Battle of the Brands

[Garrett French]

What are your top three favorite woodworking power tool brands... and for what specific tools?

Also I thought you'd find it interesting to check out the top ten power tool brands searched for on the ToolCrib site:

1) DeWALT 20%
2) Porter Cable 14%
3) Bosch 13%
4) Makita 12%
5) Delta 10%
6) Hitachi 9%
7) Milwaukee 8%
8) Jet 7%
9) Bostitch 5%
10) Panasonic 2%

There's a 100% chance that I'll write about this thread on the ToolCrib blog so be warned

[tod evans]

garrett,
in my opinion there`s not one brand that excells in every genre....for instance, i like portercables routers but don`t like their drills....for drills i turn to milwaukee...except hammerdrills....then i look to bosch...as far as stationary equipment you`ve only listed one manufacturer..jet?
my guess is that the folks searching the tool crib site spend more time looking at advertisments that actually working with the tools they`re looking at ..........
sooooo, to kinda answer your question?.....i don`t have any one favorite manufacturer.......but i don`t own any yellow tools.....tod

[Frank Fusco]

I agree with Tod. The question is too broad. I have a lot of Grizzly tools and those aren't on the list. But my loyalty is mainly to my pocketbook. I balance quality with price to come up with best value for my needs. That could be a brand you mention, Grizzly or something I see at a yard sale.

[Stuart Ablett]

Yeah, what Tod said

Panasonic is know as "National" here in Japan, they are moving into the US market in a big way, the prices you guys get your Panasonic tools at in the US are way, WAY below what we pay here in Japan

[Rennie Heuer]

I'm going to follow the crowd on this one. I buy by specific needs and brand loyalty goes only as far as "is it the best I can afford and still meet my needs."

I have a PC router and jig saw and love them both. My TS is a Jet, though that was more a purchase of opportunity. For drills, my needs are minimal, so I find the 18v Ryobi stuff to be a great value. My BS is a Rikon which I consider to be a great saw for the money, but maybe not up to the standards of some of those here who make their living in sawdust.

I'd love to own a Festool ROS, but there is no balance there (remember: afford/needs) so I do just fine with my DeWalt. Same goes for the Shop Vac - the Festool is nice , but $$$. When I bought my Sawsall I never even considered anything other than the Milwaukee. My jointer is a Delta because it was a good price from a known manufacturer - though I might have looked elsewhere had I known I would have to be shipped 4 fences before I got one that was flat (nearly).

DC is one area where I may have gone outside my equation a little, but hey, they're my lungs. I have an Oneida cyclone.

[Garrett French]

Thank you guys.

With this question I'm trying to get a better sense for myself (so I can tell my site visitors) on opinions about brand "specialties..." That is, what brands are well known for making quality types of tools.

Squeezing it into a top three is just a way to put boundaries on the info I was trying to get at, so that you could answer fairly quickly, but I might have asked a little off-centeredly

I included the list because I thought it would be an interesting snap shot of the ToolCribbers but it mighta kinda skewed the thread doh!

[tod evans]

garrett, maybe try asking in a poll(s) who likes which router, cordless drill, corded drill, skillsaw ect?.......that way you`d be more likely to get a better cross section of preferances by tool instead of manufacturer.....tod

[Frank Fusco]

Originally Posted by Stuart Ablett

Yeah, what Tod said

Panasonic is know as "National" here in Japan, they are moving into the US market in a big way, the prices you guys get your Panasonic tools at in the US are way, WAY below what we pay here in Japan

I think that's called 'dumping'. And it means you are subsidising our purchases. I guess we should say thanks. But it's a two edged sword. I digress. BTW, it's good quality stuff.

[Jim Young]

I'm not brand loyal. I buy tools based on the function, quality and affordability. My shop has a good mixture of tools.

I'm sure if my financial situation were different, either up or down, I would have a totally different set of tools sitting in my shop.

[Jeff Horton]

Based off that list DeWalt wins. But it's only fair to point out that one of my DeWalt's is a 50 year old radial arm saw. The other a 10 year old circular saw that I really like! But when I was looking the saw stood out over the other choices, not the brand name.

Seriously I have to agree with the other. What few new tools I buy I don't have a brand loyalty. I have a couple of Bosch tools and I am impressed with them though. But if one had to be replaced I won't neccessarly by another Bosch.

Jeff