About CRAFTSMAN
CRAFTSMAN dates back to 1927, when Sears introduced the brand to compete with established names like Snap-on and Proto, built around an unconditional hand tool warranty that became the brand's defining promise. Stanley Black & Decker acquired the brand from Sears Holdings in a deal that closed on March 9, 2017, and Lowe's became CRAFTSMAN's primary retail partner starting in late 2018, carrying the tools in stores nationwide and honoring the brand's lifetime hand tool warranty with an in-store exchange.
That warranty is the thread running through our own testing: CRAFTSMAN's Full Lifetime Warranty on hand tools is redeemable at any Lowe's nationwide, and for most tools that means a hand-swap replacement with no receipt required, a policy we found actively honored on the mechanics sets, screwdriver sets, and tool chests we reviewed for DIYRated. The lineup we tested spans mechanics tool sets and screwdriver sets through rolling tool chests, wet/dry shop vacuums, and electric pressure washers, with review counts running into the thousands on individual products, an indicator of ownership at real scale rather than a niche following.
Brand website: craftsman.com
What CRAFTSMAN makes
CRAFTSMAN's range runs wider than the products we review. The lines we know best from our own testing are marked with a star:
Mechanics tool sets
socket and wrench sets with VERSASTACK modular storage — featured on DIYRated — featured on DIYRated
Screwdriver & bit sets
fixed-blade and ratcheting multi-bit screwdriver sets — featured on DIYRated — featured on DIYRated
Rolling tool chests & cabinets
homeowner combo chests through I-frame steel shop cabinets — featured on DIYRated — featured on DIYRated
Wet/dry shop vacuums
corded shop vacs with Dual-Flex hose systems — featured on DIYRated — featured on DIYRated
Electric pressure washers
CETA-certified electric pressure washers for cars, patios, and light concrete — featured on DIYRated — featured on DIYRated
V20 cordless power tools
drills, impact drivers, and outdoor power equipment on CRAFTSMAN's cordless battery platform
Why we recognized CRAFTSMAN
The DIYRated Top Brand recognition isn't paid for and can't be applied for. We award it to the brands whose products consistently stand out in our hands-on category reviews. CRAFTSMAN earned it on the strength of the products below, evaluated the same way every product on this site is: bought, put to work on real jobs, and judged on merit.
CRAFTSMAN products we rated highly
CRAFTSMAN 230-Piece Mechanics Tool Set with VERSASTACK Toolbox (CMMT45306)
The standout in our hand tool set testing: a modular VERSASTACK case stacks and locks into other VERSASTACK boxes and rolling carts, letting the kit grow into a full storage system rather than living in one drawer. A low-profile 72-tooth ratchet swings in just a 5-degree arc for tight engine-bay and joist-bay clearances, and the assortment spans 1/4-inch, 3/8-inch, and 1/2-inch drive sockets plus wrenches, hex keys, and bit drivers, all backed by the CRAFTSMAN Full Lifetime Warranty redeemable at any Lowe's.
Read the 7 Best Hand Tool Sets of 2026 guide →
CRAFTSMAN CMXEVBE17595 16 Gallon 6.5 Peak HP Wet/Dry Vac
The top performer in our shop vac testing: 274 CFM airflow, the highest in the roundup, moved fine sawdust and wet slurry that lower-CFM machines merely pushed around. A Dual-Flex hose with a 180-degree swivel at the machine end solved the hose-kinking problem we found on competing units, and a 3-year warranty on a shop vac at this price stood out against the one-year terms typical of the segment.
Read the 7 Best Shop Vacs of 2026 guide →
CRAFTSMAN 26" 5-Drawer Rolling Tool Chest Combo
The tool chest we recommend most often for a homeowner workshop: a five-drawer combo pairs a top chest with a rolling base, 30-lb-rated ball-bearing drawer slides handle full socket sets and impact driver kits without binding, and 300-lb-rated swivel casters with a dual-lock front pair rolled smoothly across unfinished concrete in our testing. A single-key central lock secures both compartments in one turn.
