June 8, 2021
Screw Guns
Have you ever seen a screw gun?
It’s like a power drill, but instead of using it to drill a hole, you use it to screw screws into stuff.
How many distinct screw gun models do you think there are?
A search for “screw gun” on homedepot.com returns 82 different models.
82!
Why do I know this?
Because I am in the market for a screw gun. Unfortunately, I don’t really know that much about them. I’m what you might call an “unsophisticated screw gun buyer.”
So...
How do I pick the right one out of this list of 82 options?
I could spend hours researching screw guns to educate myself about a bunch of things I don’t understand (or care about), like...
- the pros and cons of brushless vs brushed
- the pros and cons of corded vs cordless (I know I want cordless, so this one is easy)
- the “battery platform” of the cordless models (there are six different battery platforms)
- the voltage (there are four options here)
- battery amp hours (ten options)
- whatever the heck “Versa-clutch adjustable torque” is...
...or I can just buy the most expensive one.
The price difference between the cheapest battery powered screw gun and the most expensive one is $194.
So the question becomes:
Would I rather spend hours watching videos about Versa-clutch adjustable torque technology?
Or just drop two Benjamins and be done with it?
Here’s the thing...
Unsophisticated buyers assume that expensive stuff is better.
If they have enough money, want the best, and don’t have the time or inclination to educate themselves about the minutia of the offerings, they will often just buy the most expensive one.
Yours,
—J