If somehow the past 8 years of my ToolGuyd experiences were erased, what tool brand would I buy into today? That’s a good question, maybe one I’ll ask you guys another time.
I can tell you this – I think Hitachi would be towards the top of the list, especially given the prices I’m seeing on Amazon today. For instance, their 18V circular saw add-on, now apparently an Amazon Prime exclusive, is just $59 right now.
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A long time ago, I bought a Hitachi 18V drill, and I really liked it. It was March 7th, 2007, and I bought a DS18DVF3 kit, with 400 in-lbs of torque and NiCad batteries.
It was $70, on sale as part of a deal of the day, or a Friday tool sale, or weekend sale. Something like that.
That was a great drill, and the only reason it’s not with me today is because 1) Li-ion is definitely a far better technology, and 2) I donated it to Habitat for Humanity. I would have upgraded it by now anyways, for a drill with a single sleeve ratcheting chuck.
For years, a lot of users criticized Hitachi’s color scheme, and I still see some comments here and there about it. Some of those comments are deserved, but I was able to look past the unconventional styling to see the well-priced but very capable tools underneath.
We’ve seen many new tools and innovations from Hitachi recently, here are just a few:
New Hitachi 18V Brushless Triple Anvil Impact Driver
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Hitachi Jig Saw Magic – 2 New Models with Interesting Features
Hitachi Quietly Introduces Most Powerful and Advanced Brushless Drill Ever
New Hitachi 18V Brushless Angle Grinder with “Auto Mode Option”
A few months ago, we asked for what you’d like to see Dewalt, Milwaukee, and Bosch do to win your dollar and a place in your toolbox.
- Dear Dewalt, We Want You to Come Out With a [Fill in This Blank] in 2016
- If You Could Ask Milwaukee Tool One Thing, What Would it Be?
- What Could Bosch do to Become Your Favorite Power Tool Brand?
With all their new tools and tech coming out, I started thinking about Hitachi and Metabo lately. As a reminder, they’re both owned by Hitachi now.
But, let’s just talk about Hitachi for now.
Hitachi has come out with some very competitive tools, and premium featured too. I can hardly describe them as a value-priced company as I used to see them. Now, I suppose I’d call their tools well-priced. Some are premium, some are a step below, but all of the ones I’ve tried are definitely a leap above DIY and value-targeted tool brands, such as Ryobi and Porter Cable.
It’s hard to see Hitachi, or Hitachi and Metabo, taking on Milwaukee, Dewalt, and even Makita. I think that they have the potential to match up well against Bosch, at least here in the USA, where Bosch has sort of been dragging their feet lately.
But a lot can happen, and I think Hitachi has the potential to become a lot more popular than they are right now. Not that their tools aren’t popular, they’re just not as popular.
To start, I want to see more pushes forward in terms of cordless tools. They’ve got some fantastic tools, but I don’t think we’ve seen much in the form of brushless saws lately. For example, how about a brushless circular saw with magnesium shoe?
I want to see some great benchtop tools, but I’ll say the same about every brand. The market needs a good benchtop disc or combinations saner, a 10-inch band saw, a good drill press, things like that.
I also think Hitachi should push harder with Lowes. Lowes has been working to emphasize their Kobalt 24V brushless power tools, so although they have an arrangement with Hitachi, I haven’t seen much hoopla.
Lowes and Hitachi need to work on their marketing efforts in order to sell more tools.
Home Depot runs fantastic power tool promos, both seasonally and in between the 2 big tool-buying holidays, Christmas and Fathers Day. Lowes need to up their game.
In terms of the actual tools, and keeping in mind that I don’t have as much experience with Hitachi tools as with other brands’, but I think the ones I’ve tried are as good or better as competitive models.
I’d like to see Hitachi bring some Metabo innovations to their tools, such as the Quick Chuck. Metabo’s compact drill is among my favorite 18V-class drills, and also landed as an editor’s choice in my 2016 best cordless drills recommendations.
That all said, what do you think about Hitachi tools?
What would Hitachi have to do in order to entice you to buy more of their tools?
Are there certain tools you’d like to see them come out with?
Stercorarius
Hitachi pnuematic nailers are some of, if not the best nailers on the market. I’ve used their cordless and been very impressed, but I already have my lineups purchased and there’s not a whole lot of room for more cordless tools that I already have two or three colors of. I think if Hitachi wants to be more common it would need a few things:
1. Aggressive tool promos. Aka: free tool or free battery with a kit.
2. Information. No one seems to know how big of a lineup Hitachi really has. Every other brand has the big backdrop showing all the tools on their battery platform, yet I have never seen one for Hitachi.
