Is going brushless worth it?

[IRQVET]

So i get the general premise, brushes wear out whereas brushless do not. But for a DIY type, does it really matter or is this a keeping up with the Jone’s sort of situation? I only ask because I have several brushed Dewalt tools and they work just fine for the 5 plus years I’ve had them. I’ve never had to repair/replace any brushes, so I wondering if its actually worth it for my kind of use or is it just another marketing thing more advantageous for professionals but marketed toward everyone willing to jump on the bandwagon?

My newest tool and my first brushless, hence why I was wondering . . .

 

[Rabid Badger]

Buying new brushed tools isn't a good investment, but replacing perfectly functional brushed tools you already own isn't necessary.

 

[sparky 1971]

Buying a new tool because you need it? Yes, brushless is worth it in many instances. Buying a new tool to replace a perfectly good tool just to be brushless? Nope. The average DIY guy isn't going to wear out the old school tools. Batteries will go bad and if replacements are going to cost more than changing buying new kit, go for it. Even using cordless tools day in and day out, I never wore out the brushes on anything. I was always able to find a way to break a drill or impact before anything needed repaired but was usually able to get two to three years out of anything before that happened.

Brushless has more power, but there comes a point where that doesn't matter. A 15 year old drill that produces 800 inch pounds of torque can twist your wrist just as easily as a modern drill with 1400 inch pounds. Brushless also has longer run time, but the average guy in his garage isn't going to kill a set of batteries so fast that the charger can't keep up.

 

[tyyost]

Brushless tools typically outperform thier cordless brushed counterparts by a wide margin.

 

[BTL-A4]

I've heard brushless are the way to go. I've had both and the brushed ones worked fine. I would suggest when buying a new tool, go brushless. Keep the current brushed tools you have. You can actually compare them, since you have both. I'm a DIY guy as well.

I'm not sure if it's because they are brushless, but the tools seem smaller to me, which is fine.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I’d say it’s night and day difference but if you aren’t a professional and your others aren’t worn out and are working for you then keep the ones you have. Just when it is time to replace them make sure to get brushless.

 

[tyyost]

Buying new brushed tools isn't a good investment, but replacing perfectly functional brushed tools you already own isn't necessary.

It’s also a sure way to get older models from the manufacturer when there are already better ones on the market. For many tools brushless is a night and day improvement in the tool and its use.

 

[KnurledNut]

For high draw tools brushless is definitely advantageous with regards to power, speed and runtime, i.e. circular saw, angle grinder, recip.
Your old brushed flashlight will still be fine though. ;-)

 

[vwpieces]

I have brushed and brushless tools in the red flavor.

But after warranty brushless will be landfill if and when they fail. It will not be cost effective to replace a controller board IF the brand even sells a replaceable controller board, let alone a switch. Some are going to a complete part, from motor to battery contact. Yeah, One part. Price of said part will not justify repairing the tool.

In 10 years you will be able to buy brushes, OEM or aftermarket. Most all bearings are standard sizes, can be had from quality brands. If you are not using daily nor need to top power output, and really intend to still own the tool in 10 years... You may want to consider brushed. Makita and Bosch still supply many replacement parts for 20+ year old tools.

 

[Komet]

Power always matters, I'm reaching for power tools to do what would be difficult or laborious by hand and I want it as easy and fast as possible.

 

[American Locomotive]

There is nothing wrong with the brushed tools. I own Makita LXT 18v Brushed and Brushless drills. The brushless drill definitely has more power, speed and better battery life, however the brushed drills are plenty powerful and don't miss a beat. The oldest brushed LXT drill I have is now over 15 years old and is still working great.

Basically if you're buying a new tool, it's worth it to get the brushless variant. However, it's not worth it to replace perfectly working brushed tools with brushless variants.

 

[Coach James]

I voted "no". All my tools are brushed, I think, and they do what I need them to do in a manner that is acceptable to me.

Coach

 

[dchawk81]

So i get the general premise, brushes wear out whereas brushless do not. But for a DIY type, does it really matter or is this a keeping up with the Jone’s sort of situation? I only ask because I have several brushed Dewalt tools and they work just fine for the 5 plus years I’ve had them. I’ve never had to repair/replace any brushes, so I wondering if its actually worth it for my kind of use or is it just another marketing thing more advantageous for professionals but marketed toward everyone willing to jump on the bandwagon?

My newest tool and my first brushless, hence why I was wondering . . .

