Best Power Tool Company?

[LearningMustachian72]

Hey!

I have a Dewalt power drill but am thinking of switching my allegiance to Ryobi because of the price point.

It is frustrating that all of the batteries are not compatible.

Anyone have thoughts on which brand they like/prefer?

[Uturn]

I have switched back to corded tools due to batteries wearing out before the tool and the cost of replacement batteries.  Cordless is very convenient, but rarely do I find myself needing a tool farther away from an outlet than the length of my extension cord. 

[BDWW]

LOL, what's the best color?  Not many things are as hotly debated in some circles.

Generally Dewalt, Milwaukee, Makita, maybe Bosch are considered top tier. Ryobi is popular in the homeowner/hobbiest arena due to price point. Personally every one I've used is junk, but some people seem to have luck.

BUT, it's pretty hard to make a universal claim, as each (top tier) brand has tools/models that work better than the others.

i.e. Festool capex is great, but no way would I use one of their drills over a Dewalt.

[lthenderson]

Asking what brand of tools is the best without knowing what you plan to do with them or how often you need them is like asking someone what the best car is without knowing where you plan on driving it and for how much time per day. I wouldn't recommend a Hybrid Prius to a racecar driver or a Humvee for someone looking for a fuel efficient commuter vehicle.

I am pretty brand loyal to Dewalt as someone who uses power tools on a daily basis not because I think they are the best out there but because I have enough of them that I don't want to have multiple types of chargers and batteries to look after. They have served me well and held up great, but would be overkill for the homeowner who needs a cordless powertool a few times a year. That person could definitely by a cheaper Ryobi and get by. 

Like someone above mentioned, my preference is to use corded tools when convenient because they have much more power and you aren't always swapping batteries at the most inconvenient time. I'm partial to Bosch power tools when it comes to plugging them in but again, they are overkill to someone who doesn't use them regularly. But cordless tools do have a place, especially when it comes to drills and a few other tools.

[nereo]

Yeah, I'll echo the others.  What tool is "best" depends hugely on what your usage is.  If money were no concern I'd have a collection of Festool and Hilti --- but of course money IS a  concern, so I don't own either.

Also, even the best cordless tools can't compete to corded models in terms of power or longevity.  They also are frequently lighter.  That said, I use both.

FWIW - here's a quick rundown of my primary power tools and brands
Ridgid - table saw, router
DeWalt - Cordless Drill, Driver & Saws-all. Corded planer, random orbit sander
Ryobi - Corded jigsaw
Grizzly - Joiner, Bandsaw
Bosch - Angle Grinder
Dremel - rotary tool

I purchase tools very carefully and with much deliberation.  Each of these worked best for me and my work at the time... others will have different needs and preferences.

[Wrenchturner]

Ryobi, Milwaukee, Rigid are all made by TTI out of Japan.  I like Milwaukee because they have a wide range of automotive style power tools and carpentry style tools, and their quality is generally pretty good.  And I like red.

I would probably agree with @Uturn here and say go corded unless you have a very frequent need to use a given tool.  Cordless tools are basically consumable.  Also, in many high-load cases, you want corded anyway.  Like angle grinders, heavy reciprocating saws are the two that come to mind.  Cordless circular saws are actually pretty good unless you're ripping wood all day.

They're all pretty good to be honest, it's a competitive industry.  Ryobi is lower grade and priced accordingly.

[LearningMustachian72]

Thanks everyone.

I think I’ll stick with Dewalt as I already have a few of their cordless tools and aim to keep the price down by only buying future cordless tools when necessary.

[StashingAway]

Also, in many high-load cases, you want corded anyway.  Like angle grinders, heavy reciprocating saws are the two that come to mind.

That's not strictly true these days. Newish lithium batteries are able to discharge quicker than you can get from common 110V/15A outlets. Cordless tools frequently outperform corded ones when considering torque/load.

FWIW I like the Makita tools for cordless ones. Their batteries charge quicker and are more robust than most other box store brands. Not as much watt-hours in them (so something like a DeWalt will go longer before needing a recharge).

I agree, if you can reasonably make corded work, then it's a longer lasting tool.

