cordless tools set recommendation - drill, impact driver, oscillating tool?

[Innovate1]

Have had a Porter Cable set since 2012. Had to get replacement nicad batteries once. No longer available even from second sources (off brand) and those are not NiCd. Some claim to work with the old charger but that's not good so time for a new. I see some sets for about $200 on sale - Craftsman at Lowes - that's the only one I see at that point that has the tools I want (and a few additional that will be handy). What's a battery system that's likely to be around for a long time? What brands should I be looking at. $200 isn't a hard limit.

 

[jives]

Well, there are about a gazillion of these discussions, and none have answered the question aside from personal preference. For that money I think your best bet is Ryobi. As for battery longevity, there have been no complaints about Makita, save tor the high cost, and of course, the cost of the tools that go with them.

 

[willf650]

Your not going to get all 3 of those tools in any decent platform for $200.

To hit closest to that price point with quality stuff get a set of Milwaukee fuel M12 combo pack of drill and impact and pick up an oscillating tool loose during a Black Friday deal. If you were using porter cable stuff you won't miss any power in an m12 fuel and you will be astounded by the power to size ratio.

Your other option would be Ryobi

As far as being around there will be a lot of pissed off people if Milwaukee kills the M12 platform so I doubt they will or can kill it if they want to stay in business.

Ryobi and DeWalt seem to be the only companies that have kept battery backwards compatibility. Ryobi I think still uses the same connection as always and DeWalt makes and adapter.

 

[JeepYJ]

Don’t overlook the Hercules and Bauer at HF. The Herc tools are really good for the price. The Bauer tools are meh but they do offer some tools the Herc line does not offer and are fine for homeowner use. Buy some battery adapters from EBay or Amazon that will let you interchange tools and batteries from different brands too and that makes things a little simpler. Herc batteries and chargers and adapters to fit them to whatever tool you need.

 

[Skellyii]

Depends on whether you're a pro or a DIY'er. I've had Ryobi since they were a different color, have a lot of homeowner and mechanics stuff, and the new batteries fit the old stuff. They're not going anywhere anytime soon.

I also love the Milwaukee M12 line, I've started picking up a few things that Ryobi doesn't have, or doesn't do well.

Milwaukee isn't going to piss off the Pro market by dropping either the M12 or M18 line.

Either of these two platforms seems to be a safe choice.

 

[MovingAlong]

Which set are you trying to justify? Only ask so that we can provide you with the support needed to get them today.

 

[WildBill]

Ryobi and DeWalt seem to be the only companies that have kept battery backwards compatibility. Ryobi I think still uses the some connection as always and DeWalt makes and adapter.

Makita has had the same 18v battery design since they created the 18v lithium tool market 20 years ago. They have 40v stuff also but I'm pretty sure their 18v line isn't going anywhere.

 

[413dan]

It is a terrific time of year to be looking. Father's Day too, but I'd recommend taking a ride to your local stores and go checking out the deals. You will likely find a kit with all the "fixins" you're looking for.

Depends on whether you're a pro or a DIY'er. I've had Ryobi since they were a different color, have a lot of homeowner and mechanics stuff, and the new batteries fit the old stuff. They're not going anywhere anytime soon.

+1 on the Ryobi stuff, for the mentioned swap ability of the batteries. It's nice to be able to use new batteries in their older, blue, tools. I've found single tools, like a cordless skill saw, at a yard sale for a couple bucks. People get rid of the old stuff, and for me that has been a plus.

good luck, after how long it's been anything will seem like an upgrade. Batteries should overall be more powerful and weigh less. Tools likely more powerful, stouter and lighter at the same time.

 

[willf650]

Makita has had the same 18v battery design since they created the 18v lithium tool market 20 years ago. They have 40v stuff also but I'm pretty sure their 18v line isn't going anywhere.

I had two generations of Makita that are no longer made nor compatible with the generation after it. Dropped it like it's hot.
Those were in the 9.6 to 14.4 days. I chucked them due to them dropping the batteries.

Milwaukee dropped their 12-24 platform with no further support as did Hitachi. I had all Hitachi stuff most recently and had to chuck due to no battery support and they were lithium.

I have some pretty old DeWalt stuff still alive due to battery adapters. Stuff that's infrequent use such as a circ saw.

