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Cordless Power Tool Battle Royal

Which brand(s) would you recommend?

  • Bosch

    Votes: 6 8.8%

  • Makita

    Votes: 15 22.1%

  • DEWALT

    Votes: 19 27.9%

  • Rigid

    Votes: 5 7.4%

  • Roybi

    Votes: 10 14.7%

  • Milwaukee

    Votes: 30 44.1%

  • Porter-Cable

    Votes: 3 4.4%
  • Total voters
    68
Tools

Mt ryobi tools have treated me well, great for around the house do it yourselfer, and great price point
 
I love Ryobi and Rigid for home stuff and have used Bosch, Dewalt, Porter-Cable, Milwaukee and Makita at work. Makita and PC held up the best, then maybe Bosch and Milwaukee tied close second, but the Dewalt never impressed long term.
 
I bought a Milwaukee cordless hammer drill for drilling into concrete and it was okay but died after a year. It was replaced with an 18V Hilti TE4 which cost less than the Milwaukee, did a better job of drilling and lasted the rest of the project.
Next project bought another Hilti for the crew and it lasted 4 years of regular use.
We buy mostly Hilti for heavy duty use but will go with Bosh when wanting to save a buck. Drills have a tendency of walking off the job.
 
I have some Makita stuff, a Dewalt drill and have used other brands. What I have the most of are the Milwaukee M12 tools for lighter household projects. They make short work of things I would not bother to get out a bigger tool for.
 
I have a Milwaukee m12 1/4" impact that I use the ever loving shit out of. Thing's been running strong for over a year.
 
tarted almst 40 years ago with Makita

$/quality changes over time. Started almost 40 years ago with Makita. Switched to DeWalt. These days it's PorterCable. I like the smaller size/weight, easier to carry from site to site.

If I was "building my shop" in one location I'd go with mostly corded and only use a battery driven for smaller, tricky, 'have to work from the inside, kind of stuff. It depends on what kind of work you do, build vs repair - wood vs metal, etc.

For certain specialty work Fein makes some good stuff that can be worth the investment in capability and time savings.

.
 
SM610 said:
Umm...

Are you sure? That sounds too good to be true. I have $200+ worth of batteries that will be toast before the end of the year ( i use them constantly). They will lose their ass on me alone.
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Probably true, i have the kobalt brand 24v stuff for a few years niw and the replacement batteries are $20 and often $10.

I like them, but i don't use them professionally and haven't compared them to other brands in person for the same job so couldn't say how they compare.

Only 24v setup when i started buying and cheap batteries is why i chose them

*edit, 24v not 20v
 
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I was green for many years, went yellow for a few and am now strictly red.
 
auntiebling said:
AvE is funny. I'd like to have a beer with him but Canadian beer is gross.
You'll probably.like Bad Obsession motorsports "project binky" if you've not found it already.
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Thanks for the tip - I just looked at episode 1. Love that frame jig. :thumbup
 
JesasaurusRex said:
Probably true, i have the kobalt brand 20v stuff for a few years niw and the replacement batteries are $20 and often $10.

I like them, but i don't use them professionally and haven't compared them to other brands in person for the same job so couldn't say how they compare.

Only 20v setup when i started buying and cheap batteries is why i chose them
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20V devices are a scam, and are not allowed to be marketed as such in Europe and most other places.

https://www.protoolreviews.com/news/20v-max-vs-18v-battery-power/17024/

https://www.coptool.com/power-tool-voltages-still-confusing-pros-is-20v-max-more-powerful-than-18v/
 
After fifty years in construction:
Milwaukee for almost anything.
Hilti for heavy duty impact and guns
Makita
and for home use, Ryobi and DeWalt

I have Milwaukee tools that are forty years old.
 
timely thread,as I'm in the market for cordless angle grinder. but whats with the bare tool(a la carte),enlighten me pls.....
 
spdt509 said:
timely thread,as I'm in the market for cordless angle grinder. but whats with the bare tool(a la carte),enlighten me pls.....
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I think that most people don't use a tool like the angle grinder as an entry point into a "system" (if only there was a battery standard...).

You'll find promos on the combo kits which usually start with a drill and impact in a kit which includes the charger and 1-2 batteries. Most then start adding the accessory tools since they're hooked into the system.

If you're after a-la-carte, you can get the battery/charger bundles like so.
 
^thanks for the link/info. current cordless tools i own is craftsmen, just wanna try a different brand for a change. probably leaning towards a makita at this point...
 
spdt509 said:
^thanks for the link/info. current cordless tools i own is craftsmen, just wanna try a different brand for a change. probably leaning towards a makita at this point...
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Unless you plan on using it daily, just go with Ryobi. They have screaming deals and their tools are quite high quality. Makita is better, but I still have all the Ryobi tools I have bought over the last 15 years and they still work.

They make a "Dustbuster" small hand vacuum. It costs maybe $50. It is far better quality and longer lasting than any of the $100 hand vacs I have bought. ( And uses the same 18v battery all my other tools use.)
 
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afm199 said:
Unless you plan on using it daily, just go with Ryobi. They have screaming deals and their tools are quite high quality. Makita is better, but I still have all the Ryobi tools I have bought over the last 15 years and they still work.
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i've been on ebay all morning,is mostly Milwaukee,then makita. i'll edit my search now....
 
spdt509 said:
timely thread,as I'm in the market for cordless angle grinder. but whats with the bare tool(a la carte),enlighten me pls.....
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I went DeWalt many years ago when I got a six tool set on a super deal. The grinder is very good, as is the reciprocal saw, etc.. They make their money on the batteries. (The right-angle drill driver is a terrible design. You hold it over the motor with no insulation. OUCH!)

I have gone Ryobi with my newer yard tools. But, they are smokers. And as good as more expensive stuff, for sure, as afm199 points out. I have a McCulloch chainsaw that is over thirty years old and still kicks butt. I am terrified it will go south.
 
Damn this thread. My 3/8” Snap-On impact died yesterday right after I posted. Fixing it will cost probably over $100. A new one without battery will cost probably $300.

Orrrrrrr...I can buy this setup on Amazon for like $329.
800x450-IRproducts.jpg


More power than Snap-On, the flashlight is way nicer, and better used this tool at the IR booth at the SEMA show last year and was super impressed with it.
 
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