think these are the. Eat tools ever made - I just think they are very passable for the novice/hobbyist and are half the price of Dewalt (which I think is no longer worth their price). My $.02
Additionally, Lowes still offers me a 10% discount as a veteran every day. Although they have recently limited some of the items, the tools are still included.
I own a bunch of the B&D 20V tools and I actually like them. I standardized on them because they are a good value and I only have to stock one type of battery for my B&D Matrix System, various other drills and drivers, a weed wacker and even a pole saw. I'm on my second Matrix Power unit but I abused the first one for years and finally wore out the brushes (which are not replaceable) but I bought a new one on sale for $50 and it came with a 2A battery.
I will always go to home depot for tools and certain woods. I go to menards for items all 3 carry because they're usually cheaper and always have the 11%rebate going on. I rarely go to lowes because they're almost always more expensive. Though not on the list I always go to Ace for hardware because of the selection and employee knowledge.
Definitely Ace for me as much as I can. If you are ever assembling/disassembling furniture that uses a 5/32" allen key you absolutely will not be able to find a high quality hex driver for your drill at any home center in my area. You might occasionally luck out and be able to buy a 50 pack of various poorly built 1" long drivers with one 5/32 which may kind of do the trick if you also have a quality extension, or maybe a close enough T20 torx that will work in a hex slot for a little bit until the teeth get ever so slightly damaged and you start stripping every head. Ace REALLY shines when it comes to bits with the ISOMAX line, IMO. Actual professional grade. And finding someone who knows what they are doing, or at least which employee should know seems almost guaranteed.
The main issue one might find with Ace is because they are more of a bottom up co-op of individual stores rather than a top down corporation, they don't all seem to carry the same stock. Oh, and I don't think I've ever bought lumber there beyond a little project panel or some dowels. But then again as a woodworker rather than a carpenter I try to buy as little wood as I can from a home center anyway. While I personally find Ace's selection of power tools underwhelming (particularly since I happen to be a Bosch guy) in some ways that's a plus as it saves me from wasting money on a new toy that I don't really need for the project at hand.
And on another note there's the... I really don't know what to call the type of store. Farm and home center? Places like Farm & Fleet/Fleet Farm, Tractor Supply, Rural King, etc. Mostly regional, kind of shop I jokingly call "Men's Target." The type of place where you walk in to buy a pair of pants, and you walk out with a shop vac, a couple coils of rope, an old fashioned hand cranked meat grinder and a big generic looking bag of the weird regional candy you didn't think was sold anymore (Candy Raisins in my case. Not chocolate covered raisins but these gummy nuggets that taste like... I'd say somewhere between lilac, honey and ginger.) Maybe a a couple pig ears for the dog and a nice hammer. And, sure. I'll pick up a Pearson's Nut Roll at the cash register.
@@UrbanPanic good to know, I keep chewing through dewalt t20s
I was pretty broke when I started getting into some woodworking so I ended up with Kobalt cordless tools. So far they have served me well. I've been using them for a little over 2 years now and I really have no complaints. For whatever that's worth. I understand they aren't premium tools but they get the job done and are cheap to buy extra batteries for.
Kobalt makes some good stuff. I say that as a dedicated user of Fein and Festool. But every Kobalt tool I've used has been solid and long lasting. Their drills are powerful, and the battery life is outstanding.
I started with Hart, the Wally World brand. I got a hedge clipper and a weedeater, and a couple batteries, but... now I'm going DeWalt.
Hedge clipper seized, but weed eater's going strong. Oh well, I got two different battery families...
I know you didn't mention nailers, but I really like Lowe's selection. Metabo has some really nice offerings there as well as a really nice 36V hybrid lineup.
I bought a Hitachi belt sander there on sale, because they were changing the brand name to Metabo and wanted to get rid of the Hitachi branded stock. That thing is a beast! All aluminum and powerful!
I think you dismissed Lowe's Kobalt brand way too quickly, when comparing battery powered tools. I went in Lowe's a couple years ago, intending to buy a Dewalt impact driver. After talking with an associate, and seeing the difference in price, especially the batteries, I decided to give the Kobalt a try. Over the next couple months, I ended up purchasing six Kobalt battery powered tools, and have been very impressed with the quality.
