Aldi / Ferrex / Workzone Tools. Is the Build Quality Getting Worse?
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- čas přidán 19. 11. 2021
- #Ferrex #Workzone #onehandedwoodworking
This video is designed to stimulate discussion about the issue of Aldi / Ferrex tools and their build quality. I am a big fan of this brand and have purchased many of their products, however personal experiences and some specific brand social media forums I belong to appear to be pointing out a decline in their build quality and reliability. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts and experiences on this to see if they are relative isolated incidents or a pattern is starting to emerge.
As ever, thank you so much for your continued support in my disability woodworking adventures. Please consider giving the video a thumbs up and maybe even subscribing to the channel. Best Wishes, Leo
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Hi there had an Aldi workzone drill driver for almost 8 years never faulted still going strong both batteries still ok thanks for the video.
My early Aldi stuff is great Dean, still going great but the recent stuff is nowhere near as good reliability wise
Hi Leo, in my experience as an more than enthusiastic woodworker I've learned the hard way that it is to expensive to buy cheap tools. It might be OK if you're just starting out, but if you get a bit more experienced, you will notice that the tools will limit your ability to build great stuff. It will just be OK or perhaps good if you're putting a lot of effort in it. So you will have to buy better tools to get better... For instance I had a small and cheap mitre saw. It was fine, when adjusted correctly, to make approximately 90 degrees cuts. But it was a nightmare when I had to make a 45 degree cut. Almost impossible to set it correctly. And after the cut, it was impossible to get it back to 90 degrees. And because you own a Kapex 60 as well, you know how easy it is to make bevel cuts and switch back to 90 degree cuts. The same goes for sanding. Started out with a B&D and the main problem was the base and the velcro on the base. Even bought another base plate for the machine. Then I thought I had learned and switched to a (green) Bosch. And for this machine I also had to buy another velcro base... and when this base didn't hold the sanding paper as well, I knew I had to switch. Now I am on Festool. It just another world. So the Festool might be more expensive than the B&D and Bosch together, but they didn't get the job done as I would have liked. So they were, in my opinion, more expensive than the Festool sander. It would have been much cheaper to just buy the Festool sander first without buying the B&D an Bosch sanders. That's why I can't afford cheap tools. The best thing though is that I used to hate sanding. Now I enjoy sanding! And isn't it that why we are into our hobbies? To enjoy yourself and make something great... I realize that not everyone has the budget to buy expensive tools. Not everyone can afford them. An eye-opener was an advice that an photographer once gave me. (No it was not Peter from the 10minuteworkshop). This photographer just would be honest to its (potential) customer in saying that he could do the job, but that it would be so much better if he could have lens xxx for the job. So he would be charging the customer the price for this lens and do the job. Knowing he could use the lens for other jobs as well. This first job was just to get the lens, not the make any money. But for the next job he could charge some money and use the lens he earned in the previous job... ...and keep the videos coming Leo!
Thanks Ger for the great comment here, really appreciate the time you’ve taken to add the detail to it. Totally agree with everything you’ve said here, I’ve taken on some jobs recently not at what I’d call full retail but not at cost either. Paying everything back into the workshop / tools at the moment to make my work more efficient and economical 👍👍👍
there's cheap and there's cheap, Aldi are good value cheap, a lot of difference
I’ve a mix of Aldi and Lidl tools and have had mixed results too. Found your channel when I was trying to decide whether to buy the sander and I agree with you, it’s rock solid. Great work and interesting video as always. Thank you.
Cheers Mark. It is just interesting to hear other peoples thoughts on this issue so it is not a ‘closed mind’ thing believing it is just yourself thinking the same 😀👍👍
I love Aldi and Lidl tools, the best drill I ever owned and used for years came from Lidl. More recently I've purchased a number of Ferrex items and as they are made by Scheppach or others I can't imagine repairs/spares being a problem. Most of us, as ' hobbyists' have more than the one drill/driver kicking about ( I think I've got eight) so the job can get finished. Personally I'm not keen on the bare tool system, tying you in to a specific manufacturer. We've all seen tools and battery styles change over the years and if a manufacturer decided to restyle his brand are you going to be left with a collection of tools that now has a limited life. I recently just bought a 240v version drill/driver from Lidl, I already own a battery version of the same drill, it's the one with the removable chuck, between the two I can have two different drill sizes and two different bits and with a spare battery on the charger I could keep going all day. (That is, the tools could, not me!) 👍 😎
Thanks Ged for a great comment and this is mainly why I decided to do this video as I’m hoping for it to stimulate discussion and opinion. Cheers, Leo 😀😀👍👍
I just bought an Aldi angle grinder to cut some slabs for a small job. Worked ok so happy with that but for saws and the tools I used most I ponied up and bought a couple of Bosch professional (blue) 12v and 18v tools and I’ve been really happy with them as you’d expect as they weren’t cheap.
