WNY Handyman

Cant go wrong with your product especially with your warranty glad to see you added the radio with the ipod set up thats my next purchase

I am really questioning Rigid Warranty process. When I bought the 24volt battery tools from Home Depot I thought if I had any problems with them I could just return them to the store and exchange the tool. Not so. I had a battery go bad on me and went to return it only to find out that I have to send it to the factory with the battery and charger (never told this when I bought it). Now, if I send the charger, knowing that it is not the problem, I would be out of commission for weeks. Since then I bought two more batteries only to find after heavy use they are not holding a full charge although they indicate it on the charger. Really wondering if the hassle of getting this tool repaired is worth it verse buying a whole new brand of tool. My Precipitating saw is now having issues holding on to the blade. Have a half a mind to take a trip to the factory. Any one else having problems related to Warranty?

I bought a set of Ridgid Power Tools with lifetime Warranty in 2001. At that time I “registered” all the tools with Ridgid on their web site. Now, a battery is dead, so I called the local repair facility. I was told I need a registration number, and if I don’t have it just contact customer service. Customer service said if I don’t have that original thermal reciept (and it must be readable, or an 8 year old credit card statement, I do not have a warranty. I told them I “registered” them in 2001. They told me they started their current Warranty Registration in 2005, so anything done before that is just considered a purchase notification, not a registration. Bottom line is Ridgid has cheated me out of the lifetime warranty on the first claim I had. I have bought many other Ridgid tools since 2001, but I will never buy another. I just became a Makita buyer.

The crapiest warranty in the industry and HOME DEPOT sales people misrepresent RiGID tOOLS–try and get warranty in Canada from Rigid they (rigid treat us like the plague)

Bought a bunch of Ridgid tools in June and all seemed to work fine for the first few months. Now, the tools will not operate when it is cold. Numerous forums point back to charger / battery issues and Rigid seems to have no solution except creating customer headaches. Jeez, my 20+ year old makitas work fine? WTF!

Don’t post much but what I experienced with my Rigid Drill deserves a comment. I am a Handyman and had need for a smaller (12v) drill. The Ridgid with Lithium batterys seemed to be the answer. I recieved the drill as a present from my daughter and did not have the reciept. After about 1 year the charger reports both batteries as being bad, so I suspect the charger is bad. Packaged it all back up and went to my local Home Depot where I was surprised to find that they do not replace these drills. I also found that when registering the drill online that the Lifetime warrant means 3 years, not the Lifetime warranty that is clearly printed on the marketing package, signage at Home Depot, and other ads. When HD looked up the serial numbers off the batteries it reports this drill as being manufactured in 1988. Don’t think this drill was even made back then.
But I know it was purchased about a year ago. Anyway you would expect that if RIDGID is advertising Lifetime Warranty that the date of manufacture would not matter unless they are avoiding warranty work.
Previously I had purchased a corded Ridgid Hole Hawg drill and found that the variable cluch was slipping. Again HD did not honor and needed to go through the necessary hoops to get this repaired. Still not repaired due to lack of time to do the paper work. By the way Moen (By it for life) plays the same game.
I have become a huge fan of Harbor Freight tools because they replace anything in the store and yes sometimes the quality of the tool is not always the highest quality but I can buy two items, one for backup, and still spend 4-5x less on the tool and have less hassel getting the tool replaced. I guess the luck I have had with Ridgid tools is worse than with Harbor Freight (Chicago) tools. I know Ridgid had its good days but now it appears they are trying to stay in business by decieving their customers with high-hassel warranty which appears to not be lifetime warranty.
My Experience with Ridgid Tools:
Pay 4-5x more for tool.
Experience 4-5x more hassel on warranty claims.
Tools fail as often as Mid-quality Harbor Freight tools.
Advertising is very misleading and sets expectations that huge amount you pay will get you better tool or service.

So if you have a lot of cash to spend and don’t mind the huge hassel warranty then buy Ridgid, if want a very economically tool go to harbor freight and buy Chicago brand tools.

BTW: The Ridgid you buy from HD is NOT the same Ridgid from somewhere else. HD Rep told me this.