Same goes for the brushless Craftsman impact. Although they are a tiny bit larger and felt lighter/cheaper, my buddies Craftsman impact had more gusto than my m18 brushless fuel high output impact
It's always worth checking McMaster-Carr for hardware. A lot of times I can get a pack of 25 for what a pack of 5 costs at Lowes or HD. For anyone working with Metric, just forget the big box stores. I also find the HD Stainless hardware to be an utter joke. I bought some 3/8in bolts and lock nuts and I sheared the bolts as soon as they hit the nylon. I was only using hand tools too!
McMaster is great but shipping (both cost and time) often kills the deal. Their website is fantastic for finding what you need though so it's a great option when you can't find something locally and don't need it immediately.
For fasteners.. it’s the only great option esp for mechanical metric fasteners
If I were still working full time in the trades, I might still choose Ryobi for value. Price vs quality. Not the absolute best (I've used all sorts of tools, esp old school Milwalkee, Porter Cable, Hitachi, Makita). I'm not using these at that all day every day level, but I've done a lot of work with no problems with Ryobi.
That said, the battery lock in 100% sucks. And it is not an accident. Imagine that every corded tool brand required a proprietary connector. Or more realistically every electric company used different voltages and frequency. You move to a new town, none of your appliances work.
I have always found that driving past one store to get exactly what you want to be the most efficient and efficient way to get the job done.
I still avoid Home Depot for political reasons, as it's CEO is hard into Trump and the Big Lie. Lowe's actively supported black owned businesses during the BLM protests.
I have a Home Depot 5 minutes from me, but I still drive 20 minutes to get to Lowe's. (I'm not sure where the nearest Menards is.)
Support businesses whose practices you can support.
I feel so lucky that I not only have one in my area but that I get to work at a Rockler. Hopefully stores like Rockler and Woodcraft can expand out further so people don't have to go to the home centers so often for their woodworking supplies.
Rockler is ridiculous on prices but I still order things from there when I can afford it🤷🏻♂️
@@baddog4347 Yes. I would love to see more woodworking stores like Rockler but they do tend to be more pricey. But if you're going in to look for a hinge for a small box like a jewelry box or something you know you'll find it at Rockler. You'll have a hard time finding a 1 or 1.5 inch hinge at any of the big box stores. I'd have to order mine off of Amazon. I imagine this is true for other types of hardware as well like catches or locks.
@@ScottCleve33 Agree, and I'm a Woodcraft fanboy. Unfortunately, the closest one to me is up I-95 headed TOWARD D.C., inside the Beltway. This generally means I'd prefer to smelt brass, cast it, and whittle my own hinges than drive up there. Wish they'd expand a bit more.
Lucky! I live in New Mexico, so the hardware stores search can be scarce in selection my area, I've ordered Rockler many times before, their dust collection products are tough to beat! even if it is a bit pricey to be in there. I definitely can admit I can drop a paycheck and some in that Denver store. I feel like i did at Toys R Us as a kid whenever I walk in.
I have to agree with all of your suggestions.
Side note:
I’ve been a fan of Irwin products for years and recently purchased their 8 or 9 piece forstner bit set only to discover it does not cut as well as the Harbor Freight set and find myself using the Harbor Freight set before reaching for the Irwin’s!
Was finally able to take a trip to menards as there isn't one in my area. It was like an ethereal experience. Absolutely blew my mind, love that store
Did you see the $1000 toilet? It is Japanese and I think that it will even wipe your @$$ for you!
I worked at Menards for several years and imo it's equivalent to Harbor Freight in quality tools overall. They do have a good selection of screws and hardware though.
We don't have Menards in the Coeur d'Alene, ID/Spokane, WA area. I don't like Home Depot. This goes way back and in a couple visits hasn't changed, they have terrible service. Also, when going through their tool aisles, it reminds me of being back aboard ship. They are extremely narrow. I'll stick with Lowe's for most things. I order online from known quality companies like Grizzly. I have a WoodCraft 45 minutes away where I get good hardwoods, finishes, hardware, and some tools, like Rikon.
Milwaukee is so over-ratedthey wanna brag about their impacts, sorry but if I want power and speed, I'm grabbing an airline.
