Does anyone value corded power tools anymore

[PugetDude]

Charging batteries is almost free, really. You can make a good case for cordless tools if they are used regularly, one or more times a week. That's just not me in my current life though.

Energy is energy. It takes a certain amount of energy to turn a drill bit or a sawblade. Converting line voltage AC to stored low-voltage DC to do the same task isn't "free".

Batteries are only good for "x" number of cycles before they die and have to be replaced. The replacement cost is exponentially higher than the cost of the line voltage energy they replaced. Seems to me that bare cordless tool costs are fairly similar to their corded cousins, so battery lifecycle costs are the wildcard in the equation.

Cordless is great for convenience, but it seems they are much more costly over the life of the tool/batteries (especially when multiple batteries are required for extended operation) than using equivalent-quality corded tools.

 

[d.mcfarland]

I have an awesome Ridgid corded drill that works fantastic. However, this Christmas maybe I'll get myself a cordless one and see how much I really need it. DIY guy in an office type job, if that matters. I do however, do really random projects.

 

[Roundhouse]

I use a corded circular saw to cut pressure treated 4x4 and 6x6 posts

I’ve yet to see a battery saw that will work for this

And when I’m fabbing Metal
I use a corded sawzall

No battery sawzall will cut steel efficiently and certainly not for more than a couple minutes

The batteries cost right at $100 each and some only last three months before they are toast

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I only use pneumatic and corded tools, but all I do is metal fab and offroad related stuff. I do use Milwaukee and Hilti impacts for changing tires in the pits, but those aren't "mine". I've been thinking about getting a 3/8" Milwaukee impact, but can't seem to pull the trigger. A battery operated flashlight and radio appeal to me also.

 

[JRC3]

/Thread

 

[Finky198]

Jrc3 ^^^ LoL

Big blue is right flashlights are an excellent cordless tool. personally I prefer the reg style hand held light or a head lamp to any of the tool type based light design... just a personal preference thing, but funny cause I realized I own more cordless lights than I do actual cordless tools...



I don’t own a tons of cordless 2 drills, an impact, and a saws all. But Contrast that to my corded and air tools their are at least 10+ times that amount. I have 9 corded grinders, 14 corded saws 4 mitre, 2 table, 2 circular, 3 saws all’s, 3 jig, 4 corded drills, 3 masonry/sds/core drills, 3 buffers, 8+ sanders, it goes on and on... not even starting with air tools...

Cordless stuff is awesome for somethings, but no way Cordless can do all of those jobs at the same output and cost effectiveness in the long term as corded or air tools... the cost of acquisition on cordless is my number one hesitation, I currently have Hilti which has been a great platform. But cordless is more of a sanity tool than a necessity... in my OP.

Someone in here said it earlier, in general corded tools are built much heavier duty then their cordless counter part, while that’s no big deal if you doing light repetitive work, but heavy or high capacity work requires power and longevity, when your on a job site you don’t say sorry I don’t have that tool or I only have a cordless one so it might take a while longer that stuff doesn’t fly. If you want repeat business you have to have every tool you need to get the job done safely and efficiently. No matter how its powered.

All Goes back to The 7P’s. Prior, proper, planning, prevents, piss, poor, performance.

 

[wxm]

While my cordless power tools are expanding, the corded tools and air powered tools are still have their solid position. Not while ago, I was using my corded Milwaukee drill and Snap-on air chisel to drill out the spot weld and remove the rusted radiator lower support. It is exhausting and labor intensive work, can’t imagine the battery power tool could take on the job...


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[jeepinerdeep]

Worm Drive, Sawsall, Router, most grinders. Yep they are valued.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I still have a corded Bosch Bulldog SDS. Other than that, my only corded tools are stationary tools like table saw, bandsaw, miter saw, and router.

 

[Jim c]

circular saws pretty much have just gotta draw their power through a cord to be any kind of good. Cordless sawzalls have their niche for say under crawl space work where cord access is limited. Cordless grinders are pretty much a tool for criminals only. The rest of us would rather plug

 

[WWheeler]

circular saws pretty much have just gotta draw their power through a cord to be any kind of good. Cordless sawzalls have their niche for say under crawl space work where cord access is limited. Cordless grinders are pretty much a tool for criminals only. The rest of us would rather plug

My Dewalt DCS570 20V 7-1/4 circular saw isn't like saws of the past. I haven't used it a lot yet, but it'll rip through 3/4 sheets and zip through 2x* like nothing to it and a battery lasts a good while. It's waaaay stronger than my 1990s era 18V Dewalt 6-1/2 cordless was (it would struggle cutting paneling). Not even close to the same league. It's not as strong but definitely more comparable to my corded skilsaw than my old cordless.

