Home Depot and Lowes are in a fierce marketing battle, with each saying their house brand makes the better 18V cordless drill driver. Lowes struck first, with an in-store banner behind their new Kobalt cordless power tool displays comparing the Kobalt Li-ion drill driver to Ridgid’s.
Home Depot took nearly two months to respond, but their counter is strong and bold, with a new poster comparing Ridgid’s drill driver to Kobalt’s prominently appearing in the power tool department.
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We currently have both drill/drivers in-hand and will be reviewing them later this week, at which point we hope to find out which of the brands’ cordless drill is best. From what we can tell thus far, both drills are well-made and are high quality products.
Both brands claim, or rather strongly suggest, that their drill/driver superior, but both cannot be right. Which drill do you think is the better buy? Here are the product descriptions and specs for the Ridgid and Kobalt drills in question.
Teaser: from what we’ve seen and felt already, we think the Ridgid would win in a head to head comparison.
Greg E
Metal gearbox (ridgid) vs Metal chuck (Kobalt) Winner ridgid (i know not the same by any means but it help kobalt from sounding too plasticy lol 🙂
torque-winner ridgid
price- kobalt
Stuart
Actually, the Ridgid drill kit is $10 cheaper.
As for the metal vs. plastic construction, neither tool feels shoddily built – they’re both quite solid.
Greg E
“the Ridgid drill kit is $10 cheaper” (I need to go back n look in store just bought the the Ridgid set i could of sworn, it was more, but would not be the 1st time i was wrong 🙂 lol) any ways the factor for me was the metal gear box, i have had bad luck with plastic gear box’s in the past. (got the milwaukee drill/impact set for that same reason).
i will agree they both felt sturdy.
CJ
Ridgid. I like mine. I did find it interesting that Kobalt list Ridgid as a 3 year warranty
Noah Calub
No rigid had life time warenty
Kevin
I owned a Ridgid 18 volt compact drill (older version of the one pictured), it was great drill with the exception of the short battery life,and the slightly odd placement of the LED. I played with the Kobalts a bit at Lowes, they just felt kinda cheap to me and the batt was a little too oversized.
I would go with Ridgid, they’re an established powertool brand now, have a good warranty, proven support and have gotten a couple of generations of powertools lines under their belt now.
I’m just a little leery of new powertool launches, especially when I dont know who the OEM is and how long the tools will be around if the line doesnt pan out.
SRams
I would have to choose the Ridgid over the Kobalt (and I work at Lowe’s!)
Ridgid has so many more tools to offer. But looking at the Ridgid sign it says the Ridgid drill has 537 inch lbs of torque, but the web site says its equal to the Kobalt at 455. I call shenanagans on that, unless I missed something.
I also have to say its weird that Kobalt, with less than six months and only 10-15 tools on the market would take on such a well established brand like Ridgid.
Heff
Ridgid has a habit of being (I’ll be nice here) “inconsistent” with their torque specs. On this model drill, they just so happen to up the torque as soon as another brand has a more powerful model come out. Same with their impact drivers. Keep in mind, they never changed models or updated ANYTHING with the tools. Tools are a competitive business, if you’ve actually improved your offering–you shout it from the rooftops. Not even changing the model number tells me they didn’t change anything but the number they report.
To show how mixed up they are with remembering which imaginary torque rating they’re using at the time, they have a new 12V impact at Home depot. On the description tag in the specs section, it says “1200 in-lbs.” In the narrative at the bottom “1,110.” The box gives a third number, “1,100.” I guess when it’s not a real number it’s hard to keep track of what it is!
SRams
(Correction: I mean Kobalt has 10-15 POWER tools on the market)
Stuart
The Kobalt tools are made by Chervon, an OEM that makes tools for Craftsman and other well-known brands.
I don’t know where the torque values are taken from. The Ridgid sign says that those are the PTI torques, which doesn’t make sense since why would they rate their tools’ torque as lower than PTI-compliant results? Ridgid torque levels are different depending on whether you use the slim or extended capacity battery, so maybe that has something to do with it.
It makes sense that Kobalt is trying to match up to Ridgid. Lowes’ main competitor is Home Depot, and both Home Depot and Sears if you’re talking about just tools. It also wouldn’t be a good idea for to Lowes to suggestively compare the Kobalt power tools to other brands they carry, such as Porter Cable. If they’re going to make “ours vs. theirs” comparisons, Ryobi, Ridgid, and Craftsman are the brands to beat.
Robert
You can almost disregard the whole issue of warranty. My experience with both stores is that their warranties are no better than the paper they’re printed on. They love to throw them around as a sales tactic. They’ll be all but useless however, when you bring the item in with problems. Warranties are only as good as the companies that stand behind them. Neither of these stores are specialized dealers. They just sell them and forget them.
Robert
Robert
Biff
I own a ridgid set, and the drill chuck recntly stopped ratcheting, I went to the local ridgid authorized shop, and it came back like new, no hassle at all, are you speaking from experience?
john
OK…I deal with these issues all the time. Any manufacturer will include in the original paperwork that if, while the unit is under warranty, you should call the manufacturer…..NOT return it to the store where it was purchased. The only exception is if you are having issues within the first 30 days and you have your receipt.
I think you will find that most manufacturers are very helpful solving any issues you may while the unit is in warranty.
What I have never understood is why customers think it is ok to try to ripoff stores by trying to return units that are out of the mfg. warranty. Do they not understand the more they ripoff stores the higher price all customers have to pay. They are small-time thieves that in turn hurt all customers.
Mark
As a contractor I have gone through Rigid,Makita, Hitachi, Milwaukee and DeWalt. RIGID ‘has’ had full Lifetime warranty on the tool AND the batteries, and I have never had a problem. Milwaukee replaced batteries w/in its warranty, and Dewalt I rate 3rd best. No experience with Kobalt at all.
Kevin in Moline IL
I have approximately $2,500 in Kobalt hand and power tools. I work 40 hours a week with them and put an excessively hard effort on the 18 volt Li-Ion drill. In the 18 months that I have owned the tools I have had 3 problems (all replaced without hassle at the local Lowes store). I had the tip of a screwdriver break honestly from me abusing it and using a small screwdriver to attempt to loosen a tightened hex/slotted screw. The caster wheel came apart on my rolling cart where it is a pressed fit (it appeared to be an off center strike on the pressed fit) and the Li-Ion drill tip of the chuck is polished from drill bit slip/spin and now requires extreme tightening by hand to hold a drill bit firmly. Unfortunately I have no receipts for any of the tools due to my wife throwing them away. I even paid an extra I believe $25-30 dollars for an extended warranty on the drill which makes the drill warranty run 7 years and the batteries 5 (If I recall correctly) but unfortunately my wife threw them away while she was cleaning out my desk trying to “help” me. Thankfully Lowes replaced all items including the drill on my first trip to the store with no receipts and no hassle whatsoever.