Our Menards has a really good hardware selection IF the item you want happens to be in stock. Ace Hardware is a good alternative for harder to find small hardware.
My local Menards carries a couple different Delta Products. They also push their CMT Sawblades more than their cheaper brands.
If you haven't been to a Harbor Freight store lately, they can no longer be dismissed as only selling inexpensive lesser quality tools.
Yes, there is still the stuff there that makes one cringe, but they've really stepped up their game in the past couple of years with the creation of the 3 tier "Good-Better-Best" tool lines, with their Bauer line in the middle and the Hercules line at the top for power tools and accessories. The Icon and Doyle hand tools are also the top tier.
TH-cam test channels such as Project Farm, has found Hercules holding their own with and in some cases bettering Milwaukee and DeWalt. The same goes for the Icon and Doyle tools that were tested.
I own the Hercules 20V cordless 1/2" drill/driver, the reciprocating saw and 6-1/2" circular saw, all have been fantastic in build quality and performance. So much so, that I no longer buy DeWalt, which in my opinion has become overpriced (especially the batteries), and declined in quality. I don't mean to come off sounding like a total HF fanboy.... just relaying that they deserve reconsideration if you haven't been there for a while.
I totally agree with The Home Depot Diablo brand, the carbide table saw blades are first rate... they are private label made for them by Freud. When initially introduced, the older packaging used to say "Diablo made by Freud", but that's been dropped, but if you look where they are made... it's Italy where Freud is made.
DeWalt cordless power tools have definitely gone down hill. We have a DeWalt drill at work, and every time I use it I wish I had my Ryobi (who have done the opposite and stepped up their game with their 18v one+ HP line of tools).
Yes, Harbor Freight does have a wider varitety of stuff but I find that their quality tools (or their top of the line tools) are out of the price range of a weekend handyman and woodworker like me. On the other hand their lower end and more affordable stuff just aren't worth buying.
I do go to Harbor Freight but it's to by that one off tool that I absolutely need for a project or a task but that I know I'll never use again.
That's for power tools though. I find that their hand tools like sockets and wrenches are decent enough. Again I'm just a weekend mechanic so take that for what it's worth.
Harbor freight sells different tiers of garbage 🗑
Harbor freight has its share of junk, but I concur their "better" and "best" lineup (Hercules) are 100% on par with Makita and Dewalt for less $. I'm blown away with the power, durability, and class-leading battery of my Hercules drill and circular saw. I've even had good experience with many of their 'lesser' power tools like Chicago Electric, especially for the price. They have both crappy and high quality hand tools. Ugliest store- like the Dollar General of tool stores, but without all the scams. I don't care about an elegant shopping experience, mainly value. I shop at all 4, but typically get the best bang for buck @ HF.
I'm more of a home depot and the ranch and home stores kind of guy. Never really found what I was looking for in lowes and most of the time Lowes and Home Depot are across the street from each other.
This was a enjoyable video, You also have to consider how each store manager runs their particular store. We have many home depots where I live (5 in a 25 mile circle) but a couple are run poorly and two are run very well and always stays well stocked. I agree with you with the 3m cubitron sanding disks, while they are great for sanders they are horrible if you need to bend them (cubitron 2 net) for curved sanding, the sanding material cracks and is brittle off the main pad.
Ace is the place with the helpful hardware person. It used to be a man, but we cant say man anymore...oops i said it.
@@jeolman1 My local ACE happens to be VERY well-staffed with EXTREMELY helpful and knowledgeable hardware women. Just sayin'...
@@0dtp1 I was just making a joke, about them changing their slogan years ago, due to outside pressure from feminist activist groups. that is all
@@jeolman1 No other way to interpret your "joke." Sorry, and that's coming from a 53-year-old man here. I remember those commercials with John Madden. It was a good change since even then the stores were packed with great female employees.
@@0dtp1 you cant interpret the joke, because you lack a sense of humor, and that's coming from a fellow 53 year old
As a DIY weekender and newly retired, I went with Ryobi for a couple of reasons. First, for the price they are decent tools overall, especially for my needs. Are they "the best" tools? No, but they aren't the worst either. Again, I'm no contractor and don't really have the need for that quality of tools and the higher expense that goes with them. Second, Ryobi never has and never will change their battery system. Tools/batteries from years ago will work with tools/batteries of today.
