KOBALT warranty PIA

[MagnumForce]

So, things that tend to break a lot I get something I can warranty easily at a local store, so Lowe's, Sears and Menards it is. Tool trucks don't come to the factory and I can't afford to wait Lord knows how long to send something in.

Sears and Menards are great, absolutely no hassle at all but Lowe's, good grief.

I broke off the ball end of a 3/16 hey socket on a deep, recessed set screw on a lovejoy coupling on a hydraulic pump the other day. Yes I know ball heads aren't ideal for high torque but it was the only thing I had that would reach it. Anyway it was a pia to get that ball out after it broke, I ended up using a left hand drill bit through everything.

Anyway went to warranty the kobalt socket today and was told they only warranty hand tools, I said it was a hand tool. She proceeded to call 3 different managers to get it figured out., then I had to hand over my driver's license, OK whatever, then she wanted my debit card. At that point I was 20 mins in and ticked off, I said why in the world do you need that, she told me because of fraud.
Told her I wanted a manager now, 5 mins later he showed up, gave me the run around, blah blah blah. I said it says no hassle warranty right on the thing, I am a half an hour in and this is a giant hassle. I refused to give them my debit card, finally he relented and I walked out in a huff.

Kobalt, never again. Just needed to vent.

 

[toddacimer]

Next time scan your My Lowes card when you purchase a tool or something you may return. Returns are really easy when they are in their system.

 

[MagnumForce]

I don't even have one of those. Says no hassle warranty right on it. Seems like a hassle to me when I can walk into Sears or Menards and walk out with a new tool in 5 minutes. Both of them have even replaced gear wrench stuff for me, no questions asked.

 

[Brownsfan]

The problem is uninformed employees. I bet you could go to a different Lowe's or hell just a different shift at the same store and have a completely different experience. Just seems like an employee thinking they are doing the right thing but in fact they are doing more harm. They are programmed to think everyone is out to scam. Say what you will about sears. They handle warranty on tools more consistent than all the other stores.

 

[AceofSpad3s]

Sounds like a issue with incompetent fucks at your store. I have warrantied 10 or so items at lowes, including 2 ratchets, one 1/4 and a 3/8 roto and have had pretty decent experiences. Sometimes they ask me for the receipt and I just say no and point out the hassle free warranty. Most of the time they want the id too but it is not too bad. I am stuck waiting when I get stuck fng that knows jack about the warranty.

Since we are talking about warranties I might as well bring up husky. I have had pretty decent experiences as well. Most of the time the employees look dumbfounded when I say I am there to warranty stuff and they have to call someone but I still end up with a new tool. Last two were pretty smooth though, went in with a husky ball pien with a loose head and got me a upgrade to metal handle estwing since they no longer carried husky ones and my mom went to warranty a deep socket and the guy grabbed one for her. 8 months or so back I also got 2 new dewalt tapes when I brought in 2 husky ones that went kaput.

Craftsman is annoying because they want my id, shop your way and phone number but it still not too bad, especially when the cute checkout girl is there

 

[Commendatore]

I had a similar experience with a hammer from lowes once. "No receipt? How do I even know if we sell this?" Never again.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

I have exchanged a few tools and it is always a hassle at lowes, not sure why they insist on staffing customer service with clueless employees and are terrible at customer service.

 

[MagnumForce]

Closest Home Depot is an hour away

 

[organ]

Closest Home Depot is an hour away

Only thirty minutes if you subtract the time you wasted being hassled at Lowes... maybe 25 minutes away if you also discount the time you spent posting your story...

 

[cbus]

For all the hate sears gets on here, some valid. They have the best no hassle warranty. Advance auto and home depot have been excellent to me also. I buy from those stores with confidence knowing that in the few times i break something, they take care of you.

 

[MagnumForce]

Menards and Sears are always super great to me. I have gotten a set of ball heads from Harbor Freight before and after breaking one twice and having to go an hour away to replace them I bought the kobalt's thinking it would be much simpler as they are an item that tends to break pretty easily. Menards doesn't carry any, guess I should have gotten the Craftsmans.

 

[trever]

I've had problems with home depot but not lowes. I think it all depends on who's working the counter that day.

 

[SMKS]

I've heard these types of complaints about HD and Lowe's.

How hard is it for them to train their employees about handling a "no-hassle" lifetime warranty?

