Should DIY'ers Buy Professional Grade Tools?

Should DIY'ers Buy Professional Grade Tools?
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[@loneranger1951]

Great information and advice. My reflection over the past 50+ years of tool buying...'I have never bought a tool and thought I should have got a cheaper one but I have a few that I wish I would have paid more and got a better one.'

[@hydroaegis6658]

Well that will always be true by definition. You can't know if you overspent but you'll always know if you underspent.

[@chrismoore9997]

This is why I looked at the battery platform before I started buying tools. I wanted a battery platform that I could invest in and use for YEARS. Ryobi was my choice, because of the stability of the battery platform and variety of tools available that all use the same battery. I got burned by DeWalt changing the battery platform, not once but twice. Never again.

[@wizard3z868]

crapsmen has them all beat as soon as you buy a tool line the next month battery configuration change i have had to throw out so many i but ryobi myself if i break or the battery gose dead wont hold charge after 5 yrs it was worth it

[@reloadersjournal]

Chirs, same here. I have an older Craftsman drill and I found out that the batteries are no longer available. At least not from Craftsman. Knockoff batteries are available on Ebay, but who knows how reliable or safe they are. Since we're looking to buy a house, I started to do some research and I chose Ryobi for several reasons: As you said, the stability of the battery platform appealed to me, good reviews, very fair prices for tools, a large selection of tools and availability.

[@darinnetherland3466]

Wish I had done that. I got into DeWalt early and wish I had gone with Ryobi or something. I have been very lucky where I’ve gotten a lot of free battery and charger deals. A while back they had an amazing 5AH battery with single bare tools, even the cheap ones. Made out like a bandit then, but have t seen that deal since.

[@jhippl]

same i get the cheaper brushed stuff on the rarely used tools and get the higher end brushless on the stuff i know ill use more like drill, circ saw and impact.

[@beneckert9606]

@Steve whens the last time you used a Ryobi tool? I still have old blue ones that work great with the lithium ion batteries and can find them used for $20 or less all the time. I have abput 30 Ryobi Tools and 15 batteries (7 of them are 3 amp hour or more) and i spent less than a grand total. I have a friend who has Milwaukee and easily spent 5 grand or more for less tools and therefore less capability than i have and hes had numerous tools fail on him. Yet ive only ever had my ryobi jobmax break on me while using the rigid rotary head yet it was replaced for me no questions asked the next day. Im a contractor and all the shit talk on ryobi from other contractors is so irritating. They keep shit talking until they see my tool collection is double the size of theirs yet i paid less than half what they did. No one will say Ryobi is better quality than Milwaukee but its by far the best bang for your buc

[@bill6590]

GREAT ANALYSIS: THANKS. Always remember this >>> "The cheap tool I have, is 100% better than the expansive tool I don't have!" You can quote me on that one.

[@GregsWorkshopOregon]

I switched to Milwaukee a few months ago for all my DIY needs and it’s been fantastic. Cordless vacuum sucking up dust while drilling into concrete with my cordless hammer drill, then securing the anchor with my surge impact driver? Fantastic.

[@DrewTheConqueror]

Don’t forget you can get adapters to make batteries work with different brands. I use DeWalt batteries on my Makita outdoor equipment.

[@timkaldahl]

I am running Ryobi tools for my handyman business, and it's working great for me. If I get more serious and need to upgrade I will probably get Milwaukee due to my experience using them when I worked for another guy. Right now I only do the handyman stuff in the summer and teach high school math the rest of the year.

[@geodesicmonkey]

“The first one is always free!” I never really thought about how it like this. One way they get ya, your got! Thanks much for all the videos.

[@pe456nj]

Makita does it all light medium and heavy. Lxt for garage /shop and cxt for in home. Not disappointed and no regrets.

[@speedydry]

pe456nj : Two styles fit all of my DW tools. Adapters are available to use new Li with old tools. No other oem makes adapters. All other tool makers change batteries often except DW and Ryobi. I don’t like Ryobi batteries or tools.

[@mikedehn8654]

I used to have a 9.6 volt Makita drill in 1995. Absolute garbage. No power. No endurance. No brake. Lately, I've heard they've stepped up their game. I even saw they make a coffee maker. Crazy, right?

[@tearodman]

you can buy LXT for home - when you find older models. There's always the new BL model gen 2/3 in full price, where is the older 18v coal and gen 1 BL models still avaiable - but I am going digging down as I find myself with 12v drill and screwdrivers where they are nicer to everyday use.

[@journeyofawesome8473]

Why would I settle for a tool that 'just' gets the job done? Then you expect me to take care of it?! This is America, Sir. edit, just in case: This is sarcasm.

[@johncline3033]

I inherited a barn full of pro tools, 2 months later I inherited a 8 stall mechanic shop of all prograde tools. I'm set for life on my little 3.5 acre micro-farm.

[@soggykid5580]

Weird flex but ok

[@jayhaveyable]

So you're saying we should be thankful for not being a relative of yours?

[@addicted2tools]

Where do ya live?

[@johncline3033]

@@addicted2tools Down south, in Dixieland.

[@MysticWanderer]

Gotta love the convenience of cordless but I also love the convenience of never needing to charge my extension cord.

[@AthenaNova1]

The only reason I bought a Dewalt drill was I found one with 2 batteries in great shape for $20 at a thrift store. It has served me well. That was a heck of a deal!

[@CreatureAlley]

as someone who works in special effects in film i use both milwaukee and ryobi. since my regular driver and impact are my work horses i went with milwaukee but for everything else ive found that ryobi does just fine for the amount that i use the other tools. i started with ryobi, built up the full kit then as i figured out which tools i used the most i only upgraded what was truly needed.

[@DrThunder88]

"Buy once, cry once...Continue crying...Cry some more...Keep on crying. Now, wipe your nose and look down it at people who bought anything else."

