My Terrible Craftsman Hand Tool Warranty Experience
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- I had a terrible nightmare experience trying to warranty this 44816 ratchet. in the end I was offered a insufficient amount of credit on Sears website where they do not sell any craftsman ratchet individually much less an equivalent model for the $41 of credit I was offered.
I altogether gave up on Craftsman ages ago... and never looked back.
Same here. Started working at Sears part time while in college in 1970. Started accumulating Craftsman tools with my 10% employee discount (just the bare necessities as I was in college) . Continued to accumulate them after college but as of about 20 years ago I literally had every socket and screwdriver and plier they made at the time. All USA made. Never had to warranty a one. Still can't believe what has happened to Sears and Craftsman. Thanks Mr. Lampert.
Me too. I gave up on them in 2003 when trying to warranty out a broken 3/8's swivel. I started buying Snap On (when it was affordable) and never looked back.
Back in 1988 I tried to warranty a Craftsman ratchet and was given a repair kit instead of a replacement tool. I would have been OK with that, but the repair kit did not include a replacement for the worn part. Explaining that to the clerk that made no difference. That's when I gave up on Craftsman tools. I am surprised to see that Craftsman products are still on the market.
Craftsman was the mid grade tool brand you could walk into a Sears and replace it. Now that they're gone, the only brand I can think of which close is Chinese-made Husky by Home Depot. Otherwise, with other brands you would have to call the company and ship the old tool in. I checked on Autozone's Duralast and they are still for sale. You can still walk in and buy $160 180 piece tool sets from Autozone, part# 61-950. My understanding is Husky and Duralast are made by the same Chinese company. You can also walk in and buy $230 290 piece Husky Mechanics tool sets from Home Depot. Because I am not a mechanic, I maintained my 1968 302 Mustang Fastback, 6919 Holley, 2121 Edelbrock aluminum manifold, Mallory Unilite distributor, with inexpensive SAE socket sets. The only Craftsman tools I have, all USA made, are a plier set, screwdriver set, and a flare nut wrench set. The flare nut wrench set was the only must have Craftsman tool set because everything else is garbage.
@@hilltopmachineworks2131, yeah at some point snap-on got insanely expensive, & for the money you can get just as good quality at HF w Icon, or just buy an old broken unit on eBay, then get the rebuild kit for it to fix it.
I think that Lowe’s may come to regret the day they took on the Craftsman line.
I won't buy any, have several Kobalt, but they have almost none now.
Craftsman customers apparently already do regret it.
Stanley Black & Decker bought Craftsman to control market shares. With Dewalt being the Midgrade tool and Mac Tools being the premium tool. Craftsman now sits at the bottom of the good better best merchandising model currently being used. Lowe’s actually appreciates having a highly visible brand in that category to compare their own in house brands.
I agree
They acquired the new (Chinese) Craftsman but that doesn’t mean they are on the hook for all past Craftsman products. That craftsman is dead and gone!
I just used the warranty on three craftsman sockets at Lowe’s. Waited at the counter with the 3 equivalents for like 30 min. They swapped them without question once I finally got to talk to them but wow. They should change the store name to Slowes
Better go buy a lotto ticket. You got lucky once.
Slowes now that’s funny
Slowes blowes or walmart wanta be.
Lowes is understaffed TOO! Cant KEEP ppl/always hiring. Go into tool dept, THERE'S NO ONE THERE!!!🙄
@@riceburner4747 while my carpenter neighbor was between jobs he got hired. He was working 8 hours during a extra busy Saturday due to huge sale. He told the boss after working 6 hours that was taking his lunch & break. Boss said can not take either so he quit in the spot. He told them that if they would have scheduled an extra person would have sold thousands more but people keep walking out the door after waiting too long.
Gave up Craftsman years ago, still have tool boxes full of their old stuff but Harbor Frieght is my go to for hand tools and Milwaukee of battery power tools . HF lifetime warranty is fantastic and no hassle .
So was Sears stores, when they were open.
Could get any craftsman tool replaced with no questions.
later on,even when most Sears were open,they pushed the rebuild kits for ratchets and would not allow a full replacement,at that point I was done with them.
I agree. This weekend I took some tools in for my step Dad to get warranty swapped. First stop, HF. Had a Quinn screwdriver with a chipped tip and a Pittsburgh 3/4" drive ratchet that was skipping once in a while.
Got replacements, no questions, no hassle. They were out of the individual ratchet so they had to break a new kit apart. The store manager said he would sell me the remainder of the kit for 20% off. I said sure. Left as a happy customer as always.
Next stop, Lowes. Not the same story at all. Had a 3/8 Drive Craftsman Ratchet and two screwdrivers with broken tips to warranty swap and a 1/2 inch Drive Socket that cracked. Was able to get the soccer replace but not the rachador screwdrivers because even though they had an exact match, item number was different from the old ones. Told me I had to call craftsmen who then refers you to Sears whom you have to email pictures of the tools along with a photo ID to get them sent to you.
