Need 18v Cordless Tool Recommendation

[analog_kidd]

I have quite a large collection of older Ryobi 18v tools. I'm thinking of upgrading my tools to something a little more professional grade. I'm happy with my Ryobi drill, but the rest of the tool collection always seems a little cheap. Plus the older NiCad batteries are all shot. That's the real driver for me. I need to buy new batteries, but is seems like most tool makers practically give away the tools free with the batteries. They are so expensive.

So, if I'm going to invest in new batteries, I don't mind paying a little extra to upgrade the tools too. I'm thinking of one of the kits they all make with two or three tools. I was originally thinking about Ridgid. I like their corded tools, but I have seen some bad reviews about their batteries. Plus you can only get them at Home Depot. Ryobi is the same deal, only available at HD and that hasn't hurt me with the Ryobi's, but it might be nice to get something that is sold at more places and maybe get a better deal by shopping around.

I don't use my tools for work, but I do use them a lot. I own two rental houses, and am hopeful to buy another one very soon. The one I want needs extensive remodeling, so a new set of tools will come in very handy.

I was hoping that some members on the board may have more experience with some of the tools on the market and have a recommendation. I just got $100 in Home Depot gift cards, so whatever I get has to be sold by them.

At the moment I'm leaning toward the Dewalt 20v tools (which are really just 18v.). HD is offering a free battery with certain sets through July. What do you all think?

Edited July 24, 2012 by analog_kidd

[nightrunner]

I have used dewalt and ridgid for most part from the 12v dewalt up through their 36v stuff and the ridgid 24v. They are both similar quality in my experiences. I have also had good experiences with Milwaukee although less experience.

I was a residential electrician and used the drills for things i really should have gotten a corded drill for but they work just fine.

My advice is either dewalt, ridgid, or Milwaukee. Although i think ridgid has lifetime guarantee on their batteries if you register your tool with them.

[kieefer]

I've had good luck with Bosch tools.

[BPE]

I've owned Dewalt and Ryobi, save the obligatory Black N Decker drills, my whole life. It wasn't until recently that my company refurbished an older warehouse that my mind got changed. Everyday I walked through to check progress and the contractors all carried Milwaukee, exclusively. I thought they were just fan boys until I borrowed one for a small project. The difference was amazing so I was sold.

Every drill comes with two batteries by default and a nice, rugid case. Turns out my father-in-law had one as well. So this past month when we went to rebuilding my back deck, in which I exclusively wanted to use screws in favor of ring-shank nails, we put them to the test. Running both drills over 3 days to put down over 2,500 screws and never a miscue. Only had to swap the battery twice on each drill. And the batteries charge quicker than the you can drain them.

The only downside is when the battery dies, it is sudden. So you could be left as I was at moments drilling a hole with the battery dying half way through. You now have a drill sticking out of the wood awaiting more juice to finish the job.

I can't say enough good things about the Milwaukee tools. Well worth the investment IMHO.

[quietguy]

Home Depot used to replace Ridgid batteries for life, but I don't know if they still do.

I think the decision would really relate to which tools you need. If you are just looking for a drill, Festool makes an incredible product. They use brushless 3-phase motors and are much stronger than higher voltage competitors. If you want a drill and impact, then I would look at Hilti or Panasonic.

When you look at full lines of tools, things change quite a bit. Personally, I like the Makita, Bosch,or Milwaukee tools better than DeWalt, but know plenty of people that prefer DeWalt. The DeWalts just don't hold up the way I use them.

[monkeylizard]

don't think about it. Do it. The change to Lithium-Ion over the old NiMH is huge and well worth the cost.

Milwaukee is now owned by the same company that makes Ryobi (decent for light duty) and Homelite (trash). Milwaukee still manufactures in Mississippi. If the tool is made in the USA, it's a real Milwaukee. If it's made in China, it's an upgraded Ryobi. That's not necessarily a horrible thing. Dewalt tools are upgraded Black & Deckers and are generally considered a quality tool. If you have liked your Ryobi tools, Milwaukee should feel comparable, except for the change to Lithium batteries. They are awesome!

