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I can't see the Lowes page right now, but Home Depot is a comparable retailer, and a store near me (but not the one I usually go to) looks to stock a couple of
by throwanem 6y ago
I can't see the Lowes page right now, but Home Depot is a comparable retailer, and a store near me (but not the one I usually go to) looks to stock a couple of absolutely bottom-tier corded 3/8" drills, plus a broad range of light and medium corded hammer drills with 1/2" chucks. The broad niche between those, of general-purpose 3/8" and 1/2" light and medium drill/driver tools and impact drivers, looks to be pretty universally filled by cordless tools. (Which makes sense, given the razor-and-blades or inkjet-and-cartridges business model to which battery-powered tools lend themselves.)
I wonder if corded drills might be more common in the UK because your higher mains voltage means less current is required for a given power output. With conversion losses, you can't realistically pull more than a horsepower out of a typical 120V/10A circuit without risking a breaker trip, even if there's nothing else connected to the circuit. That makes a corded tool potentially much more of a pain to use than a battery-powered one, so even if the corded version would otherwise be much more cost-efficient, it still may be a tougher sell in the US.
I've heard the same power limitation described as a reason why electric kettles basically don't exist here, although since kitchen circuits are typically rated for higher current than most others, I suspect the absence of good electric kettles may have more to do with steeped tea having been displaced by drip coffee in Americans' morning cups.
- Reason077 6y ago> "I've heard the same power limitation described as a reason why electric kettles basically don't exist here" I never realised that, but it makes sense. Canadians don't use electric kettles either and they like their tea! When I lived in Canada everyone seemed to have a stovetop whistling kettle. Looking at my Australian-designed Chinese-built UK kettle, it's rated at "2760-3000W", which is far more than can be drawn from a standard US 120V outlet.
- Lev1a 6y ago> I wonder if corded drills might be more common in the UK because your higher mains voltage means less current is required for a given power output. With conversion losses, you can't realistically pull more than a horsepower out of a typical 120V/10A circuit without risking a breaker trip, even if there's nothing else connected to the circuit. That makes a corded tool potentially much more of a pain to use than a battery-powered one, so even if the corded version would otherwise be much more cost-efficient, it still may be a tougher sell in the US. I wonder if that's also why I've seen almost no electric/induction cooktops in American media even though from my Central European POV induction tops are safer, easier to regulate etc. than gas cooktops.
- telotortium 6y agoThat's not an issue for stoves specifically in the US - stoves, dryers, ovens, and other large fixed appliances are wired for 240V in the US as well. It would be an issue for non-fixed appliances like electric kettles, which only have 120V 15A available.
- jjeaff 6y agoThere are quite a few electric cooktops in the US. I would guess more than half are electric. As for induction, not as much, but I always see them for sale in any appliance store. I believe they are more expensive. As for not seeing them in the media, that is likely because electric cooktops don't make for good video. The pop of a nice blue flame is much more interesting. Additionally, most high end kitchen appliances are gas since gas is preferred by most professional kitchens.
- jefftk 6y ago> typical 120V/10A circuit A typical 120V circuit in the US is either 15A or 20A. Where are you finding 10A circuits?
- jjeaff 6y agoThere is no hand drill that needs more than 10 amps. You can get enough torque to break your wrist with 10 amps at 120v.