Also I recently discovered that Snap-on won't warranty swap any hand tools if you are not the original purchaser! For the money they charge their stuff should be warranted till the cows come home.
I wonder why Harbor Freight is quickly becoming the number one hand tool source and not just with DIYers either. I know a lot of industrial maintenance techs who use Harbor Freight for hand tools because the warranty and value is unmatched and you don't have to wait next week for the tool truck to show up to replace broken tools.
Go on Amazon can find better tools for cheaper price than harbor fright.
Except u need to bring in the full set of socket to harbor freight to warranty one so if u loose a socket ur just fucked plus u can't replace that lost socket without buying a whole set
Craftsman is NOT Craftsman. Prior to 2013 Sears had a laboratory that test any product that was branded, Craftsman, DieHard Kenmore etc. In 2010-2012, the guy sold the brand to other companies. In a cost saving move Eddie Lambert chopped most of the Department 817, known internally ( the Lab) and all along started buying product that would normally be classed as unacceptable as Craftsman.
I worked my last 2 years (out of the Hoffman Estates building) in hand tools particularly testing that type of product, and the tools in particular would never had passed 2 years before. I said then when Sears was bought by Eddie was would drop quality and sell on reputation alone, when it was nears worthless (about 20 years) he would sell it or walk away from it, guess what!
The Lab had turned 100 years old that year, and I wondered why there was no celebration, well that year he got rid of the majority of the Lab. They relied on manufacturers test results, well when you drop quality and you choose to purchase product of lesser quality, I guess they would be acceptable with out internal quality checking to see if it met standards, Craftsman like that tested was tested to 1.5 times federal standards, that’s what military and government personnel used.
Try another Lowe’s. Also go get the item you want before going to customer service. I’ve heard that they don’t train on how to warranty craftsman and that people’s experiences vary depending on the store.
Good luck
Yes sir, did the same thing with my girlfriends battery at advance auto, first said battery checks good and so I took the battery to a different advance auto and they replaced it.
And Mr. Advance auto store employee that was the problem.
Very true, went into my local lowes not to long ago to warranty out a (get this! 30 year old craftsmen vice grips) they had a broken handle lever release deal. I had them in my tool box for years, kind of just wanted to see if they'd uphold the craftsmen life warranty, took about 25 35 minutes and I had already went and grabbed the new Chinese equivalent, the new style with the black and red rubber grips. It took some time and dealing with 3 customer service employees. The lead supervisor wasn't the happiest about it..hated to trade made in USA for China but hey, they were broke. I guess these days you just got to have a bit of patience and make sure you explain what your trying to do in the proper way.
They seem to train them EXTENSIVELY after you call or email Corporate Lowes and complain.
Another reason to buy Harbor Freight. Walk in, replace, leave. No way that Craftsman ratchet is any better than what you get at H.F.
The gray handle composite HF ratchets are outstanding, check them out
If you are lucky enough that they have it in stock in a set since they do not carry individual sockets
Similar experience here in Charlotte, NC at both Lowe's and Ace. If it's not on the shelf, they won't exchange it. I called the number Ace gave me. The operator said she'd send a replacement ratchet and screwdriver. 1 year later and still has not arrived...spoiler alert, it'll never arrive. I, like many, am done with that nonsense. Folks can say what you will, but Harbor Freight honors their tool warranty with no questions asked. I gotta shop where I get good customer service, regardless of what others think or trash talk.
My sister worked for Lowe's and being older with a work ethic they took full advantage. The manager would ask her where his other employees were because they would simply disappear, take long breaks and she would have to cover registers for them. She told me one girl came into work with an attitude and said she had a hard day and didn't feel like working and they allowed her to just sit and relax while again my sister had to work basically double the lines with the other register closed. She quit right after that shift.
@@fastbusiness If the prices weren't so good I would never go to a Lowes. The customer service dept. is horrible. No really knows what to do. You order something and you get phones calls that don't have it in stock even though their website says they do. Sometimes they have it but the employees can't find so you have to go and look yourself. There are rarely any experts in any dept. to assist you with questions. They page them and you wait forever. (You can experience this at Home Depot but less likely) I just don't understand how they stay in business cos no one is trained properly or they are just not qualified to do their jobs or just plain lazy.
@@twinwankel The Lowes near me seems to have one person in each department who knows about the items in it. Sometimes there are only a few people in the whole store who can really help you if you have a complicated question or need an item for a specific application. Most employees will tell you anything to avoid showing how ignorant they are. They probably are more qualified to answer how many pickles are on a big mack. It's not totally their fault though, since Lowes mainly hires people part time. They don't seem to care about the job, it is just a paycheck. That's one reason there is permanently a help wanted sign on the door.
Lol!
