The 14 Best Tool Brands for DIYers and Pros
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Whether you’re a DIY user or professional, three factors are key when buying tools: performance, reliability, and value. In this article, we take a close look at the best tool brands for satisfying those demands.
What makes a tool brand rank among the best tool brands? It’s not an easy question to answer. I’m an engineer by training and ran my own woodshop for a decade, so I have considerable experience and some pretty strong opinions on the subject. DIY users generally want a capable, reliable tool at a reasonable price. Professionals who depend on tools for their livelihood like I did will generally spend a little more for a tool that will withstand the often harsh environment of the job site while maximizing performance.
Finding a manufacturer that meets your standards is often the first crucial step of curating a tool collection. Not only can an allegiance to a specific brand make future purchasing decisions easier, but it can also be more cost-efficient. You can snag a packaged deal when you purchase multiple tools all at once, ranging from a drill and hammer drill combo to a 300-piece mechanic’s tool set. Moreover, cordless tools from the same manufacturer and line share accessories and rechargeable batteries, saving you from picking up a battery for each new addition.
So, what is the best tool brand? While the answer might depend on who you ask, certain brands consistently top independent tool reviews. I’ve taken a closer look at a wide range of well-known tool brands by delving into their backgrounds. For each brand, I’ve also selected some of the top products that are typical of the brand’s high standards. Realistically, most people develop a couple of favorites. Continue reading to learn more about the best tool brands to help you stock your workbench and toolbox.
1. Makita
About the Brand: A high-quality power tool brand that’s often innovative and has a particularly strong cordless range.
Price Range: $$ to $$$$
Top Products: Makita 18V LXT Sub-Compact Brushless Cordless Recipro Saw ($259 at Amazon) and Makita 18V X2 LXT Brushless Cordless Chain Saw Kit ($464.08 at Amazon) and Makita 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion 6-Piece Kit ($469 at The Home Depot)
The impact of Japanese brands on tool markets has been relatively recent, so it’s easy to think of them as young businesses. However, Makita has been around since 1915. The company is now a manufacturing giant, with factories in 10 countries covering the Far East, the Middle East, Europe, South and Central America, and the U.S.
Makita started as a motor repair company, introducing its first power tool (a hand-held planer) in 1958 and its first cordless tool (a drill) as far back as 1978. The company has since grown to become one of the undoubted leaders in the cordless market with an extensive collection of workshop, job site, and garden tools. These tools are not the best options for DIY users on a budget, but pricing is competitive with other professional-standard tools.
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2. Bosch
About the Brand: Bosch has a strong German engineering background, producing an enormously diverse range of well-designed tools known for their reliability.
Price Range: $$ to $$$
Top Products: Bosch BLAZE 65 ft. Laser Distance Tape Measuring Tool ($39.97 at The Home Depot)and Bosch Bulldog Xtreme Rotary Hammer Power Drill ($163.11 at Amazon)
Robert Bosch founded his engineering company in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1886. The company now operates in markets as diverse as automotive, energy, home appliances, and, of course, power tools. Unusually, 92 percent of Bosch is owned by a charitable institution, which uses profits for a range of cultural, social, and scientific projects.
Bosch is credited with introducing the first hammer drill in 1932, and that tradition of invention continues with the company boasting the development of at least 100 new products every year. High manufacturing standards make them among the most reliable tools available. While undoubtedly a premium brand, many Bosch tools are within the price range of keen DIY enthusiasts.
Top Products:
- Bosch BLAZE 65 ft. Laser Distance Tape Measuring Tool: While Bosch produces just about every power tool imaginable, its Laser Distance Tape Measuring Tool underlines the brand’s reputation for precision by providing virtually instant readings over a range of 65 feet with ⅛-inch accuracy. Get the Bosch BLAZE 65 ft. Laser Distance Tape Measuring Tool at The Home Depot for $49.97
- Bosch Bulldog Xtreme Rotary Hammer Power Drill: The Bulldog has three modes of operation: rotation, rotary hammer, and hammer only. It has a comfortable D-handle design and 36 bit positions. Get the Bosch Bulldog Xtreme Rotary Hammer Power Drill on Amazon for $166.59
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3. DeWalt
About the Brand: DeWalt’s extensive range of high-performance power tools have long been one of the top choices of contractors and tradespeople.
Price Range: $$ to $$$$
Top Products: DeWalt 20V Max SDS Rotary Hammer Drill ($288.22 at Amazon)
Back in 1924, Pennsylvania craftsman Raymond E. DeWalt took a standard chop saw and made the first radial arm saw, a tool that gained immense popularity in pro woodworking shops. DeWalt Inc. was formed in 1947. The company now has factories in a number of countries and seven manufacturing facilities in the U.S. In 2010, DeWalt became part of the Stanley Black+Decker Group.
A combination of power and durability has long made DeWalt tools among contractors’ favorites. These are definitely tools that focus on the professional user, and the prices reflect that fact. However, DeWalt’s reputation for reliability is such that these tools are also popular with DIY users who see the value as a long-term investment.
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4. Craftsman
About the Brand: Craftsman hand and power tools are a DIY favorite, offering great value for the price.
Price Range: $ to $$
Top Products: Craftsman 115-Piece Mechanic Tool Set ($69.99 at Sears) and Craftsman 22-in 1-Drawer Tool Box ($99.98 at Lowe’s)
Sears created the Craftsman tool brand in 1927, which was initially only available through Sears and later Kmart. The company soon expanded its production of hand tools and now also offers power tools, gardening equipment, work clothing, and footwear.