I think for ‘one off’ jobs you’re right Mike, buying the likes of Aldi makes sense. The Bosch blue stuff I believe is very good indeed, great investment 👍👍
Brilliant video . I have never had a problem. With any of my ferrex tools. I also agree with your idea of sticking with the 20_40 batteries.
They have totaliser the plot, brinnout the 18 volt as well. Keep up the great video. All the best. Stay well. Martyn.
Cheers Martyn, best wishes, Leo 😀👍
Just a comment for people who have the issue where they have to reinsert the battery to get the tool to work, unless the battery is fully charged. I have a much loved idiosyncratic Workzone brushless drill-driver with touch sensor technology controls that has this exact issue. I found that pressing the level display button on the battery worked, instead of removing and reinserting the battery.
Thank you for sharing your tip here for other folk to read, much appreciated 😀👍
I bought the blue 20V drill and the 20V impact driver about 3 years ago. They are fantastic, masses of power, battery lasts for ages and no issues at all. I see they currently have a version of the 20V impact driver for £10 on special offer but make sure you can get a battery for it before you buy.
I built my workshop with the blue impact driver John and a shed. It never skipped a beat. From what I’m reading the grey versions are not as good in terms of built quality, plus there is the lack of battery availability as well
I began my woodworking journey last year, 12 months ago to be honest. One of the first specialist power tools I bought (after drills etc) was the Ferrex trim router. I still use it all the time and most of the time there is a round over bit in it.
It's not missed a beat yet, not massively hard use, but fairly regular.
Saying that, I've become a Festool Fan boy now! 🙃
I have to confess to a Festool soft spot as well Rich. Most of my upgrades from budget tools have been the Festool brand. Very easy for me to use and accuracy is just incredible 😀👍
We planned to standardize on Ferrex, but after the failure impactdrivers, compressor, circular saw and jigsaw I am done with it. They are bought to do their job @and not to fail.
Well said 👍
Interesting video Leo. I have only ever bought the cordless nailer the year it first came out. It hasn't failed, but it does jam too often and it is heavy. If/when the battery goes I have no idea if I'll be able to replace it. So overall, I tend to use my small hammer more.
I have looked at a fair few Aldi tools over the years but it's very difficult to be sure what you're getting because most of the independent reviews are of the previous year's model which isn't necessarily the same design, components or built to the same standard. Also, the battery availability hasn't been brilliant when I've looked.
I think the business model of having stuff once a year is probably great for Aldi as they shift a lot of it quickly. It also works out for stuff that you actually use eg. your amazing value impact driver. I think it encourages, by design, impulse buying of stuff you don't really need, as it's easy to get excited and not want to miss out on some shiny tool.
I also do wonder what it all means for the environment, as building and shipping this stuff has some impact. Anyway I am trying now to only buy stuff when I am starting a project that needs it, so if Aldi has something at the time, that's great.
A perfect summary of the situation Graham. Buying an impact driver at £20 and it lasting for ages is a win win for everyone, but buying one every year ‘because it’s cheap and what do you expect for that price’ seems to be the new mantra and I don’t agree with that at all, especially from a throw away society point of view and the environmental impact. If Aldi is going down this route then maybe folk should reconsider whether it is actually good value at all
Aldi tools seem to be the same as Scheppach but a lot less cost to buy. I had an Aldi workzone angle grinder that failed, contacted their customer service department. They were very courteous and helpful, sent out a replacement and did not want the old one returned. Had a look at the original one and found a loose wire on the trigger switch, reconnected that and it worked, so now have two machines. Just ordered a Ferrex bandsaw, waiting for it to arrive, looks identical to the Scheppach but a lot cheaper.
I know most of the early Aldi stuff was just rebadged Scheppach tools roliasder, a guy in the business told me this. The belt / disc sander I’ve got is completely the same as the scheppach apart from the badge. The newer stuff though I’m not so sure. Having said that I’m the same as you in I’ve ordered the bandsaw and looking forward to using it. Great price too 👍👍👍
I'd put these tools in as a 'cost to the project' like wood or glue or screws. ;) I've some Red Workzone stuff; five years on, admittedly lightly used, but still working ~ two competitor brands just do not work anymore at all and the rest as you escribe.
Thanks Gerard for the comments. All of my Workzone blue tools still work fine. Some only had light use but others used quite substantially. I’ve bought two of the newer grey ones and both broke in no time 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Hi Leo. I've been lucky with the Ferrex tools I've bought...so far!! I've got one of the new 18v impact drivers and so far it's been great. Time will tell though I'm sure. Also picked up one of the Ferrex nail gun's...again it seems to be working fine but time will tell. Had quite a few Workzone tools (multitool, drill and circular saw) which are still working great. So although its all good at the moment (famous last words!!!!!) I tend to agree with others who say that the build quality definitely appears to have gone downhill after the rebranding and colour change. Great vid as always mate.