Phil
Handyman Express Idaho

@Andy E.
Agree with you there. Have had similar issues with a 12V lithium Ion batteries. Charger reports both bad. I suspect it is the charger. I guess I can jump through the hoops but what a hassle. Harbor Freight is the way to go with there mid-grade (Chicago) tools. Have had better luck with them and hassel free replacement in the store. Bonus: Savings of 4-5x the cost too. I have posted my expreience on this web site if interested in details…

Phil
Handyman Express Idaho

@Ernie Daviduck
Warranty, from my experience, is no better in the US.
Two companies on my list to avoid:
Moen (Buy it for life)
Ridgid (Lifetime Warranty)

Both companies are not customer geared and in order to get what you paid for (Warranty) be prepared to pay…

Moen – Pay to have the part they ship you installed by a Handyman.
Ridgid – Pay in time and Hassel to get any concern or actions.

Not much for laws but they need to come down on these companies pretty hard and make them honor their statements or quite setting false expectations.

Phil
Handyman Express Idaho.

@Dave C
Yep I understand what you are saying. They are misleading the consumers and doing everything they can to avoid warranty work.
If you want another similar experience try and get warranty on a Moen faucet, you know the one you buy for life…
These kind of companies cause us to mis-trust the other good ones.
If you have a Harbor Freight, you might give them a try. Clues
Buy only their mid-grade tools at the minimum (Chicago).
You will pay 4-5x less for tool.
In Store warrany cost is very resonable.
Will take tool back in store even if you have not purchased warranty, you just have to agree to by one on the replacement.
All the Ridgid tools (Except the See-Snake) I have had problems with and all within a year or less.
I too am giving up on Ridgid tools, the cost is HIGH, and the warranty sucks. Anyone that say they have great warranty must not have tried to do a warranty claim yet.

Phil
Handyman Express Idaho

I had a 24v Lithium Combo kit but sold it last year after frustration with the Batteries. Both went bad and I had to send them in through a service company for Ridgid. Come to find out that they were on back order! My cobo kit was worthless since it took 5 months! Now my Ridgid 12v batteries are bad. By the way…the 12v are on Back Order as well. No more Ridgid for me!

FEBRUARY 21 2010 at 3:30 p.m.

WE LIVE IN A WORLD, WERE ALWAYS SOMEONE COMPLAINS ABOUT SOMETHING, PEOPLE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT JUST HERE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE ABOUT
300 MILLION PEOPLE . IT’S OBVIOUS THAT EVERYTHING RUNS DIFFERENT THAN
40 YEARS AGO.

EVEN THE EDUCACIONAL PROGRAMS ARE DIFFERENT, BECOUSE I GUESS OUR NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT.

You need discussion forums like this, Edgar. So someone can be educated about a particular product.”COMPLAINING”, it’s more like constructive criticism. Here in the US we can do this, it’s a free country. I came here cause I’m having problems with Ridgid drill. Wish I would have seen all this complaining before I bought it. Making an educated decision probably prevented this purchase. I’m stuck now.

buy hilti. 2 year no cost warranty, no questions asked. my battery died, i called them up and they sent me a UPS label, i sent the battery back for free, and got my new battery in 2 days. no questions asked.

Hey Guys…

Anybody contacted your state Attorney General about this false advertising and not standing behind the Lifetime Warranty? I bet he/she would be interested in this and it might help a lot of folks. Might cause a class action lawsuit and make them fix the problem. Just a thought.

Ridgid tools are coverd by a Full Lifetime Warranty – which means that when the tool dies it’s lifetime is over, and the warranty dies with it.

So, you are the proud owner of a Ridgid tool with a Full Lifetime Warranty. When the salesman at the store told you the Ridgid tool had a “Full Lifetime Warranty”, what do you suppose he means? You weren’t thinking that if the tool failed that Ridgid might replace it, did you? Oh hell no, that’s not going to happen, because Normal Wear and Tear are not covered under the Ridgid “Full Lifetime Warranty”.

A quote from the Ridgid web site: “Products that are returned for warranty inspection after months or years of continuous reliable service are rarely found to be defective”.

