Author Topic: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?  (Read 21098 times)

Rufus.T.Firefly

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 272
Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« on: October 28, 2016, 02:27:09 PM »
New about-to-be-homeowner here and I'm ready to start my power tool collection. With cordless tools, clearly the one of the most expensive parts is the battery/charger systems. So I really want to pick one cordless brand and stick with it.

I've been trying to sort through all the marketing BS to figure out which is the best brand combined with value for money. The more information I gather, the more complicated it seems.

I plan to use tools for different DIY projects and start doing woodworking on a casual basis. I want to add tools slowly. For cordless power tools, I will likely just start with a drill and circular saw (I already have an initial project in mind for them). I'm also currently being tempted by the impact driver, but frankly don't have a specific use in mind for it yet. Durability is important, of course. I don't want to be repurchasing tools in 5 years.

So which brand would you pick, assuming you had to stick with it, for all your cordless power tools?
« Last Edit: October 28, 2016, 02:57:45 PM by Rufus.T.Firefly »

katsiki

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2015
  • Age: 43
  • Location: La.
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2016, 02:38:58 PM »
Would like to know also!

I have had good luck with Ryobi but I think they are on the cheaper end of the spectrum.

J_Stache

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 106
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2016, 03:03:22 PM »
Ryobi is on the cheap end of the spectrum, but they are much improved from 10 years ago.  If you only want to use cordless, I'd go Makita.  They are great tools and have the most "bare tools" that you can buy to use with your batteries.  Ridgid would also be on my list.  High quality, but good prices at the Home Depot. 

If I were you, I look into a corded circular saw.  It'll be the same price as the cordless (without battery), but will have more power.  If you get the drill and cordless circ saw, you'll probably want to get more than 2 batteries so you can charge 1 and not always be swapping batteries between the two tools.  For the drill, go to the store and hold a bunch.  Depending on your hand size, you may prefer a different brand.  Can't go wrong with DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, or Ridgid. 


Miss Piggy

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1549
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2016, 03:15:18 PM »
I just gave away a 15-year-old Ryobi cordless drill at a garage sale last weekend. It still worked great, but it felt disgusting. It was basically decomposing into a nasty, sticky mess. It was like there was always a coating of thick, sticky syrup on it. I just couldn't take it anymore, and I didn't have the heart to ask someone to pay for something like that. The woman who took it was all too happy to have it, despite the nasty stickiness.

Did none of you who are recommending Ryobi have a similar experience?

HPstache

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2858
  • Age: 37
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2016, 03:25:47 PM »
I like Makita for my "mechanic"-type tools... the the ones I work on my car with (impact, drill, etc).  I like DeWalt for wood working tools (circular saw, chop saw, etc.).  Can't really back it up with facts as to why, they are just my favorite brands for the types of tools.

Spork

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5742
    • Spork In The Eye
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2016, 04:49:55 PM »
The only cordless tool I really use is a drill/driver.  I prefer corded for everything else.  I'm in my 50s... and I still have my original corded drill and circular saw I bought in high school.  (They're not high end... corded just last longer.)

My previous drill was a Porter Cable... and I liked it.  This was the NiCd era and the batteries died after about 5-6 years.  New batteries cost approximately what a new drill/driver costs, so full replacement seems reasonable.

I just recently replaced it with a Ridgid after reading reviews.  Yes, Makita/Milwaukee/Hitachi out performed Ridgid in all the tests I had seen.  But... not by much.  And for the price difference (and the fact that I am a DIY'er and not a guy using these tools 50 hours a week)... I went with Ridgid.  I haven't had it long enough to give a meaningful review, but the upside is that if you do a warranty registration, Ridgid will repair/replace them for life INCLUDING THE BATTERY.

Fishindude

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3075
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2016, 01:24:55 PM »
I'm with Spork, I'd go with corded tools for just about everything but one drill.   Unless you are using cordless tools every day, the batteries will go bad on you and you won't be happy.  I employ approx. 65 construction personnel in the field every day and we buy very few cordless tools.  They don't last as long, batteries go down at inopportune times, they cost more to start with, many can't hold a candle to 110V tools in terms of power, etc.

lthenderson

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2252
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2016, 01:37:58 PM »
I've used a lot of Makita, Bosch and DeWalt over the years and don't have a real complaint with any of them. I mostly use DeWalt at home and like their lithium ion batteries. They charge up fast, last a long time and are reliable.

