While going through American brands to purchase some excellent hand tools, I bet you have come across Dewalt & Craftsman. Both brands have got huge consumer and professional users. Being a beginner, you might have been wondering, Dewalt vs Craftsman Hand tools: Which brand is better, Dewalt Or Craftsman? Does Dewalt make good hand tools?
Both Dewalt and Craftsman hand tools look similar and offer similar warranty solutions. Dewalt is a bit pricey and offers premium-grade tools, where Craftsman provides mid-grade hand tools within budget.
In order to clear up your concept, we have highlighted a detailed comparison of Dewalt and Craftsman while focusing only on hand tools. We have compared the history of both brands and warranties along with their product Portfolios. Let’s not waste time anymore and begin the knowledgeable journey right away!
History Of Dewalt & Craftsman:
Before choosing Dewalt or Craftsman hand tools, we would look into the brief history of both brands.
DEWALT started its journey in 1923 by holding the hands of the inventor or Radial saw, Raymond E. DeWalt, in Pennsylvania. Gradually it grew up and got recognition as a DeWaltInc in 1947. In 1960, Black & Decker purchased the brand and gave their best effort to build Dewalt as a professional brand. At last, in 1992, they started manufacturing premium hand tools and quality power tools. By 2001, Dewalt increased its lineup and sold more than 200 power tools and 800 accessories.
On the other hand, Craftsman started its journey in 1927 with Sears, and Arthur Barrows became the Head of the hardware department. They always tried to quality tools while expanding their market. In 2001, Craftsman was regarded as the top brand in the USA due to its superior quality. Later on, in 2019, Stanley and Decker sued Sears and became the new owner of Craftsman.
Dewalt vs Craftsman Hand Tools: Which Brand Offers Better Quality?
While comparing both tool brands, you might be wondering, “Is Craftsman better than Dewalt?” Well, Stanley Black and Decker manufacture premium-grade hand tools.
On the contrary, Craftsman is a mid-grade brand that has brought quality tools within budget. As we already know, The ownership of Craftsman has been transferred to Stanley Black and Decker. Craftsman hand tools of the Sears era are pretty incredible. Actually, I would prefer them over the Craftsman tool of this age.
That being said, you can already guess that Dewalt is the sure winner in terms of quality. However, you need to pay more bucks to purchase the premium one.
Which Brand Offers Better Warranty On Hand Tools?
The manufacturing company Dewalt has provided a lifetime warranty on their hand tools which states that they will repair defective products without any fees. However, they obviously won’t take responsibility for imported, abused products or any incidental damage. Their warranty covers most hand tools, including ratchets, sockets, wrenches, and drive accessories.
On the contrary, Craftsman offers a lifetime warranty on almost every hand tool, including hammers, screwdrivers, ratchets, wrenches, sockets, Hex key, nut drivers, and other finishing tools. Several Craftsman hand tools come with a limited one year warranty, including-
- Miter box
- Stapler
- Digiclick torque wrenches
- Legacy tapes
- Torpedo digital levels, etc.
Which Brand Possesses Better Hand Tool Collection?
While discussing “Dewalt Vs Craftsman Hand Tools”, every buyer may wonder, “Which brand is better, Craftsman Or Dewalt?” “Which brand had a better hand tool collection?”
Craftsman and Dewalt are famous for their fantastic power tools and have a massive collection of hand tools.
Dewalt has a wide variety of hand saws, ratchets, sockets, knives, clamps, and fastening tools. Craftsman collection is quite impressive in cutters, pliers, nut drivers, hammers, and screwdrivers.
Dewalt Vs. Craftsman Mechanic Tool Set:
It’s pretty hard to pick between Craftsman and Dewalt’s mechanics tool set as both offer premium quality tools. Dewalt sets contain 173 pieces, where Craftsmen come with 216. Obviously, you have to pay some more bucks to purchase the Craftsman one.
Both toolsets are pretty similar, but the Craftsman contains extra deep sockets, extra drivers, and several extra wrenches. In terms of performance, they are too competitive, and you won’t regret purchasing any of them. As the Craftsman set is a massive one, I would prefer to keep it in my workshop. On the contrary, the Dewalt mechanic tool set is more compact, portable, and can easily fit in vehicles.
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As both toolsets perform equally, you can invest in any of them as per your budget and preference.
Dewalt Vs. Craftsman Ratchets: Which One Is Better?
We are basically going to compare ⅜ ratchets of both companies. The Dewalt 72 teeth ratchet feels heavy, robust. Its push release button, massive switching lever, and the minimum backlash made it quite handy. It comes with a seal, where Craftsman Ratchet comes with a clip ring design. I personally prefer Dewalt’s seal design more than Craftsman one.
Craftsman Ratchet also comes with a switch and lever, but the switch is not as smooth as Dewalt. However, it’s up to personal preference at last. In my opinion, the Dewalt ratchet is the ultimate winner due to its handy and smooth performance.
Which Brand Offers Cheaper Hand Tools?
At last, everything comes down to money. As Craftsman is a mid-grade brand, it offers hand tools at a cheaper rate. On the contrary, Dewalt is expensive due to its ‘brand name’ and performance as well. If you have a tight budget, I would suggest Craftsman. Again, if you can afford it, why won’t you go for the premium graded tools of Dewalt?
Frequently Asked Question’s (FAQs):
1. Will DeWalt batteries work in Craftsman tools?
I don’t think DeWalt batteries will fit in Craftsman tools. I would suggest going to some battery store instead for rebuild service. According to my experience, the store will rebuild the battery for you at an affordable price. Just provide the battery case along with its connections, and that’s all you need.
2. Are Dewalt tools worth the higher price?
Well, yeah, Dewalt is expensive, but their premium quality is worth it. Trust me; you won’t regret investing in the premium tools of Dewalt.
3. Craftsman vs. Dewalt: Which of the Two Brands Is Better?
In the case of hand tools, I prefer Dewalt as it offers premium & smooth performance. Dewalt hand tools may have better longevity as they are composed of better components. After Stanley Black and Decker took over Craftsman, its quality has degraded slightly compared to Sears’s era.
Still, I’m pretty optimistic about the future of Craftsman as they might bring it as a professional tool brand in the upcoming future. I prefer Dewalt over Craftsman in terms of quality though Dewalt is a bit pricey.
Final Words:
‘Dewalt Vs Craftsman Hand tools’ is a tricky topic as both brands offer similar features and warranty solutions. After going through this article, you can guess Dewalt is the overall winner. However, it doesn’t mean that you will be at a loss if you go for Craftsman. Craftsman tools are also efficient enough to meet up your requirements.
As Dewalt is expensive, go for it only if you have a thing for premium Dewalt and wanna experience its superior performance.
