Battle of the 18v tool sets

[Number21]

I've come to the conclusion that I need to buy a GOOD cordless tool set. I've been buying cheap sets every couple years for a long time now and I'm tired of it. Mainly I want a drill and impact driver with lithium batteries.

Looking at Home Depot there are about 17 brands of the same thing. All of them have a drill/impact kit for around $200. Are they all about the same? Is this a Ford vs Chevy thing? I'm leaning towards the Milwaukee 18v, because they also have the "Hackzall" mini sawzall I would like. Anybody try that? Besides that is there any other reason to pick a specific brand?

Eventually I want the sawzall, jigsaw, circular saw, grinder, and 1/2" impact that use the same batteries, but I think every brand makes them. The bare tools are quite cheap on ebay without the batteries...

 

[MCompact]

I have three 18V Makita tools(1/2" hammer-driver-drill, impact driver, and 1/2" impact wrench). No complaints- excellent quality and performance...

 

[Number21]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
I have three 18V Makita tools(1/2" hammer-driver-drill, impact driver, and 1/2" impact wrench). No complaints- excellent quality and performance...

My buddy has an 18v Makita set...and that's why I decided to buy a good set. No complaints either.

I just realized Ridgid is offering a lifetime warranty including batteries for a limited time! Milwaukee is 5 years on the tool and 2 on the battery. Makita is 1 year. I think that pretty much makes my decision. I want something that could last me another 50 years and that could be a lot of battery replacements. Anybody want to argue?

Also, do the 18v 1/2" impacts have as much power as a cheap 1/2" pneumatic impact? They do numbers vs numbers...but in real life?

 

[wrcsixeight]

Do note that the mini sawzall does not take the same battery as the drill/driver combo.

I have the Makita Kit. I use it a lot, batteries are still pretty good but wish I had a third as switching batteries from drill to driver and back gets old while one battery charges, but is faster than moving the bit.

I have a fair amount of experience with the Milwaukee Line too. Seems the driver can beat the Makita by a little in a side to side test driving 3 1/2 inch deckmates. The Milwaukee jigsaw works well I really like not having a cord on this tool. I like the grinder but battery life is not great in it, and bogging it down will pop the battery out enough to require reinsertion.

The M. circular saw, well the 6 inch blades are spendy. It works well however. Perhaps my least favorite tool in the milwaukee battery powered line. Kind of strange for the saw blade to stop spinning nearly instantly when trigger released, and nothing worse than having to get a new battery mid cut. My opinion is some tools need cords, a circular saw is one.

 

[expat]

I did call on Ridgid on their Lifetime warranty when a 18v Li battery started to give a short run time. This was after 2 1/2 years of quite heavy use.
They lived up to their promise and replaced the battery, No hassle, No Questions asked. AND gave me a form to register the replacement battery for a Lifetime warranty

Based on this experience, I have since bought other Ridgid tools, they have all performed well, and I have not had any other reasons to call on the warranty.
But I feel quite confident that they will likely come through for me if need be.

 

[Number21]

Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
Do note that the mini sawzall does not take the same battery as the drill/driver combo.

What? I'm pretty sure both of the ones I was looking at were labeled "M18", isn't that the name of the battery? They had a 12v version I think that used a different battery. (even smaller)

Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
My opinion is some tools need cords, a circular saw is one.

I do agree with that. Still kinda nice to have around for sheet goods. They are only about $80 on ebay without the battery.

I just can't believe Ridgid warranty's the battery. Of course they will go bad if you keep it long enough. Life is only a few years whether you use them or not I think...

 

[JHZR2]

I prefer the nano phosphate LI-ion chemistry in dewalt tools (must buy the right ones). Higher safety, power, and lower impedance in the long run.

 

[john_pifer]

Keep in mind, brushless motors have less to wear internally. Also supply as much torque as you need for the job instead of full pwr all the time like brushed motors.

 

[Texan4Life]

+1 for dewalt

my .02

 

[Mike Simmons]

I have always been partial to and had excellent service from my Milwaukee tools. Makita and DeWalt also have made excellent products in the past. I haven't seriously needed any drivers/drills, etc for a long time so I don't know what's on the market.

 

[Donald]

I have a bunch of Dewalt 18V tools and all work well including the vacuum. But I am looking at Milwaukee M18 Fuel tools. My initial need is an 1/4" impact driver.

I agree, settle on a line of tools and then just buy bare tools.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
I have three 18V Makita tools(1/2" hammer-driver-drill, impact driver, and 1/2" impact wrench). No complaints- excellent quality and performance...


I have had my Makita 18v Lithium for years and no problems, still on the original batteries. I will stay with Makita and Hilti.

