Best Power Tool Brands
Customer Ratings of Top BRANDS in the 2025 America's Most Trusted Study
In the sprawling aisles of hardware stores and the virtual marketplaces of the internet, a subtle but powerful force shapes consumers’ decisions: brand trust. As homeowners quest for the perfect power tool, this intangible yet critical element often emerges as a decisive factor in their purchasing choices. In an industry brimming with options—each brand touting superior features, durability, and performance—consumers navigate a complex landscape where their trust in a brand can significantly influence their final decision.
Brand trust is more than just a fleeting notion; it represents a deep-rooted confidence consumers place in a brand’s ability to deliver on its promises. In the realm of power tools, where performance, safety, and reliability are non-negotiable, brand trust can significantly sway a buyer’s decision. Consumers often draw from past experiences, word-of-mouth recommendations, and online reviews to gauge a brand's reputation.
A trusted brand assures buyers that they are making a sound investment and fosters a sense of loyalty that can lead to repeat purchases. Conversely, a breach of trust through poor product quality or inadequate customer service can tarnish a brand’s image and deter potential buyers. This dynamic interplay highlights how essential it is for manufacturers to cultivate and sustain trust, as it can be the difference between a one-time sale and a lifelong customer relationship.
The 2025 America’s Most Trusted Study
Founded over a decade ago, America’s Most Trusted® has emerged as a key player in deciphering the intricate relationship between brand trust and consumer behavior. Each year, this organization sheds light on how trust shapes shopping decisions, culminating in a definitive ranking of brand trust published every January. Understanding this dynamic benefits power tool brands—essential for business performance.
Building trust is crucial for fostering repeat purchases among power tool customers. A brand’s reputation hinges on the confidence consumers place in its ability to fulfill promises, and those who trust a particular power tool brand are significantly more likely to make purchases and recommend it to others. This trust lays the groundwork for customer loyalty, with satisfied consumers more inclined to stick with brands they believe in.
In its latest annual results, Lifestory Research reveals insights from the America’s Most Trusted® study, which surveys thousands of consumers to capture their perceptions and experiences with various products across over 75 specific categories. Central to this analysis is the Net Trust Quotient Score (NTQS), a metric designed to evaluate whether a product meets customer expectations compared to its competitors. The NTQS provides invaluable, consumer-driven insights grounded in rigorous social and opinion science research standards by measuring the level of trust consumers hold for specific brands within a category. As we explore the implications of these findings, it becomes clear that in the competitive landscape of power tools, brand trust is not just an asset but a vital currency that can determine market success.
What are the top power tool brands people trust the most? To answer this question, America’s Most Trusted Study surveys thousands of people and asks them to rate each brand within the product category.
2025 America’s Most Trusted Power Tool Brand
In the latest findings from the Lifestory Research 2025 America’s Most Trusted® Power Tool Study, DeWalt has once again earned its position as the most trusted brand among consumers contemplating a power tool purchase. This marks the fourth consecutive year that DeWalt has topped the trust rankings, reflecting a sustained confidence from shoppers in the competitive landscape of power tools.
The study's insights are drawn from the perspectives of 6,861 individuals surveyed across the United States over the past year. With a remarkable Net Trust Quotient Score of 120.2, DeWalt emerged as the standout brand, boasting the highest trust rating among its peers. Following closely behind in the rankings are other well-regarded names: Craftsman, Bosch, Milwaukee, Stanley, Makita, Black+Decker, Ryobi, Kobalt, Hilti, Ridgid, Husky, and Irwin.
These results highlight DeWalt’s enduring reputation and the trust consumers place in these power tool brands. As we delve into the rankings, the implications for manufacturers and consumers alike become evident, underscoring the vital role of brand trust in shaping purchasing decisions in this essential market.
According to independent consumer ratings research, what are the most trustworthy brands in America? What are the top power tool brands people trust the most?