I ordered a new "metal" roof for my home & asked if they would print out the invoice so that I could look it over to make sure everything I needed or didn't need was on there just wanted to make sure it was right before the special order "good price but still very expensive" and they said the only way they would print it was I had to purchase it first. So they just lost a big money deal.
Very funny that I see this video come out two weeks after seeing a 'legacy' ratchet being sold in Lowes, absolutely not new, there were engravings in it and scratched to heck. Almost bought it for $10 just for the fun of it.
I have not bought a Craftsman ratchet in almost 20 years. As a teenager in the late 80s, I bought most of my Craftsman tools in the late 80 to mid 90s. The ratchets then were already well on their way down to garbage. Ive broken them over the years, warranteed them out, bought rebuild kits for them as its really easy to rebuild them and even faster to rebuild than drive 2 town over and haggle with the employees it wasn't abused, than wait for someone with the key. I keep several rebuild kits in my roll away now just in case. Since then, Ive found the Husky ratchets from the mid 90s were far superior, even able to use them with cheater bars on stuck truck lugs and they took it all. Also back then, I learned I was able to exchange the Craftsman ratchets at Home Depot for a matching Husky model. Took full advantage of that and wound up replacing many Craftsman ratchets there.
I still look around the yard sales and swap meets when I can for the true vintage Craftsman tools, I have a soft spot for them. Im a third generation Craftsman/Sears person and am truly disgusted by the downfall of Sears and Craftsman. A national icon destroyed.
It all happened when K-mart bought them out.
I have the same experience with Craftsman, same time frame. Agree completely!
I saved up 6 different tools from different brands, that I had bought from Lowes, which had broken under an advertised lifetime warranty. Every single tool was denied replacement, each for a different arbitrary reason. The Warranty process at Lowe's is advertising wank, with nothing behind it.
I had the same problem with Husky, I took it to The Home Depot and and they looked at me as if I were stupid!!! I no longer buy tools from Home Depot or Sears, some will disagree, but Harbor Freight is my new toy store. They NEVER give me a hard time on the warranty, no questions asked!!!!!
Same here! Craftsman hand tool for decades now HF for hand tools . Their Hercules Mitre Saw stand is the best in the business period for any price !
Wow Really? Was this a tool that is still available? I always thought Husky you just bring it in and they replace. I guess not...
@@miatafunrun3078 Yeah, they told me I had to go trough Husky, no warranty in The Home Depot store. To much of a hassle.
I had pretty much the same experience with a 3/8” breaker bar at Lowe’s. No luck at Ace Hardware either. No more Craftsman tools for me.
Years back in the 1960's Dad had craftman tools, i remember a wrench broke on him, so he was at sears and they gave him another one with no problems! Thing is dad's friend at the time died and dad got his tools in a will! As for me when i got out of school i went in the service, as a side line i worked on cars, but i started to buy Snap On and SK Tools, to me they have great quality! 47 Years later i still have them and i only had one be a defect and it got replaced with no issues!
The old U.S. made rebuild kits can sometimes still be found on Ebay. Lowe's sucks in many ways
I've had similar bad experience trying to exchange an in-stock broken ratcheting 15/16 wrench, horrible CS rep at first, which completely caught me by surprise, then a normal level-headed CS rep stepped in & calmly took over the exchange process. I don't care how big you are, without good customer service, your nothing or soon will be.
I wish walmart would learn that lesson "without customer service you are nothing "....
they had no business taking over the craftsman tool line if they were not going to do the right thing
I will never buy Craftsman or buy anything from Lowe’s.
Similar experience a couple years ago: broke the blade on a Craftsman screwdriver, then took it to Lowes for an exchange. Didn't have same model # in stock, so no dice! 😠
😬
My local Lowes said they will honor the Craftsman warranty if they sell the tool. My hose went bad, no go they don't sell Craftsman hoses.
Same experience. F**k Lowe's.
The government ID to do a tool exchange.. but not to vote 🤔
That’s not even equivalent or relevant my friend. Let me introduce to a my other friend, the term, “whataboutisim”. Frankly, it’s lefty stuff that should be beneath us. I remember a time when expanding the per view of government was strictly the commies agenda and whatnot.
Republican doesn’t mean acting more like Kim kardashin or whatnot.
Lowes sucks unless you're giving them money. Then they're nice to you.
Lowe’s service period sucks, Home Depot is so much better.
Agree 100%.
I have been using Craftsman tape measures for 50 years. That's all the tape measures I own approximately 6 of them. In my framing days people would bust their tape measures and I told them they should have bought a Craftsman because it's guaranteed. Took one of my tape measures to load to exchange it they try to give me some cheap tape measure that didn't even match mine.
