Are Tools from TEMU Worth Considering? 

It's fairly well known that they tend to stiff their suppliers and if you do buy from them watch your credit card transactions and never 'save' you details with them. It seems quite a few people have made purchases and ended up buying more than they were expecting.

Buying tools that aren't made in some poor-wage factory is as hard these days as shopping groceries with no added sugar.

@@jakobvanklinken I wouldn't disagree. It is surprisingly difficult to source products not made in China. I sell power tools for a living and the vast majority of products are made in China (or if they're trying to be sneaky -PRC).

​@@viviencloggerwhat brands aren't made in China? Be good to know where to spend money

@@tommotube you have to look carefully where they're made by looking on the box itself. You might think that Milwaukee was made in - well - Milwaukee, but some are made in China, Mexico and Germany. It's the same with Bosch - you'd assume Germany but some are also made in China. I suspect the cheaper ranges are made in some mega factory in China that manufactures for multiple brands (which is the case for washing machines and TVs apparently) and higher end products are made in Europe or the US. But I could be wrong. Until you look at the box, you won't know.

Oh my - yes! I hadn’t considered that. Top work!

Am stealing this idea immediately.

I love a good Macguever - that is the kind of stuff I like to do

Bravo sir 👏 excellent idea 💡

WE CRAZY AMERICANS, ALWAYS TAKING NEAR NOTHING & MAKING SOMETHING. 😁

😂love ur content 😂

Buy cheap, buy twice.

"It is sawing and it has got a chain." An honest review.

Use your other tumb

On blue laser try twisting black lens?

Lol

Did you get the tools from temu?

You win the YT comment of the week for that! LOL!

Yes yes, too much lead in the paint from the T shirt. Yes yes, lets buy that. Its not regulated at all. Anything.

Yep, I got one to slip in my pocket and it's great...but maybe it makes a difference that I knew what I was getting!

I also thought it might be work with hex bits and such, working like an allen wrench or so with changable bits... Don't know if anyone needs this but it's an option, maybe to take on a bike tour or have in the car

Yep. I've had one for many years that came as part of a security bit set. Mine came with a range of bits, security bits, and a 1/4" driver and sockets from 5mm to 15mm. It's been really useful over the few decades that I've had it.

I use the same chainsaw for the exact same purpose. Especially for it's size. I needed to put a jubilee clip on the drill side to keep it running, it was splitting in 2 when was locking in a branch

Similarly with me, except mine was in a kit that was flooded out and rusted to the point that it was not worth saving the pieces. Kit was 20+ years old when it was flooded, and I went without for about 4 years before I found a replacement at Temu. Haven't been available as an individual item or part of a kit in that time within Australia, glad to replace it with the Temu product. I have found that I need to use a computer or tablet when shopping at Temu as the text on the screen of my phone con be a bit small and my eyes are showing their age. Overall have had a good experience with their product, but I have been somewhat picky when selecting items.

@@walterjwalnut9964I just got their sewing machine...$20-25, and with the foot pedal it's an excellent basic machine. Laser hair removal too. It gets rid of age spots too 🤭

I mean two separate engineered products, not that the sewing machine does laser hair removal 😂

But Temu didn't start until July 2022, and will close within the 3 year norm of useless companies

@@guyellis9095 Useless comments are already out of style.

@@guyellis9095 I have the same wrench in my toolbox. I don't even remember where it came from, probably Amazon or Walmart. I don't get the misunderstanding by the vid maker, all the 90* screwdriver adapters of this size and shape would have a 1/4" hex drive shaft on the long end. This wrench looks exactly like a close-quarters socket wrench.

I've had a set of angled screwdrivers for nearing 1/2 century now. Tho the bit isn't interchangeable, they have saved me MANY times. But I really do like the bit change idea since I have Torx & Allen bits I use weekly in tight places.

@@guyellis9095 Temu did not invent the wrench

😆

😂😂😂

it didn't look much faster than a simple one hand-operated pruning saw?

​@marcdc6809 it isn't, and you'd struggle to lose much in the way of skin/tendons/digits with that option.

