Settle a debate - RE: power tools

Taders dad - 1
Tader - 0


Thanks for the response

Just going to say I didnt validate this chart or anything, but I think you get the point that there are only a handful of OEMs making all the power tools.

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He's probably right. They're shaving nickels somewhere.

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It's usually in Customer Programming (Ad support, markdown allowances, return& defective allowances etc.)

As previously mentioned - a few suppliers are OEM'ing for everyone.

Harbor Freight is an exception in that they go factory direct vs ,for example, TTI is a middle man between the factory and Home Depot. Doesnt' mean HF is better (it's not) but that allows them to offer a consumer value that doesn't work w/ a 2 step distribution model others use

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Also, its a known fact that John Deere products sold at the big box stores are different than those from a dealer.

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Depends. A dealer can and usually does sell the exact same models as a big box. A dealer also has access to the entire product line, where a big box will usually offer 4-6 models. A D100 from HD is the same as a D100 from a dealer though.

Dewalt makes different models of the same tool. The different models have different specifications. The tool with the better specs is going to cost more. I don't think you can say the specialty store exclusively carries the higher-spec models while the big box store only carries the lower-spec models.

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Also, its a known fact that John Deere products sold at the big box stores are different than those from a dealer.

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Yeah, but I don't think they say they are selling the same model. It's a model specifically made to sell at the box store. It's not apples to apples. If you are buying model XXX at the box store and find the same model XXX at another store, it should be identical. Problem comes when Home Depot then sells Model XXX-a which is a sub-model specific to their inventory.

Maybe you and your Dad can get Project Farm in on the debate of same models from different stores.



I do believe the "exclusive" models of the brands will probably be the inferior ones


"We're going to test that!"

It is cheaper to make a bunch of the same exact thing than to make varying quality of the same thing. I have been in factories that make the same thing for different brands and they do not change how they make what they are making, they just change the label and packaging.

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Doesn't mean he knows what he's talking about. A DeWalt DCD999 from Home Depot is exactly the same as a DCD999 sold at Northern Tool and also exactly the same as a DCD999 sold by a local private tool supply company.

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This is the key and is correct. If the model number on the tool is the same it is packed from the same line with the same internals. Where you often see the pricing difference is in the batteries and sometimes chargers included in the value priced and Black Friday doorbuster sets. It is not unusual to see lower amp-hour batteries in the big box store "$99" combos.

The smaller specialty stores don't usually carry the value line of actual tools as tend to cater to more people where the tool makes them money. Those same people aren't usually interested in 1.2 amp hour batteries.


The OP's dad's theory is rooted in urban legend mixed with a grain of truth. The truth is if you squint a Dewalt DCF809 impact looks like a DCF887 and the kits will have nearly a $200 price difference with 2 batteries and a charger but the difference is significant between the tools and the batteries included. You likely won't be able to buy the $99 DCF809 kits with 2 1.3Ah batteries at a specialty store which leads to the perception that the specialty store sells a "better" tool but if you compare the DCF887 from HD to the specialty store the tool will be the same.