# Modern Cordless vs corded Power Tools?



## rcknrolfender79 (Sep 11, 2017)

Hi, Im fixing to be buying lots of tools to stock my new garage. I have been skeptical of cordless power tools pretty much since they were invented. So I've never bought any. I always figured it wasnt worth the hassle of charging batteries or the extra money needed to buy extra batteries... not when corded power tools are for the most part half the price and run nonstop. Of course on the other hand we all know the pain of running an extension cord, stepping around it, and finding a new outlet when you get to the end of your "leash" lol. 

But I notice most everyone uses cordless power tools these days and many use them almost exclusively. I have also noticed they have come a long ways in terms of strength, just seen a vid last night of a guy driving a 6 inch long 1/2" lag screw into a block of fur wood( if I remember right) with no pilot hole. This was with a makita impact driver. Impressive to say the least. 

Let me start by saying if I decide to go cordless I will invest in good tools ie: Dewalt, Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee, etc...

My questions are:

How long will the average battery run before running out of juice?.. I notice most of the more affordable options come with 18v-20v 1.5a/h lithium batteries. 

How much does this vary by tool? Say a drill compared to a circular saw? 

And is it worth investing in better batteries say 20v 3.0a/h or is it a better option to buy extra of the 1.5a/h and just keep one on the charger while you're working?

Is there any real reason not to go with cordless anymore? 

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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

I use both.... depending on the circumstance, and find that the best tradeoff between economical and convenient.

Yes... battery tools have vastly improved over original low voltage tools.

I actualy think Ridgid with lifetime batteries is the best deal out there.

I'm sure there are probably better tools, but ridgid is fully satisfactory for work.

Batteries are pricey.....!!!


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## stick\shift (Mar 23, 2015)

Unless there's a reason, I still tend to grab a corded tool most of the time. Hence, I would likely buy most tools I need corded before cordless.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

stick\shift said:


> Unless there's a reason, I still tend to grab a corded tool most of the time. Hence, I would likely buy most tools I need corded before cordless.


Along with *Sticks* thought, I should have said that as far as cordless tools,* by far and away, my drills are the most used.*.. I have three and a 90 degree also.

The battery circular saw I use very seldom (thin stock only like paneling), the jig saw sometimes, the trim router (as its small) quite a lot for lite work like door hinge mortising. The recip saw I use a little.

I don't think I would ever own a cordless hammer drill. 

Corded tools still are the most powerfull and will also do lite work.

Thinking about it as *STICK *says, I would generally get corded quality tools first... then fill in with the cordless as your work takes you.

However, I don't think you can go wrong with some cordless drills first.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

I have, for years, advised against homeowners buying cordless tools, mainly because of the cost of the batteries, the longevity of charge, and it being dead when you need it. HOWEVER with the advent of newer technology, I can say there are tools out there that will suffice for the occasional use.

I use Makita 18v drills and drivers every day, all day long so the batteries (6 of them) are always top charged. I bought a Milwaukee 18v driver from a former helper who needed money and they have sat in my shop for over 4 months and the batteries still indicate a full charge, so I am impressed. As MTN mentioned Ridgid has the best warranty if you register the batteries and tools. Full replacement for life.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
CHANDLER.....Good point if you are not using the tools dailey/regularily.

(Not sure of all lithium batteries... they do hold a charge longer... but I had some die that I forgot/ did not have access to, for an extended time... and I think they are dead from letting them get too low and not recharging????)


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

The rule is the correct tool for the job.

Case in point. I have a Porter-Cable 20v drill/impact-driver set which came with 2 1.5 amp batteries with which I recently rebuilt my deck (see link below).

In the course of the construction I had to build 4 doubled-up 2”x10”x10’ beams. This task took 448 3” screws. Using the impact driver, I was able to drive some 370 screws before needing to change the battery.

I also used the impact driver to secure the 600+ deck screws, the screws securing the horizontal rails for the balusters and the rail caps.

Using the cordless drill I predrilled 360 holes for the balusters which was secured using the impact driver.

Now when it came to drilling the ½” holes for the carriage bolts securing the beams and knee bracing, I had to use my corded drill. Also when cutting the PT 2x8s and 2x10s, I had to use the corded circular saw.

Today’s cordless tools are surprisingly powerful but as you can see by my example for some jobs they cannot replace a corded tool. 

My advice when considering cordless tools is to spend the extra money and get the higher amp batteries.

I got my setup on sale but have since purchased a pair of 4 amp batteries and a rapid charger. Extra batteries and a rapid charger is a must if you are going be using the tools a lot.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I agree the higher amp batteries are better! It also pays to have all your cordless tools use the same battery. That way the battery is apt to be used more along with being charged more often. I'd rather have 1 or 2 good batteries than have different ones on the shelf that I'm unsure of.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> *I agree the higher amp batteries are better!* *It also pays to have all your cordless tools use the same battery.* That way the battery is apt to be used more along with being charged more often. I'd rather have 1 or 2 good batteries than have different ones on the shelf that I'm unsure of.


