Lowes/Kobalt tools rant

[Pete M]

if you go far enough up the chain, you "should" find someone that realizes the importance of making things right.  glad you found that person.  

 

many, many moons ago I traded in my old craftsman ratchet for a newer one.  I regret that immensely.  I just didn't know any better and bet it could have easily been fixed.  after breaking my 5th(?) 3/8" ratchet since then, I started using a 3/8" breaker bar (or the 1/2" ratchet) when at all possible.  haven't broken one since. 

[mjeff87]

You know, I just have to laugh at this point. Yesterday I was using my air compressor in the garage with my KOBALT 25' PVC air hose (running 125 psi fighting with that steering knuckle on the Focus) and the damn hose split right where it connects to the fitting for the regulator. Just for fun, I searched Kobalt for the warranty info, and the original packaging for it says "hassle free lifetime replacement" on it. I only bought it about 3-4 years ago, and just use it mainly for light duty tire air ups or cleaning things (engines) up with a small blow gun. Quite the conundrum here. I think I'll just chuck it in the trash and go buy another one, from Home Depot or Harbor Freight.

[Pete M]

did it split where a barb fitting went in?

[Eagle]

1 hour ago, mjeff87 said:

Quite the conundrum here. I think I'll just chuck it in the trash and go buy another one, from Home Depot or Harbor Freight.

 

I would take it back and make them replace it just because ...

[mjeff87]

2 hours ago, Pete M said:

did it split where a barb fitting went in?

 

Yup, where the plastic hose joins to the brass threaded fittin (I had to add my own barb to the threads).  This was on the side that I connect to the regulator, not the working end.  That part just sits there and doesn't see any "action" per se.  It just blew right the hell out.  Max working pressure per Kobalt is 160, I was only at 125.  Hell, my compressor only puts out 150 max, and that's if I crank the regulator WFO.

 

 

2 hours ago, Eagle said:

 

I would take it back and make them replace it just because ...

 

I did swing by the lowes on the way home just to check something.  They only have one of them left on the shelf and have it marked down to $14.99.  Packaging still has the same warranty info printed on it, but the same tool department idjit from the other day was working there again.  I didn't want to end up with a felony charge today, so I just left with my Intel info gathered.  There's a lowes right by my work, so I'm just going to take it there tomorrow at lunch and ask for an exchange.

 

I know, it's only $15, but at this point it's the principle and not the money.

[Pete M]

I've gotten in the habit of adding hose clamps to hoses like that as an added safety measure. 

[Eagle]

13 minutes ago, mjeff87 said:

I know, it's only $15, but at this point it's the principle and not the money.

 

I agree completely. I would get the replacement even if I never used it. Companies that offer "lifetime" warranties and then try to back off because of a "change in policy" piss me off greatly. Back in the day, Wordperfect did that. They offered free, lifetime tech support. And then, one fine day, they simply dropped free tech support. Then they wondered why people went with Word rather than buying Wordperfect. Idjits.

 

I learned just a few days ago that some other major company had bailed on their lifetime warranties. I wish I could remember who it was. I really think the FTC should prosecute any company that reneges on a lifetime warranty or service or support policy.

[SatiricalHen]

A little late to the game, but I’ve always had good luck with craftsman’s warranty. The issue is that I’ve broken a lot of their ratchets and a lot of their sockets. Lately I’ve been using a long handle gear wrench ratchet for everything I can and it’s held up to a lot of abuse. On top of the abuse it can take it’s an 84 tooth ratchet which is a lot finer than any craftsman wrench I’ve used.


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[mjeff87]

I stopped using Craftsman after breaking about the 4th 1/4" ratchet.  That's when I started buying Kobalt, lol.

 

I was just successful at swapping out my recoil air hose  It took a little bit of doing, as the cashier at the service desk looked at my old one with everything but a magnifying glass to try to find out what was wrong with it.  I finally told her to go get a compressor and put some air pressure on it and she'd find the leak quick enough.  Guess she didn't want to go through all that and just took my word for it and exchanged it.  I had to give my driver's license again (got a little worried that it was going to turn ugly at that point), but everything worked.

[Pete M]

I'd slap a couple hose clamps on that where the last one failed to hopefully save you another trip.  

[mjeff87]

That's probably not a bad idea.

[schardein]

Since this post got brought up top again, I'll make a small update.  I bought a Snap-On tool set while in college training to be an auto mechanic (with a student discount, through the university program).  Love the tools but struggled to replace broken items throughout my 30 year career in the Marine Corps.  Retired, and one day called Snap-On to ask help in locating a truck to make an exchange.  I was momentarily speechless when the lady on the phone said "give me the part number you'd like to exchange".  Long story short, I've exchanged every tool I broke over the last 30 years, Snap-On mailed them out, free, and they arrived in a few days.  Some items I didn't even need to return, others I did, but a shipping label was included with the new tool.  I've done it 3 separate times now, and it's absolutely hassle free.  We all know Snap-On isn't cheap, but my set is my most prized possession, and considering the use I've gotten out of them, a bargain.

