My boss won a kobalt drill at a lowes contractor lunch . He gave it to me to use as a mixer for drywall mud and tile mortar . Which is very hard on a drill . I would never use my own drill as a mixer . I started using it thinking it would break pretty fast . 3 years latter it still works and just had the first battery go bad . Like the price of the batteries so much and the strengh of the drill . I now own most of the cordless line and use it daily . I am a carpenter building new houses and flipping houses . So far the tools work great and the batteries are half the price of most other lines .
All my kobalt tools have worked great have only lost 1 maybe 2 batteries in 7 or 8 years . Forgot wore out weed eater but used way harder than intented would be great for house in city
@@BobTheBuilder-fs4rj Awesome. I have my work tools already but thinking about going Kobalt for the lesser used at home type stuff, and just to have a nice powerful backup drill of course. Thanks for the reply!
I’m a very loyal Lowe’s consumer, because I buy a lot of Lowe’s type supplies, from appliances, garden, hardware, tools etc. I’m a Vietnam Nam Marine veteran. I get a 10% day to day discount on everything. They take care of vets so I try to take care of them! All these years I really have no complaints with anything from Lowe’s and if I do they have always remedied to my complete satisfaction. Semper Fi Bear!
I bought into kobalt because of how cheap the batteries are. most of my work revolves around automotive and I use the 1/2in impact alot. has no issues with axle nuts and crank pulley bolts. its held up to my diy/ "weekend warrior" use for about 4 years now.
however I did have to return my first impact because it would rotate off axis pretty badly like something inside it was bent or assembled wrong. no issues with the return. got a receipt and grabbed a replacement right off the shelf.
Kobalt hit a home run with the 24v brushless lineup. Not compact but not bulky. They were cheap enough that I bought a second set drill/driver & impact driver set so if the warranty didn’t hold true I could keep working. Yet 2+ years later I’m still using the first set and have no issues. The batteries are good quality and cheap. Enough so that I have six in my van at all times! I’ve never had to complain because they broke or didn’t preform as advertised. And I’m happy that they are expanding the line. Worth every penny.
Dec 29 2019 Lowe’s had the 6 tool set 24v on sale for $199 !!!! from $449. Am now rocking 12” sliding miter saw, 41” tool ches combo and now the 24 volt tools! Thanks for all the info Red!
I've owned a kobalt 1/4" impact and drill for 2 years now with no issues. I've dropped the impact from 10 ft up on the concrete twice now. Both times no damage. I love these tools. I use them everyday. I have no complaints whatsoever.
I bought into this line when they first came out in 2016 and have since acquired every tool they make. These are absolutely pro grade tools. DeWalt XR line may have them edged out but if you compare Kobalt to the plain DeWalt 20V tools Kobalt certainly has the edge. I cannot wait to see what they have in store for 2020 with the push for 20 new additions!
Ive seen some tests where the DeWalt XRs have burned out or started smoking way before their own prior models and before kobalt and Milwaukees. Seems like XR line might not be as durable as others.
I agree pros can use this line day to day no issue beat the 1/4 impact driver to hell still works got the combo kit with hammer drill still original battery charges fine i try remember not leave them in extreme temps cold or hot or over charge but the price on their batteries got to love it
I just wanted to say I have been very pleased with these tools!! I would 100 percent recommend them.I have been very aggressive with them because I knew they are under warranty. Again absolutely no problems!Going on 5 yrs,batteries are still the ones I purchased.Im impressed!!!
I'm new to Dremels, but this thing has been great. czcams.com/users/postUgkxfPgcZ5_Cl0HDUKkMJAKde11YKQZVgMoR The variable speed is awesome and the cordless aspect makes it so easy to work with. I am constantly finding uses for it that make tasks easier. Recently I put in a new deadbolt on one of our doors. I knew I had to enlarge the hold where the deadbolt goes into the door frame. At first I thought I would have to get a big router and figure out how to use it for that, but then I rermembered we have the dremel. I was able to enlarge the hole almost as easy as if I was drawing with a pen. It's also great for grinding our dog's nails done and so many other household tasks.
Coming from a forklift/equipment mechanic, I have quite a few in this line. The 1/2in impact, the drill/driver combo set, the grinder and fan. I for the money and how they have held up, I couldn't be happier. I've had the drill/ driver set and the 1/2 impact the longest. With a little over 2 years of use they are all still great tools. I use the 1/2 in impact almost every day mostly for 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 lug nuts and the only ones I've ran across that it wouldn't handle, neither would my 1/2in drive ir2135timax air impact either.. very happy with the line so far. Thanks for the thoughts papa bear.
I love my kobalt tools. I currently have kobalt, Dewalt, and craftsman power tools and I use my kobalt the most. I especially love the one hand Sawzall that I use alot outside and it will literally cut down a small tree
I have the all the Kobalt 24 volt cordless tools and use them on every one of my construction jobs. They are great in every aspect and I've never had any problems out of them.. I think they're great!
I didn't get to read all of the comments, but one of my favorite Kobalt tools is the cordless inflator. It is easy to set, easy to use, and so useful, I'm going to buy another one to keep in my truck. As mentioned, the batteries last really well. On one charge, I inflated a truck tire from totally flat, 4 medium pneumatic garden cart tires, and one bicycle tire. Then went on to use that battery on drilling 6 X 6 timbers for rebar. Still lots of oomph left in it, but I put it on charge overnight anyway, for using the next day. I bought the $199 kit special just before Christmas in 2020, and chose the circular saw as my bonus. I love it. As a DIYer, I really appreciate being able to just use it for a few cuts wherever I happen to be without having to plug in a long cord like I do for my ancient Porter Cable. Love your reviews.
Thanks for the review, bear. My son uses his set on job sites every week, no problems. He's had his for nearly 3 years now. The circ saw definitely requires a good blade but it works well enough. The impact driver and drill are top-notch.
I'm an comercial electrical installer I've had the line for over two years now have had no problems with tools slowly adding new tools to line up as I go really impressed with impacts they will RIP screws apart if you dont watch your settings and batteries are the best part with a couple big batteries for heavy screwing and drilling sawing and a few mid and small batteries I can go weeks without charging and I use them everyday so for cost I dont think kobalt can be beat . And looking forward to that new sts drill .
I bought an impact and drill on a special deal and got way more than I expected. I have been very pleasantly surprised by them. You can't beat their battery prices either.
My father in law has the 80 volt string trimmer. I have seen that tool trim his 1 acre home with tons of trees and tons of concrete flat work, and ask for more. It easily performs with the Ego, and Greenworks brands. I personally have used his trimmer and the Ego and I will be converting to cordless when my Echo tool wear out.
The Bad: Quite a few Kobalt tools that just quit working out of the blue. (No pun intended.) One owner after another. Including an acquaintance who bought two Kobalt tire inflators. One in each vehicle. A year later, both refused to work. Batteries were charged up. Both refused to turn on. Not good had he or a family member been stranded.
Picked up the drill / impact driver combo kit for $99 during the craftsman clearance along with 2 - 1.5 amp hr batteries for additional $26 ( $13 each ) and couldn’t be happier. I’m thinking about picking up the multi tool next. People on the den of tools message board said it was a bad time to buy into the platform. I’m glad I did. I would recommend it
I've switched over to the full line of 24V max a couple of years ago, and like you have been a little nervous about the Crapsman intrusion, I'm happy they finally added a 3/8 ratchet and look forward to their new offerings; thanks for letting me know. I do wonder why the 4 A.hr battery costs $50, and the 6 A.hr cost $99? $75 would have been a better target. Thanks for making me feel better about the Kobalt line, have a warm and fuzzy day.
I work in plumbing, kobalt power tools have took care most I need done in 3 years. And they perform very well better than most tool guys give them credit for. Great Bang for the buck.
I bought a kobalt set with drill, driver, recip, and light way back in 2017. since then I also bought the multi tool and random orbital. still have all of them, original batteries, and they all work great. i use them all the time for everything you can imagine. can't tell you have many times I've changed tires with the 1/4" impact driver, including using it on the scissor jack. never had a problem. I also have several of their 40v lawn stuff and I love'm. great brand.
I love the 1/2 inch impact. I've only had one bolt I had to borrow a coworker's Milwaukee for. I fully intend to use it for the entirety of my career. Or however long they carry batteries and parts for it. Whichever comes first lol
They are actually 25.2 volts. They have 6 4.2 volt 18650 batteries wired in series to produce a total of 25.2 volts. I have checked a number of their packs when fully charged and that is exactly my findings. Maybe my Fluke is off, but they usually test 25.3-25.4 when fresh off the charger. It is noteworthy the watt hour rating on the packs is also higher, as the packs have an extra battery, the potential output from the battery is also higher. Now this information should not be construed to mean the tools are more powerful as their are other variables.
