Are Aldi Workzone and Ferrex tools any good?
Aldi (like Lidl) is a strange store. Not content with simply offering cut price groceries, if you manage to walk out of the store without a brand new HD TV, a WIFI-extending double power socket, and an inflatable dingy in your bag with your 17 tins of bakes beans, you’ve got more resolve than I.
The middle aisle, as it is known, is a constantly rotating stock of goodies available at bargain prices. With everything from baby toys to inverter generators, it’s not a surprise to see it often has a wide range of tools under their Workzone and Ferrex brands available to buy.
The problem with this is you can’t just pop to Aldi anytime to pick up the random orbit sander you want, instead you have to wait for it to reappear, and pick it up before they sell out. This has improved somewhat recently with the introduction of their e-commerce store, which lets you pre-order items, and tends to have stock for longer than the brick and mortar stores, but this also operates on the principle of when it’s gone, it’s gone, so if you miss it, you’ll need to wait until they feature it again.
There’s also no grantee that the drill they’re selling next week is the same one they sold last year, because Workzone and Ferrex are what’s know as private (or phantom) brands. These are brands owned not by a manufacturer or producer but by a retailer or supplier who gets its goods made by a contract manufacturer under its own label. As such, The Ferrex power screwdriver you purchased last week was likely manufactured by an entirely different company to the table saw you’re going to buy next week.
Often times it’s easy to see who the manufacturer of a product is (it will sometimes have this information available in the small print on the box), and other times it’s obvious who it might be, so you’re able to do a direct price comparison, and check the reviews of the product on sites like Amazon before you part with your cash.
But, are Workzone and Ferrex tools any good? In my opinion, the answer is yes.
As a new maker with limited budget, I’ve purchased my fair share of tools from Aldi (13 at last count, as you can see from my tools list), and so far I’ve only had a problem with one of them.
The tool in question was a Ferrex band saw, with the problem relating to the saw blade refusing to stay in place, and slipping off as soon as it started to turn. So far as I can tell, I was simply unfortunate, as I have used someone else’s Aldi band saw (which worked perfectly), and around nine-out-of-ten reviews on their own site were positive, so I guess I just got a dodgy one.
But not to fear, because in addition to their 3 year warranty, they offer a 30 day money back guarantee, and had no problem immediately refunding my money. I would have ordered another one with the refund, but seeing as I’d purchased it with money I didn’t really have, I decided I’d wait until next year.
Now, please understand that a £30 drill from Aldi isn’t going to compare with a £300 one from a brand like DeWalt. But they’re not really aimed at the same people, and for someone like me, who is a weekend woodworker and DIYer, I’m very happy to recommend Aldi’s Workzone and Ferrex products.
ferrex are an Austrian compoany and according to their web site have been around for over a 100 years
“FERREX” is a home brand (or own brand?) of Aldi for power tools and accessories. The two main suppliers for the brand are “Walter Werkzeuge” in Salzburg, Austria (the one you are refering to) and “Conmetall Meister” in Celle, Germany (a subsidary of Würth Group), among others. The manufacturers are usually in China and the tools are often just rebranded existing tools or slightly modified versions (e.g. for the Active Energy common battery system).
I live in Salzburg and visit the outlet store of Walter Werkzeuge on occasion, as they often sell returns, product samples or tools that are only for sale at Aldi or Lidl in the UK at reduced prices.
Love my weed eater,but i need a replacement part,the cap that covers the spool, where do I order it ?
b-gr8 spare should be able to help you.
Like a previous poster I bought a Ferrex bandsaw,and the blade kept slipping after 1 year of occasional use.They sent me a replacement blade,but it too slipped. Eventually I gave up and threw the bandsaw away. So frustrating that it was hard to get in contact with them. I won’t buy Ferrex again
Are you sure you pulled the right tension on the blade mate.? They’ll all slip if not adjusted right
I don’t know about the ferrex but the workzone cordless drills were good I had two of them and put them to a lot of use , I work in property maintenance the only thing that let them down was the charging cables they were not heavy duty enough I now have one drill left and no way to charge it , if the workzone drills turn up again I would bye two more at £30 each
You can order a replacement charger on eBay for £16.00. I’m opting for ordering a mylex on eBay for £39.95 with a molded case as per the link:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cordless-Drill-Set-18V-New-Kit-Screwdriver-DIY-Lithium-Ion-Large-Accessory-Mylek-/143427026589?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0
I got a presher wosher for Christmas and the charger wos not in it owl i nead the charger pleas thank you
You’ll need to talk to the store for that.
I chose to purchase equipment that has nothing to do with China. Should it be made and owned by Austrians;; i will give it a chance.
That sounds like a mission and a half. Good luck to you.