3. Aesthetics. They seem ugly and oddly complexly designed. Keep it simple and clean. The color is fine. They just look like, well a robot gave birth to them.
BonPacific
Agreed on the overly “Kewl” styling they had the last few years. It seems like they are toning it down recently though.
I wonder if they could have success with pop-up stores around Lowes. Say they put up a tent at the entrance, and show off their whole power tool line. Let you really know how large a company they are, and provide a free battery with any tool purchase.
Rob
I first came across Hitachi tools around 10 years ago buying a budget cordless NiCD drill and light set (didn’t have much money at the time) and I loved the weight and feel and the price was almost half of the other popular brands. Others on the job site laughed until they would ask to borrow it while charging their batteries etc and they would be fairly impressed making me feel better about the purchase. As time goes on I find it bothersome as I find myself falling out of favor of making the trip to Lowes as they arent really professional contractor level let’s face it Hitachi and Bosch are nice but home depot Milwaukee and Ridgid (well Ridgid plumbing hand tools) are worth it and I don’t like waiting for my tools to come in the mail or pay the added overweight shipping. I’ve upgraded my Hitachi to Lithium Ion with the times as my carry set but for real work and power my Milwaukee comes into play. Hitachis price has increased dramatically over the time maybe it’s due to the supply and demand or maybe they are just trying to set themselves as more professional instead of the beginner, hobbyist, do it yourself. So overall I’d say limiting their availability hurts them they need to diversify and expand, possibly go back to budget friendly tools or making a do it yourself level and professional level and price accordingly. I think they could use some work on their 12 volt lineup nothing was really changed except the battery size and a slightly smaller version of their 18 volts. I’d also like to see more brushless corded tools although I’m sure it’s in the works just look at the hammer drills etc….
BonPacific
I feel like DeWalt and Milwaukee are both pushing updated/upgraded battery tech, and this makes it the perfect time for Hitachi to announce a universal battery pack between Metabo and Hitachi tools. Perhaps a re-designed battery system, with adapters available for existing Li tools. Offer the connection tech for license to smaller tool brands, allowing them to officially use the Hitachi branded batteries.
Essentially take the DeWalt/MAC tools battery model, but actually push it and advertise about it.
Other things I’d like to see any company do, is really focus on ergonomics. Focus on the balance and weight and handling of the tools more than just their power. The 12v push has been part of this, but there are still problems, especially with bulky handles. I find Makita’s handles fit my grip perfect, while DeWalt is a little too slim, and Bosch doesn’t shape their handles at all.
No one makes an oscillating tool that’s comfortable to use for long periods.
BonPacific
I wonder if they could make a strong push for a place in the “secondary” tool categories. Stuff that tends to be specialized or corded, so you don’t worry as much about it matching your Drill and Circular Saw. Getting a Hitachi tool into people’s toolkits so they think of the company when upgrading their main tools.
Oscillating Multitool – There are so many of these, but it seems the nice ones are from smaller brands, or non-traditional ones. DeWalt and Milwaukee have them, but if you walk into Home Depot, Dremel and Ridgid get top billing on the shelf.
Routers – This is a hard market, DeWalt and Bosch are kings of the small end, while Porter Cable and Bosch seem to own the core sizes. Hitachi has routers, but it doesn’t seem like it has ever really pushed them, and they sit in a weird market segment. Cheaper than the big names, but more expensive than the lower end. If they got their styling/ergonomics in line, with good QA, I think they could take Bosch’s market space.
Cordless Nailer – This is a market ripe for them to take over. Paslode (gas) and Ryobi (battery) are the big names at the top and bottom of the market. Makita’s cordless nailers were terribly designed, and DeWalt’s 18-gauge is still running a stem-pack battery. Hitachi is already well regarded with air nailers, so they should be able to market to users upgrading.
Bremon
Dewalt’s framing nailer and 16 gauge are both fantastic though, the finishing nailer especially. They also recently released a metal connector nailer. An 18g brad nailer is forthcoming from my understanding. I don’t think this market is as ripe for picking as one might think. Plus now you have the swing-and-a-miss lineup from Milwaukee taking up shelf space as well.
fred
Retired – I am no longer the target market – but having done a lot of tool buying when running a business – I have some thoughts.
Hitachi is coming late to the cordless party but maybe they can trade on their strong reputation with pneumatics. Since most established contractors will have already invested in one or two cordless lineups (we had both Makita 18V and Milwaukee 12V as ours) – it would be hard to wean those folks away. They might target those (firms or individuals) new to the market with good bundle deals. They might also try to start offering some bundling of their cordless tools with their bestselling pneumatics – like their coil roofing and finish nailers .
