Best Cordless Tools?

[MikeB]

I have Milwaukee stuff. In the 12 and 18v platform and like every tool I have.

I only have one Milwaukee tool, a heat gun. It looks and feels like quality, and it's served me well for many years. Bought it to replace a $15 HF gun that started shooting flames (!) the second time I used it.

 

[Galane]

Find a used tool place or pawn shop that has Ryobi ONE+ tools, either the old blue and yellow or the new green and black style. Don't bother about whether or not the old NiCD batteries are good. Go to the nearest Home Despot and buy some new Lithium Ion batteries and charger. They're available from 2 to 9 amp hours. Some of the new tools come with a weedy little 1.5 amp hour.

That Ryobi has kept their ONE+ line using the same style battery for getting on towards 30 years, and they make the Lithium Ion batteries compatible with the older tools, is what makes them nice tools to own.

I picked up a used set of blue Ryobi tools and have been using them hard, without any trouble, on a big home remodeling project. The 1/2" drill drives 3/8" lag screws easily, without pre-drilling the wood. I've also bought a new leaf blower, string trimmer (with the blade head attachment), and most recently a 3/8" drill so I don't have to constantly be swapping drill and driver bits.

The only not so great thing is the keyless chucks often don't hold well. I have new 1/2" and 3/8" Jacobs keyless chucks to replace them on both drills but I can't get the chucks to unscrew from the Ryobi drills. Got the left hand screws out but so far can't break the threads loose.

I have a 1/2" Skil corded drill I put a Jacobs keyless on because the keyed chuck it came with would not hang onto anything, not even using a box end wrench on the key in all three holes. Odd thing about that drill is despite being 1/2" its spindle has the smaller thread size common to 3/8" drills - but Jacobs makes "upgrade" chucks to put a 1/2" on a 3/8" drill or a 3/8" on a 1/4" drill.

Tighten the Jacobs chuck down until it clicks twice and it is NOT letting go.

I have one Milwaukee cordless tool, their M12 PEX-A expander. Cost $400 for the kit but needed it to do the plumbing. Took out all the old galvanized and replaced it with PEX-A and a water manifold from Apollo. Did the whole job on one charge of one M12 12V battery. Currently the only other maker of a cordless PEX-A expander is Makita. Ryobi makes a cordless PEX-B crimper, but for unknown reasons not a PEX-A expander.

 

[Grit dog]

I only have one Milwaukee tool, a heat gun. It looks and feels like quality, and it's served me well for many years. Bought it to replace a $15 HF gun that started shooting flames (!) the second time I used it.

And I have a Horrible Frieght heat gun that I’ve used a fair amount for probably 10 years now. Luck o the draw!
I bought a bunch of sandpaper at HF when I started the 86 project. Like $2 a pack. Never noticed the difference in sandpaper quality until I loaded up some 3M paper this weekend and it lasts about as much longer as the price difference and doesn’t clog up.

 

[HookChain]

I’ve had good luck with Bosch. I have a 1/2” drill and an impact driver with no issues. I also have a 3/8 dewalt impact gun, a 3/8 Milwaukee ratchet. They’re all serving me just fine

 

[AuroraGirl]

Not knocking your choice. I have Milwaukee **** too
I use their 12V line a lot. I have the lights and their little drill plus the “hacksaw”
I do NOT like the batterie drops on them they’re a royal pain in the arse to get off. Take em under a house to do some plumbing and I’m under there wresting this battery off like Steven Irwin with a gater/ croc.
The Fuel 18V I killed no less than THREE hammer drills in a year and I **** you not.
I’ll take some blame. Maybe I’m too hard. but I used them for the hammer and drilling function the most.
we drilled a lot of 1/4-3/8 holes in SS 1/4
But if they can’t stand up to what I use em for I stick with dewalt.
Another disclaimer. The 18v Fuel was provided for me by my company so I never paid out I pocket for em.

The 12v was my choice tho... I’m slowly phasing them out due to the battery issue.

do you mean taking the battery out? the push in plastic with your thumb and index finger intedned design instead of a button?

 

[AuroraGirl]

someone mentioned battery adapters. can anyone recommend anything to use new milwaukee batteries, of which im swimming in them, to use on the old 18 volt NiCd milwaukee tools? I have a slew of drills, flashlight, sawzall, etc that are heavy, slower but functional and i only ever need the size/weight savings if im overhead doing house stuff or underneath a car lol
i bought a couple 18volt battery replacements which are fine and i have the old charge stands for, but they are heavy and im betting the lithium is way lighter per energy and fits more per CI than NiMH

I also have a single dewalt 18volt drill thats nice but i only have the original batteries. getting low -life from it now. but i have 4 dewalt 20volt batteries and only one thing to use them for. Well, 2, heated jacket/sweatshirt

Im getting a leaf blower in dewalt i think neext

 

[PeteJr]

I retired from a very large hardware distribution company. We had access to every make available.
I liked using Dewalt the most, 20 volts were really reliable. (Me personally I have DeWalt 18 volts with 2 dead batteries, 1 half-ass and 1 good one) We had Milwaukee and their distribution center was 1/2 mile away. The Makitas were really good too and I will most likely go that route when my 18 volts finally die.
Bottom line.......... most of them come off the same assembly line in you know where........... different colors on different days.

 

[Raybo135]

Oh and i have a ryobi drill that was a gift.... total pos

I just hope the person who gave it to you doesn't read these posts! ! !

 

[backyardgarage]

One thing worth mentioning, the Ridgid brand tools and Home Depot come with a lifetime.

I went in to my local HD buy a DeWalt combo kit, and a Makita rep explained about the lifetime service agreement on Ridgid tools, didn't really pay much attention until he mentioned LSA included batteries. If you ever had to buy replacement Dewalt batteries, they are not cheap.

I've had my Ridgid set for about 6 years, batteries are still good and I just recently I had to take my 1/2 impact for repair. Dropped off at the local HD and three days later had it back.

I will admit, my 1/2 impact is not as strong as my friends Milwaukee impact.

 

[Soundmound]

I bought a Ridgid combo set at the Depot for two reasons. 1. Lifetime warranty 2. I got 5 tools and two 4mah batteries with charger and bag for less than half price on clearance. A couple of the holiday combo sets survived at my local HD into summer and got very steeply discounted to clear them out. Then that winter when the new holiday tool buys rolled in I rounded out my collection. Regardless of brand the best time to buy at HD is the holiday season. So much cheaper than the rest of the year.

 

[Ricko1966]

Wasn't going to post anything here because it's so old but did notice some one posted likec2 weeks ago so people are still reading it. For the people talking about adapting batteries,it's not as simple and straight forward as you think. The lithium ion batteries are completely different animal than nicads. Some manufacturers put the battery manageme

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nt in the tool some in the battery. You can't just use any battery with any tool,killed 2 lithium batteries learning this. And probably lucky I didnt start a fire with 1 of them.That being said the ryobi 1plus lithium batteries are backwards compatible with their 18v nicads. Since ryobi designed them to be used as a direct swap for 18v nicads,I got some ryobi batteries a ryobi charger,and adapted them to my other tools. Yes it ads a little depth to your batteries but I'm real happy with the ryobi battery life and price.