[@reloadersjournal]

I could never understand people like that. Who cares what someone else bought, they bought what works for them. It doesn't take anything away from anyone else just because one person likes one brand of tool over another.

[@advocatus360]

It's impolite to use the tape measure to size up each other's manhood, so tools are the analog

[@MegaDysart]

Sounds like the guys at work who spent bookoo bucks on snap on cordless junk and shit talk the guys with milwaukee and dewalt

[@MikeBramm]

I always purchase the best power tools that I can afford, which is usually the professional model. I've found that they simply work better and last much longer. The consumer and "prosumer" grade tools just seem like they may be good for 5-10 years, but probably not much longer than that, even when used only a few times per year.

[@jjsrt8]

I'm invested in Dewalt Heavily and a bit of Ryobi. I'm more of a diy type of person but I like having good working tools. Dewalt hasn't disappointed yet.

[@mrkend69]

I went for the tools out of my league. I went Milwaukee and I'm building my tool set out whenever a job comes up that I need a specific tool for. Needed to paint and pull trim, got a Rocket light and the brad nailer. Had to drill holes got the combo hammer drill and Surge. So far these are tools beyond my skills but I'll grow into them.

[@techydog7854]

When you start buying extra batteries and multiple chargers for only one or two tools you've moved into corded territory.

[@PCAPro]

It’s really incredible how far we have come on battery technology. Not only can they compete with corded tools but they are now competing with pneumatic air tools. Oh and don’t forget even 12v lines are holding their own.

[@guyfawkesuThe1]

Unless you are on a job site with no power or generators.

[@MegaDysart]

After using 18v Milwaukee stuff for years at work, corded is ridiculously inconvenient and annoying. I had to use a corded hammer drill at home the other day and it just made me appreciate my cordless stuff even more

[@afh7689]

"Or whether the missus is on Pinterest finding all sorts of projects for you to work on" 😆

[@BigBear--]

Btw I think in overall tool quality Makita beats Dewalt and Milwaukee. There’s some individual tools that are better here and there, like Milwaukee’s 15 amp Sawzall. But as a general rule, Makita’s build quality is generally slightly better for the money. They also have some of the longest lasting batteries, using Samsung cells, mostly the 25R’s, which have an awesome life span in discharge/recharge cycles. Don’t get me wrong, I like some tools from every brand, and I do think Milwaukee is a very, very close second to Makita, occasionally beating them tool for tool. But if I had to only go with one system, fully invested, have to go Makita. But good news is you don’t have to pick just one team, can buy from each manufacturer, depending on which tool is the best in that category.

[@GrinderCB]

I'm just taking up woodworking and don't expect to go full tilt boogie into it, so cost versus frequency of use was important to me. That said, I recently took advantage of Ryobi Days at HD and snagged their last One+ circular saw with that deal where you buy the charger/2 batteries/tool bag set and get your choice of tool to go with it. About ten days later I went back and decided to snag their next-to-last One+ drill driver/impact drill set. I know this video was about using the baseline to compare weekend warrior vs pro-sumer vs professional but when you're an obvious beginner like me and the Ryobi Days prices are soooo sweet it makes that decision so much easier.

[@JGV_IX]

I think it depends on how important tools are to you. I’m as much a “tool” guy as I am a “car” guy. As a DIYer half the pleasure of my projects are unpacking my Festool and DeWalt tools and admiring the precision these tools offer. I’ve replaced all my Ryobi tools over time due to frankly poor quality and unsatisfactory results. I’d rather save a while longer and buy the essentials from a professional brand that’ll last a lifetime and give great results whilst being a pleasure to work with. Just my opinion.

[@hydroaegis6658]

The simple reality is the vast majority of people won't even keep the tools for 10 years, because the upgraded performance will be too large to ignore. Almost no one is using their power tools from 10 years ago today, except maybe some ryobi stuff.

[@Socherbal]

The thing I like about your channel is you tell it like it is. If a tool that costs less is a better deal, you aren’t afraid to say it. I appreciate that. I’ve always been of the opinion that you buy once cry once, but I can understand someone not wanting to spend all the money on tools they only use a few times

[@strykerlodge]

Outstanding overall wrap up. This took you a lot of time to compile. Thank you and good day.

[@n9wox]

In my early DIY years, I bought a lot of sets with skips because the price was right. Now I regret doing so and won't by skipped sets anymore.

[@xephael3485]

you can fill in skips, but yes I agree skips suck.

[@john4kc]

I will avoid a whole company that pushes any skip sets.

[@figliodihades]

What does skipped mean?

[@john4kc]

@@figliodihades Like if a socket set skips over 13mm or 16mm or 17mm or whatever. You'll eventually need that. In some cases you'll need it a lot.

[@n9wox]

@@figliodihades missing tools that are not in sequential order, 10mm,11mm,12mm, skip 13

[@JimboHurt]

Def a tool man and not a tv man. Plasma has been not sold for over 10 years haha :P

[@dan5087]

Still have mine! Excellent colors, just have to be cognizant of burn-in

[@GeekGinger]

@@dan5087 Me too. I still have a 15 year old 50" Panasonic plasma commercial monitor and it looks great.

[@xephael3485]

OLED is the new plasma

[@GeekGinger]

Flat Bastard Engineering Channel The OLED TVs have the picture quality like the plasmas did but they have the same issue with burn-in too so they’re not a good choice if you have a gaming system hooked up to your TV. When my plasma does finally die that’s what I hope to get.

[@pillingthemsoftly4738]

I think you're right about that, but funny enough, plasma is still better than a lot of brand new TVs today.

[@stewartxp2400]

8:04 "Do you drive a tank to work?" LOL! Perfect. That had me cracking up

[@PogLife2171]

I just bought my first Makita starter set because Home Depot had a big sale on it, if they hadn't i would have bought Ryobi. My family has had the tools since the early 2000's and they are extremely solid tools for the money. All of them are still running to this day, even if the quality isn't as nice as their new stuff.

