OT: family of cordless tools

[vqdriver]

i'm getting ready to replace my dewalt set of drill/driver and want to buy into a universe that has all the tools i could need going forward. i got burned by dewalt as they had 4 different lines of tools, i think like 2 each of li-ion and old nicad at the time. i got caught in the orphaned line of li-ions. so no new tools that take those batteries.

tools i know i want all to share the same power source

drill
impact driver
reciprocating saw
oscillating tool
garden blower
circular saw
bandsaw would be cool

thinking milwaukee would be good but haven't been keeping up with their whole fuel line or what else to consider.

[JAGI410]

Milwaukee M18 Fuel. There should be some good sales this weekend.

[SteveV0983]

The Milwaukee fuel line is excellent in both the 12 and 18 volt. Their #2553 12v impact is absolutely unbelievable and super light and small. I know there is also a 12v band saw available as well as a lot of other great stuff, but I don’t think there is much 12v outdoor power stuff. You could definitely get everything you want in their 18v line. I would also consider 18v Makita if I was starting from scratch because I have had excellent luck with them in the past and they have a lot of outdoor power equipment. I picked up their 18v impact for a friend last Christmas and the thing is a beast. Almost too powerful. Another thing I really love about the Milwaukee 12v impact is that it has 4 speeds, so it will do anything from switch plates to lag bolts with ease. I think speeds on an impact are a must.
The thing that kills you is the batteries. If you don’t get a set that comes with a couple of decent size ones, they’re pretty expensive.
I would go to Home Depot and see which ones feel best in your hands and then look for a good sale. Like July 4th.

[climbgdh]

I have one word for you... Milwaukee. 12V & 18V. I’ve got a boatload of these tools that see very regular use in my home workshop and they are awesome. I also manage a large team of Mechanical Tradesmen at a large oil and gas facility and almost all of our basic battery powered tools are Milwaukee. These tools have the crap beat out of them but perform extremely well in VERY harsh conditions.

[redir]

I've been using the Ryobi stuff for years and love it. It's 'home owner' grade stuff, not pro, but it's pretty darn good imho and the price is reasonable.

[mokofoko]

Huge fan of the milwaukee m12 line. Unfortunately no way to share batteries in any way (that I know of), but at least they sell a dual m12/m18 charger. I've got a fairly extensive m12 setup and haven't really felt the need to get m18 tools... though there are some neat m18 exclusives (like the shop vac) that aren't available in the m12 variety.

[Louis]

+1 on the Milwaukee line

[mktng]

Originally Posted by redir

I've been using the Ryobi stuff for years and love it. It's 'home owner' grade stuff, not pro, but it's pretty darn good imho and the price is reasonable.

Second Ryobi. Definitely DIY home owner grade stuff.

I've had people comment on how my tools suck compared to their DeWalt stuff. But as far as I know. The entry level stuff from all manufacturers "suck".

However. For Ryobi. I've got a handful of tools. Share batteries. Except the lawn mower. They've all bee super reliable, and HD often have sales on their products. Batteries, and additional tools.

[fmradio516]

Ive been pondering milwaukee as well for the last year or so. Was thinking M18 but then a ton of people like M12. And I REALLY like the M12 3/8" Ratchet. Ugh decisions...

[zmudshark]

I have Dewalt 20v. One of my sons has Milwaukee 18. If I was to do it over again, I'd get Milwaukee. Nothing wrong with the Dewalt, their XR stuff is pretty good,, but Milwaukee if I were to start over.

[wc1934]

My vote goes to Makita. Small, lightweight and powerful, but most of all their batteries can go an inordinately long time with out a charge. Maybe that is now the case with all the well known brands. Idk (but definitely not the case with my Ryobi trimmers and weedwacker). I use the impact driver very infrequently, but after weeks and weeks of not being used, it still maintains a charge. I dont know when the last time I charged it, but it has been over 6 months.

[parris]

I've had good service with the Ryobi tools. Are they up for the beating that contractors put their tools through? Probably not. They have given me solid service for several years though. My stuff is the earlier Ryobi 1 series not the newer 1+ series with better battery packs and other upgrades. 2 years ago I upgraded the battery packs to the 1+ packs with smart charger.

If you're interested Ryobi does have an online store. Punch in Direct tools and the site will pop up. Looking forward to hear your choice.

[reuben]

I've had good experiences with both Dewalt (cordless drill, hammer drill, circular saws) and Milwaukee (bench grinder, sawzall). Probably other power tools I can't remember right now. An old B&D corded drill as well for when I need real power or don't want to worry about a battery dying.

Get what works for you. Cut out all of the marketing/macho crap (there's a lot of it) and find what you need - watts, torque, battery life, whatever. For instance, I'm pretty sure that I don't need a light on my cordless drill, but I can see instances where that would be helpful.

For me, watts has always been a prime concern (watts = volts x amps). An underpowered tool will struggle, burn the material and/or blade, and take longer to complete the job.

[JAGI410]

FWIW, I find the Milkwaukee Hackzall far more useful than a reciprocating saw. Uses the same blades, has the same power, but it's in a more compact format that is easy to use one handed. I wasn't too excited about it when I bought the combo starter kit, but I've ended up using it extensively.

I also have the M18 Leaf Blower, and it's proven to be amazing as well. The slow speed is quieter and perfect for clearing out my garage. High speed will easily clear up my grass clippings and other around the house cleaning tasks. I also use this for a quick air dry after washing my cars. It gets all those tough spots before I follow up with a proper towel dry.

[reuben]

I happened to buy my Milwaukee sawzall/reciprocating saw during their 75th anniversary. So it looks pretty cool with some nice plating, a solid metal case, and whatnot.

What's really important is that it's corded and can pull 10A at 120V, so it can cut the mustard when needed.

Lucky me.

Looks like there are a few on ebay.