I find my Wife's axiom fits this best....
"You get what you pay for..."
That said, I do have a few favorites...
Dewalt biscut joiner, Excellent quality, easy to learn, hidden joints.
A word here on dewalt quality, got stuck once, had to mix some thin-set with the 3/8 inch dewalt drill(corded), she struggled, started to smell but did the job, and is still my everyday drill 2 years later.
Cutting blades, spend the dollars, A $150 saw with a $40 blade cuts truer than a $900 saw with a $15 blade, and it really stinks to be 3/4 way around the top with the round over bit and burn the edge cause it got dull and hot.. I like freud <sp?> myself. I also stock up on "disposables" at harbourfreight for the skil saw, table saw and such, for cutting "gross" stuff like wet pressure treat, new holes in roof, used lumber, ect ect.
A set of SHARP wood chisels. And learn how to re sharpen them. Cheap here works short term, but won't hold an edge as long.
Craftsman, I have a craftsman radial arm saw, see above axiom, if I ever replace it I will go with some type of table saw with a good fence system and be as or more accurate.
I also have a newer craftsman cordless drill that is excellent for the $. I also like the sears router, but use the 30 year old black and decker more cause its lighter, go figure.
Straight edges....get yourself some, no easier way to rip a sheet of plywood than to clamp an 8ft stick of alum to it and run the skil saw down it.
Clamps. Go to big lots and buy 8 of every size they have of every style. (or order them from harbour freight) an area where the price difference makes up for lesser quality in my opinion.
I tend to shop based on how often I will use the tool and the type of work I expect it to do. For instance a "skil saw". I don't use them very often and is almost always used for "rough" carpentry so of the three that I have bought two have been abslute bottom of the shelf, the other one is "saved" for fine work like ripping hardwood veneer plywood.
The two cheapos? After aprox twenty years the left handed one finally died, I was using it to cut stress lines in sidewalk and driveway(high volume of highly abrasive dust and the bearings were already starting to screech on wind down). The right handed one still going strong. Both were black and deckers. The "good" one, a 1983 milwalkee worm drive thats at my dad's in fl with most of my other tools. (always pack your tools when you move, murphy Will come calling)
Hope this helps and didn't bore ya'll too much....
ttyl
Dart
PS I just remebered that I was reading really old posts....guess better late than never....