I have used/own a mix of B&D, Dewalt, Craftsman, Rigid, Milwaukee, Hitachi, and Bosch. I like my Bosch tools the best with Rigid a close second. I chose my Bosches after reading some reviews in Popular Mechanics where they tortured several LiIon drills and the Bosch was their winner.

For a real treat pick up one of the little LiIon pocket drivers to match whatever full-sized drill you choose. Small, super light, and my Bosch will drive drywall screws for hours. They're perfect for 90% of screw-driving jobs short of major construction.

Edited July 24, 2012 by monkeylizard

[Sam1]

Brother and dad both swear by Dewalt, but I have one of these $20 ones and it is just as strong

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/cordless-drills/18-volt-cordless-38-drilldriver-with-keyless-chuck-68239.html

Been using the same one for a couple of years now and it gets banged around a lot in the garage... When the battery goes out, I'll just buy a new drill and for a fraction of the cost they pay for a replacement battery. On some things quality makes a huge difference, but there's definitely not $100 worth of difference between these cheap ones and the high-end ones

[Gun Smith]

Makita 18v lithium. You will not be sorry.

[jtmaze]

The upgrade to lithium ion is amazing. The only thing you will have to get used to is no warning on low battery.

JTM

Sent from my iPhone

[xRUSTYx]

Ridgid ...

Lifetime Warranty on Batteries & many times, you can catch them on sale where you get a free battery.

I used a 10% off coupon on my setup, and got a 3rd battery free

[Guest Lester Weevils]

As far as battery tools, only have experience with DeWalt and Ryobi. Perhaps other brands are vastly superior, dunno.

Have a DeWalt "pretty dang good" drill, 18 ga finish nailer, light, and the kewl little 2 gallon shop vac I just love to death. Haven't used em pro but have used em a whole bunch and they all still work fine. The nicd 18 volt batteries would run the tool a good reasonable length of time, recharge in an hour or so, and the first set of 6 batteries stayed in good shape several years. Haven't kept count but I think all the batteries were good for at least 4 or 5 years before getting weak, under my usage profile. Some companies batteries seem to go bad quicker if you don't use them than if you do use them regularly, but the nicd 18V dewalts I figured I got somewhere near their money's worth. Out of the original 6, two are too flakey to use any more and four still work ok, but probably not "good as new". So Dewalt now makes 18V lithiums that are supposed to be compatible with my same tools and I went to Home Depot last year planning to bend over and buy a couple of Dewalt lithiums and a charger, but they didn't have any in stock. The 18V new nicds were not cheap but not crazy expensive so I figured if I buy a couple more nicds and they last as long as the first batch then it is probably money well spent. One of these days the tools will wear out then it won't matter if the batteries still work.

Over a few years I have collected nearly every little Ryobi 18 V tool they make. Those cheap tools are not as rugged as other brands but they are so cheap almost disposable like bic lighters. I don't recall wearing out any of the 18V Ryobi tools yet but sure it could be done easy enough. Have killed more corded sanders than I'd care to think about, of several brands. The only corded sander that's lasted more than a year or two was a big heavy Porter Cable full size belt sander. That big porter cable belt sander is an indestructible moose. On small belt sanders and vibratory sanders, finally decided just treat em like disposable lighters and buy the cheapest harbor freight models. All the little ones don't seem to last long regardless of brand, as far as I've been able to see.

Anyway I have a lot of Ryobi 18V tools but only use one or two at a time, so initially got 4 nicd and 2 liion Ryobi 18V batts, and a charger that will charge both kinds. The Ryobi nicd 18 V batts didn't have near the capacity as the Dewalt nicd batts, and they got weak and flakey within a couple of years. Was not at all impressed with the Ryobi nicd 18 V batteries and probably wouldn't buy any more regardless how inexpensive. But the Ryobi 18V liion batts are lots stronger and I bought a couple more liions. None of the liion batts have got noticeably weak and they will run the tools a decent time. Within reason. If you use an 18 V batt to run a chainsaw or a hammer drill on concrete then its not exactly gonna last all day and you better have a few batteries ready to swap out.

