A Quick Comment on the Craftsman Lifetime Warranty
By Chuck Cage
We’d just like to make a quick comment regarding the “rumor” that goes around every so often regarding changes in the Craftsman warranty. We pretty regularly receive emails from readers relating Craftsman warranty experiences and asking about changes in the warranty, and we’ve recently seen some mention of it again on the web. It’s sort of funny to us that most bloggers seem to a) hear the rumor and worry, then b) call up Sears PR and ask if the warranty is going away.
As they’ll tell you — it’s not. It’s very unlikely that Sears will ever change or remove the Craftsman lifetime warranty.
However, “Is the warranty going away?” isn’t really the question we (as toolaholics) should be asking. Here’s what the warranty actually says, by the way:
Craftsman hand tools are guaranteed forever. If any Craftsman hand tool ever fails to give complete satisfaction, return it to Sears for free repair or replacement. This warranty gives you specific rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. Other Craftsman tools are covered by limited warranties.
What we should (as toolaholics) be asking is, “What leeway does this provide stores — or Sears itself — in terms of interpreting the warranty’s wording, and how is the application of the warranty changing over time?”
First and foremost you’ll notice that the warranty says “repair or replacement” not “give you a new tool off the shelf.” Granted, many stores will indeed just grab a new tool off the shelf for you when you come in with your very worn, broken Craftsman hand tool. However, they’re certainly not required to. Some stores keep a cabinet full of “repaired” tools which they’ll trade out to you whenever possible.
Note: We shouldn’t have to tell you this, but since the individual salesperson will likely have the opportunity to either give you a “repaired” tool or a new one, you’ll definitely increase your chance of receiving a new tool by being nice. Seriously, try it.
But what if you really read the above warranty statement like a lawyer billing hourly? What’s a “hand tool?” Is a hammer a hand tool, or are we just talking about mechanics’ tools? While we haven’t done the specific research to be able to tell you exactly which tools have been included and excluded over the years, we do know from first hand experience that Sears has indeed varied the definition of “hand tool” from time to time. And one can’t help but notice the proliferation of ”Companion” and other-branded tools on Sears’ tool shelves. We’ve even heard that Sears uses tool color (to some extent) to help identify which Craftsman tools are lifetime-warrantied and which ones aren’t.
Also, note that the warranty doesn’t say anything at all about how long they’ll take to provide you your repaired or replaced tool. Our experience has always been that they do so on the spot, but there’s certainly no written requirement that they do so.
So, in summary: The Craftsman lifetime warranty isn’t changing. The application of it, however, varies, as does the locus of tools covered under it. If you’ve got a box full of Craftsman tools, you’ll want to pay attention to this. And, if you’re considering the purchase of a Craftsman tool, it never hurts to check around a bit to make sure that the tool you’re purchasing is indeed covered under the lifetime warranty. (Or, if not, find out the specifics of the particular limited warranty under which the tool is covered.)
With that kind of information in hand, you can actually shop smart, comparing apples to apples — or warranties to warranties. It’s important to note that there are now a number of different consumer “hand tool” lines available which offer lifetime warranties, each of which apply the warranty in slightly different ways — i.e. which tools they cover, how you go about getting your “replacement or repair,” and so on.
Remember, it’s like ‘ol Joe says, “Knowing is half the battle.”
From Reader Comments: According to one reader who worked at Sears, ratchets are the only tools Sears commonly offers as a repair instead of an exchange. That’d also make sense to us as all of the emails we’ve received regarding replacement with used tools were about ratchets. Check out the comment for more info.
August 11th, 2006 at 7:45 pm
Hello,
I worked at Sears during college. The warranty they currently use the same it has been for many years. You are correct on the repair comment, however the only tool that is commonly repaired and offered are ratchets. Ratchet repair kits are sent to the stores, and during slow periods employees are often told to work on the backlog of returned ratchets. This is nice in cases where you have a Sears Best ratchet which they do not carry any more - you can request the repair kit (it’s a five minute job) or ask them to repair yours.
Thanks
September 3rd, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Be careful when purchasing Speed-Loc drill bits. They are only warranteed for 90 days.
I had a drill bit that came out of the Speed-Loc when using it for the first time. It was clearly defective.
Doesn’t matter after 90 days. Plus they didn’t even have a replacement on the shelf.
December 21st, 2006 at 6:04 pm
Just tried to swap out 2 aviation snips. Clerk said they were rusty, I told the kid thats not rust but dirt and grime from being on a jobsite. I asked for the manager, she wasn’t much of a help. I explained to her the snips work great they just don’t cut anymore and thats not rust, give me a steel wool and she would see. No dice, ended up having to go home, scrub them till they were shiny and take it back to a different Sears.
She said, there is a new policy with the new CEO and with merger w/ Kmart, “All tools showing excessive use will no longer be swapped out”.
After scrubbing them down took them to a different sears and no probs. Wrote a quick note to corporate and they responded back right away. Told them I have a new policy now too, “Buy Rigid Tools”. Oh well, not like I’m a contractor I just am building my house.
December 27th, 2006 at 10:19 pm
Took back a broken 1/4 inch rachet drive a month or so ago. Got a new one in 5 minutes. Same story with a 20 foot steel tape.
I once took back a worn-out snow shovel. Left with a new one. Will probably turn that one in next winter.
December 29th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
miguel sums it up for me, i brought my 1/4 ratchet to sears to get repaired or replaced. It was rusty from being on a boat. the lady told me that the warranty does not cover rust and neglect and would not fix my ratchet. at least they tried to take it apart and when they could’nt put it back together because of the rust, they told me i lucked out. now i have a craftsman 1/4 ratchet without any insides.
January 14th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Could Someone please tell me if craftmans hand tools are covered by the warranty if they are in a house fire, we still have the tools but are burnt and rusty. If so where would i take Them?
Thank you, Angela
January 14th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Angela,
The warranty is “no questions asked”.
Take them to any Sears.
January 14th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Tools damaged by a house fire really shouldn’t be warranty replaced.
Granted, the wording of the warranty says nothing about abuse or anything like a house fire, but still - if they were damaged in a house fire, get your homeowners insurance to cover them, don’t screw Sears.
This kind of abuse of the Craftsman warranty is why stores get anal retentive about things, and refuse replacements.
January 23rd, 2007 at 11:56 pm
It is not warranty abuse to return a rusted ratchet, they get them every day, if they can’t repair it, it gets thrown into a bin for recycling. They do this to old obsolete ratchets every day. Also don’t wory about getting refurbished ratchets, the internals are the same quality as factory new, and the warranty applies the same as new.
February 3rd, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Im a professional mechanic for 30 years, and bought Craftsman tools and boxes because of their no hassle warranty. Every tool (90percent Craftsman) is marked with my initials. Today I went on my regular tool replacement run- purchased various hand tools that I lost, When it came time to warranty a pair of pliers (the rubber grips came off) they would not do it because i engraved my initials in them. When I asked why they said they could not refurbish them for resale. So I asked them what I should do with my hundreds of tools that are engraved. They said they are not covered if they are engraved, even broken sockets?. So you mean when when I buy Craftsman tools they could be refurbished? Seems the price isnt. I will complain to Sears corporate, but it probably wont do any good. Might have to buy tools elsware.
February 3rd, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Your Mileage May Vary. What an apt term. I’ve had wonderful experiences returning tools, in any condition, back to Sears. The only one time I had a slight issue was simply because they were out of stock on two sockets I needed replaced. They offered to order them from the catalog and ship them to my house, absolutely free. I received them in 3 days. Just recently I needed to return two screwdrivers and the clerk was most helpful in finding and matching the correct tools to get me out of the store in 5 minutes.
For the sake of clarity, I always ask if it’s covered by the replacement warranty when it’s in doubt. I was told that, generally, a covered tool is one that doesn’t operate under power. Nothing electrical, battery or air is covered - but again, YMMV. Due to that fact, I tend to purchase my power tools from other retailers.
In response to what Mark - Tucson said about the engraving, I wasn’t aware it was an issue. My father-in-law engraves EVERYTHING with his initials, including his Craftsman tools and has never had any problem returning them for replacement. I was surprised to hear that they were giving you issue about that as many mechanics I know routinely mark their tools.
February 3rd, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Hi Brian , this engraving thing is new to me also. When I asked when they started this ( I make a tool run like this every couple of months ) they said it had been in effect for quite a while but the managers probably did not enforce it but they have to now. Im dissapointed, I have never had a problem there. I could understand it if the tool was misused. Come to think of it, you can order socket sets from th catalog with your name engraved for you . Go figure.
