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I was very skeptical about battery powered power tools but I am coming around. When we bought the house, I bought some corded yard tools (weed whacker and leaf

I was very skeptical about battery powered power tools but I am coming around. When we bought the house, I bought some corded yard tools (weed whacker and leaf blower) because I was assuming battery ones are weak and unreliable but the reality is that operating these things while wired in is just a huge pain in the ass. Meanwhile my neighbors who have battery powered equivalents are doing just fine. My mower (which came with the house) is battery powered and works great. The Ryobi drill I bought when I moved in here almost 3 years ago has been working great and I literally had to charge it only once in this time (I guess I don't use it often but the fact that a power tool maintained charge for 1.5 years is impressive in itself.) I guess I also took a bet on the battery world when I bought a hybrid. Likewise going strong going into the 3rd year. Maybe it's time to stop thinking of batteries as weak and unreliable. But they are definitively an additional point of failure and complexity.

soylentcola 3y ago
Also have some Ryobi stuff. Got a surprisingly affordable (under $150) package deal with a drill, impact driver, oscillating tool, reciprocating saw, flashlight, and small circular saw. Came with a charger and two battery packs. None of these are incredible tools, but none of them have failed on me. The only thing that's died is one of the battery packs and I replaced it with a larger one since the included ones were pretty small. Pretty sure I killed it by using it with a more demanding tool not included in the package. In retrospect, I'm thinking the cheapo deal was a way to get people like me - just bought a fixer upper house and looking to do some light-to-moderate DIY work - invested in their ecosystem. Well, it's worked. When I need other cordless tools, I get more Ryobi since they work with the same battery packs. Grinder, hand vacuum, etc. have been the same brand. That said, I've needed higher quality tools as well, and when I got a better circular saw and a big hammer drill, I went corded and had the benefit of not worrying about battery brands. Probably should've gone corded for the grinder as well (it kills battery packs quickly).
- xyzelement 3y ago
  The nature of the tool makes the corded/not corded decision easier too. The ones I mentioned (weed whacker, leaf blower, drill) are usually used when you're moving around and having to plug in and drag the chord around is a real pain in the ass. For something like circular saw, I think that's much less of an issue. I picture that as something you set up in a spot and use for the duration of the project. So I guess I am surprised it even comes in a battery option.
  - hx8 3y ago
    > So I guess I am surprised it even comes in a battery option. If you're going to a job site with limited electricity and don't know the exact cut of wood you need before arriving, I can see value. This option isn't for medium/large workloads, and isn't for the guy operating a wood working shop, but might be for a guy that does small jobs away from a shop.
  - ihattendorf 3y ago
    Cordless tools tend to be more convenient. While a corded tool might technically be more powerful, for a quick cut it's annoying to unravel the cord, possibly grab an extension cord and unravel that, make the cut, then wind up the cables again. Vs. grab a cordless tool and maybe throw a battery in. Cable management can also be annoying sometimes when moving around.
  - soylentcola 3y ago
    The battery powered circ saw is nice because it's lightweight and easy to use for quick cuts. I've even taken it with me to rough cut stuff in the parking lot of a store so it will fit in my car. Didn't need anything better until a few years later and bought a big beefy Milwaukee. I still use the battery powered Ryobi for 80% of stuff though, just due to convenience. That said, I see things like battery powered table saws and have zero desire to mess with any of that.
    - JohnBooty 3y ago
      The only real use case I can think of for battery powered table saws is for hobbyists/homeowners who do their work in the yard, or maybe in an unpowered tool shed. A lot of older homes have no outdoor power outlets. For "pro" use on a job site, it's hard to imagine a battery powered table saw having enough power or endurance. I know my plug-in table saw seems to use at least ~1,200 watts @ 120v when cutting something tough like pressure-treated lumber, because it trips the surge protector. But, I don't know. I see Dewalt has like a 60V powered table saw. With a big enough battery maybe it's enough to be useful for pros.
- bombcar 3y ago
  As a note, you can get some good deals on Ryobi both on Home Depot sales, and places like: https://www.directtoolsoutlet.com/brand/ryobi https://www.directtoolsoutlet.com/brand/ryobi
  - soylentcola 3y ago
    Yeah, I am pretty sure the "starter pack" was a deal they had going at the Depot. I typically avoid big packs of things (pots and pans, knives, etc) since I end up using just a subset and would rather get higher quality versions of those. But this was a straightforward way to get a bunch of reasonable quality tools cheaply and I've honestly used all of them without any failures, so it's worked out.