[jdog]

33 minutes ago, schardein said:

Since this post got brought up top again, I'll make a small update.  I bought a Snap-On tool set while in college training to be an auto mechanic (with a student discount, through the university program).  Love the tools but struggled to replace broken items throughout my 30 year career in the Marine Corps.  Retired, and one day called Snap-On to ask help in locating a truck to make an exchange.  I was momentarily speechless when the lady on the phone said "give me the part number you'd like to exchange".  Long story short, I've exchanged every tool I broke over the last 30 years, Snap-On mailed them out, free, and they arrived in a few days.  Some items I didn't even need to return, others I did, but a shipping label was included with the new tool.  I've done it 3 separate times now, and it's absolutely hassle free.  We all know Snap-On isn't cheap, but my set is my most prized possession, and considering the use I've gotten out of them, a bargain.

Just don't buy their electric stuff, they had a 1year warranty and now it's bumped up to a three, my stuff would break just after the one year and would have to pay. Other then that all hand tools are nice, but pricey.

[schardein]

14 minutes ago, jdog said:

Just don't buy their electric stuff, they had a 1year warranty and now it's bumped up to a three, my stuff would break just after the one year and would have to pay. Other then that all hand tools are nice, but pricey.

Good to know.  I haven't bought any new Snap-On tools since the initial purchase, other than the odd item here and there at estate auctions.  I'm invested in Dewalt for battery op tools.  I know everyone loves Milwaukee, I got into Dewalt almost by chance.

[jdog]

1 minute ago, schardein said:

Good to know.  I haven't bought any new Snap-On tools since the initial purchase, other than the odd item here and there at estate auctions.  I'm invested in Dewalt for battery op tools.  I know everyone loves Milwaukee, I got into Dewalt almost by chance.

Yeah Dewalt and milkwaukee both are good, anything electric tool that is sold by Mac now is made by Dewalt, uses the same batteries as well. Kinda funny seeing a Dewalt yellow battery in a red Mac Tool.

[mjeff87]

I had to lol when I checked the forum this morning and saw my ancient thread had been bumped.  It might just be a coincidence but there's a similar thread going on now over on garage journal and I posted to it a couple days ago.  I cross posted my original thread there also when I made it here and made a reference to it in the new thread.  A day later, my thread here gets bumped by a bot.  Who says we aren't being tracked.....

[jorg0370]

A few weeks ago I returned a busted Craftsman 3/8” ratchet to Lowe’s to make a claim on the unlimited warranty. I was only expecting a direct replacement of the same model. I even looked on their app beforehand to verify that the model was in stock, which their app said they had eight. C/S clerk says go ahead and pull the same model off the floor rack. I found the rack, and verified the model label, but there were none there. C/S says the app inventory must not be correct. I left the store, ordered the same model from the app, and designated the pickup-in-store option. Received an email saying your order is ready in our self-serve locker. I went back in the store, helped myself to the new ratchet that I just paid for in the locker, then made a beeline for the C/S. I handed her the busted ratchet and my receipt, and told C/S this is defective and ai’d like to return it. 

 

Problem solved. I really wasn’t asking for anything other than their unlimited warranty to be honored. 

[Eagle]

On 9/4/2021 at 4:27 PM, jorg0370 said:

A few weeks ago I returned a busted Craftsman 3/8” ratchet to Lowe’s to make a claim on the unlimited warranty. I was only expecting a direct replacement of the same model. I even looked on their app beforehand to verify that the model was in stock, which their app said they had eight. C/S clerk says go ahead and pull the same model off the floor rack. I found the rack, and verified the model label, but there were none there. C/S says the app inventory must not be correct. I left the store, ordered the same model from the app, and designated the pickup-in-store option. Received an email saying your order is ready in our self-serve locker. I went back in the store, helped myself to the new ratchet that I just paid for in the locker, then made a beeline for the C/S. I handed her the busted ratchet and my receipt, and told C/S this is defective and ai’d like to return it. 

 

Problem solved. I really wasn’t asking for anything other than their unlimited warranty to be honored. 

 

That's probably a good way to handle it.

 

For awhile, just before Sears folded their tent, instead of replacing broken ratchets with new product they were replacing them with rebuilt wrenches, and they weren't anywhere near the quality of new. I replaced one 3/8-drive ratchet and I don't think the new one was any better than the one it replaced.