February 4th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
I just tried to replace my craftsman pliers because they were not working properly. THe clerk intially would not warranty them because she said there was too much rust and that the pliers were engraved. Heck the pliers were about 12 years old - suely there will be some oxidation on them. SHe also went on to say that it is an old policy. I’ve been returning broken tools to Sears for rought 17 years and this is the first time I ever had any trouble. I hope I can get a corporate number somehow. I know one thing is for certain, my Snap-on tool vendor doesn’t give me this kind of trouble when I need to warranty a tool. Surely, the snap-on tools are more costly, but at least I know they’re wearrantied for life and I can hand them down to my unborn children someday.
THe point of all this though is Sears should honor their warranties on their handtools the way it is printed on the packaging. I got my pliers warrantied after manager interventionn, but I think Sears may be starting to not back up their warranties for some crazy reason.
-John
February 14th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
The hand tools may be warranteed, but the cases apparently are not! I bought a 80 piece Craftsman tool set about 5 years ago to carry in my car. About a year ago, one of the plastic latches broke off (they’re nothing but a plastic flap to begin with). Today the second latch broke off and there’s no way to keep the case closed. I’ve been told by the Sears National Customer Service line (800) 549-4505 that not only is the case not warranteed, but I can’t even order a replacement.
February 24th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
I actually buy (or get for free) old, rusty, broken Craftsman tools at flea markets, garage sales and the like and put them in a box, and when I have a good many, I take them all in for exchange. I have assembled quite the collection of new, shiny Craftsman tool sets in this way. Never had a problem. Also - here’s a hint. They made them better in the 50’s and 60’s, so sometimes you are better off keeping these, if they are in good shape.
February 25th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
If you want complete & accurate rules on all warranties here is the source (from the FTC website):
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/warranty.htm#stating
February 25th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
I found a really rusted over 2 sized open end wrench in my father’s tool room. I took it to a Sears Essentials store and they let me replace it. Unfortunately they don’t make those type of wrenches anymore so I brought up a standard wrench of one size and a stubby polished wrench of the other size. They told me they couldn’t give me the standard one but gave me the more expensive stubby.
The kicker is that my father found it in the street one time. The sad thing is that I could have used a 5/16 better than the 3/8 they gave me.
April 10th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Strap-On truckies often make these claims about Craftsman warranties going away. Don’t believe the hype!
April 12th, 2007 at 2:08 am
Every time I go in there for a legitimate tool exchange, they always try to give me shit for it by attempting to convince me that my tool isn’t broken. Fortunately for me, I’ve won every time.
April 15th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
I went to Sears to replace my utility knife–the thumb slider had broken off.
The guy first told me it wasn’t broken, then he told me it wasn’t a hand tool, then, when I said I wanted to keep the outside, just replace the insides, please, he went off: “What kind of games are you trying to play?!”
Games? I want my tool replaced without any hassle, and I don’t want to engrave another utility knife!
So while he went to the “back room” to “talk to the manager” I walked up to some kids in the department and it went smooth as silk. Got the new slider, and 3 blades.
Lesson: It totally depends on who you talk to, and that’s a shame.
April 19th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
April 2007 — I went to Sears in Arkansas to replace a brick layer hammer. They said because they no longer sell a Craftsman brick layer hammer that they couldn’t replace it. Matter of fact they didn’t have a brick layer hammer in store of any brand. They sent me else where to buy a new one. I went to Lowe’s.
April 28th, 2007 at 9:14 am
We had a bunch of craftsman tools that were recovered from a lot we bought. The house had burnt down, & that they just filled in the foundation with dirt. So when we were digging it up we came across a kinds of burnt up tools. Mostly it was just the chrome plating that was pealing off, & the handles on the screwdrivers melted. I cleaned them up as much as possible, & returned them one or two at a time to the local sears store. I have also returned tools that they no longer carried, & they have always given me a replacement tool closest to what I had. They even opened a gift pack at Christmas time to replace the one I had that was broken. I always buy something when ever I return a tool for warranty replacement.
April 29th, 2007 at 5:19 am
As stated in an earlier post, if you find older Craftsman tools,sometimes it’s better to keep them if they’re still servicable. The older stuff made by Stanley Works is much better than some of the newer Danaher offerings, especially ratchets. Not even close.
April 29th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Amazing!!!
I can’t believe how many people here think that it’s apparently Sears’ obligation to repair tools that have been abused. Why in the world would anyone expect a company to cover emersion in water or fire? This type of behavior is why those of us who try to get replacements for legitimate reasons (the vast majority of us) get c**p from the stores. Costco recently had to change their return policy for certain items due to the same sort of behavior.
Thank God I’m in a at-will state. If anyone on my crew showed such a total lack of ethics I’d fire them instantly.
April 30th, 2007 at 6:51 am
I currently work in NCR for Sears, and by reading some of the returns listed above that have taken place (”old, rusty, broken Craftsman tools at flea markets, garage sales and the like and put them in a box”)this is what has driven the suspicions at the stores, and the “more enforced” return policies. Taking advantage of a return system only causes problems for other legitimate returns. By the way usung hand tools for commercial purposes is also not the intent of those hand tools being sold.
May 12th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Well, you know what. The Craftman warranty says for return for any reason. Period.
If I want to go to a flea market and buy up a million Craftsman tools that are old and rusty, to return them to sears for free WARRANTY replacement I should be able to. Sears offers the warranty, they should honor it, jus tlike they say NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
If I want to buy a Craftsman wrench, throw it out the window, run over it, slam it with a sledge hammer a zillion times, bend it, etc then return it to sears for a new one, I should be able to. Why? Becaurs that’s what the warranty says I can do…. replacement for a new one with no questions asked.
BTW: I take very good care of my craftsman and snap-on tools, and have never had a problem return for replacement.
Mike B
May 14th, 2007 at 9:10 am
Hi.
I m new here.
I hit this site by using Google Japan.
so posting from Japan
I want to know where I can get Snap on ?
and craftman.
These two are sold by online shop less money?
May 17th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
I am currently employed by Sears Holding Co (Yea, It has been given a new name since the K-mart merger). As everyone has said, from my knowledge, there is no plan to ever drop the lifetime warranty on hand tools. From a consumer stand-point, if Sears ever did this, their entire customer base would be gone. Craftsman is craftsman for two reasons … one is the lifetime warranty and the other is made in the USA (Large forge in Kentucky does a large number of the ratchets that my store purchases to sell).
As of what is covered and not covered .. Every hand tool is covered … NOT including Tap and Dies, riveters, and staple guns (The last two are sometimes considered to be hand tools but are still not convered unless over 30yrs old which at the time were covered). Hammers, rachets (as mentioned, usually the only reconditioned tool), wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, punches, chisels, pliers etc etc. As of rust, it is not covered under the warranty. It is deemed as “abuse” and will not be returned by most Sears stores. I usually tell my customers to go home, use some steal wool or sand blast it a bit to get the rust off so I don’t get in trouble for it, but so they also get their tool. The engraved initials bit is news to me. I’ve been employed for almost 3 yrs now and have never heard anything of the sort. /shrug
With the mention of color as a way to distinguish warranties, that has only recently been employed with the new(er) red tape measures ranging from 12ft-30ft. Sears had had a problem with customers purposely breaking the blades to get new ones, and so the warranty on the tape measures was changed to include everything but a broken blade. Replacement blades are available from 2.99-4.99 in price.
Thats what I know, I’ll follow this and try to answer anything else I see come along
First time finding this site btw, was looking up competitors and their warranties such as Kobalt and Ridgid (Lifetime Service Agreement for free?) … so kudos, awesome site
May 17th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
I’m 61 years old and got my first Craftsman tools for my twelfth birthday and still have a few of the originals. Over the past 49 years I’ve used, abused and broken my share of their tools. Sears always replaced (when they had it) without complaint even when it was my fault. I agree that some people abuse the “privilege” even though it is a right. I recently went to use my Craftsman MAPP gas torch which is probably over 30 years old. The valve would not close which was not due to abuse but normal wear and tear.
I am sure that when I bought it it was with the Craftsman lifetime warranty. Well, guess what? Craftsman torches now carry a one year warranty. They tried to screw me out of it but luckily for them some management person agreed to make an exception THIS TIME ONLY. My plan was that if they refused I would file a complaint with the state attorney general and possibly file a small claims action. When you’re old and cranky this is the type of thing you do.