I had a guy in front of me get turned away. He had a bucket full of junk sitting in rusty water wanting to exchange. The bucket had a fresh yard sale sticker on it. 😂 They told him any failure from normal wear and tear would be exchanged but they would not exchange due to obvious neglect. I had a good laugh. I blew out a 1/2 drive ratchet back in 1996. I drove in to Sears to exchange. They didn’t have one so they shipped me a brand new one free of charge. I still use it all the time today. Thanks mom and dad for the awesome Christmas present back in 93’!!😂🤣.
Very sad, used to be the best in the game. Thanks for your great content
I used to recommend Craftsman tools because they were cheaper than snap on and all the other tool trucks but now it a different story
Black & Decker used to be a reputable company, I had to warranty a Stanley ratchet and had to deal with them direct, it was awful, it was one thing after another, and it was a discontinued ratchet, so then trying to find the replacement for that ratchet, plus nobody sells Stanley or Bostitch hand tools anywhere, they don't offer any type of rebuild kits. I knew that once Craftsman was bought by Stanley that they were done, they own so many tool brands now, their hand tools have lifetime warranties and trying to get things warrantied is the absolute worst. If a company is going to own as many tool brands as they do, they need either rebuild kits, replacement parts, actual brick and mortar stores, anything to help their customer base out. The majority of my hand tools are Craftsman, they never questioned when your tools had an issue, they either had a replacement on hand, they would order it and send it to your home, and if it was discontinued or unavailable, they gave you the closest replacement tool. At the least, they'd give you a rebuild kit or two. It's horrible seeing a tool brand with a legacy like Craftsman get turned into a total failure unnecessarily
Thanks for the heads up on Loews. They actually gave me attitude once about exchanging a Kobalt tool. I never had any issues exchanging tools at Sears, and miss having them around. Also, I was surprised to see this ratchet with plastic parts. I got a 3/8" drive Craftsman flex ratchet in 2019 at my Sears before it closed, and it is all steel.
I've worked retail for many years, I've found that the further you go up the line, someone will take care of you. I've never had someone not take of of me. Ive gone clear up to VP of Northwest sales at Best Buy. He upgraded me x2 on a television. Its just how far you go.
Turn it into a breaker bar or get another head off a Taiwan flexhead that fits.
I took an older 3/8 ratchet to my local Lowes, got the same story. Several days later talked to a friend who used to be an associate at Sears. She told me that Sears had changed part numbers on their hand tools ! So in reality if you have Craftsman tools you really have no warranty ! Lowes will only replace something like my ratchet with one of the same number ! Different number or if they don't have that number ,no replacement ! You might well just as well buy Harbor Freight !
Thanks for the heads-up. Glad to hear about your experience. Lowes, with their new CEO (came from crumbling JC Penney), is a questionable retailer. Their quality and customer care is long gone. Great review, Ty.
I just swapped my 3/8 ratchet. Went in straight to the Craftsman isle . Look at the closest one to mine. Took to returns. Lady took the plastic on the new ratchet. She put it on the old one and said: Its yours now! In and out. Good experience for me. Got the CMMT 99442.
I was vaguely familiar with the Lowes rules, but the fact you can't resolve it beyond that is complete BS.
Call craftsman I have have been very happy and the new mini head ratchets are better than any old craftsman!
I hope a class action lawsuit is filed against Stanley Black & Decker and Lowes for fraud and misrepresentation. FULL LIFETIME warranty should mean exactly that. Especially when they only mention ONE exception to their full lifetime warranty (that the tools not be used for commercial purposes). Other companies that have exceptions and limitations will clearly state LIMITED lifetime warranty and will list out all their exceptions, terms, and conditions.
Rebuild kit on ebay possibly?
100% guarantee its on Ebay
I new this would happen eventually when Craftsman got sold. I'm glad that I switched to Snap-On years ago.
Thanks so much for this video and the warning. I am done buying Craftsman hand tools and have switched to Tekton, SK, and others.
I won't buy Craftsman from them!! Try taking it to Napa they sell Craftsman at least by me here in Winter Garden,Florida
When Lowes first started handling Craftsman tools, they only warranted tools bought from them. About 6 months ago, I swapped out a non swivel ratchet with the same plastic switch trouble for a similar length but higher quality ratchet and was told to pick out the wrench I wanted, bring it to the return or cust svc desk (I don't remember which), give them the broken one and make the change. I may have had to show them my driver's license. No problems.
I successfully traded a 1/4" at Ace. I know they have the China version of the ratchet you have. They did it no questions asked. Try Napa too
I have never been able to find anyone at the local Lowe's that knows anything about how to handle a Craftsman warranty. Now whenever one of my Craftsman tools becomes unusable I replace it with one from Snap-On, Mac, Matco,or Gearwrench.
I still own a good sized bunch of older USA Craftsman tools. I have the older version of that 1/2 inch flex head. I quit buying them when Sears started exchanging for "refurb" units in terrible condition. Their teardrop ratchets wear out with use so you will need to warranty them if you use them regularly. My local store tried to give me a refurb 1/4 inch with a handle which was all chewed up - looked like it went thru a lawn mower. They would not warranty for a new one. I switched to buying NAPA and SK locally at that point.