I use my impact driver for everything but drilling a hole and thus it gets used a lot more than my drill does. I you get one, spring for the snubbed nose version. It comes in handy when working in tight spaces. In fact, my drill plus bit often times won't fit where I need it too so I have a set of quick connect drill bits that I use with my impact to drill in those tight spaces. It won't drill a precise hole due to the play in the quick connect but it does drill a hole where I need it.

I would also recommend avoiding buying a kit of cordless tools. Instead, buy exactly what you need as you need them. Unless you are a professional and run a lot of cordless tools, I wouldn't get too concerned about having everything with the exact same battery. The biggest reason is that it is often cheaper to get a brand new drill with two new batteries than to just buy two new batteries. Also, with charging systems so fast these days, the charging battery will be topped off before you can wear the second battery out so you can have non-stop action with the two default batteries that come. The one drawback is that you have to have multiple chargers but then, you will have multiple of the same charger if you buy all the same brand.  I buy based on weight, size and features among those three brands I listed earlier, and don't worry about keeping them all the same just because they look nice in the garage all lined up.

Rufus.T.Firefly

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 272
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #8 on: October 30, 2016, 07:20:45 PM »
A lot of good advice and experience here! I really appreciate it. This definitely helps cut through all the advertising noise.

It does seem crazy that the batteries/chargers are so expensive when sold by themselves, and yet practically given away when bought with a  tool.

index

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 655
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #9 on: October 30, 2016, 09:02:17 PM »
Go with a Milwaukee, Bosch, or Makita 12v impact driver and drill. That is all a homeowner needs. Reading endless reviews and contemplating brush less and 18v tools is for someone who uses their tools to make money. Stay away from Ryobi and black and Decker crapb though.

Johnez

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1102
  • Location: Southern California
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #10 on: October 31, 2016, 03:29:25 AM »
I've had Ryobi with excellent luck. If you want a steal, Home Depot puts them on special right around Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you've the heart to deal with Black Friday, might check it out.

Also, if Ridgid still has their fix or replace deal in place for life deal, holy smokes that's a great deal. Anyone have experience dealing with returns?

specialkayme

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 278
  • Location: Mid-South Atlantic
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #11 on: October 31, 2016, 05:41:30 AM »
I haven't ever purchased a cordless tool, and can't say I really plan on doing it in the near future. I have a full (ish) workshop, and do bee removals in people's houses as a side source of income, so I use my tools fairly regularly. I've found there isn't many places you need a tool that a long extension cord won't reach. And if it is that 1 in a 1,000 location, usually you can move whatever you need to cut/drill to the outlet. And for that very very rare chance, I just use a chainsaw :)

Corded lasts so much longer.

As far as brand goes, when I was in high school and college I got the cheapest thing I could find. A ryobi corded drill for $15 at Lowes, and a corded sander for $10. That was in 2000-2005 dollars. The drill still works perfectly. The sander finally went out on me this past summer.

My grandfather was a woodworker and always had dewalt tools. I didn't know this about him (or even that he was a woodworker) until a few years ago. Then I found out my grandmother still had all his tools that he purchased in the '60's . . . and they still worked fine. Since then if I need a tool, I'll weigh the difference between the cheapest item I can find and a dewalt (based on specs and holding it). Usually I end up going with the dewalt though. I haven't been disappointed yet.

lthenderson

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2252
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #12 on: October 31, 2016, 07:30:50 AM »
I haven't ever purchased a cordless tool, and can't say I really plan on doing it in the near future. I have a full (ish) workshop, and do bee removals in people's houses as a side source of income, so I use my tools fairly regularly. I've found there isn't many places you need a tool that a long extension cord won't reach. And if it is that 1 in a 1,000 location, usually you can move whatever you need to cut/drill to the outlet. And for that very very rare chance, I just use a chainsaw :)

Corded lasts so much longer.