Tom
I have a Hitachi corded circular saw that I got from Lowes a few years back and I love it.
http://www.lowes.com/pd/Hitachi-15-Amp-7-1-4-in-Corded-Circular-Saw/1057439
Feels robust but not too heavy, and I guess I’m odd because I like the green color. I’m a DIYer but wouldn’t have any hesitation buying another Hitachi tool.
Jim Premo
It’s 2016 and still no battery gauge? No thank you.
Aaron
I honestly wonder if this is a Japanese company thing. I remember reading about how Makita held out on incorporating a battery gauge for an extremely long time as well, long after every other prominent power tool company had.
Jim Premo
If Makita had incorporated battery guages 4 years ago, I would be into their cordless system, neck deep. No gauge, no sale.
glenn
Replicate the M12 line and I might swap.
Other than that the only thing they produce that interests me, despite being drastically overpriced, is their cordless pressure washer.
http://www.hitachipowertools.com.au/en/cordless/18v-slide-brushless/aw18dbl-hg-detail
mizzourob
I feel like their line is incompletely marketed. Their kits and add on tools are hit or miss on finding them. Lowe’s has some and Menards others but a complete line is hard to find locally. A while back they changed from post battery packs to post battery packs and th tools I found in store were a mix of both without any distinguishing marks, all marked 18volt. It seems they also dabbled with 12 volt tools. They used to sell a table saw at Lowe’s then that got replaced by a porter cable model and that was the nail in the coffin for me. A tool company shrinking their lineup did not invoke trust that their platform would be a worthwhile investment.
Bremon
They likely need to buy their way into more marketshare with aggressive advertising, free tool and free battery promotions. They could be well served by targeting people starting fresh who can get them early in their career and establish positive experiences early on. Nostalgia is powerful, and “going with what you know” is common; look at pickup truck brands. Look at power tools even. Many of us are firmly entrenched in one or two lines and it would take some huge corporate mistreatment for some of us to change our ways.
Mr. Creek
Hitachi, not a bad company, tools are very decent, their corded tools are on par with some of the best. Here is the problem not enough diversity on their cordless platform (or in the case of Bosch not enough state side availability): and no boots on the ground. What I mean to say about ‘boots on the ground’ is the lack of physical service centers close by. Dewalt and Milwaukee (some others too), have brick and mortar service. In some large cities next day turn around on tools. Unless a brand can keep a person up and running within a day or two, they are a DYI brand. No professional wants to spend a $150 on a tool, and when said tool has an issue, no one wants to wait 6 weeks to get it back through snail mail, plus shipping. Fair disclosure, I use Dewalt 20v. Why? Many reasons, one of them being, service. If I’m standing in the tool isle of a store, holding a new Hitachi hammer drill in one hand and a new Dewalt hammer drill in the other both the same price, I know if for some reason my Dewalt goes out on me (like I drop it off a 30 ft. Ladder) on Tuesday afternoon. By Thursday morning it’s available for me to pick up, ready for action good as new. It will be interesting to see how their merging with Metabo goes. Especially after the new Metabo portable 10″ double compound sliding mitre saw hits the market, the one with the folding backstops.
Tim
Their electric tools will always be a competitor for my money as long as they’re in stock somewhere.
Their cordless tools are largely incomplete and not marketed anywhere well.
To switch cordless they’d need a complete lineup with competitive pricing and several tools that really “wow” me.
I think high power cordless sanders will be a good area to try to break into soon along with rotary tools like routers as battery and brushless motor tech is almost there.
rumpole
some years back i bought a really inexpensive hitachi 4.5″ corded angle grinder from amazon. it was only $40! i didn’t expect it to hold up because it was so cheap. this was my first hitachi tool. that grinder was great. i am still using it. i beat the crap out of it. that surprised me… i bought two more (no more changing between wire brushes and cutoff wheels or grinders.) they still all work a treat.
later on a i bought an hitachi cordless screwdriver. it was a fine tool, well made but too heavy and clunky for my purposes. it sits in a drawer gathering dust.
i am a bosch tool fan – in spite of their lethargy in developing new tools but these hitachi tools have proven themselves to me and i would be willing to try more.
at first i thought the color and design scheme for hitachi drills (i would see them at costco) looked like someone was inspired by a cheap pair of b’ball shoes. the grinders have the same color scheme but lack the gaudy, nearly comic, design excesses of those cordless drills.
rumpole
Clevinger
Hitachi’s like that girl in high school that you were aware of and thought well enough of, but you just weren’t sure you wanted your buddies to find out that you were interested in her.