I agree. Was surprised what Stuart was saying about them, thought as an engineer he would know the difference between plastics. £12 is not a lot if you are a pro working outside, there is also a lot about the holster mechanism that is important too, there are vids where pro carpenters go into great detail about these pencils!

Agree 100%..I use my tracer everyday...the coloured leads are great too

​@@dannymurphy1779look at the channel title, Proper DIY err as in it's for DIYers, it's not Proper Engineer or Proper Tradesman. As a former draughtsman and a present DIYer these pencils and the Long Nibbed Pens are good value and you can get the pens in white for working on metal also.

I use it to trace anatomical parts

But if you've got a pair of aliminium calipers they won't stick to magnets, and will last a hell of a lot longer than cheap chinese plastic crap

@@strangelybrown2003 I've not seen aluminium body calipers for sale. In the video a mistake is made as the metal calipers are clearly marked as being made of stainless.

Stainless isn't very magnetic...however electroplated chrome over steel is...I check for nonSS screws in stainless screw sets with a magnet becuase the stainless won't grab

@@norml.hugh-mann Depends on the alloy, the stainless used in all the calipers I own is pretty magnetic, certainly enough to be an issue when measuring magnets and holds enough residual magnetism to pick up steel swarf which is irritating.

Stainless verniers will scratch a lot of things quite badly; glass, jewellery, p,astic items etc. Plastic ones are not accurate like a machinist would need, but are fine for many practical tasks.

I have one on a pole. It is an adventure. Two speeds, STOP and COMPLETELY BERSERK. It makes my big chain saw look very tame in comparison.

If they actually work. Mine arrived and it didn't work properly. Yes I did insert a battery.

I have a snap on one, could probably buy 40 of these ones for the price i paid

I was going to write this exact same comment! :D i have that very same wrench, and i love it as it allows to work in tight places.

Yes, but they are supposed to turn. Some use a cable type system and others actually are geared. The one they are selling is nothing different than using a box wrench.

Me too! My Torx drivers are mounted in a holder that clips to the handle. Of course, all my other hex-drive bits fit it as well. Not an everyday tool for me, but great when I do need it.

I have the set too maybe 15 yrs old but one end has become loose & the bit drops out. So now I know where to get a replacement. It is a great little set for electric stuff.

As does every single app on your mobile phone, not even to mention MS Windows which is probably the biggest reseller of our private data lol

@tismeagen I bought some cheap diamond hole cutters from Amazon, 10 for £10.00, cutting 10mm porcelain tiles for pipework and they did a great job, already payed for themselves, sometimes it's not worth buying expensive tools unless your a professional and use them all the time.

@@dogbreath6974 Did you have to buy one for every hole you drilled?

You earn a right to preach that if and when you too become a master-craftsperson. Life is about nuance. When you pass-on second-hand information, albeit from your own father, the nuance seems to get lost.

The issue isn't (just) replacing them. It's the quality of the _work_ they produce. A lot of people focus on the tool itself instead of what you're trying to achieve with it. There's a big channel here on RU-vid (name starts with a "p" and ends in "roject farm") where they go to great lengths to test how _durable_ tools are and how far they can be pushed, but they rarely look at the finish quality of the thing they're using the tool on (ex., they'll test how fabric scissors hold up after trying to cut a nail - something no real user is likely to do - but they don't check the edges of the fabric after cutting it, or how the cut quality varies from the base to the tip). I guess that's what happens when you have a "product testing" channel and need to test a lot of products you don't actually use or understand very well. Anyway, my point is: sometimes a tool that needs to be replaced more often is actually preferable, because it does the job better, and as a craftsman (not a tool collector) that's what you _really_ care about. And sometimes cheap (or expensive, but naturally it happens more with cheap) tools last a long time... but do a bad job every time. TL;DR: _Bad_ tools are expensive (even if they're cheap) because you'll either waste a lot of time trying to recover what they mess up, or because you end up having to buy a better tool to replace them anyway (and could have just bought that one to begin with).

It depends on the task. Let say for framing, I could cut the 2x4 with any saw. Quality of the cut barely matters.

In the UK, YOU WOULDD BE ARTESTED, if you were found with ANY lock back bladed knife or similar tool !

First day on the internet? 😉

You will now!