If they're fine now they'll be fine until the brushes wear out and you can't get replacements.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I noticed my ryobi brushless drill has a slight hesitation from pressing the trigger to activation. More noticeable with a light trigger pull. My brushed drill has no hesitation.

 

[richfinn]

Much safer if you work anywhere near potentially explosive chemicals like Gasoline/lead acid batteries.

 

[jar944]

The brushed 12v tools are a bit anemic compared to their brushless alternatives. 18/20v less so.

I still have a couple 18v brushed tools. They work fine, I just don't ever grab them first..

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Just upgrade as needed. I can tell you having brushed M12 tools, like drills, they ****. But if you current tool is meeting required use, I see no reason to replace it simply because it has brushes in the motor. That said, I found a feedback loop exists between buying brushless, reevaluating expectations, and finding the formerly acceptable brushed tools unacceptable.

 

[Lassen Forge]

I was hesitant until I bought the same drill as the OP, and I never looked back.
I think I have... oh God, SCADS of DeWalt Brushless tools...

It's a plot. I'll tell ya...

 

[Citation]

I have brushed and brushless tools in the red flavor.

But after warranty brushless will be landfill if and when they fail. It will not be cost effective to replace a controller board IF the brand even sells a replaceable controller board, let alone a switch. Some are going to a complete part, from motor to battery contact. Yeah, One part. Price of said part will not justify repairing the tool.

In 10 years you will be able to buy brushes, OEM or aftermarket. Most all bearings are standard sizes, can be had from quality brands. If you are not using daily nor need to top power output, and really intend to still own the tool in 10 years... You may want to consider brushed. Makita and Bosch still supply many replacement parts for 20+ year old tools.

I partly agree with this. The part I agree with is any time you have a specialized controller you may be stuck if that goes bad. A friend had an early Bosch cordless drill that was scrapped because the trigger electronics died. The batteries and motors still had life in them.

When talking about AC powered tools with universal motors, yeah, those brushes will probably be around for a long time. When talking about the speed controller/trigger in a brushed cordless drill (or more expensive, less available specialty tool), those aren't likely to be readily available. I don't see any reason to think brush/brushless will matter much if the concern is the failure of a specialty electronic part in the device.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Buying new brushed tools isn't a good investment, ...

If you are on a budget and the tool is not used a lot or for heavy work, brushed is acceptable.

I have a M12 brushed 3/8" drill. Works fine for the little work it sees.

 

[liliysdad]

It doesn’t make sense for me to ditch my brushed tools that still work, but it makes even less sense to not buy brushless as the need and opportunity presents.

Not once have I ever picked up a brushless tool and thought “man, I wish this were brushed.” The reverse , however, has been true on occasion.

 

[Steve_P]

It's not really that brushes wear out, it's more that when you compare the old 18V DeWalt brushed drill to the new 20V brushless, there's really no comparison- the 20V brushless is significantly: smaller, lighter, more powerful, better constructed, and the battery lasts longer. Plus, it has things like the rubber grip and lights. It's pretty much night and day as others have said. I don't know if DeWalt currently even makes a 20V brushed drill, so my comparison is a bit apples and oranges, but they're both drills by the same company, and the difference is huge between them.

 

[Rusted Nut]

Grainier has a good article about this on their website.

 

[MWEric]

My brushed corded tools have gobs more power than my brushless cordless. I’m thinking power source is more important than brushed or brushless.

 

[finn]

It’s more convenient for me to have multiple tools than to have to drag one expensive brushless tool all around. I came to that realization after I found I was using my fifteen year old brushed Bosch drill and driver as much or more than my newer brushless Dewalt tools.

In fact, I picked up a Skill set a month back so I could station a cordless drill close to a grinder with a Diamond wheel dedicater solely to grinding tungsten for tig welding. The Skill kit came with another 1/4” brushed impact driver, which is perfectly satisfactory.

Same with batteries. I fell into the bigger is better rat hole for a couple of years, then I realized that I was using smaller batteries more than the big heavy honkers, simply because light weren’t is more important that long run time for most of what I do.

I still use the brushless tools for projects that require extended run time, like grinders and deck building, but for 99% of my tasks, convenience and ergonomics (weight) are more important. Having a few extra drills or drivers around is more important than having all brushless tools.

 

[dnschmidt]

In short, if buying new brushless. If what you have works for you keep it. The difference between FUEL and brushed is considerable.

 

[jar944]

My brushed corded tools have gobs more power than my brushless cordless.