Cheers Gaz. Yes I’ve had loads more hits than misses, but I haven’t bought much of their stuff in the last couple of years. The recurring theme seems to be the grey gear isn’t as good / the same as the old blue gear 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Interesting video mate, I have a load of lidl parkside tools which in my opinion are great value for money. The 12v d4 drill with removable chuck i use more than my makita drill. I think there will always be faults with tools even the bigger brands. The mirka deros springs to mind. At the end of the day if I was in the trade I would probably shy away from the cheaper tools but for the general diy they are ideal, aslong as they work that is
Spot on Dave, perfectly summed up 😀👍
I've a workzone cordless nailer it's fantastic piece of kit .. I've loads of parkside power tools can't fault them... But my go-to tools are my DeWalt cordless circular saw and drill..
The in-between brand I also have is a 250mm einhell mitre saw, it's a work horse
Cheers Jigsy, I’ve got the cordless Brad nailer and it comes in really handy. Overall I’ve always been impressed with their stuff, but I’m leaning towards the build quality no longer being what it once was. I think originally most of it was rebadged scheppach but now think it’s whatever they can get their hands on🤷♂️🤷♂️
😁 Hi Leo. How ironic.. I was thinking of making a video about Workzone /Ferrex tools. As you know I am a big fan of Workzone.... but not so much of Ferrex. Having said that I have a couple of Ferrex tools which are awesome (polisher / brad nailer / rotary tool etc etc) which still surprises me how good they are for the price. My reluctance with Ferrex comes from a series of videos I watched in the early days of Ferrex with drills and drivers bursting in to flames 😔. I'm sure these were isolated incidences but it convinced me to go the Stanley Fatmax route. Also during the transition between Workzone and Ferrex I found the three different tools (Workzone) with the same Voltage..... but different batteries. As you say... as a consumer we need some continuity across the products. Having said all that.... look what happened when I tried to buy DeWALT 🤬. Great video Leo. Stay safe mate 😁👍
Cheers Frank. In my opinion they really show themselves in the foot with the activ energy battery and two different 18v systems. So confusing to folk who even have an idea of what this all means, never mind someone thinking of doing a bit of DIY for the first time. Totally agree with you, the good tools are great and, say it quietly, maybe a little underpriced. But I also think some of the quality of their tools has declined unfortunately
I've got a Workzone jigsaw and multitool still going strong after years. Not bought any Ferrex. It's kind of put me off with the multitude of different batteries so I agree with you there - just one type of battery pls. I'm surprised that even if out of stock, that they haven't got replacements. On a side note - I bought an inflatable bed (3 year warranty) for occasional use (dog minding - long story) and that failed. Claimed on the warranty and they sent the exact same model back even though it hadn't been on special buys for over a year.
Apart from the bent track for my track saw which is purely down to poor packaging, never had an issue with any Workzone gear pal, but the Ferrex stuff doesn’t appear to be as good on the durability front 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Brilliant as usual. I have the 20/40 drill and impact driver. I also have the strummer,lawnmower & hedge trimmer. Not had a problem with any of them. Hoping to get the belt and disc sander next. As they have it on offer. Nearly half price. Keep up the good work mate. Martyn
Nice one Martyn, thank you. Did you get the belt and disc sander in the end? 👍
@@Hand-i-Craft yes I just ordered it online. At the price. I would be stupid not to.
Yes. Definitely getting worse
For example, workzone of old was a semi workhorse. Hss drill bits....... I still have some, resharpened a few times.
Lately I picked up a pack of ferex has bits.
Absolute rubbish. Brittle.
I tend to prefer parkside from lidl.
Quality control seems to be a lot better with them.
Agree with all of this 👍👍
Aldi and lidl and other low range market brands do make quality 👌 tools for the DIY market (the Parkside track saw is one of the best out there from what I have seen on CZcams) .
New tools do have faults and that comes with Parkside or Festol , it very much depends on the way how you treat your tool at finding out how long it will last.
I agree Owen that they do make some quality stuff and I have quite a large collection of their tools. I’m just asking the question based on observations about the quality control of their more recent tools and has there been a decline? It is interesting to read peoples responses 👍👍
I had a flat electric screwdriver permanent battery caught 🔥 while charging I couldn't refund I lost the receipt.
Large camping insect zapper blew up when I turned it on, the day after the warranty ran out, I only used it 3 times.
Motorcycle Bluetooth the same.
I'm a big supporter of Aldi power tools none have packed it in, the only tool I've found useless is the battery powered pressure sprayer (I can urinate harder)
Tools I have petrol lawn mower, battery chain saw, reciprocating saw, another recipricating saw with reach, 2xBattery hammer drills, lmpact driver, battery circular saw, 2 friction cutters, cordless multi tool, 900 watt planer, heat glue gun, triangular sander, belt sander.
