Best Cordless Power Tools

[thinkxingu]

Hi neighbors! I'm going to be doing a little more work than normal up at camp this summer, so I'm trying to line up tools. I've got a Hitachi set from some years ago that I really like, but they changed the battery design (physically, not voltage) along the way. I've got two Li-Ion batteries right now, but not sure how much power they will have.

So I either need to buy a few new batteries--which I'm not sure would be fresh, given the change in design some years back--or new tools.

Thoughts? Installing the new trailer cost more than we planned in fall, so looking for most reliable/cost effective approach. (Also, if anyone has a tool set they want to donate, I'm your man!)

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[fatlazyless]

Bestest cordless drill ever-ever-ever is the $18.53 Hyper Tough 18v-nicad cordless drill at Walmart ...... it goes & goes & goes .... lowest price except if you get lucky at a thrift store .... which will basically never happen .... and for $18.53 this is brand new!

Check out all the Hyper Tough line of tools down at Walmart.

By the way, and I don't mean to be brag'n here, but did you know that I recently found a 7-1/4" 110v Makita circular saw for just five bucks at that Ladders Thrift in Plymouth ..... it works fantastic after getting a little Vaseline on the blade height adjuster slides and Armor-all for the Makita blue ........ even the old blade was still sharp .... am so lucky-lucky-lucky!

[jazzman]

You might try looking for compatible batteries on ebay. They won't be OEM, but they'll be cheap and probably get you enough power for home type projects.

If you want something different, I've seen some closeouts on Porter Cable at Lowes. They might be dumping PC to sell Craftsman branded stuff. I got an impact driver for $13 yesterday and there were some of the larger kits with sale prices on them that I didn't look at.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by jazzman

You might try looking for compatible batteries on ebay. They won't be OEM, but they'll be cheap and probably get you enough power for home type projects.



If you want something different, I've seen some closeouts on Porter Cable at Lowes. They might be dumping PC to sell Craftsman branded stuff. I got an impact driver for $13 yesterday and there were some of the larger kits with sale prices on them that I didn't look at.

Thanks for the heads-up, I'll be there later anyway.

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[Slickcraft]

For a homeowner the Ryobi 18V one+ tools but with the larger 4Ah batteries.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18...1837/305439006

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18...P122/204321540

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

For a homeowner the Ryobi 18V one+ tools but with the larger 4Ah batteries.



https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18...1837/305439006



https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18...P122/204321540

I was looking at some of those combos. Any thoughts on the reciprocating saw quality? My Hitachi performs almost as well as my corded, but most cordless are junk.

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[MAXUM]

I picked up an 8 tool cordless Porter Cable 20v Max set at Lowes last year. Regular price was $449, on sale for $349 + 10% mil discount $315 out the door.

I did augment this with a couple of 3A pro batteries (red) with a quick charger.

[welch-time]

Originally Posted by jazzman

You might try looking for compatible batteries on ebay. They won't be OEM, but they'll be cheap and probably get you enough power for home type projects.

I agree. I bought some of the "Powilling" battery packs on Amazon for my Ryobi tools and they're just as good as OEM and much cheaper. Maybe they make compatible battery pack for your Hitatchi tools. I think most of the Li-Ion cells come out of the same factories as the OEM packs. AvE (on Youtube) tested some of these packs and they we're pretty decent.

I buy the "refurbished" Ryobi tools on eBay and have duplicate tools scattered in several states, so now I'm committed to the same battery style. If I ever switched brands it would be costly. Never had a failure with cheap Ryobi refurbs.

[Biggd]

Makita is the best IMO. I've got an 18V impact driver that's about 7 years old now and still on the same battery. It's light, compact, holds a charge a long time, and powerful. You really don't realize the difference until you use something else.
I bought a Ryobi 18V impact driver and drill combo kit and it sucks. It's everything that the Makita isn't. Heavy, bulky, battery runs down quickly, and no where near as powerful.
I should have returned it but I keep it in my truck for emergency purposed.
I've never had Hitachi but my electrician friend swears by them.