Another exiciting quote from their site: “This warranty lasts for the lifetime of the RIDGID tool. Warranty coverage ends when the product becomes unusable for reasons other than defects in workmanship or material.”

I kid you not, it is the written policy of Ridgid Tools that the “Full Lifetime Warranty” lasts for the lifetime of the product and dies when the produt dies, and that when you pay to ship your dead tools back to Ridgid it is “rarely found to be defective”. It may not work, it may be dead as a doornail, but Ridgid rarely decides its defective and hell no they aren’t going to replace it under their “Full Lifetime Warranty”.

I have several ridgid tools. I have troubles with each tool ( well 7 out of 11) and for what I paid they should last longer. Ridgid gives the runaround approach on any warranty and I was led to believe I could take the tools back to HD where I bought them. So now I know of two liars. Parts can be found but again they are way too expensive for what they are. Support must watch porn all day as they sure as hell do not respond to any email. Ridgid can forget me or anyone I happen to meet EVER buying any more of their junk

I Bought my Rigid 18 volt drill in 2005, the the “guaranteed for life” batteries are now dead & NEED OF REPLACEMENT. so FAR I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND WHERE THOSE “AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTERS” are.
next problem I see is that the receipt I have from Home was printed with disappearing Ink.
SO here is the “CATCH”
All registrations must be made under the name of an individual person. Within approximately 6-8 weeks after completion of the registration process, you will receive confirmation via email or US mail that will include your Lifetime Service Agreement Identification Number. Keep track of this number as you will need it in order to obtain service for your product under the Lifetime Service Agreement. A Lifetime Service Agreement card will be mailed to you; this will also include your Lifetime Service Agreement Identification Number.
i guess this warranty isn’t worth anything

I got a rigid hammer drill from HD last DEC. 2009. I was drilling away when the drill just stopped working. I took it back to home depot and got the run around and was finally told I would have to pay $35. to send it off for inspection for a repair. The manager’s attitude toward rather it would be fixed under warranty was very doubtful. Showing what home depot employees really won’t let you know about rigid warranties when they are trying to sell you one. Not the sell I got in the tool department the day I bought the thing and switched from dewalt. Let Me tell you. Keep your $35.00. After you send your tool off you will get a call back from home depot telling you either your tool is damaged beyond repair or you can pay to get it fixed. Either way you loose the $35 because of the inspection fee! Warranty at Home depot for ridgit tools is worthless!

Ignorant people who do not follow directions sure do love to complain!If you follow the directions on how to obtain your lifetime service agreement and read and comprehend the info.You will find that this is indeed a great service agreement.They replace batteries and repair your tools.I have used it and they do as they say.Just make sure you get that warranty card.Also,if you register online you can print the info so you can obtain service with it.

I just purchased a power tool at The Home Depot, they told me to register it thru the internet for the life time service agreement, but I do not find the form thru the inter net, please imforme how to obtained.
Thank you

The lifetime warranty is not free for owner of Rigid tools. You will have to travel to get replacements or pay to mail. I think the store in witch you have bought them should be able to help you with replacement.
If most people knew about the warranty problems they would go with a
different brand. Home Depot is no help at all.

@Mike
there is one in toledo ohio on broadway street

Absolute CRAP!!! It has taken 2-1/2 YEARS for my friend to get 2 18 volt batteries replaced, and I’m getting the run around about 2 batts and the blade holder on my recip saw. DONT BELIEVE A WORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@JC
Sir, I’m glad your experience has been good, but please don’t refer to people who haven’t shared your good fortune as Ignorant. I registered all my tools, just as I was instructed to, sent in the upc by registered mail, etc. and never received a registration #. Some of my tools show up as being registered, some do not. Some are registered twice, and the “combo kit” I purchased catologue # is mis-identified. Furthermore, Ive been atempting to get my recip saws blade holder fixed (A poor ,flawed design) since it was new, and for the last 6 mo.s or so have been attempting to get 2 18v batts replaced, I have NEVER spoken personally to someone who has been satisfied.

you people do relize that ridgit may of been a good american copmany back a few years ago, but now most all products are made in china. anothe case of name brands deciving us. and harbor freight is 100 percednt china. pls try to buy from companys that still are made in the good old USA.

