Sears Professional tools/equipment any better?

There has been talk on here about the lack of quality of Sears chainsaws, etc. I noticed Their Craftsman line was going to the dogs about 5-7 years ago too.

Is their "Professional" line of equipment any better? Our store has a Professional power washer I have looked at all summer. Only want it to wash farm equipment, decks, tractors, other equipment, etc. Not be a contractor use/duty cyvle.

Downside from observation: Looks like it has the low cost Briggs and Stratton engine (not cast iron cylinder) and an aluminum pump.

On the upside, the wand is metal/brass. My guess it is a mid quality machine, sale price (on "sale" almost all of time) is $439. I'm located in Iowa if geographic location matters.

I was at the John Deere dealer yesterday picking up some parts. I noticed they had one with an electric motor and another with a gasoline engine. Anybody know anything about them? I know some of John Deere's small machinery has used Suburu engines in the past. Can you imagine getting engine parts if Deere decides to drop Suburu? I was in a hurry and did not have time to ask prices or check out the washers up close.

Thanks,
Bill.

"professional" is their attempt to trick you
into buying a typical overseas made "Crapsman"
purchased from the "Low bidder/supplier"

Have you been watching Craigslist? Any pawn shops in your area? Find yourself a good used one with a Honda engine....not a clone Honda. You should be able to find a good used one for less than half the price of the Craftsman, and you will be a lot happier with it. I've had mine for at least 10 years and have never had any problems with it. Just like you, mine is just used now and then for machinery, driveway etc.

A new label for Junk!

Spend some cash and get something the will last, not professional junk from sears or wally world!

I bought a new Briggs & Stratton 2,600 PSI power washer at TSC about 6 years ago. I don't know how many hours are on it but is has been run a lot! I drag it into work with me for clean-ups ahead of inspections and it is literally run tank of gas to tank of gas for hours. Of course the oil is checked every gas fill up and changed every few days under those circumstances. And when done with it, I fully winterize it. The only problem I had in all those years was one bad ignition mag which was a cheap fix. I paid full price for it and I think it was $259. Stay away from the electric ones. We have a couple of them at work that are used weekly and the motors burn up on them almost monthly.
For Craftsman power tools, great homeowner crap. Most of it is Chinese just like the Irwin tools crap. Milwaukee has let us down in some respects by having several of their tools made in Mexico, but so far they seem to hold up ok. Lenox cutting blades are from "global components" and not worth carrying out of the store.

For $10 less you would be better off with this one. It's not a Honda GX engine but it's better than a low quality Briggs. Your best bet would be something like this. Should last forever. What you really want on a pressure washer is a Honda GX engine and a Cat,Comet,or General triplex pump. Axial pumps are rated to last about 1/2? of triplex pumps.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200347873_200347873
2800psi 2.5 gpm Honda GC

Most of the John Deere pressure washers are made by Mity-M-Manufacturing, Mi-T-M. They are located at Peosta,Iowa. They make a pretty good pressure washer. I have one with a Honda on it that I have had for over 12 years. Paid $795.

If you don't need to be real portable I would go with an electric one. Much less maintenance. I have a electric one mounted by the shop door. It is twenty years old. It just is the pump and an electric motor, no soap or anything else. I have it hard plumbed in and on a switch. It is mounted high up on the wall out of the way.

Here is a link to a real good consumer one at TSC. It has a cheaper Honda and is 3000 PSI and 2.5 gallon per minute. $479.99 is a good price for a gas powered unit. The Consumer grade Honda is still better than a B&S engine.

http://www.external_link/outdoor-power-equipment/pressure-washers-accessories-parts/pressure-washers/powerboss-reg-model-020309-consumer-3000-psi-gas-cold-water-pressure-washer-carb-compliant-4100721


Mi-T-M Corporation
8650 Enterprise Drive, Peosta, IA 52068-9433
(563) 556-7484

Answer to your question NO

You can do better else where for less money. Last year I bought one with a Honda engine and a comet pump for less than $400 and I didn't have to stand in line for 15 minutes while the store clerk tried to beat the poor sap in front of me into an extended warranty on his shop vac

Nobody designs equipment especially for Sears. Whatever the saws, mowers, etc. Poulan makes the better Sears saws or at least they used to. You can buy the same saw painted pea green for less money. That's how sears makes their money. They pay extra to have it labeled and painted as there brand. That makes it cost more. Then they add their markup. As time goes on they sell cheaper & cheaper stuff and put more markup on it.