[@massimoportinari3199]

I heard from someone, maybe you, that if you use a tool enough that you have to replace it twice, buy the third one high class. I take that advice with gold.

[@journeyofawesome8473]

I like to say "Buy it right, or buy it for right now." There is nothing wrong with buying a tool, or microwave, or car for that matter, to get you buy until you can get the ' good one.'

[@xephael3485]

I've has lots of tools and other things that have needed to be replaced. It's all about value and capabilities. I'll happily replace a cheap or expensive tool with the same thing if it's doing what I need and had a good service life. Just because it was replaced a few times doesn't mean I'm going to buy something that's 10 times more expensive because it MIGHT last twice as long.

[@ronwilliams329]

I applied the same logic to women, been divorced twice and married a high maintenance woman and she has cost me dearly and still costing me!

[@xephael3485]

@@ronwilliams329 It sounds like the lesson is; don't get married to your tools :-P

[@Oscubasteve]

Rigid, lifetime warranty!

[@francismcgee9959]

I just jumped into the Hercules platform, love the tools so far, just hope they continue and expand the line

[@inkandbarrel]

I adored the Hilti comment! So true. I always remember the odd tools in our old shop being the cheapest we could get... for the one job. If it repeated? We upgraded. Even pros are in it to make money, not build a collection.

[@kennethjenkins1804]

Just found your feed. I am planning on rebuilding my deck and have been looking at upgrading from corded to cordless tools. This was a great deal of info and a good place to start the shopping process for me. Love Red. I might start with Milwaukee and build from there. Thanks for the in depth.

[@qzetu]

I'm a professional handyman. I use my tools everyday & I'm not in any particular format. All my tools are corded accept my drills. The reason for that is corded tools are cheaper so I can buy name brand, they have more torque, they don't get hot as easy, and they last longer. Around the house, you'll mostly use a drill so that's where you should go professional.

[@yootoobactnameyoo5221]

I went with corded for the stuff that runs all day. Like you said cheaper up front, and a lot cheaper overall if you don't have to buy 10 batteries just to keep working all day.

[@claudehebert3131]

I just posted a comment very similar to yours, before I read yours. I'm not a pro, but I share your view.

[@andreycham4797]

I have watched this crap for 5 minutes at least in comments someone makes a sense

[@Smedleydog1]

I've never given it a lot of thought, but really, if someone is a DIYer working in their own garage/shop, corded tools make sense. They're cheaper so you can buy a better tool for less most times and they're usually more powerful.

[@svt4001]

Yeah, but it depends on where you're at and what you're doing. As a cable tech, I had to get a cordless hammer drill for putting anchors into concrete thirty feet up a ladder. Climb up the ladder, drill for the anchor, install, climb back down, move the ladder, rinse and repeat for ten hours a day, five days a week. That's not a lot of fun with a corded drill!

[@davetires7300]

Love my Ryobi tools,I try to keep’em looking like new & they Never change their battery lineup🤓👍🇺🇸

[@willmercier2852]

I agree! I've been very happy with Ryobi, same batteries, massive tool line etc. I even use their mower lol. Plus, at least where I live Ryobi is only slightly more expensive than harbor freight.

[@willmercier2852]

@Steve haha nope, however I did meet a Ryobi PR lady once at home depot while I was shopping.

[@xephael3485]

Agreed... I beat up my Ryobi stuff. If it dies it dies. Save more than enough money to get another one if it burns out. Oh no, it doesn't beat the Milwaukee by 1 second drilling in a screw. My world is devistated!

[@xephael3485]

@Steve You think Ryobi has PR folks? They have fans that love the ugly green...

[@davidperry4013]

You cannot go wrong with Apprentice grade power tools.

[@WrightTries]

I bought the Ryobi set for around 300 dollars three years ago and they are still running just fine, I've built some big stuff and used them almost every weekend. Part of me wishes that I bought a higher grade of tools, because I'm using them a lot more than I intended.

[@honkwok5489]

ryobi was come first cordless 25' 1/4" drain cleaner, the plumber broke in 1 or 2 time use and non repairable. later when milwaukee come something, this got run and run. just have replace drain cable when this so rusty out.

[@Greeves421a]

Great Vid, Just subscribed to your channel and have learned alot from just a few of your vids. Thanks for the info from a fellow resident of LV.

[@DIYAudioGuy]

But your facts hurt my feelings.

[@benjaminholcomb9478]

The facts... don't care. (lol)

[@jimivey6462]

Sooooo funny 😄

[@MarkRVillano]

You're killing me! I own the eight tool, "Red Headed Stepchild" Porter Cable system, and my yard tools are, "Dead Man Walking", Black & Deckers. I have no reason to live ;'(

[@gutshotaz2805]

Oh I'm going all in on deadman walking, especially their bolt on set ;)

[@crj198]

@Spider's Morning yah this was a pretty neat idea. Seems like it would save an occasional diy'er money if its made well.

[@leoingle]

Great video! This is why I love your channel. Keep up the great work.

[@RyanLinkous]

Can you do an updated version of this video soon? Each of the tool lines has come out with fuller product lines. Also, I think with a catchy title, this would be a very popular video. I've watched in 4 times.

[@avelezusmc7929]

I buy what serves my needs ryobi hasn't let me down

[@journeyofawesome8473]

I jumped on that platform pretty hard recently. they fact that HD is a mile up the rd doesn't hurt.

[@orbitalair2103]

the 18v+ line has been working well for me, but my oldest piece is only 3 yo. The 9in bandsaw is somewhat infuriating tho. Who has the oldest 18v tool here??

[@iclisious]

@@orbitalair2103 I still have some of the 1+ blue stuff. I am a huge fan of ryobi for my outdoor activities especially when I go camping. That 12v charger for the one+ 18v goes great with my solar kit

[@masterkilla77]

@@orbitalair2103 infuriating why?

