What is a good power tool warranty? Often Overlooked Features

When we review or preview products on Pro Tool Reviews, we do our best to include details on power tool warranties to help you make a decision. This is an important but often overlooked feature that you should consider carefully when investing your business or personal money in a tool. If you're trying to decide between brands with similar performance specifications, knowing what a good power tool warranty is may be the feature that helps you pull the trigger.

generous refund period

There are countless power tool warranty plans out there, but what should you expect? In general, you should always have 30 to 90 days to return damaged tools for a full refund.

There is a period of time when you can return your broken tool for a full refund, which increases your productivity. While large companies have a variety of tools and budgets to supplement anything that finds a tool library for repairs, smaller contractors need their tools to always work.

One year (or longer) standard warranty

The industry standard for corded power tools seems to have stabilized for about a year. Cordless tools are not far behind, some with three- and five-year warranties. Many companies limit tool battery warranties to one year, however, some companies have increased warranties to three to five years. Regardless, high-end tools should be built to last. Most companies want to back up the "heavy duty" claim with a decent warranty.

valid point of contact

Warranties won't help if you can't find the right point of contact. This seems to be the biggest pain point with newer cordless power tool warranties. When a tool fails, you need a phone number to call and a process to follow. If the process is not clear, it will be difficult for consumers to obtain assurance.

The best power tool warranties have a phone number or online system that can generate a relatively quick response. It should help you fix the problem quickly and determine if the tool is indeed broken. If so, it should provide an RMA promptly, with clear instructions on how to send the tool in for repair.

The higher end in terms of quality and price should come with a longer warranty. Manufacturers don't design low- and mid-range tools to fail on purpose. However, they do use lower quality materials to manufacture them, making these products more affordable.

The trade-off is that the tool is less likely to last that long — especially with heavy use. It also usually comes with a shorter warranty. That's not to say there aren't some excellent mid-range tool values that will stick around for a long time. As with most things in life, maintain and maintain your power tool and it will last longer.

Important Warranty Features

Obviously, some companies go a step further than others with guarantees. This will greatly boost your confidence when you are contemplating a purchase. Differences in included power tool warranty features, such as service agreements, also matter.

Best Power Tool Warranty award goes to…

Take Ridgid's Lifetime Service Agreement (LSA), for example. They start with a 90-day money-back guarantee. The actual warranty is three years and includes repair/replacement in the event of a manufacturing problem. This is in line with industry standards. Then they take it to another world with a lifetime service agreement. With this, as long as you purchase the tool at The Home Depot, they're giving the original owner a lifetime free service. In addition to paying no labor costs, you pay nothing for replacement parts, including when you need a new battery!

But the runner up has to include…

Hilti offers a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects on many of its power tools. They also have a free 2 year warranty that includes service and wear and tear maintenance. At the end of this period, they guarantee that repairs will cost no more than 30% of the original list price. If you'd rather upgrade, they'll give you $75 to $1,000 in trade-in value.

Other Premium Power Tool Warranty Programs

There are other functions. Makita touts its lithium-ion battery recycling program to better protect the environment. Milwaukee extended the tool's warranty to five years. Milwaukee battery warranties vary depending on the battery pack you purchase. Most come with a 3 year warranty.

When it comes to outdoor power equipment, Greenworks offers a 4-year limited tool and battery warranty. EGO Power+ offers a 5-year limited warranty on its outdoor power supplies and portable power supplies for personal and home use. They offer a 3-year limited warranty on the EGO POWER+ battery pack and charger, but extend that to 5 years on their 10Ah battery pack if you register within 90 days of purchase.

Remember it is always in your best interest to register a tool when you buy it. If you need to service your power tool under warranty, you'll also want to keep the receipt in a file (or store it digitally). Most companies require you to certify your date of purchase to see if it is covered under their power tool warranty policy.

Remember that it is impossible for any company to repair or replace tools damaged through misuse or neglect. Love your tools! Also, make sure you buy your power tools from an authorized dealer (we recommend Acme Tools or Lowe's, etc.).

A final word of caution: do not have it repaired by anyone other than an Authorized Service Center or your warranty may be voided on the spot!

final thoughts

I encourage you to review these warranties carefully when purchasing tools. Dig a little deeper and see what kind of costs you might see down the road if you ever need to replace or repair it. Take a few minutes to register your tool (usually online). Also remember to save your receipts — the warranty could save you from spending hundreds of dollars down the road.

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