When I retrurned home with the new (but not as good) torch I went to put it away and discovered I have a second Craftsman Mapp torch, this one a Craftsman Commercial. I distinctly remember that the advertising hoopla of the 1970s and 80s said that Craftsman Commercial tools were absolutely guaranteed to last forever and ever. I was googling the net with the phrase “Craftsman Commercial Tool Warranty” and ended up here. Let me know what you think.
June 6th, 2007 at 7:56 am
I BOUGHT 3 RACHETS THAT WERE CRAFTSMAN PRODUCT WONDERING IF STILL UNDER WARRANTY WERE DO I BRING THEM.
July 16th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
I have a 25 year old craftsman toolbox, and was wondering if anyone new if it would fall under the craftsmn warranty. I have never had an issue with screwdrivers and hammers, but I’m not sure about toolboxes… Awesome board - thanks…
July 17th, 2007 at 12:37 am
For a Craftsman ratchet, bring it to any Sears store. They will either a) rebuild the mechanism for you with a repair kit; b) take it from you and give you a ratchet that they rebuilt after someone else returned it; c) let you go home with a brand new ratchet.
As for toolboxes, that might not be covered but it can’t hurt to call up your local store.
August 29th, 2007 at 1:12 am
Today I tried to return a drill that works fine but the plastic on outside broke. When I purchased many years ago it had a lifetime warraanty. The store manager said no and refused to honor warranty! were they right or wrong?
August 29th, 2007 at 6:22 am
You can try a different store or ask the manager to call the corporate headquarters, or even better call the corporate number in front of him.
If you purchased the drill with a lifetime warranty, then they should honor it. But… they changed their policy a little while ago on power tools. Now, most Craftsman power tools only have a one year replacement period.
If only the housing is broken, try to mend it since its replacement will most likely be an inferior tool.
October 1st, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Contrary to some of the posts, Sears “lifetime” warranty is not “unlimited.” I just returned from an attempt to obtain a replacemnt (I would prefer a repair kit) for a flex head 1/2″ ratchet and a long straight handle 1/2″ ratchet. The store referred me to the parts center. The parts center (Knoxville, TN) said they did not carry any parts at all and even tried to convince me that hand tools “with moving parts” were not covered. I then called the store to inquire further and received a number for the company that makes Craftsman tools. Their customer service rep checked the tool numbers and said parts were no longer available. I even asked if there could possibly be some repair kits in the pipeline somewhere to see if I could get a little additional effort out of an unhelpful person. The answer was no, my tools were just too old - so I guess “lifetime warranty” does not apply in this case. I have two well-cared for tools that are now worthless.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
MY HUSBAND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WARRANTY APPLIES FOR ELECTRIC TOOLS AS WELL AS TOOLS THAT NEED FUEL??? THANK YOU
November 29th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
In order to avoid steering you the wrong way, the best suggestion I can offer is to go into your local Sears store and ask whomever is in the tool department, and fire off an email to someone at Sears.
My impression is that Craftsman power tools only have a one year warranty, but you can purchase an extension when you buy the tool. I don’t know about fuel-powered tools, but I highly doubt that they have more than a one year warranty. Maybe three years? Anyways, this is why I suggest asking someone at Sears directly.
December 24th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Tom:
You’re a Sears employee and you’re saying that rust or abuse is not an acceptable reason for warranty exchange? Where did you get your interpretation of the warranty?
This is the warranty text:
“Department: 609 Product: Craftsman Handtools Warranty: FULL UNLIMITED WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN HANDTOOLS If this Craftsman Handtool ever fails to give complete satisfaction, RETURN IT TO THE NEAREST SEARS STORE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, and Sears will replace it, free of charge. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.”
Again, please pay particular attention to “FULL UNLIMITED” and “complete satisfaction”.
Where do you see that rust, or fire, or etching, or flea market purchases or abuse or neglect or age or any other condition is excluded?
You don’t; because there are no exclusions.
If Sears wants to exclude certain conditions then according to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975, the federal law governing warranties on consumer products, the written warranty has to say “LIMITED”, not “FULL UNLIMITED”, or enumerate the limitations.
(Good luck changing the Craftsman warranty to LIMITED or enumerating limitations and then competing with Husky and Kobalt and SnapOn hassle free warranties!)
Now, please, go here and read:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/warranty.shtm#titling
Note the Federal Trade Commission’s definition of FULL warranty.
You can’t just SELL a warranty with all the necessary buzzwords to compete; you have to HONOR it too, as written; “FULL UNLIMITED.”
Trust me. I just experienced a warranty exchange denial attempt (based on rusty wrenches/sockets) at the Sears store in Pensacola, FL.
In fact, they did deny it; for a few hours . . . until I got home and explained the situation to Sears National Customer Service and Craftsman Tools and Craftsman Assist.
Almost immediately the store received what corporate calls a “store notification” advising them to honor the warranty.
Please Tom, honor the warranty as written; no denials, no excuses, no exceptions, no exclusions, no hassle, “complete satisfaction”.
I do hope this is helpful.
M
December 24th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Matt, I’ve been speaking with quite a few Sears associates over the past few days both online and in stores trying to get the scoop on the new $5 off $5 coupon, and while using it.
I believe that what Tom was sharing with us was the warranty policy that stores are told to adhere to. If a sales associate refuses to repair or replace a rusted ratchet, sure it could mean that they’re being a jerk, but it could also mean that they’re trying to cover their own butts.
I spoke to an employee who said that every now and then he’ll allow a replacement even if it’s obvious the tool was considered abused under the new guidelines.
Most people do not like confrontations and if they’re turned away without a tool replacement or repair, they’ll most likely turn away and purchase a replacement there or elsewhere. Not many people will fight it out, and so Sears saves money in those cases.
I spoke with a well seasoned employee as I made a purchase, and shared with him my personal complaints regarding a Sears online shopping experience. He then went on somewhat of a tirade claiming that recent changes (at least compared to Sears’ age) are aimed at saving as much money as possible without considering customer satisfaction.
This recent trend in penny pinching is spreading to Lowes and HD as well, so it’s not just a Sears phenomenon. Customer service as a whole is going downhill, but not because of individual employees acting like jerks. Orders are being passed down from store management or above, and most employees don’t want to risk their jobs to satisfy a customer who wants to replace a rusted/”abused” ratchet for free.
Anyways, Matt, you offer some great advice as to how to force Sears to properly honor their Craftsman warranty. But also take it easy on Tom and other employees, unless they’re management, they cannot make the call on honoring the warranty if the tool is deemed “not to be replaced” or otherwise. Doing so without authorization could get the employees into trouble, and if they do it a few times, fired.
December 25th, 2007 at 10:35 am
Actually Sears started a “soft” repeal of their warranty many years ago. It used to be that all Craftsman tools had the word “Craftsman” engraved or cast into the metal part of the tool. When I returned a sledgehammer that I got from my father all I had left was the head, but it was definitely Craftsman. I thought they’d just give me a new wooden handle, but instead I got a brand new sledge with a fiberglass handle, great no complaints there. The downside is the only place that the new one says Craftsman is on a little slip of plastic shrinkwrapped to the handle. There’s no way that will last as long as the hammer, so there will be no way to exchange it. The snow shovel I bought is the same way, and I’ve noticed it on more and more tools as time goes on. I still buy Craftsman hand tools, but only if it’s permanently marked as Craftsman.
January 14th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
I have worked for sears for over 5yrs now and during that time I have seen some of the changes mentioned above, but as far as a tool especially a ratchet not being able to be returned because of rust or abuse, please! I am what is called a PMT , which is the guy who gets all the returned stuff (short of clothes) in the store. I have never had anyone in the store ever deny a person an exchange on a hand tool. As Matt said the warranty is what the warranty is period. And as far the guy who posted earlier that works for NCR go work in a store instead of in a cubicle, actually deal with a customer on a face to face basis not a phone to phone basis. As far as cashiers or salespeople not honoring the warranty they are being lazy or their management has filled their head full of B.S. I have personally taken back ratchet that were rusted, modified, or just plain beat to hell due to everyday use. As stated above if its not repairable (screwdrivers, pliers,most hammers, sockets) it is thrown in big drum to be melted back down and transformed into new Craftsman hand tools. So don’t let your local Sears not replace your tool, the warranty is why you chose Sears and bought the tool in the first place. Sometimes they just need to be reminded of that.
