by Squigie » Tue Feb 21, 2023 11:37 am
Husky warranty is generally honored as a tool-for-tool replacement. If you take in a "set" with one broken tool, they'll pull the one tool from a new set and RMA the rest of it (or mark it down and put it on a clearance rack).
Kobalt (Lowe's) warranty depends on the store. Much of the time, the people at the service desk are not even aware of the warranty and have to call a manager to get approval. (I have never had a problem getting the warranty honored* - it just takes a manager to tell the service desk, "Yes, he's right. Exchange the tool.") After that, you might get the entire "set" replaced, or just a single piece.
I made the mistake of taking a broken (~2002) Craftsman ratchet in for warranty replacement at Lowe's about 4 years ago. I could have bought a repair kit online for about $10-15. Instead, I got a replacement off the shelf of my local Lowe's. It broke the first time I put torque on it. I have since replaced that ratchet, by exchanging in-store under warranty, four more times. The latest replacement sits on top of one of my rolling toolboxes, hang-tag still in attached, because I can't be bothered to break that one instantly, like the rest of them. Next to it, are two Kobalt ratchets of the same design; also broken and useless.
They are far from what they used to be. I want my old, broken ratchet back. It could be repaired. The new versions cannot - their cover plates are crimped in place - and they don't last longer than a trip out the door.
*I haven't had a problem getting the warranty honored if the tool is in stock.
With those ratchets are three Kobalt and Craftsman 10mm sockets. All broken in the same way (cracked) and never to be replaced, because my local Lowe's has not had any of them in stock since 2018. They have a space for each of them. They have price tags. They appear to be a stocked item, based on the indicators.
I end up in Lowe's about once a week; much more often if I have an active large project. I check for those sockets *every* time I am in the store. I also occasionally check inventory online. They have not had one of those sockets in stock, except in sets, since 2018. I have not, as yet, been able to convince them to RMA a set to replace a single socket. The closest I got was a manager telling me to bring in a complete set, and he would exchange the whole set. But I bought the sockets singly. I don't have a set to bring in.