When it comes to American power tool brands, few are as recognized as Craftsman and DeWalt. While one is mostly a consumer-oriented brand, though, the other one is used by both DIYers and professionals. In this article, we will help you decide between the two by taking you through the history of each brand, through their product portfolios, as well as talking about their products’ quality.
While Craftsman offers many options that may be appealing to someone on a budget, DeWalt offers a level of quality that Craftsman doesn’t.
A Brief History of Craftsman and DeWalt
DeWalt was started in 1923 by Raymond E. DeWalt, the inventor of the radial arm saw in Leola, Pennsylvania. It grew quickly and was reorganized and reincorporated in 1947 as DeWalt Inc. It was then sold to Black & Decker in 1960. Black & Decker started a major effort to rebrand its professional quality and high-end power tools to DeWalt in 1992.
As of 2001, DeWalt manufactured and sold more than 200 different power hand tools and 800 accessories. Since then, DeWalt has also become a popular brand of tools for commercial contractors.
In 2013, DeWalt announced the Made in the USA initiative, and as of 2015, DeWalt has seven manufacturing facilities building products in the United States. Namely, they are in New Britain, CT, Hampstead, MD, Shelbyville, KY, Greenfield, IN, Cheraw, SC, Charlotte, NC, and Jackson, TN.
DeWalt
Craftsman was launched in 1927 by Sears, who hired Arthur Barrows to head the company’s hardware department. The brand has evolved and expanded its offerings, but it has stayed true to its original purpose of creating quality tools. An independent consumer survey in 2001 rated Craftsman #1 among all American brands in quality.
Craftsman
Craftsman vs. DeWalt: Which Offers Better Quality?
Both Craftsman and DeWalt offer robust and high-quality tools. DeWalt has a large catalog of 20V power tools and has shifted its focus away from lower-powered and consumer-oriented 12V tools.
DeWalt currently manufactures its tools in the following countries: the United States, Mexico, Brazil, China, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic. They have also committed to making several of their tools in the US. Through that initiative, DeWalt makes 32 hand tools, 48 power tools, and 562 types of accessories in the United States with domestic and global materials.
Meanwhile, many Craftsman portable power tools are manufactured by Techtronic Industries, the same Hong Kong-based company that also manufactures for brands such as Milwaukee, AEG, Ryobi, Homelite, Empire, Stiletto, and Dirt Devil.
Which Offers a Better Warranty?
DeWalt offers several warranties, but most power tools come with a three-year limited warranty.
The three-year limited warranty means that DeWalt will repair any defects due to faulty materials or workmanship for three years from the date of purchase for free. This warranty does not cover part failure due to normal wear or tool abuse.
They also have a seven-year limited warranty for certain products, but you’ll need to verify which warranty your purchase qualifies for.
Their tools also are covered by a one-year free service contract, under which DeWalt will maintain the tool and replace worn parts caused by normal use, for free, any time during the first year after purchase.
As an added bonus, their 90-day money-back guarantee says that if you are not completely satisfied with the performance of your DeWalt power tool, for any reason, you can return it within 90 days from the date of purchase with a receipt for a full refund.
Meanwhile, Craftsman power tools come with a three-year limited warranty. Craftsman will repair any defects due to faulty materials or defects in workmanship for three years from the date of purchase for free.
Proof of purchase is required and this warranty does not cover part failure due to normal wear or tool abuse.
They also offer a 90-day money-back guarantee that says that if you are not completely satisfied with the tool, for any reason, you can return it within 90 days from the date of purchase with a receipt for a full refund.
Craftsman vs. DeWalt: Customer Service
In terms of customer service, it seems as though both of these manufacturers are pretty neck and neck. Customer service experiences can vary greatly depending on the representative you deal with and as such, it can be hard to determine a clear winner.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that a lot of customers will go to the internet when they have a bad customer service experience, while a lot fewer do when they have positive experiences.
Despite this, it seems that DeWalt comes out slightly ahead on this front. Both brands seem to have plenty of satisfied customers, although it seems as though DeWalt has fewer negative customer reviews.
In fact, some customers seemed to be so happy with their DeWalt experience that they took to the internet just to praise the company.
Craftsman vs. DeWalt: Pricing
In order to create an accurate depiction of the pricing between these two brands, our team created the Hanyman’s World Power Tool Brand Price Index which takes a basket of three basic power tools – a cordless drill, angle grinder, and circular saw – and indexes the prices against the average of what we consider to be the 15 best brands in the industry.
As you can see below, the 2023 version of our index shows that Crafstman scored 0.63, while DeWalt scored 1.06. This means that Craftsman is significantly cheaper, and be
Craftsman vs. DeWalt: Which Has a Better Product Portfolio?
Both Craftsman and DeWalt have large product portfolios.
DeWalt has nineteen 20V impact wrenches and impact drivers and around a dozen hammer drills and drill/drivers.
Craftsman has twelve impact drivers and impact wrenches, and about eight cordless drills and hammer drills. Besides these, they both have a large selection of air tools, nailers, grinders, saws, heat guns, planers, jointers, lights, sanders, wet/dry vacuums, radios, etc.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Circular Saws?