The gas soldering iron was a dud. Battery vaccum cleaner it will run my Vax zip brush for 20 minutes 4 amp Workzone, this is a gem, doesn't clog or lose power.
Nice one Dean. Bit of a mixed bag by the sounds of it but largely positive on the power tools front 😀😀👍👍
@@Hand-i-Craft I have a workzone drill, I recently bought a Ferrex pro drill, I get home & compare different colours & name, but identical, go figure!
Today bought a ambiano halogen cooktop $50.00 from Aldi.
It's instant heat, unbelievable if I'd known about them sooner I'd have bought it a long time.ago.
I'm looking for the Ferrex 1200W Corded Angle Grinder
WWW EES 1200 Z01
Do you know where they sell them in the US? I am serious about wanting to buy one.
Aldi tools are still amazing value I think...but REALLY daft that they sell a non-active energy battery range too.
Totally agree on both fronts Brian 👍👍
I have a workzone hammer drill, and 12v workzone multitool, can’t fault either. I also have Erbauer track saw which has been decent, but i do want to upgrade that to a festool.
Cheers Daniel, I think the point I am trying to make from the video is I think new purchasers of Aldi tools aren't getting the same quality of product that you and I bought 🤷♂️
I think that cheap tools like Aldi stuff is primarily aimed at people doing occasional DIY. I think many buyers get them and probably never even use them. I've made all sorts with them including decking and a garage, and I do love them for that reason, but they're just not as well made as premium brands. The biggest difference for me was when I'd been used to that jigsaw you have there, then got my hands on a corded Makita. Night and day. The cut line was so clear and defined compared to the Aldi one. Always very hit and miss with them. In the main though IMO, totally fine for hobbyists and DIYers. And if there are any issues, I've found that Aldi's customer service is great personally. I broke a drill by pushing it too far and they replaced it no quibble... I actually felt bad in the end.
I completely agree pal and I think we share the same opinion on the Aldi gear. I suppose what I’m not happy about with them is the perceived opinion that the build quality is nowhere near what it used to be. Btw in relation to what you said about the jigsaw, I’ve been using an impact driver from Trend the last month or so. Nothing wrong with the Ferrex one, but this thing is so much nicer to use 👍👍👍
My experience of Aldi tools has been hit and miss. I bought a grout remover that was worst than useless and went straight back for a refund, but impact driver went on forever (now a back up). I should say I work in the trades, so although I look after my tools, they do get a daily hammering, so perhaps my viewpoint is skewed.
In a previous life I worked in marketing for several supermarkets (though never Aldi). My insight would be that these products tend to get cost engineered over time to either bring prices down or maintain/increase margins, and reliability then suffers. This tends to go hand in hand with switching suppliers to bring cost per product to the supermarket down. This trend also tends to go in a curve and bottoms out before bouncing back to a point where both profitability and reliability are maintained. So feedback from consumers is important - Aldi will not want to be seen as selling duds to their customers.
Cheers for the message Darren and very interesting insight here. Much appreciated, Leo 😀😀👍
@@Hand-i-Craft 2019 ferrex blue tools 20/40 brilliant made in Germany the plastics were very good. My impactor was run over by a big van I picked it up and works fine and still is. The grey version made in Belgium are not as good don't compare to 2019 blue. The battery 20/40 exelent 👍
@@Hand-i-Craft after 2019 german made it went down hill and it seems the 2022 are the worst so far. They need to go back to the 2019 I'm a big fan of thoes. I stopped buying them at the moment.
@@mattlawton4715 spot on this Matt, totally agree 👍👍
I was wondering, do the batteries from ferex at Aldi work with the Lidl tools?
They are cheap enough to buy two of each then you can use one to drill the pilot holes and the other to drive the screw's.
Apologies for the late reply, only just seen this. I don’t know tbh, but my gut instinct will be to say no. I’d imagine they have different sockets so they probably wouldn’t fit. Also I think they operate at different voltages 👍👍
Purchased ferret nail gun but red light keeps flashing is there anything I can do
Check to see if one of the nails are jammed John. Can’t quite remember off the top of my head what a constant flashing red light is. Check the manual and it’ll tell you. If no joy it will have to be a return
I have a ferrex belt and disc sander however I need to remove the round metal sanding disc to refit the drive belt. No grub screw anywhere! How do I remove it?
I’m not sure Dave tbh as I’ve never had to do it. If I get chance I’ll have a look this week and get back to you 👍👍
@@Hand-i-Craft Finally sussed it. There's a screw (4mm alan screw) right in the middle of the circular disc under the velcro. Just feel for it and push a small screwdriver through the velcro and voila! Remove screw and disc can be removed.
