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As a DIY person, the retirees that Ace hires are worth a lot to me. Helping and teaching are part of their business model.

When it comes to specialty fasteners I’m Ace Hardware all the way. Their selection is quite impressive.

Yes, I agree with your evaluation. I would also add that Home Depot and Lowe’s special drawers of hardware are either empty with what I need or they are mismatched with random pieces of hardware that people threw in there so they could go on break.

I’ve always felt that Lowes caters more to home owners while Home Depot is geared towards contractors and hard core DIY’ers.

As a 27-year ex veteran of Lowes. i can agree with you completely although I do not have any experience with Menard's. There are a lot of reasons why each retailer carries the items they do, and it is not always a cut and dried choice. I look forward to your video about the tool Companys. A long time ago we sold the new Dewalt 12" compound miter saw for less than what we paid for it. Many of my customers thought we were crazy for doing that and many out right called me a liar to my face. It was what we called a Loss leader at the time, and it lasted for a long time. The black and decker snake light was another. But it wasn't used to make money it was used to get you into the store, we made up for the loss easily with what we call add on sales like blades accessories etc. All retail company's do this. One thing i did take pride in though was knowing what i was talking about when it came to tools and hardware, I have been a woodworker for 40 years and grew up with a father who was a tool and die man. we were raised to know tools and treat them correctly. and as a tool / hardware dept manager for most of my years with Lowes I made sure the people working for me knew as much as they could. However, in recent years knowledge like that is no longer required by the big box stores. I still run into old customers here and there and all can remember the help i gave them many long years ago. To me that is what retail is bonding with your customers giving them whatever it is they need. But customer service has been replaced with corporate service now that's why most woodworkers use smaller places like Rockler or Klingspor or online stores but even that's ok because the big box stores are not looking for those types of customers anyways Any ways you should do a video about screw nut and bolt companies if you think brand choice is limited. Thanks for great videos and displaying those wings (I'm an ex-Detroiter as well)

Regarding Lowes staff not knowing where things are, I usually go to Home Depot near where I live, and use their website while at the store to find where the items are in the store.

I worked at Home Depot for 8 years back in the late 90s. At that time, the employees were actually expected to know their area. So much so that I ended up apprenticing as an electrician after all the random crap I had to know about working in the electrical department. Not to mention at that time, our store manager was big on preventing liability so would give bonus points if you took the time to study whatever appropriate building codes for the local area were (always being clear that you were not a licensed blah blah). Times have changed however as labor was always one of the costs they were looking to trim. So hence, you now have the automated summon button that calls Jeff from lumber over to help you find that exotic fastener you need. Hard to know the area when your "area" is half the store.

I’ve been a cabinet maker for over 20 years. It was funny listening to this video. Your assessment is 100% accurate of the various situations with the big box retailers

My father-in-law is an Italian immigrant who came to the U.S. in the 60’s, He worked as a terrazzo grinder for many years until he retired and his favorite tool was (and still is) the Mikita angle grinder. So much so that whenever I may be helping him with any job requiring the use of an angle grinder, any make or model or size, he’ll say “Go-a give me the “Makeet”.

In my area Lowes and Home Depot duke it out. The Third alternative is Ace hardware, which is a bit pricier, but the hardware selection is great, and there is always somebody on the floor to help you find stuff.

*Love your videos.* Great info, well-spoken, rhythmic, to the point -- and even those shades of humor you throw in. FWIW, I''m a retired economist, own a 130 yo Victorian beast-of-a-house, and work in hardware, plumbing, and electric at your fav. home center. Great videos!

Thank you for your wonderful videos. I’m retired and greatly appreciate your thoughtful and informative videos. I completely agree with your Home Depot preference. We don’t have Menards in Southern CA but we have plenty of HD and Lowes. Being retired gives me plenty of time to shop for best value/selection and I wholeheartedly agree with you. Keep up the good work.

I have always found that driving past one store to get exactly what you want to be the most efficient and efficient way to get the job done.