I like the Kobalt a lot. I buy Milwaukee too, and have found both to be quite effective. We use them at work every day. The local Lowe’s sales guy just hates the Kobalt and pushes DeWalt. He warned me I would be back to return the Kobalt within 90 days. In 3 and a half years I have not had to do anything to the Kobalt. We did break off the ears that hold the batteries in on some of the Milwaukee’s. A little creative engineering fixed those. You can use the 24 v batteries on older 20 v Kobalt tools with very little creative engineering. I do that on a cordless grinder whose batteries had failed but was too good to throw away.
I’m a Kobalt tool fan as well. I have 9 tools in the 24v series & I use them daily in my construction business. I’ve never had an issue with them. Yes, I’ve replaced a few batteries but they all have lasted past the 3 year guarantee. I personally feel the are a low end commercial line. The battery prices is what sold me on Kobalt. I would recommend them to anyone!
Im not sure what the difference is but I love the circular saw, i have Diablo blades and it cuts everything everytime. Ok its not a worm drive but mine works great.
We own a construction company and flip houses. Long story short in a pinch when I desperately needed a drill and couldn’t find another Dewalt to replace my stolen tools after my trailer got broken into I bought some Kobalt stuff because I figured it would get me through a couple jobs and then I could just sell it off on marketplace and fast forward two years I own probably every Kobalt 24 V tool made.
I use the imacts more than anything with. No complaint other than maybe the size of the big 1/2in when trying to pull a rear motor mount.. Use the recip saw and no complaint there either. The little USB battery adapter is fantastic for when my harbor freight lights die
I got my drill/driver set about 4 years ago when I moved onto my sailboat. Lowes was doing a trade-in promotion. Bring in any single drill - any condition- and get the drill/driver set at a huge discount. Over the last 4 years, I’ve built up a good collection, including the weed wacker and lawn mower. Never had a problem, always had enough power to do the job. The only criticism I have is about the shop vac. It’s powerful, but the on/off switch is in an awkward position. It will also kill a battery in under 10 minutes of use. Fine for really quick cleanups because you don’t need to futz with a cord, but anything bigger is a hassle because you’ll need to do a battery swap pretty quickly. They should have included a detachable power cable that doubles as a battery charger.
Honestly for the money I would rather go Kobolt then Hurcules. Warrenty is clutch for the price and not to mention the actual amount of tools that can be used with 1 battery. Kobolt is actually coming out with a new line of 24 volt tools shpuld be good.
I incidentally invested in a bunch of Kobalt tools as of late and I'm adding more because of the battery uniformity.. With the exception of the circular saw, I like the set, They feel beefy in my hands, they look good and work well for the small time DIY'er that I am. I agree with you on the circular saw. It feels beefy too, but seems to lag power and sometime I struggle to finish cuts with it for what seems to be no reason what so ever!!! Thanks for the video, great information.
I had a fantastic experience warranty he Kobalt 24 volt hedge trimmer that I had had for slightly less than 5 years.. the battery was still good but the hedge trimmer jammed internally and needed replacement. Since the battery has been upgraded in this interval the model number has changed. Lowes refunded my full purchase price which I then used to buy the newer version of the hedge trimmer.. it's new version cost me $10 more but I have a new five-year warranty. I own and the pole saw which I find very serviceable in maintaining my 3.36 acre property. I've had absolutely no complaints without either of these work. My feelings on the warranty are top-notch and plan to buy the blower and probably a reciprocating saw
I'm an electrician and I've been using kobolt pretty much exclusively for the past 3 years. It's been serving me very well. I just wish they would bring back the 12v line
Love the 24v line my biggest criticism of them was not enough tools to commit Ryobi has over a 100 tools in their 18v platform and thats not even counting all the old blue tools that can be found on craigslist for a pack of smokes 20 new tools in 2020 is a game changer
After quite a bit of research I invested in the Kobalt cordless line, mere months before the “Craftsman takeover”. I’m not sorry I bought them. I’m an average DIY’er and I find these to be quite adequate. They are a little bulky but I can’t fault the performance. And the batteries are a lot less expensive than other brands and hold a good charge. Thanks for this review Bear. It instills confidence that @Kobalt is going to stick around. I wasn’t so sure at first.
I've got the one handed corded recipe saw. It's been "bounced" more than a few times and it's still chugging. If the housing on it is the same as the housing on the cordless stuff then it's pretty durable. For all the use and abuse that little saw has gotten, I'd say the price to performance ratio is better than some of the more expensive pro grade tools.
I have the Kobalt 1/2 inch impact wrench, 1/4 inch impact driver, 1/2 inch drill/driver, and plan on expanding even more. The 1/2 inch impact was the first one I got because being in my 50's, and getting lazy, I don't feel like wrestling with a lug wrench anymore. I even got a set of Capri torque sticks to go along with it. I compared a few brands and it quickly came down to Kobalt, and Earthquake, and what sold me was the expand-ability of the battery line. Recently a mechanic friend of mine asked if he could borrow my 1/2 inch impact while his Snap On was out being rebuilt for the 5th time. Reluctantly I loaned it to him. He brought it back in only a weeks time and said he could not believe how much better it was than his Snap On. I'm not sure if he was being honest with me, or just blowing smoke up my ass to show appreciation for me loaning out one of my tools, which is something I almost NEVER do. I would rather loan out my dog than one of my tools, at least my dog knows how to find her way back home. In your "Bad" section, you mentioned the overall size of some of these Kobalt tools. Being 6'2", and 270 pounds, I actually appreciate a larger tool that fits nicely in my big frying pan hands, as opposed to some of the smaller tool brands that aren't really all that comfortable for me to use, even if might be an overall better tool. If it doesn't fit well in the hand, it's not going to work well in the hand........something that I'm pretty sure you understand. As for Crapsman......the warranty and customer service from SB&D SUCKS to be polite about it. Craftsman was great, back in the day, when Sears still owned the brand, at least until they started having financial issues. Today, I wouldn't spend stolen money on that brand. Justin Dow put out a video a while back showing all the problems he had trying to get some broken or worn out sockets replaced, and the nonsensical run-around everyone gave him over it. czcams.com/video/z0ZX9D1wKw8/video.html I am very satisfied with the Kobalt tools I have, and am looking forward to expanding my collection. As for my hand tools......I have some old school Made In America Craftsman. The collection is not as big as I would like it to be, and somewhere in the near future I will be replacing them with Icon. The Kobalt hand tools just really aren't all that appealing to me. I firmly believe that Icon has picked up where Sears left off with the old school Craftsman brand in both quality, and warranty, and may have even exceeded in what Sears used to offer, and I think they may have just proven that with the recall on those 3/8 inch flex head ratchets.
The circular saw (6.5) inch is a great saw and has tons of power. Well worth the money. I use the 6 amp hour battery with it a bit heavy but will cut through 2 inch thick pallet material made of hardwood and doesn't stop at all.
I LOVE my Kobalt tools. The batteries are cheap and they last a long time. The tools are powerful. But they don’t make a large variety of tools, the shop vac frankly sucks and they don’t make the things I want or need. So I’m watching these videos to get an idea of Kobalt overall and Ryobi. The tools I have that I need the most are Dewalt, in my experience Dewalt is much higher quality than Kobalt. But they are expensive. So I think im going to sell my Kobalt stuff and go with Ryobi. I just bought a Ryobi power inverter for my vehicle and a stick vacuum for the battery and hopefully an upgrade over my Kobalt vacuum. Yes I tested the vacuum today. It definitely kicks tail on the Kobalt and our household vacuum. So I think Ryobi is the way forward for a handful of things. Thanks for doing these videos!
I got a great deal on their impact driver sawsall circular saw , drill and the flashlight along with a 2 and 4 mah battery and I'm very impressed the flashlight is actually my all time favorite flashlight it's nice and compact super bright has a built in hook perfect for those low light situations were a flashlight just isn't cutting it but you don't wanna bring in the free standing lights.
I have most of this set and I'm happy with how they have performed around the house. This set compliments my m12 set quite well. I've seen some craftsman products at my home depot in south metro milwaukee area
I visited my local spot over the weekend to take a look at the new XTR tools that were released in May. I was primarily interested in that 3/8 inch ratchet because I mostly do automotive work. I like my fingers and hands too much to mess around with any of the cutting tools so I don’t own any. From what I can tell this cordless ratchet is nothing to get excited about. I am glad that I decided to invest in the Ingersoll rand IQV 20 and 12 line. I got into it in 2014 and don’t have any regrets.