A lot of it has to do with efficiency. I don't want to be swapping tools into the one extension cord, untangling it from obstacles between me and the outlet, stopping to get plugged into a different outlet, etc. I like being able to reach down and grab my light cordless impact off my tool belt where ever I may be. Getting rid of all the hassle of cords is more than worth the longevity/cost difference for me. However, I don't apply this logic to all tools because I still prefer my corded skilsaw over cordless versions just because of the power differential. In that case, the extra power is worth the hassle. I just don't find that to be the case with my drill and impact driver.

zolotiyeruki

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5603
  • Location: State: Denial
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #13 on: October 31, 2016, 10:41:21 AM »
I agree with the sentiment about drills/drivers being the only tools worth getting cordless.  I have an old DeWalt 12V (NiCd!) that was handed down to me, and I love it.

Oddly enough, I also have a corded Black & Decker drill that was given to us as a wedding gift.  13+ years later, it's going strong.  I haven't had a single issue with it.

synthetic

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 2
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #14 on: November 01, 2016, 01:20:59 AM »
Ryobi! Worked high-end-custom-fabricated-justforfunaddedhyphenation-construction at a very very fast paced shop and that's the one every one of the senior guys used and/or wished they bought, bought ryobi. will keep buying ryobi.

andy85

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1060
  • Age: 38
  • Location: Louisville, KY
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #15 on: November 01, 2016, 07:11:58 AM »
If you are in the market for drills, I would recommend Makita. I just bought a drill/driver combo...the 18volt lithium ion brushless set with the 4.0ah batteries. Expensive, but my research indicated they were definitely one of the best drills out there and they will see pretty heavy use. I have a craftsman battery powered circular saw and i'm not really a fan of it to be honest. My jig saw is corded and is a dewalt. My mitersaw is obviously corded and is a hitachi. My orbital sander is a ryobi and does the job just fine. Ryobi is a pretty solid value brand.

ketchup

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4323
  • Age: 33
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #16 on: November 01, 2016, 07:22:21 AM »
I've only used Ryobi and I've been pleased with them.  I've had my cordless set (drill, driver, circular saw, reciprocating saw) for about five years and it's been good to me, granted my use has been pretty light (a project of some sort every other month at the most).  Also got a Ryobi belt sander (corded) last year that seems to behave well.

Papa Mustache

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1650
  • Location: Humidity, USA
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #17 on: November 01, 2016, 07:45:52 AM »
I've had good results with Milwaukee, Makita and DeWalt drills.

What I found was that like everything else you get what you pay for. The really cheap tools are closer to toys.

Also if you don't use them frequently you'll spend far more on battery replacement. I found that only the cordless drill is something I use regularly.

In addition to the cordless drill I have a variety of corded and air tools. I buy quality corded tools and cheap air tools. It minimizes my cost long term.

BudgetSlasher

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1212
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #18 on: November 03, 2016, 03:33:38 PM »
I have two sets of DeWalt tools 1 18v NiCad and 1 12v Li-ion. The 18v are the major tools and the 12v are an impact driver and drill set.

From friends and family's experience, it really is you get what you pay for (with diminishing returns)

The inexpensive Royobi-tier will be fine for a home owner who uses them once or twice a year.

Pretty much any Milwaukee/Rigid/Mikita/DeWalt-tier will last stand up to frequent use for years to come. One brand might make a better saw, another a better drill, and still another a better sander; overall they are probably comparable.

Then there is the festool-tier which are great tools, cost twice as much as the tier below and, in my opinion, beyond the point of diminishing returns.

I got my 18v set back in 2008 and picked it for the slightly better drill (according the reviews), I got my 12v set in 2012 and I picked the tools based on which ones fit most comfortably in my hand and felt the most balanced.

Buy a set to start, in many cases its cheaper to buy the set than to buy each tool.

Once you have picked your price-point, pick whichever color you like best; personally in all power tools I default to DeWalt, Bosch, and Makita, but I also have rigid, harbor freight, porter-cable, and delta in the shop.