I’ve got a couple of corded Hitachi tools (angle grinder and router) and they’ve been perfectly serviceable, but I can’t get around the stigma of them being a “second tier” tool company.
Their marketing borders on indifference.
Their line-up seems shallow and outdated compared to other companies’ offerings.
And, oh yeah, good luck finding replacement parts.
They’re there, they’re usable and seem to be of good value, but damned if I’ll show up for work and rely on them.
Hitachi doesn’t seem, to me, anyway, like they’re interested in follow-up support or, for that matter, listening to customers to find out what they want in the first place.
Now, I’ve heard tell that Hitachi’s ‘Industrial’ tools are top notch, so they’re capable of engineering a high quality tool, but that doesn’t seem to spill over into their ‘Contractor’ grade tools.
Again, just can’t seem to get around the ‘second tier’ status in my mind…… And I’m not sure I want my buddies to see me sporting green 😉
JoeM
I think my answer to this would be “For Hell to Freeze Over.”
I’m not a first-time buyer anymore. “Cheap” isn’t in my vocabulary for purchases anymore. I’m not a home owner, I’m a DIYer/Maker. I’m invested in an expensive brand that has earned my loyalty over the course of 20 years.
Erase that, make me 9 years old again (Back when I started using power tools, not buying them yet), give me an unlimited budget, I’m still going Black and Yellow DeWALT. Why? Because I still see what I have always liked about DeWALT in DeWALT. Longer release cycle, fewer mistakes, longer system lifecycles, more “Get What You Pay For” performance. Not to mention fewer system standards, fewer changes to those standards, fewer gimmicks, and very basic, highly efficient ergonomics without the need for a “Style” consideration.
Hitachi, Metabo, Makita, Milwaukee, Bosch… I’ll buy their systems when Hell freezes over. They just don’t stack up long-term, and I’m never going to jump on a band wagon for gimmicks. I’m not going to treat my tools like crap, they’re an investment. So, I care that my purchase can be used every day, or be put away for 6 months to a year, and still work the same as the day I bought it. I don’t care if a new version comes out, unless it solves a MAJOR problem with the model it is replacing.
I see every other system keeps doing this. Releasing line after line after line, tiny tweaks, plastic looking like someone pulled it out of a 1960’s acid flash back with melted/jagged styling, none of it functional, just for stylistic reasons… The only one I don’t see it with is DeWALT. Same Ergonomics, same styling, decade after decade. Something absolutely revolutionary comes out? Great, it gets styled for the time, and kept the same decade after decade after decade. Major design flaw found? EOL for the old one, Repairs and Redesigns for efficiency, Same Model Year after Year after Year.
So… Forgive my bluntness here… But it’s more than just brand loyalty. Hitachi has never, ever, earned my trust. The way they keep throwing stuff at the wall to see what sells turns me away. I don’t care if their numbers beat DeWALT. The DeWALT it is going against is going to be there six model generations from now, when they’ve tried twelve new gimmicks to get me to switch. I won’t.
Stercorarius
Lol I hope you get a good commission.
Ryan
So, you won’t buy anything but dewalt but somehow hitachi has never earned your trust… perhaps you have some black and yellow blinders on. How would a brand earn your trust if you never give any other brand a chance? You say they don’t stack up long term but as a DIY user, you can’t make a case for durability if you’re not putting the tools through the paces that a contractor would.
Chris Butigan
Just bring your japanese stuff to this continent, thats it… Just take a look at this: http://www.hitachi-koki.co.jp/powertools/dbook/powertools/index.html
Amazing… Simply amazing…
Hitachi must be the biggest company out there, even bigger than bosch, but we dont deserve their love…
Wayne Ruffner
That is truly an amazing catalog. Just translating that thing alone would be a huge job.
Travis
Wow! I just scrolled thought this and I am amazed. I had not idea they had so much in the way of their 18v lineup.
They have cordless nailers! Why is Hitachi not putting more work into the North American market?
Cr8ondt
Every Hitachi tool I’ve ever used I’ve enjoyed, IMO they are top notch! I drool over their flagship miter saw having run one all last summer but its way too much saw for my needs, I could care less about the odd design scheme, heck I ran PC 20v tools for awhile.
B Irish
I just want to see price of power tools to come down.