Ryobi rocks on the construction site. 1# you can forget them and come back in the morning and they are still there. All the others seem to grow legs on a busy job site when your back is turned. Been a carpenter all my working life . I’m 60 and still framing , roofing , doors and trim.

Thank you for doing these comparisons. I trust your judgement and value your opinions as I have come to value your videos, which are top-notch and I have learned a huge amount from them. Please keep 'em coming.

I've seen every "project farm" video and have to say I'm pretty surprised how well the masterforce saw blades held up in the test. That being said I was also surprised how often craftsman comes up on top of recommended brands, tape measure and shop vac come to mind.

Best places for fasteners and hardware, Ace Hardware wins hands-down by me. Particularly if I don't need 100+ of the fasteners; forget buying individual bolts and screws at Lowes or Home Depot (we don't have Menards in FL).

I've been disappointed to see Lowe's steadily ditching quality items in favor of no-name, "barely viable" stuff over the past 10 years

I think you have one of the greatest woodworking channels in all of KZfaq. I enjoy your videos very much. I realize harbor freight may not be your most favorite place to shop, but as someone who's diverted of DeWalt has the years have gone by Hercules brand at harbor freight equals or exceeds dewalt particularly sliding miter saw job site table saw and now their newest addition the planer. I use these tools every day and they've been more reliable than my previous DeWalt versions. I believe these Hercules products are as good as any brand you'll find at the big box stores.

I used to be an Hatichi nail gun guy. They lasted forever. As a trim carpenter, I never had to worry about showing up at a speck home builder's subdivision. My guns never failed. But with the purchase by Matabo, the same look a like guns, are crap. Enjoy ur videos

The one thing to add with Lowes is that they honor lifetime warranties in-store for Kobalt and Craftsman. Like you, I mostly got to home depot and found that their lifetime warranty tools are all handled through the respective companies, aka a big headache passed onto me. Now, I go to Lowes anytime I need a new yard or hand tool (which typically have the lifetime warranties).

Was finally able to take a trip to menards as there isn't one in my area. It was like an ethereal experience. Absolutely blew my mind, love that store

I’m one level above a DIYer (I sell a couple thousand dollars a year worth of my work) and I use the Craftsman 20v tools from Lowe’s. I switched to them to standardize my batteries about three years ago. I made my choice because of the ability to integrate much of my farming and outdoor tools with the same battery system. So far I’ve been very pleased with the system. Everything works as it should and I’ve yet to have a tool fail. The worst inexperience I have is the brad nailer which is a little finicky about the length of brads it likes (it was also the only tool I have that was second hand so I can’t vouch for how it worked new). But for the most part, at the price point, the fact that I usually get a 2A battery with the tool and how well they work for me, I think they are fine. I use at least two of these tools on a daily basis. That’s been my experience with roughly two dozen tools in this system. I’m by no means saying I think these are the. Eat tools ever made - I just think they are very passable for the novice/hobbyist and are half the price of Dewalt (which I think is no longer worth their price). My $.02

This is very interesting. Although the selection is very different that the one I have in my area in Canada, I will say that it comes down to both the Store chain and the individual store management. For the same chain, you may find a store where everything is tidy and well labelled and another store where you think a a-bomb was detonated not too long ago...

I feel so lucky that I not only have one in my area but that I get to work at a Rockler. Hopefully stores like Rockler and Woodcraft can expand out further so people don't have to go to the home centers so often for their woodworking supplies.

We’ll you have to give Menards a thumbs up for having the best grocery selection!

I have to agree with all of your suggestions. Side note: I’ve been a fan of Irwin products for years and recently purchased their 8 or 9 piece forstner bit set only to discover it does not cut as well as the Harbor Freight set and find myself using the Harbor Freight set before reaching for the Irwin’s!

Great topic! I'll be checking out the Diablo sanding paper. ACME tools is another Midwest store for tools and supplies but it's a step up from a big box store. They carry only professional-grade brands and is one of the few places you can get floor model tools.