I just like the color blue lol ridiculus as it sounds, glad to hear there decent tools i have almost everything from them only thing that broke was the floor jack where the u joint is everything els still works great over the years and the new xlt stuff too
As a Union Sprinklerfitter we used impacts,drills,portabands, and mini sawsalls out of all my tools company tools and tools the other guys use one brand always last the longest and that is Milwaukee. I have to replace all my kobalt power tools soon and will be looking HARD at HF pro tools. But if you buy milwaukee it will last you for as long as you need AND you can get china batteries to fit and 1/2 the cost IF you want to go cheap.
I own all Kobalt, the 3 yr and 5 yr warranty is the best and I don't have any issues with down time. I owned Dewalt- burned em up or stripped the gears out, I've had Rigid and the same as Dewalt and Home Depot gave me greif when while under warranty the hammer drill stopped working, I was forced to threatening that I would post a CZcams video validating my disgust with Rigid if the manager did not make it right, he did. ON my Kobalt Drill and Hammer drill the chuck went bad and started slipping on the drill bits, I found a chuck on Ebay from Germany that kicks ass and really holds the bits tight. I even use the Kobalt 24V miter saw and pleased with it's abilities. Just visit any pawn shop you will see every brand of cordless tools but not any Kobalts, and every person that I have let use my tools at work have ended up selling what they had and changed to Kobalt. Lowes has a 90 day return policy even if you have opened the package and used the tools, as Trump told people' "WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU HAVE TO LOOSE"? Get yourself a real mans cordless tool, and within 90 days take it back if you believe what you have is better.
Not sure what the hit on Ridgid LSA is but i've had their tools for 20yrs and only had to return one drill and it got repaired in 7days. But i'm looking at the Kobalt 24V 12in Chainsaw for my wife to use. Seems like a decent enough tool and the 3yr warranty looks OK too.
I mowed my overgrown yard with hills and dips and real grass not already perfect grass with the 2x24v self propelled mower. I was surprised. Just do it in the evenings when the grass is dry. Never mow wet grass anyway. Lol
The 2nd gen Kobalt 24v 500cfm 120mph brushless leaf blower looks really good! Got to be one of the lightest weight 500cfm battery blowers with decent run time out there.
Gotta agree with the Bear here...my Lowes has almost no Kobalt hand tools on display or in stock any more. Just a sea of red. Just this last week though, I was able to go thru their drawers and grab a few odd size Kobalt sockets that I didn’t have, but surprisingly Lowes had them. Other than a few here and there, it just looks like the tool department in an old Sears years back, and for me, not happy about it in the least...I’ve bought Bosch at Lowe’s in the past, but they are missing now also...sad
I have a Kobalt 40V leaf blower I bought 3 1/2 years ago and had to decide if I wanted to stay with Kobalt for the other outdoor tools (hedge trimmer and string trimmer) Reviews on Amazon had a few folks say the hedger would jam on thick branches and burn up; the 40V string trimmer also had issues with bump head and the difficulty of finding replacement parts. For that reason and the sheer unknown of how long Lowe's is going to support Kobalt in the long run with the onslaught of Crapsman I decided to bail on the Blue and get the other outdoor tools based on my other battery line that had better reviews and customer support. When or if the Kobalt battery dies I'll most likely not keep the Kobalt line. as it's yet another battery charger taking up space.
Happy with the 1/2 impact. The 3/8 ratchet is too long. I have not used the ratchet and going to try to exchange for the right angle drill or something else.
I think you are spot on with your assessment of the Kobalts. I have the hammer drill, impact driver and the 1/2" impact wrench. I use them when I do field work and they have been bullet proof. The only negative, again agree with you, is that they are a bit on the bulky side. Keep the great content coming!
I started this set shortly after it came out. It did not have the rest of the tools I was wanting, but the line up was new and the battery prices were and still are awesome. Since then, the Rachet, miter saw and finally nailer has all come out. That nailer is big. Have not got it yet, but will soon as I convince my better half I need it for some project she has me doing. Two questions/comments. First, I mentioned the size of the nailer, has anyone used this yet and what are your thoughts on it. Second, the jobsite radio is nice. But the little compresser to air up the tires, I absolutely love. My wife can find any nail or screw within a 100 yards of her tires and that little guy saves the day to get us where it needs to go. Tbh though, it is the only tool I had to return because of failure. Not to upset, I used it alot and my vehicle is commercial use and it levels them off at 80 psi weekly. I got more than I expected from it and luckily was still under warranty. So, got a brand new one now. Question here is, does anyone have the 40v tire inflator,, if so, what are your thoughts. I have 3 of the lawn tools and I will not switch. They have taken much abuse and still outlast me. Wonder if the inflator is the same. Thanks and great review. Agree with everything you said. It rang true then, and still does today.
Love my kobalt 3/8 impact, although in my work my number one most used tools are my wrenches. Bought it second-hand (or third maybe, I forget) from a coworker. Not sure how I would feel about it if I was using it all day every day, but for occasional use several times a week, you can't beat the price. Also the power and battery life is surprising.
Kobolt 24 volt has 21.6 nominal volts. Kobolt is getting rid of there hand tools but they are expanding on their power tools. They are expanding on their corded and cordless power tools. They are also expanding on their bench type tools as well. Now my belief is they are going to follow Milwaukee power tools.
I feel like Kobalt really hit the nail on the head with most of these tools and sort of fell short on others. It’s kind of a mix of pro tools and diy tools across the platform. There is rumor that they are coming out with a certain number of their tools in a pro grade version-kind of like the DeWalt XR line. I would like to see several of their tools redesigned with higher specs as well as some new additions built to pro specs. Offer them as stand alone tools for the professionals with battery, charger and hard case. (Scope, grease gun, SDS ROTARY HAMMER, impact wrench, router,etc.)
I own the rotary hammer and it holds up for long periods of use, we set 1/2" x 6" anchor bolts in concrete sometimes we do 40 to 60 at a time. I do use multiple batteries but not as much as I did with Rigid from Home Depot. The 1/2" drive impact is also a beast.
Problem with cordless saws is that they can’t handle anything hard like old wood. If your doing some hard drilling or sawing you need a cord as the battery powered tools just don’t have the power. They do make a good blower but it dosen’t have the vacume feature.
I have mostly the automotive Kobalt 24v tools and they are good. Not Milwaukee great, but get the job done with a great price point. Very nice that they FINALLY are expanding (remember the older video about how they kinda stalled?). Not much bad or ugly here, and that's a good thing for the brand.
I bought the set shown 3 years ago & use them daily every one of those tools has been left in the rain, dropped, thrown, just down right abused, only issue I’ve had is one light go out, would recommend to anyone!
I just purchased the kobalt kit #0672826 for $199 I got a bluetooth speaker with it for free! I'm well invested with the Kobalt lineup now, the warranty and quality beats the harbor freight Bauer. For me harbor freight and lowes are geographically side by side.. I already have the Kobalt 24v circ saw, and it is kinda bulky and backwards feeling compared to a dewalt but it's something I gotta live with. Impressed and happy with everything else, definitely can't go wrong with the Kobalt line especially if the price is right. Great coverage warranty for the average person
My feeling about the Kobalt 24v line is ...i am excited to add more. I bought the 1/2in impact gun(rated at 650ft lbs and i believe it) and i was just impressed. Great tool Being that my power tool collection is a menagerie of cheap crap, i do look forward to collecting most of the lineup over time as well as a few batteries and a second charger. I will add that 24v vs 20v feels like marketing simply selling a higher number. Again, the 1/2 in impact hits HARD. HIGHLY recommended especially considering the price.
The only mistake I think they made was going with the 6 cell (24V) system. It was an interesting branding move but having an even number of cells does not allow for staggering the cells inside the pack and therefore makes them longer and bulkier. Hopefully they step up to at least Samsung 2500 or 3000mah instead of the 2000mah they are using now. It would at least allow for more amp hours in the same size casing. It wouldn’t solve the packs length issue but if they are planning on coming out with anything larger than the current 6ah it is going to be way too bulky with the current Samsung 18650 20r cells.
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Theres 18650s with much higher amperage and mah rating but im not sure how safe they are for powertools. I have high capcity high discharge batteries from my e-cigarettes but i have no idea how theyll hold up in a drill. I even have 3500mah 25amp batteries. I dont want to blow myself up for a couple hours extra run time so id appreciate if someone with knowledge in this area can chime in.
The local Lowe’s every spring runs a special, if you but 2 of the batteries and a charger for 129.00 you get a free tool but they are always stock only a handfull of batteries and it causes confrontations all the time. You can’t get the same special they have in the store with a huge sign that you can’t use because they are out of batteries and charger set.
I now have a large line of the Kobalt 24V Max Power tools. I like every one of them so far, and lay money they get the job done every time. With that warranty this line is hard to beat, even for a professional contractor. If it breaks within five years so what, take it back and get a new one, cant beat that. Certainly looking forward to their new releases coming out this year. I just wish Kobalt was a little better about advertisement and projected tool release dates on their website. All they do is attempt to redirect you to the Lowe's website to shop. Which is OK if the tool is already out lol.
