Recommended Brand for Powertools?

bs0 on 06/01/2020 - 14:12

What are your thoughts on buying power tools from the same brand - is this a must?

And also, what brand would you recommend?

This is mostly for installing cabinetry etc in an old apartment kitchen that needs renovation. Can borrow other tools from my parents, but they couldn't find the jigsaw so I will need to buy a new one anyway.

My dad has tools from all different brands. I figured if I was buying new, it would be good for future purchases to also be the same brand, but not sure which to choose.

Background; I'm in my 20s, this is my first property. I've done renovating with my parents before, and this is the most involved project I've done. I hope this goes well, and I earn some more skills. Would like to do a few other projects in the long run. I'd be limited to weekends and days off, as I have a full time job elsewhere. Not looking to flip houses, just to renovate to my liking. I'll not be doing any plumbing, or electrical myself.

Have a quick browse through Bunnings for a jigsaw and the brand's available from cheapest to most expensive are:
Ozito
Ryobi
AEG
Makita
DeWalt
Bosch

Poll Options

  • 9
    Ozito
  • 21
    Ryobi
  • 4
    AEG
  • 18
    Makita
  • 5
    DeWalt
  • 2
    Bosch
  • 3
    Other
Home & Garden Power Tool

Comments

  • Slippery Fish on 06/01/2020 - 14:13
    -2

    Aldi

    • RichardL on 06/01/2020 - 16:45

      ALDI is situational though.

      You'll have to wait until they appear during a "Special Buy" promotion (usually ~1 or 2 times a year) for specific power tool.

      The positive would be they are usually heavily discounted after the promotion (depending on your store/stock levels).

  • stirlo on 06/01/2020 - 14:23
    +6

    Get Ozito when bunnings price match Aldi. Theres heaps of different ones and you know they'll always be available unlike the Aldi tools (and pricematched when Aldi's on sale)

    • GG57 on 06/01/2020 - 14:33

      And a three-year replacement warranty (I think that is on all of their tools).

      • Euphemistic on 07/01/2020 - 20:49
        +1

        I wouldn’t recommend ozito based on my experience. Not enough grunt in the circular saw. Less in the drill which makes controlled screw driving harder. Ryobi back to back was better. From experience makita is another step up. (Haven’t tried other brands).

        Ozito is probably ok for basic tools, but power hungry ones seemed lacking.

  • apsilon on 06/01/2020 - 14:29
    +2

    For occasional home use I'd say Ryobi simply due to the range of tools that are available for the same battery platform plus market leading warranty.

  • Bonsaichop on 06/01/2020 - 14:31

    Ryobi has a great range for the home diy. I have Bosch Blue which has lasted over a decade with no issues (~12 skins). If I could do it again i'd go Ryobi though, far more bang for buck.

  • [Deactivated] on 06/01/2020 - 14:53
    +4

    Carpentry - Makita
    Plumbing/electrical - Milwaukee
    Finish carpentry/joinery - Festool

  • Dio on 06/01/2020 - 15:04
    +3

    Makita is a professional brand will last a lifetime. If you are after battery tools, buy the standard black charger, rapid chargers will kill your batteries.

    • Peter Enis on 06/01/2020 - 16:43

      rapid chargers will kill your batteries

      Thanks for this info, it never occurred to me. I'll go back to using the slow charger when I don't need a quick charge.

    • revheadgl on 11/01/2020 - 15:10
      +3

      This is not true. I use power tools for a living and we run a completely cordless jobsite and everyone one of uses rapid chargers.

      Most of us use Milwaukee and the rest of us use Makita and there have been no undue battery failures.

      I have batteries that are 6+ years old that still work fine, with all of these being charged on rapid chargers since they became available.

  • jugsy on 06/01/2020 - 15:24

    I'm surprised Ozito is up there, sure they're cheap but really not up to scratch for renovation work, more suited for odd jobs.

    Really impressed with recent Ryobi electric stuff recently.

    • RichardL on 06/01/2020 - 16:49
      +1

      The reason why Ozito Power X Change range are popular would be they are regularly on special (pricematching ALDI's Xfinity Plus Range).

      They are sufficient for odd jobs, and the batteries are regularly on special and widely available.

  • sirspiff on 06/01/2020 - 16:21

    If you've done renovating, you may have a sense of the powertool brand you already like.

    I started off wanting Ryobi (claimed value for money), but because I'm like you and have a full time job elsewhere, I couldn't justify forking out that much to get started in their ecosystem when I'd only be using it occasionally, so I went Ozito (slightly more expensive than Aldi but the tradeoff for availability and warranty is worth it imo).