As usual Stumpy you are spot on with the utility of this video. I live in Jamaica and only visit the US for short visits, periodically.....pandemic permitting.! So having watched your summary , I can be more targeted in my approach to grabbing my usual suitcase or half of woodworking essentials, that are generally not available on the island. Keep up the great work and as we say in Jamaica: "Walk good!"

One store I think you need to include is Ace Hardware. They may not have the huge selection of tools. My local one is mostly Milwaukee. Their hardware selection is by far the best. Also they seem to have the most knowledgeable staff and a lot of them, so you don’t have to search for an associate.

After 45 years of shopping at these 3 stores and others that are no longer around you nailed it!

I was pretty broke when I started getting into some woodworking so I ended up with Kobalt cordless tools. So far they have served me well. I've been using them for a little over 2 years now and I really have no complaints. For whatever that's worth. I understand they aren't premium tools but they get the job done and are cheap to buy extra batteries for.

Nick Offerman quite LITERALLY knows more about woodworking than most Lowes, Marvin's, and Home depot employees put together. He's a very talented craftsman.

I will always go to home depot for tools and certain woods. I go to menards for items all 3 carry because they're usually cheaper and always have the 11%rebate going on. I rarely go to lowes because they're almost always more expensive. Though not on the list I always go to Ace for hardware because of the selection and employee knowledge.

I wanted to say thanks for taking the time to evaluate the big box stores in your area. I'm in NC and we don't a Menard's, but we do have Ace Hardware. The Ace Hardwares tend to be a good deal smaller than the other 2. I rarely go ace's for anything for purpose.

I think where Lowe's shines is when you're decorating, not woodworking. Their selection of colors, patterns, styles, etc is the best in my experience.

Definitely with you on the tools section - between Makita, DeWalt, and Milwaukee, Hope Depot has you covered with the best cordless power tools.

I know you didn't mention nailers, but I really like Lowe's selection. Metabo has some really nice offerings there as well as a really nice 36V hybrid lineup.

I'm a Makita fan too. I started with corded tools, back in Hungary, but after moving to Canada, and having to leave all my tools behind (220V) I decided to always go for the cordless option if possible (and when I need the power, like a table saw or router). But I remained loyal to the brand. Until this week, when I couldn't find a 4 1/2 inch circular saw for a very specific demolition task. I opted for Dewalt, and instead of buying a Dewalt battery and charger, I got a converter on Amazon for 25CAD. So I can use my Makita batteries with Dewalt tools without issue. I was a bit afraid that the voltage difference (Makita provides 18V, Dewalt requires 20V) will provided an inferior user experience but the saw cuts fine, even with more demanding materials.

I worked for HD a few years ago and found they did not have hardware - especially metric fasteners - like Lowes did. The power tool preference for me is based on what I have but I also am not a daily user so I gravitate towards less expensive brands. Good video - keep up the good work.

I'm in the UK, have absolute no need to watch this particular video, and yet I enjoyed every minute. Shout-out to Makita I'm a fellow fan. Thanks again for a very well made video.x

My experience with Menards is always a complete lack of organization, so it's a surprise to see you applauding their organization! I guess there's more variety than I'd expect from store to store.

Nice informational video! For Skil, i can say that the quality and durability is a lot better since it is renewed! I have the 12v drill / driver set, and use it every day as furniture maker! It is lightweight, comfortable and powerfull enough for my demands.

Having gone to a multitude of different Lowe’s Menards and Home Depot‘s I can tell you it’s the management at the individual stores and their staff that really make the difference. I’ve been in some stores where the staff was very knowledgeable and in others a customer is asking about a specialty blade and the employee has no real clue it was directing him to an almost $200 diamond blade but considering this was a one time cut of concrete he done a whole lot better with those self-sacrificing blades, Do you know those kind that are brown have fibers and epoxy you put it into the saw and cut whatever it is you need to cut and they will shrink in diameter as you’re going through the cuts. Another gentleman was asking about narrow kerf blades and the salesman had no clue about the difference in kerf the different blades made. I also happen to love my craftsman I’ve pretty much had them all my life. Of course had to get my tools back when I was in my teens and they were still made in America and everybody had them. I’ll admit I’ve burned up a couple craftsman cordless drills that had more to do with me using them to grind drywall and the dust got into the electric motor and burned it up so it’s basically my fault.

