Tariffs on imported goods reached the tool aisle in 2025. Stanley Black & Decker (SBD), DeWalt’s parent, pushed through high single-digit price increases at US retailers in April 2025 and told investors it expected $800 million in gross tariff costs for the year. Government price data picked it up within months.
A year later the picture is different. The same BLS index that jumped in mid-2025 has been flat to down since March 2026, SBD reported flat pricing in its tool segment for the second quarter of 2026, and the company booked refunds of tariffs paid under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Here is the price trail, and what it means if a drill, saw or battery kit is on your list.
Trend Signal
50/100 Steady momentum
- Emerging
- Rising
- Mainstream
- Peaking
- Cooling
Tool price inflation cooled after the 2025 tariff jump
The BLS consumer price index for tools, hardware, outdoor equipment and supplies rose 3.9% from August 2024 to August 2025 but only 1.4% in the year to August 2026, below the 3.4% rise in all consumer prices.
Our editorial reading of the cited data, not a forecast. How it is scored
By the numbers
- +3.9%BLS CPI for tools, hardware, outdoor equipment and supplies, Aug 2024 to Aug 2025BLS
- +1.4%Same index, Aug 2025 to Aug 2026 (our calculation from BLS index values)BLS
- +4%Price effect on SBD Tools and Outdoor net sales, Q1 2026, as volume fell 5%Stanley Black and Decker
- FlatPrice effect on the same segment in Q2 2026, as volume rose 3%Stanley Black and Decker
How the 2025 tariff bump reached the shelf
SBD moved first and said so publicly. Manufacturing Dive reported in May 2025 that the company had raised prices by a high single-digit percentage across US retailers in April, at a time when about 15% of its US supply chain came from China. By its July 2025 earnings, it was forecasting $800 million in gross tariff costs for 2025 before mitigation, planning “more modest” increases starting in the fourth quarter, and aiming to cut production in China to less than 5% by the end of 2026.
The BLS consumer price index for tools, hardware, outdoor equipment and supplies shows the timing. By our calculation from its index values, it rose 2.4% in two months, from 112.158 in June 2025 to 114.837 in August 2025, after a 2024 in which it had fallen. Over the full year to August 2025 it was up 3.9%, faster than the 2.9% rise in the all-items CPI.
The index covers hardware and outdoor equipment as well as power tools, so it is a broad gauge rather than a price tag. It is still the closest official read on what shoppers pay in the tool aisle.
| 12 months to August | Change in tools, hardware and outdoor CPI |
|---|---|
| 2021 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | +11.7% |
| 2023 | +7.4% |
| 2024 | -3.4% |
| 2025 | +3.9% |
| 2026 | +1.4% |
The 2025 tariff jump was real but far smaller than the 2022 surge, when this index rose 11.7% in a year.
Why the price push stalled in 2026
The first quarter of 2026 showed the limit. SBD’s Tools & Outdoor net sales rose 2%, with pricing adding 4% and currency 3%, but volume fell 5%. Organic revenue slipped 1%, which the company attributed primarily to lower retail volumes in North America, and it said the higher pricing was largely offset by increased tariff expenses. In February 2026 it had already noted that consumers “gravitated towards promotions,” Manufacturing Dive reported.
By the second quarter the mix flipped: pricing was flat, volume rose 3%, and organic revenue grew 3% on power tool strength in US retail and commercial and industrial channels. SBD also booked net tariff refunds tied to IEEPA tariffs, worth roughly 250 basis points of gross margin, and in April 2026 it said recent changes to Section 232 tariffs would not materially affect its full-year guidance.
The CPI followed. The tools index peaked at 117.813 in March 2026, fell 2.0% (our calculation, as are the changes below) to 115.446 by June and stood at 116.450 in August 2026. That left it up 1.4% from a year earlier while all consumer prices rose 3.4%. Over six years, from August 2020 to August 2026, the tools index rose 25.3%, a little less than the 28.9% rise in the all-items index.
What toolmakers are doing about costs
Techtronic Industries (TTI), which sells Milwaukee and Ryobi tools, reported a record 42.9% gross margin for the first half of 2026, up 258 basis points. It credited 163 basis points of that to the annualization of tariff-mitigation work such as optimizing production, productivity gains and supplier partnerships. SBD is pulling the other lever, shifting production out of China.
