If You Use DeWalt Or Craftsman Tools, Be Prepared To Pay Even More Soon

When building out an assortment of tools, the first thing folks tend to do is compare brands. Looking over the numerous labels currently on the market, a few names stand out as being some of the most well-known, reliable, and expansive in their catalogues. Among these names are DeWalt — though there are some DeWalt products you should avoid — and Craftsman, who've proven themselves in the tool marketplace for decades. Unfortunately, for those new to the scene hoping to see what all the buzz is about, getting ahold of items from these two tested brands is about to become more difficult.

In an era where costs for just about everything are going up, it's no surprise that this trend has hit the biggest names in tools. Stanley Black and Decker, the parent company behind both DeWalt and Craftsman, has revealed that price hikes are on the way. This is due to a projected $800 million tariff impact, with CFO Patrick Hallinan explaining that the 30% incremental tariffs on Chinese goods, 30% on non-USMCA-compliant goods from Mexico, around 20% in aggregate on goods from other areas, and 50% Section 232 metal tariffs were taken into consideration. Higher tariffs mean higher prices for consumers as Stanley Black and Decker and other companies try to keep profits and growth up.

This isn't the first time Craftsman and DeWalt tools have gone up in price as of late. Mere months ago, Stanley Black and Decker implemented increases for similar reasons.

In response to President Donald Trump's widely-publicized tariff plans, Stanley Black and Decker, among a host of other companies, have adjusted accordingly. What this means for customers is that throughout the year, DeWalt and Craftsman buyers have been paying more and more for their tools. Back in April, just months into the administration's tariff rollout, the tool company underwent high single-digit price increases in hopes of offsetting tariff losses. Stanley Black and Decker representatives have explained their goal is to reach a compromise between meeting the government's economic goals and delivering cost-effective product to customers.

"We plan to leverage supply chain moves and targeted pricing actions to improve our gross margin in the coming quarters," CEO Donald Allan explained of the company's recent moves of its Q2 earnings call, as reported by Manufacturing Dive. As it turns out, the price increases haven't had much of an impact on consumer buying patterns up to this point. COO Christopher Nelson explained that buying trends remained relatively unaffected by the April hikes, though time will tell how consumers react to the latest round of increases. Those at Stanley Black and Decker haven't given any indication of what its Q3 performance could look like.

It's unfortunate, but the best of DeWalt's tools, the excellent Craftsman tool chests, and everything those brands offer in-between are about to get costlier. All customers can really do is use their buying power however they see fit and find ways to save wherever they can.