WSUCoug1994

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 537
  • Location: Bay Area, California
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #19 on: November 03, 2016, 07:26:35 PM »
At the risk of being redundant - I am a heavy user of my power tools - I would highly recommend the 18v DeWalt drill and impact wrench and a corded skill saw.  I bet 90% of my projects get done with these tools.  That last 10% is done with my sawsall :) I will say having all of your tools with the same batteries does make life easier and I typically will find Dewalt compatible but not OEM battery replacements (which often outlast the OEM) on Amazon and eBay but there are crap off brand batteries as well.  I have never had good luck with battery powered saws in comparison to corded.  If you ever buy a router or a grinder - get a corded one as well.
« Last Edit: November 03, 2016, 07:31:20 PM by WSUCoug1994 »

Jon Bon

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1664
  • Location: Midwest
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #20 on: November 03, 2016, 07:27:45 PM »
Ryobi is great for the weekend warrior.

Heck you could replace a tool 2-3 times for the price of some of the other brands.

I've yet to break a tool and have been using them for 7 years. I've renovated 4 houses and am in property management with them.

fullpampers

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 83
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #21 on: November 03, 2016, 08:05:10 PM »
Which ever brand you choose, once the batteries start to crap out, you can buy cells on the internet and rebuild your battery packs.

I have an old dewalt drill that i have done that to. If i remember correctly it cost around 15-20$ a pack instead of 100$ for each pack.

And I use dewalt, makita and bosch. No complaints here. They are all quality tools.

doggyfizzle

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 380
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #22 on: November 03, 2016, 08:17:39 PM »
From personal experience, I'd suggest Milwaukee.  If you want to go really high-end, Metabo makes incredible power tools that will last you a lifetime.

doggyfizzle

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 380
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #23 on: November 03, 2016, 09:13:38 PM »
Milwaukee power tools have always served me well.  If you want to shell out a bit more for "lifetime" tools I'd look at Metabo power tools.

MasterStache

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2912
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #24 on: November 04, 2016, 05:58:39 AM »
I have a mixture of DeWalt, Milwaukee and Rigid between all my tools and saws. And probably a couple other brands. I really like my Rigid cordless drills, sawzall etc. Price was great considering I got them all at discounts. And they have held up exceptionally considering all the rehab work I have done.

Spork

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5742
    • Spork In The Eye
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #25 on: November 04, 2016, 07:36:11 AM »
Which ever brand you choose, once the batteries start to crap out, you can buy cells on the internet and rebuild your battery packs.

I have an old dewalt drill that i have done that to. If i remember correctly it cost around 15-20$ a pack instead of 100$ for each pack.

And I use dewalt, makita and bosch. No complaints here. They are all quality tools.

I've done this a few times... with not-great results.  Do you have a little spot welder?  I did it with a soldering iron and omygod batteries are such a huge heat sink.  I had a terrible time getting good solder joints.  (If you have a good methodology, share it!)

Rufus.T.Firefly

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 272
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #26 on: November 04, 2016, 07:42:03 AM »
In case anyone is curious what route I went, I wound up being given a lightly used Dewalt compact drill and hammer drill (18v) for free by a family member who has too many tools! It was really nice of him.

Then another family member offered to buy me tools as a housewarming gift and wanted me to pick what I got. So I selected a matching impact driver kit with two batteries.

For those curious about the new Li-Ion vs. old NiCd battery choice, NiCds typically have 2-3x more charge cycles and cost 1/2 the price. So about 5x better value: http://www.diffen.com/difference/Li-ion_vs_NiCad

The tool companies don't seem to want to tell you that anywhere on their own websites.

I'm going to heed everyone's excellent advice and stick with corded tools for everything else.

acroy

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1697
  • Age: 46
  • Location: Dallas TX
    • SWAMI
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #27 on: November 04, 2016, 07:57:58 AM »
Another vote for Ryobi  for the weekend warrior. Cheap and effective. "Best" budget brand, tons of tools, all pretty cheap. Wait for Black Friday sales.

Best quality - Makita, etc. 'Real' tools. Expensive.

fullpampers

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 83
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #28 on: November 05, 2016, 06:25:27 AM »

[/quote]

I've done this a few times... with not-great results.  Do you have a little spot welder?  I did it with a soldering iron and omygod batteries are such a huge heat sink.  I had a terrible time getting good solder joints.  (If you have a good methodology, share it!)
[/quote]

I did it with a soldering iron too. I remember i had to file the tip of the iron because it was a little too big. But I didn't have any problems or special technique.

kandj

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 46
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #29 on: November 07, 2016, 06:36:29 AM »
Milwaukee, hands down. We have an assortment of older 12V Bosch, Ryobi, and Milwaukee and any future purchases will be Milwaukee. My dad, who builds office furniture and uses these tools every day, swears by Milwaukee as well.

