Craftsman tools

[mnkyboy]

Warranty and repairs is why I buy so much from the tool trucks. They come to me and take care of it,they either fix it or replace it on the spot or they deal with sending it for repair. When I buy a tool I know that one way or another it will be fixed and I don't have to mess with it.

 

It helps me justify the cost since I don't have time to go here or there and mess with warranty or repairs.

[Alexia]

We started buying Kobalt tools because of the Lowes home improvement return policy for it, if it breaks bring it back and it is swapped no questions asked. don't even need a receip.. or at least that is how my lowes is

 

If it belongs to a kit, my local store makes you bring the whole kit in to exchange. If not, they won't exchange it because they don't sell that piece separately. Kind of a dumb policy, just give me the new piece out of a kit on the shelf and send me on my way, its the same thing.

 

I have heard this about harbor freight can anybody verify this? I am thinking the reason they do this is that if you lost a piece they can get out of replacing it.

 

Correct, you have to bring the whole set back. I am in limbo since my T50 impact is laying around in the garage some where preventing me from exchanging the entire set.

[WBKrazy]

not a huge fan of the craftsman ratchets, i don't really like the square handle and it seems like every time I'm using the one i have i manage to flip the tighten/loosen selector in the opposite direction mid-turn. i also have some of their wrenches and the open ends flex whenever i try to use them. snap-on is uber expensive, but i rarely have a problem with any of the snap-on stuff i have excepting the screwdrivers, the phillips head ones seem to strip out fast. plus being a mechanic by trade all the tools i buy are tax-deductible so i see some of that money back at years end. most everything i use for work is snap-on, with the exception of my impact guns (ingersoll) impact sockets (mostly s-k and sunex) and screwdrivers (a lil bit of every brand imaginable in that drawer).

[Oldred87]

Sucks that craftsman is going to being made in china crap but at this point not many things are made in the US anymore. All i have to say is i hope our next president makes it cheaper for busniess to be here it is amazing how much they are taxed and why they go over seas. But anyway i useally always look for any old craftsman, snap on or mac tools when i go to yardsales and flea markets. The best place is to try swap meets they always have a ton of good tools you can buy for cheap

[freakjeep93]

ive always used mastercraft. theyre definetly not snap on or anythinh but for the price they work good and their warrent y is good

[JeepcoMJ]

Good point on tax deductions...gotta revisit my taxes now

[Lewt2007]

i use napa evercraft tools lifetime warrenty have broken ratchets air ratchets sockets and the occasional screwdriver due to ive got a napa store in my hometown and my dad is at napa several times a day if i break it its replaced no questions asked

[terrawombat]

Most of my stuff is American-made Craftsman with the occasional Blue Point & Snap-on tool thrown in the mix (when I can afford it). I buy a lot of Harbor Freight junk for tools I'm going to use maybe once or twice a year and, for the most part, it has never let me down. When I was in NJ, I had a Sears about 10 minutes from my house so it wasn't a big deal to stop by to exchange broken tools, especially because the Auto Parts store was next door and I was going there once or twice a week. Now that I'm in MD, the nearest Sears is a "Hometown" store and the guy there seems to be pretty wishy-washy on what broken tools he'll exchange. I can usually talk my way into getting new tools, but it's an effort.

 

Although they are made in Taiwan, I have had some great experience with Gearwrench tools. I have a ratcheting combination wrench set and a 1/4" ratchet from them and they are much, much better than my Craftsman equivalents. Dunno about their warranty though.

[johnnyc]

We started buying Kobalt tools because of the Lowes home improvement return policy for it, if it breaks bring it back and it is swapped no questions asked. don't even need a receip.. or at least that is how my lowes is

 

If it belongs to a kit, my local store makes you bring the whole kit in to exchange. If not, they won't exchange it because they don't sell that piece separately. Kind of a dumb policy, just give me the new piece out of a kit on the shelf and send me on my way, its the same thing.

 

I have heard this about harbor freight can anybody verify this? I am thinking the reason they do this is that if you lost a piece they can get out of replacing it.

 

Correct, you have to bring the whole set back. I am in limbo since my T50 impact is laying around in the garage some where preventing me from exchanging the entire set.

 

My buddy cracked a HF impact socket and sent me to get a replacement. The cashier told me to grab a new set off the shelf. Then she opened it and gave me the socket I needed.

 

I haven't had any problems with Craftsman tools. I've never broken a tool in 30+ years. I buy oddball tools at HF, like their balljoint tool or a bigger than normal crescent-type wrench that would cost a fortune anywhere else

 

Even though I work for Lowe's, I don't have any Kobalt tools. Just so they could never accuse me of stealing. ;) Kobalt tool sets are made overseas, but the individual sockets are made in the US. And many Kobalt tools are made in the same factory as Craftsman.