Does anyone stick to 1 brand only? Need some advice.

[harris]

I'm just getting started in my DIY career and I only have a few tools so far. I got a cheap ryobi combo set that included a poor performing drill and circular saw as a gift. Just feels cheap and it hasn't been great on bigger projects. I've had some good experience with Dewalt and have a nice mitre saw and belt sander from them.

I am pretty type A and really want to try and stick to one brand. The brand needs to have a wide range of tools that would benefit a DIY'er. I'm not making any masterpieces but I want them to grow with me as my skills improve.

Essentially, I'm torn between Dewalt and Ridgid. It seems like Ridgid is slightly more affordable but I'm already slightly invested in Dewalt.

Does anyone have any experience with Ridgid? Do they perform well compared to Dewalt or other brands typically found at big box stores?

One thing that Dewalt has over Ridgid is that it is sold at lowe's and home depot which would benefit me during sales. From what I understand, Ridgid is only at HD

Do you guys stick to one brand or do you buy the best deal available at the time? Any thoughts?

 

[JohnKay]

Hi harris
In my experience, some manufacturers are better at some tools than others. For example, Bosch are excellent for jigsaws and SDS drills. Hitachi make some lovely saws. Metabo are my choice for drills. I could go on !
Ridgid is not a brand sold here in the UK.
I'm not going to say anything against Dewalt, but If you really want to stick to one make, I would suggest Makita, they seem consistent through the range.
This is only a personal opinion.

I really would suggest you buy tools on merit, rather than one make.

 

[Harald Kapp]

I really would suggest you buy tools on merit, rather than one make.

I second that.
I also want to emphasize that it pays weighing the cost of a tool against the (foreseeable) use. If you need a tool just once, go for a cheap one or rent one. If you'r going to use it often, go for quality and pay more on the outset, save on worries later.

 

[Ian]

I second that.
I also want to emphasize that it pays weighing the cost of a tool against the (foreseeable) use. If you need a tool just oce, go for a cheap one or rent one. If you'r going to use it often, go for quality and pay more on the outset, save on worries later.

Yep, I've made that mistake many years ago. I bought a NiCd drill, which was only a little bit cheaper than a Li-ion one... what a mistake. Never again!

 

[Arouse1973]

Yep I agree. Spend the amount of money on a tool for the use it's going to get and also what level of accuracy you are looking for. I have some real expensive tools and some cheap ones. My most expensive tool is a Dewalt track saw and my god it's worth the money.
Adam