I’m trying to upgrade my power tools for woodworking from Ridgid. I would like to support an American brand if possible. I want to get this right cause I will be buying cordless tools for the most part and the battery systems are too expensive for me to mix. I’ve heard a lot of back and for about Milwaukee vs. DeWalt. Any opinions?
Also saw that Grizzly has cordless tools now too but they are so cheap it causes me concerns if they are any decent, as I’ve been told their planers, joiners, etc. are good.
Any other suggestions (Bosch, etc.)? Thx for your time.
Replies
All of my cordless tools are Milwaukee. They have a huge variety, and have performed flawlessly for me. I couldn't be happier.
Both Milwaukee and DeWalt are good tools and offer a large selection of cordless options such as, angle grinders, portable band saw, circular saw, right angle drill, oscillating tool, etc.....
I have DeWalt cordless tools and have been happy.
Note that DeWalt has recently come out with their new ATOMIC line of tools that are "value priced". They look nearly identical to the regular DeWalt tools and are easy to confuse. I have no experience with DeWalt ATOMIC tools and can't say how they will hold up.
Mike
If you are truly interested in buying American then DeWalt is the best bet. A much larger percentage of DeWalt tools are made in the US of global materials. Milwaukee has been bringing some production back home but still does a lot of manufacturing overseas. Milwaukee is also a subsidiary of Techtronics a Chinese company whereas DeWalt is owned by Stanley/Black & Decker an American company. Both manufacturers produce quality tools for the most part but the Stars & Stripes on the box made me settle on DeWalt long ago.
I do recommend pick a brand and stick with it. Having a single battery system is much more convenient than having a hodgepodge of chargers and batteries. Especially when your battery dies with just a few more screws to drive.
PS. The DeWalt Atomics are intended for light duty Homeowner use. If you want to experience the quality of DeWalt tools I recommend the 20v Max XR line or if you really want the power of a corded tool and money is no object their Flexvolt line can't be beat.
I've had two Dewalt tools that I bought as a set about 5-6 years ago. The set came with 3 batteries and a charger. One battery stays on the charger until needed. When one dies, I swap it and go back to work. Never a hiccup in all this time. Highly recommended.
For what it's worth, I have never used an 18-20 volt tool. So, I'm no authority. However, I have never found something in my general woodworking that 12 volt tools wouldn't handle. And, they are smaller and lighter. If my job was building decks or similar, I would likely go for the higher voltage.
All of my Milwaukee cordless tools (impact driver, 2 drill/drivers, nailer, multi tool) work great. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
I love Bosch also but my Bosch tools (drill, circular saw, router, reciprocating saw) are all corded so I can’t speak to the battery life/performance.
Mixed review here.. I’m very happy with my dewalt ecosystem of cordless tools. But all the Ridgid stuff includes a lifetime warranty — including the batteries. If I had to start over, that would change things ..
I have Milwaukee Fuel tools and am completely satisfied with every one. My go to drill is a M18 fuel, I have used it 5 days a week going on 3 years now and its still as strong as when I got it. Battery life is great too.
For cordless tools, I highly recommend DeWalt. Been super happy with them for 15+ years. Older batteries left something to be desired, but new Li batteries are bullet proof and have great life.
For corded tools, I've been buying Bosch lately, and while I would also prefer to buy American here, you just can't beat the performance of the Bosch corded products. Best in class, IMHO.
Thx for all the feedback. Seems like I can't go wrong with either one. Probably go with DeWalt just cause it's straight American. Any feedback on the Grizzly cordless tools? I've bought other things Bosch that were great; probably my second choice maybe. Just trying to get more accuracy from my power tools/next step up in quality without going the broke/Festool route. :) Merry Christmas all.
Last question: would you recommend Bosch over the others? Some have told me to check them out as well.
I don't find much difference in the quality of major brand corded tools. Bosch, Makita, Milwaukee, Dewalt. Whatever best fits your hand and your fancy.
I wouldn't but a battery powered tool from a budget brand, so I wouldn't touch Grizzly. Stick with a good brand. Dewalt and Milwaukee have the broadest range of tools available, but Bosch and Makita make great stuff. The tools on these brands are better than bargain makes, and the batteries are far, far better.
I own a couple of corded tools from Harbor Freight. Most recently, I needed an SDS Max demo hammer to replace Lally column footings, and I saved about 500 bucks over a good quality tool. For 7 columns, the choice was a no-brainer. But no matter how cheap they were, I would never buy a cordless tool from them.
Be careful that what you buy is actually made where you want it to be.
I love my DeWalt tools - usually close to the best in the market at their price level, with little gained by going higher.
Do also bear in mind that buying crap simply because it is locally made led to the ultimate collapse of the USA car manufacturers - they never learned to compete because patriots kept buying them. Sometimes it is better to accept that your country does some things well and other things not so well - overall, specialisation is good for everyone.
I am curious as to what people consider "American"? I have two new DeWalt tools, two Bosch, one Milwaukee, several Delta, several Porter Cable routers, etc. None of them are labelled as made in USA. If they have incorporated in the US, or have a home office in the US, does that make them American? Most of those companies have multi-national origins and ownerships. Heck GM and Ford make most of their cars in Mexico and Canada.
Depends what you need the tool for, like how often you are going to use it. If you only plan on making sure you have on in case of any eventuality, then I think whichever is the cheapest option might work. If you plan on really heavily working with your tool, then you'd need some of the best rated ones out there. For example, I needed a new impact driver cause the old one I had was, oh well, old and its time has passed. I did some in-depth reserach about what the market has to offer and I came across the Best Cordless Impact Driver Buying Guide https://www.auditpowertools.com/best-impact-driver/ which helped me make my final choice on the matter. I'm really happy with my end choice, so research the amrket before making any purchase.
My main cordless are Milwaukee 18V, a couple 12v DeWalt drills, and a 12V Bosch impact (which I like a lot for it’s weight and size).
Nothing cordless is made in USA. At best “assembled”.
The main issue I have with all of them is the batteries go obsolete and you end up throwing perfectly good tools away. This happened with my PC set.
I hope DeWalt doesn’t get sucked into the Stanley/Black and Decker downgrade corporate mentality.
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