Lowes and Hitachi

[Moltar]

Does anyone else feel like Lowes might be getting rid of Hitachi? It seems like most of their stuff is on clearance. I hope this isn't the case. I think it's hard to beat a lot of the Hitachi stuff when you compare price versus quality.

 

[Bustawrench]

Does anyone else feel like Lowes might be getting rid of Hitachi? It seems like most of their stuff is on clearance. I hope this isn't the case. I think it's hard to beat a lot of the Hitachi stuff when you compare price versus quality.

The ones near me seem to have dropped Milwaukee completely................

Don't know about Hitachi, wouldn't surprise me though, I don't think I know anyone who ownes one of their tools.

 

[FNFS2000]

I understand its the Manufacturers dropping the box stores. They finally realized how much it hurts their image they spent 100 years trying to build up.

 

[Moltar]

I understand its the Manufacturers dropping the box stores. They finally realized how much it hurts their image they spent 100 years trying to build up.

I have also noticed the absence of Milwaukee at Lowes.

It's unfortunate for me to loose quality names from the big box stores since they normally have a more obtainable price point and a readily available supply.

 

[FNFS2000]

The problem is they are forced into pricepoints to be in the big junk stores so they are forced to cut corners, and further complicate the problem of lost reputation.

 

[Coach James]

Our Lowes has far less Milwaukee and Hitachi than they had a year ago. From Hitachi I have a 4.5" angle grinder, 3/8" corded drill and 14.4V cordless drill and all three have been excellent.

Coach

 

[Rory Bellows]

Lowes doesn't carry Milwaukee tools because Home Depot has become the exclusive national distributor.

 

[Garage_Mahal]

Speaking of price points, this is a poor cell phone pic I took of a price label for a Porter Cable Ni-Cad set at Lowes.

In case you can't read it , it says 1/2 inch drill driver, 6-1/2 inch circular saw, reciprocating saw and flashlight.

Porter Cable had a pretty creamy reputation at some point in the past. But $159 for a 4-piece set like this must put them in the crappy sludge in the bottom of the barrel. What the hell happened to that brand?

 

[Joe B.]

Porter Cable had a pretty creamy reputation at some point in the past. But $159 for a 4-piece set like this must put them in the crappy sludge in the bottom of the barrel. What the hell happened to that brand?

They became a division of Black & Decker.

 

[FNFS2000]

Wow first cousins with the brand of "caution colors" dewalt, caution stay clear!!!

Business execs are too far removed from the product they market... They are all cheaping themselves out of a job. There can only be room for so many "average" or cheapo tools, most pros want the best... Some are happy with ryobi type goodness, but most require more out of the tools they buy.

 

[Bolster]

I understand its the Manufacturers dropping the box stores. They finally realized how much it hurts their image they spent 100 years trying to build up.

I'd rather they continue to sell at Lowe's, and drop the offshore manufacturing. That would be a faster route to credibility in my book.

 

[Mezzanine]

FWIW, I have a number of Hitachi's higher end tools, and I have been nothing but pleased. I have a corded drill, 4" angle grinder, their high end circular saw, and an air compressor. Never had anything dissatisfying to report. I have wanted to pick up one of their brad nailers, but the current line sure looks cheap... Maybe I should make a trip down to the local Lowes to see if they are liquidating their stock?


C

 

[243]

I had two different Hitachi cordless drills, one 14V and one 18V and the chuck sucked on both of them. It would not hold a bit for chit and I returned them both. The batteries were not very good either. I upgraded the 14V to the 18V, when the 18V quit holding the bits I traded up for a DeWalt XTR 18V and didn't look back. At least 3X the drill for another 100.00 or so.

I have had great luck with my Hitachi chop saw and circular saw and only own one other Dewalt, a 1/2" corded drill that has rocked for almost 15 years.

 

[mooman]

We have used Hitachi DH38YE 1 1/2" Roto Hammer drills for over 8 years and love em. We've got about 35 of them.

