Who Makes Hoto Power Tools And Are They Any Good?

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When shopping for new tools there is no shortage of options, especially from online retail giants like Amazon. Trouble is, while there are solid, well-made products, there are also a deluge of unknown brands with a price that seems too good to be true, and often is. In particular, you can find several tool makers out of China, but just because it comes out of that region doesn't mean it's not a high-quality product. However, a few bad apples have made some shoppers stateside a bit hesitant to spend money on unknown Chinese brands. However, you'd be surprised how many tool brands are owned by Chinese companies, including iconic American founded industry giants like Milwaukee Tools.

Enter a newcomer, Hoto Power Tools out of Zhuhai, China, which was founded just a decade ago in 2016. The company's first product, a precision screwdriver, turned out to be quite popular, achieving 2.1 million units sold. Since then, Hoto has expanded their lineup to include drills, cordless staplers, its SnapBloq-branded tool sets, and even powered scrub brush cleaning tools, among others. 

These products all have a unique and modern look, incorporating smooth matte black or silver coloring, without the common contours typically found on other tool brands. In addition, Hoto products are not set at the bargain bin prices you might find from other brands without as much industry notoriety, as the company maintains that its products are professional-level quality.

A variety of people might find these sleek and compact tools a far more attractive portable option over the bulkier Ryobi, DeWalt or Milwaukee brand alternatives. Features, such as the digital display built into Hoto's drills, their light weight, and built-in battery (charges by USB-C), hold appeal for tinkerers or those into crafting. For instance, the Hoto electric screwdriver offers torque up to 0.5 newton-meters. This means the tool is ideal for applications like working on electronics, but might struggle with other residential tasks, such as loosening fasteners on fixtures. While Hoto's electric screwdriver may not appeal to professionals, for light DIY tasks, it did make our list of the best electric screwdrivers on the market.

On the downside, the same seamless high-tech design doesn't exactly do wonders for ergonomics. It turns out that those contours on your typical power tool serve an important purpose: enhanced grip. This can be an issue when using a Hoto drill, but even more so when using some of the company's SnapBloq products. Take for instance, the SnapBloq set that includes a powered screwdriver, drill, and rotary tool. Each one is built entirely around a smooth cylinder shape, lacking any dedicated place for your hand to hold onto. When applying some elbow grease while handling these tools, it may cause your grip to slide, which isn't ideal while trying to work with precision.