Two of the most popular manufacturers of handtools on the market, Husky and Kobalt, have emerged quickly. Each company offers a similar range of tools and has many fans who rely on their tools every day.
But, with such similar products, its difficult to evaluate which one is better for your needs. Today, well cover a bit of info on these two popular brands and pit them against each other head-to-head in our Husky vs Kobalt showdown.
Histories Of Company
Husky and Kobalt are private label brands manufactured for Home Depot (Husky) and Lowes (Kobalt), respectively. In response to the hugely popular Craftsman line, both companies created private label tool brands. Sears produced Craftsman until recently.
Husky Company History
The Husky brand was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1924, initially as a manufacturer of wrenches. The brand was sold several times and is now owned by Stanley Black & Decker. Since 1992, they have been selling Husky tools exclusively at Home Depot.
Husky makes a complete line of hand tools today, including sockets, screwdrivers and ratchets. As well as some pneumatic tools and tool storage solutions.
Kobalt Company History
The Kobalt brand was created much more recently. Lowes incorporated the company in 1998. They began making hand tools that could only be sold in Lowes stores. In 2011, the line grew significantly. In addition to the popular hand tools, they now make a complete line of battery-powered lithium-ion tools.
Today, Kobalt manufactures a full line of popular hand and mechanics tools. You can also find pneumatic tools, powertools, and outdoor tools.
Parent Companies For Husky And Kobalt
The Home Depot
The Home Depot is the parent company of Husky. They have a variety of brands.
- Chem-Dry
- Behr
- Homelite
- Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
- Ryobi
- Ridgid
- American Woodmark
- Thomasville Furniture Industries
- Husky
- Workforce
- HDX
- Hampton Bay
- Galcier Bay
- Commrcial Electric
- Home Decorators Collection
Lowes Companies, Inc.
Kobalt’s parent company is Lowes Companies, Inc. They also own several brands:
- Kobalt
- allen+roth
- Source for Projects
- Utilitech
- Reliabilt
- Harbor Breeze
Product Line Depths
Both Husky as well as Kobalt offer a variety of products. Below, youll find what each brands product line consists of.
Husky Product Lines
Husky sells power tools, outdoor power equipment, lighting, generators, storage, hand tools, batteries, and accessories.
These are the products that you can buy from Husky.
- Storage
- Air Compressors
- Paint Sprayers
- Nail Guns
- Pneumatic Staplers
- Sets of mechanics tools
- Socket Sets
- Ratchet Sets
- Wrenches
- Sockets
- Hammers
- Screwdrivers
- Nut Drivers
- Claps
- Tool Belts
- Gloves for Work
- Knee Pads
- Work lights
- Extension Cords
- More
Kobalt Product Line
Kobalt offers power tools, outdoor power equipment and air tools. They also sell storage, batteries, hand tools, and accessories.
Here are some of the specific types of products you can purchase from Kobalt:
- Combo Kits
- Brushless Drills
- Table Saws
- Tile Saws
- Miter Saws
- Jigsaws
- Circular Saws
- Reciprocating Saws
- Band saws
- Impact Wrenches
- Rotary Tools
- Multi-Tools
- Lawn mowers
- Leaf Blowers
- Chainsaws
- String trimmers
- Batteries
- & More
Reputation Of The Brand And Cost Of Tools
Here well go over the reputations and cost of the tools of each brand.
Reputation Of Husky And Affordability
Husky tools are mostly seen as products that are average or mid-tier; theres nothing bad about them, but theres also nothing special about them. There is a significant difference in the power, hand, and mechanic tools made by this brand.
The Husky power tools work well for home projects like small repairs and building jobs. Husky tools can be dangerous and not durable enough to be used for heavy-duty jobs and on fast-paced job sites.
Husky is the more expensive option of the two brands, but not by much. While they do have a range of prices, one of the main things that makes them so appealing is that they offer more in their sets and tools.
Reputation And Affordability Of Kobalt Tools
When it comes to Kobalt tools, people often rate them between average and above average when it comes to quality. This may be surprising to some because Kobalt is not a massive brand. Although most people consider Kobalt tools to be quite good, they are likely to agree that they are not exceptional.
Because of this, Kobalt tools are generally marketed toward homeowners, basic repairmen, and DIYers. You won’t see large contractors using Kobalt tools because they arent strong enough to handle heavy-duty jobs.
Kobalt is the cheaper option of both brands. While they do have a range of prices, one of the main things that makes them so appealing is that they offer quality tools for less. Kobalt offers both professional tools and affordable hand tools for homeowners, but they are slightly more expensive than the other brands.
Warranty Comparisons
Kobalt Warranty
All of the tools made by Kobalt are covered by a lifetime warranty. If anything goes wrong, you can return the item or items easily. However, its important to note that while you can bring it back to Lowes, you will still have to abide by their return policy. A receipt or ID is usually required. If you dont have a receipt and Kobalt no longer makes the item youre returning, youll be stuck with the lowest dollar amount the product sold for.
Most of Kobalts lithium-ion power tools come with a five-year warranty. Some items, like hedge trimmers, have a limited warranty of three to five years. Their storage units also have a lifetime warranty available.
