Cordless conundrum

[Marky Mark]

I need to expand my power tool collection but have some concerns about my choices. First - I'm a home improvement DIY'er, NOT a pro, so my needs and budget are below Bosch or Makita.

I currently have a cordless Porter Cable drill and driver kit, which has performed perfectly for what I use it for. I also have a PC pneumatic brad nailer, and generaly like PC - I think the price/performance curve is great for what I need them for.

Having said that, I've noticed that Porter Cable seems to be disappearing - there are only a few PC offerings at Lowe's, and I also noticed that the new "Craftsman" - branded cordless stuff looks nearly identical to Porter Cable except for color. As much as I like my Porter stuff, I'm hesitant to buy more tools if they're likely to be discontinued due to Craftsman overlap.

I'm planning to purchase a cordless 1/2" Impact Wrench, and possibly a 6 inch circ saw and jig saw.

I know Ryobi isn't Makita-class, but they have a huge variety of tools that run off the same battery system, and that's a big selling point. I'd like to stick to a 'one brand' cordless system, so I welcome any suggestions.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[superduty1]

I'm happy with Milwaukee

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[Szilagyi]

I also am not doing anything heavy duty but i bit the bullet and went Dewalt. With them you don't have to worry about being discontinued, they even still sell tools and batteries for their old school battery setup. Also they are generally cheaper than Milwaukee and deals can be had. Ryobi is not bad stuff from what I've seen, just not heavy use stuff.

 

[tomwil]

Porter Cable, which apparently is owned by Black & Decker, appears to be on its way out.

Can't go wrong with Ryobi, which has had the same battery platform since 1995.

Dewalt, well that's another issue.

 

[alcorelli]

Very happy with Milwaukee.

Gave all my 18 and 20v Dewalt stuff away.

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[nieuport17]

For diy at home, Ryobi is pretty good, and very affordable.

 

[kelpaso1]

Porter Cable, which apparently is owned by Black & Decker, appears to be on its way out.

Can't go wrong with Ryobi, which has had the same battery platform since 1995.

Dewalt, well that's another issue.

I see you like watching cartoons. This guys videos are a joke

 

[pbon]

If I could not afford Milwaukee, I would buy Ryobi. Inexpensive, huge number of tools, available at any Home Depot. I have all Milwaukee now. 25 years ago I had a Porter Cable, then Makita, then Ridgid, then Milwaukee.

 

[txvwnut]

I have both Ryobi and Milwaukee and am very happy with both. The Ryobi’s do anything construction related and the Milwaukee’s do everything greasy.

 

[Farmall450]

I see you like watching cartoons. This guys videos are a joke

Agreed.


Porter Cable isn't going anywhere; the bare tools are just not showing up at stores that are carrying a big array of the new Cman (although, as you mentioned, they're very similiar, and at least 2 that I've seen are identical to their big brother, DeWalt).

I have recently picked up some Ryobi for the price, and wide variety of weird stuff. They actually seem pretty decent; however the 1/2 impact you want is a joke (from them). So for that reason, I'd stick w/ PC and get one of their impacts. It looks very similar to the old brushed DeWalt, but will still smoke the Ryobi.

No complaints about my Mac/DeWalt 1/2 brushless impact, tho

 

[Parrothead]

Dewalt, well that's another issue.

The Bear has an axe to grind with DeWalt, not sure why. He’s also less than truthful when it comes DeWalt, especially concerning batteries.

DeWalt is the only manufacturer who made an adapter to be able to use their old 18v Ni-Cad tools with their new 20v Li-Ion batteries. Makita’s 18v Ni-Cad? Nope. Milwaukee’s 18v No-Cad? Nope. DeWalt? Yep. Add in the fact that you can STILL go buy 18v DeWalt batteries off the shelf from both Lowe’s and Home Depot is an added bonus.

That said, if you’re looking to switch platforms, Ryobi is as good a choice as any.

*if you’re worried about PC batteries, don’t. With a small file or a Dremel the Black & Decker 20v batteries work. You’ll have access to batteries for years.

 

[Coach James]

I have the Ryobi cordless drill, recip saw, circular saw, brad nailer, and something else. I'm happy with all of them and plan to get more of the Ryobi line.

Coach

 

[Jack Olsen]

I have all Ridgid. Great tools and free batteries for life.

 

[finn]

I have Dewalt, Milwaukee, and Bosch cordless tools.

I prefer the Dewalt and Bosch. I also don’t find the prices of either to be out of line, all things considered. The Bosch impact driver and a drill was something like $129 at Menards when I got them.

Much of my Dewalt collection is CPO sourced bare tools.