I think the older USA Craftsman are decent tools if you find used at a good price but be aware that they no longer carry the warranty - you will get a china tool in exchange now (if you get any exchange). Consider just buying a new tool at Harbor Freight who has a great warranty process like Sears used to have 30-40 years ago.
Home Depot here does a good job on warranty for their Husky hand tools, but the models change often so you may have to negotiate a trade for something similar rather than a straight up exchange. Had good experience with APEX (Crescent) warranty for a 3/8 ratchet via their (all) online warranty service. Similar good experience with Tekton online warranty. SK honors their warranty for older tools, but they make you mail the broken tool in so it is not worth it for a single socket or wrench since they do not have local dealer in my area.
hope a good lawyer jumps on this case. This is perfect for a class action. Lifetime Warranty.
WOW A good honest video.I liked craftsman stuff,i said liked.My mother in-law worked for them 30+ years.THEN around 1990 the penny pincher corporate came in.And things started to change,1st they went after the employees, work more less benefits,then they started carrying less stock on on the selves etc you know the drill.I had almost every tool they sold ,thanks to my wonderful mother in-law,an yes i really did get along with her!!!But at around 1995 they started selling the lower quality tools labeled just SEARS,so they began to offer entry level tools{CHEAP}home DIY type.and now you know why they closed all their stores,they cheaped therye way out of business while the fat cats at the top ate all the cannery's in the cage.IE {faithful long time employees}The good news is on the secondary used tool market,you might almost get your money back for your good used tools???But you made a great point.The lifetime warranty can now be considered,to be like a glass of water out in the desert,once the water evaporates the warranty is UP>In Lowe's defense they KNOW NOW it was a mistake to take on craftsman.haha
You needed to provide ID to warranty the tool but having one to vote is 'racist' 🤣
Why do you need an ID to return a broken tool? It's still broken with a ”lifetime" warranty.
How else would democrats ever get into office (cough dominion cough) aside from cheating?
If everyone needs ID to vote, how could that possibly be racist?
U made urself look like a fool
@@Chaos1187me The irony of this idiotic comment is that the only documented case of voter fraud was perpetrated by Republicans.
Sorry to hear about that. I always thought that version of their ratchets sucked anyway, wouldn't buy one for 50 cents! Bright side is you can now make a custom breaker bar out of it! What the hell, life gives you lemons, make lemonade!
I had a 3/8 ratchet that only lasted 3 months. The ratchet had locked up and would not turn. I went to Lowes which had the same one and they would not warranty a swap. Went to two stores before i finally got the store credit. I bought the ratchet from Amazon.
Lowe’s is absolutely awful about Craftsman warranty replacements. It’s been VERY hard to replace anything Craftsman. Even Kobalt is a pain to get replaced. I wouldn’t buy anything from Lowe’s if you’re planning on it breaking. Harbor Freight is pretty much the only good local option for easy warranty replacements. The only problem there is that they haven’t had a lot of ratchets in stock due to the supply chain issues.
Hello again Catus Maximus
All I can say is Wow. That's not too surprising. When Stanley Black and Decker brought Craftsman tools. I guess two to three years ago. I too had a similar experience with a 8" slotted screwdriver. What a mess. Eventually, I was able to get a new one by calling the 800 number for Craftsman tools. Prior to me going back and forth to Lowes and Craftsman tools I had read about Stanley Black and Decker, would honor the Craftsman Warranty! Now you confirming my worse thoughts. Friend, I am sorry you had go through that. Again thank you
Stanley is garbage. Ok, a few of their select tools are like they used to be. They are 98% garbage including their Tool Truck brand.
@@exexpat11 Hello exepat11
Unfortunately, the majority of my tools is very old school Craftsman, Somewhere about twenty five plus years old. I am now looking for my future replacement tools.
@@georgeferlazzo7936 Tekton, ICON, SK, Quinn. Those are my recommendations.
@@exexpat11 Thank you
All is not lost because of one bad experience at Lowe’s. Training and policy can vary store to store.
Go to craftsman.com for direction. Sears is now just a bit player with Craftsman.
Craftsman cordless tool manufacturing has mostly returned to USA.
Craftsman hand tools will be manufactured in the USA starting later this year. A new manufacturing plant is being built in Alliance TX.
Keep up the good work!
People in eBay think their craftsman tools, especially sockets are worth as much as Ive paid for armstrong, proto and sk
No kidding. Thinking of cashing out my old craftsman stuff and buying better stuff for straight across price. Sentimental value?
@@snap-off5383 I feel the same way about the old USA-made Craftsman 3/8” sockets and combination wrench sets I still have.
This is why I buy Tekton now.