Jay
Man, I don’t know what would make me switch. Happy with what I have now which is mainly Makita and DeWalt with some Milwaukee and Senco thrown in. Gave Hitachi a look 10 years ago but they just did not strike me as a line made with contractors in mind, seemed geared toward Joe and Jane homeowner/weekend warrior types. I’d probably need to see their tools out in the field where I could speak with the user for a little insight and maybe get a some hands on.
Goodnight johnboy
I had a Hitachi 18v impact & it was great. I bought it for the warranty and the good price. It crapped out after 4½ @years of hell. I’d buy another one. I also had a 6 gallon pancake from Hitachi. It was a weak POS. But their pneumatic nailguns are the best. I’ve had my Hitachi framer & finisher for a long time. Outlasted a Paslode & Senco. They make alot of badass tools, but they’re only for Japan. But as far as blaming it on them not making more cordless tools for lack of popularity is lame. I think they’re smart for not getting into the cordless crap. I don’t know wtf is wrong with all of the dumbasses who think cordless tools are the greatest thing since sliced bread. With the exception of the impact driver/drill, CORDLESS POWER TOOLS SUCK. THEY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PERFORM AS WELL AS ELECTRIC, PNEUMATIC, GAS, OR HYDRAULIC POWERED TOOLS. It doesn’t matter how many Amphours a battery has or whatever lame gimmicks the big box companies keep trying. But if Hitachi wants to draw in more customers they need to bring the stuff released in Japan over here. Lowes won’t advertise or promote their products, they need to move on. They can get a good customer base, it just sucks that they have to go through HD or Lowes.
Gomer pyle
You sound like some old codger who clings to the devices his daddy and grand daddy used while he was growing up. Cordless tools have almost completely replaced corded tools in my shop because they are more compact and infinitely more useful. I cant remember the last time I reached for my pneumatic impact since purchasing a cordless one.
Arne
I pretty much use only cordless now. The only corded tools I regularly use are my table saw, miter saw and worm drive skil. I’m thinking about replacing the skil with the new Makita rear handle 36 volt though.
I HATE using a generator on framing jobs. If I could afford all cordless flexvolt miter saw and table saw, that’s what I would do
Aaron
Hitachi’s biggest impediment to me has long been an identity crisis in the West. They were a feast or famine brand, and introduced some truly top-tier products like their brushless hammer drill and impact with programmable features (similar to their current triple hammer) way back in 2011. It really hasn’t been until this past year that they’ve reminded us of just how good they can be with their premium offerings (the Triple Hammer impact driver is legitimately superior to everything released by Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Makita). They need to double-down on their marketing, continue to release premium tools, and absolutely must take battery indicators built into the batteries seriously. Granted, their premium tools have built-in indicators, but it still must be done.
They’re certainly trending in the right direction overall now, but I’d like to see brushless cordless saws, as well as table saws that stand up to the high quality of their miter selection.
RC WARD
Right now Hitachi’s cheaper for a reason. They need to be to stay in the race with DeWalt and Milwaukee. It will be tough for them to compete at this point.
fred
I saw some statistics that estimate the US Power Tool market at about $7 billion in sales. About 2/3 of this was reportedly to professional and commercial users – but that left a hefty chuck of money being spent by consumers (e.g. homeowners and other DIY’ers) Worldwide the industry is said to be something like $26 billion and growth of 4% to 5% is predicted per year. The rosy growth forecast might be based on improved outlooks for construction in the US and worldwide – but as we have experienced downturns can happen. Anyway – both statistics would seem to offer the potential for Hitachi and other tool manufacturers in both the professional and DIY market segments. Maybe Hitachi thinks Lowes has untapped potential for marketing to the latter segment. BTW – the lithium ion battery sales that grew rapidly (some say about 10% per year) over the past few years is predicted to taper off to a very modest growth rate (something like 2%) as the market gets saturated.
Just some food for thought
jeff
I purchased a Li Ion Hitachi set about 6-7 years ago, ive driven 10,000s of screws dropped it dozens of times (once off my roof on to concrete) and it is still going strong. The batteries are slowly dying (1.5ah) and I slowly rebuild them into 3ah units due to the advances in bat tech.
I later purchased a matching impact driver 1/2″ drive and I found another of the same drills at a pawn shop for 20$ with bad batteries. I rebuilt the batteries, and now I can have a twist drill in one and a driver in the other or any other combination.
I cant say anything bad about them, I have abused the crap out of them and they keep going, and rebuilding the batteries is super simple.
Chip
If I remember correctly, they offered the first sliding glass miter saw 85ish?
I use my tools for work every day(also away from, several times per week).
My criteria is a mix of batteries, tool lineup, availability, warranty, etc.