February 1st, 2008 at 7:29 am
Are craftsman drill bits garaunteed for life ? was just wondering because i just purchased a set of wood boring bits ?
March 19th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I have worked in Sears all across the country and for 12 years now, im being promoted to Regional VP and have worked with the company since I was able to work. Any hand tool, that still has the Craftsman Emble in it whether engraved or not can be replaced. The only way we can deny is if it altered in any way, like if you shorten a socket or tamper a screwdriver and this will be posted in EVERY Sears store. Im the ones that get the complaints cause im the one from “corporate” to check up on this stuff, and issues will be resolved when it comes to the manner. Now the warranty on the tape measure has changed and when an older one is broken and replaced for the red ones. Only the rivet is covered by warranty due to people cutting the band. But as for the warranty going away….. its not happening.
April 8th, 2008 at 12:54 am
I am currently working at sears and the lifetime warranty will never go. Rusted or broken we will take them back. Ratchets are the only hand tools that we repair. everything else should be exchanged. impact sockets, regular sockets, screw drivers, hammers, nut drivers, wrenches, sockets adapters, and any other hand tools should be exchanged. Remember this the next time you buy a drill bit, it has no warranty. Not even a 30 or 90 days warranty. unless you have never used it. But if you have good luck trying to exchange one for a new one. Some sales associate will not know, or maybe they just don’t care, and they will exchange it for you. Air tools, Torque wrenches, drills, miter saws, jig saw, circular saws, saw saws, table saws, shop vacs, and anything else you can think about only have a one or two years MANUFACTURES DEFECT warranty not a users issue. Thats why we offer replacement agreements which will cover that. The only tool that we do not offer an replacement agreements are torque wrenches, floor jacks, jack stands, etc. Now with the tape issue, if you have a yellow or old silver tapes it is still covered. But once you get the red tape, everything else is covered but the blades. you have to buy new ones if your blades brake. Now, craftsman drawers and portables chest have no warranty what so ever. The only warranty you have is you have 90 days to return it but it has to be never used. It has to be in it’s original box. If you happen to open it the next day you bought it and it has a dent, you have the rights to exchange it. I HOPE I HAVE HELPED A LOT WITH THE WARRANTY AND IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO ANSWER. JUST ASK. oh another thing. REMEMBER TO BUY THE REPLACEMENT AGREEMENT IT IS CHEAPER THAN TO BUY A WHOLE NEW ONE AGAIN. AND JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CRAFTSMAN PRODUCT DOESN’T MEAN YOU DON’T NEED THE RECEIPT UNLESS IT’S LIFETIME. WITHOUT THE RECEIPT WE WILL NOT RETURN IT OR EXCHANGE IT IF IT’S NOT IN THE ORIGINAL PACKAGE. SO KEEP THE RECEIPT.
April 8th, 2008 at 5:22 am
I’m a government contractor for vehicle maintenance and a few years back we purchased several Craftsman tools sets. Since we never saw a representative after the sale, we were forced to drive to the local Sears for replace broken hand tools - that were clearny not abused. Were talking mostly cracked sockets and stripped ratchets. The local Sears was very reluctant to exchange them saying that their warranty doesn’t cover industrial or commercial applications. This went on for over five years and we paid nearly $100K for these sets and expected better quality and some type of service.
Last month, under company direction, we replaced all 20 Craftsman tool sets with PROTO.
April 26th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Just yesterday I took some badly damaged sockets back to sears in Lompoc California and was told by the store manager Ms. Lola Wilks that “Craftsman tools are not covered by the warranty unless they are physically broken, rust is not covered even if it make the tool unusable.” So at least at Sears In Lompoc California Sear only offers a limited warranty on hand tools.
April 26th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I tried to get a ratchet fixed or replaced because the gears skipped once and a while. They gave me such a hard time over this claiming that I must have put a cheater bar on this. The finally swapped it out with one that was stamped “reconditioned” and it was not the same quality of the one I had. I’m done with Sears - and Craftsman.
April 26th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
I’m not sure who has a “Lifetime Warranty” these days. I know Craftsman is Limited and saw in another post that Mac Tools now has a Limited Warranty based on the “expected life” of the tool. Snap-Ons website only mentions the warranty is based on the product code but keeps that a secret although I won’t pay their insane prices. I’ve been sticking to PROTO these days only because it’s what my job provides and haven’t had any problems even though we abuse these…they can take it.
April 26th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Sears has found a new way to avoid fulfilling their “lifetime Guarantee” on garden tools. (yes-these have a lifetime warranty-some of mine still have the lifetime sticker on them). It used to be that tools like an axe or sledgehammer had the name embossed in the steel. Then they went to painting the craftsman name on the handle of the tools (how long will this last on a shovel?)instead of stamping in the steel. Their next step was to put paper labels on the handles. Now, some of their tools have absolutely no identification on them. Go look at an axe at sears. Nowhere on this tool does it say Craftsman. As I found out, when you try to return the item, they then just refuse it since I could not prove it is Craftsman. So if you buy tools at Sears thinking they have a guarantee, make sure they say “Craftsman”, otherwise you will be burned. You are probably better off buying tools at a garage sale-the older tools were much better quality
April 27th, 2008 at 6:40 am
A very interesting thread about Craftsman products. Yes, the quality and their service is now totally lacking. Ever since they went to Danaher to make their tools, merged up with K-Mart and Lands End to keep alive, their focus is purely on making money, not uplolding the once mighty Crafstman Name. I purchased a set of sockets over a year ago to keep in the trunk for emergencies. Last month, I needed to use them for a quick project and found that one of the sockets (a 15/16″ 1/4 Dr 12pt) was completely void of any contact points inside. This was clearly a manufactuers defect. Did you know that because I didn’t purchase the “replacement agreement?”, they wouldn’t replace this? We’re talking a frickin’ $1 socket that probably cost them ten cents to produce. Needless to say, Sears has lost a customer from their last sale.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I know that proto still has a lifetime warranty. I just swapped out a handful of cracked sockets at the local Grainger and there was no questions asked. I also found there Westward tool line is pretty stout and also carries a lifetime warranty.
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/static/tf_m_westward.html&1=search_ww
I also noted it’s very similar to the Kobalt line that Lowes carries. Chances are it’s made by the same company?
April 27th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I do not shop at sears, never have. I like Lowe’s because they have let me return anything, reguardless of waranty. Granted I have never tried to return anything that is obviously my fault, a 2 year old broken fat max that was used everyday for example. I have no doubt they would return it, but it would be embarassing and dishonest, imo
April 27th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
…fat max tape measure…
April 30th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
I took some Craftsman wrenches to my local Sears store on 4/27/08 and the Manager refused to replace them. Said only defect or damage qualifys for repalcement, and if I had abused the tool he would not replace it. I picked up a Sears tool catalog on the counter and read to him the warranty, nowhere does it mention damage or defect, but it does mention customer satisifaction. He stated that customer satisifaction was not reason enough to replace the tools and asked me to leave the store. I asked him to read the warranty and he told me to leave the store or he would call the police.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
I’d welcome him to call the police, and then have him try to explain why he summoned them. Unless you were being disruptive, crude, or violent then there’s nothing they could do.
Note that Sears is screwing themselves in a number of ways here — not only are they pissing off customers, but they’re just asking for a lawsuit for violating their warranty. It’s explicitly an unlimited warranty; they don’t get to decide whether or not to honor it. They should’ve offered a limited liability warranty if they had wanted that.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:18 pm
I used to work for Sears about 4 years ago in the Tool Territory department (Tools) and my manager Greg had always told me to not accept tools that had rust on them. Other managers would say to just replace them. If Greg was ever around and I was doing a tool exchange, he’d stop me in my tracks and check for rust. 2 times I had completed an exchange with a customer, customer is walking our the door, then Greg would run up and flag them down and bring them back to my register so he can check what tools they brought. If he found rust or any abuse, he would blatantly tell the customer that rust or abuse is their own fault and that the exchange must be undone. I’ve had to void exchanges because of this prick. Now you tell me if these customers will ever come back to Sears.
Many many times has he come close to a fist fight with a customer. Understand that it is not always up to the cashier whether he can take back a rusted or abused item. Managers tend to brainwash cashiers into doing what they want. Same goes for Corporate to Managers.
