Cordless power tools - help me choose

You didn't mention your budget? Also you didn't mention what your usage will be? Everyone will have a brand loyalty....
I would suggest looking into the MIlwaukee M12 Fuel version....Why are you on the fence? Great Brand, High Quality, Great Support,.........
I have the M12 non fuel and has served me well...

 

i have the ryobi 1 system from home depot. good tool at a good price, but i have nothing to compare it to.

 

Cordless?

1/4' and 3/8' drive ratchets...Milwaukee M12. Screw guns, impacts and drill motors Dewalt 3 AMP/20 Volt.

 

I don't have a kit, but I do have a cordless 18V Dewalt 1/2" hammer drill that is an absolute beast. Especially since I got new lithium batteries for it about 5 years ago. It will rip your arm off if you're not careful.

 

Nobody else makes the battery powered ratchet. Being a Line Mechanic, those are my recommendations. YMMV.

 

If budget allowed, I wanted Makita, but I ended up getting Ryobi. Ryobi at their price points are not bad for casual DIYers, but not powerful enough for Pro use.

 

Corded is dying out, judging from the tool store flyers I get. Is that for the best?

I've noticed a few people with cordless leaf blower, which seem kind of laughable. I thought I was wimping out, with my corded leaf blower. Now battery powered blowers are proliferating, and seem another order of magnitude anemic: chasing a leaf or two around.

Maybe a decade back now, so maybe a different story now, but: a guy was over installing a cable/internet box, and I was enlisted to help swap his drill's batteries between the drill and charger.

 

I have Milwaukee M12 and 18v tools. The 18’s are terrific. The 12’s don’t have the power in comparison. That said, I keep the M12 drill in the house for odd jobs and the 18’s in my service van. I also have the 18 leaf blower, impact driver, jigsaw and skill saw.

I’m thinking the cordless ratchet m12 is next on my list.

 

How much do you USE your tools?

I have 2....and EXACTLY two Snap-on tools - those being 2 small screwdrivers gifted to me by my brother, decades ago.

For most tools, you can buy a Craftsman, or a Snap-on and have a lifetime 'investment' without worrying about future-proofing.
'Lectric tools are going to be a little different of course - as the owners of some of the old school cordless tools will tell you.

Professionals HAVE to buy good stuff and they will get a good ROI over having to re-purchase a middling brand.
Home DIY'ers on the other hand might not be well advised to buy professional grade tools that will just hang out in the garage waiting for a picture to be hung or a gutter downspout to be re-attached.
Exceptions abound......such as an only child giving advice to a wealthy octogenarian parent over which power tools they should purchase.....

All kidding aside...I find that 'consumer grade' tools (YMMV on the branding) occupy that vast middle ground between junk (Harbor Freight) and stuff that the pros use (Bosch, Milwaukee, etc...)

This middle ground is defined as.....
"Good Enough"

Again.....YMMV.
I've seen a lot of suburbanites rooting around in garages looking for 30-year-old professional-grade power tools that they last used back when installing their radar ranges and running wires for their quadraphonic stereos ....

 

I actually recommend to my “non tool using” friends that they buy corded tools. I keep my batteries charged because I use them daily. For very occasional use I think corded is the way to go.

 

Corded is cheaper. But convenience is priceless. Cost differences have shrunk, which doesn't help. One tool you would want corded is 1/2in heavy duty drill for mixing mortar, grout, cement.

The battery is the consumable item. Avoid cheap Amazon/fleaBay/scamlist alternative replacement; you get what you pay for. They do go on sale w/ some regularity at OrangeDespot, and especially at this time of the year, BlackFriday.

Brushless tools are the trend and are more expensive than the traditional brushed based tools.
However, it seems most tool makers have stopped making brushed tools b/c of competition, which is driving down the price of brushless tools. Brushless are more powerful and the battery will last longer b/c of the brushless design (the tool knows when more power is needed). Since you don't make a living w/ tools, brushless is a luxury, but it is becoming the new standard.

OP should go to his local OrangeDespot (Home Depot), and take a look at the various power tools brands and play with them. See which one feels good in his hand. Which one has future tools he would like to get down the road.

Timing is perfect to buy himself his Xmas gift early b/c the consumer shopping weekend is upon us: BlackFriday.