Tom
If you shop at lowea a lot, use the My Lowes card. No worries about receipts.
Ken
so although Lowe’s is a great competitor with Home Depot Kobalt does not compare to Rigid. For the extra money you paid for a 7 year warranty you could have gotten a lifetime and saved your money. Home Depot always values the customer with or without the receipt. As long as u paid for it on a card they can look you up and give you the return.(which you wouldn’t need with the lifetime warranty Rigid offers)All you do is register it online after your purchase and they take care of you. Even though yes Rigid over time will develop problems it will be as any other tool, however your major difference should always be what can I get for my money. In that case Rigid should take you home every time.(it’s less dollar value, the warranty is better, and they have a variety of other tools and accessories rather then a handful)
Thomas Phame
After the Bosh cordless drill battery quit on me, I did some research to help me decide what company made the best cordless drill to fit my needs. I ended up buying the Rigid table and miter saw and the cordless drill. I was very impressed with how well designed they are and how they work. I then decided to buy two extra Rigid batteries but after three years they all went bad. I went to the Home Depot and asked them if they could help me but was told that the warranty was up and I needed to contact the Rigid rep. who told me the same thing. That made me feel very disappointed in the company. I hope that Rigid will take this into consideration if/when they design/build new products. I think that for the amount of money these tools cost they should stand behind their products for longer than three years so that consumers such as myself feel more confident in buying their products knowing they will stand behind them.
Bill Adams
Ridgid states they have a lifetime warranty. I sent 3 defective batteries to Ridgid and because you need to take the batteries to a authorized service center (nearest center is 1 1/2 hour dive) I lost the batteries. They did not send new batteries or return the defective ones. DO NOT BUY RIDGID TOOLS……..
Phil Hersey
Do not buy Ridgid. I have a 4 pc set, drill, recip, circular, light. 24vdc. After a couple years both batteries went bad. Home Depot no longer carried them and neither did Ridgid. Finally Ridgid offered a replacement…ONE battery $200!! Now I need another. I’ll buy another set from a different brand and throw these tools in the trash. They were good tools but Ridgid as a company stinks.
jrj90620
Here’s the story on Ridgid batteries’ warranty.Below is copy of answer to battery question at Home Depot website.
Individual battery purchases carry a three year warranty only, based on the purchase receipt. They do not qualify for the RIDGID Lifetime Service Agreement coverage. Only the batteries accompanying a qualifying RIDGID cordless power tool purchase, qualify for that coverage, if that coverage has been obtained for the qualifying RIDGID cordless power tool purchase that the batteries came with.
The RIDGID Lifetime Service Agreement coverage can be obtained for a qualifying RIDGID power tool purchase by registering the purchase in the RIDGID on-line registration portal and following the steps to submit for the coverage, or by mailing the original receipt (keeping a copy for your records), the packages UP label , and the tools model and serial number data information to the following address:
RIDGID Hand Held and Stationary Power Tool Technical Services
P.O. Box 1427
Anderson, SC 29622
Regards,
RIDGID Read Less
Philip Bradley
I agree with the comment above that the warranty is a selling point but a fraud in practice. I bought Ridgid in 2005 and 2006 due to the warranty. They have been good tools — the nicad batteries are still good though the do not hold a charge long if sitting unused and none of the tools (18V drill, circular, sawsall, planer, jigsaw, light, impact) broke until 2011 when a small retaining ring on the circular saw broke and a small part on the head of the jigsaw broke. I was looking forward to having them repaired under warranty. 6 months after dropping them off at a Ridgid warranty repair center, I still do not have the tools back.
I am thinking about a new set of lithium ion Kobalt. I may have had enough of Ridgit.
Bill Adams
If you can get warranty service it does take months to get replacements.
Dewey Bolton
I have a Ridgid 18V, model 86006, an older drill, bought 8/1/2009. Have had no problems with my warranty on my batteries. My batteries did not hold a charge early on, went to the local service shop (hole in the wall type place), week or so later, new or repair batteries and or charger. No problem.
I did have a challenge registering with Ridgid—that took about 8 months, but it got done. Ridgid said they were back logged. Whatever, it took a while but it got done. My two cents.
Kevin C.
When it comes to warranty the Kobalt has the ridgid beat hands down. Ridgid is not owned by Home Depot therefore much like Lowe’s they do not have to take care of any warranty issues outside of their own return policy. If by chance you have had good luck in returning items and getting exchanges from them in the past all i can says is the best of luck to you. The Kobalt brand does belong to Lowe’s. As I have posted before all you do with Kobalt power tools if you have a problem is take them back to any Lowe’s store and get a new one. If you don’t think the warranty will be long enough for you I’ve been telling many of my customer to scratch off the date codes on their tools. My corporate office has already told us that if we can’t tell how old it is to go ahead and replace.
Randy P
Thanks for the dishonest tip Kevin. We all need a lesson in dishonesty.
Rigid 100%
I’m a carpenter and use cordless drills all the time for roofing, framing, remodeling, decking, etc. and I’ve had 3 Rigid drill guns, and there isn’t a better gun on the market. Like in this case your chain stores aren’t worth shit, for the warranties I call the Rigid rep. had mine packaged up and sent out and back in a two weeks. Register your guns and they have a lifetime warranty on batteries, chargers, guns, parts, etc. Had all my batteries replaced in about 5 yrs and the internal gearbox to the gun I use the most completely done over, brand new gun for shipping cost, can’t beat that.