I've had enough off it, will order everything from parkside (lidl online shop). From aldi I got a nice little driver, DuroPro worked perfect and powerfull for 2v, but sadly battery failed because of bad soldering of mosfets on the BMS. I could not find a replacement battery thus got a powerfull makita with 2 batteries. sadly the battery was incompatible with another Makita power tool.
It’s a shame really as I have quite a few older Aldi products that still work fine, but the recent stuff is considerably poorer build quality wise in my opinion 👍
What do you think of Aldi Ferrex cordless and corded oscillating multi-tool? Thanks
Hello Gary, sorry for the late reply. Can’t help you with that one unfortunately as I’ve never used it. My better half bought me a corded multi tool a few years ago so I’ve never looked at any others since 👍
I live in Germany and Aldi/Lidl online Work Tools are always available. must admit I have mostly Dewalt and Makita tools but have been looking at the Parkside Disk Sander and the Aldi Belt/Disk combo especially after your and other peoples good experiences. The thing I really wanted to buy, but have never seen here, is the Ferrex Nail gun.
Thanks Jack. Shame really as the nail gun is a cracker and very good value for money 😀👍
Aldi sanders are great I had to sand 2 doors for painting no problems at all.
Belt sander & the triangular one shaped like an iron. Don't now the name of it.
I thought I was the only one not on board with Ferrex, having been a big Workzone fan. I was about to pull the trigger on the 10 inch band saw to try something again but hasn't turned up, so plan is on hold. Think there might be something in what you have said.
I just wanted to ask the questions Dominic and see what the reaction was. I know they are only budget tools, but that doesn’t mean they should just break down more regularly, particularly when their previous products were so good
The Bandsaw is now available online £160.
@@OldCharlieRum1903 thanks ordered!
I've used the Ferrex 20V tools for years now and, whilst they were great when they first came out, I've experienced a tremendous dip in quality since they went grey, in the past 18-24 months, rather than blue. An original blue impact driver is still going strong after several years, but a grey one I bought recently gave up in five minutes flat.
I bought one of the multi-tools, and from day one it refuses to work unless you take off and then refit the battery immediately before each use - even if you've only just turned it off.
The quality has definitely deteriorated, to the point that I've lost all faith in them as, as you say, they have a habit of giving up when you're right in the middle of something important
Unfortunately Dean I have to agree with you based on what I’ve read and seen first hand. Don’t know if it is a cost cutting thing or they are now sourcing from a different manufacturer, but I don’t think it is fair on the consumer that the quality is by the looks of it deteriorating 🤷♂️🤷♂️
I have same experience in 2019 when they were blue brilliant then grey little bit worse and now bad.👍
@@Hand-i-Craft 2019 ferrex were brilliant now bad
@@mattlawton4715 Unfortunately I’ll have to agree Matt. I have bought the grey bandsaw though and hope that bucks the trend. The blue impact driver has been fantastic for me as well as some of their other gear. Workzone stuff was great too. Grey Ferrex stuff not so much 😐
@@Hand-i-Craft yes shame really I have the blue ferrex impacter and have done loads building alot of fence pannels rabbit cage shed and loads moor really is great it's still going strong it's a great little thing same as the first blue 40v angle grinder I have used them massively they are still going strong I got them as soon as they came out in 2019 they have been great. The plastics seem alot better than the new ones also built better. It's a shame I really liked them.
Are these tools ever available at stores in the states?
I don’t know myself but hopefully someone will read this and answer your question 👍
where do you get extra or replacement batteries? I have a workzone reciprocating saw but cant find an extra battery anwhere. or If I ca they are twice the price of the whole saw.
I think that’s the main problem Nathan, once they stop doing that line or range then you’re on your own. I’m a member of a Facebook group called Aldi Tool Fans, it might be worth asking on there as they are a great bunch and often have good advice on what other batteries are compatible 👍👍
@@Hand-i-Craft awesome thanks pal
still going strong bud great to see you nice review im a huge fan of ferrex and workzone power tool....not a fan of their drill bits though
Cheers Joe and yes I believe their drill bits are about as effective as licorice sticks to drill a hole 😂😂
Nor sure if anyeone can hekp me but I have a Workzone Thicknesser Planer which I have been very happy with. After much use I have noticed the blades are becoming blunt but I am usure what size, single, double etc to buy to replace them and where to buy ie Ebay. Hope someone can help. Thanks
Sorry I can’t help you with this Leanne. Is there is specifications sticker on the thicknesser that might have the blade dimensions on it? Alternatively if you take the blades out, measure them etc and the hole patterns and try to find the nearest match on the likes of eBay? 😀
@@Hand-i-Craftappreciate your thoughts/ideas. I'll give that a go. Thanks for your time.
