Festool Brand Ranking Outside The US

[blackemmons]

First let me say, I confess, I am a Festool junkie.

For the most part, I believe that Festool tools are looked upon in the US as "premium" tools and a cut above the DeWalts, Porter Cable, etc. brands.  Is it just your run of the mill brand in other places?  I always remember being stationed in Germany in the 60's and riding around in a Mercedes taxi cab and here they were considered a luxury car.

Is the price comparison to other brands the same as here also?

Not looking for any flame throwers here but I got this curious thought of how the Festool name was looked upon outside the US as compared to inside the US.  I'm not even sure how one would be able to compare if they had only lived in the US or Europe.

JimE

 

[Kev]

I think you'll see Festool being recognised as a premium tool brand in most parts of the world - it's certainly the case down under.

 

[SittingElf]

In Germany, they are regarded almost exactly like they are elsewhere...top of the line.

I have a super tool dealer near our location in Germany. They carry a ton of brands with a huge store. There is a completely separate area walled off from the rest of the store just for Festool, Protool, and Mafell tools...the three most premium brands. Fein, Bosch, Kress and others are considered middle of the road brands, and located in the regular tools area. This is pretty common in the tool stores in Germany.

 

[Stephen B]

I think you'll see Festool being recognised as a premium tool brand in most parts of the world - it's certainly the case down under.

I can only agree with Kev, and SittingElf has just described my favourite dealer, except Festool is a separate building next door.

The fact this dealer has a separate building for Festool/Protool obviously would be only justified by their sales. Further, as I stated in another recent post, Kapex has been so popular, Festool Aust. ran out. I understand that last week they flew in a shipment direct from Germany to cover a backlog of orders while a container sails the high seas.

 

[jonathan-m]

I think in the States Festool is the most premium portable hand powertool brand you'll find and only equalled or slightly topped by Mafell in Europe, regarding on who you ask.

 

[SittingElf]

Interestingly, I asked my German dealer at their superstore how Festool rates against Mafell with their customers.

The store has Festool and Mafell areas next to each other with "workzones" or testing centers for the products.

My dealer told me that customers who come in to really work over the machines, and test both Festool and Mafell, pick the Festools at least 3:1 over Mafell. I asked if this was due to price, and he gave me that "This is Germany" look, and told me that their customers don't buy on price, but on perceived quality.  He said that most of his German customers are much more drawn by the sheer number of accessories and supplies available for Festool items than Mafell, and that they are also impressed that Festool equipment is ALL designed to work together.

He agreed that some Mafell items may slightly outperform equivalent Festools, but that Festool's reputation for quality, support, and other factors most often wins out.

(He also expects that the "orange" tools he carries will soon be green)

Cheers,

Frank

 

[Kev]

Metabo has an "ok" rep too I suppose, maybe Rupes and a few that may be more niche.

 

[AlexThePalex]

For the most part, I believe that Festool tools are looked upon in the US as "premium" tools and a cut above the DeWalts, Porter Cable, etc. brands.  Is it just your run of the mill brand in other places?  I always remember being stationed in Germany in the 60's and riding around in a Mercedes taxi cab and here they were considered a luxury car.

Yes, Festool is certainly considered a premium tool here. The average price for a Festool tool is double that of the competition.

As for Mercedes, that's considered a luxury car here too. That's exactly the reason why a lot of cabs are Mercedes, to have a high class appearance and appeal to business customers.

Fein, Bosch, Kress and others are considered middle of the road brands, and located in the regular tools area.

Bosch and Kress, yes. But not Fein, it's a premium brand also. Their MultiMaster is their best known tool, but it's actually the odd one out too. You'll realise when you see their other tools, mostly niche tools aimed at professional industry, and a price tag to match.

And then there's Hilti, top of the line for rough site work.

 

[KorDes]

Its a premium brand here in NZ too. You wont find it in any of the big box stores. 99% of the guys that buy Festool can see the true value of the tools rather than the figure value. The other 1% have too much money and just buy it because its Festool. I know of one guy who has a wall or two dedicated to Festool and hasnt even used most of them. Still sitting in the systainers, untouched.

 

[netzkind]

I have a super tool dealer near our location in Germany. They carry a ton of brands with a huge store. There is a completely separate area walled off from the rest of the store just for Festool, Protool, and Mafell tools...the three most premium brands. Fein, Bosch, Kress and others are considered middle of the road brands, and located in the regular tools area. This is pretty common in the tool stores in Germany.

Actually this says nothing about how premium a tool is, but about marketing: these shop-in-shops are a common way in Germany for a manufacturer to have a controllable way of presenting their products, plus the shop-owner is happy for he does not have to care about shelving.
But anyone entering the store will perceive it as being a premium brand, so it still answers the initial question.

Anyways, i concur with Festool being seen as premium, as well as Mafell, as far as power tools for woodworking goes.

Best,
Julian

 

[blackemmons]

Well....that was a nice international response.

Thanks to all.

Looks like I can still hold my head high when someone sees me using a green and black tool and has never heard of the name before.  ;D

JimE
Kodak, TN, USA

 

[andy5405]

My take on this in the UK.

I've heard many a conversation where tradesmen are discussing why their chosen brand of tool is better than XYZ and it can go on and on and on and on without resolution. You then just quietly mention that you use Festool and there are two responses. If they've heard of Festool they immediately shut up and concede or say " who are Festool". It's a premium brand anywhere in the same way that a Rolls Royce is universally acknowledged.  

Festool stuff is also very attractive to thieves and almost certainly has the best second hand value of any tool manufacturer. So much so that Festool UK introduced free theft insurance as people were obviously too scared to own something that was too desirable to those that choose to not work for a living.

 

[Davej]

I was on a job in Leeds recently and the guy doing the security grille thought my stack of tlocs was some sort of filing system. When I told him what they are he just shrugged and said he'd never heard of them , but thought his ryobi gear was good value for money.  Made me laugh.

 

[Frank Pellow]

I was on a job in Leeds recently and the guy doing the security grille thought my stack of tlocs was some sort of filing system. When I told him what they are he just shrugged and said he'd never heard of them , but thought his ryobi gear was good value for money.  Made me laugh.

But, sometimes Ryobi tools are good value for money.  [scratch chin] My five year old  Ryobi impact driver is one of my most used tools.

 

[blackemmons]

andy5405,

That first paragraph was worth a good laugh.  [thumbs up] [thumbs up]

I had a brain visual on that.

Thanks.
JimE

 

[andy5405]

I was on a job in Leeds recently and the guy doing the security grille thought my stack of tlocs was some sort of filing system. When I told him what they are he just shrugged and said he'd never heard of them , but thought his ryobi gear was good value for money.  Made me laugh.

Dave, it's easy to become a tool snob once you own Festool. I always remind myself that there is an awful lot of seriously good quality craftmanship out there completed by extremely skilled people with very cheap tools. It's always about the bloke (or woman) hanging off the end of a tool.