And on top of all that the 15.4v Rigid out performs the 18v Dewalt, if that tells you anything about performance. And if you use drills often you know that balance is key, the Rigid has a much better battery to drill balance than Dewalt or Kobalt as well.
michael
i work commercial construction mainly sewer plant construction and i use my tools very hard I will live and die Milwaukee tools. Their five year warranty on all of their tools including cordless is just as good as any. But i was givin a Kobalt 18v cordless drill for christmas so i used it and used it hard. I used it to run a 1 1/8 inch tap to clean out threads on 20″ ductile and it impressed me. i used that tool harder in one week then most would in a life time and it worked flawless. I beat that drill and it would just come back for more. Kobalt has a good tool for the price
Patrick
There’s absolutely no comparison. As Stuart said, the Kobalt tool is made by an OEM. I don’t know how much influence the Lowes design group had in its development, but it doesn’t look like it has any new features going for it that haven’t already been introduced in other lower-end drills on the market. It’s also hideous looking, IMHO. If I’m not mistaken, Rigid’s X4 series was designed in SC by Techtronic Industries. Comparing the drills from the X3 lineup to this it’s clear it was dev’d from the ground up. smaller, better internals, completely new shape, completely new battery cell layout, completely new charging capabilities with the DualChem chargers. Warranties aside, I think the X4 is the best pro-level drill that has come out in years. The Kobalt unit is nice for it’s class, but comparing them is ridiculous.
Happy Ridgid Customer
OK. I want to make it clear that Ridgid is in fact a Home Depot house brand. It also is incidentally their colors. Orange. Black. For those who care to notice. I use a cordless drill almost all the time when working, meaning finger depressed on trigger and chuck spinning/motor on. I hold this up sideways, level for extended periods of time. So I was shopping and willing to spend 500+$ on a cordless drill. I was actually looking at top products level brands like the contractors use all day long. Year round. Mind you, I work indoors, and there is not a lot of pressure/torque wear and tear since I am not pushing or drilling into something. The drill just needs to be held in the air, spinning, literally for hours on end. So balance. Weight. Battery run time are all important factors in needed to consider when purchasing a cordless drill for my profession. And I will pay anything, even ridiculous, overpriced, rip off, etc. to ensure I get the drill I need. I’m not a juicemonkey or construction worker so I’m not superman. But the nature of my job, the drill must be balanced, not top or back heavy and I need to hold it for sometimes five, ten, twenty more minutes straight while keeping finger depressed and chuck spinning (I am using the drill as a makeshift spinning device, and control is a MUST.) The Ridgid drill is the best I have found anywhere for size to weight ratio and seriously balance too. It is unbeatable. No joke. Go hold one. Compare to any cheaper, same price, or more expensive drill, it kills any competition. And I couldn’t believe it’s a budget house brand. I got it on sale as well, so it was an older version I think 86008 or something. Now they have an even newer one which is even more compact and even better batteries, this X4 stuff which adds a button to show battery level remaining on the battery itself. So useful. I’m kind of upset how well and durable this drill is lasting me. I really want the newer compact one and would hope the old one would break for a logical reason to buy the newer one with the newer X4 hyper lithium ion batteries, that I gather reading from ppls messages up above are even better and more longer lasting. I was already insanely happy with the quality and performance before, but to know they are constantly updating and upgrading their generation of product lines, I am satisfied they are not going anywhere and will back their brand reputation and quality. Home Depot will exchange batteries for you up to one year, and the chicken made it blatantly obvious its most people lazy and not registering is the real problem. Not the 3 yrs out of the box. People complaining are being extremely lazy and ignorant and unfair to the actual LIFETIME warranty that they offer everyone who buys their stuff and takes the time to register like they ask. Is that too much to ask you for a lifetime warranty????? It amazes me places like bix box electronic stores charge hundreds of dollars more for so called extended warranties and you guys complain about a free lifetime one. It boggles me humans sometime…. Anyways I wouldn’t have taken the time.even to write this had I not read such slander about a kickass tool that I bet my life on. It feeds me. Pays my bills. And helps me make money. So I do use it professionally though in other trades besides rough and hard construction/homebuilding. Oh. And I needed a 1/2″ chuck. Which is why I was drilll shopping in the first place. I learned most drills have 3/8″ only and I need big for my job to hold larger items. Besides that, I didn’t really notice or care the chuck shell is plastic and my profession is high heat exposure and the Ridgid is just fine. If anything I’m sure it’s why it feels so perfectly balanced. If you shoot guns or hold things to aim, you know what I’m talking about. It’s self leveling self balancing. And all during relaxed grip, and during depressing the trigger. Someone mentioned the length of the trigger pull and yes I agree its longer than needed, but there’s a hefty chunk of prepull distance before the drill activates and this position is my usual resting position. I have noted that it’s not hard to hold it here while resting, but more importantly its not hard to hold for long periods of time, and sideways, not forward facing like a gun. I have to hold the drill sideways, in front of my face, and at that height too for long durations. So trust me. Balance is very important for me. They have smaller corded screwdrivers which would be even more lighter and easy for me to hold, but battery duration would be a big problem. I work for 8-12 hrs straight sometimes, so thwe Ridgid set was good too cause it came with two batteries. And most kits and deals back then only one battery was standard issue or expected. Nowadays they have more drills with two batteries. Or even smarter pack up kits with less batteries but more tools to jack up the price and less amount of their most expensive replacement component, batteries. Genius, but highly robbery. Anyhow the point is I used to be a prehistoric dinosaur that used nicad and had to wait hours to recharge and resume work. Then I got smart to get a second battery and swap them. This was well before dual battery sets. So anyways when buying Ridgid I noticed the two batteries plus now are lithium ion without memory problems. And they charge hella faster. I really only need the battery to last as long as it takes for the second to charge and I can swap all day long if I need to. The old problem was charge time. Anyhow oldschool Ridgid batteries lasted me a few hours constant run without a lot of weight or torque resistance, and charged quick enough in between. Though my set does have a rapid charger. Now the new batteries are even better and with a charge level tester built in. I have no idea how this kobalt brand expects to compete. a big big big selling point, inside metal gears and guts. As I said I run my drill long and for extended periods of time constant running. So a lot break on me. I think I am a decent source of opinion. This drill just won’t die. I think I just have to give it away in order to not feel like an overconsuming north American with two of everything. But as I said I use it for work and to make a living so maybe it is justified, I guess. Anyways Ridgid all the way. Kobalt feels like craftsman or below mastercraft type quality. And it size and shape is seriously outdated. Large chunky batteries make drills feel clunky. Ridgid batteries are sleek and slimline. Go hold one. You’ll see for yourself. This whole comparison is a waste of time. Anyone who is knowledge will know Ridgid will win. Hands down. Blindfolded and hopping on one leg.
Lb
I have the x4 as well. Went to HD to buy additional tool, sawsall typr. New tool is X5. Was told X5 tools are not compatible with my X4 set. Do new tool, new bsttety and new charger. Very disappointing.