[Alternatepriorities]

If you want entertaining tool reviews that go way deeper than most, check out AVE's - BOLTR on youtube.

My cordless tools are all Dewalt for the same reasons as lthenderson (except I don't use them daily). Have seven in my set now and I do use them often enough that I need tools that just work when I need them and Dewalt has met that need well for the past 5 years.

Nereo - I'm a little jealous of your collection...

[nereo]

Also, in many high-load cases, you want corded anyway.  Like angle grinders, heavy reciprocating saws are the two that come to mind.

That's not strictly true these days. Newish lithium batteries are able to discharge quicker than you can get from common 110V/15A outlets. Cordless tools frequently outperform corded ones when considering torque/load.

Interesting.  I've never compared the new ones side-by-side to corded versions, but remember well how poorly they held up 10 years ago.  But for me the two things that drive me towards corded are duration and cost.

Nereo - I'm a little jealous of your collection...

;-) 
It;s taken many years to get there, and nothing I have would be considered top-end (and much of it bought second hand, like the grizzly and the TS). But I can do most things for woodworking & cabinet making given enough time and thought.  My skill is by far the limiting factor right now.

[Alternatepriorities]

;-) 
It;s taken many years to get there, and nothing I have would be considered top-end (and much of it bought second hand, like the grizzly and the TS). But I can do most things for woodworking & cabinet making given enough time and thought.  My skill is by far the limiting factor right now.
[/quote]

That's my general guide on when to upgrade both tools and sports equipment!

[Wrenchturner]

Also, in many high-load cases, you want corded anyway.  Like angle grinders, heavy reciprocating saws are the two that come to mind.

That's not strictly true these days. Newish lithium batteries are able to discharge quicker than you can get from common 110V/15A outlets. Cordless tools frequently outperform corded ones when considering torque/load.

FWIW I like the Makita tools for cordless ones. Their batteries charge quicker and are more robust than most other box store brands. Not as much watt-hours in them (so something like a DeWalt will go longer before needing a recharge).

I agree, if you can reasonably make corded work, then it's a longer lasting tool.

Li-Ion can pump out the amps, no question.  But for how long?  In my experience you're better off with corded if you want runtime + power.  And I find the batteries are pretty much toast after three years.

[Fishindude]

Just about all of my stuff is Dewalt, have been real happy with it.
Prior to Dewalt I was a hard core Milwaukee brand guy, it's good stuff too.

[nedwin]

If battery compatibility is the main concern, the 20 volt black & Decker, Craftsman and I believe Dewalt and Porter Cable all have interchangeable batteries.  I am not certain about the 20v Dewalt or Porter Cable as I don't own any, but have looked at them and they appear compatible.  I have a 20v Craftsman drill, B&D reciprocating saw and edge trimmer with two battery packs and have never been left high and dry by a dead battery.  I don't make a living with these tools, but I am finishing my basement and they have done all that I have needed them to do.

[StashingAway]

Li-Ion can pump out the amps, no question.  But for how long?  In my experience you're better off with corded if you want runtime + power.  And I find the batteries are pretty much toast after three years.

Technically, you said high load. Not power + runtime. And I already said that reasonably making corded work is an attractive option. It is particularly good for stationary tools, like table saws and drill presses. And I agree; lithium get limited on long runtime. But with a few batteries and fast charge times, I'm constantly amazed at what they can do. I run a weedwacker on a 5ah Makita battery, and it will go for over an hour before needing a charge. I can whack my yard in 20 minutes. Perceptively, running yard equipment on battery power seems a bit silly, but unless I were commercial or on large acerage, it's actually quite capable.

I'm also a recovering pedant ;)

Interesting.  I've never compared the new ones side-by-side to corded versions, but remember well how poorly they held up 10 years ago.  But for me the two things that drive me towards corded are duration and cost.

They've really upped their game in the last five years or so. Charge times, longevity, etc. make them a more reasonable investment. It's still a trade off, but it's worth checking back in when you want a new tool every once in awhile. The tricky part for me is buying used; I have to be more picky if I want to get a tool on craigslist without adding a new brand battery system to the mix.