I recommend undoing a stuck screw on a Stanley knife using an impact driver. Only once, so you learn to never do it again. There was a lot of blood. Disclaimer - DO NOT DO THIS.

It depends on what you want to do with items. I cannot get about the shops any longer and find Temu an easy method of purchasing items.

I've purchased several item from Temu and very satisfied with all . They have junk and good stuff . If you don't know the difference don't buy it . I've bought a lot of brand named junk in my life .

@homie3461I have no idea of the quality of the Temu item but it has all the same features and appearance that my old one has...black rubber type sleeve and spring clips on the hex ferrules I just know how handy mine has been over the years-definately not a piece of shit!.

Yes agree an angled drive like that can be the only tool that does the job.

To be fair all chainsaws are just dangerous. Always be safe regardless of tools. But I think he hit the nail on the head with useful for pruning. Without needing to buy / rent a full power chainsaw… If you are looking for more buy a chainsaw & safety gear..

the plastic digital caliper is brilliant, as with any measuring device, use the same device get the same reading, 2x dewalt tape measures can give 2 different readings so use the same one each time. a piece rope works if you stick with the same rope

@@dannythorpe1425 Exactly

I've found they do ship, some of the stuff is surprisingly good other stuff is tat, I find it's mostly the clothing that's good, steer clear of the tools or 'tech'

I never had a problem getting my stuff from Temu and always on time. One of my son's orders were a day late and he got $5 refund within 2 days,no problem/no hassle. I've never ordered tools so I can't comment on that.

I've used them many times ,any problems fixed quickly( an item was damaged , refunded straight away no need to return item) quick delivery,£5 credit if the parcel is even 1 day late

Yes, that is rare for them to REALLY ship what you ordered instead of shipping what you didn't ordered and then charging you additional fees!

​@@babjikarri4432 I think you are right. Some products are crap, but there are useful items. Few though!

Yes, I remember my dad having one, looking back, a dangerous piece of kit.

I had a B&D drill that had an attachment that made it a circular saw. It did have a guard on it, but that was all. It was good enough to knock up a set of replacement kitchen cupboard doors and then the drill itself gave up.

I too had that awful kit of crap. Everything was dangerous, cheap and nasty.

@@philgray3443 hi Phil, just to let you know, I still have the B&D drill, and it is still going, I got it second hand anout forty years ago, cheers mate, best regards from a Kiwi living in Australia

I bought a cheapish set of amazon last april £26 and still working spot on, so far so good. I don't think they can burn through batteries; some of these manufacturers don't insert a plastic tab to isolate the batteries until the end user pulls it out, hence the batteries may have significant hours done before the consumer receives the product.

@@kevocos - They do burn through batteries. You can find several videos right here on RU-vid comparing the power consumption of different calipers. Some of the cheapest ones use as much power turned off as they do when turned on. Good ones go into low-power mode as soon as they stop moving, and into ultra-low-power mode when turned off (they still retain the position / zero calibration). I had a cheap set that would invariably be dead when I took it out of the drawer after not using it for a month or two. I probably spent more on batteries for that thing than the total cost of Temu's catalogue. 😛

@@RFC3514 Ok so my one, a cheap one, that still is on the same batteries from April and is working fine actually needs new batteries?

​@@kevocosSooner or later, you'll find it needs batteries, and uses them at least twice as fast as a Mitutoyo or similar good brand... Been there, done that.

@@kevocos - No idea. Have you checked it against another one? Some cheap ones from eBay lose accuracy as the batteries get weaker. "Sold by Amazon" brands tend to be at least decent, but lots of things sold _on_ Amazon are actually from 3rd party sellers.

I'm sure you're right regarding safety tests so, the obvious question is: why do Trading Standards turn a blind eye if the product is imported from China? We're all aware that not only mechanical equipment but also electrical imports can be quite dangerous. How on Earth, and from whom, do you get redress when the inevitable happens? Just another facet of changing values in what passes for our 'society' today, I suppose.

With common sense, you can order Chinese made products direct for about 1/3 of what you pay in a retail store. Using common sense, I've been pleased with everything I bought, and saved a ton of money. That said, I would not order parachutes or defibrillators from them. Common sense.