Stuart
Whoever told you was misinformed.
Ridgid 18V X4 and Gen5x tools, batteries, and chargers are completely compatible with each other.
Dan
I will second that comment that they are compatible. Whomever you spoke with was definitely misinformed.
Happy Ridgid Customer
The “chicken” above = “chick” (at home Depot store) explaining to me most ppls problem is the registering of the warranty of Ridgid products. So just don’t be a dummy and register. And you’ll have lifetime. Not three years. Making it better than Any other company out there unless they offer a same warranty. And I think even the high end drills for 300-400$ for a drill kit (not combo tool kit, just a drill driver alone) don’t necessarily have lifetime warranties but I could be wrong. I notice more and more Ridgid stuff at home Depot when I go there so they must be expanding and doing well. Kobalt may come and go. But I think Ridgid is here to stay and home depot seems to train or have employees who know a lot about it. She was really adamant about explaining the lifetime and registering so I guess they’ve felt with enough unhappy people who were just like me and forgot or just never got around to it. Til a battery breaks and you freak out looking for a reception and if or what warranty they have of offer and realize oops its past 90 days since. I bought it and I can’t register it now. Then you get mad at homebdepot when they can’t help you when you show up there all passed and leave all passed at Ridgid and the employees who couldnt help you out. Anyways. The chicken she said her dad was diehard tool lover and loved all the other brands but she got a lot of return or open box stuff cheap as an employee and now he was a huge Ridgid fan too after owning and using and converting get to that brand. Honestly for price levels being on the low end, warranty on the lifetime, and new product development and attention to detail in between, they are gonna come out on top. Especially since batteries are a big focus in cordless power tools and they are stepping up their game in that department for sure. Just look at the clunky shape of the Kobalt pictured next to the Ridgid. Or go hold their new compact x4 drill driver in store. Look at all the display models and hold them all. You won’t find one more cleverly and compactly designed. Durability is great and batteries last longer too now. They are The the top of the game. Someone like Kobalt who is probably just some rich investor who has some hookup or friend with a factory in china who offered him a sick deal on a large lot of unsold drivers. And then rebranded them, recolored them, repackaged them and brought email over here to his Lowes buddy or hookup and now they peddle this old technology newly relabelled and branded for unsuspecting consumers to buy into. I’m glad someone mentioned above that Ridgid does its own development ground up. Cause you really do start to notice in life all the oem junk that is a dime a dozen. And virtually all the same crappy cheap guts. But rebranded in a new colorful shell, a new logo and name, and advertising campaign to get the interest going. Unfortunately for Kobalt, I think they picked the wrong guy. But if Kobalt is slowest house brand, then it makez sense that they take on home depots house brand. Unfortunately they are either too fresh in the game, or relying on the same old lame tactic of rebranded and repackage of bulk lot discount purchases they probably got ahold of and had an opportunity to $$$$$$in. Just my guess anyways. But back to a product vs product comparison, Kobalt can’t win. I hope you take them all apart to pieces and strip them down in your contest as which is better. And note battery size. Weight. Balance. Lastingness. And feel. I have a feelings feeling even though the Kobalt may have one thing going for it, a metal chuck, that could seem as better than a plastic one, I know firsthand the Ridgid chuck is just fine durability wise and even lighter weightwise. Which is more important to me than a front or top heavy metal outsider chuck. The Ridgid chuck inner guts is steel anyways just the par your hand touches is plastic. But last time I checked, 99 out of 100 drills have plastic chucks too. Ridgid 1. Kobalt 0. Have fun with your test. It is amusing to see how this will play out. I’m betting on Ridgid for sure.
Tomas
The only thing I’m going to add to these long comments (regardless of brand) is that the Rigid is over 4lb for their 18v drill. Which, if I’m not mistaken makes it one of the heaviest 18v drills out there
I’m sort of surprised the guy two posts above that holds the drill up in the air for 20 min at a time for 12 hour shifts doesn’t feel more fatigue
Hector
What do you do for a living are you a human floor fan? You spin things at drill speeds all day long at face level I am really wondering what your job is
Mike
How can u trust the Opinion of a guy leaves a comment that long
Matt
Indy Carbide Tool & Supply in Indianapolis, IN……….Grainger.com…….plus other various websites i can list all day that SELLS RIDGID HAND AND POWER TOOLS. Ridgid is NOT a Home Depot brand, contrary to alot of beliefs because of the colors of the tools. Home Depot is the only Home Improvement Store that sells their brand. IF Ridgid is owned by home depot or whatever then why would they allow other companies and competition to sell their own brand. Thats kinda like walking into a Wal-Mart and seeing Target brand stuff on shelves…doesnt make any sense. Now if you are really wanting to talk about Home Depot HOUSE BRAND NAME….try Husky. Husky tools are the “Home Depot Brand” of tools and we all know how husky tools are…blah blah blah, which are made my Stanley. Kobalt is the “Lowe’s Brand” of tools and are made by Snap-On. The Ridgid tools as we are talking about here, Cordless drills, saws, combo kits and all, have been around for a couple “tool Generations” to where as kobalt has just recently came out with them. But when you look at reviews on home depot, lowes, and other various sites the comparison is about the same on them. Anyone in construction and well, anyone knows that when a better model comes out, you want it, its a guy thing dont lie your like that. So is a lifetime warranty really worth the extra money your going to spend on the tools right now. A 5-year warranty is plenty enough cause by the time that warranty is up…youll probably have a better model with better batteries anyway, so how much of that warrany is really that important. NOW dont get my wrong the warranty is important to people, but because a warranyt is better does that mean that it is gonna perform better. It may seem like this is leaning a little toward Lowe’s and Kobalt brand, and in a sense it is but i look at it this way, they both are and can be pricey, they both work great and can do the job, and if all the ruccus about batteries messes with you that much, then go buy an electric makita, i got one in garage that my dad bought over 25 years, and i still use it which by the way works great.
Rick
Rigid is a Ryobi with a diff suit on and some other stuff. I talked to a rep that had explained it to me. I bought the Rigid kit when it first came out in HD and was disappointed from that point on. Recip shaft broke first use and it was easier and less hassle for me to buy part on line and fix myself. Now realize I bought the kit in the first 90 days it came out which gave me a lifetime warranty on the tools, but what they neglected to tell me was an authorized tool repair was no where close and that I would have to pay to mail tool to authorized place and they told me I may have to send to another place if they could not fix. It’s not cheap to mail this stuff. The newer stuff might be better, but I’m not ok with 1.5 plus hour drive with loop holes that I might have to pay to ship as well. Now I have my Makita daily driller 1.5 bat 4 years strong still, but I need the other tools once in a while so now I’m going with Kobalt kit 5 year in house warranty that I can extend to 7 years. In house. In house. In house. That means I walk into store explain prob new tool no prob. Just my .99 worth of info.
