Starting a cordless power tool collection.. which brand for value, versatility?

Screwfix have a Makita 18V LXT Twin Pack offer on at the moment, 2x 3.00AH Li-ion batteries, 42Nm combi drill and 155Nm driver. Was £219.99, now reduced to £164.99.

I'm unsure if this is a good deal or not. TBF, I'm pretty annoyed with manufacturers and myself. So many different battery types that seem to change too often. I have at least four different types. As the batteries degrade I'm now looking to rationalise things. I only have cordless drills at the moment.

I have at least four different types.

One of the lads I work with uses Makita, he’s fitting the dual-controls into driving school cars, also removing them when decommissioning them, he uses them for fitting wheels, just using a torque wrench for final checking of the wheelnuts before they go off to QC, and another one of my workmates also uses Makita, and he’s now moved over to the mech section actually working on car mechanicals, servicing, etc.

If they’re good enough for them, then they’d be more than good enough for me.

If I had the money… 🙁

The Milwaukee gear at work gets hammered but keeps on working. So when my old DeWalt started to show its age I went with Milwaukee for a new drill, I'll add to when needed/offers appear.

Good that this thread has started because I am just about to buy some power tools to sand and to grind my cast iron pans ... LOL!

I’m a big Makita fan.

This one? I'd heard of the Internet of Things but I didnt realise some of the things have their own online personas 🙂

Does Milwaukee really count as a value brand if youre not a professional user?

The OP does say;

I have limited funds and like value but also decent performance. It’s not for pro use either .

Which I read as stuff like Ryobi/Worx being the upper end of their budget range

Does Milwaukee really count as a value brand if youre not a professional user?

I think Makita and Milwaukee do comparable tools for professional applications,, but you also get more choice further down the price scale with Makita - mainly because the often don't discontinue old designs they just let them slip down the price scale. I've still got the first LXT drill driver I bought in 2006 - cost a fair bit for me to make the transition to Li-ion back then . But I could buy the same model now, 16 years later, for £30.

I'm DeWalt, but i think if I was starting from scratch again I'd very likely go Makita. Or maybe Milwaukee - bit more expensive than the other too, but not loads, and as a few others have said, I know lots of professional users who rate them highly. That all said, the DeWalt mutli-tool is one of the best bits of kit i've used.

On the batteries - I've a bunch of original ones, but also have a few pattern ones which are about half the price, and so far seem to be standing up OK. The fit is a tiny bit looser though, and especially with the bigger capacity batteries, I am a little concerned that would only get worse as time goes on.

Also a little plus one for Ryobi - i've got a mini cordless screwdriver and a dremel-alike, both of which i've pretty impressed with for the price.

I've some ryobi kit, it's not bad at all for the price. Dewalt would be nice but I don't use it often enough, plus ryobi do garden tools too

I do find it a bit irritating when each brand has a certain tool in its fleet of options that MY chosen brand doesnt do.

Ive got a 1000L water tank at the bottom of the garden, for watering the veg. Its a bit annoying filling a watering can from it and lugging it around, but it doesnt have enough head to run a hose.

Enter Ryobi's dirty water pump

Which would be pretty darn handy!

not only that, but they ALSO do a pole pump:

and the do two types of inflator/compressor.

Sort it out Dewalt!

it doesnt have enough head to run a hose.

I know how it feels.

I have Bosch Pro 18v cordless stuff, drill, driver, circ saw, recip. multi tool, etc. I can't fault the performance, it has all be absolutely fantastic going through 1 and now starting another house renovation with no complaints at all. The oldest batteries are still seemingly healthy 8 years later.

I wish I'd gone Makita though, only as their garden stuff uses the same batteries as the rest of the tools and I now have a jungle at the 'new' place to tame. Bosch garden stuff has different batteries and I don't understand a non-commercial reason for this. For shame, Bosch!

I think Makita and Milwaukee do comparable tools for professional applications,, but you also get more choice further down the price scale with Makita

I'm just discovering this. I bought into Milwaukee which have been faultless. But I now need a hedge trimmer. The Milwaukee one is twice the price of the Makita 🙁

On the batteries – I’ve a bunch of original ones, but also have a few pattern ones which are about half the price, and so far seem to be standing up OK. The fit is a tiny bit looser though, and especially with the bigger capacity batteries, I am a little concerned that would only get worse as time goes on.

zilog6128 can you back that up with any evidence? cells have a standard chemistry and are all much of a muchness IME. I'm not saying there aren't any differences at all, but it's marginal and easily outweighed by the price.

