Favorite / Best CORDED Power Tools?

[oldschoolcraft]

This goes against the grain of most pros here but as a hobbyist, I prefer corded power tools when they make sense. I’ve had to use my reciprocating saw exactly twice in the last year. My hammer drill about 6 times. Each use was for a few minutes total.

I bought a nice Bosch hammer drill and a us-made Milwaukee sawzall. Maybe I’m naive but at my current use rate I expect they’ll still work in 50 years.

If I bought them as cordless, there is no chance they’ll last even half as long. The batteries will die, even without use, and they’ll be new and better batteries that won’t retrofit in the old cordless tools.

The one cordless tool I do have and prefer cordless is a regular drill. The one I have now is a makita that cost me $100 and if I have to replace it every ten years it’s cheap enough, but I don’t want to replace ALL of my power tools, especially the ones I don’t use often.

What prompted this thread is I was reading up on corded impact wrenches and how they **** compared to cordless. 1/3 the torque for corded. So for that, it makes no sense to have a corded impact wrench. And since I don’t need one enough to justify a cordless or a compressor and an air tool, I just go by hand.

It seems like corded tools are going the way if the Dinosaur and I’m convinced st least some of it is to force hobbyists and homeowners into replacing their tools every decade with forced obscelence.
So I want to get a few more corded power tools over the next few years before it’s impossible to get a good one with a cord.

Any suggestions? For one, I think I want a regular corded drill. At least as a backup to my cordless drill if the battery dies. And maybe when my makita eventually dies completely, if I am still a hobbyist corded I buy now becomes my primary drill alongside a future drill press.

Second, what corded tools are just **** like the impact wrench.

Third, what corded tools are gradually getting worse and I need to buy sooner rather than later?

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I agree with you. If you think about it, a cordless and a corded power tool both have electric motors about the same size, but a corded tool doesn't pack a big battery.

 

[MarvinBerry]

I use a lotta corded tools myself. Especially saws, battery life vs power ***** on an all day...all week job. Not that I don't love my battery sawzall for quick cuts but if I'm wailing on it all day I want bonded power.

Hard to go wrong with any of the standards. Dewalt, Milwaukee, Mikita hitachi etc.

 

[bargainhuntingking]

Get a Metabo 4.5” angle grinder. It will open up opportunities and bring your DIY game to a new level. Cut off wheels, wire cups and brushes, grinding discs and flap discs...experiment and go crazy. Review grinder safety first. You won’t be disappointed.

 

[seber]

I finally sold my pneumatic die grinder last week when I realized I was using the corded unit almost exclusively since I found a used one for next to nothing. Battery powered saws of any type simply don't have enough cuts to make them useful for any real job. Tools that only get used rarely are also a poor choice for battery. Buy a used corded one and don't worry about whether the battery is any good.
The ones I would never trade for battery are angle grinders and any kind of sander. They get run for hours on end. Not a place for limited power.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Talk about old school !

I have 3 corded Craftsman tools that I think are AWESOME. All 3 are "Industrial"/"Professional" models. Reciprocating saw, 4.5" angle grinder and 1/2" drill. These are all over 30 years old and built like the proverbial brick *********.

 

[Toolfool]

Find some older Milwaukee or Porter Cable corded tools. I use a LOT of cordless tools daily, and they're great, but I will never get rid of my corded tools.

 

[Davefr]

Milwaukie Magnum drill is a must have. Easy to find cheap at g-sales and they're bulletproof. Best 1/2" corded drill ever made.

Same thing with corded Milwaukie Sawsalls. I prefer them over cordless.

 

[Parrothead]

I have everything I own in both corded and cordless, for the most part. Circular saw, jig saw, reciprocating saw, drill, etc. The only one I’ve used in the last 3 years was the Milwaukee Sawzall. The drill hasn’t been used in 8+ years.

I’ve got my grandfathers corded Mall drill, 3/8 keyed chuck, all metal, single speed, and will rip your arm off if you bind it. It will likely last forever. It’s a decoration to me. It’s heavy and it’s awkward. Technology changes all the time, what’s great today, won’t be tomorrow.

If you want corded tools because you don’t want to deal with batteries, I get it. Buying them for the long haul? Na.

