Kobalt tools?

[Tom Brown]

We just got a Lowes earl this year. They came in with sharp prices and we picked up a lot of stuff from them before they jacked the prices through the roof.

... but I'm unimpressed by the quality of the hand full of Kobalt tools I have. The drywall pole sander is total crap (the knuckle flip flops around so much, it just doesn't work) and the other hand tools aren't particularly good. They look good, being metal and finished nicely but they just aren't up to their respective jobs.

Rigid is ten times the tool that Kobalt is, as best I can tell.

Did I just get some bad stuff from Lowes? Any other opinions?

My opinion: Lowes blows :thumbsup

 

[SBMech]

Cheap imported crap. Fuck Lowes :thumbsup

 

[lakemadness]

LOL, I always say Lowes Blows.

I agree on the Kobalt stuff. They make the tools look nice, shiney and pretty. But most of them are junk.

I prefer Home Depot over Lowes any day.

Plus Jimmy Johnson can suck it!

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

sears for wrenchs

 

[Blubyu]

Lowes is for girls...

Home Depot is for the men!

 

[Paul65k]

sears for wrenchs

Yup.....Craftsman better than Rigid and both WAY better than Kobalt!

Kobalt probably OK for a set of tools to leave in the trunk for emergencies but nothing more than that!

 

[Crazyhippy]

Yup.....Craftsman better than Rigid and both WAY better than Kobalt!

Kobalt probably OK for a set of tools to leave in the trunk for emergencies but nothing more than that!

Because when you are having an emergency, crap tools are OK?

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[Paul65k]

Because when you are having an emergency, crap tools are OK?

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Yup......IMHO Kobalt tools are single to 3X use only. If they are on sale and all you are going to do is leave them in the trunk for years just in case you might need them....then yes!

If you are driving a "Beater" and need to work on it all the time than nothing short of Snap-On will work for me

 

[H20-ski]

I don't own any Kobalt tools.

 

[OCMerrill]

Consumer stuff in fancy packaging. Good for what they are sold for.

 

[TPC]

Sears Crapsman for price and availability. Crapsman offers a 6pt socket line that is hard to find anyplace else, and the entire line always go on sale every year.

Strap On is just too expensive.

 

[Hypnautic]

I cannot comment since I sued Lowes, and won. Do not , will not shop there.

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[pronstar]

Yup......IMHO Kobalt tools are single to 3X use only. If they are on sale and all you are going to do is leave them in the trunk for years just in case you might need them....then yes!

I agree...but Harbor Freight has even cheaper prices for disposable tools.


2 Tapatalk 1 Cup

 

[Paul65k]

I agree...but Harbor Freight has even cheaper prices for disposable tools.


2 Tapatalk 1 Cup

Yup....Agreed!

I have only bought 1 set of Kobalt tools for the truck and they were on DEEP discount after Christmas.......agreed on the HF pricing in most cases!

BTW I hate buying shit tools......it goes against my grain, but to just throw them in the trunk I bite my lip and just do it

 

[Tom Brown]

I agree...but Harbor Freight has even cheaper prices for disposable tools.

Some of the stuff Harbor Freight has these days isn't bad at all. Sure, they still sell total junk but they also have some pretty decent stuff too.

For hand tools like wrenches and square drive, I'm probably as much of a snob as anyone here.

For hand tools like manual drywall sanders, I picked up the Kobalt pieces because it's just a metal plate with a handle and two clamps to hold on the paper. How good does it need to be? Well... it turns out, it needs to be better than Kobalt can make them. The wing nuts on the paper clamp have either stripped or the welds broken and I don't torque them down particularly tight. WTF?

 

[thetub]

Some of the stuff Harbor Freight has these days isn't bad at all. Sure, they still sell total junk but they also have some pretty decent stuff too.

For hand tools like wrenches and square drive, I'm probably as much of a snob as anyone here.

For hand tools like manual drywall sanders, I picked up the Kobalt pieces because it's just a metal plate with a handle and two clamps to hold on the paper. How good does it need to be? Well... it turns out, it needs to be better than Kobalt can make them. The wing nuts on the paper clamp have either stripped or the welds broken and I don't torque them down particularly tight. WTF?

Tom you communist,socialist,facist,liberal, why you supporting foreign made products.

 

[thetub]

 

[Old Texan]

Kobalt looks pretty and sounds kinda cool, but are low end import junk for the most part.....

 

[pronstar]

Tom you communist,socialist,facist,liberal, why you supporting foreign made products.

Tom's domestic tools are still foreign to us

 

[77charger]

Craftsman and kobalt are all made by the same tool company.Some of the stuff is identical just names are different,I know this for some torque wrenches.

As far as home depot husky bought one of their products it was junk they would not honor their warranty not even exchange it.Never been back.

 

[napanutt]

Name brand tools not withstanding but where I live, Home Depot totally sucks. Their stores are dis-organized and their help is not helpful.
I've been to 3-4 Home Depots in a 30 mile radius of where I live and they're all laid out differently. Been to 2 (including my local one ) Lowes and they're almost identical as far as lay out of store.
Means a lot to me to be able to easily find what I'm looking for.

 

[Paul65k]

I've been to 3-4 Home Depots in a 30 mile radius of where I live and they're all laid out differently.