[MBNeckguy]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

For a homeowner the Ryobi 18V one+ tools but with the larger 4Ah batteries.



https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18...1837/305439006



https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18...P122/204321540

I can’t say enough good things about this Ryobi line of tools. There is zero sex appeal to them or the brand but I’ve had great results with fairly heavy homeowner use over an extended period of time. The price is right, the selection of available tools is excellent and the batteries are interchangeable. I’ve also had very positive results with the non OEM replay batteries from eBay when needing to replace these.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Biggd

Makita is the best IMO. I've got an 18V impact driver that's about 7 years old now and still on the same battery. It's light, compact, holds a charge a long time, and powerful. You really don't realize the difference until you use something else.
I bought a Ryobi 18V impact driver and drill combo kit and it sucks. It's everything that the Makita isn't. Heavy, bulky, battery runs down quickly, and no where near as powerful.
I should have returned it but I keep it in my truck for emergency purposed.
I've never had Hitachi but my electrician friend swears by them.

Exactly, Makita 18V is the best and I also have had them for @8 years and they still work great. I also bought the Ryobi combo for my grandson to help me out on a project and they really, really, really suck!! As you said the battery runs down very quickly, especially the circular saw..JUNK!

[jazzman]

Yea, Makita and Milwaukee are probably the best quality battery tools and the most expensive Ryobi is probably the lowest quality. Stanley / Black and Decker own Dewalt and Porter Cable now. I think they position Dewalt as the higher quality alternative though they seem pretty similar to me.

I have the "new" Porter Cable 20v system and like it. There are lots of tools available (palm sander, nail guns etc). I use it in my shop every day and have had no issues. I stumbled on 4 packs of extra batteries for $20 in Lowes once and bought all they had.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Exactly, Makita 18V is the best and I also have had them for @8 years and they still work great. I also bought the Ryobi combo for my grandson to help me out on a project and they really, really, really suck!! As you said the battery runs down very quickly, especially the circular saw..JUNK!

I've used my Makita impact driver so much that the quick change head is a little sloppy but I still prefer it over the new Ryobi.
A new Makita is on my fathers day list for this year. The kids are always asking me what I want.
I'm going to build a new deck with a screened in porch in the fall. That Ryobi just won't do.
I'm still old school and prefer corded tools but there are benefits to cordless when you're far away from an outlet, like down at the docks.
My corded tools are all Milwaukee and I've had them for 25 years and still work like new.

[rick35]

I’ve switched over to Ridgid. I used to be a Craftsman fan and there was a time I only shopped at Sears for power and hand tools. I like the Ridgid features and feel and I like the fact they have lifetime warranties. I haven’t had to use the warranty but i’ve been told they’re legit from people who have.

I also have some Makita 12v tools which are smaller and lighter and work great for smaller everyday projects. I especially like the Makita 3-3/8 circular saw. It started from watching This Old House years ago when Norm Abrams was up on a roof doing a segment. The roofer pulled out his little Makita to cut some shakes and I thought Norm was going to fall off when he saw the little saw. Never saw Norm get excited about a tool like that.

[rick35]

Here’s an article about tool companies and their brand names. Ridgid is listed under Emerson but power tools are made by TTI.

https://toolguyd.com/tool-brands-cor...-affiliations/

[fatlazyless]

One big problemo with Makita is their price ...... so very very expensive ..... I should have to give up eating for a week to be able to afford one ..... unless I find one for five dollars at the thrift store ...... you know what ..... sometime you just get lucky!

You know the very low priced Hyper Tough line of cordless power tools, sold at Walmart, are really very well designed and made, and sell for a low, low, low price. How do they do it? Is they made by Chinese prisoners, locked up somewhere, in a Chinese prison. "You must make 25 cordless drills by noon, or no bowl or rice for you, so's get to work ....... hut-hut-hut!"

Hyper Tough makes a 10" 110v 15a table saw for about $130 .... includes a stand .... and it definitely cuts it. This is less than the $150 the ReStore thrift in Plymouth wants for a 60-year old, cast iron top, Craftsman belt drive with 3/4-hp motor.

[Outdoorsman]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

One big problemo with Makita is their price ...... so very very expensive ..... I should have to give up eating for a week to be able to afford one ..... unless I find one for five dollars at the thrift store ...... you know what ..... sometime you just get lucky!

You know the very low priced Hyper Tough line of cordless power tools, sold at Walmart, are really very well designed and made, and sell for a low, low, low price. How do they do it? Is they made by Chinese prisoners, locked up somewhere, in a Chinese prison. "You must make 25 cordless drills by noon, or no bowl or rice for you, so's get to work ....... hut-hut-hut!"