    - bombcar 3y ago
      Those starter packs have also gotten better, they used to be something like one brushless tool and a bunch of cheaper brushed tools - now they're often all brushless.
- interestica 3y ago
  You can get adapters to use your battery packs with other brands of tools. And a making a wireless tool wired should be doable from a technical standpoint.
  - bombcar 3y ago
    Some modern battery tools take advantage of the battery and can (in shortish bursts) power the tool more than a standard 15 amp 120v outlet could.
adwww 3y ago
I bought a tiny 12v Bosch driver when I fitted my kitchen 5 years ago, and I've used since for things like assembling flat pack furniture. I've not charged it once since my kitchen project. Obviously tightening knockdown fittings isn't very taxing work, but I'm still impressed every time I get it out.
- graton 3y ago
  I'm a big fan of my Bosch 12 volt tools. I like the small size and the power works for almost everything I do. As a DIYer, I rarely need to charge my tools as I don't use them that often.
- fallinghawks 3y ago
  For many years I had a Black and Decker hand-sized screwdriver (single speed, hex bits only) that I used for almost 20 years. It still runs. About 1.5 years ago I upgraded to a Bosch drill, with variable speed, a real chuck and even a torque dial. With all those features it was still tiny and light compared to my corded DeWalt (the "real" drill). I charged up the 2 batteries. Used the drill for all the little projects and finally, two weeks ago, the first battery ran out. Put in the other, which has held its charge just fine, and back to work.
bombcar 3y ago
One HUGE difference is that the "crappy walmart tools" (replace with equivalent store brand like Ryobi, Craftsman, etc) are actually quite decent. Ten+ years ago I would be quite adamant about people getting "professional" brands, now unless you really need to "buy into the red army" anything is basically fine. It's true of quite a few products now that I think of it. There used to be "good TVs and really shit TVs" - now even the bargain crap is pretty good.
- namdnay 3y ago
  Ryobi definitely aren't a store brand ;)
  - bombcar 3y ago
    Ryobi in the USA is basically a Home Depot store brand for power tools.
  - doubleg72 3y ago
    Ryobi most definitely is a big box brand targeted to consumers. These are cheap tools and I challenge you to find a contactor or tradesman that uses them commercially. Edit: https://corporate.homedepot.com/news/supplier/ryobi-supplier-feature https://corporate.homedepot.com/news/supplier/ryobi-supplier...
    - namdnay 3y ago
      for me "store brands" is something like parkside? a "fake" brand that is only sold inside one store. ryobi europe/us is definitely consumer focused, but not a store brand
      - snypher 3y ago
        I was under the impression they are tied to Home Depot and not available at other stores.
        3y ago
roland35 3y ago
The batteries used have come a long way! They can deliver high peak current which corresponds to high torque. Lifetime is also better. That combined with better brushless motors and controllers means that these tools are way better overall.
JohnBooty 3y ago
operating these things while wired in is just a huge pain in the ass. Meanwhile my neighbors who have battery powered equivalents are doing just fine. My mower (which came with the house) is battery powered and works great. Yeah, sometimes "worse is better." I went from a gas-powered leaf blower to a 40V Ryobi leaf blower and I use it probably 25X as often because of the convenience. It's quiet enough to use late at night for cleanup in the garage without worrying about waking the neighbors (also I won't die from using a gas-powered device in an enclosed space...) The 40V leaf blower is obviously less powerful, but it's powerful enough and has more than enough power and runtime to clean up a 1/4 acre suburban yard or maybe even twice that. But [batteries] are definitively an additional point of failure and complexity. Well, theoretically yes! But in practice it certainly seems the answer is no, they're not really a failure point. This is the height of unscientific anecdota, obviously, but on forums and comment sections and such I just don't see people having battery issues with these major brands. I think Li-Ion batteries are pretty mature technology at this point. There's a little bit of complexity in the battery itself because it keeps track of its charge level. Then the tools themselves seem to be pretty much braindead simple w.r.t battery technology. They are simply expecting some DC input from the battery. And the battery shuts itself off when the level is too low. Worst comes to worst, a battery fails, you get a new one for a fairly reasonable cost. Once you buy into a tool system you will probably have at least two batteries so you're not dead in the water in the meantime.
- bombcar 3y ago
  The batteries do die (usually because of letting them sit too long or running them too hard or discharging them too much) but they're reliable enough and it's just a simple swap when it finally does die. I've never bought a battery, I either get new ones with a kit I want, or I can buy a tool and get a battery free, etc.