Now don't start on "Brandx" is so much better. I know they are. But Ryobi does what I want for what I consider a reasonable price. Those of you that prefer Milwaukee, Dewalt and so on, good for you (no sarcasm). You do you and I'll do me. I won't badmouth anyone for their choice of tool brand.
I agree completely with all of this. I will say though, I have found that Lowes tends to be more consumer friendly, while home depot is more contractor friendly. Lowes generally has much nicer stuff in regards to furniture, bathroom fixtures, lights etc. Home Depot is more for getting the job done, Lowes is for finishing it up and making it look pretty.
I think it depends on which store you go to and where it's located. Where I live (in suburban Cleveland) we have two stores that are equal distances away from us. One in towards Cleveland and one further out in suburbia. The one in Cleveland is totally contractor friendly. They practically run the store. On the other hand the one further out into suburbia is much more home owner friendly. I'll hardly ever see a contractor in that store. I'd prefer to go to the one in suburbia because I'm just a home owner but the stock there isn't as good as the one in Cleveland which keeps more of a variety of stuff on hand.
Lowes on the other hand we only have one of in the area and it was the last one there so I've just never had a reason to switch to it other than the occasional one off stuff. I do prefer MinWax over Varathane which has me going to Lowes.
While HD and Lowes are both about a 5-10 minute drive to get to Menards is about a half an hour drive to get to but I do like their hardware section and they have some better options in the lumber department.
When I was a contractor I went home depot for rough and went to Lowes for finish.
I love Menards, but Home Depot has everyone beat on power tools. They carry the full line on most brands.
Definitely with you on the tools section - between Makita, DeWalt, and Milwaukee, Hope Depot has you covered with the best cordless power tools.
I find that product for product Menards is usually cheaper. If its not cheaper, its the same price (plus probably an 11% off).
Oh, speaking of that Menards 11% off sucks, mail in a paper form, get a paper rebate, all stupid snail mail. When Menards does their 11% off, Home Depot does theirs, and you can fill it out online and get a real gift card.
I generally think you nailed it with regards to Home Depot and Lowes (I don’t have a Menards to compare). One whole category I think you missed is bigger corded power tools like the jobsite table saws, miter saws, etc. I think Lowes has a better selection and usually better prices than HD in this category in my area. You can almost always find dewalt planers at Lowes and you have to order them online at HD in my area.
I also prefer Lowe's for budget hand tools, I find that for things like pliers, screwdrivers, and saws, Kobalt, Craftsman, and Irwin tend to be pretty well made compared to the really cheap stuff, and I usually prefer them over Home Depot's brands
I agree with you about Lowes having a wider selection of bigger corded power tools, and agree with Fowler Askew that Lowes has better selection of hand tools. For cordless power tools HD beats the others.
I prefer Bosch Routers (Corded) and bits, and you are definitely right about the table saws, The home depot where I live carries Ryobi galore (bandsaw, table saw, drill press) so to me the Lowes in the next town an hour away becomes the sure fire for power tools, but past that I prefer Home Depot everything else, Material, hardware, abrasives, gardening etc...
I'm a Makita fan too. I started with corded tools, back in Hungary, but after moving to Canada, and having to leave all my tools behind (220V) I decided to always go for the cordless option if possible (and when I need the power, like a table saw or router). But I remained loyal to the brand. Until this week, when I couldn't find a 4 1/2 inch circular saw for a very specific demolition task. I opted for Dewalt, and instead of buying a Dewalt battery and charger, I got a converter on Amazon for 25CAD. So I can use my Makita batteries with Dewalt tools without issue. I was a bit afraid that the voltage difference (Makita provides 18V, Dewalt requires 20V) will provided an inferior user experience but the saw cuts fine, even with more demanding materials.
One thing I really hate about box store tool selections is not what they have but how they group tools by brand instead of by type, makes comparing items very difficult
That is a good point but my guess is that may be less a store thing as it is a brand thing. Those displays seem to be set up to display the brand and may be a requirement of the brand to display them like that with their entire line of tools.
If you look at it from a store point of view, it would be a real pain to restock from a shipment of xxxxbrand to a shelf where they are scattered all over.
And I do not find it overly difficult stocked as is.