Ohh and one more thing. If Greg EVER saw me exchange out a broken ratchet for a new one without looking in our refurbished ratchet drawer first, he’d flip out then would walk out and chain smoke like 5 cigs in a row. He did not get along well with other managers as well.
Sears has really screwed themselved by stating “Full Unlimited Warranty”
I hate the damn abusers who think they can go and get a replacement a tool just because theirs looks ugly or is over 4 weeks old. These damn abusers are what are causing all these problems. I litterally had a customer that would replace ALL his tools every 4 weeks. The damage done to them looked intentional but I was no one to judge and blame him for that, so I had no choice but to exchange $500 in tools every time (6 times till finally management said to bug off)
My worst was when one guy brought an ENTIRE shopping cart FULL of rusted broken tools. The cart was so loaded it could barely take the weight of all the steel. It took 3 associates and 5 hours to match every tool he had. These tools look like they sat on a lawn for 8 years. Now tell me that isn’t abuse and neglect. Sears has screwed themselves by having such a warranty, and Sears is screwing themselves by not living up to their warranty.
You screw yourself for promising the world, but get even MORE screwed by not delivering the world you promised
May 24th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
I bought my sears hand tools back in the 80’s. Today I returned a broken 1/2 ” flex head ratchet (head gears jamed). Unlimited life warranty…. First the sales man gives me a replacement that has a sticker stating refurbished. I told him I saw nothing in the warranty that said refirbished replacement. Salesman then tells me that “Sears” does this to save money……. thats when I demanded a new tool. The replacement has less beef than my original and the ratchet head looks like cheap China junk! Looks like to me that Sears tools are not worth buying.
June 1st, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Its funny and sad, I have been getting that crap from Sears on the craftsman warranty for the past 30 years. I have heard every excuse you can imagine (”we don’t warranty THAT tool” (a screwdiver), “its not a HAND TOOL” (a socket), “we discontinued that warranty last year” (they try this one out at least one a year on me), “Thats not a craftsman tool (the screwdriver with CRAFTSMAN stamped on the handle), “we can’t exchange it with out a receipt” (a regular excuse at my local sears), “we need 2 forms of PICTURE identification” (exactly why?), “we don’t accept tool exchanges after 6 pm” (what?). Persistence pays off and I eventually get the exchange. It used to be entertaining, trying to figure out which sales clerk was a jerk, or testing to see just how high up you had to go to get the exchange. Anyway, its nothing new, this has probably been going on since Mr CRAFTSMAN dreamed up this crazy warranty scheme. I wonder though, there must be some sort bonus that sears employees get for denying a tool exchange, or the cost of the exchange must come of out their paycheck, or something. Why else would they work so hard to come up with the CRAZY excuses to not make a legitimate warranty exchange?
Somewhere around 15 years ago it stopped being entertaining for me and now I only exchange craftsman tools, I don’t purchase new ones. And I don’t shop at sears anymore either…
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:14 am
Dan said: “I wonder though, there must be some sort bonus that sears employees get for denying a tool exchange, or the cost of the exchange must come of out their paycheck, or something. Why else would they work so hard to come up with the CRAZY excuses to not make a legitimate warranty exchange?”
You want to know the ironic thing? Not only do Sears employees not get credit for denying the return, they get credit for making it. All Sears home improvement employees (myself included) are on an hourly base pay +commission based pay check. Craftsman exchanges show up under our commission statement as if it were a sale meaning we make our standard commission on every Craftsman exchange as if it were the sale of a brand new tool.
I exchange everything (that falls under the lifetime warranty), always, without question or hassle and have the managers at my store backing that decision up. Last time we had a store walk through with South Eastern US regional manager Ted Wells he basically told us to ignore all the stipulations in the warranty coming down from corporate. They wouldn’t be lasting much longer.
To any who’ve had to endure rude, arrogant, or dumb associates trying to cheat you out of the time tested warranty of what is one of the oldest and most trusted names in American corporations, I am truly and personally sorry. I’ve striven for the last 3 years of my employment at Sears to bring back as much of what made this company great at one time as I can. Not only can I proudly say I have a sense of self satisfaction in doing my job and doing it well, but my customers notice it too and being as I am on commissioned sales, my pay check takes care of it’s self.
We as a company have lacked a lot since this merger with K-Mart. But I feel that now that Alwyn Lewis (former CEO, fired about 2 months ago) is out of the picture, that things will begin to change again. We’ve already had a couple internal corporate memos spinning down the pipeline repealing some of the decisions of that guy and I think with some effort on the part of the employees at all levels we can turn Sears and Craftsman into a legitimately proud, honest, and integrity filled name again.
Yup, that’s my sappy, patriotic rant for the year.
Kevin T. Pace
Customer Solutions Consultant
Lawn & Garden Department
Sears Store #1295, St. Petersburg, FL
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Oh, and as an aside regarding the lack of stamping on the lawn and garden tools. Last years lawn tools were distinctly colored yellow on the fiberglass handles and you are indeed right that they had no stamp or ink on it that said Craftsman save for the product label that was affixed to it.
The 2008 stock of lawn tools now have a red fiberglass handle and in addition to being sturdier in construction when felt in the hand, they have the name Craftsman stamped, etched, or inked into the actual metal part of the tool.
As I said, it will take some time to recover from this ridiculous merger with K-Mart, but we’re on our way slowly but surely.
~Kevin
July 5th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Hello,
Based on the many long time craftsman users here, I am hoping that someone here would know something about a warranty that may or may not be available for my ancient scroll saw. I am as interested in warranty as repair, but warranty repair would be better if legitimately covered.
I was talking with someone the other day about my old tools (yes I like my old tools and don’t want new ones) and they said that perhaps due to the age, I could get a repair, since some power based tools had warranties too. In addition to repair/warranty info, any info you have on it would be nice to know too.
Tool description:
- scroll saw
- belt driven (belt drives a piston to operate the blade assembly)
- it is blue
- it has crafstman cast into the top portion of the scroll saw
- so heavy you cant believe
I know a little off topic, but only a little since I do want to know about tool/options.
David
July 5th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
To a previous poster. Kobalt and Westward are not made by the same company. Kobalt sockets and ratchets are made by Danaher. Westward is a Canadian company and most of their hand tools are now China/Taiwan made.
Interesting contrast. On the very, very rare occassion that I break a Craftsman hand tool, I have no problem getting it replaced. If I ran Sears, I would have put a restriction on the warrenty regarding rust. I’ve seen a few of the rusted tools our Sears has taken back and it was clear that these tools were simply not cared for.
August 10th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Same problem as others noted - rust on poorly working garden hedge shears resulted in refusal to replace the tool. After discussion with the manager, they said that a broken blade would also result in a rejection. Only the “mechanism” on a tool would result in a replacement. For the shears, this would only mean the pivot bolt that could not be tightened to make the blades of the shears work, and only if this occurred during “normal use”. Broken handles or blades would not result in a replacement. This leaves me wondering if a broken tip on a screwdriver would also result in a reject, or a worn socket would result in a reject? I was very surprised as I’ve received replacements on a couple of tools throughout the years at the same store without a problem. However, the last one was before Kmart bought Sears. I suspect their warrantly policy has changed, not the warranty itself, but the interpretation. In particular, rust seemed to be the key point that caused the sales associate to consult with others before giving me the replacement. I’m very disapointed as the Craftsman tool costs approximately 3x the amount of a typical cheap lawn tool. For the last couple of tools that have been replaced, I’ve noticed that the replacements are cheaper quality and stamped made in China. Good luck to those who try to get Sears to honor the warranty. And it might be a good idea to polish the failed tool before taking it in so rust is not an issue.