I have nothing bad to say actually about Kobalt. I acquired a 40V 8 inch pole saw and 40V grass trimmer/weed whacker from my mother and they work really well. I also got the 24V drill and 1/4" impact driver and they run circles around the 18V SKIL drill that I received as a gift. For the people that can do things themselves around their homes, Kobalt should at least get your consideration.
I looked at these. Didn't have much at the time and was to new. Went with Milwaukee due to vast variety of tools and proven reliability. May consider the kobalt for home.
They added an inflator, and (FINALLY) a 3/8" ratchet, (using the same battery size)! (ooops... started the my comment before 4:22 ....) I hate the other ratchets that use a different battery than the rest of the line... got lucky I guess. I got a 6 or 7 tool set for $299 on "clearance." They used to sell a drill/impact driver set for like $130 (with military discount) that I gave as a gift for someone moving. These tools are TOUGH! The plastic IS impact resistant! I dropped the drill from like 6' and watched it bounce on a the end of the case, the handle and come to rest... all on concrete. I was SURE I'd see a stretch, crease or crack. Nothing. NOT A SCRATCH! As far as the circular saw, I used it rebuilding a fence. Perfect for battery power and a few cuts (2x4, 4x4, and fence boards). If you're a pro, it's tough to compete with corded power anyway. I hope the 24V Kobalt line survives!! (And yes.... Craftsman red is growing like a tumor on Lowe's floorspace.
I just got the tire inflator and its surprisingly effective. Five tires from zero to thirty five PSI and the battery (smallest capacity) only lost two bars.
Honestly the only reason I went with craftsman over kobalt and Ryobi is I already had a couple batteries and everything at my local Lowe's is on clearance
@@WorkHorseLT I've not had many complaints with them being cheap apart from their pliers being rust magnets. I've since switched to Knipex for pliers. But their impact sockets, ratchets, wrenches are still used daily with no complaints.
@@flippedmylid92 yeah the pliers suck and the sockets are good but I like my craftsman USA sockets better and the kobalt ratchets I don't like at all i would rather take a 36 tooth craftsman ratchet btw they switched there wrenchs now there made in India I'll stick with craftsman tools
I’m interested in the air tools for Kobalt but the 24v line seems to be taking notes from Ryobi 18v as they just released a bucket fan mister which is exactly like the always sold out, eBay price gouging, Ryobi version. If they copy and improve more super popular Ryobi products, I could consider switching since HD has turned into a dump and TTI is the only reason I shop there. Kobalt has a 24V 100 mph leaf blower that is the same price as Ryobi’s with more CFM.
How about a Good, Bad and Ugly on one of my Favorite brands. Klein Tools. . . . I could probably help you with that one. Good : Highly innovative company (industry leader in Electrical tools), Made in U.S.A., All of their Pliers & Strippers, Screwdrivers, Specialty Drills bits are excellent (some of them are the best there is), ... The Bad: Inaccurate Conduit benders, Cheaply made Multimeters, High retail prices, all of their wrenches are rebrands from SK ...The Ugly: Terrible Coax Crimpers, Mediocre Punch down tool, Severely overpriced tool pouches, Fish Tape breaks easily. . . . . .would love to hear your thoughts on Klein
im sure their miltimeters are rebranded from some china company as well. id shit a brick if they made ther own. ive never seen a store brand dmm that was really worth a damn (other than craftsman, when craftsman was craftsman) its best to buy one of these from a company that specializes in them, or your just going to get a rebranded 3rd party version wth corners cut to drop costs.
I bought an Impact/Drill combo, the drill failed, When I went to Lowes in Stone MT Ga I was told I had to return the whole set, or would not get an exchange; But I need the drill right away, They were not going to honor the warranty, but the impact was still at my son's house over 50 miles away. They finally gave me a new Drill, but now no warranty on it. The drill was hardly used. Otherwise, as a "proconsumer" , (not a pro), I like them.
Im a pro mechanic in Texas I use my impact driver on almost every job it’s constantly getting Soaked and shop chemicals like brake clean and atf and being dropped it was even run over once and I’ve never had a problem for 2 years now
I agree these tools seem too bulky almost gimmicky. I was about to buy their 24V impact driver when the price was reduced a couple of months ago to $99. USD. It seemed like a good buy for a 24V multi speed driver. I'm glad I went to the store to look at one before just buying it over the internet sight unseen (always good practice). The tool felt a little chintzy relative to Milwaukee, DeWalt or Makita. I didn't like the hard plastic buttons that didn't seem to move too smoothly and the general heft of them. I am not a pro but appreciate quality tools as a homeowner. If you are patient and don't need the tools tomorrow as a pro may. I have found that you're usually better off waiting for HD to run a Special Buy sale or an authorized online dealer to run a sale or coupon code and buy the better quality tool. It will offer a more extensive platform that you know will be supported and around for years to come.
The tools are well priced and they seem powerful given some of the torque specs I see for the impacts and that new ratchet. While I can't recommend Kobalt 24v over other tools, I can't advise anyone avoid them for any reason.
I really like the good the bad the ugly videos you do, and I hear you talk about the HF Bauer line a lot. Could you do a good bad ugly on the Bauer line?
I just came upon this video from a year ago. If you got ghosted by Lowes with regards to Kobalt cordless at that time then I think we have a pretty good idea now as to why. My guess is that they couldnt indicate at that time that they had a deal in the works with Chervon to get Ego from Home Depot, start adding Skil cordless, AND add the new Flex lineup. I would guess that some, if not all, of that was in the works at that time. They weren't about to answer you and then send Home Depot or SBD onto a rage (if either of them didn't know what was going on).
I havent watched yet, but I bought the 3/8 electric impact driver and had issues taking my tires off of my BMW with it, well it has since ripped off axle nuts on my celica with no problem and plenty of other corroded bolts but for some reason it always struggled with the Lug Bolts on my BMW and I find that odd.
I love kobalt I have almost every piece they have and will have all them soon lol they do great for me. As far as the multi tool I do not like it because it has only a on off switch not a trigger if you drop it then it will stay running I do not think it's to safe at all. But Kobalt is my brand. I do have all the dewalt tools also. Thays for my shop. Kobalt for my home.
You know what bear 🐻! I should have listened to you on ridged and I’m pretty much done with them. My first go to brand is Makita and second is Kobalt(reliable, & cheap batteries). Can’t go wrong with either brand
I bought the 5 tool 24V kit from Kobalt, about 6 years ago. The drill chuck broke before 4 months of use. Brought it back and exchanged the whole kit, because they would not just exchange the drill. And i haven't considered Kobalt since.
My boss won a kobalt drill at a lowes contractor lunch . He gave it to me to use as a mixer for drywall mud and tile mortar . Which is very hard on a drill . I would never use my own drill as a mixer . I started using it thinking it would break pretty fast . 3 years latter it still works and just had the first battery go bad . Like the price of the batteries so much and the strengh of the drill . I now own most of the cordless line and use it daily . I am a carpenter building new houses and flipping houses . So far the tools work great and the batteries are half the price of most other lines .
how are they holding up
Also curious how they’re holding up.
All my kobalt tools have worked great have only lost 1 maybe 2 batteries in 7 or 8 years . Forgot wore out weed eater but used way harder than intented would be great for house in city
@@BobTheBuilder-fs4rj Awesome. I have my work tools already but thinking about going Kobalt for the lesser used at home type stuff, and just to have a nice powerful backup drill of course. Thanks for the reply!
I’m a very loyal Lowe’s consumer, because I buy a lot of Lowe’s type supplies, from appliances, garden, hardware, tools etc. I’m a Vietnam Nam Marine veteran. I get a 10% day to day discount on everything. They take care of vets so I try to take care of them! All these years I really have no complaints with anything from Lowe’s and if I do they have always remedied to my complete satisfaction. Semper Fi Bear!
Oh rah Marine!! Semper Fi brother! Afghan Marine Veteran here!🤘🏻 happy belated birthday!
Thank you for your service. 🇺🇲
Lowe's is one of the few stores that has veteran parking.
I bought into kobalt because of how cheap the batteries are. most of my work revolves around automotive and I use the 1/2in impact alot. has no issues with axle nuts and crank pulley bolts. its held up to my diy/ "weekend warrior" use for about 4 years now.
however I did have to return my first impact because it would rotate off axis pretty badly like something inside it was bent or assembled wrong. no issues with the return. got a receipt and grabbed a replacement right off the shelf.