Currently I only use a couple of battery powered tools, but they are damn useful tools!

[lthenderson]

If battery compatibility is the main concern, the 20 volt black & Decker, Craftsman and I believe Dewalt and Porter Cable all have interchangeable batteries. 

I recently bought what I thought was a corded Craftsman tile saw for a project and only after opening saw it was battery powered and came with only one battery. I think it is terrible to only send one battery with any cordless tool but I otherwise liked the saw so kept it. Although the batteries looked very similar to all my DeWalt Batteries, they are definitely not interchangable. The Dewalt has much smaller slot spacing where the power transfer occurs with mating receiver on the tool. Also, the other end of the battery that forms the lock to keep the battery securely in place is different between Dewalt and Craftsman. It would be nice if there was some compatibility but I'm not holding my breath that happens anytime soon.

[StashingAway]

If battery compatibility is the main concern, the 20 volt black & Decker, Craftsman and I believe Dewalt and Porter Cable all have interchangeable batteries. 

I recently bought what I thought was a corded Craftsman tile saw for a project and only after opening saw it was battery powered and came with only one battery. I think it is terrible to only send one battery with any cordless tool but I otherwise liked the saw so kept it. Although the batteries looked very similar to all my DeWalt Batteries, they are definitely not interchangable. The Dewalt has much smaller slot spacing where the power transfer occurs with mating receiver on the tool. Also, the other end of the battery that forms the lock to keep the battery securely in place is different between Dewalt and Craftsman. It would be nice if there was some compatibility but I'm not holding my breath that happens anytime soon.

What's interesting is that I have the opposite problem. I have three batteries already; don't need more. So when I buy a tool, rarely can I find deals on "battery-less" options. They tend to all be MSRP and only moderately cheaper than a tool with a battery.

[nereo]

While we are on the subject:
What are people's experiences / knowledge with 3rd party batteries?  I can order a 3amp 20v battery set (2 batteries) for my DeWalt tools for roughly 50% of what the OEM batteries cost.

By specs they seem to be identical.  How they work IRL... ::shrug::

[BDWW]

While we are on the subject:
What are people's experiences / knowledge with 3rd party batteries?  I can order a 3amp 20v battery set (2 batteries) for my DeWalt tools for roughly 50% of what the OEM batteries cost.

By specs they seem to be identical.  How they work IRL... ::shrug::

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjBiM0GQEe8

[Alternatepriorities]

While we are on the subject:
What are people's experiences / knowledge with 3rd party batteries?  I can order a 3amp 20v battery set (2 batteries) for my DeWalt tools for roughly 50% of what the OEM batteries cost.

By specs they seem to be identical.  How they work IRL... ::shrug::

I think @Syonyk is probably the most qualified one to answer this. He's done a lot of work with batteries on his blog. The answer might even be on there already.

[Wrenchturner]

While we are on the subject:
What are people's experiences / knowledge with 3rd party batteries?  I can order a 3amp 20v battery set (2 batteries) for my DeWalt tools for roughly 50% of what the OEM batteries cost.

By specs they seem to be identical.  How they work IRL... ::shrug::

I'm not a fan because you really don't know what you're getting, and I've found the impact resistance to be questionable.

[lthenderson]

What's interesting is that I have the opposite problem. I have three batteries already; don't need more. So when I buy a tool, rarely can I find deals on "battery-less" options. They tend to all be MSRP and only moderately cheaper than a tool with a battery.

Normally I am in agreement. I think I have about a dozen DeWalt batteries so I would definitely buy something without a battery to save money. But this is my only Craftsman cordless tool I own and one battery doesn't do you a lot of good if you have to stand around and wait for it to charge after it dies. I solved the problem by doing a lot of cutting at once and plugging it in every time whether it was needed or not when I went in to set some more tile. I did order another battery but it got here the day I finished the job.

[lthenderson]

What are people's experiences / knowledge with 3rd party batteries?  I can order a 3amp 20v battery set (2 batteries) for my DeWalt tools for roughly 50% of what the OEM batteries cost.