Batteries are due another shake up.
Dewalt have brought out the powerstack.
Smaller, lighter witj more ah and apparently more pumch for those ah's.
There are also 40v and 54v tools that are becoming more popular.

I also get involved in the warranty returns. Again, much of a muchness but very little returns from milwaukee.

Register online for the extended 3 year warranty if you go mainstream.

Not used any ryobi, but its probably the same ad erbauer and evolution, who use the erbauer battery platform if ypu can cope with the colour mimatch

I personally went Makita but TBH I'd say look for a deal with a reputable brand with most of what you want and the biggest discounts rather than buy a basic set at discount but then end up paying full or near RRP for the other stuff as you need it.

Cost of entry is often a heavily discounted basic impact and drill but after that you end up paying a bit more for everything else to share batteries instead of another make on discount at the time...

I wonder if the "Cordless Alliance System will have legs.

Looks like a great idea to me, but so far all the brands that seem to be on board are mad euro off brand or super niche companies?

@dyna-ti that B&Q pack is alright if you don't need high power, there's another set for £40 more at Screwfix with the GDX 18V-200 driver, I was planning on getting something for working on the car so that looks better for me. YMMV.

But yes, smaller batteries are good for drills, less to for impact guns (I have 2x5.0Ah already). The wee site lights are nice too.

zilog6128
The budget makes like Ryobi (and “pattern” batteries) use either generic Chinese cells, or lower-quality ones from the big manufacturers which wouldn’t cope with high-power drain applications.

Ryobi use high discharge Samsung cells, last i heard. Do you have a link which says otherwise? Thanks!

edit- found this. Samsung 20Q cells, with 15A discharge rate

edit- found this. Samsung 20Q cells, with 15A discharge rate

zilog6128

the max (continuous) discharge for li-ion cells is 20A is it not? So, Samsung cells, but not their best?

I thought they were 20A given their name, but according to the spec it's 15A continuous @70c limit (or something, i forgot to note it down). I only quickly flicked through it as i'm busy, so do feel free to check. Possibly 20A peak.

Probably fair assumption to make that they are high drain but not their best possible cells (given the price).

Also I forgot to say the cells are wired such that the battery can output 30A, as it's 2 x 5 x 3.7 to give the 18v.

I wonder if the “Cordless Alliance System will have legs.

Looks like a great idea to me, but so far all the brands that seem to be on board are mad euro off brand or super niche companies?

Bosch has the same for their 18V system.

https://www.professional-18v-system.com/gb/en/

Annoyingly their 12V systems use the same cells but with a different shroud (that's easily edited or swapped if need be). The DIY ones are the same as Dremel and some other system.

Odd thread to read through. Only 1 mention of Milwaukee

Bit much if you're considering it for minor DIY unless it's a serious hobby.

I am mainly Makita but I do have some Screwfix whatever their brand is. Also if I was going for a cordless table saw I would not go for Makita I would go DeWalt so there are some tools that different brands do better.

Another point is no need to go crazy on the battery tools front. There are some tools which it is essential group 1 (dill / impact driver) other that it's nice group 2(oscillating multi tool, 100or 115 mm angle grinder, sds drill) and other where I would say can only be justified if you're earnings your living and even then it depends on your situation group 3(circular saw, table saw).

There is also the advantages with mains that you are not using the batteries you have as much so they last longer.

I wonder if the “Cordless Alliance System will have legs

You can get battery converters. DeWalt - Makita, Ryobi - Makita and DeWalt - Ryobi are ones I have seen. Not tried any of them.

Badaptors are decent, my makita to ryobi are lasting well. My makita to dewalt off Amazon lasted one use. False economy. So I stumped up for proper dewalt batteries for my nail guns

Any where dust extraction is important you may as well go mains.

Track saw, sanders, mitre, pillar drill and table saw are all wired. Unless you are on-site I don’t see the advantages of battery

B&Q pack is alright if you don’t need high power, there’s another set for £40 more at Screwfix with the GDX 18V-200 driver, I was planning on getting something for working on the car so that looks better for me. YMMV.

But yes, smaller batteries are good for drills, less to for impact guns (I have 2×5.0Ah already). The wee site lights are nice too.

I'll take a look at the screwfix thanks. But my problem is i opted for their wireless charging battery system so i'll always need a 2nd charger.

My reasoning at the time was i could in build the charger into the bench, hidden below the surface, so it would just be a matter of placing the tool roughly over the area the charger is hidden and it will trickle charge it.

Problem is the wireless batteries are proving expensive as it seems not many took up the idea. So if you see them for sale even for a song, think carefully before deciding.