And, yes, the Li adaptor available from Dewalt extends the useful life of the old 18v tools.

 

[dagofast]

Another vote here for the Ryobi line. Consistent battery platform since forever and a huge array of tools. I still have all of my Milwaukee corded tools and they are excellent. I had an early Milwaukee cordless drill (12V) and while it was a nice drill, Milwaukee abandoned the battery platform and that annoyed me. I love Ryobi's commitment to the One+ battery platform. And both the red and green tools are made in the same factory anyway. Easy choice for me.

 

[2Busy]

Lots of bang for your buck with Ryobi if it’s for home/DIY use. I have a set of Ryobi lawn and garden tools (blower, trimmers) and they just keep going. Everything else is Dewalt 20v, very happy with those too but more $$’s.

 

[rharman]

Ridgid & Ryobi get consistent good reviews. Price point is nice too.

Personally, I'm in the DeWalt camp. I used to have Craftsman cordless but went looking when the batteries went south and cost to replace was outrageous. Lowes had a killer deal on a 4-tool DeWalt set so I went to take a look. The balance and feel won me over - so much better than the Craftsman.

Go the store(s), swing a few different tools around and see what feels best in your hand.

 

[jgromada]

I have DeWalt 20v, Milwaukee M12, Ryobi 18v, & Ridgid. I thought i was going to stick to one brand when i started buying into a new cordless platform. But now that i have a variety if i am looking for something I look for best in class items.

 

[ChrisLS8]

You would be happy with the price and performance/ platform of Ryobi I bet

 

[Citation]

Something to consider. Porter Cable and Black and Decker 20V max batteries can be interchangeable with a bit of hand modding. I'm trying to see if the same applies to DeWalt.

Here is my thinking. The B&D drills are too low end to want. For home DIY I think the rest of the Stanley B&D options are good enough to over kill. But I've been happy with my other B&D 20V battery tools. None are great but all are sufficient and cheap enough that I would consider them. The 5.25" circular saw is a great example. The other cordless circular saws are just too much money give my needs. However, for something like $40 I was happy to pay for a saw that could cut 2x lumber and used the batteries I already had for my trimmer.

If the DeWalt batteries and B&D 20V tools can be made to work together then you could have say a good cordless drill and impact driver then get the low cost blower, circular saw etc from the B&D line for cases where you just can't justify DeWalt prices.

As for Ryobi, they have a big range, prices look attractive but when I've looked at the tools I'm just not liking them. I mean I know the parent company can do good work as I like my Ridgid tools and they also make Milwaukee. However, the Ryobi drills all seemed much larger vs the competition. I'm not interested in the impact wrenches since I have air tools for that but man, the 1/2 with real power was HUGE. The less one wasn't that big but it had no more power than a $20 air impact. Yes, it is battery operated so it's portable but that hasn't been a big issue for me.

 

[Parrothead]

Something to consider. Porter Cable and Black and Decker 20V max batteries can be interchangeable with a bit of hand modding. I'm trying to see if the same applies to DeWalt....

If the DeWalt batteries and B&D 20V tools can be made to work together.

The DeWalt batteries and the Black & Decker batteries can’t be swapped, they’re wired differently.

Here’s my understanding of batteries/tool lines that can work with some minor filing or Dremel work.

Porter Cable, Black & Decker, and Craftsman Bolt On batteries. Additionally Bostitch and Stanley Fat Max batteries too.

I can personally verify the first 3, the other two are from researching.

 

[MikeF2316]

Look at the Milwaukee fanboy thread here on GJ. Then look at the Dewalt one, if you can find it. Then look for threads for any of the other brands, I'm not sure they even exist. Milwaukee fanboy here, I love the light weight and high performance of the M12 line, but do have some M18 where applicable.

 

[Citation]

The DeWalt batteries and the Black & Decker batteries can’t be swapped, they’re wired differently.

Here’s my understanding of batteries/tool lines that can work with some minor filing or Dremel work.

Porter Cable, Black & Decker, and Craftsman Bolt On batteries. Additionally Bostitch and Stanley Fat Max batteries too.

I can personally verify the first 3, the other two are from researching.

I thought I saw that Craftsman was wired differently. This is actually kind of an argument for newer PC stuff. Yes, PC is declining but B&D isn't and you would kind of have platform compatibily. The other option is to say screw it. I have three platforms. Sears Nextec because I wanted the drill at the time and the clearance sales made the rest of the kit a steal. Ridgid because I recently wanted a newer, better impact driver vs my Nextec (sufficient power but limited battery life). Finally my B&D years tools because I lucked into a killer string trimmer deal. To be honest, I don't really care that the kits aren't cross compatible.