 

[Major Ramifications]

I too have noticed that Lowes is thinning out their Hitachi line. It must be hard for them to compete with Ryobi, Ridgid & Milwaukee at Home Depot. Much of the Hitachi line seems to be over-priced to me, and the dusty boxes at Lowe's suggests that they are slow movers. Their pneumatic nailers are well respected, but I tend to think of their power tools as mid-grade, like Ryobi. They are priced as high grade, however.
Also, there was a thread a while back about how some of the new Porter Cable cordless tools seem to be the old Black & Decker Firestorm line re-branded.

 

[boiler7904]

I think you're right. The new PC stuff looks a lot like the old Firestorm stuff that Lowe's cleared out last fall. Black and Decker has destroyed the Porter Cable name with this new value-priced line of tools. Sanders and routers are about the only tools that they make anymore that would be worth buying.

As far as Hitachi goes, they seem to make a decent line of tools at a fair price. I've been tempted to buy some of their tools but went with something else at the last minute for one reason or another. Their 15 and 18 ga nailguns are awesome. I doubt that I'll even look at another brand of nailer as long as they make the size / type that I need.

My only complaint with nailguns is that nobody makes small project packs of stainless steel fasteners for the guns. Would come in handy for exterior projects where you might need a couple hundred nails but don't want to spend the $$$ for 4 or 5 thousand nails that will sit on a shelf forever.

 

[Coach James]

Lowes doesn't carry Milwaukee tools because Home Depot has become the exclusive national distributor.

When did this happen? I was in Northern Tool two days ago and they had a lot of Milwaukee stuff for sale and no mark down.

Coach

 

[Rory Bellows]

When did this happen? I was in Northern Tool two days ago and they had a lot of Milwaukee stuff for sale and no mark down.

Coach

I believe it has to do with national distribution. Home Depot has the exclusive right. There are other distributors for Milwaukee tools of course just not on a national level. Northern Tool isn't a national distributor with actual store fronts throughout the US. I wish there was one near me but no such luck.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Guys,

I don’t know what is going on with Lowes and Hitachi but I looked at this 12” compound sliding miter saw at our local Lowes and noticed that it was marked down to $476.00. After finding out that the only one available was a floor display with no blade or wrench (LOL, I told the guy I would need to buy a 17mm….) I offered them $275.00 and they took it. It might be worth a look if any of you are in need of one.

 

[1320stang]

Speaking of price points, this is a poor cell phone pic I took of a price label for a Porter Cable Ni-Cad set at Lowes.

In case you can't read it , it says 1/2 inch drill driver, 6-1/2 inch circular saw, reciprocating saw and flashlight.

Porter Cable had a pretty creamy reputation at some point in the past. But $159 for a 4-piece set like this must put them in the crappy sludge in the bottom of the barrel. What the hell happened to that brand?

I just bought the 2 piece set (drill and 6.5" saw for I think $99, got a different flashlight for $16 extra) for my father for helping me roof my addition. I was looking at the last 4 piece display of that same stuff for Hitachi that was normally $299 on sale for $254, then half off of that ($127), but there were no batteries, no charger, no manuals and no bag/case, just the 4 tools. The guy in the stor said he'd sale me the batteries and charger at cost and it was still going to be $276 for all of it. The best deal I found was to buy the Hitachi hammer drill with two 1.2 amp hour batteries, charger and case for $139 on sale so that save ten more bucks and gained another drill, but it still wasn't that great, the Hitachi stuff is still sitting on the floor.

Beside, my father was really only interested in the saw and his cordless drill is only a 12v Dewalt, so I figured I'd upgrade him a little. He's 69 and doesn't do as much as he used to as far as handiwork with big projects, so this should be fine for him.

 

[eric87]

i have a hitachi roofing gun. it is awesome. a belt sander. i bought because it was cheep and i needed to get the job done, and it wont die. a framing nailer that always has problems.