I find them far too expensive as batteries have to be purchased separately.
i find its a bit hit and miss, im still using my lidl random orbit sander after 3 years, heard the tracksaws are ok as long as you put a good blade in them, but threw away a jigsaw cos it was junk.
Interesting Kevin, my experiences are pretty much the same tbh 👍👍
Hi Leo, what happened to your very smart wooden inner window frames? Mike
Still leaning on the workshop wall at the moment Mike😂😂. Just too much on commission wise atm so those are a tomorrow job 😀👍
@@Hand-i-Craft Great news that you are busy. Are you planning to give up "the day job" and become a full time content maker like Tomasz?
I often bought Aldi tools until I bought one of there 18v nailer/staplers about two years ago which did jam a lot and after a few months of light use just suddenly stopped working, since then I’ve stuck to Lidl parkside as I do think
they are better made tools, in particular I’ve got a 20v hammer drill and even after running it over with my landrover it still works brilliantly! the only issue is you can’t buy them online
Interesting comments here Dave. I bought the same stapler and had the same issue and had it replaced under warranty and the new one has been fine since👍
bought the 40 circular saw and the safety trigger kept sticking causing saw to stay active eventually causing motor to become tempermental quite dangerous as some could put it down and it could scoot off anywhere only got to use it 3 times got a refund would buy another as the price is excellent and other tools no issues yet .
Cheers Honda for the comment here. Interesting to hear your experiences👍👍
Probably because your now used to some exceptionally good tools 😂. But they got you to this point in your journey, giving you the basic skills to use the machinery you have now and tools you acquire in the future.
That's a very interesting point and one to which I can personally relate. My garage is filled with the budget range but I now have the confidence to make comparisons. Just today, in B&Q, I found myself handling the DeWalt drills and noticing their lightness as opposed to a 20v Parkside. If only I could afford them...!
Very good point David, and tbh there are some of the Aldi tools I wouldn’t trade up for anything else. The belt / disc sander and the Brad nail gun spring to mind👍, just thought I’d put this question out there as from my observations it looks like maybe the quality of the Aldi stuff isn’t quite what it once was. It’s really interesting reading folks feedback on this 😀👍. Hope you’re keeping well sir, best wishes, Leo 😀😀
To be honest the only problem I've rarely had a problem. However the last mutitool has been the exception. i'm on my 4th one now. problems suffered are.
they all needed the battery to be removed before the tool would work again. I did a bit of detective work. After use if you restated the tool quite quickly less than one minute the tool would restart properly. If you left it for more than the minute you had to remove and refit the battery before it would work again.
the current one the clamp that holds the blade keeps coming loose. you can tighten it but it will work loose again . Ok this is an easy fix with a bit of locktight but it shouldn't happen.
I still rate the tools though , perhaps a constant supply would be good , but I can live with that one
Cheers Roger for the feedback. I think the main problem coming from most folk are the ‘grey’ Ferrex tools and since then. The blue ones are great and the Workzone before that fine. I’ve heard they moved factories for production, whether standards / costings / etc are the same now I’m not so sure 🤔🤷♂️
I agree workzone stuff still working well but not keen on Ferex as they seem not as well made. The Ferex drill bits are not very good to say the least.
Totally agree about the workzone gear pal. It is more about other peoples experiences of Ferrex in addition to my own that made me think something isn’t quite right 🤷♂️
I find Lidls Parkside to be levels above Ferrex or workzone considering the prices are similar
I’ve never had experience of the Parkside range, but I believe their budget tracksaw is excellent 👍👍
Active energy ~ confusion: First Place: I left only this week and bought a sander in B&Q ~ all because of this battery confusion ~ there I was with a nice kit, sander two heads one battery and charger €50 not compatible with the second battery I was trying to buy ???? ,WHAT! I left.
The decision to continue selling 18v tools when they also set up the Active Energy platform was a spectacular own goal by Aldi in my opinion. Far too confusing for the target audience of casual diy person
Great video 👍
Cheers Steve 😀😀👍👍
Its very aggravating that Aldi are selling 20v/40v cordless tools without batteries but there are no batteries available unless you want to pay £53 for a 20v Activ energy unit on EBay, and I don't. The stores are full of chargers for them? Aldi need to get their house in order on this one.
I have a Ferrex bandsaw, belt and disc sander, nail gun etc and find them good value for money, just want a couple of batteries for my cordless tools.
Totally agree Alan. If I didn’t know any better I’d say the lack of availability points to maybe eventually phasing them out 🤷♂️
I brought a circular saw and it worked great for a week and just stopped. I have got a replacement.
