Thoughts on the new Craftsman brushless RP lineup

As you've read recently,  I just picked up some Craftsman V20 cordless tools.  One of them, the circular saw,  is part of their brand new "RP" branding lineup.  "RP"  they say, stands for Runtime + Performance.

As you also may know, I'm very invested in the Worx "Nitro" brushless cordless tools lineup along with their premium "Powershare Pro" batteries.  Why mention Worx?  Because I think both companies are doing basically the same thing at the same time. Though Worx got a headstart, they're having brushless tools, and batteries specifically designed to maximize runtime of said brushless motors in Worx's case,  rebranded to appeal to the hard-core or "power" tool users.

These "power" users are people who work with these kinds of tools every day on the job.   They need tools that are powerful,  durable, usable, and dependable.   In Worx case, as a newer power tool company  relative to most known in the market, they are still trying to make a name for themselves. 

But Craftsman,  now that's something different.   When Stanley Black and Decker bought the brand,  being brutally honest, they went with cheap manufacture and allowed the quality that had always been associated with it to become trashed.

The brands currently considered to be "top tier" or "power user" tool brands, like Milwaukee. DeWalt, Makita, etc... have had the opportunity to raise their status as "go to" brands as Craftsman sunk like the Titanic.

Even Millenials have a deep seated recognition of Craftsman as a major, if not knee-jerk go to brand considered to be reliable.  The Boomers and Gen-exers (like me) grew up with Craftsman ringing in our ears and in our direct line of vision as we grew up, thinking of when we would get to use Dad or Grandpa's "good" tools when we got old enough.

Craftsman is more than a brand, it's a standard-bearer for top shelf.  Whether every tool lived up to that or not, they had spent decades upon decades building the brand to the level of legendry it has become.

Then Sears sold the brand and it went straight to the least concerned plain label Chinese OEM factories to die.  It was a crying shame.

After floundering in the market for a very long time with redesigns and reboots to get back into the market and taken serious again, someone at Stanley Black and Decker woke the hell up and remembered the things that has made Craftsman a legendary brand to begin with.  "MADE in the U S.A", and actually being worth a damn on the job.

With it's V20 lineup, Craftsman FINALLY started to get some positive attention back.  No doubt in part by announcing as prominently as it could on a packaging that it was now being proudly "Made in the U.S.A" (with global materials) again.

They've made some inroads and are getting positive reviews on the V20 line of cordless power tools as well as the ongoing seemingly favorable discussion of the "Chinese made Craftsman vs U.S. made Craftsman hand tools" going on in the background.

Now with some bit of re-design in a few of the core V20 cordless tools and a generous increase in performance due largely to brushless motors and electronics to match, Craftsman is making a new appeal to the Average Joe who is looking for affordable but reliable tools.

Can Craftsman recapture its old glory?  Will people remember how the brand had abandoned them previously and continue to view it with a wary eye?    Nostalgia can help with some people,  particularly the Boomers and many of Gen X with the strongest and fondest memories of when Craftsman was the top shelf tool in Dad's or Granddad's workshop.

For many others though, the sting of cheap Chinese manufacturing betrayal and floundering on the bottom for so long will leave an indelible impact.  It's a hard climb back up to being King of the Hill.  Some never make it to wear the crown twice.

As for me, my nostalgia made me inclined to give it yet another try.  My experiences using the tools thus far are building my confidence. My kids are pretty much grown now but they did grow up seeing all my "good" tools have Craftsman stamped on them (the majority bought well over 20 to 30 years ago).  That same nostalgia really would like to be able to pass along that pride and confidence in using good tools to do a good job to them and them want to have them.