Knowing the kind of tools you will need for a job is only half the battle. If you need to procure tools for yourself and your team, you have a lot to consider as a contractor. Reliability, durability, cord and cordless options are all important factors with power tools. And oftentimes, a company will stake its name on these specific factors.
Contractors Society of America has comprised a list of the best power tool brands based on the firsthand experiences of other contractors, brand reputation and of course, personal experience. The brands we have chosen here also represent versatility. In other words, these are the brands that have the most use across a broad range of contractor fields. Whether you are an HVAC contractor, a roofing contractor a remodeling contractor or any type of contractor of the like, you will surely find a use for the tools made by the following brands.
Keep in mind that in this list, we are focusing on the brands that make the best power tools for professional use. While many of these brands also emphasize consumer and DIY usability, we are going to be focusing on professional contractor use.
Milwaukee
If you have been a contractor in the last century, then you know the name Milwaukee. Milwaukee was established in 1924, and they are innovators when it comes to cordless power tools. In fact, they were the first power tool manufacturer to integrate rechargeable lithium-ion battery technology into their power tools.
This is one of the things we like best about the Milwaukee brand. As a contractor, we don’t have to tell you how handy cordless power tools are. But reliability and charging are always an issue. Milwaukee power tools charge quickly, stay juiced for a long time and the batteries don’t burn themselves out as quickly as other of the best power tool brands.
We personally loved the Milwaukee 2896-24 18V Combo kit which includes an M18 Fuel Sawzall. This sawzall is a beast. Whether you are cutting through vinyl fascia or the nails that secure them, this thing maintains its power via the innovative M18 Fuel power system that Milwaukee has garnered tons of industry praise for. The set comes with interchangeable spare batteries which is always helpful on the job site.
Another great thing about Milwaukee power tools is that all of their modern products run off of one of four battery systems. So you can use the same battery for your Milwaukee hex impact driver as you do for your Milwaukee hammer drill.
Craftsman
Craftsman may not be the first name you think of when you think of the best power tool brands for contractors, but that is only because they have brands under them. Craftsman is actually part of the Stanley Black & Decker family of products so right off the bat, you know they are manufactured to strict standards of quality.
But the main reason we included them in our best of the best power tool brands for contractors is that they manufacture perhaps the widest array of power tools, hand tools and outdoor equipment of any other brand; which means this brand is useful for a variety of contractors.
For instance, did you know that Weedwacker is actually a Craftsman brand? It’s true. Weedwacker has become a general term for all kinds of string trimmers but the specific name is a registered trademark of Craftsman.
If you are a landscape contractor then you couldn’t do too much better in terms of a string trimmer than a Weedwacker from Craftsman.
Aside from tool versatility, Craftsman has also become known for power versatility. They offer a generous line of corded, cordless, battery and gas-powered tools. So no matter what your preference is or what your line of work calls for as a contractor, Craftsman will more than likely have a set of tools you can get great use out of.
Ridgid
We couldn’t forget about our plumbing and HVAC contractors out there. That’s why we have included Ridgid in our list of the best power tool brands. Ridgid is known for reliability. The company was founded in 1923 and began specializing in quality hand tools like pipe wrenches. But in our personal experience, Ridgid makes some of the best drill kits and impact drivers we have ever used.
They last a really long time and maintain consistent performance no matter how hard you work them. But let’s get down to brass tacks. The Ridgid brand will be your best friend especially if you are an HVAC or plumbing contractor. Their hand tools for these specific trades are world-renowned and although they offer just a limited line in terms of power tools, even they are a solid choice.
Ridgid is also an affordable brand if you are shopping for power tools. If you are looking for a basic set of power tools that can be put to multiple uses, Ridgid is a great brand to choose.
Bosch
Bosch represents one of the oldest companies on our list. The company began in Germany all the way back in 1886. Bosch made our list for a number of reasons. The first of which has to do with the brand versatility. Bosch is known for making power tools for virtually every trade. If you are in residential construction, Bosch has specialized tools for you. If you are a plumbing contractor, Bosch makes a power tool you won’t be able to do without. If you are an electrician, you likely already have some Bosch tools in your arsenal.
We have personally worked with Bosch tools a great deal and on different job sites we have noticed one thing about Bosch power tools: they keep a charge for a very long time. We have seen crews complete multiple projects on a single charge. In particular, we really like the performance of the 18V Bosch drill set. It delivers 1,500 pounds of torque which is enough for metal workers and professional construction contractors alike. And the hammer and anvil system that they innovated for their impact drivers is one of the most impressive we have ever come across. Again, with just one charge, we were able to use this impact driver on multiple projects without losing any impact power.
In our opinion, their 18V tool sets are the best. The reciprocating saws and hammer drills pack enough power to get a variety of jobs done and you don’t have to fumble around with chargers and batteries as much as you do with other power tool brands.
Makita
If you prefer to use pneumatic tools in your line of work, then you are probably already well-acquainted with the Makita brand. Makita makes some of the best compressed-air powered tools in the industry. Their family of pneumatic nailers represent the acme of durability, precision, and power.
The interesting thing is that Makita didn’t even start making power tools until the 50s. They make a wide variety of power tools and equipment which were designed for the job site (their industrial fans and radios are some of the best we have ever come across) which is one of the reasons we chose to include them on our list of the best power tool brands for contractors.
The cordless line of 18V power tools from Makita, which features the incomparable brushless XDT impact driver, is the way to go if you are just getting started with Makita tools. They are never underpowered and provide long battery life that any type of contractor will appreciate. They are designed very well too. We know contractors that have owned a single Makita power tool for over a decade and still use it to this day.
But perhaps the most impressive thing about Makita power tools is the consistency of quality throughout their product catalog. They make rotary hammers that are the top-choice for many construction contractors we know, power sanders that woodworkers get decades of use from and circular saws that are considered the best by many construction contractors. In short, they are versatile. Many types of contractors can benefit greatly from the consistent performance of a wide variety of Makita power tool. And that’s why we like this brand so much.
Honorable Mentions
There were a few other brands that we wanted to include in our list such as Ryobi, Black + Decker and Kobalt. But if we added any more brands to our list, we would have composed an overly-long blog. Instead, our succinct list features the best of the best. Hopefully we have shed some light on these worthy brands and maybe even helped you with your next purchase. Here at Contractors Society of America, we are always looking to provide helpful resources to our fellow contractors and tradesmen. Feel free to get in touch with us for more helpful information.