Battery powered power tools
Muddytyres
| Posted in General Questions on
We’re looking at battery powered tools to work on our house and trail work. Any favorites? I’ve looked at the dewalt and the craftsman- not sure it’s worth the extra $$ for the dewalt? I have an older 18V drill that’s pretty great but its a BIG difference $$$… currently we have to cut through the floor to replace a rotten area and will have to cut a butcher block countertop to fit a space. There will be many other uses as well.
Also- favorite battery powered chainsaws?
THANKS!!!!
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Replies
Milwaukee or Dewalt are great choices.
I would probably stay away from Craftsman for now....at least until the brand ownership is consolidated as there are currently TWO Craftsman lines (one owned by Sears, the others by Dewalt) and their batteries are NOT compatible.
If you want to go budget I would pick Ryobi.
The tool power and battery life has increased tremendously in just the last couple of years due to brushless motors and higher power lithium cells. For example, Dewalt’s 20V batteries were 2Ah a few years ago but now available in 4ah and 5ah in the exact same case size.
I do recommend locking into a single brand so all the tools share batteries and chargers. Dewalt and Milwaukee mostly have the the same stuff anyway.
Both brands have 12v, 20v lines.
The new 12v stuff is very light weight, easy to use and nearly as powerful as my 15 yr old 18v Dewalt stuff.
The new 20V stuff is legitimate replacements for most corded tools. My 20V saws-all cuts EVERYTHING and Ive cut a few granite steps with my 20V circular saw (to the surprise of a skeptical “old timer”)
The dewalt 20 chainsaw is very good and the 60 volt chainsaw is a monster. My neighbor loves his 60v dewalt chainsaw.
My 12V tools cover 75% of my needs but the 20v can do just about anything.
Mark
I second the advice FluxCapacitor has given you.
Milwaukee Fuel is hard to beat.
This will be my attempt to show off!
I got a few, and use a couple of them almost daily.
My $0.02.
Get brushless versions only. They are lighter, more power and longer run.
Cordless circular saw, angle grinder and finish nailer are couple of tools I didn't think would be useful but now use exclusively.
For me it was the oscillating multi-tool.
Ha! Me too. I’m shocked how often I use it.
The ryobi stuff is surprisingly good for the money. I started using it after my old Bosch set needed new batteries (ahh! $$$$$ run away!!!). While the Bosch tools were more durable, the ryobi stuff is very good for a LOT less money.
I like the Milwaukee stuff too. It’s quality stuff. My brother in law (a professional remodeler) likes the Ridgid line. I personally would not be interested in a craftsman power tool.
Bill
I've been very happy with my Ryobi tools. I do a lot of building of sets for a local theater and, with a 4AH lithium battery, my tools will run all day. Look for brushless motors for improved performance, and go with lithium batteries, not NiCd.
One thing that I really like about Ryobi is that replacement batteries can be purchased at reasonable prices. For the past couple years around Christmas, The Home Depot has run a sale of a 2-pack of Ryobi 4AH lithium batteries for $99.
Other set builders have DeWalt tools, which also work great and tend to be more compact than the Ryobi counterpart, but they are also more expensive.
Jim
I've used most all of them as a tradesperson and prefer Makita. They have a 36V line that uses two of their 18V batteries. The 36V chainsaw is surprisingly powerful and long lasting. You can take down small trees with it!
But they're pretty expensive compared to Ryobi, and if you're not a professional you might be better off saving some money.
The newer brushless lithium battery operated tools are amazing in terms of performance and you don't have to spend a ton to get really good gear.
I have thousands of dollars invested in Milwaukee for commercial production work, as it was the only thing I found could survive my guys on the job site, but you don't need to go that far for home use.
When we moved last year I decided that was it for me and gas powered or plug powered tools (within reason) and went all battery powered, even the lawn mower and smaller chainsaws. I could buy a nice set of Ryobi for about a quarter of what the equivalent Milwaukee prices were, and I've never regretted it.
I've got a combination of the 18v and 40v lines (18v for handtools, 40v for lawnmower, brush cutter, etc).
It's important to stick to the Brushless lines as they have far better performance than the regular lines, and ensure you are using the Lithium+ batteries in the Ryobi line, Green stripe models, as they way outperform the regular lithium batteries for heavy draw tools.
The biggest change I've noticed going all electric is how much more I use the tools.
I hated dealing with getting my gas trimmer started, even with stabil and non-ethanol fuel, or pulling out 200 ft of extension cords for blowing, etc. Not an issue at all with the battery tools, just grab and go.