Read the 7 Best Tool Chests of 2026 guide →
CRAFTSMAN 41" 10-Drawer Rolling Tool Cabinet (CMST341102RB)
For serious home shops, this ten-drawer cabinet's 18-to-20-gauge I-frame steel body kept drawers aligned under load and didn't flex when rolled, in our testing. 100-lb-rated soft-close ball-bearing slides handled dense socket cases and angle grinders, and 1,500-lb-rated heavy-duty casters with dual-lock pairs let a fully loaded cabinet roll across rough concrete and lock down rigid for stationary use.
Read the 7 Best Tool Chests of 2026 guide →
CRAFTSMAN Screwdriver Set, 12-Piece (CMHT65044)
The highest-reviewed screwdriver set in our roundup, with 7,452 ratings averaging 4.8 stars. Twelve drivers cover the full range of Phillips, slotted, and Torx sizes for household hardware and electronics, a tri-lobe handle resists roll-off on sloped surfaces, and magnetic tips ship on every driver, a feature we found consistently missing from comparable sets. The CRAFTSMAN Full Lifetime Warranty is redeemable at any Lowe's with no receipt required.
Read the 7 Best Screwdriver Sets of 2026 guide →
CRAFTSMAN Ratcheting Multi-Bit Screwdriver Set, 26-Piece (CMHT68001)
A second CRAFTSMAN entry in our screwdriver set testing: a three-position ratchet (forward, reverse, locked) with smooth tooth engagement performed comparably to drivers costing twice as much, and all 25 bits store in the included case so the kit travels as one unit. 7,705 reviews average 4.6 stars, backed by the same CRAFTSMAN Full Lifetime Warranty redeemable at any Lowe's.
Read the 7 Best Screwdriver Sets of 2026 guide →
CRAFTSMAN CMEPW1900 Electric Pressure Washer
In our electric pressure washer testing, this CETA-certified 1900 PSI machine backed up nearly 2,000 verified reviews at 4.4 stars with genuine day-to-day conveniences: a T-Rail handle system and onboard storage keep the wand, hose, cord, and all three nozzles together, and a built-in soap tank draws detergent automatically the moment you switch to the soap tip. 8-inch wheels and a 35 ft cord gave it real reach around a car or across a patio in our hands-on use.
Read the 7 Best Electric Pressure Washers of 2026 guide → CRAFTSMAN CMEPW1900 Electric Pressure Washer
Featured again in our broader home-use pressure washer roundup for the same reasons: honest, CETA-certified 1900 PSI and 1.2 GPM ratings, a T-Rail handle that locks the wand in place, and an automatic soap tank that lays down detergent in one motion instead of requiring a separate bottle. Nearly 2,000 verified reviews at 4.4 stars reflect the trust homeowners place in the name.
Read the 7 Best Pressure Washers for Home Use in 2026 guide →What earned CRAFTSMAN the recognition
- Traces to 1927, when Sears introduced CRAFTSMAN hand tools with an unconditional lifetime warranty; Stanley Black & Decker acquired the brand in 2017 and Lowe's became the primary retail partner in 2018.
- A top pick in our own testing across mechanics tool sets, screwdriver sets, tool chests, and wet/dry shop vacuums, with products appearing on six DIYRated money pages.
- The CRAFTSMAN Full Lifetime Warranty on hand tools is redeemable at any Lowe's nationwide, in most cases without a receipt, a policy we found consistently honored across the sets we tested.
- 274 CFM airflow on the CRAFTSMAN wet/dry shop vac was the highest of any machine in our shop vac roundup, backed by a 3-year warranty well above the one-year terms typical of the category.
- Review volume across our featured picks runs into the thousands per product, including over 8,000 on the shop vac and over 7,000 on each of our two featured screwdriver sets, reflecting broad, sustained ownership.