August 16th, 2008 at 3:15 am
I’ve been a sears employee for 10 months now and I’m appalled @ the problems many of you have faced while attempting to obtain replacements for craftsman tools. Forgive me if I’m not as bold as Kevin, as I don’t give my full name or store #. Personally I can only recall one time where I have rejected a craftsman hand tool exchange (at least on a covered product) and in that case I took a damp paper towel, removed the mud, in places blood, and even a dead spider from around 10 sockets that were in perfect condition once cleaned. I did however exchange another 30 or so items for that customer. My only request to my customers is that they try not to put off their exchange trips until their stockpile is more than they can carry. Particularly if your tools are rusted, abused, etc. Any associate will be more likely to take back 1 or 2 rusty sockets than they would be to give away $200 of merchandise. Personally I exchange them anyway but in my short time I have achieved what sears calls professional status (basically my sales, misc income categories, and customer satisfaction scores have been above expectation for a prolonged period of time) that’s only relevant here because once you’ve reached that point you are less likely to be asked by a manager or loss prevention to explain yourself. As for what is/nt covered, moving parts that are made of anything other than forged steel aren’t. Anything that requires electricity, air power, or gas isn’t. Anything that is expendable isn’t. Blades, bits, tap and dies, aren’t. And torque wrenches aren’t. (personally I believe whole heartedly that torque wrenches should be but it isn’t my call)(maybe one day, lol) and of course the infamous blade of your tape measurer. As for the rebuild program, ratchets are the only thing sears repairs, and I can personally assure you that the rebuilds are of the same quality as what is on the shelf. Craftsman does offer tools with your name engraved, however they are not warranted and are not marketed as being warranted. I don’t see how craftsman would warrant your engraving if they don’t theirs, but I’ve never refused based on initials. So I’ll leave you with advice, if you have questions feel free to e-mail me (if this site offers that, I’m not sure as its my first time here). If you have troubles with an exchange ask for a manager, if they are not helpful ask if there’s any way to speak with a district manager or regional VP as they have no obligation to answer to loss prevention for something they do at the store level.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
I found a Canadian Sears website that has a definition of “hand tools”. I find it interesting that the non-digital Craftsman torque wrench is included in their definition of a hand tool, while previous Sears employees have stated here that torque wrenches are NOT included. Arent Canadian and US Sears the same? BTW….never ever purchase a non-digital torque wrench from Sears, they do not last and the accuracy changes minute to minute.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Here is the website for Sears definition of “hand tools”.
http://www.sears.ca/gp/browse.html?ie=UTF8&node=16395391&no=158
August 27th, 2008 at 7:51 am
No, Canada and the US have different laws and so they’re not the same. Just about any multi-national corporation will have variances between countries because of that.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Hi ; I have a 1986 table saw ,craftsman made, but right now I”m looking for a Tension plate . model # is 135.228390 , would you by chance have one
hide way back on the shelf ? If so write me and E-mail let me know how much and all, TY
Al
August 30th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I learned today that if you return a broken wrench that was part of a set of 13 pc. set, you must bring back all 13 pc. for the exchange. Mr. Trin Hang, manager Sears El Monte, CA store told sales person (on the phone) to refuse to warranty the one broken wrench. I had to drive back home 10 miles to gather up the other 12 wrenches (nothing wrong with these 12 wrenches) and drive back to Sears. When I got back to the store I asked to speak with Mr. Hang. I asked him why he would not warranty the single broken wrench. His reply was because it is part of a set. I showed him the display in his store for the Craftsman 393 pc. Mechanics Tool Set Sears item# 00936393000 Mfr. model# 36393 and asked him if I purchased this set and if a wrench or any other tool broke, would I need to bring back all 393 pcs. His reply was YES you must bring back all 393 pcs. to covered by the warranty. Then he smiled and said to have a nice day as he was walking away from me. Having to return all pcs. from a set must have been in the fine print that Sears forgot to print.
August 31st, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I’ve returned part of a tool set to our Sears and had no problems. As to Sears power tools, I bought my first Craftsman power tool back in 1981, 27 years ago, and there was no lifetime warrenty on them then. Back then, the warrenty was only 1 year.
Someone wrote that Snap On never gave hassles over warrenty replacement. I know several mechanics that will not buy Snap On solely because of problems getting broken tools replaced. There are many Snap On drivers that will do anything they can avoid honoring a warrenty.
Also, the Craftsman catalog has stated for years that the raised panel tools are not covered under warrenty when used in commercial facilities.
September 1st, 2008 at 1:52 am
Sheldon, I apologize greatly for your treatment in attempting to return that wrench. The next time you are in the store, please inform Mr. Hang that he is heavily incorrect, the entire set does not need to be returned to exchange a tool under the Craftsman Lifetime Warranty. That would be a ridiculous waste of time and tools to say the least. You only ever need to bring in the broken tool itself to exchange it.
(Obviously, if you have, say, a 6-in-1 screwdriver, all 6 pieces would need to be there for the exchange but that is an entirely different situation.)
Thank you for posting the store and manager’s name. I’ll have the manager at my Sears fire off a memo and complaint about him and the store and hopefully get that straightened out as soon as possible.
Cheers!
Kevin T. Pace
Customer Solutions Consultant
Lawn & Garden Department
Sears Store #1295, St. Petersburg, FL
October 19th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
First off let me tell you that the older craftsman tools really are built much better than the new stuff. I have a 3/8 drive ratchet made some time in the 20’s-30’s that sat in a barn for 60+ years and after a quick wipe down with steel wool and a few drops of oil it works like it is brand new!
I have replaced TONS of craftsman tools over the years. (i know how to fix cars and my friends dont so they come see me for basic repairs).
The majority of the time i simply walk in and leave a few minutes later with a new tool. This is especially true at the Windham CT craftsman tool store (a store that sells only tools and not other sears merchandise) Sometimes the regular sears stores try to deny me a replacement because they claim that a broken screwdriver ” must have been used as a prybar, you cant break it turning screws” or that “you have to leave your ratchet with us so we can rebuild it and you can come pick it up in a few weeks” Talking to a manager almost always gets me my replacement. The only time i left without a new tool was at the Sears in the Meriden CT mall. I brought in a approximately 10 year old 3/8 drive ratchet. It was stripped out and would not work at all. The manager told me that they were all out of rebuilt ones and that i ABSOLOUTELY could not have a new one off the shelf. I asked for the number for corporate and was told that i was causing a scene and that i needed to leave or he would have security remove me from sears property. I told him to go take a long walk off a short pier and went to the Windham CT craftsman tool store. There they replaced my ratchet with a brand new off the shelf one and their manager even gave me 2 free ratchet rebuild kits as he profusely apologised for the way i was treated in the Meriden store. He even took down all my info and told me he would contact someone higher up and let them know about the manager who refused my return. This is where i now buy my craftsman tools because i know i will be treated with respect and that they do not hesitate to honor the warranty even going so far as to give me the next better, more expensive tool because they were sold out of the exact one i wanted to exchange.
The best part was a few weeks later when a letter arrived from sears corporate office again apologizing for the treatment i recieved in the Meriden store and saying that the manager was reprimanded and reminded of the craftsman warranty. it also included a coupon good for 25% off any craftsman tool purchase!
And yes i have found old beat up craftsman tools at yard sales or on the side of the road. If it still works i clean the rust off and use it. I dont care if the tool has rust on it as long as it does not affect its function or comfort. I have brought in a few ratchets that were stripped and several socket extensions that had the locking ball seized by rust. every time at the windham store they were exchanged without question.
November 26th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Will Sears replace a Craftsman level? I have one in which was dropped on concrete and the plastic pieces that cover one of the torpedo level areas cracked. Does this have a liftime warranty too?
December 11th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
@Willie
All standard Craftsman bubble levels have the same lifetime tool warranty. That includes any breaks in the tool, the bubbles, or the bubbles clouding up. (Common problem after 10-20 years.)
The new *digital* levels have a one year warranty however since it is an electrical tool. However, I assume you’re referring to a standard one so just take it into your local Sears and have it exchanged.
Cheers!
Kevin T. Pace
Customer Solutions Consultant
Lawn & Garden Department
Sears Store #1295, St. Petersburg, FL
February 15th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I have Craftsman 5 1/2 in bench vise (made in U.S.A.!) that has finally seen too much use. The top of the piece with one of the jaws and the anvil has completely sheared off (meaning a substantial piece of forged steel has broken in two). I noticed on the Sears’ website that the current bench vises only have a one year warranty but this one was made back when they were built in the U.S. I read somewhere that the U.S. made Craftsman hand tools all had the unconditional warranty. Can I get this replaced?
February 16th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
So took the broken bench vise in to see if I could get it replaced. After immediately being told the the bench vise only has a one year warranty and referred to the manager I reiterated that the vise was bought 10 years ago when it was still sold with the unconditional warranty. She took the model number after not finding it on the website she called it in. Five minutes later and lo-and-behold I could return the vise. Sears doesn’t make a 5 1/2″ anymore so I got a 6″ with the one year warranty. So in the end bigger vise, lower quality and useless warranty. Better than nothing. Oh, and of course the mounting holes don’t match.