Fun fact; The odds that ANYTHING electrical, electronic or mechanical that you buy has “nothing to do with China” are very, very low. Regardless of where the label says the item was produced.
Component supply chains are extremely complex.
What device did you type your comment into, by the way?
I bought a Ferrex cordless drill expecting it to good German engineering quality since Aldi are a german company. The drill is the biggest piece of s%&t that I have ever bought! It drilled and screwed off centre since the chuck wa out of alignment. Also on 2 speed it made a horrible clunking noise every time the motor stopped. Never been so dissapointed about a purchase in my life. Aldi are great for food and drink at super good prices/value but I will steer of them for anything else./
Drill bits are better than top names and I hate to say it but I’ve even found the breaker/ core drill better than the top name one I had, I’m a dewalt man through and through and tool snob so for me to say this is hard ha ha . Aldi tools are really good quality
Hi just bought a vertex multi tool from Aldi,but can’t find any replacement blades that will fit any ideas ?
My multitool is also from Aldi. To be honest, I’ve not needed to find any replacements myself, yet, but I would have assumed it was a standard fit? If not, then you’ll probably need to wait for Aldi to get some more blades in stock, or have a look on eBay.
Yeah, means nothing- everything built to a price. . 3rd tool now with switch issues
i purchased the FERREX metal bandsaw online and could not be more happy with it the blades can be ordered online if you are prepared to wait
Its even cut 4inch CDS tubing with no issues if you take the time to set it up and keep it lubricated this will last years the added bonus for me
is the LED work light is bright and how quite it is when running
The user manual with my bench drill (Ferrex) has Einhell in the ‘declaration of conformity’ at the rear of the book.
I have heard of Einhell but no idea how good they are supposed to be.
I’m sure I got an actual Einhell from Alsis or Lidls
Toolstation sell Einhell tools
Aldi used to, too.
Now all sorts of shops are selling that ”brand”.
Bought a 5 in one multi garden tool. the clutch wont engage the drive. unfortunately cant find the receipt so cant go back to the store. cant contact the help company by phone . nobody answers. in a queu on the website for help but nobody replies.
lesson learnt. 1 keep receipts. 2 buy quality tools and buy cut out the angst
That review must be fake.. These tools are garbage. The brushes go after no time. B an q own brand is much better. The three year warranty is a Roose.. Don’t waste ya money
Not true, go ask for a warranty after 13 months with DeWalt, Makita,Festool etc.
I have box of useless power tools bought altogether for around €2500 at least and no Lidl,also etc tools. Why, because i can afford throwing away €50 but not €900 Festool. Don’t use tools what they aren’t meant for, good to drive 35mm screws a 1000 times in but 10cm 6mil ones
Tools aint tools anymore folks. How can they be when there’s so much cheap plastic in them. Even the metal is like tin these days. Low steel content, cheap low grade alloy. If everyone in the world kept their receipts, kept sending them back inside the warranty period, the stores would be overflowing with returns, instead of your local tips. Things will only change then, and governments could do their part by having a manufacturing tax based around sustainability, not taxing the poor old consumer by dumping these trash nasty items in landfill and charging a waste tax. I bet the hard earned money you pay doesn’t break down or disappear once it’s in the accounts of the multinational corporations. Profit isn’t everything…
love this. Attenborough scared me enough when i was 7 to keep mending and make do. I’m from the fixit generation. Used to be able to fix any car with generic parts. Leyland were best same electrical/igniton parts on Allegroes, Rovers and Jags. Now Fiat engine in a vauxhall produced with chinese components. Crap. No wonder the world is going down.
Ive never had a problem with any Aldis power tools
Oeps: Do NOT drive in 10cm screws
Buy cheap buy twice
the only bad thing i have ever bought at Aldi is a Ferrex 3300w Garden Blower/Vacuum..It works well but a very dangerous imp. lement when vaccing up leaves picked a small pebble up and when it hit the fan there was a very loud bang and the pebble shot thru the casing at a very high velocity. Had someone maybe a child close by it could have been fatal. Aldi re placed the blower and the same thing happened this week. I do not think this garden blower is safe to use and ferrex should be taken to task. Idid report this incident to Ferrex and they replied when it is returned to them from Aldi a report would be made.
Why you would report to Ferrex, who would just recall it from sale in stores and nothing more is beyond me.
Trading standards is the place to report such dangerous products being sold in the UK, if it was deemed unsafe, then Aldi would have to issue a recall for all units sold that have the discovered defect.
