I still have plenty of older 120V tools: several drills, circular saw, chop saws for steel, miter saw for wood, belt sander, angle grinders, heat guns, etc. And I have plenty of air tools. But I'd say that for the time spent using, it's 90% cordless. If there's a new battery technology in 10 years, I'll buy a new line of cordless tools. When the new 20V brushless stuff came out, my old 18V batteries were all basically dead anyway.
Corded Tools (2024 Discussion)
- Thread starter oldschoolcraft
- Start date
gatewaysysop
Well-known member
I don't consider myself a Luddite, but for a home gamer with a relatively small, so-called-2-car garage, space is at a premium. Since I've no real need for the portability, I'm perfectly happy with my corded stuff.
What's more, I dislike maintaining batteries and dealing with ever evolving and changing standards. I also don't want to marry myself to a particular brand/standard and/or face the prospect of having multiple charging stations hogging space that I already don't have. Corded stuff, I can buy whatever the hell brand I want, and it's going to work whenever (and at my place, wherever) I need it.
I can't speak for anyone else, but for me the only real benefit would be the convenience aspect. Given the above, not to mention the cost, it's still a pass for me. If I had more room or did work further from the nearest outlet, my opinion would probably differ greatly.
What's more, I dislike maintaining batteries and dealing with ever evolving and changing standards. I also don't want to marry myself to a particular brand/standard and/or face the prospect of having multiple charging stations hogging space that I already don't have. Corded stuff, I can buy whatever the hell brand I want, and it's going to work whenever (and at my place, wherever) I need it.
I can't speak for anyone else, but for me the only real benefit would be the convenience aspect. Given the above, not to mention the cost, it's still a pass for me. If I had more room or did work further from the nearest outlet, my opinion would probably differ greatly.
Coach James
Well-known member
We are having our kitchen renovated, a wall removed, new flooring and two rooms converted into other uses. and some other work done currently. Zero corded tools on site, except for the cabinet installer using a corded miter saw.
Coach
Coach
bwringer
Well-known member
Yeah, there can be significant safety benefits with cordless. Hadn't really considered that.
Farmall450
Well-known member
I have the V20 Craftsman heat gun and use it a ton. Wish it heated up even faster, which the DeWalt might.
sparky 1971
Well-known member
It may hapoen but I dont see corded tools going away 100% unless sales completely disappear. I still use corded tools even though I have the equivalent in cordless with the exception of the miter saws, SDS Max rotary hammer, chop saw, and table saw. I have no problem dragging out a cord in the shop so I can use my mid 90's Milwaukee Magnum hole shooter even though I have to reach over a M18 to get it. the same with my old Makita circular saw and my Bulldog SDS+. At work is a different story. The only corded tool on the truck is the heat gun, which is usually replaced with a torch. I have a M18 heat gun but it's underwhelming at best. Outside of that, the only time I use a cord is to charge my scissor lift. Tool batteries get charged at home.
Edit. I only have corded woodworking tools like sanders, jigsaw, and router. I see no need to go cordless since they never leave the shop and I hate doing that type of work anyway. All of my nailers are pneumatic, which requires a compressor, which requires a cord.
Edit. I only have corded woodworking tools like sanders, jigsaw, and router. I see no need to go cordless since they never leave the shop and I hate doing that type of work anyway. All of my nailers are pneumatic, which requires a compressor, which requires a cord.
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My old 28v Milwaukee tools, most of which were bought in 2008 or so when they first came out and li-ion was the new kid on the block, still perform fine but the new m28 batteries **** pricewise. I just cannot give up on them because I have: deep cut bandsaw, 1&1/8 rotary hammer, sawzall, impact wrench, drill, hammerdrill, impact driver, 6&1/2 circular saw. All are still in use on an ironworker crew. I realize that I am far outside the 5 year warranty but NONE of these tools have stopped working. Also, the chargers have pass thru ports so you can put multiple chargers on ONE outlet. I really wish that big M would go back to that design,
micromind
Well-known member
Back when I was working, I would use cordless a good part of the time. Sometimes I would uses corded if the job needed a lot of stuff cut/drilled/etc.
I'm 67 and was raised on corded tools. I have more corded stuff in my garage than cordless so I still use corded a lot.
The vast majority of my corded tools have 25' cords on them so I don't need an extension cord very often.
Yes, I realize a cordless Hole-Hawg will drill out 637,921 houses on one charge but I still like my corded one.
I'm 67 and was raised on corded tools. I have more corded stuff in my garage than cordless so I still use corded a lot.
The vast majority of my corded tools have 25' cords on them so I don't need an extension cord very often.