I've bought generics before and have always felt they didn't last near as long between charges out of the box and also don't last through as many recharging cycles. After watching that video, it seems he agrees, at least with DeWalts which I mostly have.

[StashingAway]

While we are on the subject:
What are people's experiences / knowledge with 3rd party batteries?  I can order a 3amp 20v battery set (2 batteries) for my DeWalt tools for roughly 50% of what the OEM batteries cost.

By specs they seem to be identical.  How they work IRL... ::shrug::

I'm not a fan because you really don't know what you're getting, and I've found the impact resistance to be questionable.

+1, aftermarket batteries are a gamble, and rarely match the quality of OME.

[nereo]

Ok, but when you can get two for much less than the price of a single OEM... it’s tempting. A gamble perhaps, but a low cost, low risk one.

[StashingAway]

What's interesting is that I have the opposite problem. I have three batteries already; don't need more. So when I buy a tool, rarely can I find deals on "battery-less" options. They tend to all be MSRP and only moderately cheaper than a tool with a battery.

Normally I am in agreement. I think I have about a dozen DeWalt batteries so I would definitely buy something without a battery to save money. But this is my only Craftsman cordless tool I own and one battery doesn't do you a lot of good if you have to stand around and wait for it to charge after it dies. I solved the problem by doing a lot of cutting at once and plugging it in every time whether it was needed or not when I went in to set some more tile. I did order another battery but it got here the day I finished the job.

Yes, so in your case, had you known that it was cordless the ideal option is to buy a second battery separately. They shouldn't pack two batteries in every tool just in case someone mistakes it for a corded tool. Your inconvenience is due to a specific and uncommon case scenario, and your proposed blanket solution is, frankly, absurd. It was due to accident, not deceit (unless they put a picture of a corded tool on the box or listed that there were two batteries).

[StashingAway]

Ok, but when you can get two for much less than the price of a single OEM... it’s tempting. A gamble perhaps, but a low cost, low risk one.

For sure it is, but my anecdotal experience makes the gamble a wash economically, so I like just going with OEM so that I'm not throwing away as much electronic junk.

[BDWW]

Not for everyone, but you can actually rebuild the packs yourself fairly easily.

Buy Japanese/name brand 18650 cells*, and you can actually improve the performance over oem.


*LG/Samsung/Sony/Panasonic usually. Currently 18650s max out at ~3500 right now. It's a dead give-away that it's chinese junk if there's a rating > 3500mah some claim 10000 mah lol. Also, if you watched the video above, weight is pretty closely correlated with performance. So if the replacements are lighter, they're likely junk.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMZuHMlRw_0

[Wrenchturner]

Ok, but when you can get two for much less than the price of a single OEM... it’s tempting. A gamble perhaps, but a low cost, low risk one.

Go for it, if you're comfortable with your tools not working when you need them to.  I speak as a technician, not a home gamer, so you do you!  I just treat cordless power tools as consumables, stick to one brand, don't overheat the tools or low-voltage them, and replace the batteries every three years or so.  My 18v driver and drill are five years old and still going, but I expect them to die any day now.  I own thirteen! Milwaukee cordless tools.  One charger, six batteries.

[lthenderson]

Yes, so in your case, had you known that it was cordless the ideal option is to buy a second battery separately. They shouldn't pack two batteries in every tool just in case someone mistakes it for a corded tool. Your inconvenience is due to a specific and uncommon case scenario, and your proposed blanket solution is, frankly, absurd. It was due to accident, not deceit (unless they put a picture of a corded tool on the box or listed that there were two batteries).

There was definitely no deceit on their part. The package even said it came with one battery had I bothered to read it in the store. But every single cordless tool I have ever bought over the last couple decades has come with two batteries. Why? Because if one uses one completely up, it is nice to have another one to use while the first is recharging. Sure one can make a case that a brand loyal user might not need both batteries because they already own several more. Had I realized it had one battery and needed a second one like I did, I would have had to buy two more batteries because they only sold them in pairs at the store. It wasn't deceit that they only included a single battery, it was to lower their price point to make people buy their product and then to make them purchase two more batteries later on when they realize like I did, that the one battery it came with can be inconvenient.