TOP 13 Ranked Power Tools Brands – 2025 Customer Ratings
| 1 | Dewalt | 120.2 | ★★★★★ |
| 2 | Craftsman | 115.0 | ☆☆☆ |
| 3 | Bosch | 113.1 | ☆☆☆ |
| 4 | Milwaukee | 112.3 | ☆☆☆ |
| 5 | Stanley | 111.2 | ☆☆☆ |
| 6 | Makita | 110.8 | ☆☆☆ |
| 7 | Black+Decker | 106.8 | ☆☆ |
| 8 | Ryobi | 105.4 | ☆☆ |
| 9 | Kobalt | 105.1 | ☆☆ |
| 10 | Hilti | 103.3 | ☆☆ |
| 11 | Ridgid | 102.5 | ☆☆ |
| 12 | Husky | 99.4 | ☆☆ |
| 13 | Irwin | 95.1 | ☆☆ |
No promotional use or advertising can be made of America's Most Trusted® survey results without the express prior written consent of Lifestory Research. America's Most Trusted® is a registered trademark of Lifestory with all rights reserved. Study results are based on survey responses and should not be considered legal or financial advice. Your experiences may vary.
Looking for quality customer ratings of products to make informed and trusted purchasing decisions? Discover genuine customer reviews that focus on various products' quality, reliability, and trustworthiness. Our independent research offers detailed product ratings, insights into quality, performance, durability, and overall value for money based on customer trust ratings. Explore the latest customer reviews to ensure you're making a purchase based on trustworthy ratings and superior quality, so you can buy with confidence! See the results of 75 different product studies here.
Brands Ranked in Study
The Lifestory Research America’s Most Trusted® research study actively surveys power tool shoppers throughout the United States throughout the year. The study is focused on measuring consumers' opinions of the market's most recognized power tool brands.
Here, we provide information on the brands in the 2025 America’s Most Trusted® study. The brands are presented in the order they ranked in the 2025 America’s Most Trusted® study.
DeWalt, a brand established in 1924 and headquartered in Towson, Maryland, is recognized for its robust and durable tools primarily aimed at professionals in construction and woodworking. Its product lineup includes cordless drills known for their high power and battery longevity and saws designed for precision and heavy-duty performance.
Craftsman has been a well-known name since its founding in 1927. Now under the Stanley Black & Decker umbrella, Craftsman is based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The brand offers a diverse range of tools, including power tools with user-friendly features and ergonomic designs, hand tools, and equipment for outdoor maintenance.
Bosch, part of a global conglomerate founded in 1886 and based in Gerlingen, Germany, specializes in a wide array of products, including power tools. Bosch tools are recognized for their engineering quality and include options that focus on versatility and ease of use, catering to both professional tradespeople and DIY users.
Milwaukee Tool, headquartered in Brookfield, Wisconsin, has developed a strong reputation since its establishment. The brand is known for its heavy-duty power tools, which often feature advanced battery technology for extended use and are designed to meet the rigorous demands of professional trades.
Stanley, which dates back to 1843 and is also part of Stanley Black & Decker, offers a wide variety of hand and power tools. The brand emphasizes durability and reliability in its products, including tools suitable for professional applications and general home use.
Makita, founded in 1915 and based in Anjo, Japan, produces a range of power tools noted for their quality and performance. The brand’s offerings include tools for construction and woodworking, focusing on user efficiency and lightweight designs for easy handling.
Black+Decker, another brand under Stanley Black & Decker, has a long history since 1910. Headquartered in Towson, Maryland, it provides a broad selection of tools emphasizing accessibility and ease of operation, making them suitable for professionals and casual users.
Ryobi, owned by Techtronic Industries and based in Hiroshima, Japan, is known for producing various affordable power tools. The brand targets DIY enthusiasts and offers tools that offer good performance and functionality at a competitive price.
Kobalt is a Lowe’s house brand, providing various hand and power tools manufactured by various companies, including Techtronic Industries. Kobalt tools are generally aimed at the consumer market, featuring practical designs for home improvement projects.
Hilti, founded in 1941 and headquartered in Liechtenstein, specializes in tools and services for the construction industry. The brand is known for its professional-grade products, which focus on durability and performance and are often designed for demanding job site conditions.
Ridgid, part of Emerson Electric and based in Elyria, Ohio, is recognized for its plumbing and pipe-related tools. Ridgid products are known for their reliability and strength, and they focus on tools that can withstand rigorous use in both plumbing and construction tasks.
Husky, The Home Depot’s house brand, offers a variety of hand and mechanics tools. Husky tools are generally characterized by their practicality and value, providing consumers with various options suitable for everyday repairs and maintenance tasks.
