Is Black and Decker a Good Brand? 2023 REVIEW

Whenever you’re looking for a power tool, there’s always the burden of picking a reliable manufacturer. The last thing you need is to spend your hard-earned money on a sleazy brand.

To play it safe, you can always go for a list of reputable names. As it happens, Black and Decker is high on that list. Its products are hard to miss wherever you go, and the name is now ingrained in the average DIYer’s toolbox.

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So, is Black and Decker a good brand, or are you better off spending your money somewhere else? Let’s find out!

Is Black and Decker a Good Brand and who owns it?

All in all, Black and Decker is a reliable brand when it comes to appliances and power tools. While it’s not a high-end manufacturer, it offers a good balance between affordability, convenience, and durability for homeowners.

After all, the brand has over 100 years’ worth of experience under its belt. You don’t stay relevant in the market for that long if you’re not doing something right!

What Makes Black and Decker a Good Brand?

There’s a lot to love about Black and Decker, from its U.S. built to the expansive catalog that covers all home maintenance and improvement needs.

Let’s take a closer look at what makes the brand a particularly good choice for homeowners:

Rich History

As you might have guessed, the company’s name is a mash-up of its two founders’ last names. Back in 1910, Duncan Black and Alonzo Decker opened a local shop in Baltimore that sold a machine to manufacture milk bottle caps.

Gradually, they pivoted to designing tools for the average consumer, not the industrial sector. Soon, they were mass-producing with the very first Black and Decker factory in Maryland.

From that, the company went on to become a staple in the market, with 49 plants in the United States alone.

Black and Decker’s products even made it to a couple of NASA’s programs. For one, the Dustbuster cordless vacuum and a rotary hammer made it on the Apollo. Meanwhile, the zero-impact wrench boarded the Gemini to spin bolts in zero gravity.

However, as the company grew, its focus was centered around the homeowner and small-scale DIYer.

Lately, in 2014, the conglomerate rebranded to Black+Decker, but it kept on providing the same level of quality that people grew to expect from them.

Wide Product Range

Besides being deeply integrated into the history of the American market, Black and Decker managed to penetrate several product ranges.

Whether you’re looking for a mini fridge or belt sander, you might find just what you need in the brand’s categories.

A large part of the company’s line is all about home improvement. Think of it as your one-stop for almost all DIY projects at home. You can get steam cleaners, pressure washers, or leaf blowers from there.

Power tools are probably the most common product category by Black and Decker, from drills to orbital sanders.

The home appliance section ranged between air fryers, dishwashers, coffee makers, and air purifiers.

However, you can also find more niche-centered items like power inverters, metal anchors, plunge routers, and even rechargeable scissors!

Quality and Durability

One common aspect that can make or break a brand is its durability. The higher the quality, the better.

The brand’s quality isn’t exactly pro-level or high-end, but that’s okay since it’s not marketed as a part of a professional setup. Almost all the product categories are made to suit the casual consumer, so you can’t expect industrial-level performance out of them.

However, we tend to overlook that quality is relative, and you don’t always need the best. Instead, you should be evaluating how the product fits your needs.

That’s because domestic usage is way less aggressive in terms of wear and tear when compared to a manufacturer’s machinery.

In fact, it’s not unheard of for a Black and Decker product to survive a lifetime in households and even be passed on to the second generation.

For instance, a lot of the brand’s jigsaws and drills can make it for 40 years or so. A well-maintained food processor would be fine to use for 20-30 years.

Where is Black and Decker made: U.S. Manufacturing Commitment

A great appeal that attracts many consumers to Black and Decker is its commitment to keeping its manufacturing American-centric. This approach started back in 1843 with the “make where we sell” slogan and strategy.

Today, many of their products are assembled in the States from parts provided by the conglomerate’s global supply chain.

All in all, around 40% of the entire Black and Decker catalog is proudly American-made. Plus, the brand is heading to reduce its dependence on the external supply chain as time goes by.

This not only adds to consumer trust and loyalty but also helps boost the country’s economy. Each and every one of the 49 plants on U.S. soil is providing job opportunities!

How Is Black and Decker Different From DeWalt?

DeWalt is often thought of as more of a professional’s choice in comparison to the homeowner’s Black and Decker, especially when it comes to woodworking.

In a way, DeWalt takes on heavy-duty performance without sacrificing the portability that people grew to love in Black and Decker.

While there’s a sense of truth in all that, it’s also worth mentioning that both are subsidiaries of the same parent company, Stanley Black and Decker.

This started as a merger between Black+Decker and Stanley Works back in 2010.

You might even be surprised to see that the conglomerate’s portfolio includes names like Aero Scout, Piranha, Craftsman, Irwin, and Porter-Cable.

Final Thoughts

So, is Black and Decker a good brand?

It’s a reasonable option for homeowners looking to buy durable and practical appliances without breaking the bank. Professional plumbers often will use other brands such as Makita or Rigid.

The brand’s appeal comes from a long-lived reputation, wide market coverage, and a dependably good manufacturing standard.

As a subsidiary of Stanley Black and Decker, it’s very comparable to DeWalt Tools, but we’d say that Black and Decker is a better fit for casual use.