So anyway if your main immediate gripe on yer Ryobi tools is the nicds got weak, you could try a couple of the 18V lithiums if they will fit your tools. Maybe run the ryobi tools til they wear out and fall apart. I hate waste. Ideally the last usable battery would fail exactly the same time as the last tool dependent on that style of battery.

Edited July 24, 2012 by Lester Weevils

[TMF]

I've always had Dewalt tools and would never describe them as cheap. I still haven't figured out how to keep batteries from going bad; I think this is a common problem with all brands. I'm always sure to charge them after every use and will switch batteries before all the juice is gone. I am now down to one dewalt battery. We started using the Lithium Ion batteries where I work about a year ago. Haven't had any of those go bad yet. I'd like to go that route but they're so damn expensive. I figured I'd pick up a dewalt battery grinder with a Li-ion as a part of the pack to offset the cost, but haven't seen any sold like that.

[analog_kidd]

RIdgid is offering a lifetime warranty on their batteries right now (for a limited time) but that is only on the battery that comes with the tool. If you buy a spare, that battery is not covered. From some reviews I've read, most people have to use that warranty because their batteries have a high failure rate. Plus their selection of tools is limited, whereas others have an amazing array of different tools. I didn't realize how many different tools Milwaukee had until I just started looking at them. Ryobi too, they've got all kinds of things that run off their batteries, even yard tools.

The best bang for my buck would be to just upgrade my Ryobi batteries and continue using the tools I have. They have held up now for probably 6 or 7 years. If I do that, I'll probably buy a kit with a new drill, since they really aren't that much more expensive than buying a set of batteries and a charger. I just thought that if I was going to get a new kit, I'd spend a $100 more and get contractor grade tools. I could upgrade the rest of my tool collection over time and sell my old tools. I do have two fairly new Ryobi batteries to keep things working for now. The drill is probably what I use the most, the rest of my tools can probably last on those two batteries. Plus the color of the new Ryobi tools is awful. I know that's a stupid reason to not buy a tool, but ugh!

[hornett22]

I've had good luck with Bosch tools.

Amen! Bosch has been great. Hitachi and Makita next.

[Guest nysos]

Dad only buys dewalt now, he just got a new set around the holidays when they did the battery sale thing as well. I in turn got his older dewalt drill which is still a tank.

[enfield]

I'm using 18v Porter Cable tools and like them fine.

[QuietDan]

I'm pretty happy with my 18 volt Ryobi stuff for general work, though I'm not building a house or anything.

Last two batteries were the Lithium ones, we'll see how that works out over time.

I had a couple of batteries that started acting up, I placed them on the charger, and then ran them down quick on the high-drawing spotlight, and then recharged them. They are acting fine again.

[Guest NashvegasMatt]

RIdgid is offering a lifetime warranty on their batteries right now (for a limited time) but that is only on the battery that comes with the tool. If you buy a spare, that battery is not covered. From some reviews I've read, most people have to use that warranty because their batteries have a high failure rate. Plus their selection of tools is limited, whereas others have an amazing array of different tools. I didn't realize how many different tools Milwaukee had until I just started looking at them. Ryobi too, they've got all kinds of things that run off their batteries, even yard tools.

The best bang for my buck would be to just upgrade my Ryobi batteries and continue using the tools I have. They have held up now for probably 6 or 7 years. If I do that, I'll probably buy a kit with a new drill, since they really aren't that much more expensive than buying a set of batteries and a charger. I just thought that if I was going to get a new kit, I'd spend a $100 more and get contractor grade tools. I could upgrade the rest of my tool collection over time and sell my old tools. I do have two fairly new Ryobi batteries to keep things working for now. The drill is probably what I use the most, the rest of my tools can probably last on those two batteries. Plus the color of the new Ryobi tools is awful. I know that's a stupid reason to not buy a tool, but ugh!