Yes, I realize a cordless Hole-Hawg will drill out 637,921 houses on one charge but I still like my corded one.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
Besides some family handed down tools that I rarely use, I own a corded sawzall and a 1/2 inch hammer drill, mostly because they were fairly cheap from the restore. As locksmiths we use corded drills mostly for safes or door/frame installations.
EDIT: forgot about my corded Dremel. Love that thing!
EDIT: forgot about my corded Dremel. Love that thing!
At work in plant maintenance, 98% M18/M12. Enough tools and batteries to go around and we’re often up a scissor lift, in a roof space in the middle of the factory away from a lead. Most jobs are quick enough that its just more practical to use cordless. Occasionally in the worlshop we’ll run a corded grinder for long term use or bust out the corded SDS for big installs, but most guys I work with wouldnt even know we have them, it’s that infrequent.
Home use, for quick stuff like hanging pictures etc for the wife its ryobi cordless. Big jobs like redoing the weatherboards, flooring, sanding walls for painting, I have a corded drill, circ saw, sanders. Gave my dad my cordless circ saw.
I got the corded stuff before I started getting big into the battery stuff, and its infrequent enough / jobs big enough that its not worth it to me to upgrade. If I was starting again, id just go all cordless and get more than my two 2.5 batteries.
A grinder is my most used tool, both at home and work, and I run both corded and cordless. They both have their time and place. If I had to choose one or the other, I don’t think I could.
Home use, for quick stuff like hanging pictures etc for the wife its ryobi cordless. Big jobs like redoing the weatherboards, flooring, sanding walls for painting, I have a corded drill, circ saw, sanders. Gave my dad my cordless circ saw.
I got the corded stuff before I started getting big into the battery stuff, and its infrequent enough / jobs big enough that its not worth it to me to upgrade. If I was starting again, id just go all cordless and get more than my two 2.5 batteries.
A grinder is my most used tool, both at home and work, and I run both corded and cordless. They both have their time and place. If I had to choose one or the other, I don’t think I could.
Dave455
Well-known member
So much depends on what you do, and where you do it.
If you're working on site, cordless is king. Even if you have power, cordless wins on portability.
I'm not a pro, so I don't do site work, but I do maintain two properties and a shop, and do all the projects / repairs that life chucks at you, and I find a mixture of corded / cordless works just fine.
Drills are generally best cordless. Even if you are working on a big project, they don't get used continuously, and this suits cordless. I have one big corded drill, and the only reason I went corded is because I use it infrequently.
Saws use more power, and are used longer at a time, so there are advantages to corded, but... if you're cutting big sheets of ply the cord always gets in the way. Cordless win again.
Sanders I use a lot. I've got one cordless sander, but most often I opt for corded. I can use any of them all afternoon if I need to, and I seem to need at least two on any job.
If you're working on site, cordless is king. Even if you have power, cordless wins on portability.
I'm not a pro, so I don't do site work, but I do maintain two properties and a shop, and do all the projects / repairs that life chucks at you, and I find a mixture of corded / cordless works just fine.
Drills are generally best cordless. Even if you are working on a big project, they don't get used continuously, and this suits cordless. I have one big corded drill, and the only reason I went corded is because I use it infrequently.
Saws use more power, and are used longer at a time, so there are advantages to corded, but... if you're cutting big sheets of ply the cord always gets in the way. Cordless win again.
Sanders I use a lot. I've got one cordless sander, but most often I opt for corded. I can use any of them all afternoon if I need to, and I seem to need at least two on any job.
Packard V8
Well-known member
Late to this party, but the question should have been two topics:
Home shop - which cord, which cordless?
Tradespeople - which tools cord, which cordless?
Some of us have a longer time frame perspective than others. In my home shop, I routinely use air and AC cord tools which are more than fifty years old and will outlast me. I literally can't remember one failing me or wearing out so it couldn't be repaired.
Coming from the tradeoff of cordless convenience versus the ridiculous costs and wasteful practice of replacing cordless tools, batteries and chargers every few years, your money, your choice.
jack vines, who has several cordless tools and regularly curses their failures.
Home shop - which cord, which cordless?
Tradespeople - which tools cord, which cordless?
Some of us have a longer time frame perspective than others. In my home shop, I routinely use air and AC cord tools which are more than fifty years old and will outlast me. I literally can't remember one failing me or wearing out so it couldn't be repaired.
Coming from the tradeoff of cordless convenience versus the ridiculous costs and wasteful practice of replacing cordless tools, batteries and chargers every few years, your money, your choice.
jack vines, who has several cordless tools and regularly curses their failures.