 

[dsgreen3]

Agreed.


Porter Cable isn't going anywhere; the bare tools are just not showing up at stores that are carrying a big array of the new Cman (although, as you mentioned, they're very similiar, and at least 2 that I've seen are identical to their big brother, DeWalt).

I have recently picked up some Ryobi for the price, and wide variety of weird stuff. They actually seem pretty decent; however the 1/2 impact you want is a joke (from them). So for that reason, I'd stick w/ PC and get one of their impacts. It looks very similar to the old brushed DeWalt, but will still smoke the Ryobi.

No complaints about my Mac/DeWalt 1/2 brushless impact, tho

I have that joke of an 1/2 impact wrench form Ryobi and it has handled everything that I have thrown at it from car lug nuts to lawn mower blades. I even stripped out my zero turn lug nuts with it from using it to put my rear wheels back on and not using a tourque wrench. There are better one out there but for the money and what I use it for I would buy it again in a heart beat.

 

[icthruu74]

I’ve been using the Ryobi stuff for nearly 20 years now and still have all of the first set I bought (although the brushes in the drill are about gone). I’ve been happy with it for home use. I’ve even done some job work with my bil and my Ryobi 1/4 impact kept up just fine with his Dewalt driving deck screws, granted mine isn’t being used like that every day.

 

[pioneer1]

Where are you getting these "free batteries for life"?? I know about Ridgid's lifetime warranty (normal wear and tear is not covered), but I'm not aware of a lifetime warranty for their batteries? I've only seen 3 years for the batteries.

I believe if the batteries come in the kit with the tool, they are lifetime warranty.
Yep, This is on their website:
"The Lifetime Service Agreement applies to all eligible RIDGID Brand hand held power tools, stationary power tools, and pneumatic tools purchased from The Home Depot and authorized retailers. Simply register all eligible tools within 90 days of purchase you will receive FREE batteries, parts, and service for life!"

I almost went with Ridgid when looking for an Impact Wrench, BUT, then I discovered from the Dewalt Thread( https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278893&highlight=dewalt&page=9) that Mac tools run on Dewalt batteries (https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=414762) and since I was already in that platform I bought the Mac.

 

[Brownsfan]

Kobalt. Hell I use them professionally and with no issues. 5hey have enough in the line for any DIY person. The bare tools are inexpensive and so are the batteries. 20 frlor the 2ah and 50 for the 4ah. The combo sets are very competitive priced. Plus they are all brushless and 24v. I honestly couldn't be happier with these tools.

 

[kngelv]

Look at the Milwaukee fanboy thread here on GJ. Then look at the Dewalt one, if you can find it. Then look for threads for any of the other brands, I'm not sure they even exist. Milwaukee fanboy here, I love the light weight and high performance of the M12 line, but do have some M18 where applicable.

If you are looking to save money then Ryobi is a safe bet. Fanboys for only one cordless tool line are people to avoid advice-wise. Between work and home I have something from pretty much every mainstream brand. I use a Milwaukee 12V right angle 1/4 impact at work and it is a great tool. At home I use a regular 20V Dewalt 1/4 impact which is also a great tool. They also make tools I don't like. My 18V Dewalt circular saw was a battery sucker that I hated using. Look at the numerous threads on the crappy Milwaukee 18V hammer drill chucks. I'm partial to Dewalt at home but they make some tools I don't like which is why I don't mind using other platforms. It can get a little crazy with all the different chargers I have though. I have to say Makita is probably the only brand of corded or cordless power tool I own that I never purchased one I haven't liked. Not sure why I don't buy more from them. Good luck.

James

 

[jd_1138]

I'd probably go with Ryobi. Sounds like you don't have a 1/4 impact driver? Those are nice to have for driving fasteners (makes it easy). Put a drill bit on the regular drill and then the driving bit on the 1/4 impact driver.

The 6 tool Ryobi combo kit is only $250 and you get:

1/4 impact driver
regular drill
reciprocating saw
circular saw
multi tool (very handy)
flashlight
2 batteries, charger, bag

If you buy stuff separate it can cost way more. Usually it's best to buy a combo kit at first then add bare tools to it later (like a jigsaw, jobsite radio, etc.). I'd keep the PC stuff. Selling won't net you much, and having an extra drill is handy sometimes like if you're working with another person.

 

[jblnut]

I have recently picked up some Ryobi for the price, and wide variety of weird stuff. They actually seem pretty decent; however the 1/2 impact you want is a joke (from them). So for that reason, I'd stick w/ PC and get one of their impacts. It looks very similar to the old brushed DeWalt, but will still smoke the Ryobi.