The blower is designed to do what it did. (Not hurling projectiles to a person!) It has to be powerful enough to vac, blow, and sometimes grind the leaves. The user is responsible for safety, and any discretion needed for everyone’s benefit
Don’t buy cheap tools. Here’s why 1. Buy cheap, buy twice. 2. A good tool will last a lifetime. 3. Tools that are looked after don’t lose much value. 4. Waste – the environment suffers from all this cheap Chinese cra that breaks and gets thrown away!
It depends on the application. I used Bosch blue angle grinders because I always bought quality, however doing a really dusty cement render removal, they didn’t last anyway. Also, the brand name stuff can be a target for thieves.
Ridiculous comment. Tools progress. Even if you’d bough a Dewalt 30 years ago you’d want to throw it away now. It would be a heavy 9.6V 20Nm 1.2Ah NiCd (that the battery would no longer work on)!
workzone tools or now under the name Worx are cheap tools ,for occasional use,definitely wont stand the rigors of Tradesmen use Bought many tools over years TILL NOW cordless drill ,charger broke,to get full 3 yr warranty every tool must be registered online ,otherwise its 2 yr warranty!! I have been in dispute with Worx since March 2020 returned my drill ,promised a replacement as mine was out of production ,accepted,SILENCE,got back in touch no record of claim ,went thru it all again SILENCE ,Emailed again Different Dept ,told not entitled to replacement only have refund ,6month on still waiting NOW they seem to have changed Email Address so as now cannot get in touch -ON GOING ……Buyer Beware ….Buy from reputable company NOT A VEG SHOP
I`mm thinking of purchaceing a ferrex bench grinder but cant see what R P M it does
Purchased 6 in 1 ferrex from Aldi in Australia NSW
March 2020
The guard to calburetta has a srcrew (black cap .)
The black cap screw has snapped off now guard cannot cover the carberetta
I need a replacement screw
Three year warranty should cover replacement
Any Idea where to get hte srcrew from?
They only deliver if I live in Austria Germany or france
I purchased the Ferrex Table Saw. Did about 30 cuts. It seemed good enough. Then, it just died. Nothing shorted. It just wouldn’t work.
I have contacted Aldi’s warranty claims company. Haven’t heard back from them in a week. Emailed Aldi. Haven’t heard back from them either.
So, will take it back to the store for a refund.
I bought a lot of Aldi tools, sometimes 2 & 3 of each types.I never kept my receipts and they wouldn’t accept faulty goods.There tools were not meant for commercial use!Im not a tradie.I bought several cordless drills, one of mine the the drill developed a long crack(never through or drop my tools) bought pneumatic tool and never used for a while, when I did need them they wouldn’t word(stapler & Brad nailer.Lastly I had 3 grinders(125ml)One started smoking,one caught fire& the last one the brushes collapsed & the commutator welded itself.
Ive purchased numerous Aldi tools battery and power..only replaced the grinder after many hundreds of hours work ..mostly dust producing work….renovated an entire house and landscaping with them…most are heading towards end of life…so decided to try far better Makita tools …and just use the old aldi ones for the shittiest dirtiest jobs. All in all …for cheap tools they are pretty good imo
Personally used a few of the Ferrex tools in my job and they have done me well, the impact driver is in constant use daily for over a year and by far stronger than my more expensive one. I can’t fault them at all from what experience I have with them
Why do Aldi insist on selling cordless items without battery and charger. Checkout person told me someone brought 4 of each. So none left to buy for my vac cleaner. Its absurb and checkout guy said they won’t sell battery and charger with vacuum as its about profits. Now have to return vacuum cleaner. Doesn’t make sense, also too hard to contact Aldi no phones ,I used internet on their website then says error sending message, must be automatic when complaint sent
I will admit, the inability to know if I’ll ever be able to buy replacement batteries, is one of the reason I’ve largely skipped their wireless stuff.
Why are these idiots complaining of tools sold as naked body only? Read the box! I bought SDS at Aldi store then charger, strimmer and 20/40 battery online. Just bought 40v chainsaw and I am happy with them all (one battery is all)…and this coming from a Makita cordless addict (15x 18v makitas) plus £650 makita mitre, plus dewalt table saw and dewalt large angle grinder. Ferrex is decent I didnt really want to invest in another battery system but charger and three 20/40v tools for £155 is excellent, I have a 240v sds and 20″ petrol chainsaw and it’s great to have a smaller tool from ferrex. Their chainsaw is very good, light enough for tree climbing. Strimmer is rarely used and seems fine. £20 a bargain as i was looking at makita’s 36v for well over £100. Ferrex so far have not disappointed or let me down. Dry ya eyes, or put your tool down bodger!!
We’ve had a dreadful experience with the Ferrex bandsaw, I’d be cautious.
Brought my garden blower last year .I am unable to get the bottom pipes to fit in .