I actually work at the 100 oaks Home Depot conveniently in the hardware department, so let me see if I can provide you with some insight from what I hear from my customers. Keep in mind, my store does not cater to suburbia due to the location, so the main cliental is going to be contractors who beat the crap out of their tools every single day and expect them to work. I will start off by saying that none of these companies give me any perks for selling "their" tool, and this is just straight insider talk. We'll start off with your ryobi issues. Ryobi is the entry level tool class which has until recently not been in the lithium battery market. Even though they are, they cannot compete very well. The one great thing about them is that their batteries interchange. Meaning you could use a lithium battery in an old tool. and charge it on an old charger. This is one thing dewalt is stiffing everyone on. Their new 20v (which are more powerful than the 18v in the RPM category) does not use the same plug in battery instead they have changed it to a slide in from the front type. Basically they decided that everyone who has a dewalt tool is stuck in the XRP(contractor grade) or older age. Plus dewalt's warranty is weak.... only 3 years in most cases. Next in line are the Ridgid tools. As soon as I utter the words lifetime warranty without limits...people buy one. Here's why. As long as you register the tool(s), they will replace it at no cost at any home depot store.... unlike dewalt or any other company where you have to send it off or take it to a service center for "evaluation." Second... the ridgid hyper-lithium batteries are the best in the industry with the shortest charge time longest run time, and overall longest lifespan. This is exactly why they can do lifetime warranties.... because the tool will last forever. Let me also point out that people who leave bad reviews or had a bad experience with a tool always make sure everyone knows, but what about the 99% who had a good experience....they may not be talking or leaving a review, because they have no need to. Also, the battery is not warrantied separate from the tool, they are both lifetime....forever, at any point....ever. It is not just a current promotion. To the point of the selection of tools being limited, I would also have to disagree..... Find me a set like THIS in this price range with everything in the kit being warrantied.... . There is no such thing...Dewalts closest set is THIS . No lithium, and no lifetime warranty. So here is what I would do if I were you; buy the 5 piece kit and get everything at a serious discount as opposed to purchasing them separately. This is just like building a 1911, although you may get it just perfect how you want it, it will cost you way more in the long run to put together a perfect set. Right now, we have a set of tools HERE . These drills are $169 and $179 a piece.... they have combined it with 2 batteries and a rapid charger for $179.. I purchased 100 for my store and they are going quick, they are special buy only, which means that the set will most likely never appear again at this price point.

Feel free to ask any other questions you may have.

Edited July 24, 2012 by NashvegasMatt

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Thanks NashvegasMatt for the good info on ridgid etc. That does look like a good value.

The best bang for my buck would be to just upgrade my Ryobi batteries and continue using the tools I have. They have held up now for probably 6 or 7 years. If I do that, I'll probably buy a kit with a new drill, since they really aren't that much more expensive than buying a set of batteries and a charger. I just thought that if I was going to get a new kit, I'd spend a $100 more and get contractor grade tools. I could upgrade the rest of my tool collection over time and sell my old tools. I do have two fairly new Ryobi batteries to keep things working for now. The drill is probably what I use the most, the rest of my tools can probably last on those two batteries. Plus the color of the new Ryobi tools is awful. I know that's a stupid reason to not buy a tool, but ugh!

Yeah I wouldn't argue that Ryobi is the finest but assuming they are suitable for your purpose they are decent for the money. Haven't had any fall apart on me yet, but the price is low enough that you don't have to expect them to run "out to infinity" in order to amortize your money's worth out of them.

Maybe thru luck of the draw my Ryobi nicd 18V batts were "worse than average" samples of Ryobi nicd and my Ryobi liion 18V batts were "better than average" samples, but on my samples the liions are literally like night and day against the nicds, especially on high-current tools like the little chainsaw. They run the tools faster with more power and last a whole bunch longer, and as said I haven't had any of the Ryobi liions lay down and die as of yet.

