Good German Products? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2015, 03:45:00 am
content: I will be travelling to Germany tomorrow...I was hoping to stock up on things such as screwdrivers and the sort (checking a bag) and will be in Munich for ~1week. Any suggestions?Thanks

author: SaabFAN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2015, 03:56:03 am
content: Are you sure they allow you to take all this stuff on the airplane on your trip back? ^^To get good quality products, just go to the next Home Depot (Bauhaus, Obi, Hagebau) and grab something that says "Made in Germany". If you need stuff for really small things, Conrad is where you need to go (there are probably other stores too, but I don't know them^^).

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2015, 04:06:53 am
content: Quote from: SaabFAN on August 13, 2015, 03:56:03 amI'm checking a bag so it should be fine. Customs may look at me funny though.And ah. That's what I was thinking, just popping into a hardware store and looking for the non imported stuff. Thanks

author: Andreas
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2015, 04:54:29 am
content: Hello,is it really necessary to travel to Germany?RS Components / DigiKey also sell the WIHA tools in the UK.http://www.wiha.com/en/But be aware that even WIHA has some low budged toolsand the real deal stuff with diamond coated tips.with best regardsAndreas

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2015, 05:22:37 am
content: Quote from: echen1024 on August 13, 2015, 03:45:00 amWhat are you looking for specifically?If it's just Wiha screwdrivers, there's plenty of places here in the US you can get them from, so no need to import them yourself. But you can certainly browse through hardware or tool stores. I mention this, as I'm under the impression you'd be able to get Gedore or Stahlwille more easily for example, and at lower prices than in the US. Maybe even other EU brands, such as those out of Switzerland.If it's something more specific, such as Schmitz (located in Solingen), you'd have to visit the factory. They also do direct sales and ship internationally.

author: continuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2015, 03:06:23 pm
content: You won't get Stahlwille or Gedore in a typical German "Home Depot" like store. They are aimed at hobbyists and the majority of stuff they sell is cheap and of lesser quality. If you want to buy professional grade mechanical tools you better visit one of the specialised "Stahlwarenhandel" (see yellow pages or ask local folks) stores, they supply Industry and Crafts. But be prepared, prices are "professional" grade too...And if you have some spare time to kill, don't miss on the "Deutsches Museum" in Munich, it's the worlds biggest museum of Science and Technology and you probably could spend the entire week there. It's amazing. And, of course, don't miss on the beer and pretzel and "Leberkäs"Have fun...

author: engiadina
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2015, 10:00:54 pm
content: In Munich, near Marienplatz have a look at a shop called "Kustermann". Though it looks they are selling mostly china and household stuff, have a look in the basement. Their tools departement is not shabby at all!

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 13, 2015, 10:45:58 pm
content: Quote from: continuo on August 13, 2015, 03:06:23 pmThis ^ interpretation wasn't my intention (assumed the reader would know those brands would have to be found in dedicated tool stores aimed at professionals). I also forgot to mention Hazet.FWIW, those three brands have quite a premium attached to them here in the US, particularly for brands that don't use a tool truck sales model such as Snap-On (similar or even higher prices than Snap-On as well).

author: bernroth
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2015, 09:40:22 am
content: I usually buy my tools from the company Hoffmann (seehttp://www.hoffmann-tools.com). You should be able to buy these quality products in the U.S. As well.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2015, 09:49:24 am
content: I'm a big fan of Knipex tools. Really well made and offer tools down to "PCB work" size. Not sure if they get sold outside Germany.McBryce.

author: chefkoch84
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2015, 09:53:50 am
content: If you wanna go for higher quality stuff perhaps its worth to drop by here:http://www.dictum-shop.de/The shop is located at east-station ("Ostbahnhof") and the entire concept is to just have high quality stuff. They have a very strong tendency towards woodworking, handtools and knifes. I still like to by small high quality stuff there.GreetingsMax

author: continuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2015, 11:36:07 am
content: Quote from: nanofrog on August 13, 2015, 10:45:58 pmOh, sorry nanofrog, it wasn't meant to offend you, my post was a reply to Saabfan, who mentioned German "Baumarkts" to get good quality stuff and my fear was the OP would be really disappointed there, because, in my experience, the typical "Baumarkt" mostly sells only the cheap stuff. Sorry if you got that wrong, i'm still struggeling with the language

