Viral Home Depot TikTok Hack Isn’t All What It Seems
Back in October, TikTok user @notmycarl posted a video titled “How to Get Free Tools from Home Depot” in which they describe and seemingly demonstrate exactly how to do it. Essentially, this involves taking an old tool with a full lifetime warranty—from brands like Milwaukee, Husky, Channellock, or Crescent Tools—to a Home Depot store without a receipt and exchanging it for a brand new tool of the same make and model. .
Although there is no charge for a new instrument, you must have the old instrument in order to exchange. To do this, the video creator suggests “checking out your dad’s old toolbox” and keeping an eye out for tools from the above brands on sale. This advice seems to be based on the assumption that new hand tools are preferable to older versions of the same models, even if they still work well. But is this really so? I asked several home improvement experts what they thought about this.
Have the quality of hand tools improved over time?
While the original TikTok video, which now has 5.3 million views, raises many questions worthy of discussion, here I will focus on the quality of hand tools and whether it has changed over the past few decades. I was raised to believe that when it came to hand tools, “they don’t make them like they used to,” and that I had a tool chest filled mostly with inherited tools and estate sale finds—but wouldn’t I is it actually better to trade do I need new models?
According to Michael Branover, home contractor and founder of Branover Contractors Inc , it all depends on the brand and the specific tool. “Evaluate the build quality, materials used and any design improvements in the new models,” he says. “In some cases, the newer tools may have been redesigned or replaced with cheaper materials. Always research and compare reviews to ensure new tools meet or exceed the standards set by their older counterparts.”
In a similar vein, Matthew Ferris, master plumber, HVAC expert and founder ofFerris Plumbing, says the question of whether today’s tools are as good as the old ones doesn’t have a clear answer. “I’ve noticed that it varies from brand to brand,” he says. “Some are definitely using better materials now, such as stronger alloys, while others may be cutting costs compared to previous decades.”
Home Depot Exchange Policy Statement
So what does a major home improvement retailer think about this so-called “hack” for getting free tools? In response to my questions about using the company’s trade-in policy for Milwaukee or Husky tools—or any tools that have a full lifetime warranty—I received the following statement via email from a Home Depot representative:
Husky’s Lifetime Warranty states: If your Husky product ever fails, return it and we will replace it free of charge. This comprehensive warranty gives you specific rights, but you may also have other rights which vary from state to state .” More information about Husky’s warranties can be found at this link . Customers can get more information from their local Home Depot store.
This is all a statement, so you may want to contact your local store for information about exchanging other brands of tools that are still under warranty.