Long considered one of the great home-grown American tool brands, Craftsman manufacturing now occurs mostly in Taiwan, though automotive tool production remains in the U.S. In 2017, Stanley Black+Decker acquired the brand, though Sears retained certain rights and still sells Craftsman tools. Though critics suggest quality control is not always what it used to be, Craftsman tools still represent good value for the DIY user.
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5. Stanley Black+Decker
About the Brand: Stanley Works is one of the world’s best-known hand tool brands, and Black+Decker is a leader in affordable power tools. While the tool brand is now called Black+Decker, the company name represents the two companies as Stanley Black+Decker.
Price Range: $ to $$
Top Products: Black+Decker 20V MAX Cordless Drill on ($47.22 at Amazon)
Frederick Trent Stanley started making door hardware back in 1843. Then, cousin Henry Stanley founded the Stanley Rule and Level company in 1857. Both companies were based in New Britain, Connecticut, merging into Stanley Works in 1920.
The original Black+Decker company was a machine shop founded in Baltimore, coincidentally also in 1920. It grew to become one of the world’s leading makers of affordable power tools for home and garden use.
In 2010, Stanley Works and Black+Decker merged and have gone on to acquire many of the best tool brands around the world, including Bostitch, Craftsman, DeWalt, Irwin Tools, and Porter Cable. However, each still retains a separate identity with its own brand values. Stanley’s core strength is still hand tools; Black+Decker’s strength is value for money for the DIY market.
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6. Ridgid Tools
About the Brand: Although Ridgid Tools manufactures an increasingly diverse range of products, it is perhaps best known for tough tools for plumbing and construction trades.
Price Range: $ to $$
Top Products: Ridgid 14 in. Heavy-Duty Straight Pipe Wrench ($33.97 at The Home Depot) and Ridgid 12-Gallon Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum ($99.98 at The Home Depot)
Ridgid Tools began in North Ridgeville, Ohio, in 1923 and moved to its current base in Elyria, Ohio, in 1943. Since 1966, the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerson Electric.
The brand’s core products have always been durable hand tools for the construction, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing trades. Ridgid Tools also produces associated inspection devices. Most of these tools are manufactured in its U.S. facility. Additionally, the company offers a range of professionally focused power tools, though these are largely manufactured in Hong Kong.
Ridgid Tools is perhaps one of the lesser-known tool brands outside the professional market. While pricing is competitive at that level, it puts the company’s products beyond the budget of many DIY users.
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7. Kobalt
About the Brand: Kobalt is the house brand of Lowe’s and offers competitively priced tools for the midrange so-called “prosumer” market.
Price Range: $ to $$$
Top Products: Kobalt 24-Volt XTR Cordless Impact Wrench ($269 at Lowe’s), Kobalt Steel Saw Horse ($29.98 at Lowe’s), and Kobalt 21-Piece Drill Bit Set ($31.98 at Lowe’s)
Lowe’s introduced Kobalt tools in 1998 to compete with rival “house” brands from Sears and The Home Depot. Kobalt tools are made for Lowe’s by a number of different suppliers. While some manufacturing occurs in Taiwan, some production is based in the home market. The company wholly manufactures its hand tools in the U.S. and assembles some of its power tool product line in the U.S. from components sourced worldwide.
While Kobalt’s reputation perhaps isn’t at the same level as the best tool brands like Bosch, DeWalt, and Makita, it is still considered a high-quality tool producer that sits above the run-of-the-mill budget market. The term “prosumer” specifies the middle ground between DIYer and professional, and it suits Kobalt tools well.
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8. Skil
About the Brand: Though its range of tools is now extensive, many consumers will recognize Skil for the Skilsaw, the powered circular saw that became so popular it has been called “the saw that built America.”
Price Range: $ to $$$
Top Products: Skil 6-1/2 Inch Cordless Circular Saw ($85.19 at Amazon) and Skilsaw 10-1/4″ Sawsquatch Worm Drive Circular Saw ($342.39 at Amazon)
Skil was founded in 1926 in Naperville, Illinois, where its U.S. headquarters is still based today. The company’s first product, the worm-drive circular saw, was incredibly popular on construction sites despite being very expensive for the time. This saw set the foundation for Skil becoming known as “the” saw company for decades, though the range now includes many different tools. Company ownership has been somewhat volatile, passing from the Skil Corporation to Emerson Electric in 1979, to Bosch in 1996, and to Chervon of China in 2016, where the company now manufactures most products.
Though it can be slightly confusing for consumers, Skil uses two brand names to differentiate target markets. Skil tools are intended for the DIY user, while those branded Skilsaw are for more professional use in construction and other trades. Specifications and prices reflect this difference.
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9. Husky Tools
About the Brand: Husky Tools is the house brand of The Home Depot, focusing on hand tools, pneumatic tools, and a wide variety of tool storage solutions.
Price Range: $$ to $$$
Top Products: 290-Piece Mechanics Tool Set ($169 at The Home Depot)
“Husky” is sometimes used as a shortened version of Husqvarna, the well-known garden equipment manufacturer. However, Husky Tools is a completely unrelated company, originally Husky Wrench of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, founded in 1924. The brand went through various ownerships until Stanley Tool acquired i