2004 I bought into Dewalt18v, for the impact, and grinder, in 2007 I added 36v because of full 7 1/4 in blade.
2014 because of wearing out batteries and tools, I switched to 18v Milwaukee, for battery guages , again 7 1/4 saw(only 1 on the market).
@ the end of Dewalt era and now with Milwaukee I use 15 tools and 15 batteries.
To those who think Cordless is a waste, try running 500 ft extension cords to a jobs site that far from your work truck.
I had to install a fence panel where the sand meets seawall (500lb boulders)
So I pulled out my cordless vacuum and vacuumed the sand till I had dug a hole.
So in summary, I buy into a line that is easy to find,warranty, and the most features.
The color is not the greatest btw.
Oleg Kuperman
Love questions like these! People who read these blogs (thus participate in discussions by replying to them) are more often than not already invested into one system or another, or even more than one, like me for example, I like some tools made by Milwaukee and some by Dewalt… Having said that I can guarantee you that the batteries and tools I have are sufficient for any task, any task at all I might add. I’m 32, a professional dyi-er, as I’d call myself, I also do construction but that’s besides the point.
However, to answer your question: Hitachi would have to somehow encorporate Milwaukee’s One Key system into their drills and other tools, give me free additional batteries (I have 2 5ah per tool Milwaukee and 4 Dewalt batteries for 4 tools I have), also, dewalt’s ingenuity in terms of the multitool, dual bevel cordless miter that I just got also has to be present. Which is impossible, hence the ridiculousness of this question, no offense.
The only way anyone already heavily invested into other tried and true brands would ever consider Hitachi is if they were robbed of all their tools and batteries and Hitachi was having an insane, INSANE sale that week nearby somewhere… And even that would not guarantee that any of us would switch, because, honestly, if i wanted an ok-quality tool without any over-the-top, breathtaking features with a boring green/black/white paint scheme I’d just buy Makita… At least that’s a brand that I’m familiar with, where’s Hitachi (to me, personally) is like Panasonic – you can go on and on about how great the brand is and how amazing their tools are, explaining to me that the only reason I don’t know about the brand is because they are focusing on the LARGE companies and thus are in a league of their own, but… If my friends and coworkers don’t use these tools, the companies I work for don’t supply them and the only time I hear about the brand is on some awesome tool blog (such as this one), you know, why would I bother?..
fred
This got me thinking about why an “also ran” or new entrant to the market has to use their own proprietary battery/battery interface. While it may be a matter of pride in one’s one brand, would it violate law for a company like Hitachi to admit that it is so far behind the market leaders that they would be better off using one of those manufacturer’s batteries? Would incorporating circuitry into their tool to interface with someone else’s batteries require cross-licensing lest it infringe on some patents? Or is it a reality that tool companies make more money selling their batteries than their tools? I wonder what their market would look like if Hitachi cordless tools could use Dewalt (or Milwaukee or Makita) batteries and chargers and they only sold bare tools.
Oleg Kuperman
With all due respect – I’m very certain that pride and personal feelings have little to do with a decision to use a proprietary power source. A company might rebrand another tool to increase battery sales but never the other way around, simply because either every power tool or almost every power tool is sold at a loss, a loss recovered by the sales of batteries later on. It’s like gaming consoles and games, same strategy. How/why do you think they can have these “promotions” all year round that allow you to buy two huge batteries for the price of one? Power tools require a ton of effort to be brought to the market, at the same time even the most advanced of the power packs are still made using the same basic techniques the AA battery manufacturers use, but selling them at a 1000 percent profit by making the battery seem essential by strategically positioning it as a “must have” to the end consumer and giving it a kick-ass name, like “redlithium”or something. A power tool manufactured that doesn’t make its own batteries is doomed, plain and simple.
Toolfreak
The older power tool batteries were pretty much the same, with the only difference being the housing and plug shape/retainer type, and you could “plug” pretty much any 18V battery into any 18V charger and it’d work because nothing really different was happening.
Nowadays, the tools and batteries are more complex, and have chips that control how the tool uses the battery, how the charger charges the battery, and lots of other stuff. You can still make an 18V drill work with some other 18V battery, but it’s not really a good idea.
The battery cells that come in the current Li-ion packs are pretty universal, though higher priced tool lines tend to have better quality cells than bargain brands. Again, it’s the housing shape/retainer type and the chip in the battery pack that seperates one brand from another even when they use the same exact cells.