Once I have figured out which item I like, a repurchase is looking for the brand area, and finding the item.
I think it works OK as is. Just the initial round of shopping is more complex.
If I'm looking for a specific bolt or screw I go to Ace Hardware! They've got everything!
I'm in the UK, have absolute no need to watch this particular video, and yet I enjoyed every minute. Shout-out to Makita I'm a fellow fan. Thanks again for a very well made video.x
About eight years ago I bought a delta tablesaw and stand from Menards and the first day I bring it on to a job site a contractor son try to do a taper cut which is a freehand cut by turning the cheap fence crooked well about three years ago I took that tablesaw back to Menards and told them that the arbor was messed up and it cuts crooked because it did that ever since then and they had a new version of the same model and this one was rack and pinion and I walked out of there happy man and to this day I love that tablesaw probably the best thing I ever got out of Menards rare find
There’s so much missing here! Hitachi/Metabo tools never seems to get mentioned in these comparisons. Not sure why that happens. Also, I personally get a lot of things at the local farm supply stores (RK and TSC here) which are great for specific categories of stuff like bearings, welding, and automotive. And there are two local hardware stores that absolutely destroy any big box store for product knowledge and customer service. When I need advice about an item, the last place I go is a big box store.
I love Hitach/Metabo tools. Mostly pneumatic tools, but electric ones as well. I have a lot of those, and a fair number of Dewalt and Bosch tools. I mostly get them at Lowes because they typically have what I want.
If you’re lucky there is an actual woodworking store reasonably close by. I like Wood Werks in the Columbus area. They’ve got the good stuff. Festool tools, Whiteside router bits, General Finish stains and varnishes, etc. Not cheap, but very good.
On the topic of sandpaper, one thing I can’t find *anywhere* anymore is the plastic film sandpaper. That stuff was super flexible and great for sanding rounded molding. Doesn’t seem like it’s made anymore…☹️
Perhaps Metabo is great...but my one recent experience with them with a table saw from them was so abysmal as to make me absolutely rule them out forever. The saw arrived with a critical, broken plastic bracket...something that apparently was so common that I found tons of people complaining about it, and Metabo was out of the part. But the part that REALLY pissed me off was that Metabo handled this by requiring me to wait 4 to 6 weeks for the part AND sign an agreement that this was the only thing wrong with it and that I could NOT request any other replacement parts from them for this purchase. Yes, seriously. I could not even run the saw, but they wanted me to certify that was the only thing wrong with it???? I returned the saw and vowed to NEVER buy anything from those people ever again!!!!!
@@LarryB-inFL wow, good to know. I could forgive a broken part. I could forgive a manufacturing problem that resulted in a lot of parts being bad IF they followed up with bad customer service. But that “agreement” where you sign away your rights is outrageous. Many defects can’t be detected until you run the machine for a while and since they’re requiring you to sign the paper before you get the replacement part, you have no chance to find out if other things are defective before you sign an “agreement” saying they’re okay.
We also have a really good local hardware store. But everything is about 3x the price of Lowe's and Home Despot (we don't have Menards around here).
Something on the order of 25 years ago I bought a Hitachi sliding compound miter saw from Lowes. I remember going into the store for something a year or two later and seeing that they no longer had that particular saw. I asked the tool dept guy why not and he said the tool was too good. "I sell you that Hitachi and I'll never see you again. I sell you a Makita and you'll be back every 5 years for a new one." Cynical, perhaps, but bang-on. I'm still using that Hitachi constantly, and it's still holding up just fine. :D
Home Depot is my first choice for all categories. Ryobi tools work fine for me. Neighborhood stores for odd hardware.
We have a small shop that is extremely similar to ACE in selection but they also cary more exotics like festool and sawstop. What sets them apart is every employee knows exactly where every nut and bolt is in the store! Got to love the small shops! Oh and why all the Craftsman hate :D :D
Especially since Dewalt and Craftsman are nearly identical these days (other than cosmetically) as they are both owned by Stanley Black & Decker (and most items are made in the same facilities).
We have 3 Menards in my city and I go outta my way to get to Home Depot or Farm n Fleet when I need tools. Menards is garbage
Appreciate the video. In my area, we also have Ace Hardware. It's the worst for pretty much everything except hardware, where it's insanely good.