[nereo]

Long ago ... oh, about a decade ago... even tools within the same brand would have different battery packs.Then (thankfully) there was a move to standardize them all within a brand's lineup.

That said, I fully understand why there's been a shift towards one battery (and now often zero, aka "Tool Only") per tool.  Otherwise a person might wind up with five tools and ten battery packs... excessive for all but the most heavy users, given you can get a full charge in ~an hour.

[BDWW]

Long ago ... oh, about a decade ago... even tools within the same brand would have different battery packs.Then (thankfully) there was a move to standardize them all within a brand's lineup.

That said, I fully understand why there's been a shift towards one battery (and now often zero, aka "Tool Only") per tool.  Otherwise a person might wind up with five tools and ten battery packs... excessive for all but the most heavy users, given you can get a full charge in ~an hour.

And often 5 chargers...

[Psychstache]

I've switched over to Ryobi for all of my tools and lawn equipment. Everything I have is from the one+ system, so they all use the same batteries. I have 6 4.0 Ah batteries and a 6-slot sharger, so now I can just buy tools without the battery and save some money. With the current set up, I have plenty of battery life for any job.

So, in short, Im a fan.

[nereo]

I've switched over to Ryobi for all of my tools and lawn equipment. Everything I have is from the one+ system, so they all use the same batteries. I have 6 4.0 Ah batteries and a 6-slot sharger, so now I can just buy tools without the battery and save some money. With the current set up, I have plenty of battery life for any job.

So, in short, Im a fan.

How do you like the battery powered lawnmower?  Seriously thinking of buying one - my yard is smallish (takes 20 minutes to mow) and I hate the noise of combustion engines, not to mention needing to store gasoline on site.

[Psychstache]

I've switched over to Ryobi for all of my tools and lawn equipment. Everything I have is from the one+ system, so they all use the same batteries. I have 6 4.0 Ah batteries and a 6-slot sharger, so now I can just buy tools without the battery and save some money. With the current set up, I have plenty of battery life for any job.

So, in short, Im a fan.

How do you like the battery powered lawnmower?  Seriously thinking of buying one - my yard is smallish (takes 20 minutes to mow) and I hate the noise of combustion engines, not to mention needing to store gasoline on site.

It works perfectly in my current home. I have a small/medium backyard and one small side yard. 1st mow of the season I sometimes need to switch out the batteries one time, but I literally just came in from mowing about 2 hours ago and got it all done on 1 battery charge (plus a separate battery in the edger).

I'm a fan.

[StashingAway]

Yes, so in your case, had you known that it was cordless the ideal option is to buy a second battery separately. They shouldn't pack two batteries in every tool just in case someone mistakes it for a corded tool. Your inconvenience is due to a specific and uncommon case scenario, and your proposed blanket solution is, frankly, absurd. It was due to accident, not deceit (unless they put a picture of a corded tool on the box or listed that there were two batteries).

There was definitely no deceit on their part. The package even said it came with one battery had I bothered to read it in the store. But every single cordless tool I have ever bought over the last couple decades has come with two batteries. Why? Because if one uses one completely up, it is nice to have another one to use while the first is recharging. Sure one can make a case that a brand loyal user might not need both batteries because they already own several more. Had I realized it had one battery and needed a second one like I did, I would have had to buy two more batteries because they only sold them in pairs at the store. It wasn't deceit that they only included a single battery, it was to lower their price point to make people buy their product and then to make them purchase two more batteries later on when they realize like I did, that the one battery it came with can be inconvenient.

So, my proposal would be for all major power tools to switch to never including a battery. That way, it is standard expectation to buy a battery or two (or none) on the consumer's part. I'm not sure, but I'd guess that most people buying battery tools are somewhat brand loyal. I own craftsman, delta, dewalt, ryobi, dremel etc. corded tools but all of my battery tools are Makita, intentionally, and I suspect this is the majority of people. Just my 02c

[BDWW]

^+1  There's tons and tons off trash generated by including stuff unnecessarily.

Computer power cables and monitor cables are a good one.