    Once you get started, you kind of want to stay in the same ecosystem because of the batteries. Alternatively, you can invest in a battery adapter (3rd party) and then interchange between different brands that aren't too far in quality from one another.

    Buddy of mine has Makita tools secondhand and those are built tough. I know where I'm at in the learning curve and I feel ozito is a right match for my level of investment. By the time I am further along, I imagine I'd have saved up more and better versions of a better quality brand would be available.

    That's my own journey anyway. Hope it helps you with yours.

    • hoey888 on 06/01/2020 - 17:16

      Agree with above points.

      Started off with a GMC back in the day. Good for the occasional work around the house once or twice a month. But then we moved towards a commercial Hitachi drill/driver combo and haven't looked back. Definitely get a torch skin and extra batteries for your kit. Extra battery pack allows you to use torch to see in the dark to then allow you to drill your hole.

      With the commercial kits, having he quick chargers ain't necessarily bad; provided you cycle them regularly. After 10 years abuse we now usually start jobs by charging one battery and swap when its flat.

      When choosing a kit
      1) If want the entire job done in one session (like replacing roofing sheets to your garage) get a branded commercial kit (Makita, Milwaukee and alike). My mate had a Ryobi and only got few sheets down before it started overheating. Our Hitachi impact driver had no problems kept going until it went flat. By the end it was steaming hot but kept on going.
      2) If you don't mind taking your time and waiting for it to charge opt for cheaper brands (Ozito, Ryobi)

  • Znark on 06/01/2020 - 17:06

    Ryobi. I've used milwaukee (same parent company) in a professional environment and they're overrated compared to the bang for buck of my ryobi at home. Not to mention all the things the warranty won't cover… Ryobi they just give you a new one.

    I was always makita… And they have a great range, and the 2x18v stuff they have is the one option I really want…. But, when you look at the warranty for home use its no comparison.

    The biggest advantage of ryobi is the mental range of weird stuff, and the fact that I can justify the cost of 'specialised' tools in the ryobi range when doing different jobs, which is where the savings are had. The core stuff is bugger all price difference to the pro stuff. Batteries are too expensive for ryobi unless you score kits though, and no redemptions. But, when you can get a cordless nail gun for 250-300 compared to the price if the others, you appreciate the savings there.

    The main cost cutting measure they do is (relatively) shitty plastics that won't hold up to abuse like the pro stuff and the size and ergonomics.

    Be warned, it's a bit addictive when you get into Ryobi.

  • coblos on 06/01/2020 - 20:03

    Am Cabinetmaker / Shopfitter. I prefer Makita for most things and like to keep it the same so batteries fit all. If you choose Makita get the Lithion-Ion 5ah batteries, they will last all day for most tasks. Once you have a few batteries the price for the tools less the battery is very good for the quality you get. I have used Makita jigsaws and like them. Prefer the barrel handle type over the D handle type. Special shout out to my Metabo Jigsaw that I have had for almost 30 years and still works great.

  • whooah1979 on 07/01/2020 - 01:24

    Ryobi is good value for money, but weak skins. They may start to smoke sooner than one would like.

    Milwaukee is the everyday workhorse, but the skins are 2 to 3 times the price.

  • bs0 on 07/01/2020 - 01:56

    Hey all, thanks for all the suggestions,
    Leaning towards Ryobi atm, second would be ozito.
    Primarily because I don't expect to be doing a huge amount of work on any given day.

    I'll see if any brands goes on sale in the next few weeks before I start buying.

    • stirlo on 07/01/2020 - 10:38

      Keep in mind Ryobi is a Bunnings exclusive brand. This means that it's unlikely to go on sale like the non exclusive brands or Ozito which bunnings uses to price match other store brands.

      • apsilon on 07/01/2020 - 10:44

        Yeah, Ryobi only goes on sale when they're running out a model. It's the biggest downside to the brand.

      • bs0 on 07/01/2020 - 18:21

        Hey, thanks for this. Very useful to know

  • DrRalph on 07/01/2020 - 20:51

    Makita.

  • Euphemistic on 07/01/2020 - 20:52

    Agree with the above. Ryobi is a decent bit of kit and value for money. Have given mine a good hiding for ages. Only now have a couple of batteries form 2013 that are failing. Have around 15 skins, most second hand. They work well, reasonably powerful and easy to get. Using back to back with ozito and Aldi gear and Ryobi wins hands down. It’s not as powerful as makita. Haven’t used other brands.