Hyper Tough makes a 10" 110v 15a table saw for about $130 .... includes a stand .... and it definitely cuts it.

One of the many things that you fail to understand is that Walmart sells Junk. Cheap Junk! Even the few brand name things they sell are "factory seconds" at best.

Walmart forces companies to sell their product for such a CHEAP price point that the companies in turn are forced to cut corners, cheapen everything they can and outsource just to have shelf space in that dump (Walmart).

You will buy many MANY of the same cheap ass item from walmart for that small "discounted price" as you would have if you just bought quality the first time.

There is a reason for your tag line.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

One big problemo with Makita is their price ...... so very very expensive ..... I should have to give up eating for a week to be able to afford one ..... unless I find one for five dollars at the thrift store ...... you know what ..... sometime you just get lucky!

You know the very low priced Hyper Tough line of cordless power tools, sold at Walmart, are really very well designed and made, and sell for a low, low, low price. How do they do it? Is they made by Chinese prisoners, locked up somewhere, in a Chinese prison. "You must make 25 cordless drills by noon, or no bowl or rice for you, so's get to work ....... hut-hut-hut!"

Hyper Tough makes a 10" 110v 15a table saw for about $130 .... includes a stand .... and it definitely cuts it. This is less than the $150 the ReStore thrift in Plymouth wants for a 60-year old, cast iron top, Craftsman belt drive with 3/4-hp motor.

I Bought the Ryobi because it was cheap and on sale a Xmass time at Home Depot. I won't make that mistake again. It's a POS and not worth half of what I paid for it.
If you just want a tool around the house for when you want to hang a picture it's fine. But if you perform any kind of real work where you need to depend on a tool all day then spend the extra spend the money on the Makita.
Of course if you're retired and don't mind taking twice as long to do the same job a quality tool would do then go by cheap at Walley World.

[cessnaair]

I built cargo lift from dock last year, 28 stairs the year before and used Ryobi drills and saws, they worked flawlessly especially with lithium batteries

[welch-time]

These guys do really nice tool reviews. Here's a 1/2" drill comparison.

https://www.toolboxbuzz.com/head-to-...-hammer-drill/

Predictably, Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita were all on top. Ryobi finished in the middle of the pack (but not on the bottom). Ultimately they thought they were all good tools. I get the Ryobi refurbs because they're dirt cheap and I can leave a complete set (drill, driver, circular saw, batteries) out on the island without (much) fear of theft (who'd steal those ugly green things anyway?). I've always been happy with the performance.

It's your money.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by welch-time

These guys do really nice tool reviews. Here's a 1/2" drill comparison. https://www.toolboxbuzz.com/head-to-...-hammer-drill/ Predictably, Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita were all on top. Ryobi finished in the middle of the pack (but not on the bottom). Ultimately they thought they were all good tools. I get the Ryobi refurbs because they're dirt cheap and I can leave a complete set (drill, driver, circular saw, batteries) out on the island without (much) fear of theft (who'd steal those ugly green things anyway?). I've always been happy with the performance. It's your money.

These are my four Ryobi drills.



One has the drill bit, one for chamfering, one a spade countersink, and another a Phillips. (A cheap way to keep a project moving-right-along).

I gotta say, they've given less trouble than my seven or eight Makitas. (Makita faults: corroded/weak battery contacts—one permanently-jammed chuck).

When I picked up Ryobi's "+1" Lithium battery, I had to opt for an aftermarket charger that would charge both types—but Hurricane Irma destroyed all my Ryobi tools.

I'll just limp along with Makita 9.6v, as too much torque will give my otherwise-unnoticed arthritis a jolt!

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by ApS

These are my four Ryobi drills.



One has the drill bit, one for chamfering, one a spade countersink, and another a Phillips. (A cheap way to keep a project moving-right-along).

I gotta say, they've given less trouble than my seven or eight Makitas. (Makita faults: corroded/weak battery contacts—one permanently-jammed chuck).

When I picked up Ryobi's "+1" Lithium battery, I had to opt for an aftermarket charger that would charge both types—but Hurricane Irma destroyed all my Ryobi tools.

I'll just limp along with Makita 9.6v, as too much torque will give my otherwise-unnoticed arthritis a jolt!

.