[Wrenchturner]

I think manufacturers bundle batteries to keep the turnover of batteries relatively high.  Since battery refinement occurs pretty quickly, they need to be able to move the stock.

That being said, Milwaukee always has tools available without batteries.  Not too sure of other brands.  You can sell the batteries for a small loss if you really have to.  I've gotten great deals on bundles of tools or tool-only deals, but I always wait for the deals!  There's a sale aggregator in Canada called redflagdeals that can be searched, I would just search for Milwaukee periodically.

My best deals were a 12v flashlight, saw, drill and driver kit with two batteries and a charger for $160, and my big 18v 1400 ft lb impact wrench tool only for $260.  Canadian dollars.

[nereo]

I think manufacturers bundle batteries to keep the turnover of batteries relatively high.  Since battery refinement occurs pretty quickly, they need to be able to move the stock.

That being said, Milwaukee always has tools available without batteries.  Not too sure of other brands.  You can sell the batteries for a small loss if you really have to.  I've gotten great deals on bundles of tools or tool-only deals, but I always wait for the deals!  There's a sale aggregator in Canada called redflagdeals that can be searched, I would just search for Milwaukee periodically.

My best deals were a 12v flashlight, saw, drill and driver kit with two batteries and a charger for $160, and my big 18v 1400 ft lb impact wrench tool only for $260.  Canadian dollars.

DeWalt offers "tool only" (no battery) for most/all of their lineup. The best deals by far are buying sets during the holiday shopping season, when you can get a package for 40-50% less than what buying the tools individually will cost.  It's so much more cost effective that, as you mentioned, it can be advantageous to buy sets with tools you already have and sell them as "new/never used" on CL/Kijiji.  Last december it was the same price to buy a saws-all (which I needed) and battery powered ciruclar saw (which I didn't) with a charger and one battery than it was to just buy the saws-all with battery. 

[Michael in ABQ]

The last power tool I bought was a cordless DeWalt drill over six years ago. I've been very happy with it since. Came with two NiCad batteries in a hard case and I've rarely had to change batteries in the middle of a job. I discovered something interesting when I was researching tools. Home Depot and Lowe's only carry certain models from DeWalt (probably true with other brands). Basically they carry the cheaper "consumer grade" models. If you want to get the better quality "contractor grade" models, you have to buy from somewhere else. I bought mine from Amazon.

[nereo]

The last power tool I bought was a cordless DeWalt drill over six years ago. I've been very happy with it since. Came with two NiCad batteries in a hard case and I've rarely had to change batteries in the middle of a job. I discovered something interesting when I was researching tools. Home Depot and Lowe's only carry certain models from DeWalt (probably true with other brands). Basically they carry the cheaper "consumer grade" models. If you want to get the better quality "contractor grade" models, you have to buy from somewhere else. I bought mine from Amazon.

That's not entirely correct.  Many HD/Lowes stock a limited selection of their various brands in store, but you can order most anything from their lineup and have free delivery to your store or (often) to your home.  It's more of a space issue than a not-wanting-to-carry-higher-end-tools.  There's only so many items that can be stocked in store, particularly since they stock about a half-dozen different lineups. 
FWIW you still get the same warranty/return policy for stuff ordered and shipped to store.

[lthenderson]

So, my proposal would be for all major power tools to switch to never including a battery. That way, it is standard expectation to buy a battery or two (or none) on the consumer's part.

I would be okay with that. One thing this whole thing taught me is that I need to spend a bit of time reading a box before buying something.

[lthenderson]

Basically they carry the cheaper "consumer grade" models. If you want to get the better quality "contractor grade" models, you have to buy from somewhere else. I bought mine from Amazon.

I don't think this is true for cordless hand tools. I think people suspect this since the manufacturer makes the part number different for every client to prevent price comparisons.  There are some exceptions to this rule when it comes to say gardening equipment. I know John Deere and Stihl both have consumer and professional grade lines of products.

[BDWW]

Basically they carry the cheaper "consumer grade" models. If you want to get the better quality "contractor grade" models, you have to buy from somewhere else. I bought mine from Amazon.