I pick from all three and Amazon. I like Amazon’s ratings, and sometimes after settling on a tool based on ratings, I’ll check the prices at the box stores. I like Menards for larger selections, especially for lumber, they don’t have a panel saw to cut 4x8 plywood to 2x8 which I can fit in my car. I like all three, I wish Home Depot was closer.
It’s like you were reading my mind. I have abused the hell out of my ryobi and they have really held up. I do not like the gator brand. Their glue is so hard that if you flex the paper at all the abrasive falls off. Only 3M for me. I will definitely be ordering some cubitron.
This. We got gifted a ryobi drill/driver when we bought a house like 15 years ago (maybe more, I'm too old). I think I have been waiting for 5 years for it to die, or even stop working well, so I can justify buying into some new battery stuff. Another house, several back to the studs bathroom renovations, a new kitchen, a shed, 15 ish raised beds, lots of furniture assembly, home repairs, a small deck build etc. etc. Basically 15+ years of projects and repairs... the only people we hired were for rooves and boilers. And the damn driver won't die... no plastic even cracking.
I used to be an Hatichi nail gun guy. They lasted forever. As a trim carpenter, I never had to worry about showing up at a speck home builder's subdivision. My guns never failed.
But with the purchase by Matabo, the same look a like guns, are crap.
Enjoy ur videos
Bought a Metabo a while back. Never again. Piece of shit.
I like home depot for the brand name tools (milwaukee n dewalt)and accessories, but menards is by far my favorite overall. Decent customer service, more choices, and their store specific tool brands like performax are awesome for the price. Especially for corded tools that HD doesnt carry.
Nice informational video! For Skil, i can say that the quality and durability is a lot better since it is renewed! I have the 12v drill / driver set, and use it every day as furniture maker! It is lightweight, comfortable and powerfull enough for my demands.
Had a corded drill from SKIL and damn that thing was tough! Lasted many abusive years.
Ya the pwrcore line is great
In my area there is no Menard's. And here, at least, Lowe's wins hands down over Home Depot in all categories except stains. I prefer Varathane stains now after using Minwax for years. My finish of choice is Pre-cat Lacquer and not available at any of these stores. Getting assistance from employees at Home Depot is almost a joke here.
I used to really favor Home Depot, but lately, Lowes has been getting more of my business. Better prices, better selection, and more stuff actually in stock. They also have a better selection of spray paint. The only spray paint at my HD is Rustoleum, which is fine for most stuff, but they don't have any clear flat or matte. Krylon wins that battle hands down, and I can only find that at Lowes.
Like you, no Menards here.
My porter cable routers are becoming tired can you make a recommendation a replacement since porter cable is no long made?
Having gone to a multitude of different Lowe’s Menards and Home Depot‘s I can tell you it’s the management at the individual stores and their staff that really make the difference. I’ve been in some stores where the staff was very knowledgeable and in others a customer is asking about a specialty blade and the employee has no real clue it was directing him to an almost $200 diamond blade but considering this was a one time cut of concrete he done a whole lot better with those self-sacrificing blades, Do you know those kind that are brown have fibers and epoxy you put it into the saw and cut whatever it is you need to cut and they will shrink in diameter as you’re going through the cuts. Another gentleman was asking about narrow kerf blades and the salesman had no clue about the difference in kerf the different blades made. I also happen to love my craftsman I’ve pretty much had them all my life. Of course had to get my tools back when I was in my teens and they were still made in America and everybody had them. I’ll admit I’ve burned up a couple craftsman cordless drills that had more to do with me using them to grind drywall and the dust got into the electric motor and burned it up so it’s basically my fault.
In my 40 years as a journeyman carpenter, I have found; The only questions a big box associate can answer, is what’s written on the label or box, as they read it in front of you. If you need info, look around for a ‘dusty’ customer with a pencil in their ear and a tape clipped to their belt…most of them will be happy to recommend something, I know I always will.
I’ve been a cabinet maker for over 20 years. It was funny listening to this video. Your assessment is 100% accurate of the various situations with the big box retailers
Many times I find that Menards carries (or at least catalogs for ordering) materials / supplies the other two never have and never acknowledge. A wider variety of plywoods, sizes up to 5x10 (can never get that at either of the others) and HDPE plastic in not only 1/4" 4x8 in stock, but an ordering option for 1/2" 4x8 HDPE. Trouble for me is the closest one is a long trip from here. But.. they are building one in our area. Then I will have the choice of the three named here.