I bought one from Poundland about 15 years ago and it still works.

You have vertical floors? 😲

as long as the bubbles are true it does what it does.

@@Jules_Pew How much did it cost?

The truly useful ones, are those that can project either a single straight line that is rotatable between "horizontal", "vertical" or any angle in between; and that can also project a 90° crossed lines, usually by simply sliding the prism in front of the Laser. I bought one at the Canadian chain store tgat is equivalent to the American "Radio-Shack" called "Exxtech", and its crossed pair or lines are SURPRISINGLY exactly at 90° when the Laser is pointed exactly perpendicular to the surface... even more precise than most of my (lousy) Stanley and Empire "squares" (!)...

I got one from there the other day but haven't used it yet and was wondering the same.

I got the feeling that if you let go of the perpendicular handle and used it one handed the chain saw would spin around. Is that not true?

@@abc24601 LOL One would think so. 😆😂💫

😮 - U must B a total wally!/ daredevil : I only use hand saws when pruning trees up a ladder .

Exactly! I spun the wheel and got an angle grinder stand for A$7.45, but had to add other tat to bring the order up to $20. I'm not sure the crutchless panties and bondage kit were on my original order.

Lol

You eat wood 😎

You can eat my wood 🪵

China actually has about ten different levels of product quality... You probably are reading this comment on a Chinese made smartphone, tablet, Laptop or Desk computer and its monitor... If you look around you, most probably you will find many perfectly good products that were made in China. Now, the problem is caused by the greedy intermediaries or western importers, that push the lower (-or lowest) quality level articles onto unsuspecting consummers worlwide. Only when the truly discerning and demanding consummers go and demand the upper quality Chinese products, it will start to displace out the garbage level merchandise. But every time a lousy chinese product is bought, money is wasted and the shitty importer cashes on the cheap buyer that always tries to "save pennies"...

I have the similar kit ,had it gifted as a promo and yes that little wrench is handy a hell.

I bought a cheap black and decker drill nearly 20 years ago (I only used it as a screwdriver), and it came with one of those. The drill was binned years ago, but that little thing is still in my tool kit, and still used regularly.

Nowt to do with being a brand snob at all- it's about trusting your tools and preventing injury to yourself and others. This crap should not even be allowed as although its nit capable of performing any job- it IS capable of doing you serious injury- especially when it snags- snaps and flies in your face.

The manufacturing of these products is no different than the products the retailers sel. Temu have just cut out that middle 'retailers 33% markup' amount and passed it onto consumers

But effectively Canada only. And now Torx is available I think that design is now a lost opportunity.

I wondered the same thing. It does look like it rotates.

I don’t disagree - but the dichotomy for many is whether you end up paying through the nose for a brand. Now retired, we were a commercial furniture business. Therefore, we wanted tools that were of professional quality (by which we define as robust, accurate and with service back up). So, we have a lot of Festool, Mafell and some by Makita and Bosch. When we were buying a tool, we asked ourselves how much use were we looking for. If it were a tool for one specific job, then we might buy cheap; if it was tool that would be used many times, then we bought high quality. However, high quality doesn’t mean high prices. We used several Woodpecker measuring tools. Excellent quality but incredibly expensive (I would imagine their prices include a huge margin for sponsorship and marketing). We dipped our feet in the water by buying a Veiko tool through Banggood. Bought one; loved it and bought many more. They are very robust, as accurate as we need (we haven’t yet started building aircraft and so it is woodworking accurate) and a fraction of the price. It’s a nightmare for beginners. How do they know the quality of what they are buying? I’d agree that the products from Aldi and Lidl are low risk - not great for prolonged use but at a good price and with a good service back up

As long as you apply some common sense when purchasing, I find Aldi/Lidl (non-powerer) tools adequate for most casual DIY jobs. However, I've invested in more robust power tools.

​@@Chris-pv2htCheck his previous videos, parkside quality has massively improved over the past year

​@Chris-pv2ht parkside have a lotnof good stuff and for the price you really cant go wrong because if it breaks you can just buy another

Not to mention they are probably harvesting your data.

I’ve got one too had it for years ,it came as a set with screw bits . It’s not trying to be something it’s not it’s very handy