Craftsman
American hand tool brand, originally a Sears house brand.
Status: Avoid
- Founded
- 1927
- HQ
- USA
- Manufacturing
- USA,China,Various
- Ownership type
- Conglomerate subsidiary
- Parent
- Stanley Black & Decker
- Acquired
- 2017
Ownership
Acquired by Stanley Black & Decker from Sears in 2017 for $900M. SBD built a $90M automated factory in Fort Worth, TX intended to employ 500 people; automation failed, ratchets came out misshapen, sockets shipped without the Craftsman name stamped on them. Factory shut down March 2023 with 175 workers. Wrenches now made in India. Quality perception score dropped from 61 to 55, the largest decline in the tool category. Sister brands under SBD include DeWalt, Stanley, Black+Decker, Porter-Cable, Mac Tools, Proto, Facom, Bostitch, Lenox, Irwin.
Why Avoid
Post-acquisition Craftsman is not the Craftsman that earned the reputation. Pre-SBD vintage tools remain excellent; current production is inconsistent and frequently sourced from low-cost manufacturers.
Sister brands under Stanley Black & Decker
Tools · Cordless Systems
DeWalt
Status: WatchlistTools · Hand Tools
Stanley
Status: WatchlistTools · Power Tools
Black+Decker
Status: Avoid