negative customer reviews

[bb29510]

i want a dewalt mag drill. i know dewalt good, and i know some people are not good with tools and will burn them up from being stupid

every review I ever seen there have been some people negative, never seen one where everybody happy. How do you handle it on tools that are high dollar in price, do you trust the reviews.

 

[mogandave]

I look at the total number of reviews and the percentage of bad ones. Then I read a lot of the bad reviews. A lot are people just ordered the wrong thing, or they expect it to do something it was never supposed to do. Sometimes thighs were missing of the tool was DOA.

I disregard all those reviews and go from there.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

When I am thinking of a purchase, I read a lot of the reviews. I realize that there are always going to be a few dis-satisfied customers with a complaint. So a few negative don't always turn me away from a tool or whatever.. BUT, when there are dozens and dozens of bad reviews, and many of them mention the same issue or problem, I stay away from that item.

 

[ecotec]

I see lots of mag drills on job sites. They are almost always Hougen or Milwaukee…

In 28 years, I don’t think that I have ever seen a Dewalt mag drill.

 

[Woods_Wanderer]

Mogan and Big Bad have the right approach. That said, I'd look for a Hougen, they are built like tanks.

 

[kbuhagiar]

There appears to be two questions here; I cannot comment on the mag drill recommendations, but Mogan and BBDad are spot on about reviews.

A lot of one-star reviews are irrelevant moronic raves about something other than the quality of the item itself.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I think people are more likely to complain when a product doesn’t meet their expectations. If possible on the same sight I would look at another comparable item and check out the results. As mentioned some purchase the wrong tool for their application and some just don’t know how to use the tool or haven’t read the limitations of the tool.

 

[dnschmidt]

I use the 85% rule. If the combined total of 4 and 5 star reviews exceeds 85% it's good. If it's below that I move on.

 

[milkovich]

I see lots of mag drills on job sites. They are almost always Hougen or Milwaukee…

In 28 years, I don’t think that I have ever seen a Dewalt mag drill.

How about the Fein Slugger? Never used it, just curious.

 

[ecotec]

How about the Fein Slugger? Never used it, just curious.

I have seen a few. And I have got to use them a few times (the millwrights and iron workers often work in the same work areas as me). They are good machines.

The vast majority are Hougen and Milwaukee, though. Those two brands are the lion’s share of the market.

 

[ecotec]

delete… double post.

 

[corn chip]

i dont read reviews on anything. as you said ,alot of people are stupid and havent a clue about the item

 

[ecotec]

These machines are used day in and day out by the millwrights and iron workers. They are workhorses. Most of them have had their oilers removed. They put cutting oil on by hand most of the time. Maybe 1/3 have an oiler on them. The workers, obviously, do not provide the drill bits and hole saws… hell… sometimes they cut the holes dry…

Mag drills are kind of a fun machine to use. They are not something my trade (inside wireman) really uses… but, like I said… sometimes other trades let us use them for a minute.

 

[RTM]

On Yelp or Amazon, I will read the negative, and occasionally read the 1 and 2 star posters “other” reviews. Some are just negative people, and others are often reverse shills for some other business.

But I know nothing about mag drills other than I’ve watched a service guy use one on a piece of equipment at work.

 

[ecotec]

We need what we need. If you have an actual need for a mag drill… go get what you need… and get a container of cutting oil.

If you just want one… I would buy used. If it looks like it is in nice shape (with or without an oiler on it) and you plug it in and it runs… it will probably outlive you. Mag drills are tough machines. You even see some from the bare metal Milwaukee days,before the grey paint, still working perfectly. They probably only needed brushes and possibly cord repairs over decades of use.

 

[seber]

I read a lot of the negative reviews and look for trends.

 

[gmcgeo]

I read all reviews, and base it on average reviews. however, if i think i can eat the cost and get it to make my own opinion. Then i buy it. If the tool is junk i will never buy another item from that brand again.

You can tell by the reviews, if people are using it correctly or if its operator error.

 

[finn]

Read reviews and you will quickly realize that there are lots of people at both ends of the spectrum…shills and idiots.

look at this thread… people advising against the brand the op is inquiring about even though by their own admission they have never used that brand and know nothing about it. WTF!

 

[dchawk81]

If there's even the slightest hint of dissatisfaction out of anyone anywhere for a product, I don't buy it. It's probably junk.

Needless to say, I don't own anything.

 

[corn chip]

How about the Fein Slugger? Never used it, just curious.

slugger is a great saw. had one 2yrs so farand cut alot of stuff with it. worth every penny to me

 

[ecotec]

slugger is a great saw. had one 2yrs so farand cut alot of stuff with it. worth every penny to me

He was referring to the Fein Slugger mag drill.

 

[zendriver]

I just look at them with a grain of salt

"piece of ****, broke first time I used it" skeptical. Just look for trends.

Something trending like "switch breaks after some use" tells me there is a good chance they don't have good switches.

Most purchases are just common sense. If it looks like a piece of **** it probably is, no matter how I wish otherwise.