It's always worth checking McMaster-Carr for hardware. A lot of times I can get a pack of 25 for what a pack of 5 costs at Lowes or HD. For anyone working with Metric, just forget the big box stores. I also find the HD Stainless hardware to be an utter joke. I bought some 3/8in bolts and lock nuts and I sheared the bolts as soon as they hit the nylon. I was only using hand tools too!

Good video, thank you. I agree with your assessment for my area (Eastern Ontario, Canada). I live in the country, so travel time and getting everything in one place when I do travel are most important. We also have 2 smaller companies that are much closer to me (Rona and Home Hardware) and the local lumberyard (Bytown Lumber) also carries a selection, but they are all a little more expensive. I would also add in Amazon where I can sometimes find things without traveling or even find things that are not available in my area. I live in the country and I usually plan my trip beforehand where I search the store websites online first to see who has what I need for a single trip. It is most often Home Depot, but I can sometimes find odd or quirky items at Lowes, Rona, Home Hardware, or Bytown Lumber which no one else carries. I will mention another retailer Canadian Tire last, as it can be a good option and is much closer than the big stores, but again it really depends on what I am looking for, where my travels will take me that week, and if there is enough demand to drive into the city.

I am close to you and have all three nearby. I agree with you on each category. Well done.

Our Menards has a really good hardware selection IF the item you want happens to be in stock. Ace Hardware is a good alternative for harder to find small hardware.

This was a enjoyable video, You also have to consider how each store manager runs their particular store. We have many home depots where I live (5 in a 25 mile circle) but a couple are run poorly and two are run very well and always stays well stocked. I agree with you with the 3m cubitron sanding disks, while they are great for sanders they are horrible if you need to bend them (cubitron 2 net) for curved sanding, the sanding material cracks and is brittle off the main pad.

Can confirm, at Lowe’s the employees also have no clue where the 1/4 x 1/2 bolts are. The organization is also different between every location. Then for no reason it seems every store has a mirror version where the whole store is flipped at different locations, usually the lumber is on the left side of the store.

Also living in Michigan, I can say your assessment is spot on.

One thing I really hate about box store tool selections is not what they have but how they group tools by brand instead of by type, makes comparing items very difficult

I will say I have seen my local Lowes carries a lot more brands than yours does, specifically Metabo being one of notable ones...but I still stick to Home Depot for my preference as well Also, Ryobi has a bad wrap from it's earlier years but as time has drawn on their quality has stepped up MASSIVELY by comparison. Most tools offer brushless versions and power is definitely there - a good example is my 1/2" Ryobi impact had no issue taking axle nuts or crankshaft bolts off They definitely still have quite a few crap tools, but for drills and impacts they are definitely on par with the bigger brands. I have mostly stuck to Makita for specialty cordless tools otherwise

Last summer, my friend turned me on to Diablo Blades. I pretty much always use them now. I am doing some home renovation that includes taking down lots of plaster and lath walls. The Diablo Sawzall blade lasts easily three to four times longer than the Dewalt blades I was using before.

I loved this breakdown of the three main in your area... I am from the home of 'Home Depot' but I now live in Australia and we have three primary stores in my area. I actually work at the largest Home improvement chain in Australia where I work in the power tool shop. We have some of the same brands here. Techtronics Industries (TTI) also owns Ryobi and 'Rigid' is branded as 'AEG' here. I direct many people to your channel as I find your well developed style and informative approach very helpful. We can't get all of the Diablo accessories here and my Bosch Rep hears about it when ever I see a new item I want in my tool shop. Like those Diablo Forstner bits... I WANT THEM! Lol Thanks for the great video...