I wouldn't trade it for a corded saw for any kind of large job, but I definitely wouldn't hesitate to use it instead of a corded saw for any smaller work. When I need to rip a panel of ply or mdf, etc to a more manageable size before using the table saw it's definitely my go to.

If I still worked building houses I'd have already gotten a flexvolt to see what it's all about. If it's more powerful and longer lasting than my 20V then I suspect it really may be a cut-the-cord alternative.

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[Specracer]

5 amp 1/2" chuck Milwaukee corded drill, dont need it often, but when you do.... Same for saws.

Sanders / polishers are pretty are always corded (or pneumatic which is basically the equivalent a cord)

 

[dsimatt]

I watch Youtube videos by RR Buildings, a construction firm that builds pole sheds and garages. They use a ton of cordless tools, including a couple table saws which I had never seen before, and I've been impressed with their performance.



There's no need to start with inflammatory comments. Cordless tools certainly have their place, but it doesn't make us who don't have them lesser than you.

I think cordless hand tools like drills, impacts and saws make a lot of sense, that said I can't see buying cordless table saw or miter saw but if Milwaukee was to give them to me I'd take them.

My Milwaukee sander is corded and I really like it, I have a corded sawzall and a cordless one and guess which never gets used.

 

[Mr_B]

corded grinders, corded saw/jigsaw, sander, sds drill/kango all still get used and not fully replaceable with battery options .

 

[mobiledynamics]

While I still have my Metabo's a Hilti WSR Reciprocating, once you've used a cordless, you will grab the cordless if the application suffice.

One time I overhauled what seems like a zillion feet of wrought iron fencing.
I did go through ALOT of batteries, but I have batteries to spare.
The eye opener with the grinder in use, was how I held it in use. I had it held in use 20 different ways in which I could not have with a corded, as I would have to constantly think about CORD management.

 

[reader2580]

I have in cordless:

Makita dual battery miter saw
Makita drill
Makita circular saw
Makita grinder
Makita right angle drill
Makita reciprocating saw
Makita impact driver
Makita 3/4” impact wrench
Ryobi miter saw
Ryobi drill
Ryobi circular saw
Ryobi pole chain saw
Dewalt Flexvolt compressor

Ego leaf blower
Ego lawnmower
Ego string trimmer
Ego chain saw

The only truly bad tool is the Ryobi circular saw, but it was basically free with the miter saw. The Ryobi miter is okay for rough carpentry with 2x4s and the like. The Makita miter saw can cut through anything just like a corded miter saw.

I got the Ryobi miter saw and the Dewalt compressor because I help at a Boy Scout camp where there is mostly no power. The compressor is only good for air nailers and similar. A generator would cost more than what I spent on the two tools.

 

[Voi]

The only truly bad tool is the Ryobi circular saw, but it was basically free with the miter saw.

Which Makita CS do you have (blade size? brushless?) and which Ryobi CS did you get?

I have the Makita brushless 6.5" and really like it. Was thinking about picking up a Ryobi brushless to leave at the cabin but your post has me concerned.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Like most others here, it depends what I'm doing and where I'm doing it at.

More than a few cuts of OSB or cutting a better grade of plywood, I break out the corded Dewalt circular saw.

Metal work/fab, I'll use one of three corded grinders, but I need to cut a bolt outside, it's cordless. I have a diamond blade and have been cutting CMU block, corded and a cheapo HF 4.5" grinder. I'm not filling a good grinder, corded or cordless, with concrete dust.

18V Impact driver never gets put away.

A few tapcons, cordless hammer/drill, drilling for 1/2" rebar, corded hammer drill.

 

[reader2580]

Which Makita CS do you have (blade size? brushless?) and which Ryobi CS did you get?

I have the Makita brushless 6.5" and really like it. Was thinking about picking up a Ryobi brushless to leave at the cabin but your post has me concerned.

The Makita is really old from when LXT first came out.

The Ryobi is also really old and has a 5-1/2” blade. It is old enough to be blue instead of green. A new model will probably be fine.

 

[Ign]

Does anyone value corded power tools anymore? All I ever hear about is about battery operated tools, but corded power tools are forever.

I don't, no

 

[JohnMang]

Yeup...prefer corded...don’t run outa juice at that critical time, pull more horsepower than a battery, so use to an extension cord, if needed, it’s not an issue...and in the case of my drills, the corded drill chucks are keyed....so i have fewer spun drill incidents than I do with a friction chuck on a cordless....just sayin..



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[Gurp]

I use my corded stuff quite often. More power and no dead battery. That being said I'm a budget DIY'er. I do buy more cordless stuff but that power cord os hard to beat on long work days and is much more reliable.

 

[ttpete]

Yeup...prefer corded...don’t run outa juice at that critical time, pull more horsepower than a battery, so use to an extension cord, if needed, it’s not an issue...and in the case of my drills, the corded drill chucks are keyed....so I have fewer spun drill incidents than I do with a friction chuck on a cordless....just sayin..