Yes, the 12V Makita and Miwaukee will feel good in your hand (lighter, and easier to grip), but limited number of tools made for that 12V battery. If you have money to burn, get a 12V for the the easier to grip drill and impact driver, and an 18V for the expansive line of tools.

Ridgid (OrangeDespot's) line of tools has a compelling advantage over everyone else: LIFETIME WARRANTY (even on the battery).

Requires online registration w/in 90days of purchase.
Warranty claims made online/calling, then mailed to a specified address, or driven to if it is local for you.
NO Warranty exchanges at your local OrangeDespot store!
Internet search "who makes ryobi ridgid etc": Really Complete List of TOOL Manufacturers, Who Owns Whom & Stores - David Woodsmall

TTI owns Ryobi, Ridgid (Home Depot exclusive), Milwaukee​

DISCLAIMER: I own a bunch of Ryobi One+ tools.

I decided on Ryobi b/c at the time of purchase it was the best value, $99, for an entry kit (1/2in drill, 1/4in impact driver, TWO 18V Li-ion battery, charger, and carry case). Also, Ryobi was the only maker with a lot of garden tools (edger, string trimmer, etc) using the same 18V battery. I had the best of both worlds (garden and home). Sure, I would love to own Makita, but too costly for the few times I would use it. If you look at the power specs for a tool (ie 1/4in impact driver) between brands, the specs will be close; some tools you will be splitting hairs.

Tight Budget: $99 Ryobi starter kit pictured below, but available NOW.
Medium Budget: $149 Ryobi Starter kit, Brushless version, available NOW.
SUPER VALUE: $259 Ryobi kit (Many different $259 configurations: 5 tools, 2 batt, 1 charger, 1 bag. All are pre-selected for 1/2in impact wrench. Take off lug nuts FAST! Be sure to buy impact rated sockets.)
SUPER SUPER VALUE Money to Burn: $349 Ryobi kit (Many different $349 configurations: 7 tools, 3 batt, 1 charger, 1 bag. All are pre-selected for 1/2in impact wrench. Take off lug nuts FAST! Be sure to buy impact rated sockets.)
Later pick-up a 1/2in hammer drill ($79) or SDS rotary hammer drill ($99).

Check out all the various tools (home, garden, and etc) Ryobi has. RYOBI Tools​

Check out the OrangeDespot BlackFriday ad: Ryobi One+ 1.3AH 18-Volt Lithium-Ion 2-Tool Kit Available on Black Friday at Home Depot - GottaDeal.com

​

 

Cord get's a bad rap.
In my day?
Everything was corded.
AND we LOVED it!

Your phone was plugged into the wall and the receiver had a cord!
Your stereo speakers were plugged into the stereo...and that was plugged into the wall.

Bluetooth was a dental ailment not a wireless connection.

And most of us didn't have to debate the best battery powered power tools to buy. The debate was about how many, and what different lengths of extension cord you wanted to buy.

Sure it was tethered. But you didn't have to worry about a battery failing or not being charged.

 

I can defend both flags on the corded versus non-corded - even in a society where millennials think that it's inconvenient to be encumbered by something as trivial as a metal key.
Portability seems to be a yuge plus and safety is non-trivial when you're on a roof or ladder for the wireless crowd.
Still.....
I'd be lying if I told you that I've never thrown down a cordless tool in disgust and sought its corded counterpart.....

If you're going to buy the other kinda 'wireless' device?
Yeah.....Black Friday or Cyber Monday is the time to do that!

 

I bought a corded leaf blower/vac/shred combo thing. Within a year I'd acquired the same item in cordless form, found in a secondhand store. It was already compatible with batteries I owned.

Honestly they are a match for power, and I gladly accepted the limited run-time of the battery unit for the extra mobility. I have some tools with cords and some without. This is one where I admit that my instinct was wrong- should have gone for the cordless.

Where hand tools are concerned, I think the bases are covered. I still use a DeWalt NiCd screwgun because it's light and compact, and I occasionally need to ship my tools by air. Way less paperwork with old-school batteries, even though the performance is lower.

 

Yeah they are a flood, can't fight it.

 

I still have my DeWalt NiCD set, and an even older Craftsman drill that tends to be my goto for drilling.

If you can solder, you can replace the cells within an old pack instead of buying new. I might try upgrading to NiMH when the time comes.

 

the new smart chargers allow continuous 'charging' even with very occasional use, without much degradation. (so they claim)