MushCreek
Well-known member
I bought my M18 tools in 2011 (pre-Fuel), and used them exclusively to build my house. In 13 years, one battery went bad, and I had to put new brushes on the 1/4" driver, which I still use a lot. I still use the original charger, and 6 out of the original 7 batteries. I have corded equivalents for my M18 tools, and they haven't been out of the box in many years. YMMV.
Aaron_W
Well-known member
I disagree that cordless will ever outperform corded tools. Not that the power of batteries may not be able to offer more power.
Simply the human factor plays a part and we already have tools running on 115v 20A that can potentially overpower the user if improperly used.
More power just isn't really a plus for hand held tools at this point.
I'm not anti-cordless but I do still have a majority of corded tools. For a lot of the work I do I don't see cords as a negative.
Cordless certainly has some advantages. For general work around the house I love my cordless drill and impact driver. My corded drill still gets used for heavy work like drilling steel plate or large hole saws.
The downside to cordless tends to be cost, weight, battery life (charge & longterm), and commitment to battery platform.
Current battery form forces some compromises in ergonomics.
When these issues are solved, then corded or cordless will not be much of a debate.
Simply the human factor plays a part and we already have tools running on 115v 20A that can potentially overpower the user if improperly used.
More power just isn't really a plus for hand held tools at this point.
I'm not anti-cordless but I do still have a majority of corded tools. For a lot of the work I do I don't see cords as a negative.
Cordless certainly has some advantages. For general work around the house I love my cordless drill and impact driver. My corded drill still gets used for heavy work like drilling steel plate or large hole saws.
The downside to cordless tends to be cost, weight, battery life (charge & longterm), and commitment to battery platform.
Current battery form forces some compromises in ergonomics.
When these issues are solved, then corded or cordless will not be much of a debate.
engineer2
Well-known member
Corded: Rockwell oscillating tool, Dremel, Foredom grinder, hedge trimmer, lawn edger, table saw, miter saw.
Pneumatic: nailers and staplers, impact wrenches, some sanders
18V Makita: Impact drivers, hammer drill, 1/2" impact, jig saw, tire inflators, lawn mower, leaf blower, string trimmer, LED light, recip saw, 1/3 sheet orbital sander, stick vacuum, 7-1/4 circular saw, 16" chainsaw, 5" variable speed angle grinder, and maybe some other things.
Corded: power available, using it all day.
Cordless: intermittent use, no power on site, or no time to run cords.
Battery power hogs: lawn mower, recip saw, leaf blower on high speed, 16" chainsaw.
Pneumatic: nailers and staplers, impact wrenches, some sanders
18V Makita: Impact drivers, hammer drill, 1/2" impact, jig saw, tire inflators, lawn mower, leaf blower, string trimmer, LED light, recip saw, 1/3 sheet orbital sander, stick vacuum, 7-1/4 circular saw, 16" chainsaw, 5" variable speed angle grinder, and maybe some other things.
Corded: power available, using it all day.
Cordless: intermittent use, no power on site, or no time to run cords.
Battery power hogs: lawn mower, recip saw, leaf blower on high speed, 16" chainsaw.
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GrayFlattop
Well-known member
So much depends on the individual and the intended use, no list could be comprehensive. Cordless tools today are all quite impressive (except for the crappy keyless chucks on most cordless drills). I happily paid too much $ for a 9” M18 wet saw for cutting interior concrete floors. Safe, no shock hazard, no dust and no fumes. Sure it can use up a 12AH battery quickly, but that’s why you need extra batteries.
My miter saw remains corded as does my track-saw. Same as the stationary power tools, vacuums, sanders, routers and larger drills. Everything else is cordless, but I still have all my corded and air tools from a million years ago.
My miter saw remains corded as does my track-saw. Same as the stationary power tools, vacuums, sanders, routers and larger drills. Everything else is cordless, but I still have all my corded and air tools from a million years ago.
johnre
Well-known member
I'm not an early adapter for most anything, so I've been slow to adapt to cordless. I have to be convinced there's a significant advantage.
The two game changers at the outset in the 1990s for me were a drill and 1/4" impact driver. I think these are usually the "entry tools" for cordless for most everyone, as it's easy to see the advantages of never again having to deal with a cord, you just grab it and go.
More recent tool conversions have offered a pleasant surprise for me, though, for their power and versatility - a leaf blower, and a small circular saw. It's not just a matter of avoiding the initial need to plug in, but rather not having to manage the cord during the normal operation of the tool, which for both is a hassle. And even though the leaf blower breaks the "no batteries for continuous use" rule and gets only 15 minutes out of a Dewalt 5 Ah system, it's straightforward to just carry the spare pack with me, and for my use 30 minutes is plenty.
