At this point, it’s pretty hard to keep track of all of the power tool brands on the market today. There are big ones, small ones, store-specific ones, budget ones…and they’re all available online. This can make shopping and comparing brands difficult, especially if you’re just trying to get a sense for their overall quality.
Well, it’s time to cut through some of that fog by comparing two of the most recognizable brands – Makita and Ridgid – side-by-side.
In this guide, you’ll find succinct comparisons between these two, including which offers the best warranty and product portfolio. Those who use impact drivers can also read through this guide to find which of these two brands excels on that front.
A Brief History of Makita and Ridgid
Makita and Ridgid are both brands with their own storied history.
Makita, for example, dates back to 1915, when it was founded in Nagoya, Japan. Since that time, it transformed its business from generator production to handheld power tool production. Today, they offer their affordably-priced products in numerous countries around the world.
Also, in 2015, the brand celebrated its 100th anniversary by recommitting itself to serving its customers’ tool-based needs with precision.
Makita
Meanwhile, Ridgid entered the hand tool market back in 1923 with the creation of its iconic pipe wrench. That wrench and many other tools after it were made in Elyria, Ohio.
Following WWII, the brand became global while retaining its focus on making plumbing-related tools. Even now, the brand remains committed to “lightening the pro’s load” by offering lightweight hand tools and productive power tools.
They even offer digital tools that work through a plumber’s smartphone.
Ridgid
Makita vs. Ridgid: Which Offers Better Quality?
Quality can be defined on a variety of fronts. But no matter how you define it, Makita and Ridgid brands have it. For example, if you’re looking for reliable construction and resilience to wear, both of these brands’ main product lines offer that.
Makita’s tools, for example, are made in Japan under strict quality standards. Ridgid tools are still US-made for the most part, which speaks to their overall ability to withstand years of hard use.
Both brands also offer outstanding quality relative to their price.
On that front, Makita tools are often priced well below their competitors without cutting corners. Ridgid tools, on the other hand, often come with added value for no extra cost. This is true of their hand tools, especially because they often come in multi-piece sets.
Which Offers a Better Warranty?
Here again, the “better” brand depends on what you’re looking for in a warranty.
In terms of length, Ridgid easily takes home the prize due to their lifetime warranty policy. This program allows you to return any tool for almost any reason, so long as it failed to meet your expectations. The brand may then replace your tool, which few other tool brands of any kind offer anymore.
Makita, meanwhile, usually attaches its three-year warranty to their most popular products.
That’s a decent warranty period all things considered, especially if you end up needing part of your tool replaced due to a defect. While this is certainly not as long as Ridgid’s warranty, you also are not paying extra for a potentially unnecessarily long warranty that you may never use
Makita vs. Ridgid: Which Has a Better Product Portfolio?
Both of these brands have become well-known for the breadth of their respective tool portfolios. Starting with Makita, you can expect to find most of the essential power tools through this teal-green brand.
That includes circular saws, miter saws, routers, band saws, die grinders, and many, many more. This brand also offers a strong variety of tabletop and portable tools, the latter of which are built around their proprietary line of resilient battery packs.
As for accessories, Makita still has a lot to offer its users. Through their online platform and other stores, you’ll be able to order an assortment of drill bits and saw blades that are sure to fit with your existing hardware.
Makita even sells protective equipment and heated vests to fully kit out your construction team.
By comparison, Ridgid’s portfolio is smaller in overall scale. However, Ridgid is far more focused in on the plumbing profession.
As a result, you can find a variety of specialty tools in its catalog, including bending, forming, and pipe cutting equipment. This brand also offers a wide number of threading and fabrication tools, not to mention a variety of manual and electric snakes for all kinds of pipe clearing.
With regards to accessories, Ridgid maintains its focus on plumbing professionals. As such, those in search of specific electric tools and crimps can find them in this brand’s catalog.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Impact Drivers?
Both Makita and Ridgid offer an assortment of impact drivers designed to meet a variety of construction and fabrication needs.
Ridgid’s impact driver line is fairly basic in nature, but certainly not incapable when it comes to real-world applications. Most of their models are ergonomically balanced, for example, allowing them to be used comfortably through hours of use.
Meanwhile, folks who already use Makita tools may find their impact driver to be more desirable. This is because their full-size impact drivers all use the same battery packs, thus cutting down on the need for extra investments.
In terms of their actual construction, these impact drivers typically use brushless motors. As such, they are far less likely to heat up and degrade progressively when used over extended periods of time.
Which of the Two Brands Should You Choose?
Both of these are worthy brands from top to bottom.
But if you’re looking to save money while kitting out your entire construction team with the latest tools, then you’ll definitely want to go with Makita. Their portfolio breadth alone makes such an investment worth it, especially if you need metalworking, woodworking, and masonry tools all at once.
Many of these tools share batteries, too, so you won’t need to struggle with incompatibility.
Meanwhile, if you’re a committed plumber, then you’re going to have a hard time beating Ridgid. Since the very beginning, this brand has been committed to getting plumbers the job-specific tools they need most.
That still shows through today in their assorted line of electrical and metal-cutting tools, all of which are backed by a remarkable lifetime warranty. Though they cost a bit extra, investing in Ridgid tools is always worth it for a plumbing professional.
Summary
In all, Makita and Ridgid are just two of the numerous tool brands you have to choose from in today’s market. But hopefully, you now understand these brands well enough to differentiate them from the pack.
Between these two brands, you’ll find a lot of reliable quality based on solid construction and productivity.
So, be sure to check either of them out when your tool chest is looking for an upgrade!
How Do Makita and Ridgid Compare with Other Brands?
See how Makita compares with: Black & Decker | Bosch | Craftsman | DeWalt | Dremel | Festool | Hilti | Metabo HPT | Milwaukee | Porter-Cable | Ryobi | Stanley | Worx
See how Ridgid compares with: Craftsman | DeWalt | Kobalt | Milwaukee | Porter-Cable | Ryobi