We've had Ryobi stuff on the farm since the late 90's and have wrecked very few tools. I don't think there are many environments worse out there to use a tool in ...

That joke of a 1/2" impact has broken loose most of the lug bolts on tractor duals when we put them on and off. They get tightened with the same impact and than torqued to "spec" with a 1" drive breaker bar and 3' bar with my 240lb fat *** sitting on it. I know it isn't the same as the big name 1/2" drive impacts but I don't know what we'd need much more power for on a daily basis. I have a 20v DeWalt 1/2" impact in my work van and it's great but doesn't really seem to have that much more snort than the $99 Ryobi one.

I have that joke of an 1/2 impact wrench form Ryobi and it has handled everything that I have thrown at it from car lug nuts to lawn mower blades. I even stripped out my zero turn lug nuts with it from using it to put my rear wheels back on and not using a torque wrench. There are better one out there but for the money and what I use it for I would buy it again in a heart beat.

Agreed with it being more than enough for the $$$.

OP I'd go Ryobi and not look back. They have TONS of different tools and they're all decent for the $$$. What exactly "decent for the $$$" means to you may be different but we've wrecked very few things Ryobi on the farm so that's what I'm basing my meaning of that on. We could spend more on Milwaukee or something else but why ??

 

[Farmall450]

The DeWalt batteries and the Black & Decker batteries can’t be swapped, they’re wired differently.

Here’s my understanding of batteries/tool lines that can work with some minor filing or Dremel work.

Porter Cable, Black & Decker, and Craftsman Bolt On batteries. Additionally Bostitch and Stanley Fat Max batteries too.

I can personally verify the first 3, the other two are from researching.

This is correct, however the latter are to interchange with DeWalt (not pc/b&d).

 

[Farmall450]

We've had Ryobi stuff on the farm since the late 90's and have wrecked very few tools. I don't think there are many environments worse out there to use a tool in ...

That joke of a 1/2" impact has broken loose most of the lug bolts on tractor duals when we put them on and off. They get tightened with the same impact and than torqued to "spec" with a 1" drive breaker bar and 3' bar with my 240lb fat *** sitting on it. I know it isn't the same as the big name 1/2" drive impacts but I don't know what we'd need much more power for on a daily basis. I have a 20v DeWalt 1/2" impact in my work van and it's great but doesn't really seem to have that much more snort than the $99 Ryobi one.

Agreed with it being more than enough for the $$$.

OP I'd go Ryobi and not look back. They have TONS of different tools and they're all decent for the $$$. What exactly "decent for the $$$" means to you may be different but we've wrecked very few things Ryobi on the farm so that's what I'm basing my meaning of that on. We could spend more on Milwaukee or something else but why ??

The half inch Ryobi impact is rated for less than my compact 3/8. I'm a big ryobi fan but that area is a resounding no from me. 300# is a joke for 1/2"

I have that joke of an 1/2 impact wrench form Ryobi and it has handled everything that I have thrown at it from car lug nuts to lawn mower blades. I even stripped out my zero turn lug nuts with it from using it to put my rear wheels back on and not using a tourque wrench. There are better one out there but for the money and what I use it for I would buy it again in a heart beat.

I suppose if the extent of what you work on it 100# car lugs and lawnmowers, it'll do the trick. However, I need a lot more than that. If I wanted an impact to tap out at 300# I would use my 3/8 cordless...or a 70s CP. IMO, that's the first tool they need to revamp and come out w/ a respectable output version of to be a real, complete, consideration. Please note that I appended this to my original praise for the well-priced, expansive offerings in that unique green shade; I'm not Ryobi hater. I'm using a ryobi bluetooth radio as I write this. But their 1/2 impact falls short compared to (literally) any other competitor's.

 

[Marky Mark]

Thanks for the great info everyone.

As for the impact, it will be used mostly for general motorcycle work and rotating tires on the truck. I'll probably go corded for a hammer drill, since it wont be used frequently, but will need to work hard when used.

I have a corded 7" saw and a jig saw that are B &D, beat up, but still work after 30+ years. I'm ambivalent on cordless saws, as it's for home
or rental property use, but the cordless do seem lighter and less fatiguing to use.

Anyone prefer a corded impact wrench to battery?

 

[Farmall450]

Nah, corded or air is not preferable to cordless, until you need something bigger than 1/2. IMO.

Once you start cutting the cord it's hard to go back.