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I hate keyless chucks. All my corded and air drills have Jacobs keyed chucks.

 

[bonneyman]

Damn - I needed a good laugh!

I switched to Makita 9.6 volt drills when they first came out. Loved 'em. Still had a corded drill laying around for drilling holes. Then the batteries started sucking so I gave away my Makita and went back to strictly corded. Have 4 3/8" and a 1/4" drills - don't want to be caught without a spare drill.
My latest purchase is an old Shop Craft 3/8" corded beauty. Love it!

In the spirit of full disclosure, I found another Makita stick drill and have found 4 batteries and a charger that I keep handy for unscrewing panels.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I have been using corded, cordless, pneumatic, and hand powered tools for decades. Giving any of them up would be an inconvenience or handicap.

 

[JonDick13926]

I like corded tools depending on the situation, but the market seems to favor cordless so that's primarily what you see on the store shelves and, likely, primarily what most power tool companies focus on most. Any time I've shopped around for corded power tools, the selection was disappointingly slim.

 

[The_Geologist]

As I don't use my power tools all that much (and therefore don't keep the batteries consistently charged), I have had the expected poor luck with keeping the batteries for cordless tools alive. I will most likely stick with corded tools.

The only cordless tools I recall having right now are a Ryobi drill and one of those quick starters for the gas trimmer (not that I ever use the quick starter...but it came with the trimmer).

 

[Rabid Badger]

The nice thing about corded tools is that if you buy quality you never have to buy them again.

 

[ovilla]

My only corded tool (which I wish wasn’t) is my router and the damn cord is always getting in the way.

 

[gman007]

When using a a corded tool is not inconvenient (eg need for long extension cord , or cord getting in the way etc) I prefer corded over cordless (I have both). As many have already stated corded tools are generally more powerful, no worries about dead battery half way through the job, etc.

Additionally regardless of type of batteries (including the old NiCad and more recent much better Lithium-ion batteries) they eventually go lazy and will not hold charge for long, specially under heavy and frequent usage. And replacement batteries cost as much as a new tool, so one might as well get a new tool that comes with one or two new batteries. Which is another thing that upsets me, as I hate to throw away a perfectly functioning tool because the darn battery is gone bad. Admittedly, I am much more impressed with the Lithium-ion technology and its durability/performance than crappy old NiCad and hence I am now more partial to cordless tools than I used to be.

 

[Kev442]

I have been using corded, cordless, pneumatic, and hand powered tools for decades. Giving any of them up would be an inconvenience or handicap.

Yup.

 

[CR888]

One issue today with corded tools is due to the market demand of cordless & all the marketing pushing cordless sales, R&D into corded tools and new models is much less than it once was. Obviously there are exceptions here but corded tools have sadly suffered due to the perceived awesomeness of the cordless platform. For different reasons I like both corded, cordless & pneumatic tools for there individual benefits. Cordless are sometimes the best option by far but many times they simply are not.

 

[PassnThru]

One issue today with corded tools is due to the market demand of cordless & all the marketing pushing cordless sales, R&D into corded tools and new models is much less than it once was. Obviously there are exceptions here but corded tools have sadly suffered due to the perceived awesomeness of the cordless platform.

I feel that I should remind you that cordless tools use electric motors also.

 

[PJNJ]

I have been using corded, cordless, pneumatic, and hand powered tools for decades. Giving any of them up would be an inconvenience or handicap.

Couldn't have said it any better.

 

[egdede]

My Bosch cordless sawsaw is the bomb!

 

[speed bump]

Other than a few tools that all I care about is power (Sanders and routers primarily) or stationary tools I don't buy corded tools. I haven't bought a cordless tool in the last 4-5 years that didn't get the job done and I have enough batteries that I can't run through all of them on a project.

 

[dodge610]

You can have my corded stuff when you pry it from my cold dead hand lol. Yep still use them.

 

[JRC3]

I was without power for two days this week (ice storm). Kept thinking to myself what the argument about corded tools in this situation could be..."Well, I'd just drag out my generator to power my corded tools." But, Isn't a generator itself a cordless tool?

I know, it's gas, but you catch my drift.

 

[Parrothead]

I’ve got quite a few corded tools, jig saw, circular saw, drills, etc. but the truth is I never use them anymore. If I own the cordless I use that.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I was without power for two days this week (ice storm). Kept thinking to myself what the argument about corded tools in this situation.

They would be useful if you had to make repairs as a result of the storm, but that would be mainly be for jobs like boarding up windows or patching the shingles on the roof and I have hand saws, hammers and nails that will work for those sorts of things.

Otherwise, simply being able to continue working on projects in the garage or workshop would be low on my list of priorities in that situation.