    Another advantage of Ryobi is you can pick up second hand fairly easily when people ‘upgrade’. Second hand higher quality stuff is harder to come by.

  • tazmaniak on 08/01/2020 - 18:52

    I'd go Ozito to start with as it's bloody cheap when on sale but adequate for general home stuff.
    If the quality isn't sufficient or you have spare cash, then prob go Makita.

    Or, go with whatever ecosystem all your mates use, so that it's easy to borrow skins for certain jobs as you already have the batteries.

    I've got both Makita and Ozito, so possibly slightly biased.

  • dufflover on 10/01/2020 - 00:12

    Are you "renovating" in the sense of just buying kitchen flatpacks and what not and just needing to cut the odd panel, hole, and odd drilling/driving work?
    If so the DIY brands like Ozito would do.

    As for the more general question I buy what is cheap lol. I've got Aldi, Ozito, AEG and Ryobi batteries. Each entry into it brand was cos sooner or later there is a killer deal or store clearance on a kit.

    • Euphemistic on 10/01/2020 - 17:41

      I've got Aldi, Ozito, AEG and Ryobi batteries.

      That sounds like a right royal pain in the … so you need to keep four chargers around and if a battery goes flat you’ve got three other brands there you can’t use? Having one battery type means if a battery dies I just have to switch in another one, then put the flat one on charge next time Im near the charger. Having the same battery available to switch between tools is so much easier.

      • whooah1979 on 10/01/2020 - 17:46

        It’s a waste of money. Stick to one brand.

        • dufflover on 10/01/2020 - 19:12

          It’s a waste of money.

          Big call on OzBargain ;)

          Add up the various kit deals and I bet it'll work out cheaper than if you stubbornly stick to AEG or Ryobi or something.

          • whooah1979 on 10/01/2020 - 20:38

            @dufflover: Four sets of skins and four set of batteries is a waste of money.

            Stick to one brand or may be a second one for those heavy duty jobs.

            • dufflover on 11/01/2020 - 10:32

              @whooah1979: Unless the brand you stick to Aldi or Ozito, that's not blindly true even though you repeat it like a 3 word slogan.

              Depending on what your purposes are, you can sometimes buy discounted kits of one brand cheaper than the skin only of another brand that rarely sees a discount for the skin only. By definition that is cheaper than your claim of wasting money. I have not deliberately paid more in an effort for more brands. But a side effect is if a tool goes clearance, I can get it. Got an Aldi Circular Saw for $25, Ryobi impact driver for $60.

              But I do agree of getting a better brand for your common tools; my drill is a brushless AEG; that happened to come with 3 batteries. Yet I have never bought another AEG tool as their other skins have never/rarely gone on special.

      • dufflover on 10/01/2020 - 19:05

        Having one battery type means if a battery dies I just have to switch in another one, then put the flat one on charge next time Im near the charger.

        To clarify I've got multiple batteries of all the brands anyway. The only brands where I've bought batteries alone is Aldi and Ozito (when they get discounted ofcourse). AEG kit came with multiple batteries. Ryobi multiple batteries from two kits bought at different times.

        I've only run down a battery once ever, when I was doing a lot of cutting with Ozito circular saw. Oh and the cordless screwdriver (fixed internal battery) putting together a big buy of some IKEA stuff.

        I'm not sure how big or heavy you think battery chargers are or how many you use at one time …

        • Euphemistic on 10/01/2020 - 20:36

          How do you find the ozito circ saw? I tried one a couple of times and it was useless compared to my Ryobi. Struggled to cut 20mm pine.

          I regularly run batteries flat while working so need to be sure I have some backups available. I’m a heavier diy use than most though.

          One charger is generally enough to keep my six batteries charged. I have a sore in the caravan and often take a fan, radio and lights camping. Having one charger for those several batteries is great.

          • dufflover on 11/01/2020 - 23:05
            +1

            @Euphemistic: Unfortunately I had bought the gutless original version a while back (the one with no dust port). It did the job, but I didn't use a circular saw enough in general to think about replacing it.

            … Until I did end up "upgrading" to the Aldi one when I saw it being cleared out half price ($25) and flogged off the Ozito basically the same price! I've only done literally one cut with it, so aside from saying it sounds more capable, I can't really comment on it :P

  • 3decks on 13/01/2020 - 02:53

    Most tradies have moved from Makita to Milwaukee. As you used to find with Makita, you can see lots of beaten up, used daily, still going strong examples from Milwaukee that have gone the distance. Purchase from the US.

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