Cordless Power Tool Battle Royal

[LakeMerrit]

Trusting motorcycle enthusiasts over paid tool 'reviews,' I would like your opinion on brands. Yes I've seen the battery rundowns by PopMech and the like, but am looking for your anecdotes.

I am looking to invest in a new fleet of cordless power tools, and am deciding which line to go with. This is not a small decision, since the proprietary batteries kind of locks you into one brand.

Let the battle begin.

Thanks!

 

[Bowling4Bikes]

oh I so want this thread! thanks

I have experience with DeWalt, which are great. but heavy. I am hoping someone has an opinion on brands that have a lighter footprint.

also, expanding to gardening tools if that is ok. cheers.

 

[Cycle61]

Milwaukee M18 Fuel FTMFW

We use them professionally, and getting beaten on heavily they last for years.

 

[BURNROPE]

I'm a dinosaur, I liked corded tools. My electrician convinced to buy the 18v Makita. It was on sale for $250.00 at Jackson's hardware in San Rafael. The kit came with a 1/2" drill/screwgun/hammer(I just use the drill feature, the hammer feature is a joke) and an impact driver that has a collar you pull back to insert bits into, it's great for driving screws. The kit came with 4 batteries, 2-4 amp & 2-3 amp, charger and a case. I've since added a circular saw, drywall gun and a angle impact driver. The batteries charge fast and don't have a memory. When my Bosch 5" angle grinder dies, I prolly get an angle grinder too. It's the tool of choice for bicycle thieves.

 

[SM610]

I voted Rigid.

Made for Home depot by Milwaukee. Difference being that you cant go to a Milwaukee store, but you can always go to home depot. Actually a better warranty than Milwaukee.

Im in the trades, and just finished two 500 sq ft decks. My Rigid tools handle anything. Extra batteries are affordable and easy to find there. I will upgrade to the brushless cordless next time.

 

[Cycle61]

I was a Rigid loyalist, until about two years ago I lost a torque battle to a Milwaukee, which all my coworkers had. Every bolt on a big switchboard was too tight and/or rusted, my orange rattle gun couldn't touch any of them, and the red one zipped them right out.

 

[SM610]

I was a Rigid loyalist, until about two years ago I lost a torque battle to a Milwaukee, which all my coworkers had. Every bolt on a big switchboard was too tight and/or rusted, my orange rattle gun couldn't touch any of them, and the red one zipped them right out.

Same type of tool with same age battery?

I find my buddies newer tool beats mine with his new battery.

 

[DTM74]

I have a DeWalt set as it was cheaper on Black Friday some years ago (7 yrs). For heavy duty use, I might go with Milwaukee. Home use, DeWalt, Makita, Porter Cable...I think they all have pros and cons.

 

[Blankpage]

Hilti or go home

 

[liveforlight]

no matter what you should stay with one brand to be able to use all batteries

Auto Mechanic & home remodel/contractor/handyman

Currently on Milwaukee line.

As of late Milwaukee has been stepping up with there new tools. I do like them alot now. I use to be on the Makita line

 

[Cycle61]

Same type of tool with same age battery?

I find my buddies newer tool beats mine with his new battery.

Probably not, but it was worth the switch to be able to steal borrow their batteries.

 

[Kurosaki]

My uncle doesn't seem to have any brand loyalty. Certain brands for different tools.

Dewalt for this gun, Makita for that grinder, porter cable for this router, etc.



Having used them all working for him, I don't really care either. Just pass me the one with a charged battery...

 

[LakeMerrit]

One possibly scale tipping fact I learned at HD today, is that Rigid tools now come with Lifetime Serivce, which INCLUDES BATTERIES. This is an industry first. You can bring a 10 year old battery into Home Depot and have it exchanged/replaced at no cost. Same for burned out motor, etc.

The only caveat is that you have to register the tools on the website within 90 days of purchase.

 

[SM610]

One possibly scale tipping fact I learned at HD today, is that Rigid tools now come with Lifetime Serivce, which INCLUDES BATTERIES. This is an industry first. You can bring a 10 year old battery into Home Depot and have it exchanged/replaced at no cost. Same for burned out motor, etc.

The only caveat is that you have to register the tools on the website within 90 days of purchase.

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.

 

[RightCoastBias]

I've got these in my travel tool case, they're small and powerful enough from what I'm doing, which is not construction.

On a motorcycle, you don't really need much more than this. I set it to the low speed and lowest usable toruqe for removing fairing screws and the like.