I had to get my Rigid cordless driver repaired, and sent it to 1800toolrepair.com They took care of my warranty repair and got it back to me in about two weeks. Great company to deal with.

I bought two Ridgid cordless drills. All the batteries went bad. The lifetime warranty was not worth the trouble. Ridgid does not return my calls and Home Depot cannot get ahold of them to find out the return procedure. I will be replacing them with Milwakee.

@Conrad I have had my tools serviced and my Batterys replaced since I purchased the Tool 5 years ago. all they needed was a serial number off one of the Tools. when I purchased these Tools they said they were Guaranteed for Life, Now the Tool service center said the I have to have a life time service number to get the Tools and Batteries warrentied. I will buy no more Ridged Products.

Read the fine print. Lifetime is defined by the serviceable life of the product. This is also defined as the period during which all components are available. In other words, when your tool dies, the lifetime is over and no warranty exists, or, if they run out of parts, your warranty is gone as well. The lifetime is not the your lifetime, but the lifetime of the tool. Thus, when it dies, your warranty dies too.

I asked this exact question of my HD salesman and he acted like I was being a bother to him. He stated lifetime is forever as long as I am alive. Turns out he was wrong. But, how do I prove months or years later what the HD salesman told me. I can’t so I’m screwed.

I would like to see someone record a conversation with their salesman prior to buying and then replay the recording for the manager when you find out that things are not as promised by the HD representative.

These trick word warranties written my POS lawyers are BS and someone needs to call them on it. They know what they are doing and misleading buyers with their BIG WORDS on the packaging “LIFETIME WARRANTY” and they run you ragged and not honor their warranty because you misunderstood. If you ask me, you could sue and win as there was never a meeting of the minds when you purchased since LIFETIME had a different meaning to each party. Also, the contract is construed in favor of the party who DID NOT write it, so any ambiguous terms are in favor of the buyer…so someone needs to set a precedent.

I purchased a combo kit about three years ago and I am not pleased with the battery life. The batteries no longer hold charge. My neighbor has a 15 year old Makita, and it still holds charge and works great.
The warranty requires you to send in old batteries for an undetermened amount of time. What do use in the meantime?? I blew 500 dollars on this combo and will not buy tools at Home Depot again…or anything else for that matter. I am going to disposable battery tools. Use it until it breaks and throw it away. Warranties are not worth the time and time is money.
Handy Man and remodel expert

@Dave

Its a scam…I was told to either package all the batteries and charger and ship it to Hd or I could take it to this repair shop. I drove 60 miles to find the place closed. Open by appointment. I took pictures of the place because its a scam. I took pictures of the signs at HD to prove there is nothing saying the store wouldnt do the exchange. Sending it to NYS atty Generals Office. Plus tomorrow when I see Governor Cuomo I am going to show him this.

I AM ALSO A HOLDER OF FOUR TOOL PACKS CONSISTING OF DEAD DRILLS BROKEN SAWZALLS MANY DEAD BATTERIES AND CHARGERS…I HAVE MY ORIGINAL RECIPT/COPY SEALED IN PLASTIC…NO FADEING..I WAS ALSO MISLED BY HOME DEPOT WHO CLAIMED TOOLS WOULD BE REPLACED MUCH LIKE SEARS CRAFTSMAN DOES…THEY AND RIDGID LIE LIE LIE…WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP WITH LAWSUIT…HAVE PLENTY OF PAPERWORK AND BROKEN PROMISES.

I had a problem with my 2 -24 volts batteries. Went to the repair shop. Within 48 hours I had 2 new ones. Thank you RIGID

@Phil

With any power tool it will eventually need service. If you don’t want to mail it somewhere make sure there is a service center near you. Mine is two miles away. I’ve had batteries replaced and drill motors replaced after 5 years of service at no charge. Ridgid is the same all over. Rigid named is owned by Emmerson, but TTI makes rigid. They also OWN Milwaukee and Ryobi along with other none tool companies.
I do admit that many HD people, both the tool department and others don’t know there head from a hole in the ground. Read the paperwork and go on line at the manufacturers website for facts.