But it does seem like the manufacturers overdo it with doing cordless conversion too early, before the tool is really practical - e.g. at the moment I think it's pointless to have a cordless pancake air compressor, as the overall efficiency is always low for compressors. This is especially true when cordless nailers and staplers are becoming more common and seem to be the way to go, albeit still more expensive than their pneumatic counterparts. I'm also skeptical of a cordless heat gun, even though some here like them; my 1800 W corded Wagner gun is going to be with me for a while longer.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
If you can list all your tools, you need more!
jives
Well-known member
Aside from the stationary and bench power tools (drill press, jointer, table saw, grinder, portaband in a stand, Makita miter, shop vac). Portable corded tools include:
A Bosch finish sander and a Hitachi belt sander. Depending on the project they may be used a lot.
A corded Skilsaw with a dedicated metal cutting blade. Not used too much.
A 4.5" Porter Cable angle grinder I use a lot.
The Makita cordless set I use a ton. . . drill, impact driver, circ saw, recip saw, oscill multi tool. All of these get used around the property and cordless is an immense benefit.
A Bosch finish sander and a Hitachi belt sander. Depending on the project they may be used a lot.
A corded Skilsaw with a dedicated metal cutting blade. Not used too much.
A 4.5" Porter Cable angle grinder I use a lot.
The Makita cordless set I use a ton. . . drill, impact driver, circ saw, recip saw, oscill multi tool. All of these get used around the property and cordless is an immense benefit.
Southernbuild
Well-known member
One consideration is there doesn't seem to be much innovation in corded tools recently. Frustrating to say the least. A corded tool feels forever, whereas cordless has a limited shelf life.
And, I say that as someone deeply into cordless tools for site work, where power isn't available. And, once you have the cordless ones, the corded ones become a bit of shelf queens...
And, I say that as someone deeply into cordless tools for site work, where power isn't available. And, once you have the cordless ones, the corded ones become a bit of shelf queens...
Downwindtracker 2
Well-known member
I dislike electric impact guns, corded or cordless. But, I have a cordless one for the travel trailer. Lithium Ion batteries have made the question of cordless realistic.
johnre
Well-known member
I think the way for manufacturers to go here - but only on those tools that could be either sold as corded or cordless - is hybrid, like this one. You plug it in if you can, which for my miter / bevel saw would be most of the time, however for those times when you're away from power mains, you can use batteries:
Will someone just make a general purpose "corded battery pack replacement" for the popular 18 V / 20 V tools? I doubt it - the cost, weight, and size, plus all of the power conversion necessary that is avoidable with a brushed 120 V motor, is going to make this option prohibitive.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Metabo has oneI think the way for manufacturers to go here - but only on those tools that could be either sold as corded or cordless - is hybrid, like this one. You plug it in if you can, which for my miter / bevel saw would be most of the time, however for those times when you're away from power mains, you can use batteries:
Will someone just make a general purpose "corded battery pack replacement" for the popular 18 V / 20 V tools? I doubt it - the cost, weight, and size, plus all of the power conversion necessary that is avoidable with a brushed 120 V motor, is going to make this option prohibitive.
https://www.metabo-hpt.com/products/product/et36a-36v-multivolt-ac-adapter
I know you can get one for Greenlee 18v as well (not sure who makes the batteries
For me anything that is not handheld will remain corded. So miter saws, table saws and anything that I'm prone to use for long periods at a time like my grinder when I was replacing the deck of my boat.
Also I'll not go battery on nailers, Pneumatic is just simply too fast and simple. Different type of cord but still.
Also I'll not go battery on nailers, Pneumatic is just simply too fast and simple. Different type of cord but still.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Every time I trip over the hose when doing a framing or trim project, I swear I am going to buy cordless guns. Problem is that Dewalts are not great and I don't do enough to justify paslode
richfinn
Well-known member
20 years as a mobile tech, can't remember the last time I actually plugged a power tool into a wall socket, always have batteries on charge though either in the van or back at home.
Southernbuild
Well-known member
I love the concept, wish more products had that feature.I think the way for manufacturers to go here - but only on those tools that could be either sold as corded or cordless - is hybrid, like this one. You plug it in if you can, which for my miter / bevel saw would be most of the time, however for those times when you're away from power mains, you can use batteries:
Will someone just make a general purpose "corded battery pack replacement" for the popular 18 V / 20 V tools? I doubt it - the cost, weight, and size, plus all of the power conversion necessary that is avoidable with a brushed 120 V motor, is going to make this option prohibitive.
