Power tools are sometimes the exception to the rule of buying cheap tools. Saws are probably the biggest exception. My cheap corded ryobi saw is awful because it’s so flimsy, and the deck bends. The makita saw I replaced it with is 100x easier to use, more accurate, and safer.
Buying cheap tools applies to hand tools, air tools, hydraulic stuff, etc.
I’ve always lived in Oregon. You would be surprised how many people think it’s only California and Washington on the west coast. About a dozen different people in various MMOs have had the same confusion.