I'll give Sears credit, I've never been hassled on a warranty return. They've always been good to me.

What does the debit card have to do with this at all? Were they going to try to charge you for something? That would bother me, too.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Ok MS Lowes, since when do I need a drivers license to purchase or warranty tools in this store??

What the heck is a debit card? I paid cash for my tools. Where do you come up with your wild ideas?? The packaging stated "no hassle warranty", and THAT is what I expect!

 

[neophyte]

The problem is uninformed employees. I bet you could go to a different Lowe's or hell just a different shift at the same store and have a completely different experience. Just seems like an employee thinking they are doing the right thing but in fact they are doing more harm. They are programmed to think everyone is out to scam. Say what you will about sears. They handle warranty on tools more consistent than all the other stores.

Sounds like a issue with incompetent fucks at your store. I have warrantied 10 or so items at lowes, including 2 ratchets, one 1/4 and a 3/8 roto and have had pretty decent experiences. Sometimes they ask me for the receipt and I just say no and point out the hassle free warranty. Most of the time they want the id too but it is not too bad. I am stuck waiting when I get stuck fng that knows jack about the warranty.

Since we are talking about warranties I might as well bring up husky. I have had pretty decent experiences as well. Most of the time the employees look dumbfounded when I say I am there to warranty stuff and they have to call someone but I still end up with a new tool. Last two were pretty smooth though, went in with a husky ball pien with a loose head and got me a upgrade to metal handle estwing since they no longer carried husky ones and my mom went to warranty a deep socket and the guy grabbed one for her. 8 months or so back I also got 2 new dewalt tapes when I brought in 2 husky ones that went kaput.

Craftsman is annoying because they want my id, shop your way and phone number but it still not too bad, especially when the cute checkout girl is there

I have exchanged a few tools and it is always a hassle at lowes, not sure why they insist on staffing customer service with clueless employees and are terrible at customer service.

I've heard these types of complaints about HD and Lowe's.

How hard is it for them to train their employees about handling a "no-hassle" lifetime warranty?

I'll give Sears credit, I've never been hassled on a warranty return. They've always been good to me.

What does the debit card have to do with this at all? Were they going to try to charge you for something? That would bother me, too.

This might not actually be the employees fault. A "No-Hassle" warranty is the kind of thing a marketing person would might advertise, but it doesn't mean the employees in the store are actually allowed to readily offer it.It's quite possible management either at the store level or further up has specifically put in place the ID dog and pony routine, and employees are required to enforce it unless someone pushes the issue. The employees may actually be doing exactly as required no matter what the "no-Hassle" bit from marketing says. Also the marketing department isn't likely the department running the store. Individual store managers may be less likely to enforce an ID policy if they're in better standing with management or possibly if they have lower theft or return percentages.

 

[thesilverone]

bottom of the barrel tools, bottom of the barrel results

 

[MoparTrucks]

Its highly regional or even individual store based. I hated the Lowes where I was stationed before I retired and vowed to never darken their doors again....had to use Lowes again when we first moved to the farm and the store closest to me has been great.

I actually broke the retaining nut on a DeWalt worm drive (I have no idea why it broke as I was just cutting 2"x4"s) and was looking for a new nut (which they dont carry) and they just had me bring in the old saw and gave me a new one when I said I had originally bought it there. My local Lowes is also staffed by a lot of retired or injured trades types and they are pretty knowledgeable.

 

[MagnumForce]

bottom of the barrel tools, bottom of the barrel results

Yeah, OK. Suggest to me where I can get ball end hex sockets that I can warranty the same day. Again, tool trucks don't stop at factories. The old SK Defiance plant is rotting away across the street, so they definitely aren't an option either.

I can almost guarantee my tools take more abuse in industrial maintenance than an average mechanic puts his through in a day and my Craftsman, Gearwrench and other Apex, Kobalt and Masterforce stuff all performs very admirably for the punishment it receives.

I do have a wide assortment of Knipex and Channellock stuff, does that **** too?

Must I **** at the teat of the almighty over priced keep me paying every month Snap On man to be a worthy tool user?

This is purely about an asinine warranty policy that is stated to be no hassle.

 

[1950mercury]

If i remember correctly about a year ago you totally disagreed with me when i said my china kobalt channel lock type pliers were garbage and that most there pliers were ****...

