Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Power Tools). This thread is read-only.
What is the best tool platform. Debatable but manufactures have there strengths and unfortunatlly have there weaknesses I perfer Makita, Dewalt etc what do you perfer and what are your opinions.
An age old question. All brands have their pros and weakness. For me personally I have tools from various brands because some brands have tools I want while others dont. What also plays a roll on a brand is cost, promotions, sales, pricing, warranty, customer service etc.
What I prefer depends on what im doing.
Drilling concrete etc – Bosch
Impact Driver – Dewalt
Drill – Dewalt
Cir saw – Makita
Router – makita
Chainsaws – Stihl & Huskies.
Etc
By been open to all brands I get to pick and choose what I like best.
Maybe these are a good idea of the general “best”?
plumbing, electrical, hvac/r, mechanical: Milwaukee Runner-up: DeWALT
general contractor, framer, roofer: DeWALT Runner-up: Makita
woodworker, cabinet maker, furniture maker, finish guy: Festool Runner-up: Makita
general contractor, framer, roofer on a budget: Ridgid Runner-up: Ryobi
landscaper: EGO Runner-up: DeWalt
Commercial jobs: Hilti Runner-up: Milwaukee
Masonry, Concrete: Bosch Runner-up: Hilti
Metal Working: Metabo Runner-up: Makita? or Bosch?
MEP – Milwaukee
Drill – DeWALT
Impact – DEWALT/ Makita
Circular Saw – DeWALT
Recip Saw – Milwaukee
Concrete – Hilti
Lasers – Bosch battery, DEWALT cordless
OPE – Ego
Metal – Makita, Metabo
Chaindaw (gas) – Echo – I think it’s better than both Stihl and Husky. Better warranty, and no issues whatsoever on a pro saw that gets ran every day. Cheaper too.
If you’re looking for one platform it is all by what trade you’re in. If you get Makita, DEWALT or Milwaukee I don’t think you would be disappointed whatsoever. They all make tools that are good and each has their own speciality.
as we have said I think it depends what trades you are in. I think if you do alot of diffrent trades milwaukee 12v or 18v would be the way to go also makita 18v because the offer a range of diffrent specealised tools. Another low budget brand that has alot of tools for a great price is ryobi. Home depot are good with there promotions and so are Mitre 10 here in New Zealand who run what they call redemptions on tools. For example buy 1 drill driver combo kit and get an anglegrinder free etc.
I personally feel that the huge lead Milwaukee and Makita had in size of range is narrowing. Though MUCH of that depends on what tools are available in your region. Milwaukee has a huge range in USA, both don’t get all of Dewalt/Bosch/Metabo/Makita for some reason.
Can anyone think of any brands with as great a lead in particular industries as these?
– Milwaukee in plumbing
– Metabo in metalwork
Makita is pretty good in woodwork, but not as far from the pack as those two I think.
Thanks Dwain love your videos. People say that Ridgid is a plumbers tool. But i think they have a good range for a great price. like there nailers and multi tool. I like Makita It is what I use every day. Panasonic has some ballsy stuff but they dont have the biggest range. I was wondering if anyone could give there views on what they think of Metabo.
cheers,
willy, Auckland, NZ
I guess I am not sure what you exactly mean by “range”? @dwain? (no rhyme intended). I do think that Milwaukee makes lots of different tools, but as I have said on here before, I don’t particularly think that their woodworking tools are anything to brag about. While I am not saying that they’re horrible, they are for sure a step below Makita and DeWalt in my opinion. If you are in the MEP trades, (Mechanical, electrical, plumbing), I think Milwaukee would be the way to go, but if you are a commercial carpenter then you could choose to go a different route because of the many options that other brands provide, that Milwaukee doesn’t or is lacking in my opinion.
Cheers Willy. I think Metabo make great quality tools, and are unparalleled for metal working tools. They don’t usually have the best tool in many categories as they update a little slower than the bigger companies. I DO think they make the best batteries, period.
FrosBros82, by range i mean, how many different tools they have in their 18V system. I agree that Milwaukee are leading plumbing, but what makes them the leaders in mechanical and electrical?
dwain wrote:
Just now, dwain said:Cheers Willy. I think Metabo make great quality tools, and are unparalleled for metal working tools. They don’t usually have the best tool in many categories as they update a little slower than the bigger companies. I DO think they make the best batteries, period.
FrosBros82, by range i mean, how many different tools they have in their 18V system. I agree that Milwaukee are leading plumbing, but what makes them the leaders in mechanical and electrical?
cheers Dwain thanks for the reply really appreciate it. I think I am just going to stick with my Makita 12v and 18v platforms for now on!!
You really can’t go wrong with Makita (which pains me, as I’m a much bigger fan of Lowe’s than Home Cheap-o). On that note, I also love the Kobalt 24v brushless drill and impact and it’s what I use for the heavier duty stuff (I have the Makita 18v brushless subs for the rest).
I’ve also owned DeWalt and Milwaukee stuff but I’m not wild about the ergonomics of either (even DeWalt, which has terrific handles, has their forward/reverse switch too far towards the trigger for my thumb to reach without having to reposition my hand). Plus all Makita kits come with a fast charger which can’t be said for any other company. Now that they have the 4-bar indicators on their batteries to boot they’re the platform to beat.
.iveI’ve worked for a general contractor for 30 + years now I deal with alot of sub contractors .plumbers ,electricians ,ect I’ve used every brand of tools out there and some that no longer exist. yes I like Bosch For concrete if it’s just a 1/4 or 1/2 inch hole the bulldog rules but Hilti Te74 or 75s or 76s for bigger holes cordless Milwaukee I’ve notice there geared differently more for plumbing or electricians. me myself I like Makita being a carpenter I’ve dropped them and seems like there made with carpentry in mind but I also like some of The Metabo line for cordless nailers there better than Milwaukee, or ,Makitas, Dewalt I won’t but it’s just a Black and Decker dressed up . my boss bought a Dewalt skill saw it was toast after 2 says I have used the same skil worm drive for years and years through mud,snow, sun ,you name it it’s been there And been missing the oil plug forever so I think it just depends on your trade