- 10 Comments
- HOTNESS UNHOT
Sears has the Craftsman 4 Gallon Oil-Lube Slant Stack Compressor and Hose Kit (16478) on sale for $120 - $5 off with coupon code SEARS5OFF50 = $115 with free in-store pickup. Shipping option is $38. Features max 125 PSI, blow gun and adapter, 25' PVC hose, sealing tape and more.
$115
Has a rugged design with a handle fitted for a dolly (dolly sold separately, Sears item #009-16479)
Sears is all "Made in China" crap now; no reason to pay extra. Same item with different stickers from Harbor freight is much less expensive.
Sears also likes to "change" the design just a little so you can only get replacement parts from Sears..bacon an outrageous price!
Needed a muffler for an old Sears mower...they wanted $40!...off the shelf items from anywhere else would not thread...I made a thread adapter that allowed me to use a $5 muffler from Home Depot...will never buy anything "Sears".
^ My experience with Sears gear is the opposite, usually not only does sears supply parts for things other brands would make you contact the manufacturer (reseller brand office) to acquire, usually you can also get the parts from (for example Briggs & Stratton in the case of a mower engine) the manufacturer too because they are standard.
However, your argument that it's bad because it's made in China has merit that it takes away from US jobs, but then we can ignore this if it's made in China from Harbor Freight? Also not all things made in China are magically, exactly the same low quality. China can build to any quality level they're under contract to provide.
Where is the same item with different stickers at Harbor Freight? I see junky little 1/3 HP oilless compressors there for $55 on sale, then a larger/less portable 2HP/8 gallon on sale for $120 without the hose kit. If you want a larger compressor that may be the right deal for you but this one at Sears is specifically designed for portable use, or add the dolly if you feel 70 lbs is non-portable though ironically that's heavier than larger one at HF which is 66 lbs shipped (including packing crate or box). If they are equal quality then why would a smaller compressor from Sears weigh more??
Also the HF compressor has only 90 days warranty vs 1 year for this one.
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-hp-8-gallon-125-psi-portable-air-compressor-67501.html
I like HF for crude manual tools but they're cheap for a (bad) reason on most of their power tools. Certainly if something is exactly the same and costs less you are getting a better deal, but just assuming that anything made in China is exactly the same quality doesn't really pan out today. For example your computer and phone are both likely to be made in China, are they exactly the same quality as every other computer and phone?
I quit going to sears when the store manager chewed me out in front of everyone because I insisted I shouldn't have to pay $50 extra for the lint screen that was missing when I bought a brand new $2000 washer/dryer set. Thank goodness for small towns. I told everyone I knew and some of the witnesses spread around how I was treated and they closed their doors within the year.
^ You should have complained higher up the ladder, trying to get rid of the one bad manager and keep the Sears store. However I agree that it stinks that washer manufacturers decided not to include (some can't even have one mounted, they don't even shoot the water out straight at the top anymore) a lint filter.
I agree with #5.
Getting the store closed is not a good solution. Getting the store manager a poor performance review would have achieved the goal.
I think some of you are missing more important points, this puts out a "deceit " amount of SFM at low PSi but the parts are outrageous if it breaks and it will. Plus will never match the volume of air of a real pump compressor which is whats important for tools you will want to use. It does not matter if it is from Sears or not these oil-less things go out much sooner than a little tradition pump compressor. If you are worried about your money going to China than just buy a used compressor off Craig's list or local news paper, pawn shop etc.
^ This one isn't oil-less. It is true it won't match the output, it is designed for portability not a main shop compressor.
Dave,
From personal experience, the "Sears" sticker no longer stands for quality.
Back in the day, Sears tools were tops; now they are no better than any other but they cost way more than comparable quality other brands.
I finally wore out an 80's era Sears ratchet in 2009. Took it to Sears and they gave me a new "re-manufactured in China" replacement for free.
The very first time I used the replacement, it broke...and bloodied my knuckles...GARBAGE!
Screwdrivers have brittle metal, sockets will split...this never happened with Sears tools 25 years ago. I remember working in a body shop and using non-impact sockets with an air wrench...beat the daylights out of those sockets...never broke...bolt would break first if anything.
I have a 1981 sears tool chest...thing is all steal...rock solid and will last multiple lifetimes.
The same tool box today is made from pop can sheet metal...no bearing slides...cheap wheels...JUNK!
Sears is dead last on my "buying tools here" list.
The best bang-for-buck is actually Menards Tool-shop tools...very inexpensive, incredibly tough and if you break it, Menards gives you free replacement without hassle.
^ That the sticker no longer implies high quality, does not also mean they are equivalent to the lowest quality you can find anywhere. There are several different quality levels for tools not just "crap", "homeowner", and "pro".
The flimsy non-ball bearing tool chest you're referring to is their lowest end line, you can get sturdy ones w/ball bearings from Sears too, but of course they are significantly more expensive... that's your choice to make.
I've not split any Craftsman sockets including times when I had to put a 4' long piece of pipe on the ratchet to get enough torque (several hundreds of ft-lbs if not more). Their old ratchets did seem to have more durable gears and pawls but also a bit more play in them, working in tight spaces is more difficult.
Thanks for the tip about Menards, but unfortunately the closest one to me is over 30 miles away which is too far to go if I were in the middle of a project and a tool broke, though by now I have redundant tools but still it equates to over $8 in gas and time since I never have cause to travel that direction.