Never been disappointed and incredible customer service
Exactly. My Lowes wouldn't warranty my old broken Craftsman. Have since gone Tekton.
Tekton makes good quality tools for the price. Furthermore, their USA made offerings are expanding as well.
@@willb3018 tekton is just harbor freight quality tools at a slightly higher price, I really don't see why people suck them off so hard. You can get the same thing at harbor freight and have a mortar store to exchange at if needed.
@@kevinragsdale6256 I agree to an extent. Tekton has comprehensive offerings with next day warranty replacement with consistent quality control. I’m a fan of HF but they skip around quality control within the same brand name, and when it comes to sockets, they skip sizing. The Hf by me, u have to cross fingers if it’s sitting on the shelf otherwise they tell you go elsewhere (no online order, or store ordering, just nothing) so if a stocked store isn’t near you, it can be a waste of time (depending on the product of course). People are “sucking off” tekton because they are actually a USA company
Thank you for the heads up. I know I will never be buying another Craftsman tool. It's no surprise why most Sears department stores have failed in the past few years. They are not the store that they once were. Their name and their brand used to mean something but not anymore. They will eventually go completely under and the Craftsman brand will die off leaving those who invested lots of money into Lifetime tools completely screwed. I used to recommend Craftsman tools to everybody but now I caution EVERYBODY against them.
I am sorry you had a bad experience. My local Lowes exchanges matching part number Craftsman tools and they only require a signature. I do not know what they would do if the part is not in stock. All that being said, it has been a long time since Craftsman put out quality tools. The broken items that I returned were purchased from Sears a long time before Sears went through their downsizing. My local Sears would sometimes try and get me to take the lower quality tools if they didn't have the exact part that I was exchanging. I never did. I just held on to the broken items and waited for them to be restocked or I would try a different Sears.
Just before this video I was describing that ratchet in the Easco version. I was in the comments of one of your great videos. RUclips was watching...and sent me here. The old Easco flex top is the best for lug nuts.
Great video,
Never give a photo ID because they will ring it up as a return (which can count against you) instead of a warranty exchange.
Stopped buying Crapsman years ago, they change models, then you can't get fixed or replaced!
Craftsman’s tools have went downhill when Lowe’s took over.
In case you missed it, Sears doesn't own the brand anymore. Hasn't for quite some time. Hence why they won't warranty it anymore. Not to mention, they no longer have any retail stores.
You might be able to get it exchanged at Ace Hardware if they have it.
Last option is to remove the snap ring retainer & rebuild it yourself if you can find the parts. ✌🏼
That's genuinely a shame, really. Craftsman to me was always the "good enough brand" without going too expensive for a home user and not too cheapie like a generic bottom dollar no name. Sorry to hear you weren't given good service.
Same here dad only had craftsman but now working at lowes and seen a fall in one of the best brands
Yeah, used to be decent. Like a lot of other well-known brands that are now made in 🇨🇳.
The investor who bought Sears to be able to sell off the names made a bundle but everyone with Craftsman tools suffered.
I remember breaking the tip off a BIG screwdriver working on my VW (either the '61 or the '68, so a long time ago). I took it in for replacement and the only question was after it was replaced at the Sears store: "How big a come-along were you using?" That's the primary reason most of my older tools have a Craftsman label. Now I lean toward Ryobi for rechargeable tools as I haven't yet been able to destroy one ;-)
I always email Craftsman directly and they send me new stuff just send a picture and the model number. The warranty carried over. My Lowe’s stores won’t warranty anything either. I just fill out the contact us form on the website and they get back usually with in 48 hours and ask my address and say the tools will be mailed and allow 7-10 business days to arrive.
ACE hardware is the only place I can trust that warranty. No hassle. The only problem comes in seeing if they have the item in stock.
On the other hand...Carlyle has similar pricing and is pretty easy for warranty. At least with my local franchise.
Hi Catus That Sucks ! Had That Happen to Me Once . So I Have not bought Any New Craftsman Tools Since 10 years ago . Ace and Lowes Will Only Replace Them if They Carry Them . When I Worked For Ace About 10 yrs.Ago I Could Make the Decision to Give Them A Similar One If It Was Close . Now You're Screwed !
They also carry craftsman at Menards but not sure if they would exchange that ratchet
Napa also carries craftsman
Around here ACE Hardware sells Craftsman. You might try getting a warranty there.
If you buy the new Chinese craftsman, I think you can switch out the selector. The new Chinese craftsman selector is made out of pot metal. After you switch out the selector take it back to lowes and get a replacement.
good info. went to lowes yesterday with a 1/4 ratchet. also told to “ take a hike “
Long before Craftsman became another piece of Chinese junk...I'm talking early 70s, before most American's had even heard of China, I had an issue getting a warranty replacement for a 1/2" breaker bar (how it broke is an amusing story by itself). This was back in the day when Craftsman, then sold exclusively by Sears, Roebuck and Co., swore by a 'replacement - no questions' policy. After a couple of years, I finally contacted corporate...they surprised the hell out of me...they sent a COMPLETE 1/2" and 3/8" ratchet/socket set with breaker bars!!! Probably the last time they honored their promise.
