When it comes to tool shopping, you may find yourself gravitating towards one particular brand. This can be a blessing or a headache as the wide selection can make it challenging to find the right tools for the job. However, one can never go wrong when buying tools from a major tool manufacturer.

And in some cases, you may be lucky enough to get a complete package from a renowned brand that suits all your needs. This will enable you to save money as tool packages tend to cost less. Here are the leading brands with all the tools you may ever need to tackle your project.

Ryobi

History

Ryobi Limited is a Japanese manufacturer of power tools, electronics, components used in automobiles, telecommunication, and construction. The company owns licenses for Ryobi Power Tools and Ryobi Outdoor Power Equipment, both brands of Techtronic Industries, which also owns Milwaukee, AEG (AEG Powertools, licensed from Electrolux), Homelite, Hoover US, Dirt Devil, and Vax.

The company was founded in 1943 and started selling die cast products in 1944. The company started manufacturing printing presses in 1961 and was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 1968. In 1985, Ryobi launched production in Shelbyville, Indiana, its only manufacturing location in the United States. Currently, Ryobi has 12 manufacturing facilities across six countries.

Brand recognition

The company has positioned itself as an affordable tool manufacturer with innovative products that can be used to target various needs. The brand is recognized as a consumer brand and is a go-to-brand when shopping for tools for at-home projects, and is highly popular amongst DIY lovers, homeowners, and enthusiast users. While some professionals use Ryobi tools, others consider it a DIY tool brand.

Product portfolio

Ryobi has a wide range of tools. These range from power drills, miter saws, leaf blowers to nail guns, orbital sanders, jigsaws, and much more. You can see their complete portfolio here: products manufactured by Ryobi.

Warranties

Below is a summary of the different warranties for products in various categories sold by Ryobi. Terms and conditions apply in each category and also vary from product to product.

Product	Warranty period
RYOBI 18V ONE+ Products	3-year limited warranty
RYOBI 40V Lithium-Ion Outdoor Tools	5-year limited warranty
RYOBI 40V Lithium-Ion Outdoor Batteries and Chargers	3-year limited warranty
RYOBI Outdoor Power Equipment	3-year limited warranty
RYOBI hand tools	Limited lifetime warranty
RYOBI 18V ONE+ Electrostatic Sprayers	3-year limited warranty
RYOBI Garage Door Opener motors and belt	Limited lifetime warranty
RYOBI Brand Pool Products	1-year limited warranty

Price placement

Ryobi products fall in the mid-range price category.

Popular advantages/disadvantages according to users

Advantages	Disadvantages
Good product lineup	Higher price point
Durable	Not ideal for heavy-duty projects
Highly innovative tool features	Regular product discontinuation

Where are the tools made?

Ryobi power tools are primarily made in China, but they have an automobile manufacturing plant in Indiana, United States.

General quality and reliability

The tools are touted as durable and higher-quality than cheaper tool brands. Most consumers are generally on board with paying the extra price for a higher quality product. They also tend to have a longer lifespan. Not to mention the access to budget-friendly kits that come with a complete package of tools needed to handle multiple aspects of any project.

Dewalt

Dewalt is an American tool manufacturer that was founded in 1923 by Raymond E. Dewalt, the inventor of the radial arm saw. It was later reincorporated in 1947 as Dewalt Inc. the company was bought by the American Machine & Foundry Co. Inc. in 1949 and sold to Black & Decker in 1960.

Black & Decker rebranded to Dewalt in 1992. Dewalt acquired German woodworking power tool producer ELU in 1994 and expanded their product line using ELU’s technology.

Brand recognition

Dewalt is the most recognized tool brand in America. It also has a sizable market share and is revered for its household tools and heavy-duty product lines.

Product portfolio

Dewalt manufactures and sells more than 200 different power hand tools and 800 accessories. These include;

1. Hand tools such as utility knives, pliers, adjustable wrenches, tape measures, saws, and hammers.
2. Mechanical tools such as wrenches, ratchets, and sockets.
3. Corded and cordless power tools
4. Air compressors and vacuums

You can check out the complete Dewalt portfolio here.

Warranties

Dewalt warranties are generally categorized as follows;

No break guarantee

This covers DEWALT® SDS MAX High Impact Carbide and SDS Plus 2 Cutter Masonry Drill bits.   If your drill bit fails for any reason while the anchor wear mark is still visible on the product, DEWALT will replace it free of charge.  Proof of purchase may be required. 

Three years limited warranty

This covers most DEWALT® Tools purchased on or after January 1, 2004.  The warranty package includes:

• Three-Year Limited Warranty. Whereby DEWALT will repair, without charge, any defects due to faulty materials or workmanship for three years from the date of purchase.
• One-Year Free Service Contract. Under which DEWALT will maintain the tool and replace worn parts caused by everyday use, for free, any time during the first year after purchase.
• 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with the performance of your DEWALT Power Tool, Laser, or a nail gun for any reason, you can return it within 90 days from the date of purchase with a receipt for a full refund – no questions asked. 