Syonyk

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4610
    • Syonyk's Project Blog
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #30 on: November 07, 2016, 06:53:02 AM »
Don't solder to batteries. The heat damages them. With lithium, this is especially true.

Yonco

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 55
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #31 on: November 07, 2016, 03:06:30 PM »
Corded tools, Makita.  Cordless, Dewalt 20V lithium(happens to be my favorite brand). Lastly most of my tools are actually Milwaukee. Unfortunately i see the most problems, bad bearing, broken parts, etc with this brand, probably because they make up the majority of my tools. If i were to go out and buy something tomorrow, it would be a Dewalt.

powersuitrecall

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 515
  • Location: Ontario, Canada
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #32 on: November 09, 2016, 12:05:25 PM »
I'll add that I've found 2 cordless drills very handy: one with a chuck for drilling, and the other for driving in screws.  I frequently use them side by side.  I recently replace my cordless drill with one with a "hammer" mode, and that made drilling into concrete very enyoyable.

Syonyk

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4610
    • Syonyk's Project Blog
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #33 on: November 09, 2016, 01:38:31 PM »
Why not use a drill and an impact driver for driving screws?  That's what I've got and it works quite nicely.

powersuitrecall

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 515
  • Location: Ontario, Canada
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #34 on: November 09, 2016, 02:11:43 PM »
Why not use a drill and an impact driver for driving screws?  That's what I've got and it works quite nicely.

Yep that's what I've got (and I probably should have specified).

hoosier

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 118
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #35 on: November 16, 2016, 12:31:21 PM »
Outside of a drill and impact driver, I'm not a fan of cordless tools.  They're underpowered and expensive.  I could possibly live without my cordless drill, somebody would have to pry my impact from my cold dead fingers.

Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee, and DeWalt are all pretty good.  I don't think you would go wrong with any of them.  Stay away from Ryobi, Black and Decker, or any store brand stuff.  Avoid Harbor Freight like the plague.

I have a DeWalt 20V drill and impact.  The driver is awesome, but the drill has too much run-out in the chuck for my liking.

paddedhat

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2228
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #36 on: November 17, 2016, 05:50:43 AM »
Outside of a drill and impact driver, I'm not a fan of cordless tools.  They're underpowered and expensive.  I could possibly live without my cordless drill, somebody would have to pry my impact from my cold dead fingers.

Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee, and DeWalt are all pretty good.  I don't think you would go wrong with any of them.  Stay away from Ryobi, Black and Decker, or any store brand stuff.  Avoid Harbor Freight like the plague.

I have a DeWalt 20V drill and impact.  The driver is awesome, but the drill has too much run-out in the chuck for my liking.

X100  Once you own a cordless drill and a cordless impact, it's hard to imagine how you did anything without them. hoosier is dead on with brand recommendations. I have purchased both a Ryobi and Harbor Freight product that I ended up using for a few minutes and packed up to return. They just were not worth wasting time on, for any price. The last time I shopped for a Dewalt, I was shocked at how crappy the chuck was, with lots of play and a real cheesy feel.

TomTX

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5345
  • Location: Texas
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #37 on: November 17, 2016, 07:17:05 AM »
Which ever brand you choose, once the batteries start to crap out, you can buy cells on the internet and rebuild your battery packs.

I have an old dewalt drill that i have done that to. If i remember correctly it cost around 15-20$ a pack instead of 100$ for each pack.

And I use dewalt, makita and bosch. No complaints here. They are all quality tools.

I've done this a few times... with not-great results.  Do you have a little spot welder?  I did it with a soldering iron and omygod batteries are such a huge heat sink.  I had a terrible time getting good solder joints.  (If you have a good methodology, share it!)

NEVER USE A SOLDERING IRON ON LITHIUM CELLS!

That's a good way to ruin them, and later get one to go into thermal runaway (ie, act like a Samsung phone)

Spot welder is the only way to go for DIY. Or let BatteriesPlus rebuild the pack for you. Or wait for packs to go on sale.

