Black & Decker recently announced that they will be refreshing and modernizing their brand identity and the look of their products.
With a heritage of more than 100 years as one of the most trusted brands in the world, the new BLACK+DECKER identity builds on that trust of providing innovative and reliable products while also providing consumers a meaningful, emotional and empowering experience for the home.
Personally, I’m fond of their Platinum-series styling, but it will be a few months until we start to see all of the changes involved with the branding refresh. As for the new logo – I don’t quite like it.
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Here’s what it looks like on a box:
To help illustrate their new brand identity changes, Black & Decker included a few product images with their press release, including two that clear up what their AutoSense drill/driver technology is all about.
Back in July, Black & Decker filed a trademark application for AutoSense (serial 86013511), and since then I have wondered what it is this new technology could do.
The trademark application mentions power tools, namely drills, drill drivers, screwdrivers and impact drivers…, which had me wondering if this AutoSense technology was a new kind of clutch.
And… it turns out I guessed correctly.
According to the box art, the 20V cordless drill has a sort of electronic clutch control that allows you to drive screws flush with work surfaces. The drill looks to have push-button controls for selecting between full power (for drilling) and AutoSense (for driving) modes.
In drive mode, drill automatically stops most screws flush in the material on the first try.
While you might be forgiven for dismissing this as a gimmicky DIYer tool feature at first, the AutoSense technology does have the potential to save a lot of time and effort when driving screws. Imagine driving a series of screws of different lengths without having to test clutch adjustments for each one!
In regard to the general look of the new drill, I’m on the fence. It looks like bright orange plastic is out, and two-tone orange and black is in.
More Info(via Brand Identity Press Release)
Matthew Fant says
With the exception of the cool auto sense technology, I’ll pass on this one. Maybe we’ll see a trickle up to dewalt, like with the gyro technology.
DanG says
Yeah I agree with you on not liking the new Black & Decker logo. Basically it looks boring. It’s not flashy nor eye catching. It doesn’t say look at me I’m fabulous, buy me. The name just kind of hides in the background and feels sorry for itself. I really do like the new color style on their tools but their name needs to stand out more. If I were Black & Decker I would fire their advertising department.
On the other hand I sure would like to get my hands on one of these new “auto sense” drills. I’m pretty certain I would grow fond of it.
But its me! says
I know I’m dating myself, but at one time I preferred Black and Decker tools, if only because they were a local company (Baltimore area) and still made things in the USA. I still have my grandfather’s well worn, but still functional, US made, Black and Decker corded drill. Unfortunately, for the last 20 years Black and Decker has been a brand I avoid due to what lower quality and a switch to imports. I wish they could at least turn around the quality, then I might be inclined to purchase them again.
Noah says
The old B&D was a thing of glory. Built like tanks and ran forever, many still running!
fred says
Around the time of WW1 (1917 or thereabouts) if you wanted to but a pistol grip portable drill – Black & Decker was the only one (they had the patent). I’m not that old – but do have a B&D SuperSawCat with electronic brake – that I purchased new (c. 1970) that many consider the best sidewinder circular saw ever made.
Joshua Latham says
The new logo is alright, but i think they should of went back to the B&D inside the hexagon. I have some of there old tools with metal housings and made in USA with the old logo and it’s much better.
Garrick says
My guess as to how it works is that it senses a sudden increase in resistance, then allows for one or two more turns before stopping. It would still have to guess the thread count on the screw being driven, and any pilot holes would need to be consistent to prevent the tip of the screw’s resistance, when going in deeper than the pilot hole, from activating the stop.
It could be annoying if it does not drive the screws in far enough, and has to be deactivated all the time… if it can be deactivated.
I wouldn’t think there is any reason to put them in Dewalts, as most people willing to spending the extra money would likely have enough experience at controlling screw depth that they would not need it.
However, there is only one way to know for sure.
Road Test.
joe says
From what I have read, and I may be wrong, the festool drills have an electronic clutch and experience this you mentioned.
But I do feel that this is going in the right direction for drills.
I would prefer a combination of clutch and electronic sensor to help the trigger finger.
mnoswad1 says
I’d prefer the cordless industry to do a massive PR campaign to educate the diy’er crowd how to use the clutch and 1 vs 2 speed switch………Or not, because being able to use the clutch makes us real tool guys look good, so cancel that.
The drill looks pretty good AND suspiciously similar to all the other dewalt, porter cable brands. Are we sure those batteries aren’t secretly all the same?
The logo does look like something as seen at the kmarts, meijers and walmarts. Funny how viscerally visual we all are, able to categorize “quality” based on branding identity. i.e. the new logo sucks.
Need to bring back the “&” symbol at least.
Javier says
I like the idea of the auto sense and for the audience it’s geared to. I don’t think it’s gimmicky at all, but it needs to be done right otherwise this new tech will be rendered a joke and piss off a lot of people.
I think the design of the drill is interesting. It’s modern looking. Also the logo is a step in the right direction, sure i think it’s a bit bland and they could have made it better but it is minimalistic which a lot of modern brands are going for today. Look at the electronics industry, simplicity is in.
I think this drill will do great as long as the auto sense works as intended and the price isn’t ridiculous like the platinum b&d drill
Kevin says
the logo was never the problem, it was the product, they stopped making decent homeowner tool lines and let Ryobi take over. The old logo was much better than this new one, they should have updated the B&D Hex, made it more bold and made the tools black.
Happy Mondays says
I like the idea of a new logo, with the caveat being the tools must actually be better.
Black & Decker, maybe once great, now not so much. High on the list of joke-tools; something someone who knows nothing about tools gives their father-in-law on Christmas because it was cheap on an end-cap at McBigBox. This not just afflicting Black & Decker, of course.
So back to the beginning, then. A change of logo isn’t the worst thing to happen to a beaten-down brand; but in this case a new marketing initiative really should happen hand-in-hand with a measurably better product.
“Autosense” seems cheesy, and gimmicky. Of course, it could be implemented well, and actually be a game changer. I’m not holding my breath.
How about building a solid tool, with a great warranty, perhaps made with pride in the United States? Until then, still just end-cap decoration.
Phil says
I have a Bosch PS-10 angle driver that has an adjustable “clutch” that is a sliding pot that adjusts a current sensing circuit, when the motor encounters rotational resistance, the circuit shuts down the motor instantly. While not as accurate as a true friction breakaway clutch, it works as intended. I’ve had this driver for years (it predates the “12V Max” labeling for the 10.8V line in the US) and it would appear the B&D clutch is a variation of this system.
joe says
I like the idea of autosense technology but i’m a guy that’s like to be in control. I would rather prefer someone innovate the old traditional drill clutch with a more precise one.
cliff king says
This thing sucks. What was wrong with the adjustable clutch? When driving deck screws it stops every 3 seconds. OK for drywall I guess but for all around it sucks!!