 

[corn chip]

do you realize the caliber of some of those people writing online reviews. im not saying the world is 99% idiots but alot of those reviewers would likely struggle just tying a pair of shoe laces

 

[zendriver]

do you realize the caliber of some of those people writing online reviews. im not saying the world is 99% idiots but alot of those reviewers would likely struggle just tying a pair of shoe laces

I take it with a grain of salt, just like information received here (and everywhere else).

It's really not that hard to "read between the lines"

 

[matthew]

Negative reviews tend to be easier to judge than positive ones. You can usually tell if the negative reviewer has an idea of what they’re doing or is using the tool incorrectly. I look at that, and whether there is repeatedly the same issue.

Good reviews sometimes are fake, but even legit ones you can’t always tell how long they’ve had the tool, or even if they’ve tried using it yet, and even the experience level of the reviewer can be hard to judge (“I’ve used competing Brand X before” might mean a seasoned carpenter who has worn out a dozen saws, or a hack that has handled one once while his buddy did all the actual building of his deck).

On the other hand, part of the art of sifting through reviews isn’t to aim for perfect - you’re just trying to avoid an obvious dud.

 

[Bubba Fett]

Look at the total number of reviews vs the ratio of good to bad. Look at good reviews and see if you can spot shill reviews from paid reviewers who tend to use similar wording.

For bad reviews, note that some people will leave a scathing review because the package got wet or was lost, which isn't an indication of the product itself.

Also note that a lot of people don't leave reviews unless they are pissed, which has a tendency to skew things towards the negative.

Good reviewers tend to list pros and cons, give details, show photos, and may even update the reviews after a period of time, which is quite valuable.

It's also wise to check reviews on other sites, if possible.

 

[Ton ton]

OP , you asked a good question. Maybe next time use question marks. Just my worthless 2 cents.

 

[finn]

I just got off Amazon where I ordered some TIG supplies, including aluminum TIG filler rod.

Two memorable five star reviews: “I just got a new TIG welder for Christmas, and don’t know how to use it, but this filler looks good, si I give it five stars”…. and… “I don’t weld, but I ordered the wire to hold up the plants in my garden, and it works well for that”.

So much for the value of product reviews…

 

[johninct]

Easy, just ask the question here, on this site. I bet most people that respond here will be glad to answer a follow up question.

 

[msharley]

i want a dewalt mag drill. i know dewalt good, and i know some people are not good with tools and will burn them up from being stupid

every review I ever seen there have been some people negative, never seen one where everybody happen. How do you handle it on tools that are high dollar in price, do you trust the reviews.

Mag Drill? = Hougen!

I have a #904....bought it used several years ago...have drilled a lot of holes in tough spots..

Drilled four 3/4" holes & one 1" hole through 3/8" Plate .........last week...

Crazy to use any other...

The bits are pricey...but cut real quick... 7/8" hole in 1/2" plate in less than 30 seconds...

 

[WWheeler]

Although I didn't actually have to pay to view this thread, I want a refund. The title misleadingly led me to click on it because it promised a serving of 'bad reviews' but all I received was someone looking for an excuse to discount the usefulness of bad reviews as a justification to buy something they were wanting to anyway. This false advertising led me to waste my time, and as they say, 'time is money', so somebody ought to pay up. Would not click again.

1 out of 5 Stars.

 

[Ton ton]

I just got off Amazon where I ordered some TIG supplies, including aluminum TIG filler rod.

Two memorable five star reviews: “I just got a new TIG welder for Christmas, and don’t know how to use it, but this filler looks good, si I give it five stars”…. and… “I don’t weld, but I ordered the wire to hold up the plants in my garden, and it works well for that”.

So much for the value of product reviews…

You got me laughing. Great work!

 

[bluedog225]

The promise of the internet is forums like this where people can talk to people. The whole review scheme has been pretty thoroughly corrupted (e.g.: Amazon). Interestingly, Ebay seller reviews seem more reliable as the reviews seem to be based on actual purchases.

 

[Firebrick43]

do you realize the caliber of some of those people writing online reviews. im not saying the world is 99% idiots but alot of those reviewers would likely struggle just tying a pair of shoe laces

Or posting a picture of a saw on a mag drill thread

 

[SARG]

Rule #7

 

[Ton ton]

Or posting a picture of a saw on a mag drill thread

At least it's a tool-related topic of discussion.

 

[neophyte]

He was referring to the Fein Slugger mag drill.

One issue with Fein Slugger, is that Slugger is a company Fein purchased, but both Fein and Slugger made Mag Drills before the purchase, so you might be getting a Fein drill design, or a Slugger drill design.
I would presume Fein bought Slugger because they liked the Slugger design, or because Slugger had patents for something Fein wanted.

 

[mogandave]

One issue with Fein Slugger, is that Slugger is a company Fein purchased, but both Fein and Slugger made Mag Drills before the purchase, so you might be getting a Fein drill design, or a Slugger drill design.
I would presume Fein bought Slugger because they liked the Slugger design, or because Slugger had patents for something Fein wanted.

I know nothing of Fein or Slugger, but I do know that companies that by other companies that make the same stuff are generally just buying market-share.

 

[dchawk81]

Amazon has a mag drill. It looks Harbor Freighty. That's the extent of my knowledge about anything.

 

[mogandave]

It is nice the way the mag-drill prices really seem to have come down comparatively.