The Trust Test: Why Americans Buy Tool Brands They've Never Heard Of

A new VEVOR survey finds 59% of surveyed DIY tool buyers bought a tool from a brand they had never used in the past year — and when deciding whether to trust one, nearly 9 in 10 rely most on sources other than the brand itself. Fewer than 1 in 10 start with the brand's own website.

HOUSTON, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to buying tools and equipment, familiarity may not be as important as it once was. A new survey commissioned by VEVOR, a global home improvement brand, found that 59% of surveyed DIY tool buyers had purchased a brand they had not personally used before in the past 12 months. A separate booster sample of recent hands-on DIYers returned a consistent 61%.

The findings point to a broader shift in how consumers evaluate tool brands: familiarity may matter, but it is not the only path to purchase. Trust can be built through experiences, evidence and the voices of people who have actually used the tools.

Trying a New Brand Is More Common Than It Seems

Among the 422 surveyed DIY tool buyers, 42% said they had purchased an unfamiliar brand more than once in the past 12 months, while another 17% had done so once. Only 13% said they always purchase brands they are already familiar with.

The pattern was also reflected among a separate group of 137 surveyed DIYers, where 61% said they had purchased a tool or equipment brand they had not personally used before in the past 12 months.

For consumers working on home improvement projects, this openness can matter. Tools are often purchased around a specific task — from cleaning up a yard to organizing a garage or preparing outdoor spaces for the colder months — rather than simply as a purchase of brand recognition.

That creates an opportunity for tool brands to earn consideration based on what their products can demonstrate, rather than relying solely on how recognizable their name is.

What Actually Builds Trust

When deciding whether to trust an unfamiliar tool brand, 88% of surveyed DIY tool buyers said they rely most on a source other than the brand itself.

Among the 422 respondents in the Labor Day survey, the four most cited trust sources were friends and family (16%), real customer reviews and project examples (16%), trusted retailers or online marketplaces (14%), and product reviews from independent media or testing organizations (14%). By comparison, only 9% identified a brand's website as their first source of trust.

DIYers showed a similar pattern. Among 137 surveyed DIYers, recommendations from friends or family and real customer reviews tied at the top, each at 18%, followed by independent media or testing at 14% and hands-on creator content at 13%. The brand's official website accounted for 9%.

The findings suggest that when consumers encounter an unfamiliar tool brand, trust is not built by brand messaging alone. Real experiences, independent perspectives and recommendations can provide the additional evidence consumers need to move from consideration to purchase.

Long-Term User Reviews Outrank Performance Tests

Trust can help a new brand earn a first chance, but consumers also look for evidence that a tool brand can consistently deliver.

Among 417 surveyed DIY tool buyers who evaluated specific signals of brand expertise, the single most persuasive piece of evidence—at 24%—was consistently positive feedback from a large number of long-term users. Long-term durability and reliability data followed at 16%.

DIYers placed similar weight on sustained proof. Among 136 surveyed DIYers, 24% said consistently positive feedback from long-term users would be the strongest signal of genuine expertise, while 15% pointed to long-term durability and reliability data. Another 13% said performance in a complete, demanding real-world project would provide the strongest evidence.

For tool buyers, expertise is not established by a single test or product claim. It is built over time through consistent performance, long-term user feedback and evidence that holds up in the real world.

For Home Creators, Performance Is What Earns Trust

The findings reinforce a consumer mindset that puts practical performance ahead of brand familiarity.

"For a brand many of these buyers hadn't used before, this isn't flattering data — it's a standard," said Gavin Wu, Brand Director at VEVOR. "It says a first purchase can be earned, but the second one is decided by whether the tool still works in year three. That's a longer scoreboard than marketing, and it's the one we're being measured on."

VEVOR regularly surveys U.S. homeowners and DIYers on the home improvement projects they take on each season — what they plan to tackle, when they start, and what they budget. Seasonal data sets are made available to journalists ahead of publication. The next release covers winter preparation and holiday-season projects.

About the Survey

The VEVOR 2026 U.S. Home Improvement & DIY Survey, fielded in August 2026 via SurveyMonkey Audience among 529 U.S. adults age 18+ with annual household incomes of $75,000 or more. The sample was weighted to U.S. census benchmarks on age and gender. Sample sizes vary by question because follow-up questions were shown only to relevant respondents.

Brand-trust findings compare qualified DIY respondents from the general survey with a separate booster survey of adults with recent hands-on project experience. Effective sample sizes were 422 for brand trial and trust-source questions and 417 for expertise in the general-survey DIY cohort, compared with 137 and 136 respectively in the DIY booster. Results reflect the surveyed sample and should not be interpreted as nationally representative of all U.S. adults.

About VEVOR

VEVOR is a global home improvement brand built for Home Creators who want to upgrade their spaces with practical, high-performing products at exceptional value. From outdoor living and tools to home improvement equipment and everyday project essentials, VEVOR helps people take on upgrades with confidence, efficiency, and value. Today, VEVOR has supported over 30 million Home Creators worldwide, bringing performance, inspiration, and value to their home improvement projects.

Media Contact

VEVOR Communications Team
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Full data tables and high-resolution images are available at VEVOR News Center and are free for editorial use with attribution to VEVOR.

SOURCE VEVOR