Anything 9V won't do much work. You might as well just use a manual screwdriver.
You need at least 18V.

[The Real BigGuy]

My son-in-law is an HVAC installer and uses his cordless power tools every day. He opted for Mikita 20v because of their durability. On the other hand, I purchased a Ryobi cordless 18v set when they first came out years ago. I have built decks, bunk house, and done home repairs with no problems.

My only expenditures have been switching to L-ion batteries when the originals would no longer hold a charge. My son-in-law has had to replace two faulty batteries.

I have owned my set for well over 10 years. He has owned his for less than 5.

What does all this say? Buy tools that fit how they are going to be used. If you are a pro, spend the $ to get the best you can. If you are a home owner, maybe not. At 50 years old, did I really need power tools that will last 30 years? Hell no - I expect my son-in-law to be doing my carpentry work for me when I’m in my 70’s


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[Pricestavern]

I've had nothing but success with my Dewalt cordless drill. Have used it for over 10 years now all around the camp fixing docks, building decks, etc. As a rule I try not to buy tools from Home Depot as the internal components are a lesser quality than from other stores such a Loews or a good hardware store.

[jbolty]

Makita, dewalt or Milwaukee are obviously the top 3. I have all Makita and have nothing but good things to say. I have friends with the others and they all love them too. You find one you like the feel of and stick with the brand for the battery interchange. Hardly a day goes by when I don't use my drill driver.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by The Real BigGuy

Hell no - I expect my son-in-law to be doing my carpentry work for me when I’m in my 70’s


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Don't count on it, I'm closer to 80 than 70 and I still do all my own carpentry work. Your son-in-law will have his own property and children to take care of and you won't be on his priority list..unless he thinks you have some money for him

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Don't count on it, I'm closer to 80 than 70 and I still do all my own carpentry work. Your son-in-law will have his own property and children to take care of and you won't be on his priority list..unless he thinks you have some money for him

My son inlaw, with 3 little kids, is the first to offer me help on anything. My son has 2 little ones and never offers to help but has no problem asking for help. I guess I spoiled him.
I'm 65 and don't like to ask for help but I don't know for how much longer that will be the case.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Biggd

Anything 9V won't do much work. You might as well just use a manual screwdriver. You need at least 18V.

Manual screwdrivers take too long to drill holes.

For homeowner use, I've found Harbor Freight's $10 cordless drill-drivers have worked just fine to drill the occasional hole around the house. This year, HF may have replaced them with a more expensive Hercules brand.

You can see (below) where I've cut away the Makitas' rear grip to increase tension on the contacts—and to file off corrosion. On the right is one of two 40-volt batteries for GreenWorks yard tools.

I forgot to mention that the Ryobi batteries were difficult to remove—such is the contact points' tension engineered-in for batteries larger than 9.6v—which drop right out. Except in the tools that have a "spring-assist", the 40-volt batteries have to be pried out with a screwdriver!

The 9.6v Makita drill-drivers are all adjustable for torque, so chances of wringing-off fasteners are limited—as well as keeping the Phillips bits from "walking out". Every fastener gets a final adjustment by hand anyway.

I don't recommend the Makita 9.6v circular saw, as it jams readily in wood and simply isn't powerful enough to take on its purported function.

If you look at the tools that professional linesmen use, you'll find Hitachi and Ridgid. I don't know who's paying for their replacement batteries.

Comprehensive listing of power tools and their suppliers:
https://pressurewashr.com/tool-industry-behemoths/

For working down at the dock with some serious power tools, I've purchased a 100', 14-gauge, extension cord—for less than $50.

Here are some of my cordless drills—not including Harbor Freight and others I've left at the lake house:

[Biggd]

I still have one of those 9V makita drills. It's useless, IMO! I don't know why I haven't thrown it out yet. Sentimental I guess, my first battery power tool.

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[fatlazyless]

https://www.walmart.com/cp/hyper-tough/3801931 ....can't luck into a $5-Makita at the thrift store ..... try these for $18.73-new.

Hyper Tough factory quality control ..... these tools no work ..... u no eat .... built with greatest of care in communist prison .... hut-hut-hut!

[thinkxingu]

Holla! Dad gave me a couple 18v DeWalt tools and batteries, but I need a reciprocating saw. If anyone has one, or any old 18v DeWalt tools they wanna donate, shoot me a message!

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