Metabo HPT at Lowes?

[FordTruckWench]

What's going on with Metabo HPT (née Hitachi) 18V cordless tools at Lowes? Most of the tools seem to have clearance pricing. And there is almost no supply of batteries and chargers to make those tools useful. Someone on this forum thought that Lowes will be dropping Metabo HPT. However, at a Lowes the other day, an employee mentioned they had set up the Metabo HPT area just two weeks ago. Could this be a pandemic related issue - perhaps the tools were stuck on a ship for months, while the batteries are unavailable because of the semiconductor shortage?

I ask because I'm in the market for a cordless 6.5" circular saw. I'm not committed to any of the cordless systems, though I do have a Dewalt Max20 charger courtesy of a lithium converted drill I inherited.

Right now my leading contender is the Dewalt brushless saw. Second place is the Makita brushless. The Milwaukee Fuel has been looked at but rejected for being overkill. (All of the previous are blade left saws.) A dark horse is the Metabo HPT saw. (It is blade right so not an exact equivalent.) It seems to be a quality tool at a competitive price.

However, I'm worried about ending up with tools from a system that might not be around very long. Beyond its presence at Lowes, it's unknown what the future holds for Hitachi/HiKoki/MetaboHPT. It seems like a brand that was at the punch bowl while the music stopped several chairs ago.

 

[dnschmidt]

Changing the name was the worst marketing decision by Hitachi in the history of the power tool industry. If they could be Hikoki in the rest of the damn world why couldn't they be Hikoki in the United States? They simultaneously cheapened the Metabo name and made Hitachi irrelevant all in one masterstroke of stupidity.

 

[jives]

Do yourself a favor and stick with the tool brand that is owned by itself and has none of this name changing company buyout nonsense. BTW, that would be Makita.

 

[Rinspeed]

Metabo used to make some nice tools, sadly I doubt that is still the case.

 

[neophyte]

Changing the name was the worst marketing decision by Hitachi in the history of the power tool industry. If they could be Hikoki in the rest of the damn world why couldn't they be Hikoki in the United States? They simultaneously cheapened the Metabo name and made Hitachi irrelevant all in one masterstroke of stupidity.

When the Hitachi power tools name was sold, the sale didn’t include the “Hitachi” brand name, which was probably a good idea on Hitachi’s part, since once someone else has the legal rights to a brand name, there can be future confusion and lawsuits over what and who the brand name represents. ( see “Sabatier” for knives, “Peddinghaus” for tools( I think there are three separate “Peddinghaus” brands), Electrolux for vacuums and appliances(this was resolved quickly)) etc.

As far as the “Hikoki” brand name, as soon as that new name was announced, there were people ridiculing the name on places like GarageJournal, and KKR( ie. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) the venture capital firm that now owns Metabo/Hitachi tools, likely decided not to use the new brand name tool users in the USA thought was stupid.
The “Metabo” brand however has a very good reputation in the USA, so KKR went with a modified version of that.
Also, maybe Lowes, the Home Center that has carried Hitachi as one of their major tool brands for a decade or way longer, might have preferred to use the “Metabo hpt” name rather than “Hikoki”.

 

[dnschmidt]

I think Hikoki is no more Japanese sounding than HItachi. As to users in the USA being stupid that's clearly factual.

 

[dutchgray]

I think Hikoki is no more Japanese sounding than HItachi. As to users in the USA being stupid that's clearly factual.

Especially considering it was Hitachi Koki before the sale but they just used the Hitachi part, so its a shortening of the name.

 

[FordTruckWench]

Metabo used to make some nice tools, sadly I doubt that is still the case.

The 18 volt cordless Metabo HPT tools are quite literally just Hitachi tools with the nameplate changed. Thus the provenance of the tool designs in known. But circling back to my first post: If the lineup will be gone from Lowes by the end of the summer, then that dramatically changes their appeal. And further, what if next year KKR sells the company to Walmart to be used as their premium line of tools?

 

[traumadoc2b]

The 18 volt cordless Metabo HPT tools are quite literally just Hitachi tools with the nameplate changed. Thus the provenance of the tool designs in known. But circling back to my first post: If the lineup will be gone from Lowes by the end of the summer, then that dramatically changes their appeal. And further, what if next year KKR sells the company to Walmart to be used as their premium line of tools?

