Power Tools Got Worse on Purpose. Who Owns DeWalt, Craftsman, and Milwaukee?

Brand quality perceptions

• Makita is repeatedly praised: durable, repairable, good warranty and human customer support, wide cordless ecosystem, and perceived as resisting “enshittification.”
• Festool, Mafell, Hilti, Wiha, Wera, Knipex, Channellock, Bosch, Klein (historically) are cited as higher‑end or pro‑grade options; Festool is admired but seen as very expensive and aimed at professionals.
• Some brands are said to have declined (e.g., Klein, Arrow T50 staplers, portions of DeWalt, Porter Cable, Black & Decker).

Ryobi vs Milwaukee and market tiers

• Ryobi is generally viewed as “good enough” for non‑professionals: adequate performance, great value, and fine for occasional use.
• Milwaukee is framed as the pro line in the same corporate family, with better durability and performance at higher price points.
• A minority claim Ryobi tools feel and sound poor and seem intentionally designed as the lowest acceptable tier to nudge buyers toward pricier sister brands.
• Harbor Freight and similar ultra‑cheap brands are placed a tier below Ryobi; some users mix cheap tools with a few higher‑end pieces.

Tool longevity, batteries, and platforms

• Lithium‑ion and brushless motors are seen as a huge net improvement: cordless tools now rival or exceed older corded tools in power and runtime.
• Battery ecosystems strongly lock users into brands; adapters can mitigate this, but platforms remain a major strategic lever.
• Some praise brands that keep battery compatibility over many years; others complain about discontinued lines (e.g., specific DeWalt 40V products).

Private equity and “enshittification”

• Many commenters link declining quality to private equity ownership focused on short‑term ROI, cost‑cutting, and brand strip‑mining.
• Others push back, arguing most PE deals are not visible failures and that long‑term value and brand equity sometimes are considered.
• There’s concern that consolidation leads to a few megacorps and systematically worse consumer products.

Responsibility of consumers and segmentation

• Some argue that “worse on purpose” is partly driven by consumers choosing the cheapest option and tolerating lower quality.
• Others say having multiple quality tiers (DIY vs pro) is reasonable and beneficial, not inherently exploitative.

Skepticism about the article itself

• Multiple commenters criticize the article as AI‑generated “slop,” with an irritating writing style and thin technical insight.
• The site is described as repeatedly publishing nostalgia‑bait about products “used to be better,” leading some to consider flagging it.