I was looking at the Milwaukee Shockwave impact bits, nice set of 100 at Home Depot as a special buy for $25, so surprised me to see this set of 34 Bauer at HF for $20 https://www.harborfreight.com/35-pc-impact-drill-and-driver-bit-set-63910.html what is up with that? Made in Taiwan and they do look nice, but is that in the realm of a HF buyer, anybody actually buy them?
HF going a bit high end with Bauer?
- Thread starter Danglerb
- Start date
Wow that Milwaukee set is a bargain. I imagine HF will sell a lot of those Bauer sets to low information tool buyers who are buying Bauer or Hercules power tools instead of DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, Bosch stuff that can be had for about the same money.
There's a Hercules 45 piece bit set for 20. Also impact rated.
I have Ryobi, DeWalt, and Milwaukee sets of bits for my Makita drills. I just get what's on sale.
There's a Hercules 45 piece bit set for 20. Also impact rated.
I have Ryobi, DeWalt, and Milwaukee sets of bits for my Makita drills. I just get what's on sale.
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BDT/NWMN
Well-known member
Now that We know the current prices; It will be interesting to hear opinions on the quality of these sets. The sets are built to sell for a given price. Pumping extra quality into an item usually increases the cost. Whether they are junk priced junk or junk priced gems will be an interesting discussion.
xin
Well-known member
For the price I would go with a name brand.
B_Bimmer
Well-known member
Harbor fright and high end in the same sentence make me laugh.
xin
Well-known member
That is the problem they will have higher prices (if it is a few dollars). I will go with a known good brand. Lifetime warranty gets really old (spending a lifetime buying fuel/TIME replacing something).
K13
Well-known member
I wonder how they get away with using the name. I would think Nike would be all over them about this. The font is even the same.
https://www.bauer.com/
https://www.bauer.com/
Harbor Freight is really stepping up lately and the brands you listed are going overseas to the same exact factories to have their stuff built. HF has a reputation that is well earned but their new stuff is getting competitive. Give them a few more years and they may surprise you.
xin
Well-known member
It's entirely possible and the company is counting on it, that people might just go to HF, buy a cordless tool and some bits, take them home and use them, without obsessing over a "brand-name", which in the big part now days is mostly ********.
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K13
Well-known member
Could it be possible, that they're actually paying to use the name?
It's not unprecedented in the history of commerce.
It's not like people are actually lining up to buy hockey equipment, so maybe the company could use a few extra bucks.
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Why would you pay to use a name like that though? There are a million different things you could call something and Bauer doesn't seem to be a real attention grabber. The only reason the hockey side of things is called that is because it was the family name when the company started back in the 1920's in Canada.
Bauer doesn't sound Chinese, the rest is likely random choice.
100pc set at Home Depot is a seasonal "special buy" at $24, reg is more like $59.
Opposite at HF, 35pc Bauer set is full price and might go on sale for half, but will at least be 25% from time to time. They caught my eye for 3 reasons, look weird, made in Taiwan, and may have lifetime warranties (just 90 days).
100pc set at Home Depot is a seasonal "special buy" at $24, reg is more like $59.
Opposite at HF, 35pc Bauer set is full price and might go on sale for half, but will at least be 25% from time to time. They caught my eye for 3 reasons, look weird, made in Taiwan, and may have lifetime warranties (just 90 days).
I actually went into Harbor freight and picked up some of those cordless tools and played around with them.
They look and feel of good quality and seem to have some power. I didn't purchase any because I don't really need any right this time but I might someday.
If one of my buddies came by the garage so I was using a power tool name Bauer and called me out on it, I would think they would be the one who has the issue not me.
Btw "Milwaukee" is a city in Wisconsin
Otherwise it's the name on the side of some tools imported from Asia..
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K13
Well-known member
I actually went into Harbor freight and picked up some of those cordless tools and played around with them.
They look and feel of good quality and seem to have some power. I didn't purchase any because I don't really need any right this time but I might someday.
If one of my buddies came by the garage so I was using a power tool name Bauer and called me out on it, I would think they would be the one who has the issue not me.
Btw "Milwaukee" is a city in Wisconsin
Otherwise it's the name on the side of some tools imported from Asia..
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Ford is a name as well. Try using that with the same font as the motor company uses to sell sporting goods and see how long you are in business.
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NeuseRvrRat
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I got two of the HF Hercules branded 4.5" angle grinders and I'm satisfied with them for the price. Tear them down and you'll find that they're really no different, and in some ways they're better, than the equivalent DeWalt, Makita, etc. I do believe HF is making an effort to not be the absolute bottom of the barrel on all their products now.
DennisH2014
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For what it's worth (to those discussing the name), Bauer is German for "farmer"; Bau is also German for "construction."
Perhaps those are what led to the decision to go with the Bauer name?
Perhaps those are what led to the decision to go with the Bauer name?
xin
Well-known member
I guess one could always sleep in a basket at the door (covered up with one of the 'free' vinyl covers)....
If "Bauer" is a registered trademark, they might not be able use it without permission, regardless of intent, unless they want sued, which they would be.
Just ask those, who owned the Jeep bar in Wyoming.
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Alpine4x4
Well-known member
Kind of. So long as the trademark is not directly copied and the intent with the trademark is different they will be OK. If they were selling Hockey equipment they would be in hot water. Being tools and hockey equipment are unrelated, an infringement claim would be unfounded as in now way is it going to affect Bauer the hockey line.
BDT/NWMN
Well-known member
Why not buy out Yugo and use that name? A good, well known and respected name like that would be a real asset.
xin
Well-known member
Was that the car from USSR?
BDT/NWMN
Well-known member
The car and the country both fell apart.
They are probably copying Sears. Long ago, Sears named some of their tools Dunlap, which was the last name of the tool buyer at the time. I am guessing that Bauer, Doyle etc are the last names of the buyers at HF who developed the new lines.
I welcome HF's entry into new markets and product lines. Even if you don't shop there their size and growht rate will force other tool makers to compete. I see the current competitive landscape as a positive for consumers. Instead of an absolute race to the bottom of lowest cost production there is a move to increase quality and longevity.
As has been mentioned many times if HF wants to sell me power tools for a similar price as Milwaukee they need to offer a 5 year warranty as part of the tool price not as an add on. The new pliers line looks pretty good. It was widely known here that their pliers were garbage.but now they are greatly improved just like the ratchets.
As has been mentioned many times if HF wants to sell me power tools for a similar price as Milwaukee they need to offer a 5 year warranty as part of the tool price not as an add on. The new pliers line looks pretty good. It was widely known here that their pliers were garbage.but now they are greatly improved just like the ratchets.
GirchyGirchy
Well-known member
Absolutely not, I'll wager you a Snap On socket.
Those names are invented by marketing professionals with degrees in advertising, psychology, sociology, and emotional intelligence.
They are designed to sound old, established, solid, European (perhaps first and foremost), somewhat familiar, and sopping wet with quality.
BDT/NWMN
Well-known member
Bauer is also a high end compressor manufacturer, just saw one on a fire truck.
https://www.bauercomp.com/en
https://www.bauercomp.com/en
I think it has to do with whether they are competing in the same market. Drills and sneakers, not so much. On the other hand, when Cracker Barrel Restaurants decided to sell packaged food in the super markets. Kraft, the long time makers of Cracker Barrel cheeses was all over them like a wet T shirt. The restaurant chain was forced to market the new line as CB Old Country Store brand. They were not selling cheese but Kraft did not want people to think the new products were theirs. Not likely a problem with Nike and HF.
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