The parent company also owns Metabo from Germany, which from the little bit I have read, has a good history and reputation. I doubt they would sell to Walmart, etc, but stranger things have happened.

I have a handful of Hitachi tools and still find them reliable. I agree with above that I doubt the tools under the Metabo name are substantially different from former Hitachi. The current company, KKR, has actually been making the same tools since before the name change from Hitachi to Metabo - they had a couple of years of rights to keep the Hitachi name after the company sale.

With regard to Lowes potentially cutting the brand from their shelves - who cares? Lowes is relatively overpriced anyhow. Menards carries Metabo, so there's an option to purchase in store, if you have any nearby. You can always buy online too, but I understand getting something in your hand before making a decision. Being concerned about a brand completely disappearing though would be worrisome, I just haven't heard anything to support that as likely to occur.

 

[IndyGarage]

Changing the name was the worst marketing decision by Hitachi in the history of the power tool industry. If they could be Hikoki in the rest of the damn world why couldn't they be Hikoki in the United States? They simultaneously cheapened the Metabo name and made Hitachi irrelevant all in one masterstroke of stupidity.

Yup, marketing -101. They made people confused about Metabo tools, and got rid of the Hitachi name.

Actually I've got a couple Hitachi grinders and they are very good. Not close to Metabo or Makita, but better than Bosch or Dewalt.

 

[FMC1959]

I don't know if the Lowes/ Metabo HPT deal has any exclusivity clause, like no HD. But if Lowes were to drop MHPT, maybe HD would pick them up?

As to why they would drop MHPT? Maybe they are throwing everything behind Flex as their premium brand power tools?

 

[bubinga]

Well, just brought my brother in Colorado a Metabo HPT WH18DBFL2QB 18 Volt
impact driver. (Brushless)
$96.50 at Amazon.
Reviews are good for the most part.
I had heard good things about them and heard they were still a decent tool I hope it does well for him he's mostly homeowner do it yourself home repair not professional, hard day in and day out hard use or anything.
I thought I was buying a decent tool now I am worried a little bit.

Amazon.com: 18V Cordless Impact Driver | 2.9 lbs | 1,522 in/lbs of torque | Up to 3,100 RPM | Up to 3,400 IPM | 1.5Ah battery and Charger | Metabo HPT WH18DBFL2QB: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: 18V Cordless Impact Driver | 2.9 lbs | 1,522 in/lbs of torque | Up to 3,100 RPM | Up to 3,400 IPM | 1.5Ah battery and Charger | Metabo HPT WH18DBFL2QB: Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

 

[Stuey]

I don't know what's going on with the OP's Lowe's store, but Lowe's has been refreshing their cordless displays, and now they're doing the same with Metabo HPT.

As far as potential brand or charger shortages, a LOT of brands are having difficulty getting resupplies in a timely manner. I would imagine that resupplying big box retailers is presently much more difficult than to independent suppliers since you need x-amount of product for y-number of stores nationwide. I can see HPT batteries and chargers in stock at Acme, haven't checked other retailers.

However, I'm worried about ending up with tools from a system that might not be around very long.

I don't think that's something to worry about with this brand.

 

[merkyworks]

While this image isn’t all encompassing or perfect I feel it gives a good idea of what brands are owned by who.

 

[XxToolAholicxX]

At my local Lowe’s Metabo tools are collecting dust and they changed the shelf spot look to me nobody is buying them.. If I were you I would go with a different company that will be around if you need parts or warranty like Dewalt, Mikita, Milwaukee.. Lowe’s seems to be really pushing their house brand Flex 24 volts which I think are way overpriced..

 

[bubinga]

Well, just brought my brother in Colorado a Metabo HPT WH18DBFL2QB 18 Volt
impact driver. (Brushless)
$96.50 at Amazon.
Reviews are good for the most part.
I had heard good things about them and heard they were still a decent tool I hope it does well for him he's mostly homeowner do it yourself home repair not professional, hard day in and day out hard use or anything.
I thought I was buying a decent tool now I am worried a little bit.

Amazon.com: 18V Cordless Impact Driver | 2.9 lbs | 1,522 in/lbs of torque | Up to 3,100 RPM | Up to 3,400 IPM | 1.5Ah battery and Charger | Metabo HPT WH18DBFL2QB: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: 18V Cordless Impact Driver | 2.9 lbs | 1,522 in/lbs of torque | Up to 3,100 RPM | Up to 3,400 IPM | 1.5Ah battery and Charger | Metabo HPT WH18DBFL2QB: Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

He said it works well.