While both of these manufacturers offer a good selection of circular saws, it’s no doubt that DeWalt comes out on top. Craftsman’s selection is quite small on this front, as they offer a few 20V options ranging from 6-1/2″ to 7-1/4″ blade diameters.
DeWalt, on the other hand, offers circular saws ranging from 12V all the way to 60V, with blade diameters ranging from 4-1/2″ to 9″.
It’s clear that if you’re looking for a brand that has a lot of high-quality circular saw options, you’ll definitely want to go with DeWalt.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Angle Grinders?
When it comes to angle grinders, DeWalt once again is the winner.
While Craftsman does offer a decent selection of 20V angle grinders, DeWalt offers both 20V and 60V options, making them the more versatile choice.
Additionally, DeWalt offers more in the way of kits, meaning that if you’re looking to get your tool with batteries and accessories included, you’re more likely to find what you’re looking for with DeWalt.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Drills?
Craftsman has a decent selection of drills to pick from. They have five cordless 20V drills, three 20V cordless hammer drills, a rotary hammer, and a few corded drills.
Meanwhile, DeWalt offers 20V Max and FLEXVOLT systems for its power tools. Dewalt has eight 20V Max drill/drivers and three 20V Max hammer drills.
Both brands have comparable catalogs, but DeWalt has a slight edge in this category.
If you’re looking for a new drill/driver, consider checking out the DeWalt 20V Max 1/2″ Cordless Drill/Driver kit. Or, if you’re looking for something slightly cheaper, the Craftsman V20 1/2″ Cordless Drill/Driver may be right for you.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Hand Tools?
DeWalt offers a selection of axes, hammers, hand saws, torque wrenches, impact sockets, knives, blades, manual fastening tools, clamps, wood chisels, ratchets, piers, and many more items.
Similarly, Craftsman has a wide product catalog of hex keys, hand saws, measuring tools, nut drivers, pliers, cutters, hammers, screwdrivers, and other hand tools.
As such, besides being some of the best power tool brands, they are both great hand tool brands as well.
If you’re looking to revamp your hand tool arsenal, check out the Craftsman 102-Piece Home Tool Set. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something more specifically geared toward mechanics, consider the DeWalt 142-Piece Mechanics Tool Kit.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Lawn and Garden Tools?
When it comes to lawn and garden tools, both of these manufacturers offer great selections, and you really can’t go wrong with either one. However, Craftsman definitely comes out on top, simply because they have a more expansive selection. While DeWalt has plenty of outdoor tools that will meet your needs, Craftsman tends to offer more in most categories.
Craftsman also offers a better selection of gas-power push mowers if that’s what you’re after, while DeWalt only offers gas-powered options for their riding mowers.
If you’re looking for a great gas-power push mower, we’d recommend the Craftsman 21″ 140cc Gas Powered Lawn Mower. However, if you’re looking for a great battery-powered option, try checking out the DeWalt 20V MAX Lawn Mower.
Craftsman vs. DeWalt: Which Brand Has a Better Design?
Both brands are relatively similar on this front. Their tools both feature a rugged design with pretty typical color palettes. Usually, Craftsman tools are primarily red with black complimenting the tool throughout. DeWalt, on the other hand, features a similar design but instead with a yellow and black color theme.
The only thing we can really say is that those yellow tools made by DeWalt may be a bit more visible on a job site, but this really all comes down to personal preference.
Craftsman vs. DeWalt: Latest Developments
In order to keep you updated, we wanted to keep tabs on the latest developments from these manufacturers as of 2023.
In 2022 Craftsman released their new V20 Brushless RP Lineup, which brought a wide array of 20-volt power tools. Later in 2022, the company expanded this lineup with their new V20 Brushless RP Cordless Jig Saw and 23GA Pin Nailer.
On the other hand, DeWalt brought in the new year by releasing their new 20V Max Brushless 1/2″ Drill Driver and Hammer Drill, as well as their 20V Max Compact Press Tool. The brand also announced its new Atomic Compact Series of tools.
Which of the Two Brands Should You Choose?
In general, Craftsman tools are considered to be of lower quality than DeWalt, but they are also cheaper.
Another key point to note is that Craftsman tools tend to have more 20V options as opposed to 12V. While the latter might have less power, they are also lighter and much more portable, so keep that in mind when buying your tools.
Overall, we would opt for DeWalt over Craftsman power tools whether using them for DIY purposes or as a professional contractor. While you might end up paying a little more, chances are that your tools will last longer.
Buying a quality power tool is an investment, and you should prioritize durability over cost, as long as the tool is within your budget. While both DeWalt and Craftsman are fairly good brands, overall, the former is manufacturing slightly better tools.
That said, you cannot go wrong by choosing either brand. Just keep in mind that these companies’ batteries are not interchangeable, so once you commit to a brand, it will be much harder to switch.
How Do Craftsman and DeWalt Compare with Other Brands?
See how Craftsman compares with: Black & Decker | Husky | Kobalt | Makita | Milwaukee | Porter-Cable | Ridgid | Ryobi | Stanley
See how DeWalt compares with: Black & Decker | Bosch | Dremel | Festool | Hilti | Husky | Kobalt | Makita | Metabo HPT | Milwaukee | Porter-Cable | Ridgid | Ryobi | Skil | Stanley | Worx