Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Battery powered vs corded power tools (Is this the end for the corded tool)?


Makita's new LXT grinder, rear handle circular saw, reciprocating saw, miter saw and blower in display at Home Depot.

There's no denying it, battery powered power tools are the new craze in the world of tools. From drills and impact guns, to circular and miter saws, these new tools are hitting the market in a record pace. The question is, can these new battery powered tools hold a candle to their conventional corded cousins, or will they eventually wipe them from existence all together?

As you walk down the aisles of your favorite hardware store, what do you see displayed ate the from of every tool isle? If you said the latest and greatest corded tool, take another look. 

Not only are most tool manufactures pushing these new battery powered tools, but the stores they are sold in are as well. Why you ask? Well it all comes down to the returning customer. 

Think back to when you were a kid. You wanted that awsome new game console that cost around $200.00, but now think about all the $ you spent on the game's for that new system. These new power tools are basically the same setup. Think about it, some of these new saws take not one, but (two) batteries to run. Now you buy a circular saw and a miter saw that both take two batteries, therefore you now need four batteries just to run two tools.

Now this may not be a big deal for the weekend warrior, but think about professional contractors that need six or seven tools going at the same time. Not to mention batteries need recharged often, so you better have a few extra on hand.

Even if you have more batteries than a Duracell storage facility, at some point these batteries need replaced. Most of these batteries that are used with these larger tools can easily run you $120 per battery. That's not cheap! So at the end of the day, these companies know that they will have a returning customer just for the batteries alone. 

Now, with all that said, there are many bennifits of owning some of these newer battery powered tools. The main reason is portability. First off, you need no power source other than for a charging area for the batteries. The good news is, that most of the larger 4.0 or 5.0 batteries will keep your tools running for a very long time, so that is really not even an issue for most. These tools really give you the freedom to work everywhere and anywhere you want without limitations, so go ahead and build that tree house in the middle if nowhere if you want to. 

The other nice thing about the cordless tools is that you don't have the cord in you way. I hate dragging the cord oven my work area, and getting it tangled up on a clamp. There is also noting worse that when you snag it on something sharp, or when it pulls out of the outlet because it's to short. Not to mention, extension cords are a safety guys thorn in the side. More OSHA violations are written for extension cords on the construction site than just about anything else. Why... there easy targets and there laying around everywhere. 

So what about power? We posted a few video reviews that focused on the new Makita LXT miter saw, circular saw, and 7 1/4" grinder a few weeks back. At first, I was a bit skeptical in relation to performance, but after using these powerhouses, I was truly blown away. Not only did it perform just as well as the corded versions, but they were built just as well. There was a bit of lag before the rpm was going full bore, but it was only slightly noticeable compared to the corded.

Ridgid cordless tools and accessories displayed at the Home Depot

Now what do the pros have to say about these new portable powerhouses? Well, their not really sold just yet. We spoke to quite a few of them, and they felt that the price of batteries, not to mention the tool itself did not out way the reward. They loved how they performed, and thought the portability was a big plus, but many of these tools are much more expensive than their corded counterparts. Drills were one thing, but the new Makita LXT Miter 36 volt will run you nearly $700 for the kit. This and the fact they would need to purchase many more batteries really swayed them away from making the purchase.

Here are my thoughts. I really like the new battery powered tools that have been coming to market lately. Makita, Ridgid and Milwaukee have made huge strides in this area, but the battery purchase and replacement are just to expensive at the moment. Ridgid does offer a great lifetime battery replacement guarantee, so that is a huge plus for Ridgid owners, but the other brands are not that great in that arena.

Another thought is that many of these tools take two batteries which in return add around five extra pounds to the tool. Not to mention it makes the circular saws feel a bit more bulky in the hand

All in all, I think we still have a long way to go before you see the corded power tools go the way of the dinosaurs, but once battery technology gets better, and the prices go down, it's game on.
http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/8366682/type/dlg/https://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-18-Volt-X2-LXT-Lithium-Ion-1-2-in-Brushless-Cordless-7-1-2-in-Dual-Slide-Compound-Miter-Saw-Tool-Only-XSL02Z/206636236






2 comments:

  1. Very helpful information about power tools, thank you. Cordless Power tools are much important accessories of power tools. I truly suggest this blogger and helpful for all.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Power tool users frequently assume that they know everything there is to know about power tool safety. However, power tools can be extremely dangerous if used improperly. Powertoolbuzz

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