I've had that saw for years, and enjoyed the duel power option. I recently had to buy another one, and the new single battery version doesn't seem to have the plug in option... Aggravating.
dutchgray
Well-known member
In the UK now most decent size construction jobs they do not allow anything corded to be used on site by the trades, no corded tools, no air hoses.
Many do not allow small petrol powered tools either, concrete saws, trench compactors, hole augers etc either.
Been driven in by health and safety and insurance companies.
Many do not allow small petrol powered tools either, concrete saws, trench compactors, hole augers etc either.
Been driven in by health and safety and insurance companies.
I wouldn't say I don't like cordless tools, but I'm about where you're at. As a DIY'er, I don't see the benefits outweighing the cons for most of them. The batteries make them considerably more expensive and while they have come a long way since the NiCd batteries, there are still only so many charge cycles in a battery. Replacement is like buying the tool all over again.
If I were making a living with power tools on job sites, I'd have more of them as time is money and they'd be used daily.
I have a DeWalt 20V cordless drill. It's handy. I sometimes use it along with my corded drill at the same time. Drill holes with the corded and drive screws with the cordless as an example. It also made the trip up the ladder with me to do some roof repairs after the recent storms. Nice not having to drag a cable up that 28' ladder just to drill a few holes and drive some screws for the roof jacks. It's the only cordless tool I have but I am considering getting an impact wrench as well. But I might just go with a pneumatic instead since my primary use for it is rotating tires and the air compressor gets wheeled out for tire pressures anyways. Still, not having to mess with the hose is appealing. I currently break the lugnuts loose with a tire tool and zip the nuts on and off with my cordless drill. The extra manual effort doesn't bother me, but I could shave some time with the impact (32 lugnuts @ 165 ft-lbs on the F250).
sparky 1971
Well-known member
Milwaukee might have introduced the Fuel line in 2012, but I still have my first M18 drill that I bought through my previous employers account in 2009 or 10. I handed him the ticket the next morning, he asked why, I told him the handle dnapped off my DeWalt with a hole halfway drilled. He said ok. Then a few months later he decided to retire and sold the business to me and that was in November of 2010. It was probably in 2012 or 13 that I bought my first Fuel drill, I bought it because I wanted a new impact driver and Acme was running $100 off kits and threw in another battery as well.
Downwindtracker 2
Well-known member
If you have ever had to drag 2 or 3 hundred feet of 12ga SO cable across a site you would understand why we would use our cordless handsaws a lot of times. It was both easier and quicker. But that was 50 years ago.
Our foreman got us a Milwaukee 18volt 1//2 impact gun. Since we had mill air almost everywhere, it never left the tool room. I guess the last place he worked didn't that much mill air.
Some cordless tools are certainly an advance on their corded cousins, my short, handy powerful 1/4 impact driver is great for Robertson screws, the little 3/8" drill has a variable clutch making delicate of driving screws easy enough. And I got a cordless caulking gun for the rebuild of the travel trailer. Others I see little reason.
Cordless chainsaws are getting common on quads.
Our foreman got us a Milwaukee 18volt 1//2 impact gun. Since we had mill air almost everywhere, it never left the tool room. I guess the last place he worked didn't that much mill air.
Some cordless tools are certainly an advance on their corded cousins, my short, handy powerful 1/4 impact driver is great for Robertson screws, the little 3/8" drill has a variable clutch making delicate of driving screws easy enough. And I got a cordless caulking gun for the rebuild of the travel trailer. Others I see little reason.
Cordless chainsaws are getting common on quads.
Aaron_W
Well-known member
See I've come to the opposite conclusion, and am currently looking at small cordless compressors. I am really not sold on cordless nail guns, they are heavy and awkward compared to pneumatic and I already have a good selection of pneumatic nailers and staplers. For me replacing my current selection for cordless would be a large expense and I haven't liked the feel of any that I have handled.
There are 2 gallon cordless compressors available for less than a single cordless nailgun. For small jobs that seems a good option, and for bigger jobs there is no place on my property that I can't reach with an extension cord.
Working on the roof is the only scenario I've come up with that might push me to buy a cordless nail gun.
johnre
Well-known member
If a small, cordless compressor fits your needs, I'd say go for it. I wasn't necessarily pushing for converting to electric cordless nail guns, I was simply saying that if you're going to be battery operated, it's extremely inefficient to use air as your intermediary power source between the battery and the tool.
Like you, all off my fastener tools are pneumatic, and I do like their simplicity, ruggedness, and service life. But I only have a plug-in compressor, so it does confine me to being close to the power mains. I compensate for this by plumbing air all over to the extremities of the shop. I'll admit that doing roofing would be a hassle to drag around either an air hose or a power cord, and maybe there yes, a battery nailer would be best.