The Best Power Tool Brands At Home Depot, According To Customers

Choosing power tools can be a real challenge. There are dozens of brands offering hundreds of different models, and prices are all over the place. While corded tools often offer more competitive prices, the convenience of cordless means that they provide far greater choice. That being the case, it's sensible economics to buy as many power tools as possible from the same brand so that they can share batteries and chargers. The question, then, is which brand is best? You can check out numerous articles that have the best power tool brands ranked, but they're usually put together by experts. What do ordinary folks think?

To find answers, we visited The Home Depot's website. In alphabetical order they list their top brands as Bosch, DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Ridgid, and Ryobi. These represent something for just about everyone, with budget-friendly options, popular mid-range choices, and high-performance power tools often chosen by professional tradespeople and contractors. Each brand also scores well in terms of the number of positive reviews they receive from buyers. We picked a top-selling power tool from each option and checked out what makes them the best, according to customers.

Bosch has a reputation for innovation and reliability. Although not the cheapest power tools on the market, they usually offer excellent performance at competitive prices. At the time of writing, the impressive Bosch 12-inch Dual-Bevel Sliding Glide Miter Saw is their top-selling power tool at The Home Depot. Comments like, "Owned it for two years. Highly recommended," and, "Best compound miter saw I ever had," are typical of customer feedback.

For pros and keen DIY enthusiasts, DeWalt needs no introduction. Those who don't know the brand sometimes wonder if their power tools are really worth the heavy price tag, but their almost legendary durability outweighs most arguments. They produce a number of popular combo kits with the DeWalt 20V Max Cordless Drill/Impact Driver ranking particularly well. One customer called it, "Great for the home or business," reflecting DeWalt's outstanding reputation with both sets of users. Another said, "These batteries, charger, and drill/impact are still some of my best tools I have ever owned!"

The Makita brand is another that almost invariably gets good reviews. Their cordless tools, in particular, are praised for excellent battery life. The Makita 18V LXT Angle Grinder scores highly with Home Depot customers. Comments like "Grinder performs flawlessly like all Makita tools do. Can't go wrong with this tool," and, "Best cordless grinder out there. Period," underline the generally high praise for the company's power tools.

The one power tool brand that competes head-on with DeWalt is Milwaukee. Tools are almost always highly rated, but the compact and powerful Milwaukee M18 Fuel HACKZALL Reciprocating Saw stands out at The Home Depot. Buyers typically say, "The Hackzall handles brilliantly and is super powerful," or, "Awesome saw! Better than a traditional Sawzall!"

Ridgid may not be the best-known power tool brand, but they usually do well when compared with leading names and have a reputation for robust build quality with reasonable prices. Over at The Home Depot, their nailers are popular, especially the Ridgid Cordless 18-Gauge Brad Nailer. Comments like, "Expect your usual Ridgid high-quality product," and, "Absolutely an amazing tool. Good job Ridgid," echoes the thoughts of the majority. 

Those looking for a low-cost power tool brand will usually find their way to Ryobi, but it would be unfair to focus solely on price. Ryobi makes excellent tools for the DIY market, including a new range that's great for tackling home renovations. Among tools that customers love is the Ryobi One+ HP Cordless 7-¼-inch Circular Saw. "It ripped through lumber and sheathing with precision," said one buyer. Another thought it was, "Easy to use, cuts nicely." At the end of the day, it's impossible to pick an overall best brand because each satisfies different needs — but there is something here for both DIY and professional users, and they will seldom be disappointed.