Irwin, part of Stanley Black & Decker and based in Huntersville, North Carolina, produces a range of hand tools and accessories. Irwin’s products are commonly used in woodworking and metalworking, emphasizing quality and functionality for both professional and amateur users.
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Foundational Principles
At Lifestory Research, we pride ourselves on being an independent research company committed to delivering unbiased and accurate insights into consumer behavior. Unlike many studies that lean on expert opinions or committees, our approach is rooted firmly in the voices of consumers themselves. This commitment ensures that our findings seek to reflect public sentiment.
By prioritizing consumer opinions, we effectively eliminate the biases that can come from personal agendas or industry affiliations. Our research methodology captures a wide array of perspectives, allowing our results to be representative of the broader population.
Core Principles of Quality Research
We uphold several foundational principles that define top-tier consumer research:
Reliability: We ensure our research consistently produces accurate results.
Validity: Our methods guarantee we measure what we intend to measure.
Objectivity: We take great care to avoid bias throughout the research process.
Generalizability: Our findings can be applied to the larger population.
Our Commitment to Excellence
Lifestory Research adheres to these principles through a series of rigorous practices:
Rigorous Sampling Methods: We carefully select representative samples to generalize our findings to the broader population.
Standardized Survey Instruments: These ensure consistency and reliability in data collection.
Quality Control Measures: Our team meticulously reviews and analyzes data to identify and rectify inconsistencies.
Ethical Standards: We prioritize the well-being of our participants and uphold their privacy throughout the research process.
When you explore our findings, you can trust that they are grounded in the authentic opinions of real people. This dedication to integrity makes our research a valuable resource for businesses and consumers.
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What Is the America’s Most Trusted® Study?
The America’s Most Trusted® study focuses on evaluating brands that offer products or services to consumers in their homes, particularly in the residential new home industry. Instead of attempting to survey every brand, the study specifically targets the largest and most impactful brands in this sector.
How Does the Survey Work?
Conducted throughout the year, the America’s Most Trusted® survey aims to gather consumer opinions while minimizing biases that might arise from external events or trends. This year-long approach helps capture a more accurate snapshot of consumer sentiments.
Participants are surveyed based on specific criteria, such as whether they are actively considering a purchase in a relevant category—like buying a home, faucet, HVAC. Only those who express familiarity with a brand are invited to share their opinions on its trustworthiness, ensuring that the study reflects genuine consumer insights.
The Importance of Brand Awareness
An essential component of the study is brand awareness. Participants are first asked to identify brands they recognize. Only those who are familiar with a brand proceed to answer questions about it. This criterion ensures that only brands with sufficient public recognition are included in the final trust rankings.
Sampling Methodology
The study employs a non-probability sampling design, relying on online panels to recruit participants. Online panels are organizations that have an established relationship with consumers who agree to complete opinion surveys. Lifestory randomly ask consumers questions that identify consumers shopping for a specific product. Qualified consumers complete an online survey in which they are asked a set of questions about specific product brands.
The number of people completing a survey is referred to as the sample size. Each of the America’s Most Trusted studies seek to obtain a sample size that is large enough to be representative. The sample size is also designed to collect a large number of consumer opinions to minimize error and to assure the study results reflect the majority of consumers sentiment about a brand.
Calculating Trust Scores
At the heart of the America’s Most Trusted® study is the Net Trust Quotient Score. Participants evaluate brands based on their trustworthiness through a series of targeted questions. The responses are then categorized into three groups:
Advocates: Consumers who express strong trust in the brand.
Neutrals: Those who trust the brand but do not consider it superior to others.
Antagonists: Consumers with little to no trust in the brand.
These evaluations are quantified using a statistical method called a z-score, which standardizes the responses, allowing for easy comparison across brands. The results are ultimately transformed into T scores, which are more intuitive for understanding how each brand ranks relative to the mean score of all brands surveyed.
Additional information about the study can be found on the survey methodology page of this website.
Types of Power Tools
Power tools come in a variety of types, designed to perform specific tasks with greater efficiency and precision than hand tools. Below are the main categories and types of power tools:
1. Drilling & Driving Tools
Cordless Drill: A versatile tool for drilling holes and driving screws, powered by rechargeable batteries.
Corded Drill: Similar to a cordless drill but plugged into an electrical outlet.