soylentcola 3y ago

Also have some Ryobi stuff. Got a surprisingly affordable (under $150) package deal with a drill, impact driver, oscillating tool, reciprocating saw, flashlight, and small circular saw. Came with a charger and two battery packs. None of these are incredible tools, but none of them have failed on me. The only thing that's died is one of the battery packs and I replaced it with a larger one since the included ones were pretty small. Pretty sure I killed it by using it with a more demanding tool not included in the package. In retrospect, I'm thinking the cheapo deal was a way to get people like me - just bought a fixer upper house and looking to do some light-to-moderate DIY work - invested in their ecosystem. Well, it's worked. When I need other cordless tools, I get more Ryobi since they work with the same battery packs. Grinder, hand vacuum, etc. have been the same brand. That said, I've needed higher quality tools as well, and when I got a better circular saw and a big hammer drill, I went corded and had the benefit of not worrying about battery brands. Probably should've gone corded for the grinder as well (it kills battery packs quickly).

xyzelement 3y ago
The nature of the tool makes the corded/not corded decision easier too. The ones I mentioned (weed whacker, leaf blower, drill) are usually used when you're moving around and having to plug in and drag the chord around is a real pain in the ass. For something like circular saw, I think that's much less of an issue. I picture that as something you set up in a spot and use for the duration of the project. So I guess I am surprised it even comes in a battery option.
- hx8 3y ago
  > So I guess I am surprised it even comes in a battery option. If you're going to a job site with limited electricity and don't know the exact cut of wood you need before arriving, I can see value. This option isn't for medium/large workloads, and isn't for the guy operating a wood working shop, but might be for a guy that does small jobs away from a shop.
- ihattendorf 3y ago
  Cordless tools tend to be more convenient. While a corded tool might technically be more powerful, for a quick cut it's annoying to unravel the cord, possibly grab an extension cord and unravel that, make the cut, then wind up the cables again. Vs. grab a cordless tool and maybe throw a battery in. Cable management can also be annoying sometimes when moving around.
- soylentcola 3y ago
  The battery powered circ saw is nice because it's lightweight and easy to use for quick cuts. I've even taken it with me to rough cut stuff in the parking lot of a store so it will fit in my car. Didn't need anything better until a few years later and bought a big beefy Milwaukee. I still use the battery powered Ryobi for 80% of stuff though, just due to convenience. That said, I see things like battery powered table saws and have zero desire to mess with any of that.
  - JohnBooty 3y ago
    The only real use case I can think of for battery powered table saws is for hobbyists/homeowners who do their work in the yard, or maybe in an unpowered tool shed. A lot of older homes have no outdoor power outlets. For "pro" use on a job site, it's hard to imagine a battery powered table saw having enough power or endurance. I know my plug-in table saw seems to use at least ~1,200 watts @ 120v when cutting something tough like pressure-treated lumber, because it trips the surge protector. But, I don't know. I see Dewalt has like a 60V powered table saw. With a big enough battery maybe it's enough to be useful for pros.
bombcar 3y ago
As a note, you can get some good deals on Ryobi both on Home Depot sales, and places like: https://www.directtoolsoutlet.com/brand/ryobi https://www.directtoolsoutlet.com/brand/ryobi
- soylentcola 3y ago
  Yeah, I am pretty sure the "starter pack" was a deal they had going at the Depot. I typically avoid big packs of things (pots and pans, knives, etc) since I end up using just a subset and would rather get higher quality versions of those. But this was a straightforward way to get a bunch of reasonable quality tools cheaply and I've honestly used all of them without any failures, so it's worked out.
  - bombcar 3y ago
    Those starter packs have also gotten better, they used to be something like one brushless tool and a bunch of cheaper brushed tools - now they're often all brushless.
interestica 3y ago
You can get adapters to use your battery packs with other brands of tools. And a making a wireless tool wired should be doable from a technical standpoint.
- bombcar 3y ago
  Some modern battery tools take advantage of the battery and can (in shortish bursts) power the tool more than a standard 15 amp 120v outlet could.

