The German name Bosch is one of the biggest names in the United States when it comes to power tools and hardware. The company, founded by Robert Bosch in 1886, is one of the oldest and most established in the field. But times have changed. No longer is it Bosch and a few others who hold the entire market. There is now an entire range of competitors ready to match Bosch's price for the same tool that does the same job. Yet why are people willing to pay for the German-made and German-engineered tools when they could cost up to twice as much as the competition?



It's All about the Quality

Granted, most of the other competing companies also have their own system for guaranteeing the quality of the products that they churn out. However, Bosch's European standards are set considerably higher than much of their American and even European competition. With engineering that clearly puts ease of use and user safety first, many consumers are more than willing to spend the extra money on Bosch tools.

Good tools are also a form of investment. Yes, they're expensive, but you can expect them to last for a very long time. The life span and the durability of the tools that you buy will determine the returns that they give you, so a more expensive but very durable tool could give excellent returns, while a cheap and substandard one might not. And because of Bosch's assurance of quality, Bosch tools are certainly a good investment.

Don't Take My Word for It

A large part of Bosch's popularity with consumers is that so many professional carpenters and craftsmen use Bosch tools to get their projects done. Because Bosch has been around for so long, it's inevitable that many already recognize them specifically as tools of the trade, and this heavily influences the buying behavior of the market. The rationale behind it is that although a tool used by a master craftsman might not give you his skill or the quality of his work, at least you're assured that the tool will endure both time and trials because good craftsmen aren't likely to choose cheap or shoddy tools.

Many magazines also reinforce the reputation of Bosch for making excellent tools. Every time a new power tool from Bosch comes out, a magazine almost immediately reviews it and invariably gives very positive remarks. Bloggers and DIY enthusiasts all over the globe also say the same thing about Bosch tools. When the media and the people agree on something, you know it's got to be good. So far, Bosch has received countless distinctions and awards from numerous magazines for several of their products.

A Name to Protect

As of 2007, 121 year-old Bosch was worth approximately $49 billion, with over $8 billion worth of sales in the United States alone. Employing almost 300,000 people in over 50 countries around the globe, Bosch is also one of the most visible brand names around. With a reputation for quality and innovation (their research and development departments churn out almost a thousand patents per year) Bosch can and most certainly will give you quality tools. Admittedly, Bosch isn't the cheapest brand around. Quite the contrary, it's one of the most expensive. However, if you're the discerning customer who's looking for top-quality stuff, then Bosch is the name you should look for.