@@smallish_mk3733 lol you could’ve edited your comment
Kobalt hit a home run with the 24v brushless lineup. Not compact but not bulky. They were cheap enough that I bought a second set drill/driver & impact driver set so if the warranty didn’t hold true I could keep working. Yet 2+ years later I’m still using the first set and have no issues. The batteries are good quality and cheap. Enough so that I have six in my van at all times! I’ve never had to complain because they broke or didn’t preform as advertised. And I’m happy that they are expanding the line. Worth every penny.
Dec 29 2019 Lowe’s had the 6 tool set 24v on sale for $199 !!!! from $449. Am now rocking 12” sliding miter saw, 41” tool ches combo and now the 24 volt tools! Thanks for all the info Red!
I got that same deal and love them. Gave my DeWalt to my neighbor.
I've owned a kobalt 1/4" impact and drill for 2 years now with no issues. I've dropped the impact from 10 ft up on the concrete twice now. Both times no damage. I love these tools. I use them everyday. I have no complaints whatsoever.
I bought into this line when they first came out in 2016 and have since acquired every tool they make. These are absolutely pro grade tools. DeWalt XR line may have them edged out but if you compare Kobalt to the plain DeWalt 20V tools Kobalt certainly has the edge. I cannot wait to see what they have in store for 2020 with the push for 20 new additions!
Jacob Harding there's a new dye grinder as well as a 3/8 inch cordless ratchet.
...and now they have the xtr line. I love the new circ saw..
I have the XTR impact 1/4 and I love it. I make the Milwaukee guys mad every day.
Ive seen some tests where the DeWalt XRs have burned out or started smoking way before their own prior models and before kobalt and Milwaukees. Seems like XR line might not be as durable as others.
I agree pros can use this line day to day no issue beat the 1/4 impact driver to hell still works got the combo kit with hammer drill still original battery charges fine i try remember not leave them in extreme temps cold or hot or over charge but the price on their batteries got to love it
I just wanted to say I have been very pleased with these tools!! I would 100 percent recommend them.I have been very aggressive with them because I knew they are under warranty. Again absolutely no problems!Going on 5 yrs,batteries are still the ones I purchased.Im impressed!!!
I have the hammer drill and 1/4" impact driver. They have worked very well for my garage and house projects. I'm very happy with them.
I'm new to Dremels, but this thing has been great. czcams.com/users/postUgkxfPgcZ5_Cl0HDUKkMJAKde11YKQZVgMoR The variable speed is awesome and the cordless aspect makes it so easy to work with. I am constantly finding uses for it that make tasks easier. Recently I put in a new deadbolt on one of our doors. I knew I had to enlarge the hold where the deadbolt goes into the door frame. At first I thought I would have to get a big router and figure out how to use it for that, but then I rermembered we have the dremel. I was able to enlarge the hole almost as easy as if I was drawing with a pen. It's also great for grinding our dog's nails done and so many other household tasks.
Coming from a forklift/equipment mechanic, I have quite a few in this line. The 1/2in impact, the drill/driver combo set, the grinder and fan.
I for the money and how they have held up, I couldn't be happier. I've had the drill/ driver set and the 1/2 impact the longest. With a little over 2 years of use they are all still great tools.
I use the 1/2 in impact almost every day mostly for 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 lug nuts and the only ones I've ran across that it wouldn't handle, neither would my 1/2in drive ir2135timax air impact either.. very happy with the line so far.
Thanks for the thoughts papa bear.
Good video. I am a big fan of kobalt. Have a big selection of hand tools, i prefer lowes over the home depot.
I shop with Home Depot, since there are more stores that Lowe's in my area. Why do you prefer Lowe's?
@@thetruthfrmtx they have a 3lb estwing drilling hammer which I could use for rockhounding
I love my kobalt tools. I currently have kobalt, Dewalt, and craftsman power tools and I use my kobalt the most. I especially love the one hand Sawzall that I use alot outside and it will literally cut down a small tree
That little Sawzall is one of my faves as well.
I've got the 1/2" impact, 1/4" drill driver, and the angle grinder... all good tools. Like you said, nothing exceptional, they just work.
The 1/2 impact is great especially for the price
I have the all the Kobalt 24 volt cordless tools and use them on every one of my construction jobs. They are great in every aspect and I've never had any problems out of them.. I think they're great!
I didn't get to read all of the comments, but one of my favorite Kobalt tools is the cordless inflator. It is easy to set, easy to use, and so useful, I'm going to buy another one to keep in my truck. As mentioned, the batteries last really well. On one charge, I inflated a truck tire from totally flat, 4 medium pneumatic garden cart tires, and one bicycle tire. Then went on to use that battery on drilling 6 X 6 timbers for rebar. Still lots of oomph left in it, but I put it on charge overnight anyway, for using the next day. I bought the $199 kit special just before Christmas in 2020, and chose the circular saw as my bonus. I love it. As a DIYer, I really appreciate being able to just use it for a few cuts wherever I happen to be without having to plug in a long cord like I do for my ancient Porter Cable. Love your reviews.
Ditto
Thanks for the review, bear. My son uses his set on job sites every week, no problems. He's had his for nearly 3 years now. The circ saw definitely requires a good blade but it works well enough. The impact driver and drill are top-notch.
I'm an comercial electrical installer I've had the line for over two years now have had no problems with tools slowly adding new tools to line up as I go really impressed with impacts they will RIP screws apart if you dont watch your settings and batteries are the best part with a couple big batteries for heavy screwing and drilling sawing and a few mid and small batteries I can go weeks without charging and I use them everyday so for cost I dont think kobalt can be beat . And looking forward to that new sts drill .
I bought an impact and drill on a special deal and got way more than I expected. I have been very pleasantly surprised by them. You can't beat their battery prices either.
My father in law has the 80 volt string trimmer. I have seen that tool trim his 1 acre home with tons of trees and tons of concrete flat work, and ask for more. It easily performs with the Ego, and Greenworks brands. I personally have used his trimmer and the Ego and I will be converting to cordless when my Echo tool wear out.
The Bad: Quite a few Kobalt tools that just quit working out of the blue. (No pun intended.) One owner after another. Including an acquaintance who bought two Kobalt tire inflators. One in each vehicle. A year later, both refused to work. Batteries were charged up. Both refused to turn on. Not good had he or a family member been stranded.
Picked up the drill / impact driver combo kit for $99 during the craftsman clearance along with 2 - 1.5 amp hr batteries for additional $26 ( $13 each ) and couldn’t be happier. I’m thinking about picking up the multi tool next. People on the den of tools message board said it was a bad time to buy into the platform. I’m glad I did. I would recommend it
I've switched over to the full line of 24V max a couple of years ago, and like you have been a little nervous about the Crapsman intrusion, I'm happy they finally added a 3/8 ratchet and look forward to their new offerings; thanks for letting me know. I do wonder why the 4 A.hr battery costs $50, and the 6 A.hr cost $99? $75 would have been a better target. Thanks for making me feel better about the Kobalt line, have a warm and fuzzy day.
I would just purchase two of the 4 batteries. Still $99.00 and you have a backup.
I work in plumbing, kobalt power tools have took care most I need done in 3 years. And they perform very well better than most tool guys give them credit for. Great Bang for the buck.
Fellow plumber.😎😉👍👍
Just purchased their recent xtr combo kit, really impressive with their quality. The power is definitely there to.
I bought a kobalt set with drill, driver, recip, and light way back in 2017. since then I also bought the multi tool and random orbital. still have all of them, original batteries, and they all work great. i use them all the time for everything you can imagine. can't tell you have many times I've changed tires with the 1/4" impact driver, including using it on the scissor jack. never had a problem. I also have several of their 40v lawn stuff and I love'm. great brand.
I actually really like kobalt. I have 3/8 flex head long handle ratchet and a 1/2 impact that gets very heavy use in the daily and I love it
I love the 1/2 inch impact. I've only had one bolt I had to borrow a coworker's Milwaukee for. I fully intend to use it for the entirety of my career. Or however long they carry batteries and parts for it. Whichever comes first lol
They are actually 25.2 volts. They have 6 4.2 volt 18650 batteries wired in series to produce a total of 25.2 volts. I have checked a number of their packs when fully charged and that is exactly my findings. Maybe my Fluke is off, but they usually test 25.3-25.4 when fresh off the charger. It is noteworthy the watt hour rating on the packs is also higher, as the packs have an extra battery, the potential output from the battery is also higher. Now this information should not be construed to mean the tools are more powerful as their are other variables.
I like the Kobalt a lot. I buy Milwaukee too, and have found both to be quite effective. We use them at work every day. The local Lowe’s sales guy just hates the Kobalt and pushes DeWalt. He warned me I would be back to return the Kobalt within 90 days. In 3 and a half years I have not had to do anything to the Kobalt. We did break off the ears that hold the batteries in on some of the Milwaukee’s. A little creative engineering fixed those.
