Craftsman C3 series...

[Jakegday]

hello all. i was wondering if anyone here has any experience with any of the Craftsman C3 power tools, or know someone who does.. How do they perform? how do they last?
i had a cordless drill i bought probably 10 years ago, but since i used it maybe once every 6 months, the batteries didnt last long. which i saw coming since batteries like to be fully charged, then fully depleted, and i was fully charging them, using once, then storing it away. so since then, because of the battery issue, ive been buying corded power tools. but sicne i live in an apartment building, and every time i wanna use one on my car, it involves running a 50 foot extension cord out my kitchen window, over to my parking stall.

i saw the C3 line has many tools, at insanely great prices (compared to dewalt and milwaukee)... which has me leery. the battery issue would no longer exist with me, since theres so many different things i'd be using it/them on. but a drill/recip saw/circular saw/flashlight with 2 batteries combo, for only $150 seems almost to good to be true, which i swhy im concerned about the quality....

 

[DrDusty86]

I work at Sears. The drills seem to be fine BUT the batteries last 6months to a year. Most people get the Service replacement warranty for 3 years and are fine for 3 years.

 

[Jakegday]

ever hear any input on the reciprocating saws?? that would get used more then everything else combined..

and with the 3 year service replacement, would i have to send back the ENTIRE kit, or would sending back just a single battery be acceptable?

 

[QuOk]

I have one and as long as you don't leave the batteries in the charger to cook they should last years.Take out as soon as green light comes on.
(Battery and charger get hot)

 

[Tdbo]

I have 2 drills, the trim saw, the impact, the inflator and the light. As Quok said, the batteries last for years if you don't fry them. However, the NiCad's are cheap if you wait out for a sale and they are good value for homeowner grade power tools. If you use them for a living, look elsewhere

 

[ffracer]

The reason they are cheap is that they are made by a Chinese company called Chervon (not Chevron) and their tolerances are just not that good. Chervon also makes some of the low grade stuff for Lowe's and Home Depot, that doesn't have have the Kobalt or Rigid names.

The batteries are sourced from China battery makers which are third tier to Panasonic, Sanyo, Sony, and Korean makers Samsung, LG. Don't last as long.

I would just avoid them.

In fact, I would buy a refurbished major brand tool (Bosch, DeWalt, Milwaukee, etc.) before a Craftsman power tool with an extended warranty. This is coming from someone who owns mostly Craftsman hand tools, and a Craftsman snow blower and shop vac, and likes Craftsman stuff, but not this stuff.

I bought a Craftsman router and table and returned it, once the box was open and did some googling. Low grade stuff.

 

[Jakegday]

thank you for that excellent post ffracer! you seem awfully knowledgeable on the topic; how are Porter Cable brand tools?

 

[wrcsixeight]

I have a Porter Cable 19.2 volt Nicad drill.

I got an Incredible deal at Lowes for it(65$) A few months later, I left the charger plugged in overnight, and it no longer worked. It did not say you cannot leave it plugged in all the time.

Porter Cable would not answer their customer service line, and would not acknowledge any e mails for warranty work.

Anyway I had to order another charger, for 75$. 4 years later, the Nicads do not have much capacity left, but they have gotten a lot of use.

The drill itself has been a good tool.

I also have a PC plunge router from the mid 90's. Two thumbs up. It was a made in the USA. I don't think many, or any, of their products still are.

I'm done with them.

 

[Vikas]

Have you looked at any recent Bosch, DeWalt, Milwaukee to see where they are being made? They are ALL made in china these days.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: ffracer
The reason they are cheap is that they are made by a Chinese company called Chervon (not Chevron) and their tolerances are just not that good. Chervon also makes some of the low grade stuff for Lowe's and Home Depot, that doesn't have have the Kobalt or Rigid names.

The batteries are sourced from China battery makers which are third tier to Panasonic, Sanyo, Sony, and Korean makers Samsung, LG. Don't last as long.

I would just avoid them.

In fact, I would buy a refurbished major brand tool (Bosch, DeWalt, Milwaukee, etc.) before a Craftsman power tool with an extended warranty. This is coming from someone who owns mostly Craftsman hand tools, and a Craftsman snow blower and shop vac, and likes Craftsman stuff, but not this stuff.

I bought a Craftsman router and table and returned it, once the box was open and did some googling. Low grade stuff.


The C3 series of tools are nothing more than homeowner grade tools made to a price point. I have 2 C3 drills that have been abused to the point that I am amazed that they still run, and they do. The major deficiency with the line is the battery packs. They don't hold much of a charge and they don't hold up as well. In 16 years, I have sold a Craftsman industrial grade drill and its predecessor, which I believe was called commercial grade at yard sales not because the drill itself failed but the batteries did. The simple economic fact was that I could buy a new kit with two batteries for about the same amount of money as replacing the batteries themselves. My solution to the battery issue was to buy 2 extra batteries (on sale for $19 each) and keep them charged and use them when I need additional power. They have done a nice job of marking additional add on tools in the series, the inflator is one of my favorites. As long as people understand that they are not Makita, Dewalt, or Bosch quality and buy them right on sale, they are a good value.
I too own a great deal of Craftsman tools because they represent the price point that I want to pay. However, in most any category they are mid-range quality or lower. For instance, their present ratchets are nowhere near the quality of the Craftsman ratchet I received as a gift in 1978. Their shop vacs are excellent (made by Emerson Electric along with the HD Ridgid line.) I too had a Craftsman snow blower (just replaced it with a Toro.) Comparing the two is like comparing a Lexus to a Yugo. The only similarity is that they both displace snow. Sears is basically a price point marketer and they focus on the homeowner. For the homeowner, the C3 line can present value if they purchase it on sale and realize the limitations of the tool.

 

[MNgopher]

The last Dewalt tool I bought (1 month ago) was made in Mexico, if that makes anyone feel better about not buying something made in China.

So long as you recognize what you are getting (consumer grade built to a price point tools), you should be happy.

I'm with ffracer that a refurbished major name tool is sometimes a better choice than the consumer grade stuff.

I have my share of craftsman items, and they are what they are. Not the best, but that isn't what they aim for anymore.