3. 7-years limited liability warranty

Dewalt will repair, without charge, any defects due to faulty materials or workmanship for seven years from the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover part failure due to normal wear or tool abuse.

In addition to the warranty, you also get a One-Year Free Service Contract and 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee.

30-day money-back guarantee

You can all Dewalt footwear products within 30 days with a receipt for a full refund. The returned boots must be accompanied by a sales receipt showing the date of purchase.

 Full lifetime warranty

The manufacturer’s full lifetime warranty covers all Dewalt mechanics tools. If any Dewalt mechanics tool ever fails for any reason, Dewalt will replace it. No proof of purchase is required.

Limited lifetime warranty

All Dewalt hand tools come with a limited lifetime warranty, and the length of the warranty may vary from product to product. This warranty does not cover products that are improperly used, abused, altered, or repaired. Deficient products will be replaced or repaired.

Limited warranty

All Dewalt heavy-duty industrial tools are warranted for one year from the date of purchase.

Terms and conditions apply for each warranty type. **

Price placement

Dewalt tools fall in the mid to lower price range compared to other brands. But they still deliver major bang for your buck. If you are looking to get yourself some power tools but need to save some money, consider going for this brand.

Popular advantages/disadvantages according to users

Advantages	Disadvantages
Good product lineup	Heavier than other brands
Fair price point	Their batteries take longer to charge
Energy efficient

Where are the tools made?

In December 2013, Dewalt announced it would be bringing some assembly of a small selection of their products to the United States using globally manufactured parts from Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, Italy, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The finals products assembled in the United States using these parts bear the label, “Built in the USA with global materials.” Dewalt also has seven manufacturing facilities in the United States.

General quality and reliability

Dewalt products are touted as being worth their price, and they tend to be quite durable.

Makita

Makita Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of power tools founded in 1915. Mosaburo Makita founded Makita Electric Works in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, and began selling and repairing lighting equipment, motors and transformers.

Makita marketed a portable electrical planer in Japan in 1958. It became a power tools manufacturer the following year. In April 1969, Makita introduced the 6500D battery-powered drill and the 6010D rechargeable drill in December 1978. In February 2005, Makita manufactured the first lithium-ion battery tool.

Brand recognition

Makita tools are commonly preferred for better construction, more powerful motor, efficiency, durability, and longer battery life.

Product portfolio

Here are the main categories of Makita products;

Cordless tools

These include cordless screwdrivers, cordless impact wrenches, cordless rotary hammers drills, cordless jigsaws, battery saws, cordless angle grinders, cordless planers, cordless metal shears, battery-powered screwdrivers, and cordless slot mills.

Power tools

Makita offers a wide range of classic hand tools such as drilling and stemming hammers, drills, planers, saws, and cutting and angle grinders. It also manufactures electric lawnmowers, high-pressure cleaners, blowers, and measuring tools such as rangefinders and rotating lasers.

Petrol equipment

These include; cutters, power generators, chainsaws, scythes, lawnmowers, and blowers.

Cordless tool batteries

Which are the 18V Lithium-Ion powered cordless tools.

Accessories

Such as batteries and chargers for cordless tools. As well as blades and tables manufactured for sawing tools. Makita also manufactures carrying cases for carrying tools to the worksite.

You can check out the complete Makita portfolio here.

Warranties

Makita 30-day return / replacement guarantee

You can return any Makita product within 30 days of purchase if you are not satisfied with it. This guarantee does not apply to Makita accessories and wearable items such as bits, blades, or cutters.

Makita General product limited warranty

This covers all Makita products.

Makita 2-year warranty emissions-related components

Components covered in this emission warranty include 1) fuel metering system, 2) air induction system, 3) ignition system, and 4) items used in the above systems.

 Makita 3-year limited warranty, pneumatic nailer, lithium-ion tool, battery, and charger

This cover’s Makita pneumatic nailer and lithium-ion tool, batteries, and chargers

Price placement

Makita tools tend to cost more than other tool brands. But they are also higher quality and tend to have a longer-lasting motor as compared to other brands.

Popular advantages/disadvantages according to users

Advantages	Disadvantages
Large product selection	Fairly expensive
Good quality tool motor	Lower torque range
Ergonomic tool design

Where are the tools made?

Makita is primarily based in Japan. The company also operates factories in Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico, Romania, the United Kingdom, Germany, Dubai, Thailand, and the United States.

Bottomline

Now that we have reviewed three of the most popular tool brands, it should be inherently clear that pitching the brands against each other is not the way to go. For several reasons;

• They belong to different price classes.
• They offer different types of tools.
• And lastly, they are designed for different types of users.

As such, you should weigh your options before you invest in tools from any of these brands. You have to assess the tools and their features to determine whether they are suited to your needs before selecting a particular set.

The critical thing to remember is that you can always buy tools from competing brands if the one offered by your brand of preference does not have the features you need. It is best to pick items from each brand that suit your needs instead of buying a set of tools from one particular brand as you may end up with a subpar tool.