Are Power Tool Combo Kits At Home Depot Really Cheaper Than Buying Each Tool Separately?
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Whether you're a professional on the job or a DIYer working at home, everyone wants to save money on power tools. So, when you see combo kits offered at Home Depot, you might be wondering if they actually are cheaper than buying the items in the kit individually. In general, the kits do offer the same items sold separately at lower prices when packaged together.
For example, the Milwaukee M18 18V Brushless Cordless Compact Drill/Impact Combo Kit is regularly priced $249 at Home Depot. This kit comes with the drill, the driver, two M18 batteries, a battery charger, and a contractor bag. If you buy these items separately, you'd pay over $500 for the two tools and two batteries. There's an even better deal with the DeWalt Atomic 20V Cordless Brushless Combo Kit, which is definitely one of the brand's combo kits that is worth buying. Regularly priced at $449, this one comes with a drill/driver, impact driver, oscillating tool, and reciprocating saw. It also has two 20V batteries, a charger, and a tool bag. If you buy these items individually at regular price, you'll pay close to $900. Plus, the bags for both kits aren't sold separately, so consider them an added bonus.
To keep things simple, we referred to regular pricing at the time of this writing. However, these brands do regularly have sales that offer these tools and batteries, along with the combo kits, at discounted prices, especially around the holiday season. That means the upfront cost could be even cheaper, and overall savings may vary. Typically, though, the bigger the kit, the more money you can save. If you're starting from scratch and want to build a power tool collection, it's worth your time to check into Home Depot's combo kits.
Cheaper doesn't always mean better when it comes to combo kits
There are some cases in which buying the kit won't be the best option. For example, if you're a DIYer that only needs to buy one specific power tool, it would likely be cheaper to buy the single tool than to buy the entire kit. The same can be true for full-time professionals, who already own a trusted tool collection.
For example, one of Ryobi's highest-rated combo tool kits, the Ryobi One+ 18V Cordless 6-Tool Combo Kit, gives you a discount of $254 compared to the price of the tools sold separately. The kit comes with a drill/driver, an impact driver, a reciprocating saw, a circular saw, a multi-tool, an LED light, and a pair of batteries. While most people browsing such a kit could likely use the drill/driver, how many of them need a new circular saw? Essentially, if the price of the items you really need adds up to less than the combo kit, it may not be worth investing in the full package.