While it may seem like it would save a company money to just use a competitior’s battery design, it very likely would not save any money at all. Not that any company would ever license their current battery tech, because they’d be giving away proprietary info that makes their tools perform how they do since the chips in those batteries now have so much to do with how the tool uses the battery. You can bet that any company that so much as suggested they would be interested in ‘licensing’ the battery tech of a competitior would be laughed out of the building, at least among the big name brands in power tools.
Really cheap no-name cordless tools do use a sort-of-universal battery housing shape, at least on the part that goes into the tool and makes the connection. This has more to do with a few companies in China making the cheap tools though.
Frank
If Hitachi would release their catalog to the US, I would consider changing to Hitachi.
Steve
This is a great discussion! Sometimes I ask myself the same question….why did I spend hundreds of dollars more on Red and Yellow when I know that Green is perfectly good? It’s gotta be marketing, and knowing that a steady stream of new cool stuff is going to come out in the US. But I’ve never had a problem with any Hitachi tool I’ve had. I can’t see myself going 100% green, but I will probably end up using them to fill the gaps where Red is exorbitantly expensive or Yellow is good and appropriately priced but may have some low reviews.
Todd
I read many, many of the comments, so I hope I’m not reposting someone else’s salient comment.
The styling is terrible. My tools shouldn’t look like children’s Godzilla toys. The green is fine and quickly identifiable as Hitachi. Keep it simple. I actually don’t prefer a lot of the DeWalt stuff because it looks like they add a bunch of overmolding just to catch the eye.
Blythe M
Pneumatics, as mentioned are awesome.
Corded stuff, also very good, usually light and durable and just work.
I really like that they always include a hard case with their corded stuff, maybe they could make them stackable, t loc style or whatever.
Definitely agree they need to market better and have a more complete presence. They currently have the vibe that if I invest they might change their mind in a year or two and pull out of the market
Pete
I already made the switch to green! Ryobi! I can buy more tools and batteries and accomplish more because i can have more tools than with a “premium tool”. If i need ‘serious’ work done with a saw or grinder im gonna pull out a corded tool.
Toolfreak
I remember seeing the Hitachi cordless Li-ion drills at Lowe’s back when they first came out, with the bizarre “alien” styling – and even a special gold-color version. That definitely got me curious about the brand, since it was a bold (and crazy) styling move, and getting my hands on them, they were super ergonomic in a way no other drills of the time were.
I never wound up buying the drill, or any other Hitachi tools (bought a Skil cordless set instead, then later Bosch 12VMax), but I agree with some of the other posts above, Hitachi is a decent brand I would always consider, especially given the sale prices at Lowe’s and online relative to the expected performance and overall value.
I’d agree that if Hitachi would bring over a lot more of the tools they market in Japan and other markets, they’d get more serious consideration in terms of people buying into their cordless lineup. That’s a big reason for DeWalt and Milwaukee’s success – it’s a heck of a lot easier to sell a tool if it just adds on to a cordless system you already bought into and have the battery and charger and accessories for. It’s a tougher sell to buy seperate tools that use a differerent battery, which you need a different charger for, and probably different accessories to work with it.
It really is too bad Hitachi doesn’t have more of a presence in the US market, at least in the big box stores and that’s still somewhat true online. They seem to make good tools and aren’t afraid to go wild with the styling, and even offer a few innovative additions to the tool world. Maybe they’re doing all they can locally and in their major markets and just have a minor presence in the US market because that’s all they can do right now.
Matt
Funnily enough I’m actually going through this decision-making process right now. I recently sold off all my old 18v Dewalt stuff on CL and am making the jump to Li Ion. For me, it was between Makita and Ridgid. I’m predominantly a kitchen installer and finish carpenter, so I really like having a cordless nailer in the line. Yes, I could get a Fusion or an Airstrike, but having to track down those batteries and have an extra charger around is a pain. If Hitachi, which makes some of the best nailers around, got into the cordless nailer game, that would be huge. At this pont, I’m likely going Makita due to the free 2-pack of 4.0 batteries with any two bare tools deal on amazon, but the Hitachi reputation in that segment and their already fairly strong lineup may have swayed me. At the same time, they are among the pricier lines out there and they don’t seem to always have the innovation and lineup depth to justify that in my mind.
