I have had mostly good results with Bosch tools. Festool really is a 'system' when you finally commit. Otherwise you really don't get the full results. No other brand in North America like it.
But Bosch has not done as thorough a job as a couple of companies in the US. Here, most tool companies do not market a lower end and a higher end quality. That would just confuse shoppers. Tradesmen can buy from 'jobber' oriented stores and get (sometimes) more unique products. Companies do sell more gadget and lesser gadget models. Instead, they sell price point brands and packages.
Milwaukee/Rigid (non-plumbing, none vacuums)/Ryobi are high to low end. In the US these are also exclusive brands of Home Depot. Many Sears Craftsman tools are made by this company (usually Ryobi based). Ryobi USA is usually DIY and very low end (at least since Home Depot licensed the brand). The Chinese company also makes other brands much better known in Europe.
Dewalt/Porter-Cable/Black and Decker.
Bosch/Skil have not made the effort to market as complete a line, nor had Bosch seen fit to do much marketing with Skil. They picked specific markets with US products to compete in. Often the tools are made in Malaysia (beats the Chineses scourge), save the battery powered tools. Seems that since the main source of lithium is China, they build the drills there as well.
Any tools found at Lowes or Home Depot should be reviewed against similar models available elsewhere, as 'content' is likely different due to pennies of price point. These are the dominant big box 'hardware' stores in our country. The same thing is done with archery, firearms, etc. Shave a bit of cost here and there to meet a target. Not build to meet a requirement. Even John Deere and Toro do this with the outdoor equipment. Deere standalone tractor dealers do not do warranty repair work on Home Depot sold machines.
Sorry, that got a bit off track, but this is a reflection of the US market and its unique proclivities. There was a time that Dewalt/Milwaukee/Bosch all sold models made for them by each other (in areas they didn't make a product). Usually European, but sometimes US made too. Not since the Asian influenced 'integrated' market and too much MBA and activist wall street investors (not always a bad thing, but purely cash and carry oriented).
You do see the results in how it lasts or functions. You gets what you pay for.
But Bosch has not done as thorough a job as a couple of companies in the US. Here, most tool companies do not market a lower end and a higher end quality. That would just confuse shoppers. Tradesmen can buy from 'jobber' oriented stores and get (sometimes) more unique products. Companies do sell more gadget and lesser gadget models. Instead, they sell price point brands and packages.
Milwaukee/Rigid (non-plumbing, none vacuums)/Ryobi are high to low end. In the US these are also exclusive brands of Home Depot. Many Sears Craftsman tools are made by this company (usually Ryobi based). Ryobi USA is usually DIY and very low end (at least since Home Depot licensed the brand). The Chinese company also makes other brands much better known in Europe.
Dewalt/Porter-Cable/Black and Decker.
Bosch/Skil have not made the effort to market as complete a line, nor had Bosch seen fit to do much marketing with Skil. They picked specific markets with US products to compete in. Often the tools are made in Malaysia (beats the Chineses scourge), save the battery powered tools. Seems that since the main source of lithium is China, they build the drills there as well.
Any tools found at Lowes or Home Depot should be reviewed against similar models available elsewhere, as 'content' is likely different due to pennies of price point. These are the dominant big box 'hardware' stores in our country. The same thing is done with archery, firearms, etc. Shave a bit of cost here and there to meet a target. Not build to meet a requirement. Even John Deere and Toro do this with the outdoor equipment. Deere standalone tractor dealers do not do warranty repair work on Home Depot sold machines.
Sorry, that got a bit off track, but this is a reflection of the US market and its unique proclivities. There was a time that Dewalt/Milwaukee/Bosch all sold models made for them by each other (in areas they didn't make a product). Usually European, but sometimes US made too. Not since the Asian influenced 'integrated' market and too much MBA and activist wall street investors (not always a bad thing, but purely cash and carry oriented).
You do see the results in how it lasts or functions. You gets what you pay for.