I generally think you nailed it with regards to Home Depot and Lowes (I don’t have a Menards to compare). One whole category I think you missed is bigger corded power tools like the jobsite table saws, miter saws, etc. I think Lowes has a better selection and usually better prices than HD in this category in my area. You can almost always find dewalt planers at Lowes and you have to order them online at HD in my area.

I agree completely with all of this. I will say though, I have found that Lowes tends to be more consumer friendly, while home depot is more contractor friendly. Lowes generally has much nicer stuff in regards to furniture, bathroom fixtures, lights etc. Home Depot is more for getting the job done, Lowes is for finishing it up and making it look pretty.

I completely agree with you Stumpy on this ranking and assessments. I've been frustrated to a degree with Ridgid but again, agree with that assessment as well. Thanks Stumpy for what you do for your listeners.

From someone who just completed a basement gut and overhaul, I would have definitely preferred Robertson drywall screws over Philips. I had no idea those existed, could have saved me some time from changing bits. Much appreciated your videos.

We have a small shop that is extremely similar to ACE in selection but they also cary more exotics like festool and sawstop. What sets them apart is every employee knows exactly where every nut and bolt is in the store! Got to love the small shops! Oh and why all the Craftsman hate :D :D

Poor Metabo HPT (Hitachi). I feel they are criminally overlooked. I don't have any of their cordless stuff, but I do have a router of theirs on my router table and their table saw is absolutely awesome. As far as their cordless tools, they seem to be trying to be in the same vein as Makita (not saying they are).

Interesting observations. I find myself shopping at all three out of convenience but also visit all for particular reasons. I've picked up some metabo tools lately to give them a try. Lowes and menards both carry the line.

thank you for your professional thoughts please more of them

You bring up a good point of being locked into a battery system. I prefer corded tools for around the house for DYI since the tools may sit for months or years before I use it. Another advantage of corded tools is you don't have to be brand loyal to buy. Hand tools is a whole another story.

In my area Menard's tends to beat everyone on price and discounts, so if I don't have a brand preference it's an easy choice.

Can't argue with most of this. One thing I've found over the years is that Menards bigger power tool selection has generally been more diverse. I bought a Delta Cruzer 12-inch miter saw in-store at Menards, and once upon a time, you could walk in and buy Jet equipment (band saw, hybrid & cabinet table saws). And the Masterforce 6-1/2" track saw was a gem of a find at $200, even if the tracks themselves are horrible. A quick trip to Amazon for a better set of guide rails still puts it at around $300 all-in. Those gems can be found at the other two as well. Lowes carries Bosch's new 5" cordless sanders that are awesome enough that I bought the 12v (I already had a Bosch 12v Chameleon driver & batteries) and the 18v version (both are sold tool-only, but I picked up a couple of 18v batteries on sale). The biggest differentiator among the three for me is available discounts. Menard's "rebate" price gets listed on their site as the actual price when you do a search for an item, and that rebate is a) about as inconvenient as it can be to submit and b) a store credit check and not a true rebate. Lowes & Home Depot, on the other hand, offer a 10% veterans discount that is super simple to use - just a scan of a bar/QR-type code from their individual app at the checkout - and applies to almost everything in the store. I've only had things purchased on clearance not have the discount apply as they were already at the minimum allowed price. Home Depot (4 min away) and Lowes (10 min) end up being my first places to shop unless there's something I need that I can only get at Menards (18 min), partly because of ease of access, but mostly because of price/discount. That said, over the last 25 years, I've had about eight years in the middle of them where Lowes & Home Depot were the only choice available, and those years made me appreciate having a third choice, if for no other reason than to be able to buy a different brand of a thing, let alone the availability/selection of things that you just don't get at the other two.

As an avid DIYer who has taken the time to learn about who makes our tools, where they are sold, and why, I’m quite excited to see the upcoming breakdown in traditional gory detail smile 😃 HD rules the roost for big boxes IMHO.

I like home depot for the brand name tools (milwaukee n dewalt)and accessories, but menards is by far my favorite overall. Decent customer service, more choices, and their store specific tool brands like performax are awesome for the price. Especially for corded tools that HD doesnt carry.