[@orbitalair2103]

@@masterkilla77 no matter how you set it, the blade doesnt really want to track straight. Yes it has the guide pins, and the bearings are set right for the blade thickness, and yes the upper height adjuster is tight. and the band is tight. but if you try to rip a 2x4 in half, after about 12-15 inches it will start to bow out. Even if I make the top guide right at the thickness of the wood. For my skills it works, I am not making precision stuff, but its still poor in my view. MAY be the band tension could be tighter, not sure, seems pretty tight to me.

[@gjolinares23]

I’m b-deep in Dewalt it’s a pretty decent platform for the money. I would go Milwaukee but I have a couple grand in Dewalt equipment and don’t want a lot of different batteries and chargers.

[@ChrisGilliamOffGrid]

Same. Big pile of Dewalt. Sawzall broke today tho, hope I can fix it.😒

[@OnusBones]

This is one reason I don't switch from Ryobi. Although I can't help but think some other lines might have a little more power (channeling Tim Allen here), the simply fact is that over years, none of the Ryobi One+ tools I've bought have broken or worn out; deals regularly crop up too. I just picked up 2x(2x4.0AH batteries+another tool) during Home Depot's Ryobi Days.

[@russellleahy]

Stick with dewalt

[@ChrisGilliamOffGrid]

@@OnusBones I love the Ryobi hot glue gun. Outstanding tool. And only $30

[@Conqueef-tadoor]

I have both. I have Milwaukee at work, and an old Craftsman 19.2v set for at home. I've done DIY stuff with those Craftsman cordless tools for over 10yrs now and other than the batteries crapping out, they held up just fine.

[@congaronbo]

I have the 19.2 as well... Now there are lithium batteries and chargers... That makes me happy.

[@Conqueef-tadoor]

@@congaronbo I have upgraded to the lithium batteries about 5yrs ago when I purchased another drill that came with the lithium batteries. I ended up getting two more for a total of 4 lithium batteries. But even those are on their last leg now. They die VERY quickly when using the tool.

[@congaronbo]

@@Conqueef-tadoor you think I should stick with the original type? This set was a gift from a friend who upgraded to Milwaukee... No idea how long he had it and he passed away recently.

[@davidshirk2024]

Hey Bear! I had all my power tools stolen about a year ago. They could hardly be called a set. Makita, HF, Porter Cable (I had a GREAT old PC sander) DeWALT. So, time to start over. I've spent many hours in the Den of Tools. You do a great job. I finaly desided on the Kobalt platform. This weekend I bought "4" tool (drill diver, impact driver, recip saw, light, with 4 hr battery and charger) for $200! I also got the 30 piece Dewalt impact driver bit pack in the nifty new case. So, now it's Monday...ready to get busy. Thanks Bear.

[@JDLarge]

And this is exactly why I can afford to continue building my tool collection. Over two years at roughly $1,500.00 was a good choice. This also includes any returned purchases I’ve made at a discount from the “oh I’ll buy one, use it for the project then return it” people! I bought the Bauer bandsaw for $39! Of course I plugged it in right in the store to make sure it was OK and it was fine and is still going strong today. The manager is the one who told me he believed somebody bought it for the weekend to use and then returned it when they were done. I can’t stand people like that! But they do provide me with discounts I otherwise wouldn’t of had, so I guess we can keep them from getting corona, for now! LOL I have just about all I saw in this vid plus the Bauer mini router and mini corded circ. I’ve been quite happy with my tools because I know a little secret. It may sound silly, but I always let the tool do the work for me, I don’t force it. And for the blades and drill bits I always buy well known names like diablo, that yellow brand and even that red M brand. That’s where you can spend the money and you’ll be happy with the results although it may hurt the wallet. Since buying the first drill I’ve been saying I like Bauer Power, and it holds true today. I especially like that Eric will get negative feedback and make changes on the go. For instance the GEN one 4 1/2 inch grinder from Bauer and also the quarter inch hex impact from Bauer were both redone into Gen2’s which perform so much better and they really feel good in the hand now. That means a lot to me so say what you will about Harbor Freight, and me being a customer over the past 30 years I myself have doubted some of their products, but they are a standup company, and they are doing the right thing with great tools at an affordable price. Bauer Power, go on say it, you know you want to😉✌🏼

[@bullwinkle7542]

Only 1500.00 in 2 years you are a rookie, I blew 1,900.00 in 1 day at Lowe’s on a Bosch Brute Jackhammer works great on tearing up concrete and paid for itself then sold it to my bricklayer

[@WilliamKluge]

I'd be curious to see some comparisons of Bauer vs the M12 line in terms of cost and power. I know it was not considered for this video, but might be an interesting follow-up

[@nwwoodsman2545]

Great information. I've been in the Ryobi 18v line for years (I still have some old blue tools) and love them, they're good for home diy stuff. I recently got into the Milwaukee M12 line for use at work. I'm in industrial maintenance.

[@aahaahaah]

Great video, and I like that you brought up warranties. On that subject, I think it's worth mentioning that when you consider buying Bauer tools, figure in the cost of the ESP, since their warranty is only 90 days.

[@ChadKanotz]

I've been rocking the Atlas line that H.R. carries for my yard needs, and dang but Ryobi tools are inexpensive, vast, and reliable.

[@austinjenkins5756]

Great video. I’m a DIY’er. Coincidentally I had just done a similar comparison of Bauer vs Ryobi vs Milwaukee using as apples to apples as possible. Milwaukee easily being 2x the cost of Ryobi. I’ve got the 4 or so Milwaukee tools, but probably will restart with Ryobi. I’m a bit apprehensive with Bauer and getting invested in their lineup. It was definitely important to ask myself how often I actually use these tools and for how long, the answer being little relative to someone who uses them for their living. Really enjoy your videos and content!

[@vane5736]

I would get Ryobi it's the same price as Bauer but better lineup and better tools.