Darth
You can drop off tool needing repair with Home Depot, and they will ship it to the Repair Facility.
No shipping charge to you.
Darth
Kobalt hand tools were, when they first started, made in USA by same company that makes SnapOn, but no longer. They are now, since 2003, made by various manufacterers in Taiwan or China or ?
Chris
Fyi, when Kobalt first hit the market, the hand tools were made by a subsidiary of Snap-On Tools. Snap-On no longer makes Kobalt hand tools and hasn’t for many years. Snap-On was not willing to compromise to get to the price point Lowe’s wanted.
Kobalt hand tools are made by the Danaher Corportation, which is the parent company of Matco, among others. Danaher is also the OEM for Craftsman. Yes, Kobalt, Craftsman, and Matco hand tools are all made in the same factory. I work in the industry, people would be amazed at who some of the OEM suppliers are.
Stuart
Danaher/Apex Tools is no longer the OEM for Kobalt mechanics tools.
Kobalt switched to an overseas supplier back in 2011. When I spoke to Kobalt reps, they basically said the shift was made so that they can offer a better quality product. The newer products so seem somewhat better made than the last generation of Danaher-made ones.
Scott
Kobalt is not made by Snap-On. Snap-On doesn’t even make Snap-On. Kobalt is made by Chervon limited of China. Which, by the way, also make Husky, Home Depot house brand; MasterCraft, Menard’s house brand; Craftsman Professional series, Sears house brand; Craftsman Evolv, Sears house brand; Krafttech, K-mart house brand.
Rigid is owned by Emerson Electric Company, not Home Depot. The name is not even trademarked by Home Depot as Kobalt is trademarked by Lowes.
Research is easy. Learn to google (verb, not company name).
Tom
I believe this is regarding the hand tools only. Wrenches and sockets ect. At least from what I have read.
Vman
Hi , I don’t normally post here, but having done some research on lots of brands today, I did discover that the majority of the Ridgid power tool line , with the exception of Shop Vacs and Plumbing tools, are manufactured by TTi (Techtronic Industries) under license from Emerson Electric. TTi owns Milwaukee, Ryobi and AEG , among other well-known American brands. It was suggested above that this latest Ridgid X4 drill was designed in one of their studios in South Carolina, not far from where I grew up.
http://www.ttigroup.com/en/our_brands
AEG tools are marketed throughout Europe & Australia/NZ and a quick look at their website (Australian Version) and you will see some tools that look mighty familiar to the Home Depot Tool Department grazer ! It is curious why TTi does not list Ridgid on their site, but they may have some agreement with Home Depot.
http://www.aegpowertools.com.au/products/combo-kits/
One of their demo videos ended with “Serving professionals since 1898” , so even if we are not familiar with their tools here in the States, they have been around. I like that they have a pretty extensive line of 18V tools there , which means we are likely to get more here, also. Incidentally, HD’s site carries more 18V Ridgid tools than their stores, including a cool portable light that uses a standard compact fluorescent bulb.
It seems they have worked out some of the issues they had with the earlier generation of the Lithium Ion batteries and having a Full Lifetime Warranty on the batteries, parts and service is what really clinched it for me. You just have to REMEMBER TO REGISTER AFTER YOUR PURCHASE !
Cheers,
V
PutnamEco
Re: Vman says:
One of their demo videos ended with “Serving professionals since 1898″
—
I find it really distasteful that so many companies trade on names. AEG today is NOT the same company it was originally, it has been bought and sold many times since its origin, the only thing that is the same is the name.
Danny
Ridgid is not a Home Depot house brand. Ridgid partnered with Home Depot to distribute their tools. Ridgid is part of Emerson (stock ticker EMR) and is a $36B company. Ridgid has many other distributors as well for their various tools.
Chris
Hey there. I have been reading about Ridgid’s new drill and decided to read the commentary at the end. Boy, I don’t know about the naysayers but…I had the first Ridgid drill with the compact LI batteries and had the same problem EVERYONE else had. The batteries quit. I drove over two towns to the registered Ridgid repair facility. I took both batteries in to the store and the guy there put them in his charger. SURPRISINGLY they did not work. He says “yup…those be dead” and threw both of them in a box in the back room. He says “they don’t give me compacts anymore so here you go” and hands me two HIGH CAPACITY LI BATTERIES! Anyways, I took the time to register my tools and I googled the Ridgid warranty number and they gave me the phone number to this guy and backed up their warranty – NO QUESTIONS – NO PAPERWORK. I sold the drill a couple of years ago and bought a Makita. Nice kit but pricey and no lifetime warranty. Makita incidentally is also built in China. Just like Craftsman, Milwaukee, most of Hilti, all the new Dewalt 20v etc. etc. etc. Too bad… but I think a lifetime warranty is calling me back. Just my two cents.
danny osborn
Ok, so the deal is that Home Depot through agreement is the only place you can buy Ridgid Power Tools. Yes, Ridgid is an old name, but in the plumbing tool business. As for power tools, Emerson has made them in the past and now TTi under licence. Even the Ridgid/Milwaukee/Ryobi reps have TTi on their cards – just ask one to see it! HD is very protective of the Ridgid power tool line, to the point that they dropped a different manufacturer that was making their 12″ sliding compound because the manufacturer started making Kobalt tools. I own most of their 24volt lineup, work them hard when I use them, and have never had a problem that I didn’t cause (dropped battery from height to concrete – it died), and can run deck hidden fastener screws all day on one 24v lithium ion battery. Have had my original set for almost 6 years and still going strong, but I did just buy 2 more batteries so that I could have several tools handy without switching out. And they do respond to customer comments – check out that the original light on the impact was above the trigger, but now it’s on the base shining up at the work. I know because I have the old one. Ridgid wins, hands down.
danny osborn
By the way, I have one of the Ridgid 12″ sliding compounds, and I’ll put it up against Dewalt or anybody else’s. Smoothest cut in treated lumber I’ve ever seen. HD owns the Ridgid name too – remember that even Sears doesn’t manufacture, and never has. They hire others to make what they want, like HD has TTi doing.