We don't have Menards in the Coeur d'Alene, ID/Spokane, WA area. I don't like Home Depot. This goes way back and in a couple visits hasn't changed, they have terrible service. Also, when going through their tool aisles, it reminds me of being back aboard ship. They are extremely narrow. I'll stick with Lowe's for most things. I order online from known quality companies like Grizzly. I have a WoodCraft 45 minutes away where I get good hardwoods, finishes, hardware, and some tools, like Rikon.

I purchased a Makita cordless drill in the mid-70s. The cordless feature was a game-changer for a starting contractor. I recently found it in storage, charged up one of its nicad batteries and pulled the trigger. It still ran like it was new; only for about 30 seconds, but it still ran. I also have a corded worm-drive Makita saw that I purchased in the late-80s. Today, it continues to run flawlessly and reliably. This is why you pay extra for quality tools.

Just something to add about home depot and Ryobi tools is that they have a massive lineup , the battery format has remained for over 20 years, and the annual Ryobi Days has gotten a lot of people into their lineup with the battery combo + free tool deals they always run. I haven't been happy with their lumber or their hand tool selection in my area , but they have made Ryobi an attractive proposition for diy'ers and have a decent selection of everything else.

It really depends on the store..in my old town I dreaded going to Home Depot. I was Lowes all the way. In my new town it's just the opposite

We only have Menards in our area…when Menards , gets wind of any body planning on coming to town, John buys the land that the other store was planning on using…and locks it up!

I'm another veteran of Lowe's. They've slipped a lot and I blame much of that on their management. What can you expect of a CEO that came from JC Penney? The worst mistake they made was switching to Craftsman. They spent decades building up their Kobalt brand, and what they have of it seems to be okay. But someone told them they needed the Craftsman name to compete. The Craftsman brand name is like an old harlot that's been passed from owner to owner, and after being owned by K-Mart they were pretty much at the bottom. But somebody at Lowe's bought somebody's sales pitch and then picked up the Craftsman brand. Although it appears they've figured out that there's still a lot of brand loyalty for Kobalt. I guess their efforts to build up that brand worked. I fully agree with you about sticking with a battery system. I have a lot of Porter Cable 20 volt equipment and will seek them out before switching. For outdoor battery systems, I've been a solid believer in the Kobalt 40 volt Max system for a number of years and the batteries are never a problem. Well, I should note that they don't like below zero weather powering a leaf blower, but I understand that and charge them as soon as they warm up a little. For cordless hand tools I bought a number of Porter Cable 20V lithium tools several years ago and they are still running strong with no battery problems. I will note I keep all my rechargeable batteries indoors in a heated space and recharge them before putting them away. I also try to rotate through all of them in turn. On thing you didn't mention is tools for construction. I have had great luck with the Hitachi/Metabo equipment, and really like their top of the line 12" corded compound miter saw with the laser indicator. Their air nailers have worked well for me and been less trouble than my older Senco nailers. For stationary corded equipment I still lean toward Delta, even though they aren't quite what they used to be "back then." I don't know about the others, but Lowe's still carries some Delta, although you might have to order it. I think it's really necessary to know what you're looking at when you go shopping. A wide selection doesn't do much good if it doesn't include your preferences. And I've found that there are times I still go to my local Ace Hardware for some of the odd things nobody else carries. And there have been a number of times when Fastenall has rescued me too!

I appreciate your video and your evaluation of the different tools and how good you think each of them are. In my neighborhood Home Depot and Lowe’s are the two places to go and less you want to go to woodcraft which is high end. Lowes and Home Depot are literally right across the street from one another so driving out of my way is not an issue. I prefer Lowe’s primarily because of the service if I go to Home Depot it takes forever for me to find anybody that actually knows what they’re talking about and when they do talk I find out that I know more about the tools and the equipment and the process then they do. So based on that I prefer Lowe’s over Home Depot for just about everything thank you

Visited my first Menards just today. I was blown away by that store! I found a variety of Olsen scroll saw blades. Never seen that in person before... and their lumber selection was crazy... New construction windows on the shelf... "log cabin" siding samples... 8 different sump pumps... 1000 square feet of ceiling fans... I could go on. Wish I had one within 100 miles of home.

