Kobalt and EGO have become two of the more prominent makers of tools in their respective price ranges, but are they competing brands or owned by one entity?
Walk into the tool aisles of any major retailer and you’ll be greeted by colorful rows of products that are sold under a variety of different names, each one seemingly distinct at first glance. Some products are exclusive to certain retailers — take, for example, Ryobi’s exclusive affiliation with Home Depot, or the Kobalt tool brand, which can only be found at Lowe’s. The reason for the latter is quite simple: Lowe’s owns the Kobalt brand name and has done so since the brand was first launched in 1998. Initially, Lowe’s partnered with J.H. Williams to offer a selection of mechanics’ tools, but the brand’s lineup swelled over time to include a range of other segments and products.
Today, Kobalt’s tools are not manufactured by J.