I don't think this is true for cordless hand tools. I think people suspect this since the manufacturer makes the part number different for every client to prevent price comparisons.  There are some exceptions to this rule when it comes to say gardening equipment. I know John Deere and Stihl both have consumer and professional grade lines of products.

Definitely true for some brands.
I have 2 3/8" Bosch 18v drills. The professional one has a nice machined almost all metal chuck. The consumer one is mostly plastic with only a small metal cylinder around the jaws embedded in plastic.
Dewalt makes both brushless and brushed models that function the same, same batteries, etc.  (The brushless being more durable and longer lasting without maintenance.)  Those are just the ones I have immediate first hand knowledge of.

[lthenderson]

Basically they carry the cheaper "consumer grade" models. If you want to get the better quality "contractor grade" models, you have to buy from somewhere else. I bought mine from Amazon.

I don't think this is true for cordless hand tools. I think people suspect this since the manufacturer makes the part number different for every client to prevent price comparisons.  There are some exceptions to this rule when it comes to say gardening equipment. I know John Deere and Stihl both have consumer and professional grade lines of products.

Definitely true for some brands.

I have 2 3/8" Bosch 18v drills. The professional one has a nice machined almost all metal chuck. The consumer one is mostly plastic with only a small metal cylinder around the jaws embedded in plastic.
Dewalt makes both brushless and brushed models that function the same, same batteries, etc.  (The brushless being more durable and longer lasting without maintenance.)  Those are just the ones I have immediate first hand knowledge of.

You can check out both DeWalt and Bosch websites and while they advertise themselves as makers of professional tools, they do not offer two completely different lines of tools as previously mentioned John Deere or Stihl do. If you look at 20V drills and drivers, Dewalt offers 48 different ones you can buy online including brushed and brushless.  If you go to a big box store, you may be lucky to have six different options. That doesn't mean they have different lines, because they don't, it just means many physical stores just stock the most popular selections.

[BDWW]

snip...

You can check out both DeWalt and Bosch websites and while they advertise themselves as makers of professional tools, they do not offer two completely different lines of tools as previously mentioned John Deere or Stihl do. If you look at 20V drills and drivers, Dewalt offers 48 different ones you can buy online including brushed and brushless.  If you go to a big box store, you may be lucky to have six different options. That doesn't mean they have different lines, because they don't, it just means many physical stores just stock the most popular selections.

Right, so they offer different qualities of extremely similar tools, but don't group them into "lines", gotcha.

/pedantwin

[lthenderson]

snip...

You can check out both DeWalt and Bosch websites and while they advertise themselves as makers of professional tools, they do not offer two completely different lines of tools as previously mentioned John Deere or Stihl do. If you look at 20V drills and drivers, Dewalt offers 48 different ones you can buy online including brushed and brushless.  If you go to a big box store, you may be lucky to have six different options. That doesn't mean they have different lines, because they don't, it just means many physical stores just stock the most popular selections.

Right, so they offer different qualities of extremely similar tools, but don't group them into "lines", gotcha.

Well I suppose you could enlighten us and tell us what makes a power tool professional and what makes it consumer grade when the manufacturer doesn't advertise it as such? You mentioned brushless motors. Ryobi makes brushless drills so is it professional quality? Festool makes a drill with a plastic chuck surrounding metal jaws so is that consumer grade?

[StashingAway]

DeWalt offers "tool only" (no battery) for most/all of their lineup. The best deals by far are buying sets during the holiday shopping season, when you can get a package for 40-50% less than what buying the tools individually will cost.  It's so much more cost effective that, as you mentioned, it can be advantageous to buy sets with tools you already have and sell them as "new/never used" on CL/Kijiji.  Last december it was the same price to buy a saws-all (which I needed) and battery powered ciruclar saw (which I didn't) with a charger and one battery than it was to just buy the saws-all with battery.

All the brands offer "no battery" options, but usually you have to search and order online, which is inconvenient and often incurs shipping costs. And rarely do those go on sale like the kits do. Both of which I was whining about earlier in the thread. The kits go on sale so that consumers buy in to the brand. And they often do sneaky things like sell a "brushless" kit at an amazing price that has a brushells impact driver but a brushed drill and mini circular saw.