I can't speak as to Craftsman quality as I no longer purchase anything from Sears. What I CAN say is that they have refused to honor their gaurantee twice when I attempted return broken tools. There isn't going to be a third time.

I guess I am just one of the lucky ones with craftsman tools, anything I have ever taken in for warranty was replaced, if they didn"t happen to have it (twice, both times sockets, 12 point) the salesman took my name and number and called me when it came in. Only ever took a ratchet back again twice, one I broke, the other, someone gave to me already broken. Number of screwdrivers with broken ends, all phillips, again, no problem. Maybe our store just has good guys.

I have bought a lot of tools lately from Sears. 90+ % Made in USA! I havent bought a power tool for many years from them because most are made in China. Speaking of screw drivers specifically... I questioned 2 salesman on the difference between regular, & professional series. Both of them said the hardened handles would hold up much better on the regular series. Said the soft handles on the professional will not stand up to the abuse most people give them, Chemicals break them down faster, & smacking them with a hammer will crack, & split the rubber. The hardened steel was in their opinion was the same on both types! The professional is just made for a more comfortable fit, & not for HD work in their opinion! Glad they were honest!!!

The one thing I hate about Craftsman / Sears tools... If You buy some of the cheaper tool sets; say around under $300. You can be almost guaranteed they are going to leave at least 1 metric, & one standard socket, wrench, whatever purposely out of the set so You have to go buy that peice at 5 times what it would have cost in the set! I absolutely beleive that it is done on purpose!!! Have put my sockets, wrenches, & related equipment in severe tressing, & have been very happy with the quality overall. I have never broke one yet; but know people that have.

The thing I really like about them. I know a store manger personally. He is a farmer as well. Told me back in the spring someone had a garage fire. Craftman replaced everything; about $2,000 worth of tools without an argument. He didnt think they would that. That says something right there about customer service. Heat stress isnt their fault!

I am with you. I have not been in a Sears store in years. Since they refused to replace a steam cleaner. My wife bought. Two days old and stopped working.

I buy Husky tools at Home Depot. For the easy work I do now. They work just fine and a lot cheaper. Snap-On is really out of my budget.

Do tool trucks still come around. I have not seen one in months. Even on my trips back to Dallas.

I was at the Sears warehouse in Garland TX one day. By the dumpster working on a generator. Could not believe what they were throwing away. Saw them throw away tool sets by the pallet load. Ask one of the workers about it. He said parts were missing out of the sets. Told him why not take the part missing in one set. From another set and have a full set to sell. Told me that would mess up the control system.

Same logic the military has.

I agree.

I've had good luck with nearly all Craftsman merchandise and have so for over 40 years.

The main reason that I still buy from Sears is their service parts organization. I can nearly always buy parts quickly and easily over a toll free phone line for merchandise 25 or 30 years old.

Dean

Every thing Ive ever taken to Sears to get replaced that was Craftsman,they always replaced it.That was in different stores and different places.I dont believe that they wouldnt replace something that was Craftsman.Not at any store Ive been to anyway.Also being a mechanic and using tools a lot,Ive worn stuff out,and they would replace it.Wear a Snap On wrench out and see if they will replace it.
Also about everybody that I know has some Craftsman tools.They have had them for years.Probably were the first tools they got when they started being a mechanic.I dont get whenever there is a post on here about Craftsman that you have several people running them down about every time.I doubt these people running Craftsman stuff down actually had Craftsman stuff to start with.
If you buy the cheaper Sears stuff,they wont replace them.Craftsman stuff I havent had a problem with.
As for the other stuff they sell,you can look at what they have at a Sears store for about any tool you can think of,and they probably have it.They have a lot more to choose from than even a Wal-Mart.If you buy the cheapest thing they have,and it doesnt last very long,and its made in China,thats what the whole country has turned in to.They always sold junk,but it wasnt always made in China.Nowdays they sell stuff and have to compete with other stores selling junk as well.However the Craftsman hand tools they do replace.You have to be careful about anything else you buy anywhere you go.Look for made in USA as much as you can.

T40 I didn't think I would ever agree with you on much but in my small town I have looked for US made tools for projects and many times ended up in K-Mart in the Craftsman tool section.

They carry domestic tools and I will spend the extra few bucks to buy them.