Ayuh,.... Years ago, I spent a _Pile_ of money on a Milwaukee set,....
Always had Great luck with the brand,....
Several drills, both hammer, 'n not, a pos skilsaw, a sawsall, a light I've never used,....
Batteries lasted 'bout 2 years, then wouldn't take a charge,...

When Milwaukee came out with the Fuel series,... 
Those of Us with the older tools were told, Tough Luck, buy another new set,....
So,......
F*#k Milwaukee,... I switched to Makita,....

I use my 1/4" driver daily, the hammer drill regularly, 'n the angle grinder occasionally,...
Bought a 6-pack of batteries, cheap, 'n includin' all the original batteries, I've had 1 die,...
Got a charger in the truck, in the garage, 'n another in the house,...

What I'm doin' now, is designin'/ buildin' a battery converter,....
Gonna make an adapter to mount the Makita battery to my old but still good Milwaukee cordless tools,...
18 volts is 18 volts, the tools will never know it's comin' from a Makita battery,.... 

As to the OP,....
As noted above, it depends on the tool, 'n circumstances,....
I rarely use the cordless angle grinder, as it eats through batteries Quickly, 'n lacks serious Power,...
My corded Dewalts do the job Better, 'n quicker,...

Once I bought my 1st cordless Milwaukee drill, an ole 14 volter, I thought I'd died, 'n gone to heaven,....
I've driven 100s of 1,000s of screws with cordless drills,... as well as drilled a few holes,...
Til I got my hands on my Makita Driver tool,...


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

Agree with previous posters about the higher amp hours are better. But, you will have to justify the additional cost. 

If you are or plan on being a hardcore diyer, it pays to go for the better batteries. 

If you only plan on a few holes, save some coin and get the 1.5 amp hour ones.

No matter what you decide on, invest in quality bits/blades. A less powerful tool with sharp bits will work better than a more powerful with dull ones.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

its very dependent on how much you use the tools. 

the newest generation of cordless circular saws and recip saws are pretty much right on par with the corded models for power. milwaukee's fuel lineup.. dewalts flexvolt is actually more powerful than the corded saw. and the makita rear handle saw. 

what amp battery you choose is very dependent on the tool,, some tools will require much more power such as circular saws, recip saws, mitre saws or sds drill. in those situations its best to use higher amp batteries, they both more more power and much longer run times

for drills and impact drivers the lower amp batteries will do the job but will require charging more frequently as they dont provide anywhere near the same run times.. 

take for example. using my bosch socket ready impact i drove 440 3" wood screws on a charge using the 2 amp battery.. with a 4 amp battery i drove over 900. i also have the larger 6.3 amp CORE battery which not only delivers more power to the tool creating more torque it also has longer run times


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## NotyeruncleBob (Mar 9, 2017)

Most of the companies offer starter kits that can be a pretty good deal (assuming those tools in the kit are the ones you want). The kits typically come with the smaller batteries, but really those small ones are good enough for most tasks and keep the tools nice and light. If you're going to get more tools, and especially any tools that draw a lot of power like the Makita 2x18 circ saw, then you should also pick up a couple of the bigger batteries. 
I've been on the Makita 18v platform for a long time now and love it. I was skeptical at first, but the tools really do have quite a bit of power these days. That impact driver is a game changer! The small 6 1/2" makita circular saw is amazing for cutting anything up on a ladder or on the roof where you don't want to lug a big saw and cord. I've also been really surprised after picking up a couple tools I thought I wouldn't use that much like the 18v blower. I use that thing on almost every job now and even more around the house to blow off a few leaves from the deck. I guess now that I'm on the battery platform I've been more willing to buy the other stuff that runs on it. The Makita radio gets used almost daily and the big LED light has been way better than trying to light things up with a phone or headlamp. I've even bought a Makita 18v string trimmer and chainsaw! Those turned out to be less than buying gas ones since I already have a pile of batteries for them.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

Bondo said:


> Ayuh,.... ot a charger in the truck, in the garage, 'n another in the house,...
> 
> *What I'm doin' now, is designin'/ buildin' a battery converter,....
> Gonna make an adapter to mount the Makita battery to my old but still good Milwaukee cordless tools,...
> ...


BONDO.... You gotta show us that when you're done....:smile:


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

I'm a Milwaukee guy as far as cordless goes. I have, in the Fuel brushless line, a drill, impact driver, 1/2" high torque impact, angle grinder, weed eater, hedge clippers, and leaf blower. I also have a non-Fuel sawzall, oscillating multi-tool, and flashlight. All take the same batteries. 

I have 3 of the 4.0ah batteries and 2 of the 9.0ah batteries. 

With the exception of the older-design Sawzall, each of these tools vastly outperforms their corded counterparts. All new innovation and technologies are being incorporated into the cordless lines nowadays, the corded tools are basically just there because some can't give them up.


