Can A Cheap Supermarket Tool Brand Keep Up With Milwaukee? This YouTuber Finds Out

For many professionals and tool enthusiasts, Milwaukee is the most beloved brand in the game. No matter how expensive the tools can be versus others, and despite new equipment from the competition, nothing can turn their heads from the red and black brand. But if you're on a budget and need a power tool that won't break the bank, Jim with Philly Fixed on YouTube has an another option, and its performance might surprise you.

As the head-to-head video shows, Parkside does pretty well, especially for a "grocery store" brand. However, it's definitely more suited to DIY tasks than professional work. If you need reliable torque and dependable power for smaller jobs around the house, you may get just what you need from this drill for around $55, available new on eBay. You'll pay about twice as much for the M12 drill from Milwaukee's portable productivity system, which might have more power and capability than you actually need.

Like many of the brand's tools, Parkside's drill is user-friendly, with a compact and lightweight design. This can make DIY tasks easier, as you may avoid the strain and fatigue that you might get when using heavier brands of tools. You can also swap batteries from one Parkside tool to another, as long as the voltage matches. This means you won't have to spend extra money on a subset of batteries and chargers within the Parkside family of tools.

If you're looking for essential items for your home tool kit and you want to start with the Parkside brand, you may hit some roadblocks. First, Parkside tools are sold in the Lidl chain of stores throughout Europe. So if you need to shop online, you'll have to go through third-party sites like eBay, as Parkside's site doesn't have an order page. That said, there are almost 200 Lidl locations on the east coast of the U.S., which means you can shop for Parkside tools in-person if you happen to live in the area.

However, if you buy some Parkside tools, you may run into problems with customer support. The Service page on Parkside's website assures customers that help is just around the corner, but when you click on a country for assistance, you're redirected back to the main page. The United States isn't listed, and there are no options for visiting another page for more information. The Lidl site has a contact form and automated assistant, but doesn't mention Parkside tools or warranties. Replacement parts are also hard to find through company sources, which means you'll likely have to use third-party sellers. 

In the end, you'll save money on Parkside tools versus a brand like Milwaukee, but the trade-offs might be too much. You can try it, but it's a good idea to research other budget-friendly brands that may have better support, and superior availability for customers in the U.S. too.