All the other comments about tool change out by sears and others is true, but only within the extended warranty period. I have an 18V Bosch drill that failed at 2.5 years on a three year service and it was repaired free of charge. Took a week to get it back. If your income depends on this, then have a backup or wait.

I bought 6 of the small drills within 2 years ago and now have 8 bad batteris. I registered them properly on 3 separate occasions, none were confirmed . after 45 minutes on hold was told my name was not in the system…the serial# they say were 6 years old so even the 3 yr warranty is no good.(until i locate the reciepts) Ive made the mistake of buying other rigid tools but never again.. Now the $80,000 i spend a year at home depot is going to Lowes’
“they get Rigid when they bend you over”

Home Depot did not have warranty card to fill out, what do you need to register my husbands gift? I have a copy of the receipt and the UPC off the box.

Rigid 18v power drill had two months left in truck over night in the cold one battery dead won’t recharge, the other holds little charge. RIGID SUCKS FOR LIFE. But don’t worry you’ll only have them a short time before you MUST buy something else.

I bought and registered my 24v Hammer Drill and as a result of a computer crash, I no longer have my data. Ridgid will not cover the repair and I want to find others to join e in a class action lawsuit. Please send me an email if you are in a similar state.

@mark jewett
Need several people to join me in a threat for lawsuit. I am aware that a small group cna bring class action against Ridgid.

Same problem as everyone did not get informed properlly on regestering
for the lifetime batteries and now have a 400 dollar door stop thanks
to Rigid and HD so off to Lowes and Dewalt with my money

..me too, feel totally deceived by HD salesman who boasted the “lifetime warranty”. I screwed up by not registering the tools, but they had told me “just bring it back and we give you a new one”. Now that both batteries are dead, I find out they do nothing. No more fast talking HD guys for me

Ridgid tools warranty not worth paper written on!! The tools are fine, but the batteries are the worst I’ve ever used. Have owned a drill/ recip. saw combo set for1.5 years and would love to have my my money back. I also ‘fell’ for the lifetime warranty rouse @ H.D. After taking defective batteries back to a power tool repair facility, 15 miles out of my way, they have stopped servicing any Rigid Tools because of problems with reimbursement. Give me back my Dewalts!!!

I bought the 18v Ridgid combo pack from HD (Drill, Recip, Radio) in Jan 2010. Both batteries won’t hold a full charge. One dies after a few minutes and the other runs longer but doesn’t provide any torque. I bought the Ridgid name because of the lifetime service warranty but I’m not happy with the battery performance in only 1 1/2 – 2 yrs of light use. My first Makita 9.6 ran for 7 years before the batteries failed. I did regester the tools and received my LSA confirmation number. After reading all of your comments I am wondering what type of service I will receive. I’ll post back and let you know how I make out.

I made the mistake of getting hooked by the [BOGUS] ‘promotion’. I Registered my tools as directed, got all of the confirmations, and they STILL don’t honor their Misleading / Bogus / Fraudulent scheme to get their CRAP tools sold.
I would be HAPPY to participate in a Class Action Suit. Even if the lawyers are the only ones to get re$olution, I don’t care, I just want them punished. Forget ANY satisfaction from HD, eventhough it s THEY who pander these crappy tools with their BOGUS Warranty. Look at the mentality of the sales people, they get ZERO training, and know essentially them same.
So, tell me where to sign for the litigation !!

I first bought a combo kit in 2005 and for me the warranty is great. I bought another kit in 2008 to get an impact driver. 4 drills, 2 chargers and 4 batteries.

I got 2 motor replaced, 3 times they replaced with new batteries ( there first ion batteries wern’t good at all) and once one drill with the ”chuckle”.

I work as a carpenter and for the tools I have I guess I can say I got my moneys worth. Yes it does take time (4-6 weeks) to get repaired and the tools are a little heavier than lets say Makita drills but for me, so far nothing but thumbs up. When it breaks I go to there designated electrical repair store where he sends them in Ontario for repair-review … Never cost a thing …

BAD WARRENTY service.
No more Ridgid for me

RIGID

I had it right in the first place. RIDGID