Brad Buchanan

"...I dont get whenever there is a post on here about Craftsman that you have several people running them down about every time.I doubt these people running Craftsman stuff down actually had Craftsman stuff to start with...."

Yeah? You can doubt it till you turn green as far as I'm concerned. I know differently. I've heard the "gaurantee", bought Craftsman, some of it failed, and Sears refused to honor their "gaurantee". Not much to misunderstand there. It just isn't going to happen to me again whether you understand it or not.

They key to getting Sears to honor the hand tool warranty is to not leave the store .Ask for the manager and state what the warranty is to him/her. Sometimes they just don't know . Its unconditional. You could say " I no longer like the feel of this wrench handle" . I admit I have failed but simply went to a different Sears and was told the new ones are over there. For a guaranteed, resonable price, tool Craftsman is good quality and adding K-Mart to the equation just helps more convenience. I agree that Snap-On dealers whine when you have a return.{ but for what I paid I'm getting a new one from them too].

That doesnt explain what your problem with getting stuff replaced is.You also dont say what it is that you couldnt get replaced.The hand tools are what they guarantee.Something with an electric motor on it they might not have but a year guarantee on it.You could go to a different store if they dont know tools are guaranteed,or are playing dumb or whatever.That somebody working at a Sears store doesnt know the hand tools are guaranteed doesnt really surprise me,But you might have to get a manager or somebody to get it done.
Also I thought I would mention while Im at it,I had a ratchet that I bought at Wal Mart over 10 years ago,that broke.It was a Popular Mechanics brand.I saw on here where they had posted an 800 number for Popular Mechanics tools and called them and got a brand new Ratchet.First I called Wal Mart and they said it wasnt guaranteed.I told them that is says lifetime guarantee right on it.They said they just sold the tools and I would have to call the manufacturer.Also this spring my boy found a ratchet laying in the street that was broke.It was a Stanley.I called them after I found a number for them on the internet, and got 2 new ratchets from them in my mailbox about a week later.
So,I dont care what you say,Craftsman tools are guaranteed,its up to you to get it guaranteed though.If you go in any place,and you asked just whoever you found,you might not get a lot done.You have to find somebody that can do something.Or you could just go in there and ask for a manager to start with.Probably will be a lot happier with the results.
Whoever posted that 800 number for Popular Mechanics tools a while back,Thanks!Also,even if its not Craftsman,you might be able to get a new hand tool if its guaranteed.Craftsman,that has made in the USA on it,are good tools.They might be a little odd,plus too big to fit in tight places,but they get the job done most of the time.Lots of professional Mechanics have at least some Craftsman tools.I dont know of any mechanics that have Craftsman tools that couldnt get them replaced.So maybe you should try a little harder,and dont take no for an answer.Maybe have a Sears main office on your cell phone and tell whoever is refusing to replace your tools to ask him whether or not the tools are guaranteed.If that doesnt work,find a mechanic and take him with you and see if they tell him they wont replace it and see what he tells them.Sometimes you might have to get a little tough to get what you want.Especially when you are right.

I dont care who,and for whatever reason anybody does or doesnt agree with me.There are things that I know about and I just tell it like it is.If you dont agree,thats up to you.Ill be the first to admit that I could be wrong,if there is any doubt.However I know Craftsman tools will be replaced at a Sears store.I also know the tools that are made in the USA are a lot better than any of the Chinese,or Japanese,or Tiawan made crap that the junk dealers sell.
So if you need something,and can afford a few extra bucks to get it,buy made in USA Craftsman tools and they will last a long time as long as you use them right.
When you use tools enough to wear them out,its not very hard to tell which ones are good,and which ones arent.
I will say that I have taken a Snap On wrench,and had to beat it on a bolt that somebody rounded off,(maybe even with a Craftsman wrench)and removed the bolt with the Snap On wrench.Ive done that lots of times.You wont do that with a Craftsman though.Maybe with the Professional grade Craftsman wrench.But I dont have any to try it.A lot of times the stuff they sell for higher price is just that,higher priced,but doesnt work any better.I do have a professional grade Craftsman ratchet that Ive had since the 1990s and never broke it.Ive broken all of the other ratchets including Snap On that Ive owned since the 1990s.I work on Diesel engines and big trucks where bolts are tight,rusty,and it just takes good tools to do the work.A ratchet that can survive that long is good Id say.