That's totally disappointing my brother. I love my old USA made Craftsman tools. All steel, no plastic parts. My Pop's and I could never understand why these companies, exspeacialy USA companies would use plastic parts on ratchets. We could see hard plastic handles on screwdrivers and some special hammers. 😎
They are made in China and that is why they have plastic parts and such.
Are you THE original Famous Slick Rick????
I have Craftsman tools that are 40+ years old. Their "life time" warranty is Dead! So Sad!
once broke a breaker bar and changed it at harbour freight no problem, ask the cashier she said oh get another one that was it, i broke it put a lot of weight on the side of the bolt that wasnt made tu turn it was my fault i still feel guilty about it 15 years later, didnt deserve a new one, everyime i use it i know im a bad person 🤔 great video
That’s what you call exceptional service after the sale, what a difference from years ago. It’s difficult to find anything of quality today. Even snap-on stuff is turning into garbage.
I had the same experience tried to warranty out 2 ratchets. They gave me $51 credit to cover a ratchet that was $77 and the other was not even on there site. I emailed then 6 times with no response. 6 months later I did the whole process over and added that the prices were they just reissued the same credit and voided the old. Today I called craftsman number and DID NOT choose the purchased at sears option. I explained the pain I was going thru and the lady processed a warranty claim for me and said they would send out new ones....... We will see if it happens. fingers crossed.
Just had this exact situation with my 44815 flex head 3/8ths ratchet. They wouldn’t warranty it or exchange for a much cheaper model replacement.
They should offer a equivalent swap for the ratchet. Lowe’s needs to do the right thing because in the long run, it’s good business.
Actually back in the Sears days for ratchets they would usually give you a repair kit most of the time.
The lowes here is slap full of plastic switch ratchets. I have an old 1/2 drive the release button is stuck so the socket doesn't stay on. The ratchet still works but I don't want to trade it in and get some cheap crap that is just gonna break anyways.
Another issue I have with lowes is their kobalt line. They "update" everything every 2 or so years. Even if it has a lifetime warranty since the exact product isn't on the shelf anymore they will not exchange an broken older product for the newer one. The lifetime warranty is basically for the sell life and not the actually life of the tool.
You can buy a repair kit for around $20 and the new replacement switch is metal. It looks like the plastic switch but it is metal.
I know Home Depot used to trade out their Husky hand tools for damaged Craftsman tools. This was well over 10 years ago so they might not now but it might be worth checking.
I feel sorry for the people working at the factories that produce the Craftsman line of tools as they will be out of jobs soon because of Lowe's and others that carry the brand not covering the "Lifetime Warranty".
Do t feel sorry for them, they've chosen their own path in life
I had the same experience at lowes, they don't want to deal with Craftsman tools that came from Sears. When your USA made ratchets break, your best bet is to get a rebuild.
2 words (Harbor Freight). They honor their warranty & give you back the same product you turned in on warranty claim in the store. And in most cases that same day. I have experienced this on 2 different occasions.
Sears is purposely not replacing its older line of Craftsman tools so they don't have to warranty any of them they offer you a credit but if you find use that credit there's always problems with it and if you check with the Better Business Bureau Sears has become one of the worst stores to do business with
I bought a CRAFTSMAN tool box a little over a year ago and one of the drawer slides went bad. Took it back, with a 3 year warranty, and they wouldn’t exchange it! They gave me a number to call (warranty insurance) and they wouldn’t replace it but sent me a couple of new slides! I had to drill out and replace the slides on my box. I won’t be buying anymore Craftsman products. (I did get a really nice kobalt box to replace it).
I have a lot of the newer craftsman power and hand tools. I have enjoyed them and have not had any issues as of yet. For over 20 years as a mechanic on aircraft, diesel, and gasoline engines I’ve come to the conclusion that 90% of people misuse and abuse their tools. Then they blame manufacturer for their negligence. Of course there are manufacturing defects that result in failure.
This is the reason I went to Pittsburgh ratchets from Harbor Freight. I get tools exchanged without hassle and with a $5 off non-expiring coupon I found on another youtuber's channel it's a win-win!
If you don't care about quick release, I would consider getting the Williams S-52EHFA over this. I'm not sure how the warranty would work, though, bur they sell rebuild kits AFAIK.
Tried to warranty a T9 torx driver through craftsman. They refused.
Had a couple Duralast items break, walked in to AutoZone and walked out with new ones. Had a Gearwrench ratchet break, emailed them and a new one was sent out no problem.