 

[Spacey_G]

Yup, corded is the way to go for many tools. Reciprocating saw, angle grinder, circular saw, orbital sander, jigsaw, and on and on. Cordless drills and drivers are nice because they're used so often and in so many different places. But for most tools, the benefits of having a cord outweigh the downsides.

And good point about longevity. All these new cordless tools are flashy and filled with novelty now, but they won't be so flashy in ten years when the batteries don't hold a charge.

 

[jonshonda]

This same thread has been created several times. My current favorite corded tool is a $20 Porter cable 4-1/2 angle grinder. I have close to 100 hours of hobby use on it and it keeps kicking! Only thing I don't like is the cheap pvc cord.

 

[Mr Ratchet]

I'm like you in that I only have one cordless tool. It's a Milwaukee 18V drill I got a couple years ago after my Makita 14V drill went through 4 batteries and a charger. The drill its self still worked fine. Every thing else power tool wise has a cord , including my nailers/stapler (air). Tool batteries have a long way to go before I invest heavy into cordless. They have their place though and I like my drill for quick jobs. If I have a lot of drilling or screw driving, the Milwaukee Magnum Holeshooter comes out. It's 35 years old and works like new with gobs of power.

That's the drill I would recommend getting. I do like Milwaukee but also like Bosch, Hitachi, & Makita nearly as much.



Lots of pretty cords that will keep these tools working long after I'm gone.
Missing from the photo is my Hitachi brad nailer.

 

[dr_clyde]

For metalworking tools I buy Metabo and Milwaukee. I have mostly Bosch wood tools.

 

[PFSard]

Most of the corded tools that I use infrequently were bought at estate sales, auctions, and garage sales for next to nothing.

 

[Gurp]

As a Hobbyiest I personally love my corded Dewalt Drill ($5) and my HF corded angle grinders ($10 each). I also have a corded sawzaw and circular saw. They get occasional use always with 25ft of my building.

 

[MacMcMacmac]

I am a big fan of any old B&D metal cased tools from the 60s and 70s that I can pick up at the thrift stores for under $20. Some old Bowman Manning stuff to, mostly to polish up and hang as garage art. I recently did some sanding for a neighbour using my old b&d sander from the 70s and it put her newer one to shame. They might lack some convenience features but they seem well made.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Metabo, Milwaukee, or Makita are pretty much all I will buy. I tend to look for clean, older stuff on ebay that's made in USA, Japan, or Germany. In my opinion that last gen of tools before being made in China were the best ever made, then things just got "cheap".

 

[Rabid Badger]

Current bests:

Circular saw - Makita hypoid

Jigsaw - Bosch

Oscillating multitool - Fein

Miter saws - Makita

 

[ez-duzit]

Milwaukee drill motors, angle grinders and gear-drive saws
Black & Decker circular saws
Festool track saw
Porter Cable or Bosch routers
Bosch die grinders, belt sanders and saber saws
Lamello biscuit joiner
Makita brushless, cordless drill/drivers

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

The new Porter Cable 690 is made in Mexico . B&D cheapened it, ii'll burn out with just moderate use. For the same price you can get a Bosch 1617, which is a good but not great router.

Bosch barrel grip CliK jig saw.

Makita 3x24 belt sander

Makita 5007 skilsaw

Fein

While the ones I've listed are expensive, they are not outrageous .They will out last you and you will enjoy using them.

 

[CJM8515]

Im a diehard milwaukee cordless fan, they make tons of impact tools I like. But for corded I have:

-Makita: circular saw, grinder and a drill that had a plastic chuck that I threw out cause it broke
-Dewalt: random adjustable speed sander, I like it A LOT, old sawzall i hardly use
-Mikwaukee heavy duty power drill. Best corded drill I ever used
-Black and Decker pos grinder. IDK how it is still going, the bearings feel like they might be going bad and its noisy but it wont die and its like 20 years old now
-Craftsman jigsaw. old school from like 1980


I find corded tools even cheaper ones are decent, they dont have the issue of power since they dont use batteries. Maybe one day ill upgrade to cordless saws and sanders and a grinder, but I have no need now

 

[joe_pinehill1]

the only corded tools i still routinely use are Sawzall, bosch jig saw, angle grinder, planner, and only because i dont have a cordless, a circular saw.