Don't buy the cheapest tool in the line, the mid and higher priced Ryobi's are much better than the 99 4 tool kits in terms of power and performance. I'd also suggest adding the 6 pack charger to keep them all charged. Still can't believe how good they perform for a fraction of what I've spend for Milwaukee. . . but then again it's built to do commercial work 10 hours a day either.
Just a heads up on the tools you get at the box stores versus what you get at a supply house. There is a considerable difference in quality. Yes the box store tools are going to be a little cheaper but they wont last as long and the batteries aren't as good. DeWalt is probably the worst offender when it comes to this.
Not anymore.
This was the rumor forever but don’t think there is any recent evidence to support it (if ever).
If it has the exact same part number it’s the exact same product regardless where it’s purchased.
Hi Sara,
I've worked side-by-side with a bunch of tool reviewers over the years which has allowed me to pick their brains while they worked on different tool test and to try out a lot of different brands as tools flowed through the office.
In the last few years a common sentiment from the guys who review tools for FHB, Tools of the Trade, etc. is that all tools have gotten really good. In fact, sometimes it's hard for reviewers to find enough reason to pick one best tool in a category. Of course, there will be features on any given model that one builder may prefer over another, but looking at the tools as a complete product, there aren't a lot of bad choices out there anymore.
There's a lot of good advice here including sticking with a brand (for the most part) to make battery replacement and charging easier; going with lithium ion batteries; not waiting to buy a oscillating multi-tool (they're a game changer for carpenters); and buying brushless when possible.
Personally, I've had good experiences with Rigid tools as a budget choice. They're not quite as inexpensive as Ryobi, but they are great tools for the money. I have a worm drive saw, a dual-base router kit, a drill/driver, and an impact driver from Rigid. I'd say they are all excellent, except for the impact driver, which I find a bit clunky. But I was working with a guy this winter who loved it. So again, personal preference is what matters most.
Have fun tooling up!
The newer brush-less lithium battery operated tools are amazing in terms of performance and you don't have to spend a ton to get really good gear.
I have thousands of dollars invested in Milwaukee for commercial production work, as it was the only thing I found could survive my guys on the job site, but you don't need to go that far for home use.
When we moved homes last year, I decided that was it for me and gas powered or plug powered tools (within reason). I went all battery powered, even the lawn mower and smaller chainsaws. I could buy a nice set of Ryobi for about a quarter of what the equivalent Milwaukee prices were, and I've never regretted it.
I've got a combination of the 18v and 40v lines (18v for handtools, 40v for lawnmower, brush cutter, etc).
It's important to stick to the Brush-less lines as they have far better performance than the regular lines, and ensure you are using the Lithium+ batteries in the Ryobi line, Green stripe models, as they way outperform the regular lithium batteries for heavy draw tools.
The biggest change I've noticed going all electric is how much more I use the tools.
I hated dealing with getting my gas trimmer started, even with stabil and non-ethanol fuel, or pulling out 200 ft of extension cords for blowing, etc. Not an issue at all with the battery tools, just grab and go.
Don't buy the cheapest tool in the line, the mid and higher priced Ryobi's are much better than the $99 4 tool kits in terms of power and performance. I'd also suggest adding the 6 pack charger to keep them all charged. Still can't believe how good they perform for a fraction of what I've spend for Milwaukee. . . but then again it's built to do commercial work 10 hours a day either.
The Craftsman situation is a giant mess.
Stanley(Dewalt/Black and Decker) recently bought partial rights to the Craftsman name and are making good quality tools (some even made in the USA) and mostly sold at Lowe’s.
Meanwhile, Sears is selling lower quality all import tools also branded as Craftsman.
Crazy marketing strategy. Let’s see how that works out for them.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/03/07/sears-is-sued-over-craftsman-brand.html
I know a lot of people who stopped buying Craftsman mechanics tools when they stopped making them in the USA. The general sentiment (this was from pros and serious car guys) was "I'd rather spend a little more money and keep the USA-made quality". I'm glad I got my socket set well before they offshored the manufacturing.
If you're looking for good quality mechanics tools, I've found the Tekton brand is pretty good, and about the same prices at any of the other better imported tools.
Bill
The story behind it is really interesting/absolutely insane as well. The whole of Sears is set up so that the different parts actually compete with each other as individual firms. This means that the craftsman brand actually acts independently of Sears as a whole, thus some of its... odd decisions.
The idea was to use the power of competition and free market ideas to grow the company. It didn't work.