Les Jones
I’m almost 62 years young and have always loved tools. I’ve watched, with some interest, the growth of Home Depot and Ridgid and have been extremely impressed with their products-circular saws, vacuums, drills, and anything that carries their name. I’ve seen and loved the Milwaukees, Makitas, and Hilti’s, but I believe they’ve met their match with the Ridgid tool line. Keep up the good work and like the folks say, register, register, register and they’ll take care of you. If you’re too lazy to do that, then keep buying new ones, but don’t complain that they won’t take care of you if you can’t do your part. Kudos to Ridgid and keep up the good work.
Tim
I’m a plumbing contractor and I’ll tell every poster on this thread that Ridgid hand tools are THE defacto STANDARD when it comes to plumbing tools. No real plumber would be caught dead with any other brand of plumbing tool in his toolbox. As for comparing Ridgid to Kobalt cordless drills, well…that’s like comparing a Vega to a Corvette…there is no comparison. Ridgid offers the best warranty in the business on their power AND hand tools. Bar none! There is NO other company on this planet that will replace batteries for free for life. I’ve an older version of Ridgid’s compact drill, but I would dearly love to have their new “X4” version. Anyway, my original batteries died on me and I took them back to Home Depot and they sent them in to Ridgid for replacement and I had two (2) brand new ones in less than a week. And absolutely no out-of-pocket expense for me. The only requirement from Ridgid is you call them and register the new batteries and then you’re all set. Done deal. Home Depot even gave me a “loaner” battery while I waited on the new ones so I wouldn’t have any down time! As one review stated, I wish this drill would die so I can have an excuse to purchase their new combo kit for $199.00 from Home Depot. A little FYI for you guys…Ridgid is NOT a house brand from Home Depot, either. Before Emerson bought them out, Ridgid tools were manufactured by the Ridge Tool Company based in Elyria, Ohio. In other words, know what you’re talking about before you post comments. The bottom line is, tool guarantees DO matter! With Ridgid tools, you only need to buy it once and forget it. If you register your tool within 90 days, your lifetime service agreement guarantees you’ll never have to purchase the same power OR hand tool ever again. And that will save you a ton of bucks and headaches in the future.
Dan Brock
Ridgid has the best guarantee. it warrants the battery for life as well. Lowes only offers 3 years on batteries; however both tools are solidly built. be sure to buy from Home Depot and send in purchase info in on time or the lifetime warranty doesn’t apply.
Chris
Has anyone mentione the Lifetime service agreement offered by Ridgid? Free batteries, parts and service for LIFE! How can you argue with that? All you have to do is register your tool and as long as you don’t lose it you will never need to buy a replacement.
Admin note: Chris is affiliated with The Home Depot.
Stuart
Those are good points, but especially the reminder that users must register their tools to receive the free service or battery replacements. It’s quick and easy, and as you mentioned even easier now, but a lot of users fail to do this.
Chris
They also simplified the registration process to where you don’t even have to mail anything, you just register online with your receipt and they mail you confirmation.
Admin note: Chris is affiliated with The Home Depot.
Tony Burton
I have a problem with Chris’s statement here. First of all, when I first started buying Ridgid tools, I bought a 12″ slider miter saw and a floor-model drill press. At that time, the signage in the store was just “Lifetime Warranty” and nobody said to register the things. I even asked about it later, and the Home Depot employees said not to worry, they were covered. Well, they aren’t, so that ticks me off.
I have a LOT of Ridgid tools, and since those first two tools, I have registered every one online. But only some of them show up as having the LSA. The others just show up on my list as “Registered.” I found out about this when I took a drill in for repair, and they wanted to charge me almost the cost of a new drill to fix it… said it wasn’t covered by the LSA, even though it was registered. What’s up with that?
Also, Chris, I think you don’t know what you are talking about with the non-mailing requirement. I just bought an impact driver today, and when I went to the registration site, it said I have to send in my ORIGINAL receipt, the bar code, and etc. (Why the heck do I have to send in my ORIGINAL receipt? I like to keep originals, especially when they have a lot of other stuff on them, too.)
Jeff
HA! Don’t believe any of the hype. I correctly registered both a 4-piece set on the company website and sent in my copy of receipt with all SNs on the sheet (this was back in 2010). It would appear my products were registered and the paperwork was submitted. Turns out they were never upgraded to the LSA (not a warranty, subtitle difference yet very different). When my batteries died a couple of moths ago I took them in for replacement only to find that Ridgid never received my paperwork. I know the PO can lose mail, but… they really don’t lose much mail but maybe. Ridgid refers to this upgrade as being similar to a Rebate and since they didn’t get my paperwork and I didn’t send it registered mail (who does that?) they won’t honor the LSA. Disappointing no doubt…
But during this enlightenment over the 4-piece set I discover my mult-tool and its accessories (purchased in 2012 or 2013) also don’t have LSA status. This is where Ridgid’s registration gets really interesting because I was missing a couple of parts in my multi-tool set. I called Ridgid and asked for them to send me the parts so I didn’t need to return it to the store. I was really doing HD and Ridgid a favor and letting the mfgr take care of the problem directly. But before the rep could ship me the parts I needed to register my tools. So, I provided all the SNs and information off the receipt (as Chris said, no paperwork… I was told the same thing!) I asked the rep about the LSA and she said she had all the information needed from the SNs and receipt and it was taken care of. The products were completely registered for the LSA. Well, as I recently discovered this isn’t the case. Again Ridgid is claiming that they didn’t get proof of purchase or some similar story. It doesn’t matter that the tools were registered with Ridgid over the phone and the representative who filled my missing parts order took all the information and told me it was under the LSA.
What crap, and it sucks because up until these problems I’ve really loved the tools. I’m now taking this “warranty”/”lifetime service agreement” to a higher power and we’ll see what happens… I’ve gathered a lot of proof that Ridgid and Home Depot are taking advantage of their consumers through deceptive marketing and sales tactics.
Don
I was a contractor for 10 years, at first I shopped a HD and Lowe’s but soon figured out HD was all talk and no action on warranty for tools. I retired 10 months ago and took a job at Lowe’s because I still like working in the home improvement field. I will tell toy first hand, all Lowe’s employees are told to never say no when it comes to taking care of our customers and the warranty issues are no exception. Anything you buy at Lowes has a 90 day not 30 day no hassle warranty. As for the Mfg. warranty it is clearly printed on the box. Depending on what Kobalt tool or product you are talking about the warranty could be different.
