Top News

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Craftsmen is easily one of the most recognizable American tool brands. Its hand tools are well known for sturdiness, as well as the company’s legendary warranty coverage, and its other products have a reputation for reliability and no-nonsense utility. The company also makes a broad selection of accessories designed to connect and expand the functionality of its tools. Craftsman doesn’t make everything, though, and those who like to save money may have noticed that there are cheaper options out there from third-party manufacturers.

Opting to buy third-party tool accessories can really expand the number of choices available to you. It opens a door to a much wider range of items that can also be found at much more reasonable prices. Many of them are designed to be universal, but there are also a few products specifically designed for use with Craftsman tools. Those looking to level up their Craftsmen gear might wonder which products are worth trying out. Taking a look at the item’s specs and features to see what previous users said will give you a better idea of what these accessories are capable of, how solid their design is, and what you might be able to expect in terms of their real-world performance.

Some tool collectors may not realize that Stanley Black and Decker owns 13 different tool brands, including major names like Craftsman, DeWalt, Irwin, Porter-Cable, and Mac Tools. Being under the same umbrella, it isn’t surprising that these brands make components designed to work with each other’s tools. One popular example of this is the Black and Decker Matrix Oscillating Tool Attachmentwhich is designed to work with the Matrix quick-connect system, a modular system that allows a single handheld power head to change its tool type based on what’s attached. Craftsman developed a similar system called Bolt On. While the two companies haven’t made any sort of official announcement about cross-compatibility, numerous users claim that the parts are actually interchangeable.

The Black and Decker Matrix Oscillating Tool Attachment is the highest-rated of these attachments, making it a solid contender for any Bolt On users who want to add a new tool head to their system. It has a 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon, with customers praising its functionality, build quality, versatility, fit, and ease of use. “I bought this as an addition to my Craftsman set. It works great with it and it [is] very versatile,” one user stated. “I can’t speak to long-term reliability, but mine has taken a beating in the time I have had it with heavy use without even a hint of hesitation.” Some didn’t like the component as much as a dedicated oscillation multi-tool, but few had any issues with its basic functionality.

The humble drill/driver is one of the most used tools in nearly any collection. The wide range of utility makes it an essential addition for almost every project you’re likely to take on. One of the few downsides is that it can use so many different kinds of bits and accessories that it can be difficult to keep track of them all. One of the simplest, but most useful attachments that you can add to your Craftsman drill is a magnetic bit holder that will keep a couple of the most versatile and commonly used bits attached to the drill itself, keeping them at the ready and heling you to ensure that you don’t lose track of the bit you need when you’re in the middle of a complicated project.

Galactic Gadgets makes an affordable Magnetic Bit Holder designed specifically to fit Craftsman’s 20V Drill/Driver. The accessory itself is an ABS plastic sleeve that you can attach to either side of your drill, just above the battery pack, using an included screw. You can actually attach two of these to a single drill to double the storage capacity. Each of the sleeves contains a neodymium magnet that helps to secure the bit so that it doesn’t fall out

The attachment has a 4.4 out of 5 on Amazonwith most commenters agreeing that the functionality, fit, and ease of use are all strong selling points, though some have admitted that they wished the magnets were a bit stronger. “Easy to install,” said one. “I liked the first one so much, I bought lots more for all my drills.”

Once you’ve accumulated a sizable collection of Craftsman power tools, you’ll almost certainly have started to amass plenty of the brand’s 20V batteries as well. Keeping a well-stocked supply of batteries can be really helpful when completing large projects, but it can also be a hassle to store them. You don’t want to end up with half a dozen batteries scattered around your shop, unsure which of them are full and which are empty.

That’s where a battery holder comes in, like the one made by Crtbelfy. This is a collection of wall-mounted racks with slot brackets that hold your Craftsman 20V batteries, similar to how the docking port on your tool does, clicking it into place using the battery’s existing locking mechanism. The set on Amazon is sold in a pack of five, with each unit having its own mounting slots. These are modular units, so you can attach them to your wall, workbench, or truck panels in whatever direction or orientation you like. You can even split them up and keep them in the various areas where you store different tools.

This set has a 4.7 out of 5 on Amazon with users praising its basic functionality, build quality, fit, and ease of use. “These battery holders really help to organize the many batteries I have,” one reviewer stated. “They are easy to mount with the included screws and link together to conserve space. The batteries fit very well and utilize the locking feature on the battery, making them very secure and [enabling] them to be mounted in any orientation.” Most of the few negative reviews that it does have appear to be from users who attempted to use the wrong battery for the model they purchased.

Once you’ve got your batteries sorted, you might also want to look into a few ways to organize the tools themselves. There are several brackets you can use, or you can look into DIY storage options, but an easier method might be something like the Vast Concepts VersaTrack and V20 Tool Mount.

These are small, sturdy clips made of PETG plastic that mount to your wall. This means that they take up very little space when a tool isn’t attached, leaving space near the wall more open than other mounting solutions. The clips themselves can be mounted easily with a pair of 4.5mm screws. The slots inside are specifically designed to interlock with the mounting clip used on the Craftsman VersaTrack storage solutions and V20 power tools for a tight, secure fit. These are modular as well, so you can easily space them out to fit your individual space. They’re also sold in packs of four for $13.99, making them very affordable.

Vast Concepts is a small manufacturer, and these clips are actually sold on Etsywhere they currently boast a phenomenal score of 4.9 out of 5. “We’ve been looking for a solution to mount our Craftsman vacuum in our RV and the batteries,” one reviewer stated. “The vacuum was my biggest concern and this piece is small but mighty. Very happy with the turnout.” Others had similar remarks, stating that the mounting brackets were incredibly powerful compared to their size and compactness.

Woodworkers who use Craftsman tools may have added one of the company’s many table saws to their collection. A good table saw is the cornerstone of any woodworker’s tool set, but the power/kill switch is known to be a little finicky. A few years of sawdust, exposure to the weather, or a good knock from a stray board might be all it takes to break this fragile little interface. One broken switch shouldn’t mean that you need to toss the entire tool, though.

Fortunately, companies like Wadoy make replacement table saw switches that can be easily installed and fix the problem. This particular model is designed to be compatible with both Craftsman and Ryobi products. It has a 125V operating voltage and is controlled via a simple on/off switch paddle, which is similar to those found on most standard table saws. It also has a hooded cover around the edges that helps prevent accidental starts. “This safety locking switch is made of high quality durable plastic,” the Amazon description states. “They are approved by UL, TUV, CSA, CE, ETL standards and they fit most of the power tools on the market.” Best of all, you can get it for just $6.78.

This is one of the highest-rated Craftsman power tool accessories on Amazon. It has a 4.7 out of 5 with over 1,600 reviews. Customers frequently reported that the switch is functional, fits most Craftsman and Ryobi table saws, is easy to install, and is made of quality materials. There have been a few reports of this particular switch being a bit small compared to the stock options on some larger table saws, but these seem to be a minority.

I’ve been collecting and using power tools for over 20 years, and have owned a fair assortment of Craftsman tools in that time. There are a million-and-one universal accessories out there, such as drill bits and push-blocks, that will work with tools from just about any brand. In making this list, I aimed to target products that were specifically geared toward Craftsman tools. This meant that all of the recommended tools were created with the intent that they would be used with Craftsman’s products, and not other brands.

It was also important that these products boasted impressive enough specs to warrant recommendation and to verify that previous users had good experiences with them. I narrowed my search to items that met all of these qualifications. Once I had my list, I examined all of the reviews to ensure that these items held up in real-world applications and that there weren’t any major operational failures that users needed to be aware of.