Bloomberg has a really good article with interviews, but it is behind a paywall:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-07-11/at-sears-eddie-lamperts-warring-divisions-model-adds-to-the-troubles
Here is an excerpt:
Appliance maker Kenmore is a widely recognized brand sold exclusively at Sears. Under SOAR, the appliances unit had to pay fees to the Kenmore unit. Because the appliances unit could make more money selling devices manufactured by outside brands, such as LG Electronics, it began giving Kenmore’s rivals more prominent placement in stores. A similar problem arose when Craftsman, Sears’s beloved tool brand, considered selling a tool with a battery made by DieHard, also owned by Sears. Craftsman didn’t want to pay extra royalties to DieHard, so the idea was quashed.
I will also note that bypassing the paywall is trivial, particularly if you are someone who, like myself, doesn't like scripts. Alternately, here is a book excerpt on the same subject, though one with an agenda: https://www.versobooks.com/blogs/4385-failing-to-plan-how-ayn-rand-destroyed-sears
>"The whole of Sears is set up so that the different parts actually compete with each other as individual firms. "
I ran into that when bidding a project to them. It's not uncommon for large firms to be like that though. I worked with Verizon too, and it went like this:
Verizon bought MCI/Worldcom out of bankruptcy because they wanted the long distance (global) fiber network, something Verizon did not have. They also ended up with all of the local market fiber networks, which were *very* extensive. Verizon branded the local market networks "VerizonBuisness", and advertised that for maybe 6 months to a year...
Fast forward to the last few years...
Verizon Wireless wanted (needed) to get fiber into all of their cell sites. They had the Verizon Buisness guys look at doing that, since the extensive local market fiber networks covered most of the major Verizon Wireless markets too. Verizon Buisness didn't want to sell dark fiber to Verizon Wireless, so that didn't happen. Verizon Wireless ended up paying another fiber company to build hundreds of miles of fiber in multiple markets to connect their cell sites, then leased that fiber infrastructure. That was in the last 3-4 years. Verizon Wireless is currently building hundreds of miles of fiber in multiple markets for their 5G deployment, but this time they want to own it, so they're having their Verizon Buisness division build it but it's being built to serve Verizon Wireless.
As I like to say, "there is no communication in the telecommunications industry".
Bill
Crazy stuff! It's really interesting how these big companies works sometimes. I suppose any company big enough is bound to have some weird internal stuff going on. When the revenue is easy, you don't need to be efficient :)
I think what made the Sears case unique is that a new chairman took what was once a single firm and broke it into a million smaller pieces, then made those pieces fight to the death, all while sharing the same retail and office space. Quite silly, even by corporate standards.
Homeowner here- dewalt for power tools and Ryobi for lawn work. The Ryobi stuff is cheap and does 90% of a tool that's 2-3x more expensive than their professional counterparts, so you get more tools for the money. I use the Ryobi weedwacker, blower, and chainsaw for my small 5,000sf lot. Chainsaw works decent, I cut down a 16" tree and it worked fine for that- but needed to rotate 2 batteries. For small limbs it's great to just throw it in and go. For anything more than the occasional tree you'll need more batteries to work non-stop. Once I got the battery, I'll pickup refurb tools only on HomeDepot- super cheap. Honestly I only charge them a couple times a summer.
Tool reviews are really just marketing materials.
After 4 years of heavy use all of my Milwaukee M18 tools have either broken or worn out. The warranty process has been hellish as well.
For non-professional use I would just go with whichever big box store is closest, and their generic brand.
I think it depends on what tools you plan on using and how frequently. If it's something you'll pull out a few times per year, I'd go with Ryobi. They have a huge line including some unique homeowner tools.
More intensive use then the big 3, Dewalt, Milwaukee and Makita are all good options. Dewalt (and soon Milwaukee) has a good line of battery powered nail guns. A lot of new Milwaukee ends up on Craigslist as people break down kits, it's a good way to save some money. Amazon Warehouse deals can net some good scores too.
Some of the new 12v tools are powerful but I hated the grip the M12 drill and impact, the battery slots in to the grip and it ends up being bigger than the m18 line.
For cutting a butcher block, I'd see if you can borrow a track saw.
"see if you can borrow a track saw."
Or make your own. Parts for mine cost about 30 bucks.
Wow we’ve covered everything from sears business operations to the tracksaw vs circular saw on a rail debate. Maybe everyone needed a reprieve from “how do I insulate this cathedral ceiling?”
Almost all lithium brushless tools are great these days.