 

[MushCreek]

Cordless have taken over for a lot of my uses. I can't remember the last time I had my corded SawZall or circular saw out of the case. I do have a nice corded Bosch router and jigsaw. There doesn't seem to be a cordless replacement yet. I can't imagine a cordless angle grinder lasting long enough on a charge; that's a tool I tend to use for hours at a time. It seems like cordless tools work well for intermittent applications; corded is better for high power, continuous work. Yesterday, I was limbing trees I had dropped. I used the cordless SawZall all day on one 5.0 A battery. Extension cords would have been a pita due to the distances and getting tangled in all of the brush. My chainsaw is too big for the application, although a small chainsaw would have been ideal.

 

[BK13]

I just bought a corded Makita tracksaw. When I get another router or jigsaw they will likely be corded. While I would like an M18 grinder, the four corded ones I have now will likely do everything I need. I'm wanting to get a mitersaw, it will also be corded. Same with any other RO sanders I buy. When I get another circular saw it will have a cord. I do think an M18 Sawzall would be handy, as I could see using it in my Christmas trees when I don't feel like messing around with a chain saw if I have just one or two cuts to make.

 

[1foxracing]

Not only corded but equipped with a keyed chuck. I think I have 9 drills total and this one is still my favorite. Keyed chucks don't slip and run true.I like it so much I replaced the cord a few years ago with a OEM unit. Made in the USA as well.

They were clearing out a similar model at Lowes a few years ago for $30 so I picked one up to keep as a spare.

 

[dodge610]

Not only corded but equipped with a keyed chuck. I think I have 9 drills total and this one is still my favorite. Keyed chucks don't slip and run true.I like it so much I replaced the cord a few years ago with a OEM unit. Made in the USA as well.

They were clearing out a similar model at Lowes a few years ago for $30 so I picked one up to keep as a spare.

I bought the same drill a few years back as a back up when my old BD that my mother bought me finally burnt up. Only took 30 years for it to burn up lol

 

[mrvm]

The corded Milwaukee Magnum drill can easily remind you about its sudden torque-laden wrist twisting reputation.

 

[1990 Grand Wag]

Black and Decker Super Sawcat, Milwaukee Sawzall, Porter Cable trim saw, Porter Cable belt sander (the one that looks like an art deco locomotive).

 

[Davefr]

So far no one has mentioned the legendary Skilsaw 77. Maybe the best corded tool of all times.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Most of the corded tools that I use infrequently were bought at estate sales, auctions, and garage sales for next to nothing.

True, but you have to know what the value is. Lots of JUNK out there !

 

[shephd]

Mr. Ratchet, I see you slipped in a picture of your cordless US gps.

https://postimg.cc/Th48s8kW

https://postimg.cc/Th48s8kW

 

[Farmall450]

Talk about old school !

I have 3 corded Craftsman tools that I think are AWESOME. All 3 are "Industrial"/"Professional" models. Reciprocating saw, 4.5" angle grinder and 1/2" drill. These are all over 30 years old and built like the proverbial brick *********.

Agreed, I have a Sawzall and grinder that are tanks from them.

However, all of my cordless tools will last forever -- I never use them. Exceptions: worm drive or side winder when I need 2 saws, corded chop saw (metal cutting), assorted grinders, although I use cordless when possible, bandsaw & portaband.

The last one is simply b/c I don't have a cordless lol.

Agreed tho that corded is cheap and will more than get the job done.

Old Craftsman, B&D, etc

All ages of DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Fein, etc are good.

Heck, even new HF grinders have been excellent ime.

 

[Farmall450]

Most of the corded tools that I use infrequently were bought at estate sales, auctions, and garage sales for next to nothing.

This is very true. Got a portaband over the summer for $10 and a cord. For that price, I'll get one for every blade.

Just got 2 1/2 DeWalts, one hammering, for free and $10, respectively. Again, for the money...

My kids or whatever can sell them down the road for profit

Cordless have taken over for a lot of my uses. I can't remember the last time I had my corded SawZall or circular saw out of the case. I do have a nice corded Bosch router and jigsaw. There doesn't seem to be a cordless replacement yet. I can't imagine a cordless angle grinder lasting long enough on a charge; that's a tool I tend to use for hours at a time. It seems like cordless tools work well for intermittent applications; corded is better for high power, continuous work. Yesterday, I was limbing trees I had dropped. I used the cordless SawZall all day on one 5.0 A battery. Extension cords would have been a pita due to the distances and getting tangled in all of the brush. My chainsaw is too big for the application, although a small chainsaw would have been ideal.