 

[dnschmidt]

You're asking the wrong guy as I'm a Milwaukee FUEL kind of a guy and price has never mattered much to me. But this is Black Friday and although the deals this year **** in comparison to prior years for a homeowner the M12 line is hard to beat. Small, light and there are a thousand and one options. Dewalt's 12V line is sort of an afterthought for them and the same is true with Makita who apparently feel that their batteries are made out of gold and virtually never go on sale. The only other 12V line that's worth a damn is Bosch and Amazon has good deals on Bosch.

 

[alinc100]

What tools you are looking for, your usage and factors like weight/power , demand will dictate what may fit your needs best. I've got tools covering all the major players based upon the tool/value/need. That said the Makita 18v subcompact line is great, I use mine daily as a professional. We drive 1-1/4" to 2" self tapping pan head screws daily through aluminum, into drywall and metal studs. at home ,which is mostly a wood working shop I truly love my Milwaukee M12 FUEL tools including the SURGE driver. Which is a fantastic tool for wood screws. Being Black Friday. many, many deals abound and available at Lowes, Home Depot, etc.

 

[PoorUB]

Home Depot Ridgid. You register the tools online and they have a great warranty. I have gotten batteries replaced that were over ten years old. Who else will do that?
https://www.homedepot.com/c/SF_TH_PR_RIDGID_Power_Tools_Warranty

I have a drill driver set i bought early 2012 that is still working fine. I wanted a couple more batteries and watched Home Depot and bought a second drill driver set for a couple more dollars then the two batteries would cost. I have not used the new drill driver yet as the older ones are still working fine.

For the weekend warrior they are great. I wouldn't be surprised if they held up well in pro use too.

Many years ago (maybe 2000'ish?) my buddy bought a Ridgid bag set with about 5 or 6 tools. A few years later Ridgid went to a different battery style. He had a tool fail and Ridgid set him a whole new tool set.

 

[alinc100]

Here is the M12 Surge, just popped up as a deal of the day : https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Milwa...0&irgwc=1&afsrc=1&cm_mmc=afl-ir-10451-483420-

 

[Innovate1]

This is one I am looking at:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-...ries-Included-and-Charger-Included/5013107409
Would be nice to have 2 drills - I have 2 of the PC drills and we have a detached shop so one in each place. I would obviously need to buy an extra for that.

I picked up an impact driver a few years ago. 18V Metabo with Li-ion battery. I could get some other tools with that battery but I haven't seen much praise of this line.

 

[willf650]

I wouldn’t get what you listed but that’s me.

If I were looking for something equivalent to that it would be this.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-ONE-18V-Cordless-6-Tool-Combo-Kit-with-1-5-Ah-Battery-4-0-Ah-Battery-and-Charger-PCL1600K2/317987591

I suspect Ryobi will be around longer than this weeks flavor of Craftsman and their range is larger.

Wouldn’t get either but the $200 price point for a kit like that really limits the quality of tools at that quantity.

 

[Steve_P]

Like Will, I would also go, and have, with Ryobi before Craftsman- the Ryobi battery platform has been around for many years, and HD sells tons of Ryobi; I would bet they sell more Ryobi than Milwaukee, as Ryobi is very popular with homeowners that are only very light DIYers. Most of my cordless tools are DeWalt, but I have a Ryobi vacuum, hedge trimmer, and tire inflator: they all work great for occasional use.

OP, I'm sure you know, but as far as these kits, 2AH batteries are fine for drilling a few holes, rotating tires with an impact.... but for things like a vacuum, or longer projects, you're going to need 4AH-5AH batteries; plan on spending more in the future.

A friend of mine also had PC cordless tools and had the same issue on the batteries. So, having to be different, he buys Flex for replacement tools .

 

[Ohio Andy]

I've had Nicad battery packs rebuilt even ones that were inside of cordless drills. It was never a problem. I don't know if they can still get those battery cells to rebuild those packs. Hey paid to have it done at batteries Plus shops. The problem is you kind of want a fancy tool to weld the packs together... I tried with my fancy soldering iron and I've never had good results. I forget what they call their machine. Some kind of tack welder or something

But your money is probably better spent just buying something new

 

[subroc]

You could do a lot worse than this:

This is 2 brushless tools, a couple 2AH batteries and (by the picture) the newer 1104 charger. for $150. Same kit is available for the same price from Amazon.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-ATOMIC-20-Volt-MAX-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Combo-Kit-2-Tool-with-2-2-0Ah-Batteries-Charger-and-Bag-DCK225D2/322138483#see-more-details

You can find the brushless Dewalt oscillating tool for around $100.