You can use the 24 v batteries on older 20 v Kobalt tools with very little creative engineering. I do that on a cordless grinder whose batteries had failed but was too good to throw away.
Baur or Kobalt?! Kobalt all day.. Geez...
I’m a Kobalt tool fan as well. I have 9 tools in the 24v series & I use them daily in my construction business. I’ve never had an issue with them. Yes, I’ve replaced a few batteries but they all have lasted past the 3 year guarantee. I personally feel the are a low end commercial line. The battery prices is what sold me on Kobalt. I would recommend them to anyone!
Im not sure what the difference is but I love the circular saw, i have Diablo blades and it cuts everything everytime. Ok its not a worm drive but mine works great.
What store can I get Diablo blades?
@@HustleKings357 Home Depot
We own a construction company and flip houses. Long story short in a pinch when I desperately needed a drill and couldn’t find another Dewalt to replace my stolen tools after my trailer got broken into I bought some Kobalt stuff because I figured it would get me through a couple jobs and then I could just sell it off on marketplace and fast forward two years I own probably every Kobalt 24 V tool made.
I use the imacts more than anything with. No complaint other than maybe the size of the big 1/2in when trying to pull a rear motor mount..
Use the recip saw and no complaint there either.
The little USB battery adapter is fantastic for when my harbor freight lights die
I got my drill/driver set about 4 years ago when I moved onto my sailboat. Lowes was doing a trade-in promotion. Bring in any single drill - any condition- and get the drill/driver set at a huge discount. Over the last 4 years, I’ve built up a good collection, including the weed wacker and lawn mower. Never had a problem, always had enough power to do the job.
The only criticism I have is about the shop vac. It’s powerful, but the on/off switch is in an awkward position. It will also kill a battery in under 10 minutes of use. Fine for really quick cleanups because you don’t need to futz with a cord, but anything bigger is a hassle because you’ll need to do a battery swap pretty quickly. They should have included a detachable power cable that doubles as a battery charger.
Honestly for the money I would rather go Kobolt then Hurcules. Warrenty is clutch for the price and not to mention the actual amount of tools that can be used with 1 battery. Kobolt is actually coming out with a new line of 24 volt tools shpuld be good.
They are not coming out with a new line, just expanding the current one.
Love how you cover ALL tools. Whether it is pro or prosumer. Honest reviews! Thank you!
I incidentally invested in a bunch of Kobalt tools as of late and I'm adding more because of the battery uniformity.. With the exception of the circular saw, I like the set, They feel beefy in my hands, they look good and work well for the small time DIY'er that I am. I agree with you on the circular saw. It feels beefy too, but seems to lag power and sometime I struggle to finish cuts with it for what seems to be no reason what so ever!!! Thanks for the video, great information.
I had a fantastic experience warranty he Kobalt 24 volt hedge trimmer that I had had for slightly less than 5 years.. the battery was still good but the hedge trimmer jammed internally and needed replacement. Since the battery has been upgraded in this interval the model number has changed. Lowes refunded my full purchase price which I then used to buy the newer version of the hedge trimmer.. it's new version cost me $10 more but I have a new five-year warranty. I own and the pole saw which I find very serviceable in maintaining my 3.36 acre property. I've had absolutely no complaints without either of these work. My feelings on the warranty are top-notch and plan to buy the blower and probably a reciprocating saw
I'm an electrician and I've been using kobolt pretty much exclusively for the past 3 years. It's been serving me very well. I just wish they would bring back the 12v line
I have the 1/2 ,3/8 impact, the drill and the impact driver. Great torque and battery life. Best value in batteries.
Love the 24v line my biggest criticism of them was not enough tools to commit Ryobi has over a 100 tools in their 18v platform and thats not even counting all the old blue tools that can be found on craigslist for a pack of smokes 20 new tools in 2020 is a game changer
That has changed, i was worried when craftsmen came in. But looking good now
After quite a bit of research I invested in the Kobalt cordless line, mere months before the “Craftsman takeover”. I’m not sorry I bought them. I’m an average DIY’er and I find these to be quite adequate. They are a little bulky but I can’t fault the performance. And the batteries are a lot less expensive than other brands and hold a good charge. Thanks for this review Bear. It instills confidence that @Kobalt is going to stick around. I wasn’t so sure at first.
I've got the one handed corded recipe saw. It's been "bounced" more than a few times and it's still chugging. If the housing on it is the same as the housing on the cordless stuff then it's pretty durable. For all the use and abuse that little saw has gotten, I'd say the price to performance ratio is better than some of the more expensive pro grade tools.
I have the Kobalt 1/2 inch impact wrench, 1/4 inch impact driver, 1/2 inch drill/driver, and plan on expanding even more. The 1/2 inch impact was the first one I got because being in my 50's, and getting lazy, I don't feel like wrestling with a lug wrench anymore. I even got a set of Capri torque sticks to go along with it. I compared a few brands and it quickly came down to Kobalt, and Earthquake, and what sold me was the expand-ability of the battery line. Recently a mechanic friend of mine asked if he could borrow my 1/2 inch impact while his Snap On was out being rebuilt for the 5th time. Reluctantly I loaned it to him. He brought it back in only a weeks time and said he could not believe how much better it was than his Snap On. I'm not sure if he was being honest with me, or just blowing smoke up my ass to show appreciation for me loaning out one of my tools, which is something I almost NEVER do. I would rather loan out my dog than one of my tools, at least my dog knows how to find her way back home.
In your "Bad" section, you mentioned the overall size of some of these Kobalt tools. Being 6'2", and 270 pounds, I actually appreciate a larger tool that fits nicely in my big frying pan hands, as opposed to some of the smaller tool brands that aren't really all that comfortable for me to use, even if might be an overall better tool. If it doesn't fit well in the hand, it's not going to work well in the hand........something that I'm pretty sure you understand.
As for Crapsman......the warranty and customer service from SB&D SUCKS to be polite about it. Craftsman was great, back in the day, when Sears still owned the brand, at least until they started having financial issues. Today, I wouldn't spend stolen money on that brand. Justin Dow put out a video a while back showing all the problems he had trying to get some broken or worn out sockets replaced, and the nonsensical run-around everyone gave him over it. czcams.com/video/z0ZX9D1wKw8/video.html
I am very satisfied with the Kobalt tools I have, and am looking forward to expanding my collection.
As for my hand tools......I have some old school Made In America Craftsman. The collection is not as big as I would like it to be, and somewhere in the near future I will be replacing them with Icon. The Kobalt hand tools just really aren't all that appealing to me. I firmly believe that Icon has picked up where Sears left off with the old school Craftsman brand in both quality, and warranty, and may have even exceeded in what Sears used to offer, and I think they may have just proven that with the recall on those 3/8 inch flex head ratchets.
The circular saw (6.5) inch is a great saw and has tons of power. Well worth the money. I use the 6 amp hour battery with it a bit heavy but will cut through 2 inch thick pallet material made of hardwood and doesn't stop at all.
I LOVE my Kobalt tools. The batteries are cheap and they last a long time. The tools are powerful. But they don’t make a large variety of tools, the shop vac frankly sucks and they don’t make the things I want or need. So I’m watching these videos to get an idea of Kobalt overall and Ryobi. The tools I have that I need the most are Dewalt, in my experience Dewalt is much higher quality than Kobalt. But they are expensive. So I think im going to sell my Kobalt stuff and go with Ryobi. I just bought a Ryobi power inverter for my vehicle and a stick vacuum for the battery and hopefully an upgrade over my Kobalt vacuum. Yes I tested the vacuum today. It definitely kicks tail on the Kobalt and our household vacuum. So I think Ryobi is the way forward for a handful of things. Thanks for doing these videos!
I got a great deal on their impact driver sawsall circular saw , drill and the flashlight along with a 2 and 4 mah battery and I'm very impressed the flashlight is actually my all time favorite flashlight it's nice and compact super bright has a built in hook perfect for those low light situations were a flashlight just isn't cutting it but you don't wanna bring in the free standing lights.
I like tool reviews but the bear makes me like them more.
Randy Minobe agree, the Bear the best!
I have most of this set and I'm happy with how they have performed around the house. This set compliments my m12 set quite well. I've seen some craftsman products at my home depot in south metro milwaukee area
I visited my local spot over the weekend to take a look at the new XTR tools that were released in May. I was primarily interested in that 3/8 inch ratchet because I mostly do automotive work. I like my fingers and hands too much to mess around with any of the cutting tools so I don’t own any. From what I can tell this cordless ratchet is nothing to get excited about. I am glad that I decided to invest in the Ingersoll rand IQV 20 and 12 line. I got into it in 2014 and don’t have any regrets.