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:02 am
I have heard over the years that the Craftsman warranty does not apply if you are a professional using the tools in a commercial environment. That the warranty is for amateur or homeowners only.
Is there any truth to this?
March 4th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
i bought my boyfriend a craftsman jack and now it wont jack up do you think they will replace or repair it for me???
March 18th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I have been purchasing craftsman tools for over 20 yrs. Yikes!!! That’s a long time. I have replaced 2 of my original 25 ft tape several times and now I have the newer red ones. I have returned a pair of extruders I use to use on a daily basis that go back 20 years and still use them occasionally to this day. I have returned and upgraded my screwdriver sets twice. First from the standard to industrial in which I paid the difference in cost and then from the black handled industrial to the red/black handle industrial. And that was to keep the set the same. Not all of the drivers were worn or broke. I have repalced ratchets and sockets all with my initials engraved on them. I replaced my channel lock pliers from the black handle and got the newer red handle. The same with my dykes (side cutters) and standard pliers. I have 3 tool boxes full of craftsman tools with a few exceptions of Klein and Channel Lock brands. I even have my original nut drivers that use to come with the snap pouch. However the one of the snaps broke so I modified the case with some industrial grade velcro… And guess what??? About a year later Craftsman started making the pouch with velcro!!! Anyway I absolutely love my Craftsman tools and my Craftsman mower starts firsts pull everytime and it’s over 4 years old… I had great luck with the weedeater too. But not such luck with their blowers. Have gone thru 2 gas blowers within 3 years although one of them I screwed up by grabbing the wrong oil but it still was a ridiculous amount of $$$ to have fixed… I bought a new Stihl blower and that my friend is a quality piece of equipment. But as long as craftsman has their warranty on the hands tools I will not hesitate to buy them. I used them for 10 years straight on a daily basis which afforded me the opportuniy to excell in my career. Now I have been at a computer for 10 years and my tools stay at home… But when I need one I have it and if it breaks I know with confidence I can return it. These tools will become an heirloom to my son… By the way he has been using my tools also for quite a while. Skateboards, bikes, and I made him put his basketball goal together this last Christmas. He’s 15 and he has learned how to put them back where they belong because he knows I will know if even one is out of place. Rock on Craftsman!!!
March 20th, 2009 at 6:46 am
Update!!! For all the nay sayers I just took in a black handled industrial phillips screw driver and an older 1/4″ drive ratchet with my initials engraved on it and replaced them with the red and black handled professional screw driver and a brand new ratchet with no hassle what so ever.. They couldn’t rebuild the ratchet because it was an older one without the accessible clip they have now. And my initials where plain as day… They didn’t even thoroughly inspect either piece. Exchanged them without question.
One thing I always do when I am exchanging tools is to go grab all the new tools first and then take them to the counter. No need to wait in line first when they are either gonna tell you to go get the ones you want to replace or they will call an associate to go with you. Just get them first….
Next I’ll see if it’s true that they won’t replace a tape with a broken blade. I have done it many times before but I see some people in here say they won’t anymore. But that doesn’t seem feasible because it is always the blade that will break first and the blade is the main component of the tool. Now if they want to replace the blade only that is fine but I can’t believe they would have me buy it… We’ll see..
You can’t go wrong with Crafstman hand tools, MADE IN THE U.S.A (mostly)
with (in my case now for 20 years) a Hassle Free Lifetime Warranty.
Enjoy the Weekend!!!! Spring is finally here!!!!
March 20th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
The Lifetime warrenty does not apply to raised panel wrenches or ratchets if used for commerical work. The Sears catalog has this in writing.
March 26th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
I recently went back to Sears in Milford, CT with a broken tape measure, which I always had no problem with before, and they told me they were NO LONGER exchanging them and that I had to buy a new one.
The salesperson was trying to wait to tell me this till all the customers cleared out of line, but I talked with one fellow in line and he and a few other customers were upset by hearing this and questioned the clerk. Indeed, they were also told Craftsman guarantees would no longer be honored.
I threw away the tape measure. Maybe I made a mistake and should have gone over to the Sears in Hamden, CT to see if they would honor it. I am left with extremely bad vibes for Craftsman products now and won’t be buying them again and we buy a lot of tools for restoration projects that we do. I am also telling every contractor and auto buff that I know.
I was told flat out NO by the sales person, who claimed to be a manager, and I have a witness. I have been buying Craftsman tools at Sears for 25 years. I won’t be buying any more.
Kate
July 21st, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I have mixed reaction to Sears and Craftsman products. My folks nearly always bought Sears and Craftsman (1950-60-70’s)products & tools-not so much only for the warranty but the sales force at the time KNEW the products they sold and gave good advice on tools, paint, hardware and answered questions on how to do a project or what was needed– I got to know those people as well and bought from them. But after about the mid 70’s those folks were ‘replaced’ and the newbies were -one day they sold paint and the next they were in shoe dept. Well ’nuff of the ramblings
I purchased a Craftsman 1/4 sheet sander in SEP 2008 from the local Kmart store (save a 1 hour trip to the next big city with a Sears store) to work on my bedroom -bath remodel. Well it died 4 weeks ago. Took it back to Kmart with receipt and ask for the replacement per warranty (1 yr ) was told no- past the 90 day return policy of Kmart and I had to call the 800# or go to a Sears store to get it repaired. Well that just ‘tickled’ me the wrong way- showed them -warranty says full replacement not wait for repair. No avail.Drove to Sears (1hr round trip) and ask them to replace -”Ah Nope thats Kmart we can’t help you…” so back home and called the 800 number and got transfered 4 times and finally got a person in tool ‘warranty’ and he said I should not have been shuffled around and Kmart should have honored the replacement warranty per owners manual warranty etc. So he connected me to the local Sears store customer assistance dept and waited on hold and then someone answered and ask and told them the story etc and they would transfer me to the Store mgr- wait on hold and then “large appliance dept’ answers and told them who I was waiting for and got the run around- I hung up. So two weeks later (got blood pressure down) I go back to Sears store to the “Service center” which is the backdock of store a guy comes out after having to do the barcode scan of the receipt -then another guy comes out look at sander and receipt/warranty portion and both disappear and 10 minutes later a store mgr appears and tells me of the grief of doing non sears returns etc. I interuppt her and told her the condensed story and I think by the gleem in my eye and furrowed brow that I was not going for another round about with Kmart. I told her “If I had to ” ’she would need to call Kmart and tell them to exchange it”, She said she wasn’t suppose to but in this case- She called the tool dept and got me another sander exchanged. The end I hope. So lesson learned don’t buy Craftsman products at Kmart.
July 28th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
[...] Toolmonger » Blog Archive » A Quick Comment on the Craftsman … [...]
September 7th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
are gas blowers and weed wachers included in the craftsman warranty? thanks, er
September 10th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Waiting for reply on Electric weed wackers. Does anyone know?
September 10th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Nothing electric or gas powered is covered by a lifetime warranty.
September 10th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
I understand people’s grief here. I too have had my share of problems exchanging Craftsman hand tools in the recent years at Sears. I never had the problem before the merger with Kmart. And yes some stores are better then others to deal with.
I went in one day to exchange a couple of tools and purchase a few hundred dollars worth of tools. One tool was a ratchet that was in perfect cosmetic condition, whoever it no longer worked. They actually gave me a hassle replacing it. When they did they gave me some used beat up rachet that was in horrible condition. It was deaply engraved multiple times all around it, and the handle was chewed up and peaices of metal portuding that would be harmful to even use. It looked as if someone used visegrips on it and tore it pretty good. I was in shock when they handed this to me. In fact I was in a loss of words. I thought it was some kind of joke. But she was as serious as a heart attack. I finally composed myself and said what is this? She told me its my replacement. When I questioned her she told me they don’t give new replacements anymore. I was in totally dismay. I turned the head and it was worse then the one I was returning. She didn’t even want to replace that one. A other associate came up and sided with her. I asked for the Manager. And after arguing with them, I finally got a new one. But they acted like they were bending over backwards and I was doing something wrong. They told me that they can’t not longer do that again in the future. I was in total shock. Needless to say I left the items I was going to purchase on the counter. They lost a decient size sale because of this and many future sales. I only purchase one thing from them after that, only because it was the only place I could get the special remote I wanted to get my Dad for Xmas and it was on sale for about half the cost. I hardly ever go in Sears anymore. Sears use to be one of my favorite stores to purchase from.