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## XC Painter (Jun 10, 2017)

I upgraded to Li-ion drills in 2010 with the milwaukee m12 impact driver (it's a beast for it's size) and got the drill/driver later which doesn't get used... I bought the m12/m18 radio at the s same time and all is going strong still. MY m12 batteries don't last as long as they used to but they're 7 years old, been through rain, freezing temps, lacquer being shot directly into impact driver. All work great still. 
I've since bought the M18 tower light, first tower light. It's cordless (new tower is corded/cordless and charges batteries) and I love that thing. I've worked several days without power to the house, painting inside when it would have been dark. Used it for 10 months now. I bought some Milwaukee 5 a.h. batteries online for a deal. They last about 4 hrs on high beam. Maybe 12-16 on low.

For a m18 driver, a 5 ah battery will last all day I'd bet... 9 ah would last days.


Performance wise, all tools will differ, go with the good reviews or borrow a friends to try out. I like Bosch, but I compared their 12v equivalent impact driver to my m12, and mine drove 3.5"deck screws into studs 3 times faster...


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

MTN REMODEL LLC said:


> BONDO.... You gotta show us that when you're done....:smile:


Ayuh,..... Will do,....

I started with an adapter I found on ebay that a Makita battery hooks to, 'n powers a couple phone charger plugs,....
Figured out how to use it, 'n still have it's original purpose,....

Right now, I've been cuttin' apart Milwaukee batteries to figure out how much of the case I need to hold the whole thing to a Milwaukee tool,...
Because of the latches, it's gonna be bulky,...
Eventually, I'll epoxy the Makita adapter to the remnants of the Milwaukee battery case,...

Stay tuned,...
Once I get it done, 'n figure out picture postin' without photobucket, I'll post it up,....


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## rcknrolfender79 (Sep 11, 2017)

Thanks for the input guys. Very helpful. Glad to know I'm not the only one that still has faith in corded tools lol..

Although one has to wonder in a world full of electronics that use both battery power and and a power adapter.... have their not been any viable options that bridge this gap in the world of power tools? I know dewalt makes a ac adapter that plugd right into the battery slot on their tools.. but is it worth it? Is the cordless tool still weaker than the regular corded in this case? 

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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

> Is the cordless tool still weaker than the regular corded in this case?


It depends on the tool. While a cordless tool can be as stout as a corded one the battery will draw down and then it's no longer as stout. There is a price to be paid for the convenience.


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## rcknrolfender79 (Sep 11, 2017)

mark sr said:


> It depends on the tool. While a cordless tool can be as stout as a corded one the battery will draw down and then it's no longer as stout. There is a price to be paid for the convenience.


I meant with the cordless tools using an ac adapter. For instance if I take a dewalt cordless drill, and run it with their ac adapter rather than a battery.. does it then become as powerful as its corded counterpart or is it still going suffer from not being built as a corded model?

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## NotyeruncleBob (Mar 9, 2017)

rcknrolfender79 said:


> I meant with the cordless tools using an ac adapter. For instance if I take a dewalt cordless drill, and run it with their ac adapter rather than a battery.. does it then become as powerful as its corded counterpart or is it still going suffer from not being built as a corded model?


I don't think you can even do that with the modern better cordless tools. I know you could on some cheaper lead battery models back in the day, but these days the better cordless are all lithium ion and have enough power. 
The tool design is getting better all the time and the power is getting good enough on the higher end tools to be just as good as the corded ones for just about anything you'd typically run into.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

The DeWalt DCA120 is a corded adapter designed to fit in place of the lithium battery, to provide unlimited runtime.
https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCA120-FLEXVOLT-Corded-Adaptor/dp/B01HHS1CTA


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

OP read the specs on the adapter. According to the reviews, this adapter will only work with 2) 120 volt max saws and will not work with most tools.


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## rcknrolfender79 (Sep 11, 2017)

47_47 said:


> OP read the specs on the adapter. According to the reviews, this adapter will only work with 2) 120 volt max saws and will not work with most tools.


Ah I see. Thanks. 

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## 1995droptopz (Sep 14, 2010)

Along with everyone else's comments, the only cordless tools I have are drill/driver and impacts. The convenience factor alone makes it completely worth it, since I find that a lot of jobs are quick and it is so nice to just grab a drill or impact on-the-go without having to plug in.

I have 18V DeWalt units that I have used for a ton of DIY projects. I have 2 batteries and have had these drills for about 8 years now still on the original batteries. I do find that the life has been reduced somewhat on the batteries, but I still get a full charge in about 30 min or so. 

I plan to buy a set of the new 20V Lithium Ion units here in the next few months and keep the old ones as backup or for jobs when I have several operations and I don't want to keep re-chucking bits (pilot hole, chamfer, screw). I am thinking about getting a cordless Recip at this time as well, since there are a lot of times I want to trim something in the yard without having to pull out all of the cords.

For the rest of my tools, I have corded units, since you just do not get the torque or longevity out of them. I still keep a corded hammer drill if I need to use a spade bit for more than one or two holes, because those will burn out a battery in no time.


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