TTI’s results also show where demand is: its Professional segment grew 9.7% in the first half of 2026 while its Consumer segment fell 2.5%. When makers rebuild margins through cost work and refunds instead of new list-price increases, and consumer demand is weak, pressure on shelf prices eases. We read that as the main reason the index stalled.
Margins recovered through mitigation and refunds, not fresh price hikes, which is good news for shoppers.
Buy now or wait
The evidence points to a plateau rather than a reversal. The index gave back only part of its gain, the 2025 increases are still in the base, and SBD said promotions were where consumers went. For a buyer, that means list prices are unlikely to fall much, and promotional pricing is where the savings are.
If you already own batteries on one platform, a bare tool, sold without battery or charger, lets you add a tool without paying again for a battery you have. If you are starting fresh, compare a combo kit against a single tool plus a battery starter kit, and check the battery capacity and charger type included.
The risk to watch is policy. The April 2025 price increases showed up in the index within a few months, so a new round of tariffs would be visible quickly in the monthly BLS data.
What to watch next
- The monthly BLS CPI release for tools, hardware, outdoor equipment and supplies, to see whether the index breaks above its March 2026 peak of 117.813
- SBD’s and TTI’s next results, for whether pricing turns positive again or stays flat
- Any new tariff action on tools or components, the driver of the mid-2025 jump
Where to start
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Ways to buy cordless tools compared on what to check
| Product type | Good fit for | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Bare cordless tool (tool only) | Fits owners of a battery platform | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Battery and charger starter kit | Fits first-time buyers | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Cordless combo kit | Fits projects that need several tools | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
Product types that fit the trend described above, not tested models. Check the exact listing before you buy. How we pick them.
Bare cordless tool (tool only)
Where to look: Amazon
The simplest way to grow a kit you already own. Match the brand platform and voltage exactly.
- No duplicate battery or charger
- Easy to add one tool at a time
- Useless without a matching battery
- Platforms do not mix across brands
Battery and charger starter kit
Where to look: Amazon
Pairs well with bare tools bought on promotion. Compare amp-hour ratings, since bigger packs run longer but weigh more.
- Starts a platform without a big kit
- Lets you pick tools later
- Tools cost extra
- Charger speed varies
Cordless combo kit
Where to look: Amazon
Makes sense when you need two or more tools now. List the tools you will actually use before comparing kits.
- Several tools and batteries in one box
- One platform from the start
- You may pay for tools you rarely use
- Included batteries are often small
More: Home Improvement trends and how the Trend Signal is scored.
Sources
- Tools, hardware, outdoor equipment and supplies in U.S. city average, CUUR0000SEHM — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- All items in U.S. city average, CUUR0000SA0 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Stanley Black & Decker 1Q 2026 results, Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1 — SEC EDGAR
- Stanley Black & Decker 2Q 2026 results, Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1 — SEC EDGAR
- Stanley Black & Decker statement on Section 232 tariff changes, April 20, 2026 — SEC EDGAR
- Stanley Black & Decker raises prices to mitigate tariff impacts — Manufacturing Dive
- Stanley Black & Decker to raise prices again, navigate $800M tariff impact — Manufacturing Dive
- Stanley Black & Decker beat expectations in 2025, but will reassess prices — Manufacturing Dive
- Techtronic Industries 2026 Interim Results press release — TTI
Questions readers ask
Are power tools getting more expensive in 2026?
Only slightly. The BLS index for tools, hardware, outdoor equipment and supplies was up 1.4% in the year to August 2026, below the 3.4% rise in all consumer prices, and it has stayed below its March 2026 peak since then.
Did tariffs raise tool prices?
In 2025, yes. Stanley Black & Decker raised US prices by a high single-digit percentage in April 2025 and forecast $800 million in gross tariff costs for the year, and the BLS tools index rose 3.9% in the year to August 2025.
Why did tool prices stop rising?
SBD reported flat pricing in the second quarter of 2026 after volume fell 5% in the first quarter, and it booked refunds of IEEPA tariffs. TTI credited tariff-mitigation work for most of its gross margin gain in the first half of 2026.
Should I buy a bare tool or a kit?
A bare tool is sold without a battery or charger, so it suits owners who already have batteries on the same platform. First-time buyers need a combo kit or a separate battery and charger starter kit.