[@Troph2]

Im a welder/fabricator/mechanic I use bosch for my daily drivers and ryobi for the stuff i grab now and then and it has held up in a weld shop environment just fine and never once let me down.

[@willmercier2852]

I love Ryobi. They have a HUGE lineup of tools, I feel like I'll walk into home depot and find battery powered Ryobi appliances one day lol. As for Bauer, I'm sure it's fine but Ryobi I know for a fact has been in the game a very long time so I trust them more.

[@ahmadghosheh3104]

Love Milwaukee for heavy duty impacts, wrenchs, and drivers. Other than that I am for what works and lasts. I am a DIY, shade tree mechanic. Lastly, by the end of a job my tools are greasy, dirty, beat up. I spend another hour cleaning each one and putting it in the correct place. I maintain then, grease the fittings, oil the gears, and rotate the batteries. They will last.

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

I’m a professional at work, but I’m a DIY’er at home, and I have Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Ryobi tools. They all have their purpose.

[@bryansmith5980]

I am wondering why most or any home diy'er would even buy battery anyways. More a pain in the butt. when there is access to outlet in your home? More power in the corded & no let down of the wait of the charger to finish the job. when plug finish, and have a cold frosty one..

Bryan Smith most people don’t want to drag a cord around. I have a corded DeWalt circular saw and I never use it anymore, and use my cordless Ryobi whenever I want to cut wood. I’m just a diyer and do most of my work outdoors, the convenience of not having to drag a cord wherever I want to use a tool is a huge plus. When I’m drilling and driving screws indoors, I definitely don’t want to have to plug a cord in to get the job done, especially if I’m working at awkward angles.

[@sirmalus5153]

I used 'powered' tools for years, then bought my first Milwaukee tool (28V hammer drill) That was the day 13 years ago I stopped using corded drills for most jobs. Now I still use a corded SDS drill, which is a two handed job just to pick up, for those large 3/4" size holes and bigger. I have never looked back since 'going battery', and now have about 40 different milwaukee tools. Corded tools do have their place I know from experiance, but the convenience of getting rid of the cable is immesurable. Just get the tool that is big enough for the job, as cheap 'cabled' tools aren't as good as expensive battery ones I find.

[@strawbandit173]

I still consider bauer a pro-sumer tool, I use my bauer line up every single day and beat the hell out of it! and it works like a charm

[@RCfromtheNYC]

Thanks for the tips! I've been debating on whether I should upgrade the hand drill I have (I own a Black & Decker 20V) and plan to do more DIY work using wood and cardboard.

[@JL-ib7tj]

I bought a Black & Decker 20V combo set a few years back for around $100.00 which included the drill, a light, a small circular saw and a reciprocating saw. I use the drill and light frequently and am perfectly happy with how they perform, as they've never let me down. I've used the reciprocating saw once and I felt it performed well. I've used the circular saw a few times, and I haven't been impressed with it. It might do better with a Diablo blade. However, no matter what tools I have, I take care of them. I have some Snap-On (my dad was a mechanic), Craftsman, Black & Decker, Bauer (only a corded random orbital sander), a Chicago Electric tile saw- and they're all working well for me. I don't toss them around carelessly, and I don't abuse them. You can buy tools at any price point and it won't matter if you don't take care of them. If your tools are working for you, why waste money on upgrades you don't need? I will add, though, that I have seen some cheap tools I would not buy. I tend to do more research now to make good purchasing decisions. I work hard for the money I earn and I want every dollar to work as hard for me.

[@deets2895]

Just stumbled on this channel and subbed. Love it. Good info, related well by a fun and friendly tool bear that sounds like The Dude, in a good way :)

[@charlesking678]

With all this being said. Kobalt and Ridgid are the two best values. I am heavily invested in Milwaukee fuel. If I were starting over without a doubt it'd be kobalt especially the xtr line. Outstanding value and pro quality.

[@waterbottle4782]

There is not much of a cost difference? Try buying a wrench at home depot vs the Snap on tool truck.

[@Mopars_41]

I'd still take the snap on wrench, because those wrenches are worth the $300 I paid for mine. Also I can round off a bolt with a Husky, or Crafstman or Shittsburgh wrench and take it off with a regular snap on wrench of the same size.

[@KB2236]

Don’t let them trap you with a battery platform, I use a mixed bag of brands started off with the most affordable options harbor freight, sale tools, offer up, Craigslist. Then built from there and spent money on tools as my skills developed, I like Milwaukee the most but can’t tell you how much value I’ve gotten out of harbor freight and ryobi, etc, and still use them today. You’ll find as you go what you like from different brands.

[@22busy43]

I’ve bought harbor freight brands in the past. When I would go back to get additional or replacement batteries the line would be discontinued. I decided to go Milwaukee because I was tired of stuff going obsolete. I considered Ryobi, but had a bad experience with past gas products.

[@Spectt84]

I wonder how much the Bauer line would be if you purchased 5 years worth of warranty for each tool to match Kobalt and Milwaukees' 5 year warranty?...

[@victoreous626]

Perfect. I bought the Kobalt Brand because Lowe's are everywhere and warranty kicks butt.

[@darinnetherland3466]

Spectt consumers probably log about 5 hours of tool use a year, maybe a month. Pros log that much time a day. That’s the difference. It’s not the years, it’s the utilization in that time.

[@xephael3485]

It wouldn't cost you, because you can't! Harbor Freight extended warranties are 2 years max from what I've seen. They can not be extended further unless the tool breaks and you buy a new warranty on the broken item.

[@PawOfRizzo]

By the same token a lot of the Bauer tool only are about $40 or $50, so why buy a 5 year warranty even if you could? For the pricier Bauer tools certainly the extended warranty is worth considering, but for a flashlight or sander that I'm probably not going to use except here and there, I'll take the risk.

[@Mixwell1983]

@@xephael3485 you cant buy another warranty on the replacements.. It is a 1 time deal or else everyone would add the 2yr every time they used the warranty and keep getting the tool replaced every 2 years..

