Professional Tool Reviews for Pros

For many of us, there’s a Home Depot within a reasonable driving distance of our homes. While there are certainly plenty of home improvement ideas and materials taking up most of the floor space, that power tool section is where you can what you need to bring it all together. Which power tool brands will you find at The Home Depot? Better yet, which ones are a good fit for the way you work?

For the purposes of this article, we’re focusing on the brands you can grab in-store. There are other brands you can find that are online only.

Ever wonder who owns which power tools brands? Check out this article to see which ones are part of larger groups and which ones stand on their own!

Bosch as a global company is massive with a big presence in the automotive and appliance sectors. The power tool division isn’t as large, but they make excellent products. Bosch covers the majority of construction needs and is highly competent in concrete and laser products. Its weakness is in electrical and plumbing-specific tools.

As one of the most popular brands by sales, DeWalt is a recognized giant in the professional power tool industry. Known as a high-end professional brand, there’s virtually no sector of construction DeWalt doesn’t have at least some presence in. Innovations such as FlexVolt and PowerStack dot DeWalt’s development history. While the brand trails Milwaukee in some of the trade-specific areas such as plumbing and electrical, it continues to expand its reach.

On the lawn care side, DeWalt’s 60V FlexVolt line leads the way with its highest-performing products. Helping it break into the professional conversation, DeWalt recently launched a series of commercial ride-on lawn mowers. It also has a handful of supplementary cordless OPE on the 20V Max platform.

Several things set Makita apart, one being that it’s not part of a larger corporate group. Compared to its biggest competitors (DeWalt and Milwaukee), Makita tends to be a step up in ways that you see in the form, features, and function of its tools and the price structure reflects that.

Makita was the first major brand to combine two batteries on one tool (18V X2 LXT) to reach a higher voltage level without leaving the battery platform. Then it went the opposite direction with a Sub-Compact line, giving you everything from compact to high-performance tools that all use the same 18V batteries. Some of the latest developments include Makita’s Autostart Wireless System and its 40V max XGT line targeting even higher performance tools.

If lawn care is a big deal to you, none of the power tool brands at The Home Depot professionals covered like Makita. Its focus is to bracket the market with everything from lightweight to full gas-replacement battery-powered products in virtually every category. Thanks to a deep history in both gas and battery tool development, Makita is very successful. Currently, Makita only lacks in the ride-on mower and pressure washer sectors.

Thanks to a commitment to MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing), it’s hard to find any one brand that reaches as far as Milwaukee. It’s also a brand that drives innovation forward and isn’t afraid to question the status quo. From general construction and storage to niche MEP and even woodworking, chances are if anyone is going to have it, it’s going to be Milwaukee. And if they don’t have it, there’s a good chance they’re working on it.

Among its many accolades over the decades, some of Milwaukee’s latest achievements include its High-Output batteries that allow cordless tools to outperform 15-amp corded models, the incredibly wide-reaching Packout storage system, One-Key tool technology, and MX Fuel products that target gas equipment replacement.

Milwaukee’s lawn care ambitions have been to supplement a professional crew’s gas equipment. Recently, it completed the core with the development of its outstanding first-generation self-propelled lawn mower. Milwaukee’s focus on OPE isn’t as strong as Makita’s or Ryobi’s, but the products they have work well.

Of the three TTI power tool brands at the Home Depot, Ridgid gets the east attention but has a loyal following. It focuses on high-value with prices that are lower than Milwaukee and a Lifetime Service Agreement on many of its cordless products. It doesn’t cover as wide of a range as other professional brands but covers core construction tools well.

Most recently, Ridgid shifted its focus on bringing down the size and weight of its core cordless tools and taking advantage of its advanced Max Output battery technology. In addition to core cordless offerings, Ridgid is very popular for its nailers, miter saws, and table saws.

Editor’s Note: There are two companies using the Ridgid brand name. “Orange Ridgid” (TTI) broadly covers power tools for general construction while “Red Ridgid” (Emerson) is the company behind the well-known plumbing tools.

Dremel is most widely known for its rotary tools and rotary tool accessories. They’re so well-known that many people call every rotary tool a “Dremel”. The brand has grown to include oscillating multi-tools, engravers, butane torches, compact saws, and some home solutions. In general, Dremel has its eyes keenly on the makers and homeowners.

Ryobi has virtually invented the Prosumer category with products that reach DIYers all the way to budget-conscious Pros. On the DIY side, there are highly-affordable corded and cordless products along with a wide range of lifestyle products. Shifting toward serious DIYers and Pros, there’s brushless technology with performance that matches and sometimes exceeds traditional professional brands.

HP Brushless technology is driving the high-performance side of development and along with a general reduction in size and weight, has brought Ryobi back into the conversation for a lot of folks.

Where Ryobi is making some of its biggest gains is in the lawn and garden section of The Home Depot. From HP Brushless Whisper Series string trimmers and blowers with outstanding performance and ridiculous noise control to some of the best battery-powered residential zero-turn lawn mowers we’ve seen, they’re transforming the OPE landscape.

On the clock, Kenny dives deep to discover the practical limits and comparative differences for all kinds of tools. Off the clock, his faith and love for his family are his top priorities, and you'll typically find him in the kitchen, on his bike (he's an Ironman), or taking folks out for a day of fishing on Tampa Bay.

Changing A Drill Bit Is Easier And Faster Than You Might Think Learning how to change a drill bit is very similar whether you have a Milwaukee, DeWalt, Black & Decker, Craftsman, Ryobi, or another brand of drill. However, there are several types depending on how you’re using the term “drill”. No matter what type […]

China’s Housing Market Woes Trigger US Real Estate Concerns The process of buying a new construction home has some complications. First, you get a construction loan the general contractor can draw from until it’s complete and then convert it over to a mortgage once you get the certificate of occupancy. Fortunately, the mortgage department at […]

By now you’ve probably seen commercials for trimmer mowers and they are absolutely useful tools. Can or should they replace your lawn mower, though? We took a deep dive into the design and uses of each to help you decide for this lawn mower vs trimmer mower comparison. Lawn Mower Vs Trimmer Mower Design On […]

The Number Of Angle Grinder Uses Make It A Must-Have Power Tool When you think of the must-have power tools your should own, what comes to mind? A drill, an impact driver, and a circular saw usually make everyone’s list. But what about an angle grinder? Understanding what an angle grinder is used opens your […]

I have many Bosch 18V tools and love them

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn income when you click on an Amazon link. Thanks for helping us do what we love.

See our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Pro Tool Reviews is a successful online publication that has been providing tool reviews and industry news since 2008. In today’s world of Internet news and online content, we found that more and more professionals researched a large majority of their major power tool purchases online. That piqued our interest.

There’s one key thing to note about Pro Tool Reviews: We’re all about the professional tool user and tradesman!

Copyright ©2008-2022 Pro Tool Reviews, LLC. All rights reserved.

Professional Tool Reviews for Pros