There’s so much missing here! Hitachi/Metabo tools never seems to get mentioned in these comparisons. Not sure why that happens. Also, I personally get a lot of things at the local farm supply stores (RK and TSC here) which are great for specific categories of stuff like bearings, welding, and automotive. And there are two local hardware stores that absolutely destroy any big box store for product knowledge and customer service. When I need advice about an item, the last place I go is a big box store.

I love Gator sanding products but now I am going to have to try Diablo thanks for sending me searching for these!!!

spot on. so glad to hear that you are a makita man too. some thoughts on the up coming cheaper brands from HF,walmart, etc. where you would use them and not. and a little love for your local hardware or specialty supply that sometimes just crushes the big box.

Menards used to have a great selection of hand and power tools. They used to carry a large selection of Makita, along with Bosch and other brands. As they moved towards Masterforce, they pushed out a lot of the other brands. I agree that Home Depot has the best selection of cordless tools. I rarely go to Lowes for anything these days.

It’s like you were reading my mind. I have abused the hell out of my ryobi and they have really held up. I do not like the gator brand. Their glue is so hard that if you flex the paper at all the abrasive falls off. Only 3M for me. I will definitely be ordering some cubitron.

Good video. The best wood construction screws I have ever used are from a local hardware store in Aitkin, MN. Basically, greater for decks and other construction fastening projects. They have a torx head and are self-tapping and are sold in bulk with many different lengths. Regarding power tools I have a SkilSaw that my Dad gave me over 50 years ago that still works great. Again, I don’t use it everyday, but perhaps that’s when they were made to last. However, I have noticed that in trying to replace blades that a lot of blades these days are thinner than they were 10 years ago, which can be a problem for making them tight when bolted. I also have a 3.5” Master Force circular saw that is battery operated. However, I can’t replace the blade because I cannot remove the blade fastener bolt which is a torx. I have a MasterForce miter saw that’s OK for what I do, but certainly would not recommend it for cabinet making. Price one is willing to pay is based upon how much one is going to use it. So, I’m not willing to pay twice as much for a power tool, if I know I’m not going to use it very much. Look forward to the history of brands merging together.

Great info.... I usually have lowes and HD across the street from each other. Most of the time end up going to both for what I need. Yes if both failed Aces to the rescue....

In my area there is no Menard's. And here, at least, Lowe's wins hands down over Home Depot in all categories except stains. I prefer Varathane stains now after using Minwax for years. My finish of choice is Pre-cat Lacquer and not available at any of these stores. Getting assistance from employees at Home Depot is almost a joke here.

I avoid power tools at the home centers. They tell that they want a 12” sliding miter box under a certain price point. The manufacturer then starts cost cutting. Can we use bushings instead of bearings? Redesign the base to use less pot metal? Nylon button/miter catch rather than aluminum?

As usual, another great report. Fair and important. I live in southern NJ and there are no Menards about 4 states away. I would love to see one.

I'm glad to see you mentioned the tool company shenanigans in the middle there. That's actually the main reason I chose Makita, because as a company they (at least for now) have been least involved with these tactics. The more you learn about power tools and the companies and manufacturers that produce them, the more "brand loyalty" just doesn't make sense anymore.

Appreciate the video. In my area, we also have Ace Hardware. It's the worst for pretty much everything except hardware, where it's insanely good.

Great video. It's worth mentioning that all Master Force "HAND TOOLS" have a lifetime warranty. Very similar to what Craftsmen used to offer. I also appreciate that you mentioned "your area" multiple times. My dad used to live in Kalamazoo. Shortly before he moved back to MN they finally opened a Menards. It took 2-3 years to build. To make a long story short, as you mentioned, it really does depend on where you live. I have 3 stores within a 30 minute drive from my house. In regards to the Kalamazoo Menards he said "It's basically a really big Harbor freight". He was surprised to see the difference in the MN stores. In MN and WI we have a full line up Bosch and Metabo. We also have a few Delta and Rikon choices. You also can special order the larger Rikon tools just like you can with HD and Grizzley.