[@mramseyISU]

Full disclosure here I have Milwaukee stuff so take that into consideration for everything else I’m going to say. For me every other brand the battery interface and the longevity of that interface scared me away. Other than Milwaukee and their little brother Ryobi those battery interfaces keep changing or the brand dies off. How many power tool lines have Harbor Freight pushed only to go away a couple years down the road? How many incarnations of Kobalt power tools has there been over the last 10 years? I’ve personally got a mix of M12 and M18 stuff and that battery interface hasn’t changed in the 10 years I’ve been using them. The other positive in my opinion on Milwaukee is that the same charger will work on both of their battery lines so I only need one charger so I’m not pinned down to one size of tool. The other thing is that Milwaukee line is huge, granted a lot of that stuff is super specialized to certain trades but it’s there if you want it. You don’t have that massive selection with the Kobalt or Bauer stuff. I’m really happy with the Milwaukee stuff but do get the appeal to the lower end tools they just didn’t make sense with my decision making process.

[@mramseyISU]

Jon Doe I like the Ryobi stuff but I go into the Milwaukee because of the M12 line. I like the smaller drill and impact driver size compared to an 18V setup. I build a lot of furniture and it’s perfect for that.

[@karlsimonian1424]

@@mramseyISU Love my M12 Fuel combo kit.

[@bonivuselderheart2716]

@Steve ... You DO know that TTI makes the Ryobi tools- they licensed the name from the Ryobi group, yes? (www.ryobi-group.co.jp/en/news/powertools/006732.html) TTI also owns the Milwaukee brand, which is part of the reason for the sibling reference. I do see some of the more esoteric plumbing tools from the Milwaukee side of the house coming out with a neon green coat, which is nice to see.

[@andrewostrom8676]

I'm with you here. I just bought into the Milwaukee cordless platform, perhaps I was influenced by the Milwaukee corded tools I own (1/2 drill, right angle drill, SuperSawzall). But, I got burned too many times in the past. Because I liked Porter-Cable corded tools I bought their 12V cordless kit when it came out (drill, grinder, 6-1/2" circular saw). Within 2 years the batteries were toast, but not available - the tools still worked. Ok, I know technology changed - I bought into the 18V Porter-Cable system - Drill, Impact, Grinder, Recip saw. Within a year they announced their 20V system - new tools and batteries unavailable, except on eBay sometimes. Over the last couple of years I've been getting by with a couple of generic batteries from some vendor on Amazon - they work, but not well. I recently picked up the Fuel hammer drill/driver and the Surge impact on sale with 2 batteries and a charger. Wow - these are smaller, lighter, and much more powerful than my 18V Porter-Cable. I love these, and I believe that batteries, tools and accessories will continue to be available for a long time. Maybe I'm wrong about that, we'll see.

[@Venthorn]

This was enlightening to a degree that I didn't expect. Obvious in retrospect, but I never thought they'd get you with the commonly used and high quality drill/drivers and then once you're bought in charge so much more for the lesser used tools. I have the Makita subcompact set of that and it's absolutely magical, but I started looking elsewhere when I thought I'd need an orbital sander. The price difference is just so much, even for the corded.

[@Piolin768]

Thanks! I was looking forward to this video.

[@honkhonkler7732]

I buy a pro grade tool when one of my consumer grade tools breaks prematurely or bogs down on a job I'm doing. For cordless, I always buy lower tier models of upper end brands because I don't want to be locked into a low end battery ecosystem should I need a better cordless tool. Makita is my choice in cordless.

[@ryanwashenesky5044]

The cost of the batteries is also a concern. I bought my kobalt 24v stuff because after buying the extra battery the price difference between it and the hf or other "cheap" ones was only about $5. A great deal considering their 5 year warranty.

[@pablolobo6560]

Agree. Makita have so many options and are a such a pleasure to use.

[@dainsmart6237]

There is something missing in every line for the amount of tools, goto Ryobi

[@svt4001]

Great analysis! I actually adopted the Ryobi line because they had more of the particular tools that I needed on one battery platform. Now that I am invested in the platform, I still do research every time I need to add a new tool. I know that Ryobi isn't always "the best", but they suit my needs. That said, I do have a lot of Milwaukee tools. I have an M12 drill and a cabinet full of corded tools, like the sawzall, 3/4 impact, and rotary hammer, most of which I bought when cordless tools were first hitting the scene.

[@scottsmith2052]

This DIYer uses Dewalt. The brand has served me well for 20+ years. The old Ni-cad tools still work great (with adapters). Nothing touches the convenience of Flexvolt and one charger for everything in your life. Never bought a kit - everything will eventually end up lonely in the clearance bin or reconditioned or somebody will put it on sale (I don't need a $100 radio or a $100 flashlight). I've got like 6 chargers and maybe 15 different batteries from the little babies to the big boys. Everything works together and it's truly a joy. My less frequently used tools have cords. Still hoping for a deal on a Dewalt circular saw, though. I can't justify the price when my corded saw handily outperforms all but the nicest cordless ones.

[@longwang3o3]

Damn I never knew Milwaukee has a m18 buffer lol going to to get one now

[@davidcook4773]

Just don't go too cheap or you'll have to buy everything 3 or 4 times in the long run.

[@jblue345]

This is the best advice

[@DjCapnWolf]

Thank you for this video! Super useful and insightful information!

[@jmbwashi]

What was the budget Ryobi price out? I would love to know how it compares to Bauer and Kobolt.

[@handyhusband113]

Roughly the same as Kobalt, and probably should've been considered for the mid-level, because they're just as good/better. Every single tool that was marked out was most likely available from Ryobi.

[@spark20]

I remember my dad having a Circular "Skilsaw", Makita cordless drill, Black and Decker sander, and actual USA made Craftsman tool set. All of them but the tool set (stolen) we still have and working fine. I just want to buy quality tools and try not focus too much on the branding. I will never understand the cult following attitude of sticking to certain brands.