Brought a ferrix 125 grinder used it for 2 days only light work and the switch has gone ,found the reciept for every other tool i have brought except this one.Thats my fault but not happy .
I’ve only had two problems with Aldi Ferrex tools.
The jigsaw’s OK, but not spectacular in any way. I have an expensive Makita and get far better control and precision. However the Aldi does beast it on dust collection from the cut point. Probably because the Makita system is so Heath Robinson and draws from the side, whereas the Aldi draws to behind the blade – where you’ve already cut.
The multi tool is better than the cheap branded corded one I had. This includes noise and vibration. I’ve used the DeWalt ones and much prefer the DeWalt trigger. But, the Ferrex is superb at its price point.
The angle grinders (I have 2) are better than any I’ve owned in the last decades and they have been worked hard, mainly on metal. Three friends have borrowed one of these and two of them went out and bought their own based on how well they performed.
The 20 quid drill has no run out or float, is well designed and works well, albeit it’s heavy compared to top brand equivalents.
Others have commented on the impact driver – it’s a beast.
The SDS drill – it’s not as powerful, well featured or well built as my Makita. But for typical DIY use well up to the job and – will get into much tighter spaces.
The only problems I have experienced so far are:
(1) Using the 20v 2ah batteries. They’re not up to more than light work. Used with the impact driver to drive in lots of 100mm (and longer screws) they got hot (never good for a battery) and ran out of juice quickly. The same when used with the grass trimmer (below). The 20/40 5ah batteries haven’t suffered the heat problem.
(2) The lawn trimmer. This is a sturdy well designed bit of kit. However, getting replacement pairs of plastic blades (Aldi Far 20-1) at a reasonable price seems impossible. Anyone have a good source?
Great post! Why not have a look at this fantastic sprayer
I just bought a Ferrex bench drill press, clearly marked on the box. Made in China, here’s hoping it’s ok, won’t hold my breath though.
I’m sick of being screwed over by Aldi not supplying batteries for their tools. Same with chargers, seems like they never sell the 3 together so any tool you buy is completely useless without the other two. Hard to revue anything if you can’t power it up.
Do air hammers work better than a hair dryer? This depends on how you want to use them. If you want to use the head without any pressure, then an air hammer may not be your best option. The air hammer works very well if you use it with a comb, hair dryer or any other drying mechanism.
Produced by positec tools- generic and classed as disposable. I had a worx saw. Contacted company after the main drive grear failed to be told at £60 it is classed as a disposable product by them. Main company website boasts of their green credentials and how they produce top quality repairable products. a case of Caveat emptor. but i will only buy where it can be replaced or repaired.
Bought 2 pole saws they worked fine misplaced charger cords Ferrex impossible to contact directly even e mailed Aldi no one carries the charger cords can anyone suggest anything
Bought a ferret circular saw at Aldi 31/12/2020 stopped working 15/09/2021 after light use , who do I contact about 3 year guarantee ?
Have you tried taking it back to the store you got it from?
I’m an engineer with 35 years experience and have no problems with their tools, you do need to set them up and use them correctly of course, but I have found they can take quite the punishment of a hard workload.. If you’re breaking them, you may need to figure out what you’re doing wrong.
just bought a ferrex rechargeable electric screwdriver and and I pray I have better luck with it than others have with their products.
Purchased a Ferrex Generator last June in Aldi Box Hill Melbourne in case of a power failure. Never used it and still in the box. is anybody out there that have used this equipment?
any comments on a 3300w?
Ferrex PLYL-50A MiniTrimmer. Bought the tool 2 wks ago, thought the battery from drill might fit. It didn’t. Went back to buy battery, NLA. So I was told. Bought two on eBay at ginormous price. Got 2 hours use, blades locked up, pushed the cam aside and stripped the thread mounting its axle to the bottom blade. Cleaned up the notch in the blade and got another 2 hrs use, a different pair of blades jammed (cut into each other). This second time, the axle is still in place, even with its stripped mounting thread, but this time the cam lifted over the top blade. First time it went underneath. I want to make a new shaft, as I have lathes, but I wondered if there is meant to be a machined ring around the shaft to hold the cam down against the bottom blade plate. There is a vestige of a ring going partway around the axle which I thought was rough manufacturing, but it has occurred to me that it might be meant to be more substantial, to keep the cam down against the plate, (which is the back end of the bottom blade). Anybody had one of these apart? Incidentally, their latest flyer says that they will have batteries in two weeks, at least they are shown in the flyer. I don’t want to wait for parts, it would be MONTHS, I need to fix it myself, in spite of their 5 year warranty on this product.
I have their smaller battery drill which I like, but as someone has already said, the chuck wobbles a bit.