adwww 3y ago

I bought a tiny 12v Bosch driver when I fitted my kitchen 5 years ago, and I've used since for things like assembling flat pack furniture. I've not charged it once since my kitchen project. Obviously tightening knockdown fittings isn't very taxing work, but I'm still impressed every time I get it out.

graton 3y ago
I'm a big fan of my Bosch 12 volt tools. I like the small size and the power works for almost everything I do. As a DIYer, I rarely need to charge my tools as I don't use them that often.
fallinghawks 3y ago
For many years I had a Black and Decker hand-sized screwdriver (single speed, hex bits only) that I used for almost 20 years. It still runs. About 1.5 years ago I upgraded to a Bosch drill, with variable speed, a real chuck and even a torque dial. With all those features it was still tiny and light compared to my corded DeWalt (the "real" drill). I charged up the 2 batteries. Used the drill for all the little projects and finally, two weeks ago, the first battery ran out. Put in the other, which has held its charge just fine, and back to work.

bombcar 3y ago

One HUGE difference is that the "crappy walmart tools" (replace with equivalent store brand like Ryobi, Craftsman, etc) are actually quite decent. Ten+ years ago I would be quite adamant about people getting "professional" brands, now unless you really need to "buy into the red army" anything is basically fine. It's true of quite a few products now that I think of it. There used to be "good TVs and really shit TVs" - now even the bargain crap is pretty good.

namdnay 3y ago
Ryobi definitely aren't a store brand ;)
- bombcar 3y ago
  Ryobi in the USA is basically a Home Depot store brand for power tools.
- doubleg72 3y ago
  Ryobi most definitely is a big box brand targeted to consumers. These are cheap tools and I challenge you to find a contactor or tradesman that uses them commercially. Edit: https://corporate.homedepot.com/news/supplier/ryobi-supplier-feature https://corporate.homedepot.com/news/supplier/ryobi-supplier...
  - namdnay 3y ago
    for me "store brands" is something like parkside? a "fake" brand that is only sold inside one store. ryobi europe/us is definitely consumer focused, but not a store brand
    - snypher 3y ago
      I was under the impression they are tied to Home Depot and not available at other stores.
      - 3y ago

roland35 3y ago

The batteries used have come a long way! They can deliver high peak current which corresponds to high torque. Lifetime is also better. That combined with better brushless motors and controllers means that these tools are way better overall.

JohnBooty 3y ago

operating these things while wired in is just a huge pain in the ass. Meanwhile my neighbors who have battery powered equivalents are doing just fine. My mower (which came with the house) is battery powered and works great. Yeah, sometimes "worse is better." I went from a gas-powered leaf blower to a 40V Ryobi leaf blower and I use it probably 25X as often because of the convenience. It's quiet enough to use late at night for cleanup in the garage without worrying about waking the neighbors (also I won't die from using a gas-powered device in an enclosed space...) The 40V leaf blower is obviously less powerful, but it's powerful enough and has more than enough power and runtime to clean up a 1/4 acre suburban yard or maybe even twice that. But [batteries] are definitively an additional point of failure and complexity. Well, theoretically yes! But in practice it certainly seems the answer is no, they're not really a failure point. This is the height of unscientific anecdota, obviously, but on forums and comment sections and such I just don't see people having battery issues with these major brands. I think Li-Ion batteries are pretty mature technology at this point. There's a little bit of complexity in the battery itself because it keeps track of its charge level. Then the tools themselves seem to be pretty much braindead simple w.r.t battery technology. They are simply expecting some DC input from the battery. And the battery shuts itself off when the level is too low. Worst comes to worst, a battery fails, you get a new one for a fairly reasonable cost. Once you buy into a tool system you will probably have at least two batteries so you're not dead in the water in the meantime.

bombcar 3y ago
The batteries do die (usually because of letting them sit too long or running them too hard or discharging them too much) but they're reliable enough and it's just a simple swap when it finally does die. I've never bought a battery, I either get new ones with a kit I want, or I can buy a tool and get a battery free, etc.