Let's see..............in Havasu that would be ONE Home Depot

 

[pronstar]

Craftsman and kobalt are all made by the same tool company.Some of the stuff is identical just names are different,I know this for some torque wrenches.

.

But many are also clearly made to different standards.

I don't think the best Craftsman tools hold a candle to SnapOn, but some lines they carry are pretty good quality.

 

[jetboatmatt]

Life time warranty on all Kobolt tools!! If it breaks just take it back and it's a no hassle replacement!!! Hav'nt had to take the wrenches back yet but I will if they strip or get loose!!!!! Craftsmen are great and same warranty!!!

 

[jetboatmatt]

Oops Kobalt

 

[Paul65k]

But many are also clearly made to different standards.

I don't think the best Craftsman tools hold a candle to SnapOn, but some lines they carry are pretty good quality.

Here's how I see it when you make this comparison;

Snap-on makes wrenches and Craftsman makes wrenches...............

Schiada makes boats and Commander makes boats

Nuff Said!!!

 

[Outnumbered]

Not sure about the quality of the China made Kobalt crap, but I'd guess its not good. Most of the Craftsman tools are being made in China now. I recently went on ebay and bought some NIB/NOS made in USA Craftsman tool sets. The quality is so much better than what is in the store now. Regardless both still have the lifetime warranty.

 

[wishiknew]

Kobalt Is TRASH !!!! IMO

 

[whiteworks]

Some of the stuff Harbor Freight has these days isn't bad at all. Sure, they still sell total junk but they also have some pretty decent stuff too.

For hand tools like wrenches and square drive, I'm probably as much of a snob as anyone here.

For hand tools like manual drywall sanders, I picked up the Kobalt pieces because it's just a metal plate with a handle and two clamps to hold on the paper. How good does it need to be? Well... it turns out, it needs to be better than Kobalt can make them. The wing nuts on the paper clamp have either stripped or the welds broken and I don't torque them down particularly tight. WTF?

My pops was pilfridging shit from my garage to use down at my yard, really started to piss me off when I would go to get something and it was gone. I went to harbor freight and dropped about $300 on shit one day to leave at the yard. I told him dont touch my shit, this is your shit. a couple weeks ago we were both at the yard and I needed a screw driver and told him to go grab me one from his shit, he came back and said he couldn't find one, I bought that fucker 10 of those 4 in 1 deals because I know how he is, I had to laugh that he had fucked off all of them all ready, I think he just throws them away or something.:bash:

 

[HolyMoly]

I picked up a Kobalt impact. What a complete POS....my grandma with Parkinsons and a wrench in her hand delivers more torque that this thing did with 110 PSI. Lowes has been good about returns....they mostly just want the reason.

 

[Old Texan]

Craftsman and kobalt are all made by the same tool company.Some of the stuff is identical just names are different,I know this for some torque wrenches.

As far as home depot husky bought one of their products it was junk they would not honor their warranty not even exchange it.Never been back.

Craftsman has things built to a higher standard. Same factory is one thing but the quality levels are dictated by the customer and Sears likely has higher standards than Lowe's.

Sears, in the past anyway, has their contracts rebid every few years and reviews their warranty returns as to quality and structural design. Lowe's is no where near this point resulting in the junk they have on their shelves. Even with this oversight, Craftsman has put their share of mistakes on the market.

 

[BIG JOHNSON]

I picked up a Kobalt impact. What a complete POS....my grandma with Parkinsons and a wrench in her hand delivers more torque that this thing did with 110 PSI. Lowes has been good about returns....they mostly just want the reason.

Haha

Only one Kobalt tool I've grown to like is the utility knife with quick change and blade dispenser. I use it for work and have it out of my tool belt 10-20x daily for the last two years. The blade kept sliding out of the Stanley one from home depot and one day or another was gonna get me sliced.

Kobalt replacement blades are for shit though. The Stanley replacements will last a day under use.

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[Paul65k]

Haha

Only one Kobalt tool I've grown to like is the utility knife with quick change and blade dispenser. I use it for work and have it out of my tool belt 10-20x daily for the last two years. The blade kept sliding out of the Stanley one from home depot and one day or another was gonna get me sliced.

Kobalt replacement blades are for shit though. The Stanley replacements will last a day under use.

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I gotta say THE best cutter I have found is at Home Depot. The first one I bought years ago was a Rigid and now it's a Ryobi....but it;s a cool set-up with a cartridge blade system (40 blades per cartridge), when it gets dull you simply click over to the next blade......takes like 1 second, if that long and seems to last as long as regular blades.

Comes with a small holster and fits well in a tool bag or on tool belt......check it out next time you are in HD....only place I've seen them.

 

[Kachina26]

Sorry to hear that! I’ve had good experiences with Kobalt—they’re reliable and affordable for me. Maybe you just got a bad batch? Rigid’s great, but I’m sticking with Kobalt!

I've had no experience with them myself as I've never BOT any before.

 

[oldman]

Sorry to hear that! I’ve had good experiences with Kobalt—they’re reliable and affordable for me. Maybe you just got a bad batch? Rigid’s great, but I’m sticking with Kobalt!

You felt so strongly about kobalt crap tools you signed up to bump a 12 year old thread?

What is wrong with you?

HF kicks Lowes ass for tools

 

[oldman]

I've had no experience with them myself as I've never BOT any before.

Beat me to it.

Damn.