I just like the color blue lol ridiculus as it sounds, glad to hear there decent tools i have almost everything from them only thing that broke was the floor jack where the u joint is everything els still works great over the years and the new xlt stuff too
New subscriber and im really digging this series you are doing. Much appreciate the effort and work you put in.
As a Union Sprinklerfitter we used impacts,drills,portabands, and mini sawsalls out of all my tools company tools and tools the other guys use one brand always last the longest and that is Milwaukee. I have to replace all my kobalt power tools soon and will be looking HARD at HF pro tools. But if you buy milwaukee it will last you for as long as you need AND you can get china batteries to fit and 1/2 the cost IF you want to go cheap.
I own all Kobalt, the 3 yr and 5 yr warranty is the best and I don't have any issues with down time. I owned Dewalt- burned em up or stripped the gears out, I've had Rigid and the same as Dewalt and Home Depot gave me greif when while under warranty the hammer drill stopped working, I was forced to threatening that I would post a CZcams video validating my disgust with Rigid if the manager did not make it right, he did.
ON my Kobalt Drill and Hammer drill the chuck went bad and started slipping on the drill bits, I found a chuck on Ebay from Germany that kicks ass and really holds the bits tight. I even use the Kobalt 24V miter saw and pleased with it's abilities.
Just visit any pawn shop you will see every brand of cordless tools but not any Kobalts, and every person that I have let use my tools at work have ended up selling what they had and changed to Kobalt.
Lowes has a 90 day return policy even if you have opened the package and used the tools, as Trump told people' "WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU HAVE TO LOOSE"? Get yourself a real mans cordless tool, and within 90 days take it back if you believe what you have is better.
Not sure what the hit on Ridgid LSA is but i've had their tools for 20yrs and only had to return one drill and it got repaired in 7days.
But i'm looking at the Kobalt 24V 12in Chainsaw for my wife to use. Seems like a decent enough tool and the 3yr warranty looks OK too.
I mowed my overgrown yard with hills and dips and real grass not already perfect grass with the 2x24v self propelled mower. I was surprised. Just do it in the evenings when the grass is dry. Never mow wet grass anyway. Lol
The 2nd gen Kobalt 24v 500cfm 120mph brushless leaf blower looks really good! Got to be one of the lightest weight 500cfm battery blowers with decent run time out there.
Gotta agree with the Bear here...my Lowes has almost no Kobalt hand tools on display or in stock any more. Just a sea of red. Just this last week though, I was able to go thru their drawers and grab a few odd size Kobalt sockets that I didn’t have, but surprisingly Lowes had them. Other than a few here and there, it just looks like the tool department in an old Sears years back, and for me, not happy about it in the least...I’ve bought Bosch at Lowe’s in the past, but they are missing now also...sad
That rotary hammer is seriously so good. Needed a cheap one for work. This thing make me start investing in a tool lineup
I have a Kobalt 40V leaf blower I bought 3 1/2 years ago and had to decide if I wanted to stay with Kobalt for the other outdoor tools (hedge trimmer and string trimmer) Reviews on Amazon had a few folks say the hedger would jam on thick branches and burn up; the 40V string trimmer also had issues with bump head and the difficulty of finding replacement parts. For that reason and the sheer unknown of how long Lowe's is going to support Kobalt in the long run with the onslaught of Crapsman I decided to bail on the Blue and get the other outdoor tools based on my other battery line that had better reviews and customer support. When or if the Kobalt battery dies I'll most likely not keep the Kobalt line. as it's yet another battery charger taking up space.
I'm looking forward to the new XTR Lines coming this May
The Xtr circ saw is nice..
Just bought the 5 tool xtr kit. Seems well built. Haven't gotten a chance to use it yet though
got the next xtr circ saw it cuts like a KNIFE 🔪
Happy with the 1/2 impact. The 3/8 ratchet is too long. I have not used the ratchet and going to try to exchange for the right angle drill or something else.
I think you are spot on with your assessment of the Kobalts. I have the hammer drill, impact driver and the 1/2" impact wrench. I use them when I do field work and they have been bullet proof. The only negative, again agree with you, is that they are a bit on the bulky side. Keep the great content coming!
I started this set shortly after it came out. It did not have the rest of the tools I was wanting, but the line up was new and the battery prices were and still are awesome. Since then, the Rachet, miter saw and finally nailer has all come out. That nailer is big. Have not got it yet, but will soon as I convince my better half I need it for some project she has me doing.
Two questions/comments.
First, I mentioned the size of the nailer, has anyone used this yet and what are your thoughts on it.
Second, the jobsite radio is nice. But the little compresser to air up the tires, I absolutely love. My wife can find any nail or screw within a 100 yards of her tires and that little guy saves the day to get us where it needs to go. Tbh though, it is the only tool I had to return because of failure. Not to upset, I used it alot and my vehicle is commercial use and it levels them off at 80 psi weekly. I got more than I expected from it and luckily was still under warranty. So, got a brand new one now. Question here is, does anyone have the 40v tire inflator,, if so, what are your thoughts. I have 3 of the lawn tools and I will not switch. They have taken much abuse and still outlast me. Wonder if the inflator is the same.
Thanks and great review. Agree with everything you said. It rang true then, and still does today.
Love my kobalt 3/8 impact, although in my work my number one most used tools are my wrenches. Bought it second-hand (or third maybe, I forget) from a coworker. Not sure how I would feel about it if I was using it all day every day, but for occasional use several times a week, you can't beat the price. Also the power and battery life is surprising.
Kobolt 24 volt has 21.6 nominal volts. Kobolt is getting rid of there hand tools but they are expanding on their power tools. They are expanding on their corded and cordless power tools. They are also expanding on their bench type tools as well. Now my belief is they are going to follow Milwaukee power tools.
I feel like Kobalt really hit the nail on the head with most of these tools and sort of fell short on others. It’s kind of a mix of pro tools and diy tools across the platform. There is rumor that they are coming out with a certain number of their tools in a pro grade version-kind of like the DeWalt XR line. I would like to see several of their tools redesigned with higher specs as well as some new additions built to pro specs. Offer them as stand alone tools for the professionals with battery, charger and hard case.
(Scope, grease gun, SDS ROTARY HAMMER, impact wrench, router,etc.)
I own the rotary hammer and it holds up for long periods of use, we set 1/2" x 6" anchor bolts in concrete sometimes we do 40 to 60 at a time. I do use multiple batteries but not as much as I did with Rigid from Home Depot. The 1/2" drive impact is also a beast.
Problem with cordless saws is that they can’t handle anything hard like old wood. If your doing some hard drilling or sawing you need a cord as the battery powered tools just don’t have the power.
They do make a good blower but it dosen’t have the vacume feature.
I have mostly the automotive Kobalt 24v tools and they are good. Not Milwaukee great, but get the job done with a great price point. Very nice that they FINALLY are expanding (remember the older video about how they kinda stalled?). Not much bad or ugly here, and that's a good thing for the brand.
I bought the set shown 3 years ago & use them daily every one of those tools has been left in the rain, dropped, thrown, just down right abused, only issue I’ve had is one light go out, would recommend to anyone!
I just purchased the kobalt kit
#0672826 for $199
I got a bluetooth speaker with it for free!
I'm well invested with the Kobalt lineup now, the warranty and quality beats the harbor freight Bauer.
For me harbor freight and lowes are geographically side by side..
I already have the Kobalt 24v circ saw, and it is kinda bulky and backwards feeling compared to a dewalt but it's something I gotta live with. Impressed and happy with everything else, definitely can't go wrong with the Kobalt line especially if the price is right. Great coverage warranty for the average person
My feeling about the Kobalt 24v line is ...i am excited to add more. I bought the 1/2in impact gun(rated at 650ft lbs and i believe it) and i was just impressed. Great tool Being that my power tool collection is a menagerie of cheap crap, i do look forward to collecting most of the lineup over time as well as a few batteries and a second charger. I will add that 24v vs 20v feels like marketing simply selling a higher number.
Again, the 1/2 in impact hits HARD. HIGHLY recommended especially considering the price.
The only mistake I think they made was going with the 6 cell (24V) system. It was an interesting branding move but having an even number of cells does not allow for staggering the cells inside the pack and therefore makes them longer and bulkier. Hopefully they step up to at least Samsung 2500 or 3000mah instead of the 2000mah they are using now. It would at least allow for more amp hours in the same size casing. It wouldn’t solve the packs length issue but if they are planning on coming out with anything larger than the current 6ah it is going to be way too bulky with the current Samsung 18650 20r cells.
Theres 18650s with much higher amperage and mah rating but im not sure how safe they are for powertools. I have high capcity high discharge batteries from my e-cigarettes but i have no idea how theyll hold up in a drill. I even have 3500mah 25amp batteries. I dont want to blow myself up for a couple hours extra run time so id appreciate if someone with knowledge in this area can chime in.
