Cheap DeWalt Tools – Buyer Beware!!!

Independent tool suppliers generally offer cheaper DeWalt tools than the big box suppliers such as Home Depot or Lowes but you may find you’re still losing out. Some independents are simply unbundling DeWalt tools and selling them individually at a slightly lower price to capture your business. You may get your tool cheaper but maybe you wanted that extra freebie that they removed from the box.

I lost out on a $240 floor level because of one such unscrupulous supplier, KMS Tools.

I was working on a whole house renovation project last year; 2,500 square feet of house with a gut and rebuild of a kitchen, en-suite bathroom and downstairs washroom. This also required around 650 square feet of tiling as these three new rooms would all be tiled with a tiled shower surround and some tile trim in other areas of the house. As a fan of DeWalt tools I’d had my eye on the D24000 wet tile saw almost from the beginning of the project.

The renovation was squeezed into weekends and with some structural changes required and the re-routing of water and electric it took some time to get things ready for tiling. It was six months before I was actually ready but I’d been watching the pricing for a while, hoping that it would drop down from the $1,100 to $1,200 I’d seen. And then just before I needed to buy it, KMS Tools dropped the price to $950 so I went and bought one.

It was only when I got my new toy home and unboxed it that I realized I’d been duped.

The tile saw should have had a free floor level inside, DeWalt DW060K, but the supplier had removed it and then covered up the ‘bonus floor level’ graphic on the outside of the box. However, they’d left behind the flyer and the other incriminating evidence, almost as a way of rubbing salt into the wound.

I complained to DeWalt and also to KMS Tools. DeWalt have made things right but they said they were powerless to stop KMS Tools from doing this. KMS Tools didn’t say anything so it’s the last time I’ll be shopping there.

In the end, I got my wet tile saw and it was cheaper than buying it anywhere else but the floor level would have been useful when laying out my 300 square feet of kitchen tiles. I’d also had been happy paying the full price for the tile saw with the FREE floor level. I have around 30 DeWalt tools and many of them have been acquired through these combo deals. My wife even offered to buy me a drywall screwdriver for Father’s Day but I said “no, let’s wait for the offer to reappear” as I often see the two screwdrivers being offered for the price of one.

So renovators beware, there are some unscrupulous suppliers out there that are splitting these packages up and selling the individual pieces for a higher price. I’m sure I could have found my tile saw and floor level for $1,100 but I’m sure I won’t find a floor level for $150 and will end up paying more for both items. My advice is that you make sure you see the box before parting with the cash and stick with the big guys.