I'm curious which tools/models?

 

[nadogail]

If my tools can still do what I bought them for, I seee no need to replace them.

 

[Woody1320]

My situation was driven by a bit of necessity, a bit of convenience, and a bit of good timing.

I bought a Ridgid brushless set last summer to replace an older (but still serviceable) Ryobi set. For around $500 bucks I ended up with 6 brushless tools, four high output batteries (a 2ah and three 4ah), and a charger. My Ryobi set served me well, but I needed to rebuild my deck staircases. I purchased that Ryobi set when we moved into our first house in 2015. I had also picked up a Makita impact driver (got a great deal on that, as well), as the Ryobi set didn't originally include that tool in the kit. Those tools probably could've gotten the job done, but I only had two small batteries for the Ryobi and one for the Makita. It would have taken forever. I got a heck of a deal on the Ridgid line, so thats why I pulled the trigger. It was basically a "right place at the right time" purchase. I got to consolidate to one battery line and get all brushless in the process.

 

[bwringer]

Wear and longevity is entirely beside the point, and it's more than just performance, too.

In many tools, there's a huge difference in both performance and packaging... my compact brushless tools have FAR more power than brushed motor tools, and fit into FAR more tight spaces.

And, of course, you can get a lot more work done on a charge with brushless.

Do you need to replace brushed tools? Probably not, but then again, if they're tools that you make money with, and you can save time with more power, fewer stalls, and fewer battery changes, then they should pay for themselves pretty quickly.

And there are some applications where it just doesn't matter much, so a brushed tool is just fine, or not worth the expense. For example, I have an inexpensive handheld air compressor with a brushed motor, and it's fine.

But for "core" tools that use a lot of power like drills, impact drivers, impact wrenches, grinders, etc. it's well worth stepping up.

 

[Renegade1LI]

I’ll give you a contractors perspective, very little difference. I have hundreds of cordless tools being used and a mix of all brands. The key is having fresh batteries and enough to work continuously. Multi bank fast chargers and good batteries make the difference. I’ll buy either or depending on what the tool is.
With a drill or impact i can’t tell the difference, i really shop price and deals. Most cordless tools don’t last more than 3 years anyway. It’s always nice to get the latest and greatest but not always necessary..

 

[MWEric]

I'm curious which tools/models?

Take your pick. I use and abuse cordless power tools daily. I like them. I have both DeWalt and Milwaukee. The DeWalt 60V are the closest to corded that I have used but battery life is abysmal.

 

[Steve_P]

I thought we were talking about cordless tools? I know it wasn't specified, but from the picture in the OP, that's what I assumed.

I don't think anyone disputes that a 12A corded grinder with brushes will blow away a brushless battery grinder after ~5 minutes use. But sometimes it's not convenient running a cord 500 feet...

 

[BombShelter]

I've got a bunch of Mikata Cordless Impacts everywhere, I pretty much use them daily. I bought them at different times when a big sale was on, some are BL, some are brushed. I grab whatever is close and they all work fine, I don't notice any difference and I work on everything, just finished a huge new deck support with a ton of screws and lag bolts, no issue. Several car and tractor projects, no issue. If it's something like a truck tire, I get out the big DeWalt Cordless.

Size and a better performance on different tools might be the difference but I don't go out of the way for brushless.

 

[Rabid Badger]

I've got a bunch of Mikata Cordless Impacts everywhere, I pretty much use them daily. I bought them at different times when a big sale was on, some are BL, some are brushed.

I do like my old brushed Makita impact. That analog trigger gives finer control over motor speed vs new ones. Tools & Stuff did a video on a similar model recently:

 

[F-22]

Lots of perfectly fine old brushed tools out there. But if buying new cordless tools I'd always go for brushless today unless I get a crazy good deal for the brushed variant.

 

[rbgearz]

There's a guy on e-bay that sells adaptors for cordless tools. I bought a couple to convert my Hitachis from the old style battery to the new style. You can also go from brand to brand. Looks like they're 3d printed. They work really well.

 

[gungatim]

If they're fine now they'll be fine until the brushes wear out and you can't get replacements.

I've never worn out a brush, or ever seen one worn out on a used small power tool. Usually what happens is they break, or the wire connection breaks. Fixed a few Milwaukee and Ryobi tools like that. You can always make brushes if you can't find the right one. Last worn out brush I replaced that was truly worn was on a commercial vacuum cleaner.