Amazon.com : dewalt oscillating tool

 

[Innovate1]

I've had Nicad battery packs rebuilt even ones that were inside of cordless drills. It was never a problem. I don't know if they can still get those battery cells to rebuild those packs. Hey paid to have it done at batteries Plus shops. The problem is you kind of want a fancy tool to weld the packs together... I tried with my fancy soldering iron and I've never had good results. I forget what they call their machine. Some kind of tack welder or something

But your money is probably better spent just buying something new

I thought of putting in new cells. I know people that have the spotwelder too. The cells are still available in Nicad but the prices look to have gone up by huge amount since they were popular. Wild guess 3x. The price for 1 pack (15 cells) was about $50 to $60 if going with a reputable manufacturer. It's time to retire the aging bunch.

 

[Innovate1]

A friend of mine also had PC cordless tools and had the same issue on the batteries. So, having to be different, he buys Flex for replacement tools .

They just wore out after 6 years. I bet a lot of people had that happen to them. I think 6 years was great.

 

[david3921]

This is one I am looking at:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-...ries-Included-and-Charger-Included/5013107409
Would be nice to have 2 drills - I have 2 of the PC drills and we have a detached shop so one in each place. I would obviously need to buy an extra for that.

I picked up an impact driver a few years ago. 18V Metabo with Li-ion battery. I could get some other tools with that battery but I haven't seen much praise of this line.

Be aware that none of the tools in this set are brushless. Of course, your PC tools weren't either. The small 2Ah batteries will be ok for the drill and impact for light drilling/impacting but wholly inadequate for the saws. The batteries might be ok for the oscillating tool also depending on the task(s).

I have all of those tools except in gray. They are the same as the old Porter Cable 20v. I've since switched over to the brushless versions. I was able to use the brushed versions with 4Ah batteries successfully. If the above Craftsman set will fill your needs, I would suggest adding a few 4Ah batteries for the higher draw tools.

 

[finn]

Like Will, I would also go, and have, with Ryobi before Craftsman- the Ryobi battery platform has been around for many years, and HD sells tons of Ryobi; I would bet they sell more Ryobi than Milwaukee, as Ryobi is very popular with homeowners that are only very light DIYers. Most of my cordless tools are DeWalt, but I have a Ryobi vacuum, hedge trimmer, and tire inflator: they all work great for occasional use.

OP, I'm sure you know, but as far as these kits, 2AH batteries are fine for drilling a few holes, rotating tires with an impact.... but for things like a vacuum, or longer projects, you're going to need 4AH-5AH batteries; plan on spending more in the future.

A friend of mine also had PC cordless tools and had the same issue on the batteries. So, having to be different, he buys Flex for replacement tools .

Doesn’t Ryobi pretty much have one National outlet?

It’s essentially a HD only house brand.

 

[Rocky1999]

Have had a Porter Cable set since 2012. Had to get replacement nicad batteries once. No longer available even from second sources (off brand) and those are not NiCd. Some claim to work with the old charger but that's not good so time for a new. I see some sets for about $200 on sale - Craftsman at Lowes - that's the only one I see at that point that has the tools I want (and a few additional that will be handy). What's a battery system that's likely to be around for a long time? What brands should I be looking at. $200 isn't a hard limit.

Milwaukee is the way to Go. They have lead the way for quite sometime now. Get the M18 Fuel line.

 

[b12]

Home Depot Ridgid. You register the tools online and they have a great warranty. I have gotten batteries replaced that were over ten years old. Who else will do that?
https://www.homedepot.com/c/SF_TH_PR_RIDGID_Power_Tools_Warranty

I have a drill driver set i bought early 2012 that is still working fine. I wanted a couple more batteries and watched Home Depot and bought a second drill driver set for a couple more dollars then the two batteries would cost. I have not used the new drill driver yet as the older ones are still working fine.