 

[Paul_The_Builder]

I just want to clarify that the Metabo HPT tool lineup shares no parts, engineering, or interchangeability with Metabo power tools from Germany. At least not yet.

I agree the name change was stupid. My guess is that they did some market research, and that any Japanese name would be confused as being Chinese by the average American consumer, so they used the German Metabo brand name that they already owned, so that it wouldn't be viewed as "Chinese", although as far as I'm aware virtually all Metabo HPT tools are made in China...

I thought maybe the name change was preparing to start selling (German) Metabo tools in more places in the US, and the Metabo HPT being kind of the 2nd tier of the Metabo tool lineup, kind of like BluePoint and Snap-On.

 

[corn chip]

the germany metabo grinders are nice. have one of the larger models at work. 7 or 8in i believe. youtube teardown videos ive seen have shown german metabos to have some of the highest qaulity internals on the market

 

[William Payne]

I’m confused, Metabo is Metabo here in New Zealand and Hitachi is now Hikoki or something like that.

 

[2Busy]

Don’t know a thing about their power tools, only that they make darn good pneumatic nail guns. I have three of them, a framer and two finish nailers, branded Hitachi before the name change. Would be a pity if they ever discontinued those nailers.

 

[bubinga]

He said it works well.

He is still liking the little
HPT WH18DBFL2QB

 

[Badgerstate]

What's going on with Metabo HPT (née Hitachi) 18V cordless tools at Lowes? Most of the tools seem to have clearance pricing. And there is almost no supply of batteries and chargers to make those tools useful. Someone on this forum thought that Lowes will be dropping Metabo HPT. However, at a Lowes the other day, an employee mentioned they had set up the Metabo HPT area just two weeks ago. Could this be a pandemic related issue - perhaps the tools were stuck on a ship for months, while the batteries are unavailable because of the semiconductor shortage?

I ask because I'm in the market for a cordless 6.5" circular saw. I'm not committed to any of the cordless systems, though I do have a Dewalt Max20 charger courtesy of a lithium converted drill I inherited.

Right now my leading contender is the Dewalt brushless saw. Second place is the Makita brushless. The Milwaukee Fuel has been looked at but rejected for being overkill. (All of the previous are blade left saws.) A dark horse is the Metabo HPT saw. (It is blade right so not an exact equivalent.) It seems to be a quality tool at a competitive price.

However, I'm worried about ending up with tools from a system that might not be around very long. Beyond its presence at Lowes, it's unknown what the future holds for Hitachi/HiKoki/MetaboHPT. It seems like a brand that was at the punch bowl while the music stopped several chairs ago.

Menards sells Metabo HPT too.

 

[tarbellb]

Metabo = Metabo some German but now mostly China made tools

Hitachi = Hitachi almost exclusively China made, medium tiered tools

Metabo HPT= merger of brand names but all Hitachi based tools

Hikoki= old school/ foreign markets Hitachi, still some real Japan made winners in there


The future= A garbage pile of branding with a mix of good, bad, and decent tools from all of over.

 

[bubinga]

He said it works well.

I don't know why everybody seems to act like these Metabo hpts are junk?
The reviews are good on them my brother says it's good.
Well I guess time will tell?

 

[Mallen]

I noticed the same thing. They seem to have no ed them out and cleared out some but just changed the displays around. I think they had to lose some of various tools across multiple lines to make room for their new tool line. I forget what it's called, but I've never heard of it before. They call their batteries "24v flex" or something

 

[IndyGarage]

Hitachi tools were not junk before Metabo bought them and renamed them Metabo HTP - I have both a 4 1/2 inch and a 7 inch Hitachi grinder and they both are among the better grinders I have. No problem using them. They aren't as good as a true Metabo grinder, but neither is anything else.

 

[tjansson]

I really like my Hitachi/ Metabo HPT stuff. The 18v Brushless circular saw has been great for me. I just wish they had a better product range like M18 or Makita. For instance, they need some new lighting options. I was "forced" to get into M18 because a year ago Metabo HPT didn't have a cordless trim router.