[@tk4x431]

The reason I personally am trying to stick to one brand (I'm 18, working on building myself my first REAL toolset) is batteries, I want most of my system to all run off the same batteries, so I would never be out of power on the job... On the same note, I'm worriedb that if I buy the cheap walmart tools, the brand may just disappear in a few years and I'll never be able to get new batteries for it. I'm probably overreacting, but its my own mental hangups. However with corded tools, I wouldn't at all worry about brands. But, I just splurged a little and bought myself a nice Milwaukee Impact driver, and II absolutely LOVE it, so I think I've planted my flag on Milwaukee's hill, and I don't intend to leave it XD

[@ValisFan3]

Sticking with a brand wasn't such a big thing back when most people used corded tools. It is more important today with battery powered platforms. There are actually adapters on Ebay that you can buy to cross battery platforms. I get a lot of tools used at garage sales, so I have a bunch of different brands.

[@bradleyyounger8499]

My drills and things are milwaukee but I needed a router to do a few things. I bought one of the Bauer. I was really impressed with the quality. I have since bought a wet dry vac and I am loving it

[@davidpastor9976]

For yard work I have the Kobalt 40v tools, String trimmer, blower and pole saw. Got the blower last year on sale at $79.00 with a battery and charger. I have 3 chargers and 4 batteries total. The trimmer, in my opinion is one the weak side, but the pole saw is killer. Thanks for the video Bear.

[@illmaticTKD]

If your on a budget buy the best cheapest tool you can afford, when you break it you know you now need a better one

[@adriannurse1502]

But, then you start getting into multiple brands with multiple batteries and chargers. That is a lot more hassle then I want. I have never found a cheap tool that remotely worked as good a good brand tool.

[@robertmcevoy24]

“I can buy it cheaper” it’s an ego trip. Reminds me of braggers when buying a car I got the best deal yeah right you just got screwed ! I know I was in the business for years. As the old saying goes the best deal is the one you think you got. I buy what meets my needs when it comes to bigger purchases for wood working I’ll spend the greenbacks on Grizzly.

[@darinnetherland3466]

Robert McEvoy meh, last car I bought I put 25 dealers within 200 miles against each other to win my business. I think I got the best deal. BTW it was $8k off a $32k sticker car (that’s 20% off), 2020 model year in September 2019.

[@robertmcevoy24]

Darin Netherland Thank you proving my point! Great job on wasting 25 salespeople’s time. How’s those platform shoes working for you ?

[@ronwilliams329]

I have Grizz products to include the 14X40 gunsmith lathe. Can't be happier with the purchase even though the Grizz is know to have some initial set up issues. Once you get those issues worked out most Grizz owners are happy with their purchase. I try to avoid the Chinese made stuff and insist on Taiwan. The difference between China and Taiwan is like night and day when it comes to precision machinery.

[@robertmcevoy24]

Ron Williams I agree my Table saw came squared to the fence the hard part was getting the table level and setting up the mobile base it’s pushing around 400 pounds plus I managed to get the beast in the base by myself luck and leverage.

[@jalan8171]

If I do not anticipate utilizing certain equipment every day for extended period of time, "Pro Grade" equipment is not requirement. As an automotive expert told me, unless I'm charging other people real money for my time and service, a "Pro grade" tool is an unnecessary luxury. Prime example- Electronic system analyzers. A multi-thousand dollar computerized scan device is worth the money for a professional mechanic. For an amateur owning one or two passenger cars, a basic good OBD2 tool for someone that takes his cars to a garage for serious work is more than sufficient.

[@hgaston01271]

I’m also a diyer I liked the Hercules line up . Watched a bear video about some of the products coming out for the 20 volt so went with them am very happy with the hammer drill and the impact driver just waiting for the rest to come out

[@scriptonite2182]

Its my money and I'll throw it away if I like. Harbor Freight here I come.

[@pittwm]

Buy once cry once, my approach to buying everything.

[@bobbobbinson1841]

Ave just showed his $600 snap-on motor on his drill just wore out.. you might cry twice or 3 times on pro tools.

[@jackalo626]

Thanks for this, this type of video was just what I was looking for. I have been on a fix it kick over the past bit and mostly hand tools got me by but I have been eyeing the power tools etc. I am diy and take care of all my stuff so the lower 2 are my decision to make.

[@timhood6970]

Red, I will just say this, I have a sideline job where I hire out my tractor and do bush-hogging with it for the public, I run a 6 ft medium/heavy duty brush cutter behind my tractor, and when they came out with the Bauer lne I purchased the 4 1/2" angle grinder to use around the house, I decided to grab it one day instead of my 7" electric grinder to sharpen the blades on the bush hog just to see what it would do to the heavy thick blades on it, and I have not used my heavy 7" grinder since! Was very impressed with the job the Bauer did with them, and what more could you ask out of any 4 1/2" grinder?

[@phazeonepro]

i have invested in the Milwaukee m12 line and Bauer 20v lines, best of both worlds

[@lucdesnoyers645]

I’m a diy’er. I was given my first set of dewalt drill/impact so I grew from there. I soon saw the difference between the cheaper vs the XR brushless models. Now I have many tools but want to replace my drill/impact combo to the XR brushless model.

[@jamesonnorth]

I asked a lot of home/DIY guys what to buy before I started buying power tools, and all I heard was Makita, Milwaukee, or Dewalt. I then talked to a pro who actually uses the tools all day and he recommended Ryobi. He said you can't go wrong with the "pro" tools, but 9/10 times, the Ryobi does the job perfectly. I bought a 5 tool set (drill, impact, circular saw, recip saw, light) and it worked great, then added a hammer drill and a corded miter saw. The only time I don't use my Ryobi tools is when I want something smaller, so I get my 12v Bosch. My Ryobi have been great, and for the price, I have no complaints. I've never found anything I can't do in my projects.