The local Lowe’s every spring runs a special, if you but 2 of the batteries and a charger for 129.00 you get a free tool but they are always stock only a handfull of batteries and it causes confrontations all the time. You can’t get the same special they have in the store with a huge sign that you can’t use because they are out of batteries and charger set.
I now have a large line of the Kobalt 24V Max Power tools. I like every one of them so far, and lay money they get the job done every time. With that warranty this line is hard to beat, even for a professional contractor. If it breaks within five years so what, take it back and get a new one, cant beat that. Certainly looking forward to their new releases coming out this year. I just wish Kobalt was a little better about advertisement and projected tool release dates on their website. All they do is attempt to redirect you to the Lowe's website to shop. Which is OK if the tool is already out lol.
I have nothing bad to say actually about Kobalt. I acquired a 40V 8 inch pole saw and 40V grass trimmer/weed whacker from my mother and they work really well. I also got the 24V drill and 1/4" impact driver and they run circles around the 18V SKIL drill that I received as a gift. For the people that can do things themselves around their homes, Kobalt should at least get your consideration.
I looked at these. Didn't have much at the time and was to new.
Went with Milwaukee due to vast variety of tools and proven reliability.
May consider the kobalt for home.
I can't believe I just watched an animated bear talk about power tools for 18 minutes... And I enjoyed it very much 😁
They added an inflator, and (FINALLY) a 3/8" ratchet, (using the same battery size)!
(ooops... started the my comment before 4:22 ....) I hate the other ratchets that use a different battery than the rest of the line... got lucky I guess. I got a 6 or 7 tool set for $299 on "clearance." They used to sell a drill/impact driver set for like $130 (with military discount) that I gave as a gift for someone moving.
These tools are TOUGH! The plastic IS impact resistant! I dropped the drill from like 6' and watched it bounce on a the end of the case, the handle and come to rest... all on concrete. I was SURE I'd see a stretch, crease or crack. Nothing. NOT A SCRATCH!
As far as the circular saw, I used it rebuilding a fence. Perfect for battery power and a few cuts (2x4, 4x4, and fence boards). If you're a pro, it's tough to compete with corded power anyway. I hope the 24V Kobalt line survives!! (And yes.... Craftsman red is growing like a tumor on Lowe's floorspace.
I just got the tire inflator and its surprisingly effective. Five tires from zero to thirty five PSI and the battery (smallest capacity) only lost two bars.
Honestly the only reason I went with craftsman over kobalt and Ryobi is I already had a couple batteries and everything at my local Lowe's is on clearance
The 24v pole saw works good and is light.
I like Kobalts hand tools. When it comes to power tools, I'm a definite Milwaukee fan.
Their hand tools are underrated, they are really good tools the 1/2 impact is great and so is their impact driver
Kobalt tools some are worse than Harbor freight and kobalt cost way to much I mean they used to be made from snap on now it's a cheap Chinese crap
@@WorkHorseLT I've not had many complaints with them being cheap apart from their pliers being rust magnets. I've since switched to Knipex for pliers. But their impact sockets, ratchets, wrenches are still used daily with no complaints.
@@flippedmylid92 yeah the pliers suck and the sockets are good but I like my craftsman USA sockets better and the kobalt ratchets I don't like at all i would rather take a 36 tooth craftsman ratchet btw they switched there wrenchs now there made in India I'll stick with craftsman tools
@@WorkHorseLT Never been a craftsman fan. It does seem that craftsman is taking over at the moment though.
I got the new XTR CIRC SAW.ITS NICE
I’m interested in the air tools for Kobalt but the 24v line seems to be taking notes from Ryobi 18v as they just released a bucket fan mister which is exactly like the always sold out, eBay price gouging, Ryobi version.
If they copy and improve more super popular Ryobi products, I could consider switching since HD has turned into a dump and TTI is the only reason I shop there. Kobalt has a 24V 100 mph leaf blower that is the same price as Ryobi’s with more CFM.
How about a Good, Bad and Ugly on one of my Favorite brands. Klein Tools. . . . I could probably help you with that one. Good : Highly innovative company (industry leader in Electrical tools), Made in U.S.A., All of their Pliers & Strippers, Screwdrivers, Specialty Drills bits are excellent (some of them are the best there is), ... The Bad: Inaccurate Conduit benders, Cheaply made Multimeters, High retail prices, all of their wrenches are rebrands from SK ...The Ugly: Terrible Coax Crimpers, Mediocre Punch down tool, Severely overpriced tool pouches, Fish Tape breaks easily. . . . . .would love to hear your thoughts on Klein
They are on my todo list.
im sure their miltimeters are rebranded from some china company as well. id shit a brick if they made ther own. ive never seen a store brand dmm that was really worth a damn (other than craftsman, when craftsman was craftsman) its best to buy one of these from a company that specializes in them, or your just going to get a rebranded 3rd party version wth corners cut to drop costs.
I bought an Impact/Drill combo, the drill failed, When I went to Lowes in Stone MT Ga I was told I had to return the whole set, or would not get an exchange; But I need the drill right away, They were not going to honor the warranty, but the impact was still at my son's house over 50 miles away. They finally gave me a new Drill, but now no warranty on it. The drill was hardly used. Otherwise, as a "proconsumer" , (not a pro), I like them.
Had the same experience a few years back, I got rid of all my Kobalt stuff. Haven't considered it since.
@@mitchs405 I called Lowes, and the guy says something like "Oh I'll pass it on, Thanks" I really would think lowes would have done better.
Im a pro mechanic in Texas I use my impact driver on almost every job it’s constantly getting Soaked and shop chemicals like brake clean and atf and being dropped it was even run over once and I’ve never had a problem for 2 years now
I agree these tools seem too bulky almost gimmicky. I was about to buy their 24V impact driver when the price was reduced a couple of months ago to $99. USD. It seemed like a good buy for a 24V multi speed driver. I'm glad I went to the store to look at one before just buying it over the internet sight unseen (always good practice). The tool felt a little chintzy relative to Milwaukee, DeWalt or Makita. I didn't like the hard plastic buttons that didn't seem to move too smoothly and the general heft of them. I am not a pro but appreciate quality tools as a homeowner. If you are patient and don't need the tools tomorrow as a pro may. I have found that you're usually better off waiting for HD to run a Special Buy sale or an authorized online dealer to run a sale or coupon code and buy the better quality tool. It will offer a more extensive platform that you know will be supported and around for years to come.
I found the drill/driver a big improvement over the 18 volt Ryobi model. I notice this when I use it to raise and lower the load supports on my RV.
The tools are well priced and they seem powerful given some of the torque specs I see for the impacts and that new ratchet. While I can't recommend Kobalt 24v over other tools, I can't advise anyone avoid them for any reason.
I really like the good the bad the ugly videos you do, and I hear you talk about the HF Bauer line a lot. Could you do a good bad ugly on the Bauer line?
They should play around with colors like Makita. That blue makes it look like a toy.
I really like the colors. I'm a Yankees fan too 😁👍
I just came upon this video from a year ago. If you got ghosted by Lowes with regards to Kobalt cordless at that time then I think we have a pretty good idea now as to why.
My guess is that they couldnt indicate at that time that they had a deal in the works with Chervon to get Ego from Home Depot, start adding Skil cordless, AND add the new Flex lineup. I would guess that some, if not all, of that was in the works at that time. They weren't about to answer you and then send Home Depot or SBD onto a rage (if either of them didn't know what was going on).
I havent watched yet, but I bought the 3/8 electric impact driver and had issues taking my tires off of my BMW with it, well it has since ripped off axle nuts on my celica with no problem and plenty of other corroded bolts but for some reason it always struggled with the Lug Bolts on my BMW and I find that odd.
I love kobalt I have almost every piece they have and will have all them soon lol they do great for me. As far as the multi tool I do not like it because it has only a on off switch not a trigger if you drop it then it will stay running I do not think it's to safe at all. But Kobalt is my brand. I do have all the dewalt tools also. Thays for my shop. Kobalt for my home.
Considering Kobalt rather than Milwaukee. I don't need the most expensive pro grade tools.
You know what bear 🐻! I should have listened to you on ridged and I’m pretty much done with them. My first go to brand is Makita and second is Kobalt(reliable, & cheap batteries). Can’t go wrong with either brand
I bought the 5 tool 24V kit from Kobalt, about 6 years ago. The drill chuck broke before 4 months of use. Brought it back and exchanged the whole kit, because they would not just exchange the drill. And i haven't considered Kobalt since.
Came here for the Harbor Freight videos, stayed for the tools. #DenOfTools
Went to lowes today & I seen a whole lot of metabo power tools on carts all over the place waiting to be stocked on shelves.