# Cordless Tool Brands & Upcoming Deals



## BHR (Nov 16, 2015)

Everyone,

I thought you may be able to help me make a choice.

I'm currently debating between Ridgid, Milwaukee, and Dewalt.

Home Depot is currently running some sales on these 18V cordless tool kits.

Milwaukee Option #1 (not sure how much of a step down from the Fuel lineup their brushless is)


$299 base kit includes brushless hammer drill (2702-20), brushless impact driver (2750-20), 1 x 4.0Ah battery, 1 x 2.0Ah battery, $100 credit towards other tool
M18 Fuel 7 1/4" circ saw $199-$100 = $99
M18 Sawzall $129.00
Total Cost for this package: $527
Milwaukee Option #2


$399 base kit includes Fuel Hammer Drill (2704-20), Fuel Impact driver (2753-20), 2 x 5.0Ah battery, $150 credit towards other tool
M18 Fuel 7 1/4" circ saw $199-$150 = $49
M18 Sawzall $129
Total Cost for this package: $577
Ridgid


$499 Gen 5X base kit includes hammer drill (R8611503), impact driver (R86035), circ saw (R8652), sawzall (R8642), flashlight (R8693), 2 x 4.0Ah batteries, $150 credit towards other tool
Use credit for either 2 more 4.0Ah batteries or a Jobmaxx tool
Total cost for this package: $499
Dewalt


$369 base kit includes brushless hammer drill (DCD995), brushless impact driver (DCF886), 2 x 4.0Ah batteries, $150 credit towards other tool
Use credit for 6 1/2" circ saw (DCS391B)
Sawzall (DCS380B)
Total cost for this package: $488
Dewalt probably has the best mix of tools available. Milwaukee probably has the best quality imo. Ridgid isn't too bad and I would get more tools for the money. The Gen5X tools have gotten very good reviews from what I have found online, and seem to be very nice.

However, Dewalt does have the framing nailer. Neither Ridgid nor Milwaukee has a cordless framing nailer nor a cordless miter saw (neither of which are critical right now, but would be nice to have the option). Ridgid has a very limited lineup of tools, and Milwaukee seems to be less focused on woodworking or carpentry than they are on the other trades so I don't know the likelihood of those tools coming.

I don't use my tools everyday for work, but am a fairly serious diy'er and am looking to start a company and possibly take on some side work in the next year, so I would like dependable.

So, can anyone offer any thoughts or advice?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

That's like asking which is better Ford or Chevy.
Check out the Ridgid warrenty on tools and batterys.
I would not take the gift of a Dewalt tool, parts are expencive, batterys way over priced, had nothing but trouble with switches and brushes.
No way would I want a cordless mitre saw.
Cordless nail guns sounds great until you factor in all money trying to get it fixed, the gas, batterys. 
My air powered nail guns have been being used for at least 10 plus years with no issues. My gas powered ones have cost me hundreds of dollars in just repairs.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

if your going to buy a cordless kit. get the milwaukee.. their the hands down winner currently in performance, run time and overall tool and battery life

dewalts cordless stuff is hit or miss,, they are constantly changing their tech because they cant seem to get it right

ridgids cordless stuff is also hit or miss. their batteries are notorious for going dead early in their life.. even though they have a great warrenty on paper. actually getting stuff fixed or replaced can be a total nightmare with them... ive dealt with it and ive heard countless other stories where the service centers wouldnt go good for teh warrenty


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## 1acre (Oct 5, 2015)

I run makita cordless. Right now, just quickly looking on Amazon, you can get 1 "hammer" drill for $99 and the impact for $99 (2 chargers, 2 batteries, 2 hard cases). If you have amazon prime, 2 day shipping. I'm currently testing out some ebay batteries.... 

I personally don't like cordless sawzalls and cordless circ saws. Especially in the circ saw, I'd spend my money on a good worm drive. I'd also stick to pneumatic tools where you can.


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

I have Milwaukee Fuel stuff. As far as cordless nailers and miter saws are concerned, I've heard of Milwaukee sales reps say they are coming soon (and indeed they have a 10" M18 miter saw in Europe), but as of now the M18 line is concentrated on plumbers and electricians. The new M18 cordless planer shows me they're headed in the carpentry direction. 

The DeWalt lineup looks good, but Milwaukee's specs were quite a bit better when I was buying. I have the hammer drill/driver, impact driver, and 1/2 impact in Fuel flavor, and a regular M18 sawzall. All are great and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone. I don't own any orange tools so I can't comment there. We use Makita at work, and the more I use them the less I like them.


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## landfillwizard (Feb 21, 2014)

Have you looked at Ryobi? I have used Ryobi for several years and have had great luck.


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## ZTMAN (Feb 19, 2015)

Just my two cents, I would give up every other tool I owned before I gave up my Milwaukee M18


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

And what ever you do, handle the tools you intend to buy, there are some out there that just don't "feel right" in your hand.


