Bmill25 Posted January 28, 2017 Report Share Posted January 28, 2017 I've heard many opinions on this subject so I though I'd ask here. One of my contractors refuses to go to lowes or HD because, in his opinion, "tool companies use inferior products to sell at lowes or HD to make them cheaper in order to make more money." Apparently they even have different product numbers that proves this theory. I've heard the opposite as well. I've bought many tools at these stores and they have the same warranty and they work the same, but I'm just curious. Is there any truth to this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 28, 2017 Report Share Posted January 28, 2017 Honestly I would doubt that but I've heard my share of rumors, someone on hear opened a Milwaukee impact up and it had a security barcode in, but it was never confirmed if that was across the board Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SetBuilder Posted January 28, 2017 Report Share Posted January 28, 2017 Until someone can prove to there is a difference, I will continue to purchase corded and cordless tools at HD. I prefer to buy there, simply because of the easy return policy if I have problems. Lets look at the Milwaukee Surge. It's a new tool they are trying to get out there. Would they really make a knock down version for big box stores? i think these rumors are started by small dealers who simply do not have the buying power of Home Depot. Rockler sells a Bessey corner clamp for 29.97. HD sells it for 19.99 Who has more buying power and can operate on a smaller profit margin? I bought my 15 year old Dewalt sliding miter at sears, and it's still going strong. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foneguy Posted January 28, 2017 Report Share Posted January 28, 2017 I have heard the same, My job buys tools from a dealer in the Midwest I believe. Brand name, as far as I can tell, exactly the same as far as big box.. I'm sure part numbers and barcodes are used for individual tracking of what they send to sellers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mordekyle Posted January 28, 2017 Report Share Posted January 28, 2017 An urban legend that will never die...Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR99 Posted January 28, 2017 Report Share Posted January 28, 2017 Big box stores might have different sku's because of weird promotions/nonstandard combo kits, but I have never seen different tools. I think what happens is as time does on tools get small revisions and those changes are what people notice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtkendall Posted January 28, 2017 Report Share Posted January 28, 2017 Big box stores might have different sku's because of weird promotions/nonstandard combo kits, but I have never seen different tools. Exactly, Home Depot makes their own kits and often times have free additional batteries they assign them custom model numbers for inventory management.They have a Milwaukee M12 kit that comes with a free m12 4 bay charger, their model number for it is 2597-22-48-59-1204 which is just the model number for the kit and the charger combined. The tools are no different than others.Most of my tools are from Milwaukee/Dewalt/etc. via a tool distributor, some are from smaller vendors, and some are from big box stores. I have not found any difference between them. I bought a M12 brushed impact from the distributor and got one for free from Home Depot as a special buy. Both tools were exactly the same no difference in weight, size, or materials.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bremon Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 None of my cordless tools are from HD that I can think of but list prices are same and sale prices aren't as good as smaller places on lots of stuff here. Most importantly, model numbers are all the same. 2704-20. DCD996. 2731-20. All the same crap. No extra numbers, no weird digit swaps, they're the same tools. I could see them having some inferior models (with different model numbers) with lower prices, but if you're comparing apples to apples, you get an apple regardless of where you buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy MSG Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 I have noticed with the stores that do the price matching tend to have different 1/4" hex bit kits, for example the ones at Lowe's have black oxide finish and the ones at Home Depot do not. Another thing you might find is similar but different models of tools Lowe's might have the DWS709 and Home Depot the DWS779, both are 12 inch sliding compound miter saws without the XPS light system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nordraw Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 21 hours ago, Mordekyle said: An urban legend that will never die... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk That is most likely the case. Just a rumor that is baseless. I have heard the same thing about tires that are on new cars not being the same as the same ones bought in a tire store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekTheToolGuy Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 I buy Hilti and snap on cordless tools for no reason other than they look nice but work great as well and Hilti has a crazy good warranty snap on gas the worst. It helps to buy used with prices but you lose warranty but eventually all power tools die sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Jass Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 I believe this stems from the holiday special tools which we all know actually are ripoffs. Consider this, it would take two fully operational production and assembly lines in order to produce two asymmetrical tools for different markets that appear the same. Have any idea how much it costs to do that, and the addition of manpower to operate it? Illogical. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy MSG Posted February 1, 2017 Report Share Posted February 1, 2017 6 hours ago, Hugh Jass said: I believe this stems from the holiday special tools which we all know actually are ripoffs. Consider this, it would take two fully operational production and assembly lines in order to produce two asymmetrical tools for different markets that appear the same. Have any idea how much it costs to do that, and the addition of manpower to operate it? Illogical. They do offer the weakest in the line of tools and then sell them with the least expensive battery possible. I think DeWALT is probably the biggest seller of the $99 cordless drill out there. People turn around and buy a new drill every couple of years instead of a pair of better batteries. Ten years down the line they have 3 drills and one pair of working batteries. I have 4 out of 5 good XRP batteries that lasted through the whole Obama Presidency. Sometimes, you get what you pay for. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fm2176 Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 On 2/1/2017 at 0:30 AM, Grumpy MSG said: They do offer the weakest in the line of tools and then sell them with the least expensive battery possible. I think DeWALT is probably the biggest seller of the $99 cordless drill out there. People turn around and buy a new drill every couple of years instead of a pair of better batteries. Ten years down the line they have 3 drills and one pair of working batteries. I have 4 out of 5 good XRP batteries that lasted through the whole Obama Presidency. Sometimes, you get what you pay for. True, for $99 you can get a DCD771 kit with 1.3 Ah batteries, or a DeWalt Ni-Cad drill with two batteries for around the same price. Most people don't look past that "great" price on a DeWalt drill. Honestly, those $99 kits are probably all that 95% of homeowners really need. Even so, to think that another $100 will get a decent kit (DCD780/DCF885 with 2 Ah batteries or something similar), and a little more cash and some luck with get an outstanding deal (my first 20v Max tools were the brushless compact drill, brushless impact, light, and medium Tough System box for $222 out the door). Besides companies' habits of bundling lesser tools/batteries/chargers, though, I just don't see any company risking its reputation to produce an inferior quality tool for big box stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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