HOW ARE YOUR KOBALT TOOLS TREATING YOU KNOW

 

[nohcho]

I had similar experience at Lowes with a broken Kobalt tool that I was trying to warranty replace. The employee asked me for my phone number trying to locate the transaction. I informed the employee that it may have been a cash transaction and it may not be on my record. Then they asked me for my ID to do a no receipt return, I was heated. This was not a return but a warranty replacement. Things escalated to an on duty manager and the same thing happened. I then pointed out the hassle free lifetime warranty. Still, they insisted on asking me for my ID. im staying away from Kobalt for good.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

This is an example of why I disfavor dime store tools for use on the job....
I don't care for the ceremony you went through to replace a low price tool...
For tools such as drill bits, torx bits, or those ball end hex sockets that are used often; I will buy better quality and multiples of them.. That way I have less chance of breaking a tool, and have a spare if I do break one... and fewer, if any, warranty ceremonies to attend.

 

[OutsideMachinist]

Any ball end hex will break under any significant torque. Doesn't matter the brand. Broke high dollar ones and broke hf/kobalt ones. The hf hex bits are actually pretty decent, just as good or better even than the later made usa craftsman ones I had.

I try not to put a lot of torque on them anymore because I have broke them multiple times and it is a pain to get it out. We dont know the circumstances only the OP does. I will say I have a lot of allen wrenches/sockets I have cut/made. Pumps don't like to cooperate. Especially if it is a water/saltwater system.

As far as the warranty I just assume this will happen to me and don't even attempt to go through the hassle. I just throw it away if it cant be reused and buy another one or another set.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Any ball end hex will break under any significant torque. Doesn't matter the brand. Broke high dollar ones and broke hf/kobalt ones. The hf hex bits are actually pretty decent, just as good or better even than the later made usa craftsman ones I had.

That's very true....and its 99.9% of the reason I go with a brand with a proven warranty process. I'm completely done with Sears since they closed our local store...leaves me only one source for quality tools with an ironclad warranty process.
Surprisingly my last set of SO ball ends (The Pocket knife flip out type set) lasted FOREVER it seems...broke the 3/16 recently, took longer (By choice) to shoot the breeze about how hot & muggy it was outside then the actual warranty process.

That being said...I really cant complain about my particular Lowes....lost the bubble in a nice laminated Mayes level I got there a while back...lifetime guarantee. I called Mayes, they referred me to where I bought it...went to Lowes and it was a very painless process.

 

[finn]

How are some of you consistently breaking tools? I 'll bet that I've broken fewer than three or four tools since I got my first set of real tools as a kid in 1966: a Craftsman harmonic balancer puller, and a couple of cracked sockets come to mind.

As a result, warranty means nothing to me when purchasing tools. It never enters my mind.

I've lost far more tools than I've broken. I do tend to buy quality tools, though

 

[valentine]

Only place that ever gave me any chit about replacing a tool under warranty was Home Depot. It was a Husky Screwdriver and the idiots didn't know how to handle it because they didn't have an exact replacement. After some friendly negotiating, I convinced them to upgrade me to their Professional grade driver. Seriously, that experience was pretty frustrating and I don't purchase many tools at Homey's, anymore, because of it. Sears, never a problem. Harbor Freight, never a problem. Lowes, never broke one of their tools. I'm not too hard on tools even though I use them alot. Killed many screwdrivers and a ratchet or two, maybe a wrench that I abused, but that's about it. Today I'm pretty gentle with my tool used. I'm trying to protect myself from injury more than I am trying to save a tool.

-Valentine

 

[crewchief888]

i had to warranty a kobalt long flex head 1/2" dr ratchet a few weeks ago.

1st store i stopped at was out of stock, 2nd store i was in and out in 10 minutes with my new replacement.

no hassles at all.

 

[Ign]

I warrantied some Kobalt 24" bolt cutters back in '12. The morality police here were strong on that one, but the issue was less the blades dulling and more the fact that the pivot had gone from a round hole to a VERY elongated slot, thus the blades no longer pinched tightly close to one another.

My Lowes hesitated, and asked a manager, but he said do it. The warranty wasn't instantaneous, but it wasn't too bad. Pretty sure they wanted my ID, didn't bother me at the time.