(From HUKD) absolutely cracking price for a Makita BL angle grinder, 2x 5Ah batteries, charger plus case.
https://ffx.co.uk/product/Get/Makita-Dga513Rtj-0088381853620-18V-Lxt-Bl-2X5Ah-Li-Ion-125Mm-Angle-Grinder-Makpac-Kit?utm_medium=tradedoubler&utm_source=digidip+UK&tduid=44d0b9106f0ebca90e0656f1e2df0284#FPD

My set is all Ryobi, I got it off my mate who was a Ryobi rep/demonstrator. It came used and I've abused. I've used the drill to
drill 18mm holes into concrete (an SDS bit with the SDS bit cut off)

The impact driver doesn't have the power a better brand would but it's been perfect for me.

At work we use Hilti. No idea of cost but their batteries are good, at least at the SDS end of the spectrum.

Most of my kit is Makita, but I also have some Ryobi cordless stuff for "household" type stuff - Gluegun, inflator for paddling pool, LED light etc. I've also got the Ryobi leaf blower and hedge trimer. Really impressed with it - no complaints at all.

Most of My Makita stuff is actually corded: Tracksaw, Biscuit jointer, planer, sander, router, jigsaw, multitool, angle grinder, SDS etc etc. Only the drill and impact driver are cordless.

I want these tools to last a long time. They are not going to get a particularly hard life, but I don't want to have to re-buy them in 10 years time because the battery platform has been discontinued and the original batteries are dead. Maybe that's Ni-Cad era paranoia? Dunno.
As demonstrated by this tread, everybody wants cordless these days - we are currently in a window of opportunity where you can pick up high quality, barely used corded tools online for peanuts. Most of mine were picked up for 50ish quid, on ebay/gumtree most as-new, or have only had very light use.

Hi Bill, do you have any particular projects in mind for the new kit or storage/work space limitations?

I got a cheap Dewalt 18v cordless drill years ago with a couple of little 2.0ah batteries, case and charger. Upgraded the batteries after a few years, then started picking up extra body only bits like a multi speed impact driver and angle drill when I could justify them. They have performed very well to be fair. More recently I got a Makita mini hedge trimmer. Due to an eBay error giving me two 18v 5.0ah Makita batteries, I bought a little 136mm brushed circular saw and body only angle grinder.

I agree with TheBrick / BatFink and others about not “going all in” on battery tools, having bought them when a job comes up has spread the cost a fair bit. Only do DIY at home and now have a socket in the garden so haven’t found corded an issue for other things. Some tools like bigger circular saws or grinders need large capacity batteries, otherwise it’s just better sticking to corded.

If starting again I would get a Makita drill and adjustable speed impact driver boxed set with 4-5ah batteries as they have a broader range of tools. Then get body only tools as needed when you spot a good deal. Picking up a big brand corded SDS or jigsaw should be doable for ~£100 each, then some good but cheapo stuff like a Katsu 1/4” corded routers, track saw, pillar drill or orbital sander.

but I don’t want to have to re-buy them in 10 years time because the battery platform has been discontinued and the original batteries are dead. Maybe that’s Ni-Cad era paranoia?

I think so! I can see maybe an LXT+ battery coming in that’s better (but you can still use the old ones) but the customer base is so huge now vs the NiCad days, and the advances in battery tech far less significant, that it would be suicide for them to change it anytime soon. And even if they did, someone would bring out a decent 3rd party alternative. Definitely something I’m happy to roll the dice on.

I can see maybe an LXT+ battery coming in that’s better

XGT is aimed solely at professionals, is [I]really[/I] expensive and AFAIK has not been that popular (even with said pros, as the regular tools are good enough for most!) It's in addition to, not replacing LXT.

I agree... maybe in the short term. But I don't think it's realistic to think that Makita won't change platforms in the medium term.

for lots of users, that won't be an issue, as they're happy to upgrade when the time comes..... and that's fair enough. That's not me though

I've noticed that brands tend to be priced with tool body cheap & battery expensive (bosch) or vise versa.

I split my collection between DeWalt for their 54v stuff and Milwaukee for their 12v specialist equipment (heating engineer).

Reasonable value and decent enough quality for home/DIY (not top tier anymore bar a few products) there is AEG, sold under the brand name Ridgid in the states. Don't seem to sell well in Europe anymore but the yanks still seem to like them!

As nobody has posted this yet....

Batfink ...that's a fascinating mass of info ... Amazing really !

Thanks for all the great advice ...lots of food for thought as always.

I'm guessing stuff like pressure washers ain't work it with cordless?