[@douggalt]

Great review!!! Have you done a review or video regarding battery adapters that allow you to switch between battery types?

[@roybreedloveAF]

Hi Bear, I’m just home novice but I’m pretty handy around the house and got sucked into the cordless tool Bonanza. WHY?... Marketing!!!!!! What’s wrong with the corded tools? More amperage. Longer lasting! Tired of being a sheep🤭. Love the Channel🤗😎

[@charlestaylor8832]

The Bear hit it. Take care of your tools. I helped a friend build house in 2002-3. I used his Ryobi and my Dewalt. My Dewalt was a few years old and having transmission issues. So in 2003 I sold the Dewalt and jump on Ryobi. That old blue drill still works like new and is my most used tool. I’m sold on Ryobi.

[@josephmichuda6447]

I love my Milwaukee M18 setup. Some of my M18 tools are 8 years old and have never missed a lick.

[@frugalprepper]

I don't have a problem changing up battery systems. I will buy the cheaper tools for the ones I use less and buy the good ones for the ones I use all the time. Having 3 or 4 different chargers isn't a big deal.

[@drewpickard554]

I generally agree with you. I do feel Ryobi should of been in the comparison. Esp at the home owner/consumer level. Price of course but really on the sheer number of tools. For my that one battery system takes care of my woodworking, car, inside house, AND lawn care. The lawn stuff is what pushes it over the edge for me, I use the hedge trimmer and weed whacker ALOT, but that 18v 8ft pole saw came in handy too. And the 18v shop vac well I have used that more than I thought, and have vac'd in general alot more than I thought I would

[@drewpickard554]

So I should of watched to the end of the video when you talked about Ryobi. I do agree with your point about on sale stuff with all of them, all companies have the sales. Ryobi at home depot specifically have more unique sales, like less 10% off and more buy 2 extended batteries(with Charger) for $99 get a free tool. That specific sale that pops up couple times a year is the one where about half my tools came from.

[@kencooper2059]

I've been a professional contractor for over 35 years and own a medium sized contracting business. What do I use at home? Ryobi One + tools, and they serve me well. I use them constantly and over the last two years I've built a barn, an outdoor kitchen, re-surfaced my deck, and much more. The tools have held up just fine, and I love that the battery system supports so many tools.

[@wingman427]

Outstanding video. Excellent comparison between the tools available on the market. Using the best tool for the job really hit the mark as well as tools available on ebay, are you get what you pay for. Well done.

[@videomaniac108]

Many years ago when I was young and working on cars regularly, I built up my Craftsman tool set over a number of years. I would go to Sears every two weeks, after being paid, and would buy new mechanics hand tools. These were the old Craftsman tools that were not on par with Snap-on or Proto but were still good quality, nonetheless and served me very well. I had two vintage British sportscars, a couple of Japanese motorcycles and worked on other people's cars, so I had to maintain a SAE and a metric capability in my wrenches and sockets. Buying Snap-on or Proto would have cost me a small fortune.

[@michaelwest4325]

After my corded tools and the early cordless, I chose the first generation 18v Ryobi, still have it, upgraded to the current green 18v one+, it has been a great set up from wood to metal to masonry to auto, I truly can recommend that platform. Recently I got a great deal on M12 and bought the set to dedicate to mechanic duty, mostly just spinning on and off fasteners. I liked the flexibility between M18 and M12 if I decide to replace air with 18v but I don't believe the average DIY'er needs Milwaukee or any pro grade tools, and beyond the drill, driver and light, cordless is to me a luxury.

[@godblessthelessfortunate3175]

As a homeowner DIYer, I went with the dual brand lineup. For tools that get used often, go with the best you can afford. You want tools that are a joy to use and reliable for a long time, if not for a lifetime. I went with the Dewalt line for drill driver, impact driver, string trimmer, blower. They are worth the higher cost. I used to buy cheap drills but they didn't have the torque at low speeds and it's aggravating. They would strip out screw head whenever they bog down and bit invariable slips off the head. The bit would race so fast once the resistance is removed and chew up the screw head. For less often used tools, I went with the Ryobi line because they have the largest variety and much more affordable. I have the latest top of the line Ryobi brushless impact driver but it's junk compared to my old trusty Dewalt that I've had for many years. I am not a big fan of Harbor Freight's new prosumer direction. I miss a lot of their Central Machinery and other inexpensive products that they have discontinued to make room for the prosumer stuff. So Bear, if you are still connected to Harbor Freight big wigs, tell them to bring back the $20 Central Machinery drill press table. Wish I had bought one a few years ago but I didn't have a drill press at the time. I can't build one now for that price because the hardware alone costs more. By the way, Wen is still selling an almost identical drill press table for about $50 on Amazon. We need more Harbor Freight competition for the lower end stuff. In fact, the thought has crossed my mind a number of times that you should start compiling a living list with input from your fans of Harbor Freight discontinued items that we would like to see brought back. Love your channel. Thank you.

[@ACoustaDC]

Hmmm... question not really answered. But I did like the milwaukee trophy fish pick... had me rolling.

[@isaiahfurrow7414]

I picked up some Kobalt tools over Father's Day weekend.... got the brushless weed trimmer and blower kit, and the XTR 1/2" impact gun(with free extra battery) .... so now I have 3 batteries...and so far I am stoked with these tools. I also got the inflator, amd it worked awesome on our camping and floating trip last weekend. I will look to Kobalt first, and if I need a tool that they don't have in their lineup, I will then look to DeWalt(have some 20v DeWalt tools already), Milwaukee, and Mikita....

[@AxleKlown]

I am into the Ryobi platform , They work really well for me I do not use them a ton but when I use them they get a hard use . I love the grass trimmer they offer the 4ah battery for me is the sweet spot . I like the options they have on offer . Looking to get into the angle grinder and multi tool soon . I have the base set of tools plus some of the yard stuff.