Paul
Hitachi is coming out with 18, 16 and 15 gauge finish nailers that run off their 18V slide platform. They are brushless too! If you can wait I think it is worth it.
mike stone
as an electrician I have used most of the cordless brands dewalt, bosch Makita and most of the rank up there for durability and long lasting, I just purchased the hitachi 3 pack combo kit and love it light weight and long lasting battery, the impact will drive a 6 inch 3/8 lag bolt to the hilt, went thru a box of 50 no sweat sawsall works great to only the damn saftey button is pain in the —–wish it was more down the handle as in once you grab the hand it depresses the safety switch cuts 4 inch rigid no problem comes with 2 batterys which hold up well , haven’t dropped it yet but time will tell flashlight light works well also really bright just to let you guys know great tool
Arne
I recently started buying Hitachi because of their cordless nailers. My Porter Cable kit nailer purchased in high school finally became unreliable, and I didn’t want another pneumatic, but wanted the feel of pneumatic.
Hitachi also has high quality bare tools for really good deals, I bought an 18v circular saw for $59 and use it for breaking panels down to size in my small shop. I’ll likely get their jigsaw for $59 and throw it in the bag with the nailers for when I do hardwood flooring.
I’d like to see a cordless floor nailer and pin nailer from them, but I’ve been super impressed with what I’ve used so far.
I waited for a long time before buying the Hitachi, in hopes that Makita would come out with good nailers. All my other 18v are Makita.
I thought about the Milwaukee nailers, but I don’t like the quality of their woodworking tools, so that was why I went with Hitachi. I thought about senco, but they only have nailers on their 18v platform.
The DeWalt nailers seemed more like a diy quality, not pro like the Hitachi/Milwaukee/senco.
Jeremiah McKenna
Hitachi cordless quality is equal to Riobi, but priced higher. Drop one from a 6 foot ladder and hope and pray is still works and doesn’t crack. I worked with a guy a few months ago that bought a couple of new Hitachi cordless drills and an impact driver. The batteries would not last long enough to build a medium sized deck, and as I said before, he dropped the drill and it broke internally. So he returned it, and the next day when the batteries were fully charged again, he dropped the new drill and it broke where the handle meets the drill body. Now, mind you, he was standing on the ladder, and his hips were level with the top of the 6ft. step ladder and he missed the hook on his belt, so the drill went to the ground.
Needless to say, he returned the three tools and paid the extra money to upgrade to the Milwaukee brand.
Brian Lamberts
We home users, diyers etc. have to choose some brand. Better if a set of batteries fit all of our tools. I got a Hitachi drill cheap at Lowes, part of a starter set that included charge, 2 batteries, and a flashlight, for about $100. Years ago. Got started on the line, their stuff is robust enough for my needs and I’ve invested in an impact driver (my favorite,) a circular saw, and a reciprocating saw. Along the way, I got an extra charger and invested 3.0 amp batteries. I have 6 batteries now. And I bought about 5 more of the excellent flashlights which have replaced my automotive work lights. I have literally never had anything fail, tho a driver did break off inside the impact. Took the front end of the impact drive apart, and the piece came out. Cleaned it with brake clean & regreased with synthetic lube. The impact doesn’t break things loose like a pneumatic with 400 ft/lb of torque, but it does speed up most automotive work and will tighten things to within spittin’ distance of 50 ft/lb.
I’d like the 18v angle grinder, maybe even two. An extra for wire wheels. I enjoy my funky green power tools. It IS easy being green! I am 67 years old, I expect these tools to last the rest of my life.
Eric
My first Hitachi tool was a miter saw. Over the next three years I added a 12v impact and drill, a reciprocating saw, brag nailer and miter saw. Last summer, I upgraded to a 10” slider and the table saw. Then I was out of town helping friends remodel a bathroom and needed an angle grinder and corded drill. Somewhere along the line I picked up a plunge router combo and made a pile of base trim to match the oak inmy 1940s built home. Then I was at Lowe’s and saw the Tool Manager pull all the Hitachi display tools off the floor to make to for the Metabo HPT line. I grabbed an 18volt impact and drill for $39 each, a brushless impact for $49 and a reciprocating saw for $49. They all came with batteries and chargers. A week later, I saw the Lumber Manager and he asked about the addition I will starting in the Spring. He said he had a few more Hitachi tools and wanted to know if I was interested. I picked up all new unopened box 18 volt framing nailer and a 16 gauge finish nailer for $ 120 each and a circular saw for $20.; batteries and chargers were included in the package All told I picked up $1700 worth of tools for about $475. I have a lot of green in my garage now. Hitachi tools have served me very well over the past five years of remodeling my home. The have been durable, always ready and easy to use. I’ve done three bathrooms, one kitchens, book cases, shelves, a pantry, barn, deck, lots of flooring, custom trim, welding/ grinding and lots of demolition and my Hitachi tools have always performed strong. A lot of people in my area were apprehensive of the name change to Metabo HPT. I saw the same tools used in Iceland and felt confident that things would be the same here in the USA.