 

[MikeF2316]

If you are looking to save money then Ryobi is a safe bet. Fanboys for only one cordless tool line are people to avoid advice-wise. Between work and home I have something from pretty much every mainstream brand. I use a Milwaukee 12V right angle 1/4 impact at work and it is a great tool. At home I use a regular 20V Dewalt 1/4 impact which is also a great tool. They also make tools I don't like. My 18V Dewalt circular saw was a battery sucker that I hated using. Look at the numerous threads on the crappy Milwaukee 18V hammer drill chucks. I'm partial to Dewalt at home but they make some tools I don't like which is why I don't mind using other platforms. It can get a little crazy with all the different chargers I have though. I have to say Makita is probably the only brand of corded or cordless power tool I own that I never purchased one I haven't liked. Not sure why I don't buy more from them. Good luck.

James

You are correct, I wouldn't take the word of an admitted fanboy either. But if there's 10 Milwaukee fanboys for every Dewalt one, and 100 for every Porter Cable one, that says something right there. And yes, there's been many reports of wobbly chucks, but not on mine.

 

[manwithtools]

If you are looking to save money then Ryobi is a safe bet. Fanboys for only one cordless tool line are people to avoid advice-wise. Between work and home I have something from pretty much every mainstream brand. I use a Milwaukee 12V right angle 1/4 impact at work and it is a great tool. At home I use a regular 20V Dewalt 1/4 impact which is also a great tool. They also make tools I don't like. My 18V Dewalt circular saw was a battery sucker that I hated using. Look at the numerous threads on the crappy Milwaukee 18V hammer drill chucks. I'm partial to Dewalt at home but they make some tools I don't like which is why I don't mind using other platforms. It can get a little crazy with all the different chargers I have though. I have to say Makita is probably the only brand of corded or cordless power tool I own that I never purchased one I haven't liked. Not sure why I don't buy more from them. Good luck.

James

Fan-boy or not, chose one platform or manufacturer and stick to it. Anyone that has multiple brands of cordless tools is throwing money away. Once you are in an ecosystem and have multiple interchangeable batteries you can be so much more productive. One or two batteries on the charger and one or two in use in the tools and you can rock-on.

If you only have a tool or two and maybe one battery for that tool, you are inevitability waiting for a battery to charge so you can use the tool again. Not to mention when that battery dies, now you are forced to make a decision - buy another battery for that platform or switch platforms.

I have so many M12 and M18 batteries, if I lose one or two tomorrow I won't have to change a thing. They won't all die at once and I can replace them as I have an appetite to, if needed.

 

[kb1982]

Ive been pleased thus far with my Ryobi tools purchase. Especially since i gave less than 200 bucks for all 5 tools. I thought the circular saw was crappy since it had a clear plastic guard on it, but it survived a fall from 17 ft onto gravel a couple weeks ago. The impact driver had its first fall today from above 16 ft onto the garage floor and it didnt harm it in anyone. Yesterday a 1st gen milwalkee impact driver made the same trip, and the battery casing busted.

Sent from my LML713DL using Tapatalk

 

[Augus7us]

Here are my thoughts as a DIY'er and the son of a guy that owned a house building company.

I went with Rigid. Happy with the quality and as far as I am aware they are the only cordless tool manufacturer that offers a lifetime warranty on their batteries. That's what sold me on them. I have a collection of dewalt cordless drills because its cheaper to buy the drill when the battery dies... I got tired of that.

I saw someone say batteries are 3 years above. This is from Rigid's website:

LIFETIME SERVICE AGREEMENT


WHAT IS LSA
The Lifetime Service Agreement applies to all eligible RIDGID Brand hand held power tools, stationary power tools, and pneumatic tools purchased from The Home Depot and authorized retailers. Simply register all eligible tools within 90 days of purchase you will receive FREE batteries, parts, and service for life!

Again, I'm not using these to make a living, but since I switched from Dewalt, I have 0 complaints about the quality of the tools. I have corded tools, about 10 cordless tools and rolling tool boxes and what not. Happy with them all. Good luck in your decision!

 

[Citation]

I think Ridgid is lifetime with registration or 3 years otherwise.

I suspect a lot of people have a stash of cordless, NiCAD tools. Don't hold those against the mfr. That was just the nature of NiCAD batteries. They had high self discharge so you couldn't expect the too to have a decent charge when you used it after 3 months. The batteries could get really picky about how you treated them. My low end Nextec LiIon batteries have proven to be more robust than my Hitachi, Makita, Sears (when they were the same oem as Ryobi) and DeWalt batteries. So if you had bad luck with yellow or blue or red or green tools in the past done assume the new batteries have the same issues.

 

[Marky Mark]

Again, thanks for the shared wisdom. Here's what I've decided on: For a hammer drill, circ saw and jigsaw, I'm going to go with Porter Cable corded tools. For drill, impact driver, and impact wrench I'll likely go with Ridgid. I think that makes sense.