It can handle all household tasks and the battery last quite a long time.

I've also got a set of Makita drills at home, but much prefer the lightweight bosch set.

Bosch 12-Volt 2-Tool Combo Kit (Drill/Driver and Impact Driver) CLPK22-120 with two 12-Volt Lithium-Ion Batteries, 12V Charger and Carrying Case https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005GT0IWK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.0IBBbAMH9B9V

 

[jt2]

I've become a big fan of AvE, AKA Uncle Bumblefuck on Youtube.

Makita (and Hilti, but we're talking about tools that are somewhat affordable), are the only ones he tears down and doesn't find serious Crustiness with some regularity.

I'd been using an aging set of Craftsman C3 19.2v tools - I bought into that system over ten years ago and it has served me reasonably well.

Now that C3 is dead, when I trashed the blades in the planer and found a replacement impossible, I said fuck it and went all in on the Makita LXT system. What a difference. Can't recommend it highly enough. Amazing build quality and holy fack, the torque on the brushless stuff is phenominal.

There's been a lot of consolidation, and a bit of a race to the bottom in quality of a lot of brands.

Check out this article for a high-level breakdown of who owns/manufactures what brands.

 

[Shaggy]

I like my Ryobi stuff, but I don’t have any extreme stories to tell about using them. Just home repair, minor auto/moto repair stuff.

 

[Lights_Guy3]

I like my Ryobi stuff, but I don’t have any extreme stories to tell about using them. Just home repair, minor auto/moto repair stuff.

I'm also a fan of the Ryobi stuff. I have many of their cordless tools that I use all the time. I'm not a professional, so I can't speak to their heavy duty to use everyday, but they've done everything I've ever asked of them

 

[TheRobSJ]

I said fuck it and went all in on the Makita LXT system. What a difference. Can't recommend it highly enough. Amazing build quality and holy fack, the torque on the brushless stuff is phenominal.


Check out this article for a high-level breakdown of who owns/manufactures what brands.

Currently, my cordless stuff is half Snap-On and half Milwaukee. Snap-On strong and durable, but it's gloriously expensive. That brand should not be in the discussion unless you are a professional mechanic. Not even a "I've got the money and I want the best for my home garage" kinda person should go down the Snap-On road. And not because it's a mechanics only club that we don't want you weekend warrior shadetree people joining. It's because there isn't exactly brick and mortar Snap-On stores for you to go to should you need repairs...it's going to be a hassle for people not in the business to find a Snap-On dealer.

Makita LXT is damn good stuff. If I had it to do all over again, I'd probably go Makita. My Milwaukee stuff is in the M18 family so the batteries interchange, which is great. My stuff isn't even the brushless M18 Fuel stuff. I'd love to upgrade to the M18 Fuel, or just start over and go with Makita LXT (or perhaps even Ingersoll Rand's line of 20v cordless power tools), but my Milwaukees simply haven't died.

 

[auntiebling]

I have ridgid 5th gen stuff and have been happy with it, it I'm an enthusiastic hack of a homegamer, so my endorsement doesnt mean much for the serious user. I went with the orange stuff because it came upon a closeout set with a drill, impact driver and cordless circular saw. My only gripes are that the batteries come unseated eeeeeever so slightly on e in a blue moon and remove/reseat is the only fix, and the saw basal platen wouldnt go to 90 degrees because some.of the overmolding was hitting where it shouldn't have. I trimmed it and Bob is now my uncle (always was actually, but a saying is a saying)

Had I or found that deal I'd likely have ended up with makita. I I herited a baby 18v makita and used it for about a year prior to the ridgid acquisition. Good stuff.

Ryobi has some intermarriage with ridgid somehow. The oscillating tool attachments are interchangeable with either brand base

I've become a big fan of AvE, AKA Uncle Bumblefuck on Youtube.

Makita (and Hilti, but we're talking about tools that are somewhat affordable), are the only ones he tears down and doesn't find serious Crustiness with some regularity.

I'd been using an aging set of Craftsman C3 19.2v tools - I bought into that system over ten years ago and it has served me reasonably well.

Now that C3 is dead, when I trashed the blades in the planer and found a replacement impossible, I said fuck it and went all in on the Makita LXT system. What a difference. Can't recommend it highly enough. Amazing build quality and holy fack, the torque on the brushless stuff is phenominal.

There's been a lot of consolidation, and a bit of a race to the bottom in quality of a lot of brands.

Check out this article for a high-level breakdown of who owns/manufactures what brands.

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.