Both DeWalt and Milwaukee have jigsaws. I know both DeWalts (brushed, brushless) were quite well received. I have a mint corded Makita, and as soon as I can find a deal on a cordless it's going into mothballs.

 

[mcbane]

I have been working around rebar cages in excavated trenches and footings. I dread the occasions when I need a corded tool, whose cord will knock debris into the excavations that I must later clean out.

Even if all my cordless tools die at the end of the project I will consider them to be a good deal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Indexmill]

Milwaukie Magnum drill is a must have. Easy to find cheap at g-sales and they're bulletproof. Best 1/2" corded drill ever made.

Same thing with corded Milwaukie Sawsalls. I prefer them over cordless.

Hi Dave- Which Milwaukee Magnum 1/2" drills are the best ever made? What years, what models? There are over 400 listed on the auction site ranging from brand new to pieces of ****. Please do tell.

 

[Davefr]

Hi Dave- Which Milwaukee Magnum 1/2" drills are the best ever made? What years, what models? There are over 400 listed on the auction site ranging from brand new to pieces of ****. Please do tell.

The Model 0234's. Made in the USA and almost indestructible. I think the last one I bought was only $5 at a garage sale.

 

[Packard V8]

Not only corded but equipped with a keyed chuck. . . . Keyed chucks don't slip and run true.

X2 for keyed chucks. Sometimes convenient isn't better; plastic hand/keyless chucks don't do hard work in metal.

The only thing worse is the quick-change chuck system on recent faux Craftsman, Black & Decker and a few others. Then, Irwin, Rockler, et al made retrofit knockoffs. Why anyone would copy a design that is literally dangerous to use?

The Model 0234's. Made in the USA and almost indestructible. I think the last one I bought was only $5 at a garage sale.

While some here haven't noticed it, the price of top quality used tools is approaching zero. Now, for small money one can fully equip a home shop as with last generation's best made tools and machinery.

Back to best corded tools; recently, I've picked up two Black & Decker Wildcat 9" grinders.
These are beasts, maybe the best ever made. Reason for their being sold cheap? Too powerful and too heavy, so the younger guys won't use them.

I looked on some welding and fabrication sites which mentioned the Wildcat. Every one I read said how great the Wildcat grinder is, but every one then said they've gotten too lazy to swing that big iron and now just burn up lots of the plastic 4.5" grinders.

A nine inch would torque me across the shop.

We've got two of them in the shop that never get used. One guy calls it "widowmaker" and won't pick it up.

We go through a dozen 4.5" grinders a year; slower, but lots easier to use.

jack vines

 

[Fialaja]

Corded 1/2 drills seem to be a thing for me from when I did a lot of basements and electrical work. I have a Bosch 1034 that is a beast, a Milwaukee 0299-20 that will break an arm. A porter cable right angle drill, A Milwaukee d handle right angle drill, a Metabo right angle drill, a Ridgid r7100 made by Metabo, 2 Ridgid r 5010 hammer drills (again, made by Metabo) I also have a 1/2 JC penny drill that’s obviously more consumers grade.

I have a bunch of corded 3/8 drills including a quantum pro black and Decker, a Craftsman industrial, 2 metal bodied Rockwell’s, and a makita angle drill.

Circ saws I have the makita Hypoid, a Makita 5070 that is super lightweight, a Cheap craftsman, and a newer Skil.

Jig saws I have a Makita 4305 barrelgrip and a Milwaukee 6256.

Reciprocating saws I have a Milwaukee 6521-21 with orbital action, gear protection clutch and variable speed, a Makita 3070 with those same features, but a lot heavier. And another Milwaukee.

The lions share of these are professional grade, made in the USA and will probably outlive me...

 

[LS3]

6in metabo grinder all day for me!

 

[jives]

My Skilsaw was my first power tool, and is now 41 years old. Used it the other day because my new cordless Makita CC is waiting to be fixed after dropping it.

Also have a Skil drill. 40 years old. Use it every year, but the Makita has taken over the majority of jobs.

Grew up on Milwaukee drills an sawzalls. Can't go wrong.