The last power tool I bought was a cordless DeWalt drill over six years ago. I've been very happy with it since. Came with two NiCad batteries in a hard case and I've rarely had to change batteries in the middle of a job. I discovered something interesting when I was researching tools. Home Depot and Lowe's only carry certain models from DeWalt (probably true with other brands). Basically they carry the cheaper "consumer grade" models. If you want to get the better quality "contractor grade" models, you have to buy from somewhere else. I bought mine from Amazon.

That's not entirely correct.  Many HD/Lowes stock a limited selection of their various brands in store, but you can order most anything from their lineup and have free delivery to your store or (often) to your home.  It's more of a space issue than a not-wanting-to-carry-higher-end-tools.  There's only so many items that can be stocked in store, particularly since they stock about a half-dozen different lineups. 
FWIW you still get the same warranty/return policy for stuff ordered and shipped to store.

+1. Box stores often carry the Pro (whatever that means) version of tools. They just don't carry the full line of all the brands because they need floor space to sell things like lumber, toilets, and bird seed. So they have a couple of mid range Dewalts, a low end Ryobi and a high end Bosh (even though Bosch also sells low end and Dewalt sells a low end, etc). We have grown accustom to the infinite selection of the internet so this pruning of the product line seems malicious when it's really just trying to maximize inventory and sell through.

There are definitely cases of products like a Best Buy "holiday exclusive" LG TV that has 2 USB ports instead of 4 and an older processor than the equivalent LG TV that you see off season, but that's the exception and not the rule for most of these things.

[Jon Bon]

Ryobi

Fight me!


For the casual user or even hard core DIY-er I think cordless Ryobi tools are dang near perfect.

Price -  they are cheap, tools are cheap, batteries are cheap, accessories are cheap. I feel the batteries have also come down in the price since I started buying them.
Customization -  I think they have many different versions of the same tool depending on needs. Drills and drivers they might have 6 versions of each. This is also very true with their batteries. IN a drill you might not need a huge battery, and lighter is better. But in a saw or yard equipment you will want the bigger battery. You can also find great combo packs online with a little snooping. Sometimes you can basically snag a free tool or battery when you buy one they throw in the other for free.
Flexible - all the tools work with the same battery. All chargers work with the same battery. I can keep 2 on the job-site, 2 at home and 1 in the car at all times and never miss a beat. They make everything from tire inflators, to bluetooth speakers to lights. Can' beat the selection.

I get that dewalt is likely a "better" tool but the price is a huge hindrance to me. I would hardly want to use a $400 dewalt drill. Id worry id break it our get it stolen, if someone rips off my $50 ryobi impact driver NBD.  I feel the higher brands are kind of the F150 Larient edition of tools. Sure you can tow 50,000 pounds through a mountain pass in the snow, but why would you?

[Psychstache]

Ryobi

Fight me!


For the casual user or even hard care DIY-er I think cordless Ryobi tools are dang near perfect.

Price -  they are cheap, tools are cheap, batteries are cheap, accessories are cheap. I feel the batteries have also come down in the price since I started buying them.
Customization -  I think they have many different versions of the same tool depending on needs. Drills and drivers they might have 6 versions of each. This is also very true with their batteries. IN a drill you might not need a huge battery, and lighter is better. But in a saw or yard equipment you will want the bigger battery. You can also find great combo packs online with a little snooping. Sometimes you can basically snag a free tool or battery when you buy one they throw in the other for free.
Flexible - all the tools work with the same battery. All chargers work with the same battery. I can keep 2 on the job-site, 2 at home and 1 in the car at all times and never miss a beat. They make everything from tire inflators, to bluetooth speakers to lights. Can' beat the selection.

I get that dewalt is likely a "better" tool but the price is a huge hindrance to me. I would hardly want to use a $400 dewalt drill. Id worry id break it our get it stolen, if someone rips off my $50 ryobi impact driver NBD.  I feel the higher brands are kind of the F150 Larient edition of tools. Sure you can tow 50,000 pounds through a mountain pass in the snow, but why would you?

+1 I get a lot of mileage out of the One+ line