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## MushCreek (Aug 10, 2012)

I built my entire house mostly using Milwaukee M18 tools. I hardly use the corded stuff anymore. When I bought my tools about 5 years ago, the set had a supposed retail of $700; HD had it on sale for $399, and I found a guy on ebay (authorized Milwaukee dealer) doing the same set for $275. That was a drill, circular saw, SawZall, flashlight, charger, and two of the bigger batteries. I added the 1/4" driver, which I use more than anything else, and 3 more batteries, also sourced on ebay, as they are stupid expensive in stores. I've never used all 5 batteries in a day, and all of the tools have held up great, including being dropped off ladders and left out in the rain. I recently had to put brushes in the driver.


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

In any case, I'd wait until Thanksgiving Day when the Xmas sales start.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

The other thing, depending on how cost conscious you are... The brushed models usually can be had for significantly less than the newer brushless. For DIY folks, even heavy users, the brushed are plenty powerful and durable. At least that's what I tell myself about my Makita 18v set that I bought just before brushless came out. Great tools, either way.


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

That's true, but it isn't usually an apples to apples comparison. The brushless tools, at least with Milwaukee Fuel, are a more premium tool. My impact driver has three speed/torque settings, whereas the brushed driver has one. One manufacturer (can't remember which) has a cordless brushless reciprocating saw with orbital action, no brushed models do (to my knowledge). My brushed M18 sawzall has no light or adjustable shoe. The Fuel has both, plus is way more powerful. And mine is a battery eater, the Fuel apparently lasts much longer. 

Yes, brushed tools will work for the average homeowner, but brushless is the future.


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## Tally Wacher (Nov 17, 2015)

Saw a Milwaukee 2604-22 set with FUEL hammer drill 2 4.0 batteries and charger for $180. The 2nd generation kit 2704-22 sells for $299. Seem like a good deal.


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## GrayHair (Apr 9, 2015)

Dewalt was the brand of choice at work, except for one gray-headed old reprobate, who shall remain nameless :smile:. There was always a Dewalt in for repair, while the Milwaukee, Makita and Porter-Cable rarely had to be repaired.


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## Trapper6 (Nov 25, 2015)

I would strongly suggest you check into the warranty procedures before buying any of it. I can tell you first hand I'll never own another Ridgid tool. The batteries for the unit I bought were a lifetime warranted battery. If it dies, take it back to Home Depot and get another one free. That was what I bought into. They changed that without notice. Now I have to take the battery to the nearest Ridgid service center. That 80 miles away. Then I have to leave it for evaluation and I have to leave the battery charger which means ALL of the tools that use that battery and any spare batteries are junk until the charger comes back.....and I have a 160 mile round trip to go get it. Needless to say I don't have the hours it takes to drive 320 miles and I'm not putting that much mileage on my truck as it costs more than the battery. At 58 cents a mile, it exceeds the cost of a new battery plus all of the down time. For a work tool, I bought a large Honda generator and it now is bolted to our tool trailer. We don't use much in the way of cordless anymore. Those cordless I do have are Harbor Freight. Yeah, they're cheap but they will do more work than a Ridgid any day on one battery than the Ridgid did one 2. Batteries are 15 bucks. If it hiccups, I can throw it away, buy a new one, and I'm hundreds of dollars ahead. My current cordless HF screw gun is 2 years old and on the same 2 batteries. It's cost me just over 50 bucks.
FWIW, in case nobody mentioned it, the cordless circular saws are all but worthless.It'll work cutting 1/4" plywood but it'll only SLOWLY cut 2-3 2x 4s in half before there's no more battery. So if you think that's a great idea to have one, forget it. The sawsalls work decent enough.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

I just watched a plumber using a cordless DeWalt circular saw, cut 8 pieces of treated 2x10, and 4 pieces of 3/4" plywood, and it just zipped through the material like it was cutting butter, i asked him if it always worked like that and he looked at me kind of funny and said yes, i told him the reason i asked was i had never seen anyone use a cordless, and all i ever heard about them was bad news, he said he's had the saw for about 5 years and the batteries are the original.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

I actually trashed my Porter Cable cordless saw and went out and bought the DeWalt. The PC would maybe do one long cut through plywood or MAYBE 7 or 8 cross cuts on 2 X 4's and the battery was dead. The DeWalt cuts so much smoother and the batteries last so much longer.........


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Everyone will have their own opinion....and everyone.will stand by it. For me, it is the makita 18v line, have the circular saw, drill/driver, impact gun, and wrecking saw. Son has same. We beat hell out of them. Batteries are EXENSIVE AT $99 each.....but like three or four times a year they sell TWO for the same amount. Originals lasted like three years, expect new to last that long. Used porter cable today wrecking saw and drill today, not comfortable to use, batteries died real fast. Also used kobalt today, battery lasted through wrecking rd saw cutting through some steel studs, not comfortable to use. Worked with an electrician last spring who used dewalt and swears by it, tried a 3" hole saw in the drill/driver and it was indeed a beast. Ron


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