If you are looking to build an impressive arsenal of power tools, you may be conflicted as to which brand you should aim for. Of course, there are dozens of different brand names in the world of power tools, some of which are better than others.
Two of the most popular brand names for power tools are Skil and DeWalt. Both have impressive arrays of high-quality power tools. That said, there are of course some big differences between them as well.
So, when it comes to Skil vs DeWalt, which of the two brands is better?
A Brief History of Skil and DeWalt
Just so you know what you are getting into, let’s cover some history and basic facts about each of these two brands.
First on the list is Skil, a company created back in 1926 in Illinois, USA, by founder Edmond Michel. Edmond Michel happens to be the same man that invented the circular saw in 1924, which is the original product that this company is built on.
Skil produces a wide variety of power tools for carpentry and so much more. It was briefly owned by Bosch but was sold to Chervon, a China-based power tool manufacturer, in 2016.
Next, we have DeWalt.
Being founded in 1923, DeWalt as a company is just slightly older than Skil. Just like Edmond Michel invented the circular saw, Raymond DeWalt invented the radial arm saw, which is the product which this brand name was built on.
The headquarters of DeWalt is located in Towson, Maryland. For those of you who don’t know, DeWalt is actually owned by the world’s largest power tool company, Stanley Black & Decker.
Skil
DeWalt
Skil vs. DeWalt: Which Offers Better Quality?
If the manufacturing location is important to you, it is important to note that Skil tools, all of the parts and manufacturing, is located in China. This is one of the reasons why they tend to come in at fairly low to moderate prices.
Low manufacturing costs allow SKIL to sell their tools at rock bottom prices.
However, it has been noted that due to this, the quality of skill tools is not the best in the world. What most people would agree on is that Skil tools are fine for light and occasional use. They perform just fine when used for smaller projects and when they aren’t used for consecutive hours and days but aren’t great for heavy use.
There is a definite trade-off here, as you get reasonably priced power tools of moderate quality.
On the other hand, we have DeWalt. Most people who need power tools for heavy and prolonged use would usually always choose DeWalt over Skil. Sure, DeWalt tools are substantially more expensive, but there is a good reason for this.
Some of DeWalt’s power tool parts are manufactured and assembled in the USA, in one of seven production plants across the country. Of course, having their manufacturing plants in the USA as opposed to China does come with increased costs which the buyer, you, then has to foot.
There are some DeWalt tools that are manufactured in countries such as China, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, and the UK too. However, even then, DeWalt tools generally do have a higher level of quality then Skil.
Which Offers a Better Warranty?
Without a shadow of a doubt, DeWalt offers the better warranties on its power tools when compared to Skil.
Most Skil power tools come with a three-year limited warranty and a select few come with a five-year limited warranty. Smaller handheld Skil power tools may only come with one-year limited warranties.
If you want to get power tools that have great warranties to cover you for years down the road in the event that something breaks, DeWalt is the better option to go with. The specific duration of warranty depends on each individual tool.
That said, DeWalt does offer full lifetime and limited lifetime warranties on select power tools.
They also offer three-year warranties and seven-year limited liability warranties on select tools, as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee on the vast majority of products. Many DeWalt power tools even come with a full year of free service.
Skill vs DeWalt: Which Has a Better Product Portfolio
I am inclined to say right from the get-go that DeWalt does have a wider selection of power tools, as well as lawn care equipment, compressors, and more.
First, though, let’s take a quick look at the most common tools and equipment which the Skil brand name is known for. Among other things, Skil manufactures power saws – the tools it is the best known for – as well as drills, impact drivers, grinders, and more.
It also makes benchtop tools like sanders and gardening tools like mowers and leaf blowers.
DeWalt offers all of that as well as things like oscillating multi-tools, demolition hammers, screw guns, and so on.
While the types of tools the two companies offer largely overlap, DeWalt still has a wider selection – both in terms of types as well as individual tools within each type.
Which Brand Offers a Better Selection of Circular Saws?
Yes, Skil is the brand name under which the first circular saw was invented, but does this mean that SKIL has a better selection of them than DeWalt? No, unfortunately, it does not.
At this time, Skil has about ten circular saws to choose from, whereas DeWalt has a whopping thirty or so. In other words, DeWalt has roughly three times as many circular saws on offer as Skil.
Which of the Two Brands Should You Choose?
The bottom line is that if you are looking for a decent selection of tools at an affordable price, ones designed for light to moderate use, you’ll want to go with Skil.
However, if you are a professional that needs quality tools that will last for years to come, you need tools for heavy use, and you don’t mind spending a few extra bucks, it’s the DeWalt brand that I would recommend.
Summary
As you can see, each of these brand names has some distinct advantages and disadvantages.
If you’re focused on quality over anything else, go with DeWalt, but if you are on a budget and need some tools for occasional use, Skil appears to be the better choice.
That said, make sure to also check some of the other popular brands to see if there’s one that suits you better than either of these two.
How Do Skil and DeWalt Compare with Other Brands?
See how Skil compares with: Black & Decker | Bosch | Ryobi
See how DeWalt compares with: Black & Decker | Bosch | Craftsman | Dremel | Festool | Hilti | Husky | Kobalt | Makita | Metabo HPT | Milwaukee | Porter-Cable | Ridgid | Ryobi | Stanley | Worx