 

[ProCharger]

Closest Home Depot is an hour away

Home depot is no better. I have a #2 phillips Husky Pro screwdriver that shattered and when I went to take it back for the warranty replacement I was given a 1-800 phone number to call and was told I have to mail it on my dime for a replacement. Needless to say it is still sitting on my shelf 2 years later.

 

[stage20]

Why would you use overseas tools on something important?
aside from that, usa made or not I try and avoid kobalt. I don't like the look or feel of most of the tools, numbering of sockets, etc

 

[dodge610]

This is exactly why I have not been in my Lowes in approx. 8yrs. Sears never a problem I have 2 close to me 1 hardware 1 mall store. HF never a problem maybe cause I know both managers (dont know if that makes a difference). My Napa store never a problem.

 

[brook41]

Call lowes and tell them your experience and the aggravation they put you through. What they did is just a bad business practice period . Don't let them get away with it !!

 

[MagnumForce]

This is an example of why I disfavor dime store tools for use on the job....
I don't care for the ceremony you went through to replace a low price tool...
For tools such as drill bits, torx bits, or those ball end hex sockets that are used often; I will buy better quality and multiples of them.. That way I have less chance of breaking a tool, and have a spare if I do break one... and fewer, if any, warranty ceremonies to attend.

A ball head is going to break no matter what, it's just the way they are I don't care the manufacturer. I would not have used one for this application had I any other choice. Only other things I have warranties in the last year is a screwdriver a couple floppy gearwrench flex head wrenches and a craftsman 9/16 reversible wrench that I way overused and knew it.

 

[MagnumForce]

If i remember correctly about a year ago you totally disagreed with me when i said my china kobalt channel lock type pliers were garbage and that most there pliers were ****...

HOW ARE YOUR KOBALT TOOLS TREATING YOU KNOW

Those are still great pliers. The cutters still cut great and the jaws all align great.

They aren't as good as my Channies or knipex but they are great for my intended use, which was to have a second set of everything at the other end of the factory.

 

[Davefr]

The minions in marketing create the warranty but regional management orders the the sales clerks to minimize returns.

The two opposing forces don't talk.

You need to complain to corporate.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Is menards decent about their warranty ?
I had an issue at Home Depot a couple weeks ago about a Husky 5 in 1 screwdriver,it seems all the employees were ignorant about the warranty. They told me Craftsman was the one with the warranty not Husky,I picked up a tool from the shelf and showed them it was lifetime warranty.
They pointed out a 1800 # to call which I prompted to tell them I had called the number and they referred me to take the tool to my nearest Home Depot.
They treated me like I was trying to steal something that cost $5.99 !
What a pain in the *** .

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Is menards decent about their warranty ?
I had an issue at Home Depot a couple weeks ago about a Husky 5 in 1 screwdriver,it seems all the employees were ignorant about the warranty. They told me Craftsman was the one with the warranty not Husky,I picked up a tool from the shelf and showed them it was lifetime warranty.
They pointed out a 1800 # to call which I prompted to tell them I had called the number and they referred me to take the tool to my nearest Home Depot.
They treated me like I was trying to steal something that cost $5.99 !
What a pain in the *** .

Mike; this is another example as to why I don't care to purchase tools from a dime store..... I may pay a bit more, but I usually get a better product and knowledgeable counter workers at a tool store... Add the internet retailers of today, I have two good reasons not to shop for tools in a dime store. As far as service or warranty matters: sk sent me two ratchet kits for my 40 year old ratchets, free of charge after a 90 second phone call.. That is the kind of service I like..

 

[MagnumForce]

SK has a factory rotting and across the street, they are dead to me.

I need a tool replaced NOW, not weeks from now after I send it in and they send me a new one.

 

[kctyphoon]

honestly i doesnt matter where you go, it depends on the people you have to deal with.. i think the only place that has never even blinked at a return for me has been HF...

 

[MagnumForce]

They are no different than Sears or Menards. No guarantee you can warranty gearwrench anywhere same day, although I have done it at Sears and Menards. I have looked at those before and I am almost positive they are identical to the Kobalt's right down to the holder.

 

[raiderhillbilly]

The Bottom Line is: If you buy the tool for the warranty, you made a mistake. Buy the tool for its own reputation and merits. Vote with your dollars for the tools that you want to see produced.