Most of if not all will have it on the package. If it says life time no hassle that is what you get. As for who’s is better you could have that argument till the cow’s come home. What is funny about it all is 90% of the people posting on here will say the one they own is the best. Most of the time it depends on what you are doing with the tool and how you use it. Ridgid is sold by HD it is not there store brand! Anyone on here that says Lowe’s will not honor the 90 day warrant on anything you get a Lowe’s is not telling the truth or has no way to prove the purchase date. As mentioned earlier, if you have a MyLowes card you never need a hard copy receipt. Bottom line, out of all the tools mentioned on this posting, do you think any of them are not made in China?
Jay
I recently bot a Ridgid X4 tool set- hammer drill, impact driver, 6.5″ circular saw, and recip saw. Two 3.0Ahr batteries came with it. I put in a couple of dozen 6″ Spax and hundreds of 1.5″ grommet screws into a roof and got the battery down to 2 bars; with the impact driver. I had complaints about the driver except that it didn’t fit perfectly into my DeWalt drill holster.
I had everything I bot in DeWalt and was quite happy with them. Everything except the battery buying. I am trying to decide whether to keep the DeWalt as a backup or sell them.
I had purchased an X3 impact driver off of the clearance table at HD and have been very impressed. It is currently loaned to a friend.
I spoke with SC at Ridgid and the factory authorized service center in the town that I reside in before taking the plunge.
That’s my $2.00 worth. Ain’t inflation great?
cman
I have had alot of drills over the years and dewalt was always the best in the early years no so much true any more. A few years ago I bought a Ridgid 18v lithium drill for 199.00 with 2 batteries and a charger. The selling point was that the batteries and all had a lifetime warranty. We all know the batteries are expensive and are usually what have the largest problem. this is also true of this very set. to this day the drill still looks new the problem is the batteries last one charge maybe 2 and they are shot and off for repair. This is where the story gets interesting. I have taken my drill charger and 2 batteries 30 miles away a number of times to get the batteries replaced it usually takes around 4 weeks for this to happen and they always give me 2 new batteries no questions asked. Recently I inquired with Ridgid and they said that now you could take the batteries to Home Cheapo and they would mail order them and have them sent to your house. Wow what a great idea. The underlying truth is Ridgid knows the batteries dont hold up. With this said the drill itself is great it has fast speed and good torque. My downside to it is if you make a living with your tools this is not the drill for you. I would put a harbor freight drill against a Ridgid cordless anyday. The stamina of no quality Chinese tools would surely outlast a Ridgid battery. My suggestion now days is Hitachi this is a tool that you can depend on. Many people look to me for tool advice because I use them heavily. If you are looking for an inexpensive cordless drill look somewhere else besides Ridgid. Signed waiting on more batteries!!!
Carl
As far as which is better Rigid or Kobalt.. I dont know.. I own the Kobalt 18 Li-Ion cordless set..I have abused it for over 3 years and never had a problem till yesterday.. The trigger on the drill started shorting out…Went into Lowes today without a reciept…The nice thing was each tool has a serial # and a date code on it… No questions asked walked out the store in about 15min with a new set.. They didnt just replace the drill to my surprise ..Kudos to Lowes, very pleased with my purchase
Jose
When I started a new job 5 years ago, We were handed a Ridgid drill. My coworker and I had never used any Ridgid tool and were very skeptical as to how long it would last. We thought it was a similar in quality to Ryobi. Boy were we wrong. We beat the heck out of that drill and it still going. Last year we got a new Ridgid the x4 fuego. The best damn drill i’ve ever used. It has so much torque, better balance and it’s so compact. Great tool. We had our original batteries replaced for free.
Wolfgang
AEG says something like “serving professionals since 1898 . .
guess what: my great-grandfather was the first CFO of the “Allgemeine Elektrizitätsgesellschaft” in Berlin at the time. Changed hands a few times since and broken up into divisions. Siemens, Bosch, and a few others, took pieces. From Locomotives to washing machines, power tools, toasters, refrigerators, name it.
If the family ties still worked, I’d get an AEG tool.
As it is, I need to get the best bang for the buck.
Paul
I have a Makita with 12V Batteries. I love the Makita, I even love the case it comes in because I can keep so many accessories in the case with the drill. However, I am now at the end of the second pair of batteries. Replacing the batteries costs more the buying a new unit. I don’t use the tool very often, so the drill is in great shape, but the batteries just die with time. It breaks my heart to throw away a good tool because the batteries are bad, but I don’t know what else to do. I am really swayed by the Rigid lifetime warranty for batteries. I think I will wait for a good sale and snap one up. Anyone know what can be done with a Makita with dead batteries?
BIG ED
There are many places that rebuild these batteries.And the rebuilt are many times better than the new.One place i have used is called Voltman.
BIG ED
I’m a pro at what i do,i can’t have tools breaking down.Especially when I’m on an important job.I don’t have time to run junk tools back and forth to have them repaired,even if it’s for free.Ridgid tools are far superior to kobalt,for a pro application.For a homeowner just to buy one and leave under the kitchen sink till they need it.kobalt would be the better choice.I’d buy the rRdgid any and every time over the kobalt…
Steven Prosper
I bought my first Rigid drill (18v ni-cad) almost 7 years ago. My sister now has it and it still works great! When the batteries finally go, I’ll get them replaced for free! ( the drill is still registered to me) OK, I’m a hobbyist and the drill would be unused for long periods and the reason the batteries still work is because I stored them completely drained! They can’t develop a memory of the charge with nothing there! I’ve since purchased the 5pc. set for $299 (last years model w/li- ion batt’s) and I don’t regret it one bit. Rigid got started over 150 years ago with their hand tools and when they decided to go into power tools they had Bosch design the motors for them! Hey, I grew up with these tools and they’ve always been consistently good! I even had a poster in the early 50’s of a beautiful, muscular blond lady holding a 4 ft. Rigid pipe wrench! (Mom hated it but hey, it was my room!)
Jason
I don’t know if older Ridgid tools had Bosch motor’s but the cordless power tools of the last 10 or so years are manufactured by TTI. TTI makes under contract or owns the following brands. Ryobi, Milwaukee, Craftsmen 19.2 and 12 Volt line, and Ridgid. They also have other brands too but they are either not sold in the USA or are outdoor power tools like Homelite and a bunch of Vaccum cleaner brands.