TomTX

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5345
  • Location: Texas
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #38 on: November 17, 2016, 07:19:20 AM »
Outside of a drill and impact driver, I'm not a fan of cordless tools.  They're underpowered and expensive.  I could possibly live without my cordless drill, somebody would have to pry my impact from my cold dead fingers.

Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee, and DeWalt are all pretty good.  I don't think you would go wrong with any of them.  Stay away from Ryobi, Black and Decker, or any store brand stuff.  Avoid Harbor Freight like the plague.

I have a DeWalt 20V drill and impact.  The driver is awesome, but the drill has too much run-out in the chuck for my liking.

X100  Once you own a cordless drill and a cordless impact, it's hard to imagine how you did anything without them. hoosier is dead on with brand recommendations. I have purchased both a Ryobi and Harbor Freight product that I ended up using for a few minutes and packed up to return. They just were not worth wasting time on, for any price. The last time I shopped for a Dewalt, I was shocked at how crappy the chuck was, with lots of play and a real cheesy feel.

Having both a cordless drill and impact driver is LUXURIOUS. You can drill a pilot hole and immediately drive in the screw. Repeat as needed. No need to swap bits. And the impact driver just works so much better driving screws.

TomTX

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5345
  • Location: Texas
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #39 on: November 17, 2016, 07:20:08 AM »
In case anyone is curious what route I went, I wound up being given a lightly used Dewalt compact drill and hammer drill (18v) for free by a family member who has too many tools! It was really nice of him.

Then another family member offered to buy me tools as a housewarming gift and wanted me to pick what I got. So I selected a matching impact driver kit with two batteries.

For those curious about the new Li-Ion vs. old NiCd battery choice, NiCds typically have 2-3x more charge cycles and cost 1/2 the price. So about 5x better value: http://www.diffen.com/difference/Li-ion_vs_NiCad

The tool companies don't seem to want to tell you that anywhere on their own websites.

I'm going to heed everyone's excellent advice and stick with corded tools for everything else.

Ridiculous. NiCds don't last longer than decent lithium.

paddedhat

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2228
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #40 on: November 17, 2016, 02:02:05 PM »


X100  Once you own a cordless drill and a cordless impact, it's hard to imagine how you did anything without them. hoosier is dead on with brand recommendations. I have purchased both a Ryobi and Harbor Freight product that I ended up using for a few minutes and packed up to return. They just were not worth wasting time on, for any price. The last time I shopped for a Dewalt, I was shocked at how crappy the chuck was, with lots of play and a real cheesy feel.

Having both a cordless drill and impact driver is LUXURIOUS. You can drill a pilot hole and immediately drive in the screw. Repeat as needed. No need to swap bits. And the impact driver just works so much better driving screws.
[/quote]

Absolutely.  Once you have seen an impact driver push a deck screw head straight thru a 5/4 deck board, you really get an appreciation for exactly how powerful they really are.  On occasion I've had to rescrew entire rooms full of subfloor down, since the carpet was pulled up, the floor squeaked like a pig, and the opportunity to correct the problem was now, since it would be under tile or hardwood shortly.  It's amazing how quickly an impact gun and a five pound box of 1-5/8" Torx head deck screws can tighten up an old floor. 

lthenderson

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2252
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #41 on: November 18, 2016, 08:00:03 AM »
It's amazing how quickly an impact gun and a five pound box of 1-5/8" Torx head deck screws can tighten up an old floor.

I remember the days of using drills and phillips head screws and having an entire floor to screw down. I'm glad those days are behind us!

the_fixer

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1252
  • Location: Colorado
  • mind on my money money on my mind
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #42 on: November 18, 2016, 08:32:05 PM »
Have a bunch of corded Milwaukee tools and love them they are my favorite and last forever.

Had a Dewalt and craftsman cordless drill and they just did not hold up. Looked at purchasing some Milwaukee cordless but liked the selection that Ryobi offered and went with them and have been really happy with them for several years.

Currently have a cordless drill, impact and an amazing cordless pump. 

Le Poisson

  • CM*MW 2024 Attendees
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *
  • Posts: 16257
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #43 on: November 19, 2016, 07:27:44 AM »
I'm going to beat the crap out of whatever I buy anyway. $20 tools seem to last just as long as $300 ones. For precision shop tools it's a different story. Spend money on high end used stuff if need accuracy.