I have some Milwaukee and every battery (4) died just out of warranty, even though Milwaukee knows there is an issue with the batteries they basically told me to go scratch my backside with a broken bottle, out of warranty no exceptions.
I cant say if the tools are any good or not I didn't get enough life out of the batteries to tell.

 

[Kira]

Hello, To Number21: You waited a good one. 18V is the way to go. It turns out the higher voltages don't give you any benefit.

I just traded in a 40 year old Rockwell 1/2" impact driver towards a new DW292 impact driver, both are corded. I chatted with the repair guy. There were some good reviews on the Milwaukee corded impact driver as well.

I think these tools are weak substitutes for real good air tools but occasionally help.

I lived through the bad Porta-Cable batteries with their stupid, weak chargers (a chip would burn up in the charger). They offered a deep discount on rebuilt units of other descriptions. I passed.

After a certain threshold, battery powered tools are out-leagued. Kira

 

[Number21]

Originally Posted By: john_pifer
Keep in mind, brushless motors have less to wear internally.

I don't think I've ever actually worn out a cordless power tool before the battery died. I counted tonight, I have NINE cordless drills. All in good working condition except the battery. *sigh* If I could get warranty replacements on all of those I'd really have something!

Does anybody know how long Ridgid is offering the lifetime "service agreement"? There is something funny about it, they won't call it a "warranty", and they say "for a limited time only". I'd kind of like to wait until after christmas and see if they go on sale...

 

[Number21]

Originally Posted By: Kira
I think these tools are weak substitutes for real good air tools but occasionally help.


I want the little impact for driving long philips head wood screws. This is a nightmare with a drill. I tried my buddy's Makita with a 4" screw into a piece of 100 year old oak so hard I couldn't pound nails into it without them bending. It went in like butter! And I only had to use one hand! I have got to get me one of those....

 

[itguy08]

Vote here for Milwaukee - I've got the tools from the M12 and M18 lines and all are awesome. I've got the M18 Fuel hammer drill and that baby will yank your arm off if you are not careful. The M12 stuff is great for around the house and light projects - they work really well but battery life can get in the way on larger projects.

I do have the M18 hackzall and it is very useful and does take the same battery as the other M18 tools.

Never been a fan of DeWalt - it's Black and Decker in yellow instead of orange.

 

[JerryBob]

Overheard a contractor in Home Depot say that he gets better mileage out of Makita, and that he tends to replace his DeWalt tools more often.

I bought a new Ridgid cordless drill off Craigslist in 2006 from a woman who had just divorced from her husband.

I've never been disappointed, and have bought extra Li-Ion batteries, and bought a bare (no battery) Ridgid sawzall.


Be careful to check the batteries that are packaged with the set. Sometimes they don't have the high-capacity batteries, but use a smaller one.

I wish batteries were interchangeable among brands. I think there'd be more competition.

 

[BHopkins]

Our Maintenance shop at work has recently bought Milwaukee 18V Fuel tools, to replace the Dewalt tools that they are phasing out. The reason they selected the Milwaukee is based upon experience at home that many of them have had.

The Dewalts have not performed as well as they would like. It seems the keyless chuck on Dewalt drills can never be tightened enough to keep bits from spinning. Plus, they have had to replace the original chuck on a few of the Dewalts. And the batteries haven't lasted as long as they felt they should.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: BHopkins
Our Maintenance shop at work has recently bought Milwaukee 18V Fuel tools, to replace the Dewalt tools that they are phasing out. The reason they selected the Milwaukee is based upon experience at home that many of them have had.

The Dewalts have not performed as well as they would like. It seems the keyless chuck on Dewalt drills can never be tightened enough to keep bits from spinning. Plus, they have had to replace the original chuck on a few of the Dewalts. And the batteries haven't lasted as long as they felt they should.



Dewalt doesn't hold a candle to Milwaukee. People are hypnotized by the yellow flash but that's all it is.
Black and decker with yellow paint.
I make my living with air nailers and cordless stuff. I learned my lesson years ago with dewalt. Never again with I spend a dime on their garbage.

 

[Joe_Power]

I'd have to give the edge to Milwaukee. I have used Makita for years, and still do. They make a fine tool. But in the last 6 months, the company I work for, uses Milwaukee. And I have to say, they are a step above Makita. Not say Makita is bad. You can't go wrong buying either tool, but IMHO, Milwaukee is just a notch above Makita.
I wouldn't even consider the other brands. Black & Wrecker, Default, Skil, [censored], Ryobi, Porter Cable, Rigid, Bosch, Harbor Freight are all in a class of their own.