Some of the Ryobi tools "make sense" even if one's main tools are some other brand IMO. If you occasionally need an angle drill, the Rhobi price makes a lot more sense than paying a whole bunch for a much finer quality angle drill you only need to use occasionally. The only time I use the Ryobi little nailer-stapler is when it is inconvenient running AC or compressed air where I need to shoot some tiny finish nails or staples. But those certain instances, it sure is nice to have. The little battery vibratory sander seems to work better than average among the many vibratory sanders of various brands I've killed off. etc.

I've always had Dewalt tools and would never describe them as cheap. I still haven't figured out how to keep batteries from going bad; I think this is a common problem with all brands. I'm always sure to charge them after every use and will switch batteries before all the juice is gone. I am now down to one dewalt battery. We started using the Lithium Ion batteries where I work about a year ago. Haven't had any of those go bad yet. I'd like to go that route but they're so damn expensive. I figured I'd pick up a dewalt battery grinder with a Li-ion as a part of the pack to offset the cost, but haven't seen any sold like that.

When 2 of my Dewalt nicd batts got near-dead, did some web searching about third-party rework of the batts, and various references on proper care and feeding of nicds. Didn't find any people doing rework "significantly less expensive" than buying new. At least not for going to the trouble of shipping off one or two batts. Maybe a contractor with lots of batts could save money. Or maybe there are better/cheaper rework services I didn't find.

Some advice on care and feeding of the nicds was not what I expected. Take with a grain of salt or do your own research. Merely passing on what I recall. Supposedly you will age the batts sooner if you only partially discharge them before recharge. Some opinions that you are better off "long term storing" the nicds discharged rather than charged. There were various "honcho" methods described of disassembling the weak batts and fast-draining them to burn out crystal growths and bring the batts back (sometimes) but it looks like a lot of trouble and I'll toss a batt before messing with it. However, I managed to get my "almost dead" nicds better by seriously discharging them then recharge for a couple of cycles. One only got a little better but the other came back from the dead pretty good.

It is an exercise in frustration full-discharging one with something like a drill. Other than building a little light-bulb rig or something, an incandescent light tool or something similar is best. My dewalt shop vac works great to fully discharge. The motor on the shop vac will keep turning until the batt is real well discharged. It will run full-speed, then gradually slow down, and then you get to a point where you have to put your ear up to the vac to hear the motor just barely turning in there, and it will run just barely turning for 5 or 10 minutes or more before the batt can't deliver enough current to turn over the motor any more.

Draining them down to nothing and recharging does seem worth a try, seems to work sometimes. My dewalt drill I like it fine but it quits turning before the batt is sufficiently drained, so isn't good for discharging the batts. The little dewalt flourescent worklight is the same deal-- It shuts down when the voltage sags, leaving quite a bit of residual low-level charge in the battery.

Cautionary note-- The above is for nicds. IMO one ought not muck around torturing liion or you might get a lithium fire. NIMH might have rules for trying to bring em back, but it won't be the same as described above. If I recall, you will likely do more harm than good on an NIMH or lead-acid by over-discharging.

Edited July 24, 2012 by Lester Weevils

[analog_kidd]

NashvegasMatt, thanks for your post. You make the Ridgid's sound pretty good. I swung by my local HD this evening to take another look at them.What I did notice was the extra batteries that you buy separately from the tool say they have only a three year warranty, not lifetime like when you buy the battery with the tool. The kit does come with two batteries and that may be enough, but I would probably end up buying more anyway just because I dislike swapping batteries between tools when I'm using several at a time.

I did notice the Milwaukee tools while I was there, and remembered that they get pretty good reviews. I also noticed they had a set similar to the Ridgid two piece for just $20 more ($199), but the drill was a hammer drill, which should be a better deal. Looks like they are the M18 RedLithium and not the newer Fuel style. Do you know if the two styles of tools use the same battery? The Milwaukee's have only a 5 year warranty, instead of the lifetime like Ridgid, that's the negative. But Milwaukee has an impressive collection of different tools (I think I read 30 tools) that use the same style battery.

Thanks

[Guest NashvegasMatt]

the fuel is the powerhouse of the industry, ill check on the battery question while I'm there tomorrow.

[ted]

batteries plus will rebuild your old batts real cheep you may want to call them and ck how mutch .