This bicycle repair kit I bought from LIDL comes with all the same tools as the famous Wera Tool-Check Plus but costs 11€
This bicycle repair kit I bought from LIDL comes with all the same tools as the famous Wera Tool-Check Plus but costs 11€
10x cheaper than the original. Likely not Wera quality but probably not 10x worse either. I've been quite happy with the other Parkside tools I've got.
It's most likely a difference in steel. Cheap steel fractures and wears down, but if you're only using it once a month or a year, you can probably get by. If you're using it every day, it probably won't work for you.
20Not just that, but well-engineered bits and sockets made with solid materials are less likely to cause damage to the fasteners themselves. Which, again, if you're using it occasionally in a pinch is not a big deal, but damn... one rounded off bolt head or cammed out phillips screw can ruin your entire day in a hurry!
9I've got so many tools that I basically have atleast two of everything, usually more. The main difference I've noticed between cheap and expensive tools is that the expensive ones are nicer to use. I've got chinese junk I'd love to replace with quality tools but they simply refuse to break.
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As the saying goes, buy the cheapest tool you think you need, and if it breaks, buy the best. I've had some Lidl tools for a decade, and I used only a very small portion of them to the extent where they broke. And even among them, if I just wore them down (interchangeable tips for my screwdriver), I just ended buying the same.
12Agreed. Unless you can immediately tell it's a piece of junk, just buy the cheapest one you can find. You're only going to break or wear out the tools you use the most, so it makes sense to replace those with high-quality ones. There's no point in spending big bucks on something like a Snap-on socket set when realistically there are only about five sizes you'll use frequently. Once the ratchet wears out, it can be replaced with a good one, which will still be perfectly compatible with the cheap sockets and extensions. My cheapo drill bit set is a good example of this; it still has 75% of the original bits that I've barely used, and the rest are Bosch drill bits.
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Budget tools really get a bad rep for differences in quality, but frankly if you're buying shit like this every time you need a new tool you're probably up hundreds of dollars with no difference in end result. Unless you're a professional or using this stuff daily, the cheapo option is fine.
11I was researching which line of power tools to buy a while ago.. Many said Parkside was very good value for money, and a good buy for anyone who only used their tools infrequently.
5I have no experience with their cordless line of tools, but I do have their rotary tool, oscillating multitool, and hot air gun, and I've got no complaints about any of them. Together, they cost me less than a hundred euros. My battery-powered tools are from Makita. If I had to go with a cheaper brand, I'd probably choose Ryobi though I'm sure Parkside would be fine too.
3Got a mate who bought the Lidl cordless circular saw, jigsaw and grinder
Yeah they're ok for the price, but you can tell they've not been designed properly - really difficult to see where you're cutting with both of the saws, and all three are woefully underpowered
All three would fit in your handbag though
2I bought Ryobi, only a cordless drill (18v brushless) and lawn trimmer, a long time ago and I've always disliked them. Wanted to replace them with something like Makita/Metabo/DeWalt, but in the end it felt unnecessary to spend that much money for something I only use a few times per year, even if projects become more fun if you have tools you like.
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I don’t think they sell these in the US
4I have an iFixit kit that cost $60, and a $2 aliexpress kit with the exact same bits. I like the build quality of the iFixit, but I don't like it 30x more
I've learned to embrace the art of good enough, and if I actually care after I've tried good enough, premium is okay
4Exactly. I don't mind if it's only half as high quality if it's a third of the price. Or in this case, one-tenth, and with a three-year warranty. My tool-buying philosophy is essentially to first buy the cheap one, and when it breaks, replace it with the name-brand one. I've still got plenty of these cheap tools in frequent use, while admittedly, most of the nearly daily-used ones have been upgraded to pro-grade.
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Good find. Looks like a decent kit. I do love my Wera tools. That kit would be a great addition to throw in the trunk of your car to have handy on the go.
3Ever since I arrived at that point in my life where i can afford it i usually go the other way round and by the professional tools, assuming they last me ages since they are made for heavy duty and don't see that much action.
So far my wager is working out for me. Been ages since new stuff broke or wore down to a point were it needs replacing ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
1Been ages since new stuff broke or wore down to a point were it needs replacing
The ones I've needed to replace are usually stuff that was junk to begin with. I can't even remember the last time something actually broke or wore out on me. Cheap doesn't automatically mean bad quality. I've got cheap tools still in use that I bought while I was in trade school, and I use this stuff for a living. If I buy a cheap 150-piece socket set, for example, and the ratchet and a few of the most commonly used sockets need to be replaced with premium quality ones after five years, it'll still be cheaper than buying the name-brand set. I don't need a Snap-on 12mm socket.
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