My experience with Menards is always a complete lack of organization, so it's a surprise to see you applauding their organization! I guess there's more variety than I'd expect from store to store.
Yeah, i buy plumbing parts from menards often and its horrible. Got way worse in last couple years.
When I lived in Minnesota (NC now), my biggest complaint about Menard's was the fact that their stores didn't seem to have a standard layout. Lowe's and home Depot are pretty much the same two layouts everywhere you go.
As a Veteran, I avoid Menard's. I get a 10% discount at Lowe's and Home Depot on the spot. Menard's makes everyone mail out for an 11% rebate, but that rebate is given on a store card, so you have to spend it there.
You bring up a good point of being locked into a battery system. I prefer corded tools for around the house for DYI since the tools may sit for months or years before I use it. Another advantage of corded tools is you don't have to be brand loyal to buy. Hand tools is a whole another story.
Same here, for home projects I hunt for corded. After all, I have power outlets everywhere around the house
My go to sandpaper is 3M Xtract Cubitron. It is similar to the Mirka abranet in that it is a mesh and works with any sander. It doesn't clog, cuts fast and lasts a long time.
Lowes has gone downhill over the last few years. Almost every time I've gone there over the last year I ended up putting all my stuff back and walking out to head to Home Depot. Annoying cause Lowes is closer to my house. It's stupid cause I'll check the spot where the item should be, none will be there yet there will be plenty up on the top stocking shelves and I don't like waiting around for someone to come help me.
Exact same situation for me.
Lowes has one thing in our town that for some reason neither Home Depot seems to have with any consistency - a working panel saw. That's a survival necessity for me so I can get 4x8s knocked down to bite-sized chunks that'll fit in my car. :D
I like Menards 11% rebates. I have Lowes but not HD
We only have Menards in our area…when Menards , gets wind of any body planning on coming to town, John buys the land that the other store was planning on using…and locks it up!
SO HE HAS NO CONFIDENCE HIS STORE CAN WIN BASED ON SERVICE QUALITY AND PRICES. HE WILL JUST HOLD YOU HOSTAGE WITH MONOPOLISTIC PRACTICES. CLASSY.
@@captainmurphy4720 You have to get out of believing he's there for you. He's not. He's there for him and is using you to make his fortune.That's called being in business.
@@captainmurphy4720 WHY ARE WE YELLING
@@AndrewGarneau LOUD NOISES
@@retiree1033 I DONT BLAME HIM FOR DOING IT IF HE CAN BUT YOU SHOULDNT LIKE IT.
I'd consider Metabo HPT at menards a major brand
Can confirm, at Lowe’s the employees also have no clue where the 1/4 x 1/2 bolts are. The organization is also different between every location. Then for no reason it seems every store has a mirror version where the whole store is flipped at different locations, usually the lumber is on the left side of the store.
Diablo is carried by harbor freight and they are cheaper there too.
Harbor Freight has really stepped up their game across the board over the past couple years. You should give the Hercules brand of power tools a shot, and the Quinn hand tools.
Great advice, my nearest Lowes and Depot are pushing 25 years old and their tool sections both are not so good, not kept up to date, and I hate that every last cordless tool is tied down so tight, that you cannot hold it for feel. Why not put a chain or cord on the tool and make it a dummy tool with weight in it so it will never work if stolen, since they probably never sell the demo models anyway.
Lowes is slowly becoming irelevant, and losing out to HD one brand at a time. Personally I shop at Ace first. Good brands, great service, and the owner is smoking hot.
Just something to add about home depot and Ryobi tools is that they have a massive lineup , the battery format has remained for over 20 years, and the annual Ryobi Days has gotten a lot of people into their lineup with the battery combo + free tool deals they always run.
I haven't been happy with their lumber or their hand tool selection in my area , but they have made Ryobi an attractive proposition for diy'ers and have a decent selection of everything else.
I buy Ryobi for just the reason you state.
