CRAFTSMAN V20

Craftsman hand tools have been a part of our lives for 30 years and served us well.  Our fondest memories of the tools were back when they were made in the USA and we started to shy away from the brand as it moved the production overseas.  Now that the company has been acquired and realigned, we started to look at the hand tools and have been very impressed.  We have never looked at the power tools but now seems like a good time to take a look at them since they are priced right.

We currently have one Craftsman 4.0 Ah battery along with the V20 angle Grinder and V20 impact wrench.  We are going to focus on the angle grinder because we have had some small fabricating projects that have allowed us to use it.  The Craftsman V20 Angle Grinder is a straight forward tool without a lot of frills, but it gets the job done.  Power is good along with runtime from what we would consider a small battery for today’s technology.  All the expected items are here such as a three-position auxiliary handle, a spindle lock, tool-free guard adjustment, and a single speed trigger.  One item we have not seen on many other grinders is a lock off button that would keep the tool in a non-usable state.  Normally we see a trigger safety or a lock on button.

Quick Look Features

• 4-1/2-in grinder with 9,000 no-Load RPM’s
• Cast metal gear housing
• Tool-free guard
• Spindle lock
• 3-Position Aux handle
• Includes: (1) CMCG400 small angle grinder, (1) grinding guard, (1) grinding wheel, (1) spanner wrench

Price Vs Quality

The cost of this bare tool is awesome!  The price of the batteries is currently fairly high in comparison to others on the market.  But we feel that sales and dropping prices will allow for people to invest in this brand at a very reasonable cost.  For DIY or small construction trades, these tools seem very good and are made well with a good company that is backing them.  The tool grade plastic used on the tools has held up well along with the rubber overmold.  Ergonomically they are all balanced and sound.  So far, all the Craftsman tools are brushed, but over time we bet that there will be an expansion as this brand continues to grow.

We are excited about these affordable tools and what the future holds.  You do not need the most expensive tool in the store to build something awesome.  These new Craftsman tools will get the job done and allow for more money to go to other toys and projects.