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2015, 01:27:55 pm
content: Quote from: continuo on August 14, 2015, 11:36:07 amNo worries (wasn't offended at all, just trying to fix a perceived mistake on my end).

author: XynxNet
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2015, 04:26:10 pm
content: Continuo is right. Don't buy at our homedepot-like stores. They usually stock cheap, low quality tools.If you absolutly must visit such a store, as far as I know only "Bauhaus" sells some Knippex, Wera and Wiha products. But you won't find their top quality tools there.Keep in mind that top quality tools are sold worldwide these days. As far as tools go, there is no such thing as 'special quality sold only in Germany' any longer.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2015, 04:36:34 pm
content: Quote from: XynxNet on August 15, 2015, 04:26:10 pmI was surprised to see "WERA" tools in a "BAUHAUS" store lately and they are really good quality.http://wera.de/

author: XynxNet
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2015, 04:55:42 pm
content: I think the following shop might be worth a visit:Profi-Werkzeug-Markt/ HohenbrunnFriedrich-Bergius-Straße 1785662 Hohenbrunn-Münchenhttp://www.maschinen-stockert.de/wir-ueber-uns/profi-werkzeug-markt/They are part of a network of professional tool shops (http://www.union-werkzeuge.de). They primarily sell to professionals and companies.I personally don't know this particular shop, but I visited 5 shops from that network in other cities and they where always exceptional.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2015, 05:21:30 pm
content: Quote from: SaabFAN on August 13, 2015, 03:56:03 amConrad (notice 'con') sells Chinese crap for 4 times the price you can get it from Ebay or Aliexpress. So better to avoid Conrad. I'd also avoid 'home depot' like stores because they usually only carry the low end crap for occasional use even if it is from an A-brand. When I need to do construction on my home I go to a professional building materials store.I like the pictures from the shop linked in the posting above. I usually go to a similar shop in the NL for good tools. Shops which sell car parts to professionals also tend to have good quality tools.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2015, 10:18:26 pm
content: I'm definitely not a fan of Conrad, but they do actually sell the high quality stuff too like Knipex. But the price is higher than if you ordered it from Bobs Tools in Timbuktu and chose the "Delivered personally by a virgin Mermaid on a Unicorn" option.McBryce.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2015, 03:58:19 am
content: I was a bit strapped on time so just shopped around Marienplatz and the Ostbahnhof. I found some nice Wiha handtools that were much cheaper than the US, and felt very good quality. As for Conrad, I think McBryce and nctnico sum it up perfectly.

author: mos6502
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2015, 04:36:27 am
content: Agree on Conrad, but ... one exception is this, a full set of Walter made in Germany metric combo wrenches from 5.5 to 34mm for 40 European pesos:http://www.conrad.de/ce/de/product/826745/Ringmaul-Schluessel-Satz-23tlg-Schluesselweite-55-34-mm-Walter-Werkzeuge-370281009?queryFromSuggest=trueThis is an insane deal, but has to be ordered, as it's not available in their stores.But if you really want tools from Germany, you're way better off finding someone who orders them online and forwards them to you. Most of the stuff in stores is ridiculously overpriced. Except Hornbach, if you use their price matching guarantee. Hornbach also carries Alpen drills (made in Austria, but close enough), which are of extremely high quality. The Alpen Multicut drills are amazing. They're tungsten carbide tipped and you can drill just about anything with them, including hardened steel, tile and glass. I don't know if you can even find anything like that in the states.For an online tool store, check outhttp://www.svh24.de/. They have really good prices and free shipping, and they carry literally everything.Yes. Literally. Everything.http://www.svh24.de/ks-tools-bronze-hubwagen-963.5905-177016

author: vodka
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2015, 05:56:56 am
content: i don't believe that svh24 sell too to other countries and i believe that this online web have committed an Epical FAIL,don't put them at other languages options or at least in english

author: mos6502
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2015, 06:04:39 am
content: They do ship to a bunch of EU countries:http://www.svh24.de/versandkostenuebersichtBut yeah, site is only in German. I think the company is fairly new, so maybe they'll add an English option in the future?