I gave up on Craftsman years ago. I mainly buy Proto and Wright tools and some Gearwrench. I'd contact Craftsman and Stanley Black and Decker. Stanley Proto from my experience has outstanding customer service. Hopefully their Craftsman products are the same. Screw going to Lowe's or Sears. I have always gone to the manufacturer.
Lowe’s customer service is the worst. I tried to warranty a Kobalt ratchet but since they didn’t carry the exact model number any longer they would not swap it out for a new similar one.
I’ll bet Loews is regretting that they ever got involved with Craftsman! WAY too much baggage was tied to that name!
Interesting to note that they ran you through Sears instead of Stanley for stuff that Lowes doesn't stock. Stanley gave me the closest available Proto equivalent when I turned in a 3/8 flex head Easco Craftsman ratchet.
I won't buy any tools at Lowe's; I tried to get my 24v Kobalt drill repaired under warranty was told to call the toll free number for customer service and could never get thru to speak to anyone. Called numerous times over a three period before finally giving up. And good luck trying to get their house Kobalt hand tools warranted now that Craftsman branded tools have taken over. You have to also deal with customer service at the toll free number as well. As much as I hate Harbor Freight and Stanley, at least it's either a over the counter exchange or send a picture via email and they will usually mail a replacement the next business day. Junk is junk, but, at least they stand behind it.
PS:. I have several Easco, New Britain, Utica tools that continue to be trouble free some 30-40 years after their purchase, including ratchets.
That's the whole idea. Sell people a tool that's "guaranteed for life" or "lifetime warranty" then make it virtually impossible to warranty it. Make a promise, then fail to fulfill on it.
Im lucky i still have a Sears Hometown store local tl me and theyll warranty craftsman tools. In the case of that ratchet theyd give me a gift card for the value of the tool or a comparable ratchet.
Good to know. Shouldn't really be buying any tools from them anyhow but they do make it convenient.
When Lowes came to Canada they had a quality line of Kobalt tools. You could buy indivitual sockets or wrenches in odd sizes. I was impresed. Good enough quality at a acceptable price. Then they adopted the Craftsman name. To bad they didn't adopt the Craftsman quality. Now if you need an odd ball like a 5.5 mm socket, you are out of luck.
Just get a repair kit for that USA made unit and repair it. I fix those all the time and they take me about 5 minutes to rebuild. With that said, I've had zero issue with exchanging tools at Ace or Lowes. You're better off with a repaired USA unit than a Chinese replacement. Also, go to another Lowes---the one you went to wasn't accurate at all. I would have asked for the manager and that should have resolved the issue. Or you could have called Lowes corporate right in front of the manager.
I had three ratchets to exchange, and Lowes made me feel like I was stealing from them. I own all Craftsman tools but the quality has gone way down. Time to find a new tool line.
You can find older craftsman stuff at estate sales. Have to get there early because the resellers will be there to scoop them up
The do not buy suggestion is good. One solution is to go to the magical stores. In CT, I have no luck, in Virginia...the stores are way more accommodating. Good news for those that live where the stores are magic.
Your experience is different from the Lowe's where I work is that we will swap the Craftsman tool for the most similar on the shelf unless the most similar is grossly diffrent. We do Require ID because we refund the new one to a merch card tying the id to the merch card and then Immediately charge the new one to the merch card also requiring ID to be re entered. I am sorry for the bad experience.
This is accurate. Catus doesn't read these comments, I already explained the same thing on the last video and he ignored it. This is not a Lowes company-wide problem or even a Craftsman company-wide problem. This is HIS Lowes experience, and that is only because the manager and staff at his location are under trained and he didn't report them for it.
@@pauls.9819 I believe he is located in Canada. Many store policies are different here. Home Depot here will not warranty any made in USA Husky tools. Company policy. I haven't tried to warranty any of my Craftsman tools at Lowes yet but they might have a similar policy.
Are you located in the US? There might be different policies here in Canada where I believe CM is located. I know Home Depot will not warranty any USA husky tools here. Store policy.
@@jameshill4900 Interesting point! I did not know (or guess) that he was in Canada, as he has no accent that I can notice! That may be the case. That's a shame that you all have to deal with that. The whole Sears downfall has been a mess. I guess that's mostly inevitable with lifetime warranties. Not too many companies who actually last a real lifetime, and even less that continue making the same quality for that duration. Most of my other Craftsman-like warranty purchases over the years sufferer similar things. As I get older I just come to expect that it really just means an extended warranty. I think the only big ones that remain are Osprey packs and Darn Tough socks. Maybe Centurion cookware also, but I've never had to use that since they are built like WWII tanks, and I don't expect I will either.
@@pauls.9819 I hope I am correct on his location as an explanation. Either that or Lowe's store policies are pretty inconsistent in the US. The new craftsman tools don't really impress me quality wise at all. The Kobalt hand tools that I have seem to be higher quality. Made in Taiwan vs China as well (Taiwan tools imo are much better). True about companies not being around a "lifetime". It's a shame.