Six Lowe's Tools With One-Star Reviews, Put to the Test

Introduction

Every so often it is worth checking whether the angriest buyers on a big-box store’s website are onto something. For this roundup, six heavily criticized tools were run through practical tests: torque claims, cutting ability, bit retention, and durability. The results were genuinely mixed. One tool flatly deserved the abuse, one was a frustrating near-miss, and several turned out to be far better than their ratings suggested. Here is how each one performed.

The Bosch GDX 18V-180 B12: Better Than Its Reviews

The Bosch GDX 18V-180 B12 is a hybrid impact driver and impact wrench, with a socket-ready tip that also accepts standard driver bits. The most common one-star complaints claimed it had almost no torque, that bits would not lock in, and that it was generally disappointing. In testing, none of that held up. A socket gripped firmly in a bare hand would not stall the tool, bits locked in securely once the chuck collar was pulled back, and it drove large lag bolts and even removed a properly torqued wheel lug without protest.

The fair criticisms are about speed and refinement, not competence. It runs slower than dedicated impact wrenches and comparable impact drivers, and it has only one speed setting. It also runs noticeably warm under sustained load. As a two-tools-in-one convenience pick for light mechanical work and woodworking, though, it earned a score around 3.75 stars. Worth a look if versatility matters more than outright performance.

Stanley Black and Decker Jigsaw: Skip It

This roughly $30 corded jigsaw collected one-star reviews for a reason. Complaints ranged from a blade that falls out, to no power, to a simply miserable cutting experience, and the testing confirmed nearly all of them. The blade retention held up in a basic pull test, but actual cutting was where it fell apart: curves in softwood required enormous force, and a straight cut through a two-by-four was slow enough to be genuinely painful.

Side by side with another budget jigsaw at the same price point, this one was roughly four times slower and considerably louder. For a few dollars more, better options exist, and this tool arguably deserves less than a single star. Hard to recommend at any price.

Skil 14-Amp 2.5 HP Router

The Skil 14-amp, 2.5 HP router is a fixed-base and plunge-base combo kit that sells for around $150, often less on sale. The one-star pattern here was different: most complaints described the tool dying after only a handful of uses, plus frustration that the collet would not accept a half-inch bit without a supplied quarter-inch adapter. In testing, the half-inch collet did accept bits properly, the quarter-inch adapter worked but is an annoying, slippage-prone compromise, and the smaller base plate opening would not clear larger bits, which is a legitimate design gripe.

Performance itself was a pleasant surprise. The material and thickness selection screen is a bit gimmicky, but the slow start is genuinely nice, it ran smoothly through softwood, hardwood, and plastic across eight test cuts and well beyond, and the included edge guide adds value. The defective-unit complaints may well be real, but a working unit earns around 3.9 stars. Just budget for the adapter annoyance.

Craftsman Corded Drill: A Hard Pass

This roughly $60 Craftsman corded drill is a case where the buying advice matters more than the test results. One reviewer reported the drill dying on its fourth screw; in testing, it happily sank five, so that particular failure looks like the exception. The real problems are structural: a cramped 3/8-inch chuck that limits bit sizes, awkward tall ergonomics that even large-handed users found uncomfortable, a short cord, and no clutch.

It did manage a one-inch paddle bit, though it slipped in the chuck repeatedly, and a 7/8-inch bit went through much more cleanly. At this price, a basic cordless drill with a battery and charger is simply a more versatile purchase, which is why this one scored 2.5 stars. There are better ways to spend the money.

Kobalt 24V Mini Circular Saw

Mini circular saws are divisive, and the Kobalt 24V version drew reviews complaining about its limited 1.25-inch cut depth and awkward safety button placement. The depth criticism is technically true but easy to work around: with the depth properly adjusted, it cut through a standard 1.5-inch two-by-four in a single pass without drama. The safety button is genuinely cramped for right-handed thumbs when the depth gauge is raised, which is a fair knock.

Beyond that, it was surprisingly pleasant: quiet, smooth, with a blade brake, a bevel gauge for angle cuts, and an unusually well-placed raised handle that gives a clearer line of sight than many full-size saws. For quick sheet-goods breakdowns and shallow cuts, it earned 4.25 stars and completely overturned the one-star verdicts.

DeWalt 5-Inch Drill-Style Sander

The DeWalt 5-inch drill-style sander, which sells for around $116, is the one tool here that earned its one-star pile. Most of the negative reviews revolve around the missing dust bag, which is admittedly an odd thing to be angry about, since none is advertised. The deeper issue is that this is not a random-orbit sander at all: the pad spins in one direction only, so it hogs off material fast and leaves heavy swirl marks and dust everywhere.

Testing made that vivid. Ten seconds of light sanding left a visible divot in a planed pine board, a few more seconds cut an eighth of an inch from a sheet, and the dust output was severe even with the dust shroud. As a bulk material removal tool for automotive or vertical work it has a niche, but anyone buying it expecting a normal finish sander will be badly disappointed. The one-star reviews are, in this case, entirely justified.

Overall Buying Advice

A clear pattern emerged from this round of testing: some one-star reviews reflect genuine defects or design compromises, but many come from buying a tool for a job it was never meant to do. The mini circular saw was judged against full-size cutting capacity, the drill-style sander was judged against random-orbit sanders, and the hybrid impact driver was judged against dedicated impact wrenches. Matching the tool to the actual task eliminates most of the disappointment on display here. It also pays to check how brands respond to reviews, since responsive manufacturers are usually worth trusting.

Conclusion

Of the six, the Kobalt 24V mini circular saw, the Skil router, and the Bosch GDX hybrid came out well ahead of their ratings, the Craftsman corded drill and the Stanley jigsaw lag behind better alternatives at similar prices, and the DeWalt sander deserves every bit of its criticism unless you specifically need aggressive one-direction material removal. Read the one-star reviews, but read the product descriptions even more carefully.