IMO, Craftsman is crap. Nothing has withstood general use. Whether it's U-joints, ratchets, end wrenches, electric drills, It's no good. I went in to exchage 3 ratchets, a 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2. One of them was the round polished chrome kind. They reached under the counter and gave me the cheapest ones (the squared-off kind). I asked why I couldn't get a chrome one, and she said they were supposed to give these away first, and I said "that's not much of a warranty." I was able to get exactly what I had, but I litterally had to beg for it. A few weeks later I went back to exchange another ratchet and the one they gave me said "remanufactured" on the label. I couldn't beleive it.
This is all I have because I got a student discount years ago. But I will never buy these again.


One mans rant

 

At least you can take a Craftsman back on the spot to get replaced insted of waiting for a tool truck to show up. I whould rather buy Craftsman then pay an 1/3 more for the same thing off a truck.

 

Not me. I love snap-on tools, I'll trade quality for conveniece any day.

 

just bought a Craftsman 20 gallon gasoline powered compressor with a Honda motor.

wouldn't start up out of the box. So i took the spark plug out and there was a good 3/8"-1/2" of oil on top of the piston. Cleaned it out, cleaned the spark plug, she fired up and worked great.

2 days later she runs like crap and now won't start. Has spark, gas, can't find the problem.

The air filter was soaked in that oil and will not let any air pass through. Ugh. I can tell i'm gunna have a field day getting that air filter. Sears doesn't carry them, so i have to get it shipped here.

Thanks Craftsman for the nice QC. Or should i blame Honda?

Arrrrrrrrrrrrg!!!!! Seems to happen every time i get a craftsman power tool or piece of lawn equipment. I never buy any Craftsman stuff, but my dad thinks its a good idea...

 

Craftsman screwdrivers are junk, I don't think I have any left, I pitch-em when they break. The last time I took a 3/8 rachet back they just gave me rebuild kit (wrong one at that) threw them both out. I live 20 miles from sears. The SNAP-ON truck comes to me.

 

AMEN!!! My 1/4" ratchet (Craftsman) is TOTAL garbage! And it's a replacement for the first one that was no better...I've got a 1/4" Stanley ratchet that puts it to shame....

Scott

 

I was under the impression that only Craftsman HAND TOOLS have a lifetime warantee...didn't know about (nor have I ever heard of) a Craftsman water pump.

Regards,
Scott

 

I don't know guys, I hate to rock the boat on a good tool bashing but, I've used Craftsman tools, compressors, air tools, lawn mowers, chop saw and a bench grinder for over 15 years and sure I've had problems with them, but I've had equal problems with the Mac and Snap-on stuff that I own too. The only thing that I can say that I don't like is the Craftsman Spray guns. OK and maybe their drill bits. But all in all I've not really noticed a difference except that the HIP NATIONAL BANK ain't as low on funds as some.

Chris
Alberta

 

Price wise how are the Stanley tools?

 

Stanley tools in my area are about 1/2 of what you'll get Mac for, which is a division of Stanley, and a little more than Craftsman but similar quality. Some of their stuff is better, like their measuring tools (tapes, levels, squares) but as far as hand tools go I think they're about the same.

Chris
Alberta

 

I am a farmer. We've been farming the same land for 143 years. We have 2 dozen sets of wrenches, piles of sockets and socket wrenches, hundereds of screwdrivers, and shelves full of specialty tools. I have more tools than most shops I've been to. I work on everything from the lawn tractor to trucks to combines. I have everything from some Snap-on to Craftsman to cheap foreign tools picked up at the pawn shops. The cheap tools are fine for regular light duty stuff, but, they fail almost every time when you work them. I've had Snap on stuff fail, contantly, same tools over and over. Really upsetting when the truck doesn't come around. Craftsman seems to do the job well. I can't speak for their ratchets much, I went to Ingersol Rand air tools years ago for all the jobs I would normally use ratchets on. I would stop using tools if I had to give up my IR air tools. Cuts my down time down so much I couldn't afford to go back to ratchets. When your farming, down time is your absolute worst enemy. I trust my farm to Craftsman, I have many spares just in case, but generally I don't have to take the time to look for one. Craftsman isn't near perfect, but for the money, it's hard to find a better value.

 

i think basically, any tool can break, no matter how much u pay for it. jaguars, for example, super expensive car, but i found out today JD powers said they have the highest amount of problems, something like 155 repairs for every 100 cars per year. no matter how u look at it, stuff happens. whether its just sitting in your toolbox, or if youre cranking on a rusted nut. anything can break. i personally have never had any problems with craftsman, its about the only brand i buy. however,m ive never had any MAC or snap-on stuff to compare it to.

 

snap=on reps rebuilds at least one ratchet a week for us. One guy uses craftsman, he still hasnt broke his, anouther uses a NAPA, he just swapped his for the first time, which was easy we have a napa right here, and they have the same hours as us. I dont like the way the snap-on guys put down anything not snap-on. IE we put a new lift in, 10,000 lbs a good sturdy unit, he asks why we didnt get one from him, I says you get me one for 2500.00 and we'll get anouther one, he says no way. Now every time I am using the lift when he comes in he makes a comment about it, its too loud, its too slow, all bull, I looked all over the web, and the lift times are inline with everyones. Anouther one, he comes in the other day with a new ratchet, shows it to me, and asks with i ever seen one of these, I says sure, he asks where, i say i got one like it at the house had it for years, he says no way, and shows me where it says patented by snap -on, i just say whatever.. All it was was one of those ratchets you can turn from the end of the handle, the one i got had a t handle you could turn it and the racket head would spin. I like some snap on stuff, their swivel head ratchets feel good to me, just preferance, i do hate it when it gets stripped, and its a week till it can get fixed. Heard husky was basically craftsman, and that they are trying hard to get customers. Thought about checking them out.

 

Generally I am happy with the Craftsman tools, don`t care for their ratchets but the rest of their tools are fairly good for the price. Never had any more trouble with their screw drivers compared to the other brands in that price range. Most of my tools are Craftsman or the Canadian tire brand, both in the same price range and both are good value for the money. Snapon/Mac are a little too expensive to misplace/lose or have someone "borrow". I like to have sets of tools in my two shops and different vehicles so these brands allow me to do that with out going broke.

 

I used to work at sears for about a year and a half on the good side craftmans tools are some of the best even consumer reports magizine rates some of the sears products on the top of. their list i've seen poeple bring tools that hadnt had anything at all wrong with them in for a replacement some maybe, just old or slight rust on them and get new ones. on the bad side a new trend with sears is to discontinue a product and no longer have to warranty it maybe replacing it with a off brand and you have to keep the reciept to get it replaced (think you could keep the reciept for a lifetime like the warranty implies). i saw this happen when i was there and fell victim to it many times, needless to say working there i accumulated a lot of tools. i dont think they would do this to their wrenches and sockets but you never know. a friend of mine who is a full time mechanic swears by craftsman. snap-on is expensive and you have to find their truck for replacment. another person i know tried to take a snap-on back to the truck and the guy told him that he wasnt the one who sold it to him and he woundnt replace it...