That clarification helps. Overall, why would you still go with Bosch for your 18v kit?
I want to make it a point that I worked as a contractor apprentice for a good chunk of my teenage years, so that formed my opinions and criteria for the tools I learned to work with in those days. I'm not an expert by any means, but I know what worked for me, may not be the best for everyone. Some of the things that may not be relevant to you affect my decision. Also, I'm short and stout. I'm very hands on. I sometimes swap tools with another guy working on projects to get a feel for it outside the store displays.
First, most guys you see are going to be using DeWalt. Next I would say is probably Milwaukee, Makita, and Bosch all pretty much equal. If anything, just in terms of drills, the Bosch may be the least common so it's easier to tell your stuff apart from others, or to tell if someone has one that used to be yours. I see more Ryobi than Cman C3. The Bosch stuff shows dirt less and the plastic doesn't crack near as easily as the yellow. I've seen the rubber lose little chunks near the edges, but never the sun-baked hardening or the whole thing peeling off like older Milwaukee stuff has. It feels right in my hands.
Second, if you are in the middle of a job and your tool breaks, or your last battery dies, you just need to get to the closest store and back to work, you get the DeWalt. I don't have a Menard's nearby so I will only compare the other 3 places, all of which carry DeWalt. 2 of 3 carry Bosch, only one carry Milwaukee, Ridgid or Cman. Bosch & DeWalt you can count on something being on sale at some store nearly all the time, so if you're on a budget and/or don't mind waiting you can get what you need where you can afford it.
Here's a
comparison of some drills from many brands, the Bosch comes out best overall. This one article isn't all you need to make a decision, i know, but it's one thing that can help.
Here's another, specific to 12v tools, but it does reinforce the idea that Bosch is doing something right with their drills.
I think their hammer drill is the best. Period. Milwaukee and DeWalt have already come out with the brushless, Bosch not yet, but typically that doesn't matter. If you need the top impact driver for now, today, to get a job done, I would suggest the M18. Nothing wrong with the DeWalt but that's just how I would go. 20v Max still has some time to catch up with Milwaukee. So besides drills, typically the cornerstone of the 18v tool kit, why else would I recommend them?
The batteries/electronic circuit protection/wiring & general electronic guts. I've had to take part of one driver apart to align the chassis back together, got to see everything pretty much perfectly in its channels, even after dropping enough to need some maintenance. I've seen the guts of XRP drills & recips, not nearly as neat and in some cases, the cases pinch the wires something bad. The batteries just have a better fit & finish to them, they don't feel as warm when you run them hard, they tend to go longer in hot hot days (and in the stifling attic in July) they wouldn't need to kick in the overload. Others, not so much. Have a cable guy friend whose DeWalts kick off in attics & crawlspaces often enough he has to keep the truck running with AC on full some days in August.
The jigsaw. A Bosch jigsaw is pretty much all you have to say. The others may be just fine, but I would put mine up against either one and I know for sure the DeWalts just don't have that solid feeling that you need when you put it up against a straghtedge, or on a sheet or sticking out piece that's just floppy enough that it's going to affect your cut, if that makes sense. The Bosch one just is easier to hold onto that edge, the vibration of the tool isn't felt as much in the hand so it's easier to steer the cut. I feel like I'm not really explaining it well but it is better.
The recip saw. Nothing wrong with the Milwaukee, it's a little wimpy feeling but it works. The 20v can do 4 position that the others can't, the 18v is a vet of many worksites and plenty of people will tell you it's done great for them, but to me the Bosch is better. I don't have the 'faster cut' comparison but generally it's just got that right feel, big & beefy to keep it where you want it, but not overly so.
The radio. May not matter to you at all, and the Bosch one (the 360D, spend the extra) is the more expensive but it's also the best by a big margin. The upcoming 20v we only have details, no real tests yet, but seriously, the Bosch is the best of what's out today.
The light. It's a small detail, but the DeWalt & M18 ones are drill-handle style. The Bosch one fits a lot of places, and the handle props it better than I originally thought it would.
I haven't used either the angle or die grinder they make. I have used the DeWalt angle grinder to cut padlocks off and it's what you'd expect, nothing special. I want both but they eat through batteries. Haven't had a need for the rotary hammer either, and I would go corded unless I absolutely had to, but either way, it's called a Boschhammer for a reason.
