5 Tech & Tool Items You Should Think Twice About Buying From Walmart

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Walmart has long been recognized as a veritable haven for budget-minded shoppers looking to stretch the proverbial buck as far as they possibly can on groceries, homewares, and clothing. While selling those wares at easy-on-the-wallet prices have helped Walmart become one of the biggest names in the retail game, the big boxer has extended its list of offerings well beyond those standards. In fact, these days the retail giant sells everything from headphones and ear buds, Apple branded electronics and well-rated big screen TVs to yard gear, home improvement items and power tools. 

Of course, if there's one thing that most longtime Walmart shoppers might be able to agree on, it's that, as great as it can be to save a few bucks at checkout on tech items and tools, the savings don't always translate to getting a good deal. After all, sometimes when you opt to buy something on the cheap, that something just turns out to be, well, cheap. According to actual Walmart shoppers, that may be what you get if you choose to purchase any of the tech and tool items listed here. 

When it comes to personal technology, a case could be made that Apple's long running iPad tablet was one of the last devices that really shook up the market on the whole. In the wake of the first-generation iPad's release, almost every tech faction in the world set about releasing their own version of the wildly popular tablet.

Jump ahead to the present day, and the tablet market feels pretty oversaturated, with budget brands flooding stores with devices that are, perhaps, not worthy of even the modest investment. Despite the warnings, Walmart has stocked a range of budget off-brand tablets alongside those from the major manufacturers like Apple and Samsung for years. If Walmart shoppers are to be believed, Veatool's F11 Tablet may suffer many shortcomings.

Those consumers have rated the tablet — priced at an enticing $82.49 — at 3.5-stars out of 5, with 362 of the 915 ratings logged being 3-stars or lower. Poor battery life is one of the more common points of complaint about the Android-powered tablet, with multiple reviewers noting it lasts just a few hours on a full charge. Moreover, many also claim the tablet also takes longer than desired to charge back up. Users also bemoan the fact that it does not come with a SIM card included, requiring an additional purchase to properly function — though it should be noted that, unless a tablet is bought from a carrier store, they rarely include SIM cards and never include a data plan. All that is not accounting for the rampant complaints about the device's picture and sound quality.  

Walk around any Walmart store for more than a few minutes and you might be quick to notice that power tools and various home improvement items have become pretty big business for the retail chain. According to many in the know, Hart Tools — one of Walmart's many in-house shingles — have largely proven well worth their budget buck. However, some of the other budget options from fellow Walmart power tool brand Hyper Tough have not been rated so well. If its user reviewers are truly reflective of its quality, Hyper Tough 12V Max Reciprocating Saw has earned its place on that not-so-illustrious list.

To be fair, the ratings aren't catastrophic for the power tool, with 61% of the 359 users awarding the cutter a rating of 5-stars. But the tool still sits at just 4-stars overall on its Walmart product page, with a $44.88 sticker price being the primary point of praise.

As for the negative reviews, several users claimed that the 12V battery is pretty weak and fades quickly during use. Others also note the battery takes a long time to charge. Quite a few more customers claimed that, while this Hyper Tough Reciprocating Saw performed well-enough on small jobs, it is likely not tough enough for heavier projects. One user even claimed that cutting limbs with a hand saw was easier than using this powered device, with YouTuber Clueless Dude's Real Tool Reviews showcasing some of its shortcomings during tests. So, if you're looking for a good cordless reciprocating saw, you might be better off buying a tool from one of the major manufacturers. 

These days, drones have become popular entertainment options for the kiddos, with some tech factions making actual toys of the once-pricey devices. That list includes the Star Wars inspired drone from World of Tech Toys, which is designed to look like the Millennium Falcon, aka the most famous ship in the whole of the galaxy far, far away.

Cool points aside, folks who have ponied up the reasonable $21 for the motion-sensing, Star Wars official device largely appear to regret doing so, and have subsequently rated it a lowly 3.3-stars on its Walmart page. That rating is culled from some 59 reviews from real world users, 41% of whom gave it a rating of 3-stars or lower, with one of the more worrisome complaints being that the design of the drone — which is targeted at those aged 6 or older — may be dangerous for younger users. It's easy to see why, as the device's propellers are essentially exposed and easy to reach when launching or catching the drone.

Others complained that the drone is also difficult to operate, requiring considerable practice before you can really use it. Even more of the negative reviews state that the drone is prone to breaking on contact. That may be problematic since it may make frequent contact with the ground, as it does during YouTuber Brian Baxter Science test flight. For what it's worth, even that adult user appeared to struggle a little to control this drone in their first flight. So, you may want to think twice about purchasing this gadget for younger Star Wars fans. 

Wireless earbuds have become the primary way for folks to make calls, watch shows, and blast their tunes on the go. Among the factions that have long held court in the personal audio arena, JBL has a better reputation than most. But according to Walmart shoppers, the brand's Endurance Peak 3 Earbuds are in-ear noise makers that you may want to think twice about buying.

Sure, the ear bud's 3.8-star user rating may not seem too damning. But when it comes to customer satisfaction, anything under 4-stars feels like a red flag, and almost 90 users have rated these earbuds at 3-stars or less. The list of complaints is largely what you'd expect to hear concerning earbuds, with connectivity, sound quality, uncomfortable fit, and calling issues being most common. 

Along with those issues, a few users note these earbuds may not be as waterproof as their IP68 rating claims, noting functional issues when theirs were subjected to sweat or light rain. Still others said that theirs began to malfunction after a few months of use, with several of those negative reviews coming from self-professed JBL fans.

Just FYI — the audio pros at SoundGuys seemed to back up some of those build and sound complaints in their generally positive review of these JBL earbuds. Not surprisingly, those who've logged complaints also point to the normal $109.95 price tag on the Endurance Peak 3s as a major negative. That sticker price may be enough to give some potential buyers pause at the point of purchase. 

We did not expect to add a DeWalt-branded tool to this list. After all, tools made by the Stanley Black & Decker owned brand have long been renowned for providing users the power and durability needed to accomplish most tasks that might come their way. But it seems not every device made by the legendary tool maker lives up to its legacy, and the 3.1-star user rating earned by the Cordless 20V Right Angle Drill may be a DeWalt tool worth avoiding.

That score alludes that it might be one of the pricier mistakes you can make at Walmart too, with the retailer currently selling the tool through its online outlet for $176.40. At present, there are 39 user ratings on the drill's product page, with roughly half of them relegating it to the 1-star to 3-star range.

One of those reviews is actually titled "DeWalt's Mistake," with the poster essentially positing this drill as a legit black sheep in the tool maker's largely solid portfolio of tools. That belief is seconded by a Reddit commenter who labeled it "one of the worst things" DeWalt has made. Overall quality is also questioned in many reviews, with several users making claims that their drill stopped working after a couple of uses. Even as YouTuber Enduring Charm LLC generally likes this drill, they did note the lack of chuck options as a significant negative for anyone looking to use it in pro-grade work. Given its sticker price, this tool would seem to be an easy pass for any bang-for-your-buck Walmart shopper.

The purpose of this article is to provide Walmart shoppers with some honest feedback about certain tech and tool items that have been deemed worthy of avoidance by fellow consumers who were not fortunate enough to receive such a warning. In assembling this list, we poured through dozens of pages of products, and singled out those that were rated lowly — 4-stars or less overall — by real world customers. In doing so, we also accounted for how many reviews were posted, and kept to those boasting a minimum of 25. Specific user reviews may have been cited to provide insight into what those customers did not like about the selected products. Whenever possible, professional reviews were also cited to provide backup to consumer claims.