Before you buy a power tool, it’s essential to do proper research and buy from a brand that is reputable and provides quality power tools for any type of use. Whether you’re a professional contractor looking for tools for the job or a homeowner who is a huge enthusiast about DIY, finding one is an important task.
Many of these tools often come with warranties incase they break. The length of a warranty is an important feature to know for any power tool since it often reflects just how confident the manufacturer is in their product. Tools with a short warranty length have it short for a reason. Most reputable brands out there offer a warranty around 3 years or higher.
The power tool industry has a variety of different brands that all offer something different. While some focus on cordless power tool innovations, others have a strong focus on battery technology or specific to creating innovative construction tools. Needless to say, the power tool market is huge and feeds a variety of different needs.
Here well cover some of the ten best power tool brands known for their quality tools, with an extensive and reputable history.
Top 10 Power Tool Brands For Pros and Homeowners
1. DeWALT
DeWalt is named after its founder, Raymond DeWalt. The DeWalt Products company opened in Leola, PA, with the DeWalt “Wonder-Worker” universal woodworking machine in 1923-24. DeWalt Industrial Tool Company is now owned by Stanley Black and Decker, which had been formed due to a merger between Stanley Works and Black; Decker. Their other portfolio companies include Black and Decker and Craftsman.
Headquartered in Towson, Maryland, DeWalt is a registered trademark of Black &Decker (U.S.) Inc., which in turn is a subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker. Their innovative tools, along with some of Black & Decker’s own, are jointly marketed under the DeWalt brand.
DeWalt is an American-owned global manufacturer of hand tools. They supply many industries so they have a variety of construction tools, woodworking tools and other niche tools. After almost a century of existence, with hundreds of power tools and accessories — its a top power tool brand recognized around the world.
DeWalt sells corded and cordless power tools, marketed under several strong market brands – such as the 20V MAX* XR® tools and those powered by the FLEXVOLT® Cordless system. The tools include flooring nailers and other types, air compressors, cordless drills , impacts, air guns, sanders, all types of saws like portable table saws, screwdrivers, and others, such as multi-purpose and specialty tools like concrete grinders. We include plenty of their brand tools in some of our tool reviews, like our portable workbench guide.
The DeWalt brand is hugely popular with commercial contractors and homeowners. Marketing surveys have found that nearly three-quarters of U.S. tradesmen recognize the brand. They are known for their high-quality tools sued for prolonged and strenuous work.
2. Black & Decker
Black & Decker is a hugely popular brand that's a parent company of other power tool brands. It has streamlined its product lines into ones that don’t compete with those marketed under the DeWalt brand. Black & Decker’s products include cordless screwdrivers, impacts, inflators, drills, various saws including portable saws, sanders, and specialty tools. While the product types seem to overlap, there is actually a significant difference in quality and price.
DeWalt has carved out a reputation and niche in the industry for supplying high quality, better powered, and high endurance power tools. Black & Decker tools, by contrast, are ideal for beginners or occasional use at home. As such, Black & Decker power tools cost significantly less than DeWalt’s but would not be suitable for particular hard and prolonged use on commercial job sites.
Black & Decker power tools are known for their value – a combination of quality and price when they’re employed on suitable types of tasks. Plus, they're arguably the best cordless tool brand for those who like the convenience of a cordlesss power tool.
Black & Decker was founded in 1910 by S. Duncan Black and Alonzo G. Decker. The small machine shop in Towson, MD, has now expanded into a global behemoth. They merged with Stanley Works on their 100-year anniversary and remained a subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker.
3. Craftsman
Craftsman has an interesting story — formed initially as a Sears catalog and store product supplier in 1927, thye had different contractors manufacturing power tools under their brand.
Over time, they established a stellar reputable power tool brand for tools used in homes, gardens, and commercially. One of the unique features of Craftsman tools, besides their quality and durability, was a comprehensive lifetime warranty – which was attractive to buyers. Customers could get replacement products even without producing a sales receipt, they could simply bring the older, defective product into a store and walk out with a new one.
