The tools you choose to fix your home will be different if your day job is to fix someone else’s. I’m a home remodeling contractor that has been in your shoes. This guide helps you make an informed choice.
What Tools Do You Need to Start?
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” These are timeless words of wisdom that apply to life and buying power tools.
Often in the midst of a home improvement project something goes wrong. What’s rule number 2 of construction after-all? Always expect a surprise.
When you need to buy a tool or add an extra battery, the closet big box store doesn’t carry every brand or tool you might need.
This is not really an issue if you rely solely on corded power tools. But in today’s world where every tool has a different battery platform, consider tool brands from the stores you frequent the most or are closest to you.
One of the added benefits of buying tools from the stores you already visit regularly: You’ll notice when the tools and batteries you’ve been eyeing are on discount.
Tool Brand Recognition
If you tell people you use your circular hand saw to build a bed frame, you don’t have to tell use you use Ryobi. We already know.
Each tool brand is known for something:
- Ryobi is known as the tool brand for homeowners
- Mafell is known as the brand with the $7,000 circular saw.
- That sure makes Festool’s $800 vacuum more palatable.
- Milwaukee is known for leading the industry in tool storage options (Milwaukee Packout).
- DeWalt is known for their 60V dual bevel sliding compound miter saw.
- Metabo is known for their nailers.
- Hilti known by contractors for their hammer drills. But they’re not known by homeowners at all.
- Bosch is also known by contractors for their hammer drills. And they’re a household name. Maybe you recognize a Bosch refrigerator?
- Makita makes appliances too (if a battery powered microwave counts). Makita’s latest innovation is a 40V battery system.
Wait.
Did I say DeWalt has 60V batteries and Makita has 40V batteries?
Can this get any more confusing?
Tools of the Trades
With so many brands making power tools these days how do you make sense of what to purchase?
I think it will help you to envision the power tool brands like car manufacturers, specifically pickup truck manufacturers. You are working with your hands after-all.
Not every car manufacturer offers a pickup truck in their line-up. And similarly, not every tool brand has the ability to get contractors to buy into their battery platform.
Now if you don’t know anything about pickup trucks either, don’t worry. Tools brands are about as unique as pick up trucks. If you can’t tell the difference between them, your tool buying journey just got a lot simpler. Ignorance is bliss. Embrace it.
To finish the analogy, Ford sold the most pickup trucks last year. But if you ask Chevy, they’ll tell you their Silverado is actually built like a rock. That’s the way Milwaukee and DeWalt owners quip back and forth (with Milwaukee leading in sales amongst contractors at the moment and DeWalt hot on their heels).
And what about Makita? You’ll see Toyota Tundras right alongside the F-150s and Silverados on the jobsite, just not as many of them.
Bosch, Metabo, Ridgid, and Flex are competing to become the missing Dodge Ram of this analogy. That’s right, we’re in the middle of an active and ever evolving brand war. All of them will be spotted in contractor bags on a job site, but there’s no clear winner amongst them who has separated themselves to the extent Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Makita have (at least in the US).
It’s worth mentioning that Hilti is almost exclusively a commercial contractor brand that you’ll rarely see in the hands of homeowners.
Where Did I Start?
When I started remodeling homes in 2018 I bought into the Ridgid 18V lineup. Before that I was a civil engineer that owned more ties than tools.
Ridgid is known for their shop vacuums (I have a few of them) and a lifetime warranty on tools and batteries. They have a fairly complete lineup of professional tools at the entry level price point. I also think they have the best portable miter saw stand in the game which is one of the reasons I am happy to own their 10″ and 12″ miter saws. (But the miter saw I use the most is my 7-1/4″ Craftsman)
Don’t worry, this isn’t an ad for Ridgid.
I’m also heavily invested in the Makita 18V lineup.
Don’t worry, this isn’t an ad for them either.
But my Makita cordless router is my favorite amongst the Ridgid and Bosch routers I also own.
That’s how this game goes if you stick around long enough. No matter where you start, eventually you’ll find something you just have to have from another brand.
Lowest Tool Prices
If you’re a poor, start with the discount brands at Harbor Freight. Pros shop there too (for tools they don’t use regularly).
I have a Bauer corded right angle drill and jack hammer from there that will probably last me the rest of my life (because I rarely use them). Hercules is the top product line at Harbor Freight these days and it’s fairly complete for a cordless tool line.
You can get a 18V Warrior brand cordless drill driver combo for $50. If you’re really strapped for cash you can get a 12V cordless Warrior drill for $20.
But, if you intend on doing anything more than assembling furniture, I do strongly recommend at least an 18V battery system if you decide to go cordless. And don’t sleep on the value of a power cord. A 12 gauge extension cord is about $0.80-$1 per foot at Harbor Freight (A 14 gauge extension cord is usually undersized for power tool usage).
PS If you haven’t seen my “classy if you’re rich, trashy if you’re poor” videos, “a poor” is an inside joke.
Homeowner Tool Brands
All things considered, if you’re a homeowner, Ryobi 18V is the easy value pick and has room for you to grow into as they have a complete lineup of power tools and landscaping equipment. They’re owned by the same company that makes Milwaukee (and Ridgid for that matter). They’re only found at Home Depot which is the clear home improvement store leader by sales in store and on-line in the US. They won’t be going anywhere, any time soon.
You have other options though. As I mentioned in the beginning, the stores closet to you should be a major factor in your decision. Hart Tools is the Walmart tool brand targeted at homeowners. They are comparable to Ryobi and offer a suit of lawn & garden equipment as well.
Similarly, at Lowe’s, Craftsman and Kobalt tools have diverse tool line-ups indoors and outdoors well priced for homeowners. If Lowe’s or Walmart is your go-to store any of these brands will meet the demands of a typical homeowner.
PS Be sure to check out the rest of the DIY Tool Guide checklist to see which types of tools I wish I had starting out.
Most Popular Contractor Tool Brands
Festool is the Mercedes-G Wagon of the truck analogy. And Mafell is a Freightliner semi-truck. If someone shows up with these tools, you can almost be certain they use them for a specialized trade. If not, they are very serious and wealthy tool enthusiast.
Aspiring pros, set your sights on the Milwaukee, DeWalt, Makita variety. Ridgid and Lowe’s new Flex line of tools are legitimate contenders as well if you want to get in professional tools at a slightly lower price point. I don’t think any of these brands will limit you’re ability to make money.
If you’re willing to pay a premium, Milwaukee is the safest long term bet. They are the established sales leader and a respected tool amongst contractors. DeWalt is similarly suited at slightly lower price point. Can you do all the same things for even less? I have made six-figures with Makita tools and don’t feel limited in any way.
What this decision might come down to is who has the best deals available for both tools and batteries on the day you decide to buy.
Ready to buy your next tool?
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