Is Kobalt A Good Brand?

A good brand for tools is a must, whether you are a professional or a DIYer who does small projects. One of the most heard names in this category is Kobalt. However, that does not answer the doubt back in our mind – is Kobalt a good brand in all senses?

To help relieve that doubt, we have done extensive research on the brand and summarized our findings here. To know more, keep reading on and see for yourself!

Brief History Of Kobalt

To understand what made the brand what it is today, first, let’s know about its history. In 1998, this brand was established by Lowe’s Home American Improvement chain. In 2011, the line expanded dramatically. In fact, they now provide a comprehensive range of li-ion battery-powered equipment in addition to their common hand tools.

Kobalt has been long known to make the highest-quality instruments that are both functional and affordable. Danaher Corporation was responsible for producing most of the hand tools for Kobalt. However, from 2011, the brand utilized a different supplier’s skills.

As the name suggests, the Kobalt brand’s products are a lovely deep cobalt blue. Despite being one of the late players in the industry, the brand is no less competitive than the ones before it.

Besides, since Lowe’s began offering their line following incorporation, the quality of their kits and power equipment has improved.

Manufacturing

While most of the Kobalt tools are manufactured in China, their mechanic tools are built in the US. A few of the tools are manufactured in Germany as well.

The Positive Aspects Of The Brand

According to our research, there are a lot of things that make Kobalt a pretty good brand. The factors are discussed below:

1. Wide Range of Products

Kobalt has a wide range of products that most appeal to DIYers and beginners. Here we have briefly talked about each category to see what kind of product variety we can expect.

Air Tools

First of all, if you need some air tools, you have selected the right brand. The number of air tools might not be too much, but the quality is definitely worth mentioning. Kobalt ensures that whatever equipment you choose is the best, from air compressors to air grinders to air impact wrenches.

Hand Tools

Hand tools are essential for a DIYer or a mechanic, and Kobalt is the right brand to come looking for those.

Wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, and other home tools, as well as a range of mechanic tool sets – whatever you name, can be found here. Kobalt has a lot more hand tools than the rest of the industry combined, or so they claim.

Storage Units

Storage units are another specialty of the brand Kobalt. They are great at making various things to store your items, ranging from different types of cabinets, chests, and even toolboxes designed for trucks.

Power Tools

With a wide range of power tools, Kobalt remains at the top of consumers’ minds. However, not all of their products are in this category, especially their larger saws. Kobalt specializes in other products, including different types of lightweight table saws, jigsaws, and miter saws.

Consumers are also a fan of the sanders, routers, polishers, and drills made by Kobalt. Another popular product is their combo kits, as it is cheaper than buying the items individually.

Outdoor Power Equipment

Last but not least, Kobalt manufactures leaf blowers, string trimmers, lawnmowers, and other outdoor power equipment. The equipment is usually not gas-powered; instead, it uses a battery. Customers are mostly satisfied with the battery life.

2. High-Quality Materials

If the product is to be ranked high on overall quality, it must be manufactured with high-quality materials. Kobalt does not disappoint us at all in that aspect. CR-V is used to make sure that the products are not compromised in terms of superiority.

Again, some tools are a combination of chromium-nickel and steel, while some are made of chromium-molybdenum steel on rare occasions.

To ensure strength and functionality, all of these materials are generally combined with iron. The other elements all have their roles to play. The chromium helps with corrosion resistance and strength. Molybdenum adds durability, while nickel protects against corrosion.

3. Affordability

Kobalt is quite reasonably priced. In fact, one of their keys draws is that they provide high-quality instruments at a low cost. The best thing about this brand is that it offers equipment that is slightly more expensive for professional contractors and the like and low-cost hand tools for everyday use.

Higher-end Kobalt goods are priced similarly to higher-end brands, albeit they may be a little less expensive. The distinction is that Kobalt also has a less durable but also cheaper line of tools.

4. Design

Kobalt is widely known for its technological innovation and adaptation. This brand has always been able to provide clients with the most cutting-edge and efficient technologies available. Brushless systems, laser etching, and a variety of other innovations are included in all their products. This makes the customers’ lives much easier, especially if they are just getting started with tools.

The Drawbacks Of The Brand

Here, we’ll talk about the issues that you may face with the brand.

Durability

When it comes to durability, Kobalt products are not the best, especially for their cheaper lines. However, they still produce good value for the money, and you will have trouble finding products in this affordable range.

Besides, their product lines which are made for professionals, usually do not have a problem regarding their lifespan. However, keep in mind that they also cost more than their traditional lines.

Accessibility

Another of the downsides of this brand is that it is not readily accessible. You can mostly find them at Lowe’s. Another alternative is to buy them from online retail stores. Therefore, you do not get the advantage that other brand users have – simply driving up to a hardware store and getting a tool from their desired brand.

Best Products From Kobalt

Here we have handpicked two of the best tools from Kobalt that make them well sought after –

Advanced Mechanic Tool Set

This is one of Kobalt’s most popular mechanics toolkits. It comprises around 300 pieces of Kobalt tools, ensuring that you have all you need for your craft. Also, it includes ratchet handles of various sizes, hex keys, driver handles, extension bars, spark plug sockets, and many more items.

This set also comes with a foam organizer and is guaranteed to provide years of reliable service.

20 Piece Screwdriver Set

Everyone in their daily tasks requires screwdrivers. Therefore, the Kobalt 324C20N makes this task easier, and it includes every type you might need – Torx, flat, Phillips, an offset driver, and even a square drive.

Final Words

All in all, we do believe that Kobalt is a good brand. It is not the best in the world, but it is certainly better than ordinary. Moreover, it is also an excellent brand to consider if you want a good assortment of tools at reasonable pricing and do not plan on abusing them too roughly.