Your experience sounds all too common Sean. I understand companies cutting costs due to rising wholesale prices of materials, but it seems a bit of a false economy to me if lots of people return them and get either a replacement or a refund 🤷♂️
the manufacturers are penny pinching and cutting corners with the wrong parts, I love Aldi and their ferrex tools, they are branded tools with FERREX brand on them, like Draper, scheppech, , I've got some that do not start sometimes and that is down to battery connections, a good example of penny pinching to make a bit more money "but must cost more for trying this" the quick grips I have brought a set each year up to a few years ago, they are really good but the grip you pull to tighten is plastic and molded with spaces in the back to save a bit of plastic and they always snap because of this, another thing is there marketing team do not no what they are selling and get adverts wrong, give weak information and miss out completely the best unique use of items, prime example is the cordless percussion drill "I think they called it" when it was a SDS drill, I am sure I don't need to say makes a lot of difference, I am a 57 young years multi trades man and mechanical engineer that is very very brief, I gave up paying for brands that spend more on telling us they're top pro tools than the tools cost, I no read the spec and most often the store brands have the same spec or better at way less then half the price, I can buy 5 or more combi drills than a promoted brand like dewalt with the same or less spec, and if it is stolen I have 4 more, but they last so its a no brainer, do the homework and see for yourselves, it would have to be gold to justify the price difference, I don't ant to pay more for sale departments and their made up unneeded jobs, its the skilled workers and producers who are the only creators of econamy, other roles just leach of our backs and we fall for it, we should be the highest earners and all those made up roles like sales, marketing and other pen pushers should be thankful, work 7 till 5 and on the minimum wage, or get rid of them and sell the goods at realprices like Aldi and LIDL do , a bad workman blames there tools, the quality was better 100 plus years ago when they never had them, learn the hard way, you mean you got better not because you spent more, people are so gullible
Quite a lot to take in there Ant. I do think it is clear to see Aldi / Ferrex have made cutbacks in terms of production and quality to keep the price low. I think long term that will come back to bite them, personally I think adding 3 or 4 quid to the price of say a £20 impact driver wouldn’t put folk off buying if they can keep the previous standards of production up🤔👍
I've said it before that nearly every tool in the US is falling in quality. The only tools of value here are Makita, and the surprisingly improving Bosch. Bosch (in North America) had fallen drastically over the years, but once they went to their Core batteries their tools made a quantum leap in quality. Their profactor line has impressed me.
So I dumped the faster failing Dewalt, and went to makita and bosch.
Interesting to read this Matt. I also held Dewalt as being very well made products and didn’t know their quality was deteriorating. Also interesting to hear about Bosch improving as well 👍👍
@@Hand-i-Craft well, that's just the nature of the beast with brands. They decline and improve.
It's like the stock market lol. You gotta buy them when they're good, not when they're bad.
This is why you don't see anyone using Black & Decker in pro settings lol.
But who knows, maybe one day, B&D will be #1 and have vaporizing layers that convert sawdust to tea leaves. Lmao.
Either way, I invested big into Dewalt 3 or 4 years ago, and the stuff I've bought since has been 💩. It's extremely disappointing.
Makita, seems to be the most detailed. So I just bought their guide rail, and cordless router and plunge base. When Bosch's left blade track (capable) saw arrives this coming year, it is said to work with Makita track. So I'm ready and waiting.
@@carterscustomrods Just as a matter of interest I have two B&D drills. One is 45 years old the other 35 years old and both are still going strong.
@@TheStanford01 exactly... they might weigh 55lbs each, but if a nuclear war happened, it'd be those old drills, and roaches everywhere. 🤣 🤣
I hate it when you have ‘bought into’ the battery infrastructure and then they fail.
Cheers Paul for the message. I think even more confusing is Aldi currently have three different battery platforms which is just strange and very confusing for the customer. I’ve loved most of my Aldi tools but I will confess my head has been turned to a different format 🤔😀👍
To be fair Aldi aren’t the only ones. I bought an Erbauer drill, impact driver and reciprocating saw from Screwfix and shortly afterwards they introduced a new battery platform and new tools. Try as I might I couldn’t get spare ‘old’ batteries so at some point the tools I own will become unusable. I finally made a decision to switch to Dewalt in the hopes they actually support the products they sell with spares into the future. Generally, I found Aldi are okay about refunds for failing products but this process can involve talking to a ‘helpline’ in Germany or Austria. How many owners just give up?
I've got one of those Impact Drivers.
Paid £14 for it. 😎
I made the entire structure of my workshop using that impact driver 👍👍👍
@@Hand-i-Craft A hammer might have been a better choice, for driving in nails. 😁
@@BedsitBob All screws pal, no nails. Nailing with only use of one arm is largely a waste of time 😂😂
Tools are fine, it's getting the batteries !!