I've bought several Metabo HTP (formerly Hitachi) power tools and cordless tools lately, and I'm pretty happy with them. As far as I know, they're only available at Lowes in my area, and they're a little expensive at list price, but I've bought everything I have on sale and that's made it worthwhile. There aren't near as many tools in their line as in Makita or Milwaukee or even Ryobi, and that's the only downside for me so far.
I have lot of Hitachi tools I like them.
Still looking forward to breaking out my metabo htp router, got from menards though. Recently got a metabo framing nailer but I think that was amazon. For cordless stuff I've had good luck with makita, had their 12v drill/impact/light combo (the light was meh, replaced with a stinger), the 18v lxt is nice. It's rare the stores have a price better than amazon for me. Hate to keep supporting amazon over local stores but prices are hard to beat, returns are simple with prime and drops right at my door which is a plus with current gas prices.
Lowe's blows. Craftsman and Kobalt. Home depot has all the good stuff
Visited my first Menards just today. I was blown away by that store! I found a variety of Olsen scroll saw blades. Never seen that in person before... and their lumber selection was crazy... New construction windows on the shelf... "log cabin" siding samples... 8 different sump pumps... 1000 square feet of ceiling fans... I could go on. Wish I had one within 100 miles of home.
I worked for HD a few years ago and found they did not have hardware - especially metric fasteners - like Lowes did. The power tool preference for me is based on what I have but I also am not a daily user so I gravitate towards less expensive brands. Good video - keep up the good work.
We have home depot and Lowe's in our area. In fact, they are in the same shopping complex. Since it takes me about two minutes to go from one store to the other, I tend look for the best prices. Generally, but not always, I found the home depot has the best prices.
I've been in the contracting business for over 25 years and while I'm not a huge fan of the big box stores I have to agree with you that Home Depot is better for power tools than Lowe's (but Amazon is better than both of them). I do generally use Diablo blades because they cut fairly well and if you trash one of them you're not out that much. To me wood glue is wood glue as long as it's alaphatic resin (yellow glue). I do believe Minwax is a good deal better than Varthane, especially the polyurethane. As far as lumber goes I think Lowe's lumber quality is superior to Home Depot (just try framing with Home Depot's Hem Fir 2 x 4's all of the time) I believe the best place for lumber and mill work (i.e. trim and doors) by far are localized lumber yards. I have found their quality of prehung doors, interior trim and even framing and decking lumber is far superior to the big box stores at the same price or less.
Sometimes it pays to check your local hardware store - the one in my small town is an independent (not affiliated with any chain) and I've been able to get some things there at a slightly better price than the box stores. For special items they may have to order them, so it takes a few days to get them, but I'm hardly ever in a hurry.
A dying breed, sadly. I always look for new, old stock tools. Good files are hard to find.
I am close to you and have all three nearby. I agree with you on each category. Well done.
Last summer, my friend turned me on to Diablo Blades. I pretty much always use them now. I am doing some home renovation that includes taking down lots of plaster and lath walls. The Diablo Sawzall blade lasts easily three to four times longer than the Dewalt blades I was using before.
Agree on 99.9%. I don't buy cheap tools.
I did buy a Rockwell oscillating saw (corded) years ago when they first came out. I really like it. It's heavy duty, and has been a great tool. I now also have DeWalt battery, which is often more convenient, but still have and use the Rockwell too.
Thank you for doing these comparisons. I trust your judgement and value your opinions as I have come to value your videos, which are top-notch and I have learned a huge amount from them. Please keep 'em coming.
Menards is the hardest store for me to find anything in. The way they are organized is just strange.
Most everything talked about on here comes off a FedEx or UPS truck at my home. I plan ahead as much as possible and will even wait a couple of days on a project for a better price or product. As far as Black and Decker and Skil they aren't what they once were. But I have a Skil 3x18 belt sander and Black and Decker 1/4 sheet finish sander. I bought as a junior in high school back in 1989 for a gun cabinet I built in wood shop. Everyone used them in the class for months nonstop. After high school I used them for a couple of years working for a contractor where I was the finishing guy. I still use the belt sander, the wear plate on the bottom is mostly worn away from use. The finish sander finally croaked about a month ago. I can't convince myself to throw it away after all these years. I may wire it to a rafter in my shop out of the way. LOL