This began to change in several ways in 2005 after Sears and K Mart merged. Many tools started to convert to a 25-year warranty. In 2017, after Stanley Black & Decker bought Craftsman from Sears, the requirements were tightened to require sales receipts,
Additional concerns about quality centers around the fact that Craftsman tools are not manufactured in the U.S (in contrast with DeWalt, which is manufactured in the U.S.) and that customers have experienced a slight drop in quality and warranty provisions.
Having said this, Craftsman is still a reputed brand with a range of power tools such as compressors, air tools, many kinds of nailers, grinders, air guns, drillers, impacts, saws, screwdrivers and many other tools.
4. Milwaukee Tools
In terms of quality, precision, durability, and history, the closest brand adversary to DeWalt in the power tools business is Milwaukee Tools. The Milwaukee Electric Tool Company opened its doors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1924 – within a year of DeWalt. The company has close to a hundred-year reputation in the American power tool business.
In 2005, Milwaukee Tool was bought by Hong Kong based Techtronic Industries (TTI), which also license other well-known power tool brands such as Ridgid and Ryobi.
One of the branding statements made by Milwaukee is that it manufactures tools for the US market in seven domestic locations spread across Wisconsin and Mississippi, with a new facility being planned in Tennessee. This differentiates them from DeWalt, who has recently begun to bring more of their production onshore.
The products from Milwaukee Tool manufactured in the US include a large selection of hand tools, such as drills, impacts, hammers, wrenches, rivets, crimpers, and cable cutters. Plus, all types of saws in case you're looking for a circular saw or reciprocating saw. The bottom line is that Milwaukee Tool, like DeWalt, has hundreds of tools in their M18 and M12 (12V) lines. Then there are the MX FUEL line and well-known corded tools, like the Corded Sawzalls line.
Milwaukee, like DeWalt, also manufactures a ton of accessories, including blades, bits, hole saws, and specialty fasteners. Though DeWalt has an advantage in fasteners, Milwaukee tools cover the same categories of commercial and serious home uses and have a reputation for having advanced battery life and a keen focus on trade tools. In many markets, Milwaukee is priced slightly higher than the comparable DeWalt tool.
5. Ridgid
Rigid is another one of the power tool companies associated with TTI. Their power tools include a full gamut – cordless tool choices, corded tools, pneumatic tools, and stationary tools. Their premier brand is JobMaxTM, which includes shear heads, jigsaw heads, and a multi-tool with a tool-free head. Ridgid is owned by Emerson, but its cordless power tools are licensed from TTI.
In 1923, Ridgid manufactured the modern pipe wrench. Since then, the company has maintained its strong focus on patented and finely developed products. It possesses over 100 patents in various types of tools and accessories.
Though their power tools are only one of Ridgid’s focuses, their products are known for superior craftsmanship, durability, and suitability for use by tradespeople. You can find Ridgid tools at most hardware stores.
6. Ryobi
Ryobi is a popular and one of the more well-known cordless power tool brands. This is another company whose name TTI licenses for selling cordless power tools. It also features tools and outdoor equipment in a wide range of areas, including cordless drills, hammer drill, cutters, ratchets, grease guns, nailers, staplers, benchtop and stationary tools, cleaning tools, and saws like circular saws, track saws and table saws
Ryobi has a number of branded platforms, such as ONE+ HP, 40V HP, Airstrike and Expand-It. It's known more as a consumer (homeowner and DIYer) brand, but they gained a reputation for being offering some of the best value for the money with their products. Originally a Japanese company formed in 1943, Ryobi entered the US market in 1985 – its manufacturing facility in Shelbyville, IN, remains its flagship facility.
If you're looking for cordless products, then Ryobi is up there as one of the best power tool brand.
7. Bosch
Robert Bosch GmBH, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, is one of the world’s oldest tool manufacturing and precision engineering companies, having been around since 1883. It is also one of the largest power tool producers in the world, with 400,000 employees and 95 billion USD in revenues. Most of its power tools are manufactured outside the US.
