Cordless Tool Recommendations

[Clank]

I am looking to get some battery operated tools. Mostly the basic stuff. I am your average homeowner workload, but we are going to be redoing some cabinets, so I will be getting a sander. I have a 1 ryobi 18v battery, leaf blower, and shop vac. But I am wondering if I should go with some higher quality tools (Milwaukee or Dewalt).

Ryobi definitely has the advantage in the sheer volume of tools to use with its 18 volt. Dewalt is probably a close second with its variety of tools. I have a corded milwaukee drill that is great, but I would like to have that when I need more power and use the convenient battery drill for quick work around the house.

Ryobi tools are quite a bit cheaper, but if you get into the brushless HP models the difference is less. I do have appreciation for Dewalt being made in America for a lot of its tools. Thanks for your help!

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[Bob902]

Yep. Either Dewalt or Milwaukee. I also have a set of Ridgid cordless from 2005. It's 18 volt but it has more ass than my new Dewalt 20 volt.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Hi Clank,

I am a known Toolaholic.. I have long ago broomed my Sears Crapsman tools except for hand tools like wrenches, sockets etc. My go to brands are DeWalt, Milwaukee and Porter Cable, with a heavy lean toward DeWalt...

Best,
Phil

 

[Bob902]

I got a Dewalt 20v impact gun for Christmas. All I can say is that thing is a beast!

 

[halligan1201]

Ryobi and Milwaukee are under the same parent company (that also owns AEG, Hoover, and Dirt Devil) and they have the same internal parts. My advice is pick a name brand and stick with it for ease of battery swaps. I've been using Ryobi for twenty years solely because I was given a set for Christmas one year and they've been great. My old 14V tools lasted for ten years when some of them started to wear out after daily use. Now I have a mix of 18V and 24V hand tools, 40V yard tools, including a chainsaw that was able to cut half a face cord of wood on a battery.

The parent company rule holds true for DeWalt and Porter Cable too. Same company, same guts. The real key is brushless or not.

 

[adisidoro5]

If you already have Ryobi, stick with it and get more tools and batteries. Since it is household stuff you will be doing, Ryobi will work just fine. I used to install cabinets and I used Porter Cable and had next to no issues

 

[y2krtaf]

Since your looking for home use tools,look for lifetime battery/tool warranty.

I have bought rigid from the depot for that reason,and they have worked very well.

I know quite a few peeps that are very please with the ryobi tools so

Brushless are typically more powerful,and all of Milwaukee tools for work are brushless,and are work horses.

 

[Dgc333]

FWIW, DeWalt, Porter Cable, Craftsmen and Black & Decker are all made by Stanley. The 20 volt Lithium Battery packs are interchangeable between all of them.

 

[lawrench]

I am looking to get some battery operated tools. Mostly the basic stuff. I am your average homeowner workload, but we are going to be redoing some cabinets, so I will be getting a sander. I have a 1 ryobi 18v battery, leaf blower, and shop vac. But I am wondering if I should go with some higher quality tools (Milwaukee or Dewalt).

Ryobi definitely has the advantage in the sheer volume of tools to use with its 18 volt. Dewalt is probably a close second with its variety of tools. I have a corded milwaukee drill that is great, but I would like to have that when I need more power and use the convenient battery drill for quick work around the house.

Ryobi tools are quite a bit cheaper, but if you get into the brushless HP models the difference is less. I do have appreciation for Dewalt being made in America for a lot of its tools. Thanks for your help!

For me, when you say "average homeowner workload", there are many tools that a homeowner will need.

Outdoor tools

I like the Ryobi 40v tools (weedeater, hedger, leaf blower, etc.)

Hand Tools

I like Craftsman, but they are getting expensive, so I go to Harbor Freight for the hand tools that I need. For me, the quality is not as important as saving money for gas.

Battery Operated tools

I love the Craftsman 19.2v power tools, but have slowly realized that when I do have to replace them, I may go with DeWalt or Ryobi depending on how much I want to keep the tools around.

Hopefully this helps, but each person has their own needs and bank account. I have a co-worker that loves Ryobi 18v tools because of the eco system and he does not have to buy tools with batteries and chargers because he has batteries and chargers.

Goodluck

 

[Dr. Zaius]

I got a Dewalt 20v impact gun for Christmas. All I can say is that thing is a beast!

I have the same one.

I haven't used my air impact since I got it.

@Clank , the 18V Ryobi tools are good for homeowner use and work fine.

For the outside yard tools, get the 40V versions.

Last year my gas blower putzed out and I was needing a string trimmer too so I went and bought the 18V Ryobi combo.

The blower was OK but the trimmer was a bit too weak for my needs.

Returned them and got the 40V kit. It was more expensive but the power difference is HUGE.

Blower and trimmer are pretty equal to the power of my gas tools and the battery lasts a long time.

I also bought the 40V Ryobi chainsaw and hedge trimmer and they exceed my expectations every time I use them.

The hedge trimmer actually scared my wife a bit the first time she used it.

She was accustomed to our corded B&D trimmer and the 40V Ryobi is WAY more powerful.

 

[Dunneldeen]

I have been a Ryobi fan for years and have a lot of their 18v tools. I'm also a big fan of the Milwaukee 12v line.

Anytime I'm looking for a tool, I try and look at cost, size and usage. If it's a tool that has real benefit to being smaller and lighter, I tend to go with Milwaukee. If it's a tool where size matters less, or where a larger battery is better, I will go with Ryobi. There are exceptions, of course, mostly where I'd prefer to have a Milwaukee tool, but can't justify the 50-100% price increase for a tool I use infrequently.

 

[Joeiconic]

I’m a huge fan of the Makita 18v sub-compact ecosystem of tools. I put 40+ quarter inch holes through cement block with the sub-compact hammer drill and the battery still indicated it was at 3/4+ strength. Very well made and there are all kinds of tools that run off the same batteries.

https://www.makitatools.com/products/details/CX200RB

 

[Wanted Ranger]

Take a good look at the Ridgid brand. I was a loyal Dewalt fan, until I lost some tools in a flood about ten years ago.

Most, if not all of their new stuff can be covered by their LSA (Lifetime Service Agreement), IF REGISTERED WITHIN 90 DAYS OF PURCHASE.

Some will argue that this LSA isn't worth shit. But, in the past 10 Years, I've had 4 batteries replaced (no charge), under this agreement, which is about a $700 value here in Canada. I have never had any issues with the tools or chargers themselves.

 

[oldnslow]

FWIW, DeWalt, Porter Cable, Craftsmen and Black & Decker are all made by Stanley. The 20 volt Lithium Battery packs are interchangeable between all of them.

I have mostly DeWalt tools and a couple Black & Decker tools, all 20V lithium. Those batteries are NOT interchangeable! the Black & Decker use the same connector as DeWalt, but the polarity is reversed, and they are keyed so they can't be mixed. I sure wish they had not done that.

I don't know about Porter Cable and Craftsman.

 

[CF6-mech]

Think 18v are good and even better now they are going brushless. My favorite are the Milwaukee 12v because at the time I bought some they are one of they few with a ratchet. Then I bought the hex driver and has become my favorite on the job. I recently bought a Milwaukee 18v brushless compact drill & driver to keep in the shop. The Ryobi will stay in the garage.

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