Which cordless tool ecosystem?

[jamesbrown]

If you’re an all the gear and no idea type of chap, else more than a hobbyist, you’ll struggle to beat the Makita 18V kit. The De Walt 18V offerings are pretty decent too and not dissimilar. For light work around the house, 12V gear is fine and Bosch is perfectly good and cheap.

[SteelyDan]

Few years ago got some Makita CXT stuff which I think is 10 or 12v. Very good, reliable, reasonably priced, and great for home DIY kind of things. I chose not to go for the 18v stuff as it was more for 'professional' work & I thought it was overkill for what I needed.

[vwdan]

I feel reasonably qualified to answer here, having built an entire extension! Firstly, you want 18v - absolutely without a doubt. I've got a set of 12v Makita Impact & Combi Driver in the garage that, quite literally, hasn't been touched since I went 18v 4/5 years ago. Have never once felt the need to go and get them.

Wouldn't bother with cheaper brands, I don't really rate Ryobi (though plenty of people do, to be fair) and don't buy any of this stuff from Aldi!

My money stays with Makita, but I think DeWalt are dead even. For me, those two represent the best balance of decent, pro and semi-pro tools without getting too silly. They both have a huge range, are in stock everywhere and there's a reason they're all over every building site in the country.

I wouldn't go more expensive, personally, but you aren't going to go wrong if you do tbh. These tools do last well - I'm still on my original batteries. I am on my second combi drill, but mine has had way way more use than you could reasonably call "domestic"

I have to say, I'm now fundamentally against cheap tools unless you are literally buying to do one job. My DIY life got notably better when I started committing to high quality tools - it's hard to explain, it's just everything is better. They're nicer to hold, nicer to use, more robust, just everything.

One thing I will say, though, is I've recently picked up a corded router and a corded mitre saw and both times DeWalt beat Makita by a mile on value for money. But I still love my Makita kit, and I'll continue with them for anything 18v

[d000hg]

I've gone DeWalt because I'd rather have decent tools and they get used a fair bit, and I can afford it.

Ryobi are very widely known and have a pretty decent rep to be honest. I am considering getting some, where Dewalt don't offer something comparable. You can get an adapter to use Dewalt batteries in Ryobi.

But Dewalt and MAkita are both widely used by trades so if you want pro tools, just watch for a good deal and go for it.

[d000hg]

I did also by some Stihl battery kit for outdoor work, but we're talking pro tools there. DeWalt offers some outdoor tools but they're not in the same league IMO.

[BR14]

But Dewalt and MAkita are both widely used by trades so if you want pro tools, just watch for a good deal and go for it.

I use that in my studio

[jamesbrown]

I feel reasonably qualified to answer here, having built an entire extension! Firstly, you want 18v - absolutely without a doubt. I've got a set of 12v Makita Impact & Combi Driver in the garage that, quite literally, hasn't been touched since I went 18v 4/5 years ago. Have never once felt the need to go and get them.

Wouldn't bother with cheaper brands, I don't really rate Ryobi (though plenty of people do, to be fair) and don't buy any of this stuff from Aldi!

My money stays with Makita, but I think DeWalt are dead even. For me, those two represent the best balance of decent, pro and semi-pro tools without getting too silly. They both have a huge range, are in stock everywhere and there's a reason they're all over every building site in the country.

I wouldn't go more expensive, personally, but you aren't going to go wrong if you do tbh. These tools do last well - I'm still on my original batteries. I am on my second combi drill, but mine has had way way more use than you could reasonably call "domestic"

I have to say, I'm now fundamentally against cheap tools unless you are literally buying to do one job. My DIY life got notably better when I started committing to high quality tools - it's hard to explain, it's just everything is better. They're nicer to hold, nicer to use, more robust, just everything.

One thing I will say, though, is I've recently picked up a corded router and a corded mitre saw and both times DeWalt beat Makita by a mile on value for money. But I still love my Makita kit, and I'll continue with them for anything 18v

Nice post, and I agree almost completely with it, except to say that 12V is perfectly adequate for light work. You sound like the more ambitious type ("built an entire extension"), which is why you feel strongly about 18V - agree for any "serious" use. However, 12V is perfectly fine for the average DIYer - just depends on your level of use/ambition.

[d000hg]

In the USA the same DeWalt 18V stuff is sold as 20V, as far as I can make out. Can't imagine those identical looking batteries are different under the surface. Similar the FlexVolt is 60V not 54V.

[vwdan]

Nice post, and I agree almost completely with it, except to say that 12V is perfectly adequate for light work. You sound like the more ambitious type ("built an entire extension"), which is why you feel strongly about 18V - agree for any "serious" use. However, 12V is perfectly fine for the average DIYer - just depends on your level of use/ambition.

Absolutely - I really should have fleshed that out a little more! Ultimately, I just wanted to say if you go 18v you'll never wish you'd gone 12v, and of course the 18v ecosystem is far far bigger. You can even buy lawnmowers and stuff now!

Whereas if you go 12v, you might find yourself wishing for a bit more umph

[DoctorStrangelove]

Found an ancient 12V drill in the shed the other day.

Charged it up & to my amazement it took charge.

For all of 6 hours.

When I tried it again it was practically flat.

Chinese batteries.

The Japanese batteries in the Hitachi drill in work lasted 20 years (NiCd).

Dunno how long these lithium things will last, especially if they all come from China.

<hiatus>

Oddly, said battery retains its charge if removed from the drill, so presumably there's a continuous discharge in the drill itself.