Stuart
At least until 2013, Chervon made many of Craftsman’s 12V Nextec tools. Now, many of the 12V tools appear to have been discontinued and I have no information as to whether new tools are coming out to replace them or if the entire line will be phased out.
Firebikerman
F U to Dewalt loved your tools but never again since you shoved it up our A$$. I want LI Batteries but refuse to buy new Kit of tools or your old crappy nicads. You should AND COULD have made retrofit batteries for replacement. I would have stayed with you forever as all new tools from miter saws, extra drill sets, etc. Now Some other Co. will get my growing business.
Mike Harvey
One thing to point out. The LSA only covers kits with batteries or extra tools purchased separate.
If you buy the extra batteries separate and the radio they are only covered for 3 years max. They will not be covered by the LSA..
Batteries that come as part of a kit do get the LSA. But single batteries alone or ones that are part of a kit like was out at Christmas this last year with a battery, charger and the radio as a kit RIDGID 18-Volt Radio Kit Model # R9610 or the (2) RIDGID 18-Volt Lithium Ion 3-Amp/Hour Pack that was for sale on Home Depot Website for a short period this winter only get the 3 year Warranty.
Since the batteries are what had failed in my earlier kit, wanted to point this out.
magic man
They booth suck, to be honest, Hitachi, Ryobi, porter cable, kobalt, ridgid, black and decker, hilti, craftsman, rockwell, stanly, genesis, and bostich are all low quality consumer grade power tools. the reason why i include bostich and stanly is because we are talking about cordless drills but other than that bostich and stanly make nice tools. even dewalt I’m not very impressed with and their power tools but they are on the higher end of the consumer grade power tool companies. the companies i trust the most are, most definitely milwaukee, makita, and bosch. bostich also makes some pretty nice and reliable power tools other than their drills. i now have the milwaukee fuel and it has 750 lbs per inch of torque.
I did my homework.
technician
The Ridgid all the way. Besides the metal gear box it just all around feels better in your hand. The batteries will quit on you sometimes mainly when they start to get to hot, but I’m sure this helps with the overall longevity. I thought Husky was home Depots’s store brand though?
[email protected]
RiGid x 4 series combo sets suck they will try there hardest to back out of the lifetime guarantee Il
Steve
I chose to purchase a Rigid tool cord tool set because of the lifetime warranty on the tools and the batteries. Two batteries went bad and I got them replaced at a localshop that did Rigid warranty work. They went bad again so I went back to turn them in for warranty replacement. The owner told me that he no longer did work for Rigid because they came up with several excuses not to honor their warranty. It got so bad he stopped dong work for them. I felt bad when I realized he got stuck for the cost of the batteries he’d replaced for me. But he assured me that they had stuck him with much larger bills.
I have now been to three different places who all the same story.
Now I’m stuck with a $500.00 dollar tool set with only one battery that works, and it only holds a charge for a short while. New batteries are $120.00 a piece and I guess when they go bad I’d get ripped off again.
Steve
BTW there used to be at least 3 place here that provided warranty work for rigid. The shops are still there but they won’t work for rigid.
Brian
I bought the Kobalt “20V” MAX cordless drill today after looking at many other brands. The Ridgid was looked at. However, I had a bad experience with Home Depot a few years ago not honoring their advertised lifetime guarantee on the drill I had.
The Ridgid drill was only 14 months old and the reversing switch went all loose. They didn’t even offer to try and repair it! I then bought a Makita….great drill…it’s in the shop getting repaired now after seven years of use. The chuck is worn out and the electric brake failed last week. I will keep it as a back up once it’s repaired. Time will tell if the Kobalt will stand up to the job I do (RV Tech) as well as the Makita?
If it lasts half as long as the Makita, I will be happy. I will see how the 2.0Ah battery performs in the shop and may decide to get a 4.0Ah battery some time later. My Makita has both 3.0Ah & 1.5Ah batteries giving me longer run time or compact dimensions depending what I was working on, exterior or interior work.
The Kobalt lacks the after glow LED illumination of the Makita. This is a feature that I find useful when working in a cabinet moving from screw to screw. However, a little pressure on the Kobalts trigger turns on the light so maybe it wont be a big deal? I hope Kobalt are keeping tabs on all the comments posted here and keep improving the product line. I like the metal chuck and some have mentioned that the gearbox does not have metal gears. I don’t think my Makita has metal gears either and so far, it has not been an issue. Like I said earlier, time will tell. Thanks for reading.
William
Techtronic Industries builds ,Ryobi, Ridgid, & Milwaukee just google Techtronic Industries.
CT
I would never even consider Kobalt and Ridgid to be in the same class. Kobalt is more comparable to Ryobi and Craftsman. Ridgid is more of a budget contractor or high end consumer grade tool similar to Porter Cable.
Dave
I am looking for new drills as my sears konked out because the charger drained them dead and won’t do anything about it. Ridged batteries are warrantied for life in Canada if you register them- if not then it only 3 years. Sears warranty on batteries sucks. Still not sure which to buy…
Wood Jablowmi
Honestly I have always owned craftsman, dewalt, and bostitch tools. I used somebodies ratchet set from kobalt and fell in love I’ve been replacing all my tools with kobalt. Never had much care for ridgid.
Shell
Somewhat unrelated to this Ridgid/Kobalt subject, I purchased a Skill 12V Top Gun over twenty years ago. It came wit two batteries. Six months later, the charger quit working, so, since the kit is cheaper than a charger, I bought another full kit. That was in 1994. Two years ago they all began to die, one drill dropped fro height and so on.
I bought a new set of Skill with two batteries and with in six months they died. Took it back to Lowes and they gave me a new set, no questions asked. A year later the batteries died. I sent them to the Skill Service Center. Two weeks later they called to tell me the batteries were no good and I would have to buy new ones for $63.00. I complained to SSC and they said they could not help me at all.
I called Lowe’s and they said they would give me credit for what I originally paid toward any drill of my choice.
I am planning on the purchase of a Kobalt set with two batteries at $99.00. I will continue to buy at Lowe’s.
Andreas Shizas
Wow, I just had a 1.5 ma Battery go bad on me, all I did was make one phone call, I had a new one on three days…No muss, no fuss, I took the bad battery to H.Depot for recycling and called and registered the new battery, that took all of 5 minutes
Shawn
Kobalt 10 dollar battery and 24 volt. I was very hesitant on my decision but I saw a kolbat impact take the lugs off a truck and was blown away. Kobalt is for real.