Cordless tool brand to choose

[Richiew]

Maybe buy a garden tool as well if you would use it regularly? Just to cycle the batteries more often rather than leave them idle for months. Makita do a reasonably priced strimmer. I expect the others would do similar.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

My dewalt batteries have sat around for months unused...I only ever had 1 battery fail...after I dropped it on the floor.

I really like my dewalt grinder...has a handle with a trigger located at the end which to me makes so much more sense. I will say their trimmer is pants though!

 

[MattF]

no battery will survive being sat idle and not in use

They will. I've had some of my batteries for seven or eight years, & they're still good. I make sure they're fully charged before I put them away, & I've not had a problem with any of them.

 

[MattF]

Im in need of a few cordless tools, 4.5" grinder, reciprocating saw, impact gun, and im sure ill think of a few more before I get much older.

Makita, Dewalt or Milwaukee ?

wont be doing a whole pile with them but want battery that will survive being idle.

and then i guess is it 18V is the right voltage to choose or go up the range to 36v or 50v or whatever high voltage it is all the brands offer

As some have mentioned, look for the brand which best covers your needs.

I started off with Makita gear, but moved over to Bosch. I still have the odd Makita's, to cover the tools Bosch didn't/don't do. Bosch have finally upped their game & started making a broader range of tools nowadays though.

 

[steve t]

Metabo is owned by Hikoki since 2016.

I have metabo that I've been happy with didn't know they were compatible

 

[m_c]

They will. I've had some of my batteries for seven or eight years, & they're still good. I make sure they're fully charged before I put them away, & I've not had a problem with any of them.

I wouldn't store lithium batteries fully charged, as it actually reduces their lifespan.
IIRC for optimum storage life, they should be stored around 1/3 charged.

The big killer for various batteries, are those with permanent powered circuitry attached (i.e. things like Milwaukee M18s that have in built BMS) as they put a parasitic drain on the cells, so if they're left for a long period, they will drain the cells, which is very bad and often fatal for battery life.

 

[MattF]

I wouldn't store lithium batteries fully charged, as it actually reduces their lifespan.
IIRC for optimum storage life, they should be stored around 1/3 charged.

I have heard that, but conversely, I've heard tales of folk who stick to that regime finding someone who keeps their batteries charged outlasting theirs.

The big killer for various batteries, are those with permanent powered circuitry attached (i.e. things like Milwaukee M18s that have in built BMS) as they put a parasitic drain on the cells, so if they're left for a long period, they will drain the cells, which is very bad and often fatal for battery life.

The Bosch batteries have no inbuilt circuitry. It's in the tools.

 

[cheb]

I haven't had lithium battery power tools for long enough but my experience with NiCads and NiMHs was that they lasted about 7 years before they wouldn't hold a useful charge. Used often, ignored, removed from the tool, left on the tool, ditto charger, taken off part charged, put back on charge when near full, pretty much everything except left discharged*. It's probably what's stopped me paying much to to the 'Oooh, you didn't want to do that.' lot.


* Why would you do this anyway, all it means is you won't be able to use the tool immediately if you want to.

 

[Munkul]

We're on Makita. Get the high end brushless tool bodies, and 5/6ah 18v batteries and they're pretty decent, especially considering value to money. I prefer my Makita stuff to cousins milwaukee. Although the milwaukee m12 stuff is far better than the smaller makita.

If i was starting from scratch again for pro level gear I'd probably open an account with Hilti or go Metabo.

 

[Agroshield]

I have Metabo that I've been happy with. Didn't know they were compatible.

Please do not take my post above as implying that they are compatible. I do not know that information and would not want to mislead you. Moreover, neither did the post to which I replied state compatibility as a fact. My reply was just to highlight the close ties between Metabo and Hikoki.

 

[MetalMonkey]

I think Hikoki/Hitachi and Metabo all use the same battery.

Metabo is owned by Hikoki since 2016.

I have metabo that I've been happy with didn't know they were compatible

Hitachi Koki was the power tool arm of Hitachi, and bought Metabo in 2016.
They were both then sold by Hitachi off to an investment company KKR in 2017, where they had to change their name as part of the deal.

In Europe they changed their name from Hitachi to HiKoki
In the U.S. they changed their name from Hitachi to Metabo HPT (Hitachi Power Tools), which caused a lot of confusion.

Both Hitachi/HiKoki and Metabo are separate brands and platforms and they are not compatible. I.e. you cannot use a Hitachi battery on a Metabo tool and vice versa.

You can use Metabo batteries (also known as Cordless Alliance) with a variety of other manufacturers which are on this CAS platform.

You can use the Hitachi, HiKoki and Metabo HPT batteries on any of the Hitachi/HiKoki or Metabo HPT tools, providing they are the slide battery type.
You can use their 36v batteries on the 18v tools, they just halve the voltage and double the runtime. You can't use the 18v batteries on the 36v tools.

You can't use a Hitachi, HiKoki and Metabo HPT battery on a Metabo tool.

It is a topic that comes up surprisingly often and causes a lot of confusion - I think their marketing department scored a bit of an own goal tbh.