Though Bosch manufactures excellent tools for many industry segments, including mobility solutions (automotive, etc.), consumer goods, energy, building/industrial technology, its central focus remains on manufacturing and distributing power tools. With a diversity of tools, you can use their products for all sorts of home DIY jobs like building drawers or even polishing concrete.
While Bosch, like Ryobi, is more reputed for consumer and DIY types of power tools – representing value – they have a very long line of products. In 2018, Bosch sold 50 million power tools worldwide. If you’re looking for the perfect tool (based on the use, which should not be too heavy-duty), with plenty of choices and a reasonable price, Bosch tools may be one of the best choices.
Bosch power tools cover every end of the spectrum, including powerful drills like hammer drills, sanders, planers, impacts, routers, cordless and corded power tools, benchtop tools, grinders, hammers, jigsaws, and specialty tools. It's no surprise that some of our tool reviews, include plenty of Bosch options.
8. Makita
The Makita company was started in Japan in 1915. However, they did not enter the power tools business till 1958. Their entries into significant markets began to take place in the early ‘70s.
The company’s products are known for quality and craftsmanship. The tools can be used for both commercial/industrial and consumer home DIY purposes. Makita power tools compete head-to-head with Milwaukee in the UK market.
In the US, Makita has a significant number of power tools available, including gears, grinders, grease guns, hammers, drills, fasteners, sanders, and various concrete and masonry tools.
Makita products are marketed under certain lines. Per the company’s US website, there are 275+ products in the LXT® line, the world’s largest compatible 18V slide-style battery system. There is also the existing CXT® line with 70+ precision tools and the newest entry to the US market – the XGT® line of 40V | 80V max system of 50+ cordless equipment and tools.
9. Festool
Festool has sometimes been called the “Rolls Royce” of power tools, with prices reflective of their quality and precision. It is a small, precision company – based in Wendlingen, Germany. Formed in 2000 as a spin-off from the original German parent company, Festool is owned by TTS Tooltechnic Systems Holding Company.
Unlike standard power tools, which are typically manufactured all over the globe with a view towards supply chain optimization, Festool power tools are manufactured in Germany, with high-end material and top-notch German engineering.
In addition to the quality, Festool power tools come with a 30-day money back guarantee and a liberally interpreted 10-year warranty on services or repairs in case a part break. There is also a normal 3-year warranty (extendable for two additional years) for wear and tear.
The upshot is that Festool power tools are expensive and usually coveted by expert tradespeople and craftsmen, it may not be worthwhile for the average DIY person to get them.
Festool also offers a limited number of products, though they do cover the usual gamut of drills, impact drivers, semi-stationary tools, planers, grinders, polisher, saws, oscillators etc.
10. Hilti
Hilti produces the usual array of power tools – including cordless tools, drill and screw drivers, hammerings, fastenings, impact drivers, wrenches and cutters.
Founded in Lichtenstein, Hilti tools are known for their precision and quality – they truly believe in excelling in what they do. For example, in standardized performance tests, Hilti cordless tools or certain Hammer Drills will often prove to have comparable or superior performance than equivalent Bosch, Makati, DeWalt or Milwaukee power tool offerings.
Hilti is meant for heavy industrial use, compared to Bosch (more consumer focused) or DeWalt (light industrial). As a result, the prices of Hilti power tools are often considerably higher. It's also why they're tools are commonly found in construction sites since they're built for heavy duty jobs.
The tools by the brands above offer an array of choices, including the choice of value vs. high end pricing based on the types of uses they are put to. Before you choose the ones that may be right for you, know exactly what you’re going to use them for so you end up with the right one. While the list certainly doesn't cover all the trusted power tool brands that exist (the list would be way too long) it does cover some of the best options out there.
There are also always newer companies being created every year with a strong focus on making better quality tools. For consumers and professional contractors, this is a great thing since you're options are always increasing and with more companies competing for your business, often leading to higher caliber tools — you're the one that wins in the end.
