Tool Shopping in Switzerland 🇨🇭

[CGarage]

I just got back from Switzerland and had a great time doing a little tool shopping, just outside of Zürich.

I normally spend most of my time in Suisse in the French cities, in particular, Geneva and Neuchâtel.

I found tool heaven here, and had to share the photos. See below posts. First the tools, then the tool heaven of Switzerland.

Enjoy.

A great place to buy tools:

Brütsch / Rüegger Tools Ltd.
About 20 minutes outside of Zürich, in an industrial park area.

Website: www.BRW.ch

 

[RTM]

No pix

OK, fixed below

 

[rancherbill]

Link is not working

 

[ive]

Sounds like a wonderful time.

 

[CGarage]

First, the tools.

I was already flying back with a suitcase full of wine and Christmas ornaments from Basel, so I had limited space.

I bought:

PB Swiss pin punches for roughly ~ 4.50 CHF each

A Watchmakers screwdriver with various chisel ground tips for ~ 20,00 CHF (no country of origin but it is well made)

A PB Swiss screwdriver set for around ~ 80 CHF

A Futuro #6 flat head screwdriver for around ~ 9 CHF (I have never seen this Swiss brand before, www.Futuro.ch )
I wonder if it is an OEM brand made by PB Swiss ??? The shaft design and manufacturing seems to be identical to PB Swiss

And some Swiss screwdriver holder racks from Swiss Toufix.

 

[CGarage]

I just got back from Switzerland and had a great time doing a little tool shopping, just outside of Zürich.

I normally spend most of my time in Suisse in the French cities, in particular, Geneva and Neuchâtel, Sainte-Croix and Estavayer-Le-Lac.

I found tool heaven here, and had to share the photos.

Enjoy.

A great place to buy tools:

Brütsch / Rüegger Tools Ltd.
About 20 minutes outside of Zürich, in an industrial park area.

Website: www.BRW.ch

It seems they are doing website maintenance.

 

[CGarage]

A shot of Zürich at night. The tool store and warehouse is about a 15 to 20 minute drive away….actually not very far but a lot of traffic in Zürich.

 

[CGarage]

I totally made a mess of this thread because I have not been able to find the photos I took of the beautiful tool store near Zürich.

Anyway, today, we went to a Bauhaus tool store in Switzerland for cement to do some work in the garden, and I went inside to photograph the hand tool aisle.

Primary brands are:

PB Swiss
Wera
Matador
Stabila
Bauhaus “house brand” stamped “made in EU”
Wisent (seems to be an Asian brand, like a Craftsman, making all kinds of hand tools, but the tool boxes I think are nicer and better quality for the money than current US Craftsman)

The Bauhaus store originated in Germany. But we have them in Switzerland. The stores are quite large, and you can drive into the building materials area, directly inside the warehouse, to pick up materials. It’s really great.

Also, note the excellent lighting via a giant, atrium skylight.

 

[CGarage]

Additional pictures from today…

 

[Jtels85]

Such a cool trip, thank you for sharing!

 

[CGarage]

Today, a trip to the other big German home store in Switzerland, a trip to Hornbach.

 

[CGarage]

Additional pics

 

[CGarage]

Today’s purchases:

Witte Germany stainless steel bit kit
Mauererlob polymer 1m folding rule
KWB Germany precision screwdriver and nut driver set

 

[AJHD]

I'm sure Europe has its fair share of off-shore ****, but I'm jealous that they have easier and more regular access to made in Europe tools/European brands.

It seems like almost everything we have in the US at any store is made/sold by the same handful of companies and almost all of it is off-shore. Some good, more bad.

But if you want made in USA or made in Europe (European brand), it's a considered a premium specialty tool and priced accordingly. Outside of the internet and tool trucks, they are rarely seen in the wild.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

I'm jealous that they have easier and more regular access to made in Europe tools/European brands.

Likewise.

But if you want made in USA or made in Europe (European brand), it's a considered a premium specialty tool and priced accordingly

Came here to say pretty much this.

Seems good tools are normalised there.

Reminds me of food in the supermarket in my country. For a given item, there's often a premium native option, and mid and cheap options from Asia. But no mid native option.

 

[CGarage]

Swiss Army Issue general maintenance tool set I just bought, complete with its deployment case.

 

[RTM]

Today’s purchases:

Witte Germany stainless steel bit kit
Mauererlob polymer 1m folding rule
KWB Germany precision screwdriver and nut driver set

Will be curious about incoming tariffs if you carry those back w you. I usually buy used tools when I travel, but occasionally new ones, mostly folding rules, SAK, and a plane so far, but under old rules

 

[CGarage]

My toolbox will be the least of my worries with all of the Swiss and French wine I am taking!

In reality, I am leaving most of the tools in Switzerland to use. Only bringing a few of them to the U.S. that are unique.

 

[CGarage]

Swiss Army multimeter included in my tool box.

 

[Nutria]

The Swiss big orange box looks like a big step up from the U.S. big orange box.

 

[CGarage]

Especially because the staff are well trained, eager to help you, and proud of the store.

I use Lowe’s now in the U.S.

The dim lighting in Home Depot / Home Dump already makes it feel depressed when walking in.

 

[Outahere]

Today, a trip to the other big German home store in Switzerland, a trip to Hornbach.

From what manufacturer is that grey pickup truck (with the grey pickup bed trailer) parked in front of the Hornbach store, in your 1st photo?

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

I could be wrong, but to me that looks like a Ford Ranger with a (custom) trailer made by ORP, using an original Ford Ranger bed.

https://matsch-und-piste.de/ford_ranger-anhaenger_orp/

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[CGarage]

I am not sure what kind of truck it is. Maybe a Nissan Frontier? I do not know much about pickup trucks.

 

[dnschmidt]

I don't know you, I've never met you but I now hate you. We have HD and Lowes which both **** and you're in tool heaven. The green monster shows it's ugly head once again.

 

[CGarage]

Simple solution- Just move to Switzerland and problem solved. Between the two stores, I prefer Bauhaus, but both are greatly superior to HD / Lowe’s.

 

[CGarage]

As far as the tool market in Switzerland, it is influenced by the culture and language of where you are located.

Switzerland is a country with 4 official languages and therefore, cultures.

In the Germanic region, you will see more German tool brands.

In the French speaking region, you will see more Facom availability.

I have not gone tool shopping in the Italian or Romansh region, so I am not sure what to expect there.

That said, the Swiss are thrifty and not wasteful. The country is quite small, and nearly everything is recycled or repurposed because they do not have space for large landfills / garbage dumps. As a result, it is common for home tools to be passed from grandfather, to father, to son- and all lovingly cared for along the way.

This is a very different mentality to U.S. consumerism and buying something for a year and replacing it. Walmart isn’t everywhere in Switzerland.

 

[CGarage]

Swiss Army issued field portable tool box for electronics. Made in Germany.