Best value has to be Ryobi. The tools aren’t as small or as fast or as Dewalt/ Milwaukee/Makita, but the do make about a million different tools and the pricing is very good.
Otherwise it’s Dewalt or Milwaukee. Choose which color you like and accept that you are going to be envious at some point because a nicer tool came out in the other color.
My tool advice is a get a good, reasonably QUIET, shop vac that takes Gore HEPA filter and use collection bags. Dust management become a big deal using tools indoors. I like the Ridgid shop vacs. This regularly goes on sale for $99 https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-14-Gal-6-0-Peak-HP-NXT-Wet-Dry-Vac-with-Auto-Detail-Kit-HD1401/308343494?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD25T%7C25-14_WET+DRY+VACS%7CNA%7CPLA|71700000034127209|58700003933017535|92700031758439129&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhNKqpuGD5AIVllqGCh2-kAULEAQYASABEgJnD_D_BwE
Although I like the older WD1450 more as it is quieter if you can find one.
Did you mill that "track" yourself, or did you manage to find some piece of wood that already had those channels?
Bill
Bill it's a piece of MDF with 3/4" grooves routed in. I bought a half sheet which gave me one 8 ft and two 4 ft tracks. I bolted a 12" stainless steel guide to the bottom of the saw and a piece of UHDP on the other side of the blade to eliminate tear-out.
It's no Festool, but it also didn't require taking out a mortgage to buy like them either. I mainly use it for breaking down plywood sheets.
Pretty clever and something I might try. I’ve been clamping my 6’ aluminum level down and using it as a saw guide for long enough :-)
With some aluminum extrusions and UHMW sheet stock you could probably bring that DIY tracksaw up to almost pro quality.
Now if we could just come up with a cheapie DIY version of that Festool drywall vacuum...
Bill
Only 27 posts? I figured we'd be closer to 100 with a what's the best power tool debate.
If you use it once a year, sure...get a Ryobi. Just make sure you never get to use a Makita after that because you'll then hate the Ryobi!
Being realistic, we'll leave out Hilti, Maefel, and Festool since as good as they are, they're still too expensive for most.
IMO, top of the line in performance, quality, and bang for the buck is Makita. 18v line is wide with a lot of really good tools and a whole bunch of tools you never knew you needed. Chainsaw, miter saw, and rear handle framing saw use two of those same 18v batteries so you don't need to buy different types for the same tool line. Makita kits also go on sale fairly often for good deals on quality starter kits.
Milwaukee were popular with some of the trades like plumbers for a long time. They were good solid tools that could take some abuse. Milwaukee seems to have spread their line to catch the rest of the trades and I think the long term robustness is not what it was. I'd say it's on par with Dewalt now. That's not bad, just not Hilti level. Still, pretty good stuff.
Dewalt is a good option too. A lot of tools and they're easy to find. Quality is decent but some of the tools feel homeowner grade in hand. Easy to buy&sell on Craigslist if you want to get rid of them or pick up some more. One thing to keep in mind is that the 20v is really an 18v. I don't know how they get away with the deception here, but in the EU they can't call them 20v.
I haven't used enough Ridgid tools to really comment on them. Their warranty isn't as good as the marketing will have you believe, so don't use that as a deciding factor.
The advantage of ryobi is that they make everything you can imagine, and then some.
Not all of it is a grade, but I have been using them for about 15 years non professionally and they are fine.
Having one set of batteries for any cordless tool is a huge advantage and cost saving
In a professional everyday setting I can see there might be other cosniderations
I'm a big fan of Ridgid and their lifetime service agreement (LSA). My 9 year old 18v drill/hammer drill motor died. They don't have those motors any more so they sent me a new Gen5 model with an LSA on that and 2 new batteries! The tools themselves are fantastic too.
I'm now the proud owner of the Dewalt DCK695P2.
Circular saw works great. The 'no cord' thing is a big deal. 'left handedness' part is no problem.
Drill- great, reciprocating saw getting put through it's paces later today.
Definitely going to get more pieces over time- if I wasn't getting Doug the Husqvarna T535i XP for his birthday he'd be probably be getting a compound miter saw (might need that for myself)
THANKS!!!!!
What repair/warranty shop for which brand is close to you? I have Milwaukee and Ryobi tools and I love them. However, when I had one go down getting replacement parts was a pain up here in Canada. They have affiliated shops, but not branded shops up here.
Makita and Dewalt both have brand affiliated shops within 1 hr of me. If I was doing it again, I likely would have gone with them simply for the ease of the warranty/repair shop.