Skil vs. Black & Decker: Which of the Two Brands Is Better?

Skil vs. Black & Decker: Which of the Two Brands Is Better?

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If you are looking to get some power tools, you are definitely comparing various brands.

The two you might be considering seriously, especially if you are a homeowner or a DIYer, are Skil and Black & Decker. They are both well-known and can be see in hardware stores around the country.

Which of the two should you pick, though? Continue reading to find out.

A Brief History of Skil & Black & Decker

Skil was originally started by Edmon Michel, a Frenchman who immigrated to New Orleans in the 1920s. At this time Michel created the first motorized machete, quite the interesting invention, which was then later modified to become the first electric hand saw.

After this, a Minneapolis land developer, Joseph Sullivan, got together with Michel, and in 1924 created the Michel Electric Handsaw Co. Michel left the company in 1926, at which time Sullivan changed the name to Skilsaw Inc. Skil is the brand responsible for creating the Skilsaw Circular Saw Model 77, which is now referred to as “the saw that built America,” as it set the industry standard for hand-held circular saws with worm drives.

Skil has changed ownership several times throughout its history. It was purchased by Emerson Electric in 1979. It was then purchased by Bosch in 1996. And finally, Skil was then purchased by Chervon LTD, a Chinese-owned power tool manufacturer.

 

Long Story Short…

Skil

Skil is an American power tool brand that first became known for its saws. Now it manufactures a wide variety of tools.

 

On the other hand, we have the much larger Black & Decker brand which is an American manufacturer of power tools. Alonzo Decker and Duncan Black first formed “The Black & Decker Manufacturing Company” in 1910.

It was first established just north of Baltimore, Maryland, where it is still based to this day. In 2010, Black & Decker merged with Stanley Works to become Stanley Black & Decker. Black & Decker is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker to this day. One of the first achievements of this brand happened in 1917 when it invented and patented the hand-held electric drill with a pistol trigger grip.

Black & Decker is a massive company with nearly 30,000 employees and over 11 billion dollars in yearly revenue. At this time, its parent, Stanley Black & Decker is one of the world’s largest producers of power tools, accessories, home improvement products, and fastening systems.

 

Long Story Short…

Black & Decker

Part of the same group as DeWalt, Black & Decker makes entry-level tools. Its products are affordable and of a good enough quality for home use.

 

Skil vs Black & Decker: Which Offers Better Quality?

Starting with Skil, this is a brand of tools that is usually marketed more towards the average Joe, for occasional and sporadic use, and for home and DIY use.

Generally speaking, Skil tools are regarded as being fairly durable, long-lasting, and easy to use. Most homeowners and people looking to work on small projects appreciate them for what they are, although they are not seen as ideal products for heavy-duty use.

Now, Skil is owned by Chervon, which is of course a Chinese company, and yes, this company makes virtually all of its products in Chinese factories, mainly ones located in Nanjing. Some people may not appreciate where these tools are made, but there is a reason why Skil tools tend to come in at very low prices. All things considered, these are some of the least expensive tools that you can get your hands on.

Regardless of where they are made, though, Skil tools are pretty decent across the board – especially considering their low price.

Skil Circular Saw

When it comes to Black & Decker, the vast majority of its tools are also made in China, with a very small manufacturing footprint in the USA and Europe. That said, its parent company, Stanley Black & Decker does have many more manufacturing locations in the USA and does appear to be moving much of its production back to the USA.

Still, the subsidiary, Black & Decker, makes the vast majority of its products overseas.

Just like with Skil, Black & Decker is marketed towards homeowners, people doing DIY projects, and towards the casual consumer. Just like with Skil, the products from Black & Decker come in at fairly low prices, yet seem to offer a decent level of quality.

Black & Decker power tools are regarded as being fine for occasional and basic use, and people are very happy with not having to spend too much money on them, but they are also not intended for heavy-duty and professional use.

Black & Decker Screwdriver

Which Offers a Better Warranty

Skil does have some pretty decent warranties for its tools. Many Skil power tools come with a three-year limited warranty, some come with a five-year limited warranty, and many of the smaller hand-held tools come with a one-year limited warranty.

Specific information on Black & Decker warranties is a bit hard to come by. However, through our research, it seems as though many of their tools are covered by a limited lifetime warranty, with some also being covered by a two-year limited warranty.

Therefore, Skil does appear to have better warranties all around.

Skil vs Black & Decker: Which Has a Better Product Portfolio?

What can be said is that across the board, Black & Decker does offer more products than Skil. This brand makes a wide variety of power tools, batteries and accessories, lawn and garden equipment, home cleaning equipment, small appliances, and even pet and healthcare-related products too.

On the other hand, Skil focuses on power tools and outdoor equipment. Remember that Black & Decker is by far the larger company, so it makes sense that it has a much more diverse array of products for sale.

That said, when it comes to the specific selection of power tools, both brands hold their own. For instance, Skil has just over 20 saws for sale, whereas Black and Decker has 19. On the other hand, Skil currently has just 6 sanders for sale, whereas Black & Decker has 11.

Skil Angle Grinder

Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Jigsaws?

At this time, Skil has eight jigsaws for sale, compared to the nine which Black & Decker has for sale. As such, the two brands are fairly similar in this regard.

Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Drills?

On the other hand, when it comes to drills, Black & Decker has 24 options available on the website, compared to the 22 drills available on the Skil website.

Which Brand Should You Choose?

If you are looking for decent tools to use at home and for DIY projects, then both of these brands are fine to choose from, but that said, Black & Decker does appear to have the slightly better products at slightly higher prices.

If you are looking for a wide selection of power and hand tools, once again, both brands are fine to choose from, although Black & Decker is much more diverse, as they also make appliances, cleaning products, and more. Keep in mind that Skil does have better warranties.

Black & Decker Reciprocating Saw

Summary

All in all, it is really hard to judge which of these two brands is better, although with that said, if it is quality you are going for, Black & Decker beats Skil, even if just ever so slightly.

How Do Skil and Black & Decker Compare with Other Brands?

See how Skil compares with: Bosch | DeWalt Ryobi

See how Black & Decker compares with: Bosch | Craftsman | DeWalt | Dremel | Kobalt | Makita | Milwaukee | Porter-Cable | Ryobi | StanleyWorx