Thanks for this. Over the years, I've seen all three stores change and (d)evolve in certain areas. E.g. my local Menards has really upped their game in fasteners and bits (they even had some midrange Metabo drill bits), while HD's fasteners isles have shrunk greatly. Lowes is too far away unless I'm looking for something online and they have a sale, etc. ACE HW is hit and miss around here. I have a love/hate relationship with cordless tools. Milw. has some unique stuff (3" cutoff with vac. attachment is awesome for cutting old plaster). With the evolution of battery tech, I've got some older Milw. (10+ yrs) that are very solid, but the replacement batts are only to be found online. My 40 yo corded Milw. Metabo, Porter Cable are still going strong. And my, somewhat newer, Ridgid stuff is solid.

Informative video. I dread going to any of them as their staff are just as clueless as I am. Now a days, employees are harder to find in the store itself. I've had the sense that some employees dread helping customers as they're embarrassed to be just as clueless as I am.

I've bought several Metabo HTP (formerly Hitachi) power tools and cordless tools lately, and I'm pretty happy with them. As far as I know, they're only available at Lowes in my area, and they're a little expensive at list price, but I've bought everything I have on sale and that's made it worthwhile. There aren't near as many tools in their line as in Makita or Milwaukee or even Ryobi, and that's the only downside for me so far.

We have home depot and Lowe's in our area. In fact, they are in the same shopping complex. Since it takes me about two minutes to go from one store to the other, I tend look for the best prices. Generally, but not always, I found the home depot has the best prices.

Excellent informative video. Thanks. I usually find what I want/need at my loca H.D. store too. We don't have Minards so no worry there.

I agree with your assessment across the board. There is a certain adhesive that I use in my insulated beehive boxes that is sold out everywhere except Menard's so I'll buy extras whenever I go in there. Lowe's is the closest store to me, but I go to Home Depot with more anticipation, if that means anything. Honorable mention around Iowa might include Fleet Farm and even Bomgaars for their cordless tools.

If you haven't been to a Harbor Freight store lately, they can no longer be dismissed as only selling inexpensive lesser quality tools. Yes, there is still the stuff there that makes one cringe, but they've really stepped up their game in the past couple of years with the creation of the 3 tier "Good-Better-Best" tool lines, with their Bauer line in the middle and the Hercules line at the top for power tools and accessories. The Icon and Doyle hand tools are also the top tier. KZfaq test channels such as Project Farm, has found Hercules holding their own with and in some cases bettering Milwaukee and DeWalt. The same goes for the Icon and Doyle tools that were tested. I own the Hercules 20V cordless 1/2" drill/driver, the reciprocating saw and 6-1/2" circular saw, all have been fantastic in build quality and performance. So much so, that I no longer buy DeWalt, which in my opinion has become overpriced (especially the batteries), and declined in quality. I don't mean to come off sounding like a total HF fanboy.... just relaying that they deserve reconsideration if you haven't been there for a while. I totally agree with The Home Depot Diablo brand, the carbide table saw blades are first rate... they are private label made for them by Freud. When initially introduced, the older packaging used to say "Diablo made by Freud", but that's been dropped, but if you look where they are made... it's Italy where Freud is made.

Harbor Freight has really stepped up their game across the board over the past couple years. You should give the Hercules brand of power tools a shot, and the Quinn hand tools.

My go to sandpaper is 3M Xtract Cubitron. It is similar to the Mirka abranet in that it is a mesh and works with any sander. It doesn't clog, cuts fast and lasts a long time.

You almost said my thoughts word for word. In my neck of the woods our third choice is Jerry’s. But if you spend a little time shopping about there are specialty shops with everything and then higher quality then you can get from the box stores. Cheers, and it was a very well done video.🍻