Husky Warranty
Husky offers a lifetime warranty on all its hand tools and mechanics. Most of the power and Jobsite tools feature either a two or three-year limited warranty. We would rate Husky slightly higher than Kobalt when it comes to warranties for the hand and mechanics.
The Husky Vs. The Kobalt: Which Tool Is Best For You?
Both Husky as well as Kobalt offer a wide range of tools. Theyre both aimed at the same type of consumer.
Both brands offer an economical alternative to more expensive national brands without skimping on quality. Both Husky and Kobalt offer the same quality products as Craftsman, which became the preferred brand for professionals and DIY homeowners due to their bulletproof guarantee and high quality.
Husky Vs Kobalt: Who Should Avoid These Tools?
Both brands offer impressive performance at a budget-friendly price. However, experienced professionals who are looking for the absolute best tools on the market will probably find that Husky and Kobalt dont quite meet their high demands for performance and durability.
Benefits Of Husky And Kobalt Tools
These two brands offer many benefits, making them an excellent choice for anyone looking to purchase a new tool set or expand their existing collection.
Value
Both brands offer exceptional value, and their tools are usually priced cheaper than comparable tools made by national brands. Youll notice that both brands offer tool sets at identical price points. Husky, however, tends to offer a few more features than the Kobalt sets.
Durability
Both brands offer great warranties. It is rare that you will need the warranty. Both brands are known for building tools that last.
Husky Vs Kobalt: Head To Head With Their Most Popular Kits
Although both Husky and Kobalt offer a wide range of products, they are best known for their tool sets.
Kobalt 227-Piece Mechanics Tool Kit
This impressive kit from Kobalt includes virtually every hand tool youll ever need, except for niche specialty tools.
Included in the kit is a total of 117 different six- and twelve-point sockets, three ratchets, four extensions, thirty combination wrenches, and an assortment of popular Allan keys, insert bits, and nut drivers.
They also include a blow-molded toolbox with metal latches to store your new collection. This toolbox is well-sized and includes an additional storage drawer so you can expand your collection without needing to purchase a new one.
These tools are covered by a lifetime warranty, as with all Kobalt handtools. If something ever goes wrong with one of your Kobalt tools, bring it back to any Lowes store and get an exchange; no receipt is required.
What We Like
- Impressive selection of popular hand tools
- Lifetime warranty
- Includes a toolbox
- 90-tooth ratchets
What Could Be Better
- Husky doesn’t have as many options as Husky
Husky 268-Piece Mechanical Tool Set
This robust kit from Husky provides you with every popular mechanics tool youll need and then some.
This kit includes an impressive array of 129 standard sockets and 39 deep sockets in six, eight- and twelve-point configurations. Also, youll find three ratchets, four extension bars, 30 combination wrenches, 40 Allan keys in short and long arm varieties, and a selection of insert bits and nut drivers. This kit contains 41 pieces in total, which is more than the Kobalt comparable kit.
The kit includes a tool case made from blow-molded plastic that can hold all 268 pieces. Although it is not as well-designed as the Kobalt toolbox, it’s still useful.
If you’re a tool hound, like me, it is likely that you are removing all tools from their original boxes and adding them to your rolling tool boxes.
Like Kobalt, every product in the kit is backed by Huskys lifetime warranty. You simply need to bring the damaged tool to any Home Depot to receive a replacement.
What We Like
- More tools than Kobalt for the same price
- Lifetime guarantee
- The tool case has stamped markings that indicate which part goes where.
What could be better?
- Ratchets are slightly lower quality than Kobalt
Final Word
One thing youll notice as you evaluate Husky and Kobalt is that both brands are strikingly similar. While Kobalt appears to have the slightest edge in overall quality, Husky makes up for it by including a few extras in each of their kits.
It is difficult to pick our favorite brand because they are all so similar. But there can only be one winner in the battle of Husky vs Kobalt. For my money, I prefer the sets from Husky. They include a few extra tools in each kit that the Kobalt kits dont have.
Husky Vs Kobalt – Frequently Asked Questions
Is Husky and Kobalt one company?
Husky and Kobalt do not belong to the same company. Kobalt is owned by Lowes Companies, Inc, which is the parent company. They also own several brands. The Home Depot owns Husky. They own a variety of different brands.
Is Kobalt good quality?
Kobalt is often regarded as one of today’s best tool brands. You can choose between brushed and brushless options. The quality is excellent for DIYers as well as home users.
Are Husky tools worth the investment?
Husky tools have been found to perform poorly in comparison with other top brands. Husky tools are a great value.
Are Husky tools just as good as Kobalt?
For the most part, Husky has several tools that are right on par with Kobalt tools, but Kobalt does offer a wider variety of products when compared to the Husky product line.
Is Kobalt more efficient than Husky when it comes to cordless hand tools?
Kobalt tools have a high quality design and are well-made. Husky tools are about the same. The answer to this question is going to depend on your needs. Kobalt offers a wider variety of tools, so they will be the better choice for you if they have what youre looking for.
Are Husky batteries compatible with Kobalt?
Although Husky is in the same market as Kobalt, each has its own accessories (including batteries) to match their tools. This is how companies ensure customer loyalty.