I’ve been reading about the lack of availability for the 20v / 40v Activ range. Really bad on Aldi’s part there. It’d be like buying a shiny new TV only to find out it doesn’t come with a lead and you can’t buy one anywhere 🤷♂️
@@Hand-i-Craft the battery's are in quite abit may depend where you live 👍
@@Hand-i-Craft they have now done a pro range brushless with same battery and are good again 👍 maybe you can do a video on the ferrex pro brushless. Great video good content and bang on point.
I no they need to stop selling the tools if they can’t keep up with battery demand I can’t get a battery from anywhere
Totally agree Paul👍👍
Hi Paul, I repair my batteries. It's easy, if you can solder. Videos how to, on CZcams. 👍
This has to be tempered a bit! The Aldi/Lidl tools are made to a price. They are made for their market and especially for those starting out. It is a bit churlish for anyone to complain about a tool that is at a ridiculous price point and gives up the ghost after a bit of use. Look at it this way. They are really DIY tools, but some like me use them for more professional use in our workshops. If I buy a plunge saw for £80 and it goes wrong, I just think OK, but at least it didn't cost me the £439 of a Festool or similar. I can get 5 saws from Aldi for that price. But I really shouldn't be using it in the same way as a Festool item!
I have to say that I have quite a few Ferrex and Workzone tools. None have yet given up the ghost. But for the tools that I use all the time, Single Bevel Mitre Saw, Table Saw, Double Bevel Mitre Saw I have gone with Evolution. Really good price point and so far not one problem (apart from building instructions!) I also have a few Bosch Industrial tools. Horses for courses I say. Buy cheap, please don't expect them to perform to tradesman standards.
Pete, I totally take on board what you are saying here, but at no point did I compare Aldi's range of budget tools to any premium brand whatsoever. Look at my range of Aldi tools, I have loads of them and they have served me very well. My question fundamentally boils down to this, is the £20 impact driver on sale now at Aldi as good as the £20 impact driver I bought 2 1/2 years ago? And based on what I am seeing and reading, no it isn't. And that is not right as Aldi are potentially selling an inferior product than what they used to.
Purely from a selfish point of view, if folk are looking at buying the impact driver and would like some reassurance from CZcams, they input 'Aldi Ferrex Impact driver' and my review comes up saying how good it is. Nearly three years on I stand by my statements as you've since see me build my workshop with it. But the one the new customer is buying is nowhere near as good as the one I have, despite the exact same name and a slight colour scheme change. So the new customer buys it and three months after light DIY use it packs in and the best they get is a refund because it is no longer in stock. So the new buyer thinks 'that fella on CZcams is talking rubbish', when I'm not, it is the brand scaling down production quality to meet profit margins. That's my point Pete, the folk buying Aldi gear now should be entitled to the products you and I bought a few years back, but are they getting that quality at that fantastic budget price point now? I don't think they are
@@Hand-i-Craft Hey Leo, I didn't mean to imply that you were comparing Aldi and premium tools and sorry if that is how it came across. What I was trying to put across is that there are many more people buying and using these tools as though they were professional tools.
In my area since the beginning of the pandemic, I have noticed an exponential rise in wood products made by people who are or were on furlough. They are turning out miles and miles of cheap pallet furniture and the like. And to do that most are buying the Aldi/Lidl tools. That is not what they are meant for.
Perhaps that is the reason for more people complaining about them. Misuse by inexperienced users. I have also noticed that some professional users are buying them (a mate of mine did and used it extensively) and complaining when they break being overused.
If we are expecting these cheap and cheerful tools to last as well as premium brands, we are going to be disappointed and complain online.
Aldi glasses you wear huh, ?
The new ferrex stuff is rubbish imo I bought the multi tool and it was shockingly bad bordering on dangerous
I have to agree with you pal 👍👍
Aldi power tools are great value I mean look at the cheap price for what you get and how long they last and the warranty. you really cant go wrong....oh and even Ryobi, makita and a host of otheres are made in china so go figure
Hello Joe, I’m not saying they aren’t great value. Look at the amount of Aldi tools I have myself😀. What I am asking is is the quality of these budget tools getting worse? If you look through the comments here I think most would agree the older ‘blue’ versions are far better in terms of quality and reliability than the new grey ones 🤷♂️
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Thanks Vince 😀👍
Being more of a Lidl fan, I don't have much of a comment....
Fair dos Ben. Lots of folk in praise of the Lidl / Parkside brand 👍👍
@@Hand-i-Craft and I have a few reviews...
Aldi Good Aldi Germany don't do Junk 😂😂😂🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪
😂😂😂👍👍👍
A lot of waffle!
Please stand still while you are talking, you make me dizzy
😂😂I’m sorry Aaron, just can’t help it sometimes 😀👍
Here in Aus these ALID/Ferrex/workzone tools are just waste of money.
They used to be really good value here pal in the U.K. but standards have definitely dropped
@@Hand-i-Craft I think thats the thing with all things now. Any thing which was cheap and good before now its not good any more.