For the weekend warrior they are great. I wouldn't be surprised if they held up well in pro use too.

Many years ago (maybe 2000'ish?) my buddy bought a Ridgid bag set with about 5 or 6 tools. A few years later Ridgid went to a different battery style. He had a tool fail and Ridgid set him a whole new tool set.

Ridgid power tools are great.
I purchased a Ridgid 18v tool set from Home Depot back in July 2009,
that consisted of a reciprocating saw, drill, impact wrench, circular saw,
work light, two 18v 4AH batteries and a battery charger all for $499.99.
From that 18v tool set , I made 3 warranty claims:
01. an 18v work light in Dec 2023
02. an 18v 4AH Battery in May 2025
03. an 18v 4AH Battery in Oct 2025.
I received free replacements for these 3 items and registered the replacement items with Ridgid
so that the lifetime warranty coverage continues on these replacement items.
I'm very happy with the service I received from these Ridgid power tools over the years
and Ridgid's lifetime warranty coverage is top notch.

 

[cherrybomb]

Spend a little more money and reward yourself.That will give you more power,options in voltage,and a great selection in tools and manufacturers. I'm in the Makita line,that I recommend. They have a factory service center,17 miles away that will work on any brand tool you bring in.They save old tools to rob parts if needed.They have a factory event,yearly.So in my case,selection and service in case I need it matters more than price

 

[Skellyii]

Doesn’t Ryobi pretty much have one National outlet?

It’s essentially a HD only house brand.

Nope, you can get them on Amazon, from a few online tool vendors, and I've been to their factory outlet store.

 

[finn]

Nope, you can get them on Amazon, from a few online tool vendors, and I've been to their factory outlet store.

I think you pretty much proved my point. They’re a house brand.

Essentially is the key word.

 

[Innovate1]

Ended up getting Milwaukee M18 dill/driver combo. I can get an adapter for my oscillating tool and any other PC stuff for under $20. The batteries are on the small side but should be fine for those tools. They aren't brushless but the PC stuff is still running after 12 years - they don't get heavy use so that should be fine.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...-Batteries-Charger-Tool-Bag-2691-22/100650378

 

[Innovate1]

Picked up my M18 tools this morning. Plugged in the chargers and popped a battery in them both. They both started flashing alternating red/green. Figured that was normal until I started reading the booklet. That means ""Damaged or faulty battery pack and/or charger." So I reseated the batteries and both showed steady red indicating charging. But wiggling the battery a bit causes the red/green. Seems like limited contact engagement and a poor design that doesn't always make all connections. Will do some searching to see if this is common.

Update: Just did some checking. You have to push the batteries in quite firmly or they don't go all the way in. They hit what seems like the stop but it's not all the way in.

 

[vavet]

congrats on your m18 tools. I’ve used them. They are really nice. They feel good in the hand. They are,powerful. They are lighter than other brands.

im a ridgid fan for my own tools at home and for the tools I bought for the lab in my previous job. They are plenty strong and the lifetime service agreement (smells like a warranty, but they call it the LSA) is a huge perk. It’s better if you can find a local repair shop to repair or submit paperwork for replacement tools and batteries when needed. Knowing I’ll never have to buy replacements (unless I lose it or do something dumb) is huge.
good luck.

 

[subroc]

You have to push those batteries into the charger. Hard. Especially when they are new.

 

[Rocky1999]

Picked up my M18 tools this morning. Plugged in the chargers and popped a battery in them both. They both started flashing alternating red/green. Figured that was normal until I started reading the booklet. That means ""Damaged or faulty battery pack and/or charger." So I reseated the batteries and both showed steady red indicating charging. But wiggling the battery a bit causes the red/green. Seems like limited contact engagement and a poor design that doesn't always make all connections. Will do some searching to see if this is common.

Update: Just did some checking. You have to push the batteries in quite firmly or they don't go all the way in. They hit what seems like the stop but it's not all the way in.

The Milwaukee brushed will
Do you fine, for just home use. I use my M18 fuel every day, is why I bought the higher end version of what you have. They both are of good quality which ever way you go, you can’t ever go wrong with Milwaukee, they are the best in the business hands down and that’s why they are more expensive than the rest of the brands out their. Nice job on your selection Milwaukee will never disappoint.