Hammer Drill: A type of drill that combines rotary drilling with a hammering motion for drilling into harder materials like brick or concrete.
Impact Driver: A tool designed to drive screws and fasteners with high torque, often used for tougher driving tasks.
Rotary Hammer: A more powerful version of the hammer drill, often used for heavy-duty applications in concrete.
2. Cutting Tools
Circular Saw: A versatile saw that uses a toothed or abrasive disc to cut through materials like wood, metal, or plastic.
Reciprocating Saw (Sawzall): A tool with a back-and-forth motion that cuts through various materials like wood, metal, and plastic.
Jigsaw: A tool with a straight, vertical blade that moves up and down, useful for curved or intricate cuts in wood, metal, or plastic.
Miter Saw: A saw designed for making precise crosscuts and angled cuts, often used in woodworking and trim work.
Table Saw: A stationary saw with a circular blade mounted on an arbor, ideal for straight cuts in wood or plywood.
Angle Grinder: A powerful tool with a rotating disc used for cutting, grinding, and polishing materials like metal, stone, or concrete.
3. Sanding & Finishing Tools
Orbital Sander: A tool with a sanding pad that moves in an elliptical orbit, used for smoothening surfaces like wood or metal.
Belt Sander: Uses a continuous loop of sandpaper to quickly remove material, ideal for smoothing rough wood surfaces.
Detail Sander: A smaller sander with a triangular head for working in tight spaces or corners.
Random Orbital Sander: Similar to an orbital sander but with a random motion for a finer finish.
4. Grinding Tools
Angle Grinder: A tool with a rotating disc used for grinding, polishing, cutting, and shaping metal, stone, or other materials.
Bench Grinder: A stationary tool with two grinding wheels for sharpening tools, removing rust, or shaping metal.
Die Grinder: A handheld, high-speed rotary tool used for grinding and polishing hard materials, often in precision applications.
5. Fastening Tools
Nail Gun: A tool for driving nails into various materials, such as wood or drywall, commonly used in construction and woodworking.
Staple Gun: A tool used to drive staples into materials like fabric, wood, or carpet.
Cordless Screwdriver: A small power tool for driving screws in various applications, often lighter and more compact than an impact driver.
6. Sawing & Cutting Tools
Band Saw: A saw with a long, continuous blade used for cutting through wood, metal, or other materials. It's often used for curved cuts.
Tile Cutter: A specialized tool for cutting ceramic, stone, and other types of tiles.
Pipe Cutter: A tool designed for cutting pipes, often used in plumbing.
7. Concrete & Masonry Tools
Concrete Saw: A saw designed specifically for cutting concrete, asphalt, or stone.
Mixers: Power tools used to mix concrete, mortar, or plaster.
Wall Chaser: A tool used for cutting grooves in walls, typically for electrical conduits.
8. Woodworking Tools
Router: A versatile tool used for hollowing out areas of wood, creating decorative edges, or shaping wood.
Planer: A tool for smoothing and leveling surfaces of wood, often used in woodworking to remove imperfections.
Biscuit Joiner: A tool used to cut slots into wood for biscuit joints, which are used in woodworking for joining pieces of wood together.
9. Gardening & Outdoor Tools
Lawn Mower: A powered tool for cutting grass in yards or fields.
Leaf Blower: A tool used to blow leaves or debris off surfaces, commonly used for cleaning outdoor areas.
Chainsaw: A motorized saw with a chain used for cutting through wood, commonly used for felling trees or cutting firewood.
10. HVAC & Plumbing Tools
Heat Gun: A tool used to emit a stream of hot air for tasks like removing paint, bending plastics, or thawing pipes.
Pipe Bender: A tool used to bend metal or plastic pipes, often used in plumbing.
11. Specialty Tools
Laser Level: A tool used for leveling, aligning, and measuring with precision, typically in construction and carpentry.
Power Stapler: Used for stapling large volumes of material, especially in upholstery or construction.
12. Industrial Tools
Hydraulic Tools: Powered by hydraulic fluid, these tools are used for lifting, bending, and cutting heavy materials.
Welding Machines: Power tools used for joining materials, typically metals, using heat and pressure.
Additional insights and questions about the America’s Most Trusted® study can be found in the frequently asked questions section of this website.