I went in a other time to exchange a wooden folding carpenters ruler. Again it was a hassle. And apparently they no longer make them. So they gave me a other brand. While the brand maybe a decent brand, it was not a lifetime warranty. But that’s what my dad wanted me to do. If it was me, I would have fought this battle too.
I now have a craftsman torque wrench I’ve gotten many years ago from my parents for a xmas gift. It was well token cared of and is in great condition,. I hardly ever even used it. It had a lifetime warranty when purchased. But they later changed the warranties to a 1 year warranty with absolutely no change in design. I read many posts online about this situation and Craftsman seems to give people problems replacing them. Now the new ones only have a 90 day warranty as stated on the package and it is the same model number. The item number is stamped on it as well.
My parents paid good money for this for me when they did not have a lot of money. I wanted a Craftsman because of the quality and warranty. If I known years later I would have a problem replacing it, I would have went with a different manufactures.
My dilemma is how do I get this torque wrench replaced. And even if they do replace it, it will be with this newer version, and I can guarantee that they will not replace that one when it fails because they will say this version did not have the lifetime warranty and I will no longer have any kind of proof of a lifetime version.
How would one approach this situation with them? I refuse to let Craftsman burn me on this. Part of the cost of that wrench is in the warranty. So I only want to b righted by this. I am tired of being fruaded.
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I have successfully replaced at least two 100% rubber garden hoses. No questions asked in Salem NH store. I think they were leaking from the connector ends (forgot real name).
I now have an axe (maul) with a hickory handle that is clearly marked with the unlimited warranty sticker. The handle has started to split where I have struck a few logs while splitting wood. Will Sears replace that handtool?
September 26th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Man, I don’t know what problems you guys are having to go through. I’ve been with Sears for over a year now and very rarely do we have problems with swap outs. We were given a little foldup card from corporate to carry in our nametags that CLEARLY marks out our warranty, due to the issues you all have been having. Just to outline a few key points:
A. THE LEGENDARY CRAFTSMAN HAND TOOL FULL LIFETIME WARRANTY
Our Craftsman Hand Tool Lifetime Warranty is one of the most important competitive advantages we have in the market. Most Craftsman Hand Tools are Guaranteed Forever! That means they are guaranteed to give complete satisfaction and will be repaired or replaced free of charge if it ever fails. This is an unconditional warranty and applies to Craftsman tools regardless of purchase location, professional use, rust or other conditions. There is no limit to the number of items a store can replace in a day or for a particular customer.
PRODUCTS COVERED BY THE CRAFTSMAN HAND TOOL FULL LIFETIME WARRANTY:
Automotive specialty hand tools, bolt out & screw out, clamps & clamping tools, garden hose, hammers & prybars, handsaws, hex keys, lawn & garden hand tools, levels & squares, pick-up tools, pliers, mini pliers, locking pliers, snap ring pliers, putty knives, ratches, screwdrivers, ratcheting screwdrivers, snips, sockets, universal joints & extension bars, wood chisels & files, wrenches & ratcheting wrenches.
Products covered, but blades are not:
Accu-Cut, hacksaws, HandiCut, utility knives, and tape measures
SPECIAL HANDLING OF CRAFTSMAN LIFETIME WARRANTY FOR RATCHETS:
When a customer brings in a defective Craftsman ratchet:
1. No matter what condition it is in, accept it under the Hand Tool Full Warranty.
2. Go to the area where the refurbished ratchets are stored and offer the customer a refurbished ratchet as a replacement. Refurbished ratchets are as good as new and have the same value and warranty as new ratchets (refurbishing only applies to the handle; the internal gear components are new)
3. Your customer may insist on a new ratchet, in which case you should give them one. Always agree with the customer!
4. Never sell or represent a refurbished ratchet as new! All refurbished ratchets should be properly labeled by the PMT before they are put on the salesfloor. Make sure your customer understands that they are getting a refurbished ratchet.
I’m getting lazy copying everything at this point, haha. But just to summarize one last section about items from a set. If you are trying to swap out an item from a set, we will swap out just that item IF it is one we sell separate. If it is one that is ONLY sold in a set, then unfortunately we will need the whole set as a swap out as we are not allowed to open a set for one item (this would mess up our inventory counts, along with cause other issues).
Also, if you purchased an item during a time frame when the warranty was different, we must still honor that warranty, but only for that swap out. Once it is swapped out for a new one, then the new warranty goes into affect. An example is a customer I had who brought in a very old torque wrench. We looked up the old warranty in the system (yes, employees can look up past warranties and most managers should know how) and when he purchased it, it was covered under a lifetime warranty. We swapped it out for a new one, but explained that it no longer had a lifetime warranty, as torque wrenches are now classified as “precision hand tools”.
I just want to apologize for all the troubles you all have had and I hope that you would give Sears another chance. Take it from an employee, not all stores are the same and not all managers/employees are the same either.
September 27th, 2009 at 5:30 am
The warrantee doesn’t change that is correct, however. I brought a 100 foot fibreglass tape reel back to Sears (it was a Craftsman brand tool with a lifetime warrantee) the handle had broken. Although it had a “Lifetime Warrantee” they no longer carry it, but have switched to an Empire brand . I was told they would give me a new one this time, but that was it. How do you sell a tool with a lifetime warrantee, and then not honor that warrantee for a lifetime? Seems Shady to me. I’ve also been told the same thing about tools that design has changed.
September 27th, 2009 at 9:36 am
How can you honestly expect a company to sell and manufacture the same exact product for decades?
When you were swapping it out, you should have been given two options:
A: Swap it out for the Empire brand.
B: Recieve a refund in the form of a gift card for the price.
October 11th, 2009 at 7:12 am
I have a question. My grandfather gave me a belt sander, it is a Sears Craftsman. I have visited various Sears Tool Departments and they no longer seem to carry the size of belt that it requires. Is there some way that I could replace it with one that I can buy belts for. Your response would be very much appreciated. Thank you Carol
October 11th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Carol, You should be able to find something if you search the Internet. This was just the first link on a google search: http://www.abrasivesales.com/
Jeff Stevens, the issue seems to be the definition of “Lifetime”. Everyone seems to think the warranty is for YOUR lifetime. If they are warrantying it for the lifetime of the tool, then when the tool breaks, and they replace it, then they’ve met their obligation. And not necessarily with something that has the same lifetime warranty.
OTOH, since everyone does seem to think the warranty means their lifetimes, Sears has a PR problem with unmet expectations then.
October 20th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
I’m confused. Please advise.
My rather old Craftsman tape measure just broke (the tape is intact; it just came right out of the body of the Craftsman tape measure). I unscrewed it to see if I could put it back but the “tab” on the spring is inside a white-plastic cylinder such that I can’t connect the intact blade to the spring (which retracted a little inside its winding which is why I can’t re-connect the blade).
The Craftsman tape measure is now useless (I hand wound the blade back into the housing but if I pull it out, it won’t retract since the blade is no longer connected to the inner spring).
The tape measure is Craftsman Model (9)39429 (the first 9 is really small - what is that little 9 for anyway?)
This Craftsman 39429 tape measure has a 30 foot long blade; the color of the blade is yellow with black letters. The color of the Craftsman tapemeasure 39429 body is chrome, with a black & red circular Craftsman label (which says the part number stuff above).
Googling to see if this probably twenty years old Craftsman tape measure is covered under the Sears Craftsman hand tools warranty, I found this web page, which often discusses “color” but I’m not sure if the red/yellow/black colors refer to the tape itself or to the body of the tape measure. I’ve got all three colors so saying the yellow is covered but the red isn’t doesn’t make any sense unless we explicitly refer to the yellow or red of the tape itself or the red & black of the label on the tape measure chrome body.
In summary, is the 39429 Sears Craftsman tape measure covered or not by the lifetime warranty when the tape slips out of the spring?
October 20th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Drat. I made the same post twice.
Allow me to summarize:
QUESTION: Is this tape measure covered under the warranty?
Problem: Tape slipped off the spring and can’t be re-connected.
Model: Sears Craftsman 39429, thirty foot tape measure.
Colors:
- The steel body is chrome
- The steel blade is yellow with black markings
- The plastic button is black
- The round sticker is black and red
QUESTION: Is this tape measure covered under the warranty (when the blade falls off the spring)?
October 21st, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I have a vintage 1967 3/8″ ratchet that is broken. The quick release mechanism broke. Does anyone know if there are rebuild kits for these old ratchets. If so where can I get one. Thanks