Are Grizzly Woodworking Tools Good? (Know Before Purchasing)

Grizzly, a well-known manufacturer of woodworking power tools, was founded by Shiraz Balolia in 1983. Balolia used to repair and resell older tools, slowly grew and expanded his business, and earned a reputation for stellar customer service.

Today Grizzly Industrial(R) sells woodworking and metalworking machinery from benchtop models to large industrial machines. Some of their clients include Boeing, Ford Motor Company, and NASA.

The Quality of Grizzly Tools

The standard of Grizzly woodworking tools is generally of high quality. However, their subcomponents and parts are of lesser quality. Grizzly woodworking tools are priced well and offer good value for money. Their tools are known to last 15 – 20 years, provided that regular maintenance is done.

grizzly wood lathe

Are Grizzly Woodworking Tools Reliable?

Although Grizzly Industrial has been honored with many awards for quality and value, many reviews say the machines are hit or miss. Reviewers acknowledge that the machines aren’t bad quality, but some comment that some of the smaller parts are of a lesser quality.

Others maintain that Grizzly offers quality equipment, at an excellent value, and with access to exceptional customer service, these reviews will always speak highly of the brand.

Despite their machines being used by several notable companies and organizations, reviewers maintain that Grizzly woodworking tools are best for hobbyists.

They cite Grizzly as a starting point in building a workshop, due to their lower prices. These individuals are less tolerant of needing to replace smaller components and the occasional mechanical issues.

Overall, Grizzly tools get the job done, but aren’t a top of the line brand.

How Long Do Grizzly Woodworking Tools Last?

Those that swear by the brand have had their Grizzly tools for upwards of 15-18 years. These tools are still in good working order, and their purchasers are happy with their purchase.

Most mechanical issues with Grizzly tools are minor, and occur only occasionally. There are small parts likely to need replacing several times throughout the lifespan of the machine. Fortunately, Grizzly has an extensive online parts catalog.

What Maintenance is Required on Grizzly Woodworking Tools?

The most important part of maintenance is insuring the machines are kept clean and lubricated.

Next, users should inspect their machines periodically for missing bolts, wear on cables, and the status of high abuse parts, like belts. These will likely need to be replaced over time, and monitoring them will ensure backup parts are ready and there is little-to-no machine down-time.

Another thing to watch out for is the engine. It will likely last less time than the overall machine and eventually will need to be replaced. With complex machines, this sort of wear and tear should be expected and is easily repaired.

Grizzly offers a large and compressive parts store. In addition to online, customer service representatives are available six days per week, on the phone or by email. They can help you find the part you need.

Parts are constantly being upgraded to newer versions. If Grizzly learns something isn’t working, or newer technologies can improve on an existing part, they will offer the better part in their store. They also have a great system to help you find these upgraded parts, so you aren’t left guessing.

With proper maintenance and timely part replacement, Grizzly machines should last a decade or two.

How Often Do You Have To Maintain Grizzly Woodworking Tools?

Maintenance depends on the type of machine. Those that are taken care of and properly maintained will have fewer problems and higher user satisfaction.

Grizzly recommends that users should clean their machines frequently. Users should also lubricate or oil parts regularly ā€” usually after a few consecutive hours of use.

Belts, bearings, and other parts that will wear down over time, should be replaced annually.

What Problems are Associated with Grizzly Woodworking Tools?

Grizzly keeps their prices low by selling directly to the public and avoiding middle retailers. This also means they are dependent on others for shipping.

Most people with complaints about Grizzly tools are usually frustrated with their shipping experiences. Machines get damaged during the delivery and that ruins the tool and the brand for them.

Are Grizzly Woodworking Tools Expensive Compared to Other Tool Brands?

The prices of Grizzly tools are highly dependent upon their organizational structure. By avoiding retailers and selling directly to consumers, tool prices are able to stay low. And, that savings is passed on to the purchaser. This makes Grizzly woodworking tools a great value.

Specific savings depends on the brand, the tool, and where it is purchased from.

Since Grizzly Industrial also sells other brands. These brands and prices were looked at to create a basic comparison.

For example, Grizzly planers are high performance. That makes them expensive machines. In the Grizzly store, their branded planers are more expensive than the Shop Fox brand, but are cheaper than both Dewalt and South Bend.

Grizzly drill presses are also more expensive than those made by Shop Fox.

Who Makes Grizzly Power Tools and Where are they Made?

Grizzly Industrial is a national retail, mail order and internet company. It was founded in 1983 in the United States, and currently has two locations, with showrooms in America. One is located on the West Coast, and the other in the mid-South. They also have offices in Taiwan and China.

Each facility has a regional service center, complete machine shop, after-service technicians, and quality control engineers.

Grizzly tools were originally made in the U.S.A., but are now primarily manufactured in China.

Are Grizzly Jointers Good?

grizzly jointer

When choosing a jointer, a buyer should consider their desired table length, table width, cutting depth, and performance. The more high cuts per minute, the better the jointer, and the better the result.

Grizzly jointers are among their most respected and best tools. Today, even used jointers originally manufactured by Grizzly Industrial receive positive feedback and good reviews online.

Purchasing Decisions and How Other Tool Brands Compare to Grizzly Woodworking Tools?

Each tool brand has a perceived value based on their manufacturing, sales, shipping, and parts that combine to create brand value or integrity. Additionally, each individual’s experiences using and obtaining tools from different brands will vary.

This makes brand value and comparisons highly subjective. To mitigate that, two extremely similar brands were compared.

Grizzly tools and, the above-mentioned, Shop Fox brand are both owned by the same person: Shiraz Balolia. Many of the tools made by Shop Fox and Grizzly are extremely similar, if not the same. Although there are some cosmetic differences, such as the color, style, and occasional addition or removal of cabinets.

Additionally, these brands also have different approaches to sales. Shop Fox utilizes a dealer network, while Grizzly sells right to the consumer. They also offer different warranties. Shop Fox will offer a two-year warranty, while Grizzly only offers a one-year warranty.

All of these difference will contribute to an individuals perception of the brand, and influence purchasing decisions.

Many other brands can be seen in a showroom. Grizzly only has two in the US, and that provides them with more purchasing confidence. People like to see before they buy. Other times, Grizzly can be passed over because of shipping costs.

However, Grizzly customer service reigns supreme, and that will often be the deciding factor in Grizzly versus other brands.

Sources

https://www.grizzly.com/