CDP45

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 509
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #44 on: November 19, 2016, 11:58:35 PM »
There are wise and experienced posts above. Heed their message.

I too was ignorant of home improvement 3 years ago, then the hard lessons washed over me, and I just barely have kept my head above water.

There is an overlooked shortcut to MMM riches with his building work, and doing my own home maintenance has saved me the most money except for not wasting thousands on car purchases.

Makita actually cares about their product, they really have thought about helping the customer. Led lights, keyless chucks, 1 battery for all tools...

Examples: Rebuilt 220stft deck for $1,500 vs $5000+ cost to hire. Replaced 8 fence posts and section of fence. Made my own 12ft linear workbench. Installed garage shelving, closets, cabinets, doors, bi-fold doors. Replaced broken drawers. Replaced numerous valves, baseboard, drywall, yada yada.

The Makita drill and impact driver is the core of my tools. Spend the $200, you won't be disappointed.


Spork

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5742
    • Spork In The Eye
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #45 on: November 20, 2016, 07:15:48 AM »
Have a bunch of corded Milwaukee tools and love them they are my favorite and last forever.

Had a Dewalt and craftsman cordless drill and they just did not hold up. Looked at purchasing some Milwaukee cordless but liked the selection that Ryobi offered and went with them and have been really happy with them for several years.

Currently have a cordless drill, impact and an amazing cordless pump.

FYI: Ryobi is the current maker of Craftsman power tools (also Ridgid I believe.)  If you didn't like Craftsman....

paddedhat

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2228
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #46 on: November 20, 2016, 04:11:52 PM »
Have a bunch of corded Milwaukee tools and love them they are my favorite and last forever.

Had a Dewalt and craftsman cordless drill and they just did not hold up. Looked at purchasing some Milwaukee cordless but liked the selection that Ryobi offered and went with them and have been really happy with them for several years.

Currently have a cordless drill, impact and an amazing cordless pump.

FYI: Ryobi is the current maker of Craftsman power tools (also Ridgid I believe.)  If you didn't like Craftsman....

I haven't spent a dime on a Craftsman power tool since I worked in a small engine shop, back in high school.  Even then, if you need a part for any major brand chain saw or mower, it was rare when it took a week for UPS to get it to you, unless it was a craftsman. They would subcontract their small engine product manufacturing to one supplier one year, then switch to another builder to save $0.15 a unit, the next year. They were also pretty overt about design specs. that required you to buy from them, and only them. If the average mower deck needed a 48" drive belt and a five inch diameter hub pulley, they would design their product to take a 4-1/2" pulley and a 47-1/2" belt. Both of which could only be had from Sears, with a hefty price attached. 

Now that Lampert has done everything he possibly can think of to destroy the company, and it has been circling the drain for years, I can't even conjure up a good enough reason to even bother walking in the door of one of their stores.  Unless you count morbid curiosity. Our local store is a time warp, the exterior is a dirty, sad snapshot in time, and hasn't changed a bit since 1967, when it opened. The interior was last revamped thirty years ago. It's actually pretty sad.

monkeyman

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 13
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #47 on: December 07, 2016, 08:41:31 AM »
To add my 2 cents to the discussion, a few power tool companies own a lot of other companies. For example Stanley Black & Decker owns Stanley/Black&Decker/DeWalt/Porter-Cable/Bostitch. I wouldn't be surprised if other brands have the same thing going. I know at least Bostitch, Stanley and Black&Decker pneumatic hammers under the skin are mostly the same, its more of creating the look of additional competition. But the answer the original question, my father owns only DeWalt cordless drills. He uses them for work and swears by them. He upgrades his cordless drills every 3-4 years but this is primarily driven by the lighter tools/more power and not because the tool has crapped out.

Syonyk

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4610
    • Syonyk's Project Blog
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #48 on: December 07, 2016, 07:19:00 PM »
Also, a nice tax deduction. :)

trollwithamustache

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1146
Re: Best Brand for Cordless Power Tools?
« Reply #49 on: December 08, 2016, 02:56:47 PM »
Has anyone here experimented with generic batteries?  I've gone the Makita route and am happy with the tools. The generic batteries look a lot cheaper, but maybe they don't last as well?

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!