ba614 said:
that's nearly 50% off ... don't think you'll see a better deal on it any time soon
Sure you will.. their stuff goes on 50% off every week. Thats how canadian tire has grown so fast. Regular prices are actually a bit on the high side, but the sales are great!
As for battery cost, they are about the same as DIY type brands. About the same as B&D AFAIK. Maybe a bit more than ryobi. If they ever stop carrying the batteries, you can always just send them out to get rebuilt for around 35 dollars.
As far as quality goes, it's quite good. I have a strong suspicion that this stuff is made by TTI. Why? The older mastercraft planer is identical to a ryobi planer sold in the UK and AUS. The circular saw looks alot like Triton that is also made by TTI. The router has some features found on the ridgid kit. And finally, the sawzall is a little too beefy to be made by some random chinese sweatshop.