 

[dobbslc]

They will. I've had some of my batteries for seven or eight years, & they're still good. I make sure they're fully charged before I put them away, & I've not had a problem with any of them.

Same here! I've got two old Bosch 10.8v batteries that came with my first drill and they are still going strong, probably 8 or 9 years old! I have never bothered with leaving them charged or flat but where ever they're at when I'm finished with them as I usually have at least one charged I can pick up and use.

I have heard that, but conversely, I've heard tales of folk who stick to that regime finding someone who keeps their batteries charged outlasting theirs.



The Bosch batteries have no inbuilt circuitry. It's in the tools.

I've had an old 12v battery apart to see if I could replace the cells and they do have a small circuit board inside, not sure what it does though.
I dont know about the 18v ones.

 

[Bobupndown]

I’m a Milwaukee fan boy and proud to admit it.
Prior Milwaukee I’d had Ryobi and a few bits of Bosch. Other than cordless convenience the power was always lacking. When I needed a torque gun the Milwaukee one was highly rated. I bought it was and really impressed with new power tools needed to replace my old ones, Milwaukee was the immediate choice and not regretted a single purchase.
I have all 3 items you’ve listed and all have been faultless. The torque gun I have the M12 stubby too and it’s the most used tool, the M18 only coming out for the big jobs.

I've the Ryobi 18v 1/2" impact driver, 4 1/2" grinder and cordless drill. They are 'ok' for diy use but I wouldn't want to earn a living with them. The impact occasionally fails to undo landrover wheel nuts and needs the breaker bar, which sort of defeats the purpose. My brother has some of the milwaukee 18v stuff which is night and day better, but twice the price.

 

[MattF]

I've got two old Bosch 10.8v batteries that came with my first drill and they are still going strong

Likewise. Got them with the drill & impact driver combo, which were the first Bosch blue tools I purchased. The rest of that story needs no introduction.

 

[pint]

I have heard that, but conversely, I've heard tales of folk who stick to that regime finding someone who keeps their batteries charged outlasting theirs.

i've got some m18 batteries that are coming upto 10 years old, always stored fully charged and have been absolutely hammered some days constant use, charge, use, hot all day. they're still fine. been dropped and chucked about, really quite impressed with how long they've lasted.

 

[angellonewolf]

id go with makita or dewalt plenty of offers going on most of the time

and dewalt and makita you find them 2nd hand on facebook for the ones you want but dont realy need

i like milwalkee but prices are high for what little extra you get

bang for buck makita or dewalt ive got a lot of there kit mixed so have best of both and if i see a tool on eather i want ive got the batterys for both

most of my batterys are a few years old 2 or 3 and still seam to hold the same charge and if they are not as good as the newer ones i just use them for impact driver sander milti tool and keep the newer ones for the grinder and saws

 

[JOEPRO]

Keep a look out on gumtree etc some great deals out there. I bought this for £140 a couple of weeks back. (£450 odd new and it's as good as new)



As I say with Milwaukee there are videos out there of how to fix them if something goes wrong and parts are readily available on ebay etc.

The genuine batteries as others have said are indestructible really. I am sore on them with my grinder for hours on end on Saturdays etc and they haven't taken any hurt at all and they must be about 8 years old now some of them.

 

[Craig-SM]

I've the Ryobi 18v 1/2" impact driver, 4 1/2" grinder and cordless drill. They are 'ok' for diy use but I wouldn't want to earn a living with them. The impact occasionally fails to undo landrover wheel nuts and needs the breaker bar, which sort of defeats the purpose. My brother has some of the milwaukee 18v stuff which is night and day better, but twice the price.

Totally agree. The Ryobi stuff was convenient being cordless but lacked the power of corded. The Milwaukee has the benefits of cordless but with the power of corded hence all my previous cordless and corded now sold on and just Milwaukee now in both M18 and M12. Also have the Strimmer too but the rest of the gardening stuff is Ego cordless, who needs cables.

 

[Agrismith]

id go with makita or dewalt plenty of offers going on most of the time

and dewalt and makita you find them 2nd hand on facebook for the ones you want but dont realy need

i like milwalkee but prices are high for what little extra you get

bang for buck makita or dewalt ive got a lot of there kit mixed so have best of both and if i see a tool on eather i want ive got the batterys for both

most of my batterys are a few years old 2 or 3 and still seam to hold the same charge and if they are not as good as the newer ones i just use them for impact driver sander milti tool and keep the newer ones for the grinder and saws

Milwaukee tools are more expensive but their batteries go on sale and end up being cheaper. Makita batteries never seem to go on offer and are marginally more expensive to begin with

 

[Mark 2]

You can use the Hitachi, HiKoki and Metabo HPT batteries on any of the Hitachi/HiKoki or Metabo HPT tools, providing they are the slide battery type.
You can use their 36v batteries on the 18v tools, they just halve the voltage and double the runtime. You can't use the 18v batteries on the 36v tools.

You can't use a Hitachi, HiKoki and Metabo HPT battery on a Metabo tool.

Interesting and thanks but does the last paragraph not contradict the first?