Kicked myself for buying a $80 power stretcher without checking first

I picked up one of those cheap power stretchers from a big box store a few months ago, figured it would save time on a big living room install. First job with it, the head popped off after like 15 minutes and I had to finish with my knee kicker. Lost 3 hours messing with returns and still had to borrow a buddies real one to get the job done. Has anyone else gotten burned on budget tools that just fall apart right away?

2 comments

2 Comments

mary_martin2215h ago

yep, learned that lesson the hard way too. honestly the cheap ones are basically just toy versions of the real tool. if you're doing more than one room, rent a legit one from sunbelt or home depot for like $20 a day and save yourself the headache.

alex30711h ago

honestly i gotta push back on this one. i bought that same $80 power stretcher from the big box store and its been fine for me through like 12 jobs now. maybe i got lucky or maybe people just dont read the manual about tightening the head bolts before use. @mary_martin22 said rent one but $20 a day adds up fast if you do more than a couple rooms a year. i keep mine in the truck and it pays for itself every time i dont have to run to home depot last minute. sure its not a crain or a roberts but for a homeowner or side gig guy it works. you just gotta prep it right and not treat it like a rental tool.