Hilti and Bosch are both big-time brand names in the world of power tools. There is no doubt about the fact that both have amassed a large variety of products which can be added to your arsenal. Both have been around for quite a while and are trusted.
That being said, you probably only want tools from a single brand, as this can help make life a bit easier for you. So, when it comes to Hilti and Bosch, which of the two brands is better?
I’m going to compare these two on a number of fronts, so let’s get started.
A Brief History of Hilti and Bosch
What is interesting to note is that Hilti started out as a small family-run business all the way back in 1941, when it was founded by Martin Hilti and Eugene Hilti of Liechtenstein. In fact, this tool maker is currently the largest employer present in the country.
Yes, Hilti is originally from a German-speaking country and is closely related to Switzerland, as can be seen by the logo which features white lettering and a red backdrop. Although Martin and Eugene are out of the picture, the Hilti brand name is to this day still a family-owned company.
At this time, the family-owned Hilti has sold over 5 billion Swiss Francs of power tools and other construction equipment and has well over 30,000 employees. Hilti currently has offices in India, Europe, and North America. It may not have started out exclusively manufacturing power tools, but they sure to make a whole lot of them.
Hilti
Next, we have Bosch, which is considerably older than Hilti.
Bosch was founded all the way back in 1886 by Robert Bosch. The company is officially called Robert Bosch GmBH, and to this day, the charitable organization known as Robert Bosch Stiftung owns 92% of the company’s shares. Bosch headquarters are located in Gerlingen, Germany.
Being considerably larger than Hilti, it has over 400,000 employees and generates total revenues of nearly $80 billion dollars each year. At this time, Bosch also has offices in Britain, North America, and India. In total, Bosch has 125 locations across the world giving it a global footprint.
Bosch produces a variety of both consumer and commercial goods, such as energy and building tech, industrial technology, mobility software and hardware, and yes, of course, power tools too. When it comes down to it, Bosch power tools are known as some of the best in the world.
Bosch
Hilti vs. Bosch: Which Offers Better Quality?
Let’s talk about what kind of quality you can expect from both of these brand names, particularly in terms of their power tools.
The location of manufacturing is always an important aspect to consider here. Remember that the outsourcing of manufacturing to other less developed countries is a popular tactic used to reduce costs, but of course, it can also reduce the quality of the final products in some cases.
When it comes to Hilti, their manufacturing standards are fairly high. They have plants located in Mexico, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, Hungary, and China. As you can see, the vast majority of production plants are located in very well regulated countries that have high manufacturing standards.
With that being said, the majority of Hilti power tools are currently being produced in China. This of course brings the question of quality to light as outsourcing to China is definitely not synonymous with quality. Still, Hilti manages to do proper quality control.
Hilti did at one time produce some tools in the United States, although these days are over.
People really do not seem to have many complaints about Hilti tool quality, and this applies to all of their tools.
However, what should also be noted is that on a tool by tool comparison, Hilti is generally the far more expensive brand compared to Bosch.
Now, when it comes to Bosch, just like Hilti, this company has its products manufactured in a variety of locations including Germany, other European countries, Asia, North America, and South America. What needs to be said here is that yes, Bosch does outsource a lot of its production to global south countries with very few standards in terms of labor and product quality.
However, by comparison, Bosch produces a lot more of its power tools in countries located in Europe and North America than Hilti does.
Therefore, it is safe to assume that Bosch tool quality is quite high across the board. People certainly don’t seem to have too many complaints, especially since their tools are reasonably priced.
Which Offers a Better Warranty?
In terms of the warranty when it comes to Bosch power tools, everything is covered by a limited one-year warranty on the original tools, but not for accessories. As long as you are within 1 year of the purchase, you will receive free electrical, safety, and performance checks, as well as necessary repairs.
Keep in mind that when sending Bosch power tools for repairs, you are responsible for shipping costs.
When it comes down to it, if you are looking for a long-standing warranty, the clear choice here is Hilti.
Hilti offers a two-year warranty on all power tools which covers replacements and repairs due to wear and tear. There are no charges for parts, labor, and shipping within these first two years. Hilti will repair or replace parts that break due to a defect in the material or workmanship for a whopping 20 years.
Hilti vs. Bosch: Which Has a Better Product Portfolio?
Ok, so we do not want to list every single tool that each of these two brands makes, as this would take way too long. However, what we can say is that both Hilti and Bosch produce quite an impressive array of power tools.
This includes all sorts of benchtop tools and saws, cordless and corded saws, drills and drivers, planers, jointers, sanders, routers, shop vacuums, and so much more. That said, Bosch does also produce a very wide array of lawn care and landscaping tools, which Hilti lacks on.
Moreover, just keep in mind that Bosch is a much, much larger company than Hilti, with 400,000 employees compared to Hilti’s 30,000 employees.
It makes perfect sense that Bosch has an absolutely massive product portfolio, way larger than Hilti’s portfolio.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Hammer Drills & Rotary Hammers?
In terms of rotary hammers, the Hilti brand name has just a few to offer, but they are all of very high quality. One that’s especially worth noting is the legendary TE 7-C.
While Bosch rotary hammers are also quite high in quality, there are many more to choose from. Bosch has roughly 20 rotary hammers to choose from.
The same thing can be said for hammer drills, as Hilti makes just a couple of them, whereas Bosch makes many more.
All that said, when it comes to construction tools like this, Hilti is generally the better – if not the best – regarded brand.
Which of the Two Brands Should You Choose
This really comes down to a matter of personal preference over anything else.
Both brands make very high-quality products. There is no doubt about that. The difference makers here are the warranties and the product portfolios. Bosch has a way bigger selection of products, but Hilti has the far superior warranties on their power tools.
Hilti is also generally the choice of contractors working on building projects while Bosch is more of a general-purpose brand used by both contractors as well as woodworkers and other people.
Summary
There you have it, a side by side comparison of two popular brand names in the world of power tools.
Both Hilti and Bosch bring quality to the table and they are some of the brand names that come recommended the most.
However, before making a final decision, you should also check my article about the best power tool brands to see what your other options are.
How Do Hilti and Bosch Compare with Other Brands?
See how Hilti compares with: DeWalt | Festool | Makita | Metabo HPT | Milwaukee
See how Bosch compares with: Black & Decker | DeWalt | Dremel | Festool | Makita | Metabo HPT | Milwaukee | Porter-Cable | Ryobi | Skil | Stanley | Worx