Most disappointing tool purchase....

[SierraV6]

I was doing a bit of tidying up in the house yesterday and came across one of these:

https://m.bosch-do-it.com/za/en/diy/tools/prr-250-es-3165140716611-2483964.jsp

The fact I forgot I even had it says it all really.... I bought it a few years ago thinking it would be good for general use around the house but, well, it wasn’t! It’s a big lump of a thing but it’s shockingly underpowered and rather ineffective, a power tool for people who are scared of power tools.... I’ve also just noticed the current RRP, scary! I know it’s a DIY tool but even in that context I really think it’s just pointless....

So, who else has bought something that looked really useful but was in fact a total disappointment?

Hopefully this thread will serve as a ‘heads up’ to other members but it would be even better if we can share any ideas/inspiration to make use of our pointless purchases.... It could all be down to operator error after all!

 

[gaz1]

over the years ive had many a tool that ive bought

just one problem though dosnt mean a name is best to buy ive had some cheap tools and theyve really done what ive needed better in some cases

but when someones pinched your gear having the cheap gear just to keep you going until you can replace them is better than nothing

 

[waddycall]

My most disappointing tool purchase was an “engineers bench drill” from Axminster. It was about 6 or 7 years ago so hopefully they’ve sorted them by now. Wobbly quill, massive runout, dodgy light, horrible castings. Sent it back and bought an old startrite.

 

[Reman]

My original "DREMEL 398 PROFESSIONAL". The damn thing burn out the speed controller board in next to no time. While it worked it was brilliant and got used most weekend for cutting and polishing bit's and bobs, But if I spend that much on a tool I don't expect to be having to replace it every 2 decades !

 

[8ob]

This thing for a tenner on the bay of thieves, thinking nice plastic slide rule volume calculator and it turns out its made of very thin shiny cardboard

Bob

 

[stuvy]

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cla...MI4Kiat7SD6QIV34BQBh0DBwkLEAQYAyABEgIg_PD_BwE

This was such a waste of time and money but my dad saw one and got it for me

 

[Wallace]

Bosch Ixo screwdriver. Fell apart as an undercut on the shaft wasn’t deep enough to keep the circlip in place when you applied pressure. After much perseverance it took a trip up the workshop via the floor. They contain many small parts I was surprised to find for months later.

Clarke self adjusting mole grips. They did a similar trip to the Ixo in an Asda artic trailer and dented the bulkhead but survived sadly.

XJ9525 mill with power feed. I’m working on it now.

 

[Gragson]

Jet tabletop bandsaw, it just was not man enough for the things I was asking of it, more the fault of the purchaser but disappointing for the cost and alleged quality. Moved it on to a model maker who loved it.
The old maxim of buy bigger than you think you need..

 

[stuvy]

Almost forgot about these, my stupid cheapskate ex boss ordered these to replace a set that grew legs over a weekend none of the staff were in

they claim to be carbon but there plastic and the cheapest thing in the world

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100mm-4-...282614?hash=item45f98984b6:g:qi0AAOSwd4tTtuMF

 

[roblane65]

Not so long ago ! ryobi portable 10" bench saw , utter garbage the fence was so bad wouldn't cut anything
straight. Returned within two days had to argue as not fit purpose but got a refund. Admitted It was bought as a stop gap but was at least expecting it to be able to cut a straight line.

 

[marlinspike]

I bought a much crapper version of this for a fiver, from an ad on the back of the Radio Times, about 30 years ago. It was useless and downright dangerous. The prongs were much looser and barely attached to the body.

 

[Yorkshirelad]

A leatherman multitool years ago ,it was so poor and pointless I threw it away In disgust and it's crap leather holder.. Im sure they were trying to reinvent the Swiss army knife ,which is almost like trying to reinvent the wheel

 

[Cobbler]

A leatherman multitool years ago ,it was so poor and pointless I threw it away In disgust and it's crap leather holder.. Im sure they were trying to reinvent the Swiss army knife ,which is almost like trying to reinvent the wheel

I’m surprised at that, genuine Leatherman tools are well made & good quality, there are a lot of copies about that are pretty poor.

 

[Craig-SM]

Probably going to be controversial but the Halfords Pro socket set. Way too many bits snapped to have any trust in using them let alone starting a job that I wouldn’t be able to finish because a socket had snapped.
Equally controversial in my eyes are the Bosch IXO screwdriver and Leatherman multitool. Both I’ve used for years without issue and the Leatherman is my favourite tool.

 

[Morrisman]

An eBay 1/2” rattle gun. Looks the part, but totally gutless. All I ever used it for was spinning wheel nuts on, or off, if I’d already pre-loosened them...

I stripped it down and oiled it up, but just a piece of £25 junk.

 

[skotl]

An eBay 1/2” rattle gun. Looks the part, but totally gutless. All I ever used it for was spinning wheel nuts on, or off, if I’d already pre-loosened them...

I stripped it down and oiled it up, but just a piece of £25 junk.

Ditto

 

[Cobbler]

An eBay 1/2” rattle gun. Looks the part, but totally gutless. All I ever used it for was spinning wheel nuts on, or off, if I’d already pre-loosened them...

I stripped it down and oiled it up, but just a piece of £25 junk.

I’ve got a similar one, it was on a Macro offer for £20, it’s useless!

 

[Melvyn Best]

Probably a sidewinder ratchet, idea sounds good but it was way too bulky, if you could get it in place then there was plenty of room for a battery ratchet

 

[Dieselman 63]

I’m surprised at that, genuine Leatherman tools are well made & good quality, there are a lot of copies about that are pretty poor.

35 year guarantee, can’t argue with that. Plus it has a bottle opener!

 

[qwakers]

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cla...MI4Kiat7SD6QIV34BQBh0DBwkLEAQYAyABEgIg_PD_BwE

This was such a waste of time and money but my dad saw one and got it for me

ditto, ive still got mine, never successfully sharpened a bit in it.