A huge online magazine just published a story about the “wireless power tools” homeowners should buy.
They recommended the Dewalt Tool Connect drill or impact driver because such are “commonly misplaced tools.”
The Milwaukee One-Key impact driver kit, which retails for $349, was described as “the most practical wireless tool” for “most home shops.”
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This is completely wrong.
Tool tracking is mainly for inventory management, so you can see which tools are at which jobsite. The tech doesn’t seem to have the resolution needed for homeowners to figure out which corner of the basement or garage they left their drill or impact.
Let’s say there’s a red ball rolling around a dark shopping mall. There are 10 people at random locations, each with with a flashlight. Will one of them see the red ball? What if there are 100 people? 500? How many people with flashlights are needed to find a red ball placed in the mall?
Tool tracking networks are not – from what I have seen and heard – large enough to be very practical outside of inventory management and tracking.
How many people have Dewalt, Milwaukee, and other apps on their phones continuously looking for the Bluetooth beacons built into trackable tool and tags?
The article also had factual inaccuracies – no, you can’t automatically pair any Makita LXT tool to any Makita LXT vacuum for automatic dust collection. That’s AWS, and it requires compatible tools and add-on modules at ~$70 each.
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Can’t find your worklight when working in the dark? Use your phone to turn it on.
Or – and forgive me for suggesting such a wild idea – can’t you just use your phone’s flashlight mode to find your work light, connected or not?
Connected tools and tracking tech have purpose. But to encourage tool tracking as a must-have for homeowners that tend to misplace their cordless power tools and gear? That seems very difficult to justify.
If you’re a homeowner or DIYer and don’t know why you might want connected tools with tool tracking capabilities, you probably don’t need them.
Sure, One-Key can alert you when connected tools need maintenance. But here’s the catch – the impact driver encouraged by the author as “the most practical” for home users doesn’t require regular maintenance, and certainly not the kind One-Key will alert users about.
I think this tool tracking tech can be very useful for many types of professional users, but it’s not well-suited to the needs of homeowners that misplaced their tools in between DIY projects.
That’s my opinion – tell me yours.
Ben
Agreed.
Also, if you somehow manage to misplace your tools so badly between DIY / homeowner jobs that you can’t find them, you should probably not be doing such projects. Are we no longer responsible for taking care of our possessions?
S
Sounds to me like your workshop is too small!
As someone that accidentally turned my basement and garage into 3 separate work shops(weather, and size related), it’s very easy to misplace a tool on a different project. That doesn’t mean they’re haphazardly laying everywhere, most times, the area is cleaned and tools are put away in that area.
But it’s a problem come next weekend when the weather, or parts delivery doesn’t jive, and I end up working on something else entirely, but require many of the tools that were put away in another location.
But tool tracking still doesn’t apply to me!
eddie sky
I’m not married. My tools are EXACTLY where I left them. Where as my friend’s spouse is always moving his tapemeasure, his drivers, his hammer…
“You need to put your tools away!” she’d laugh.
I ask him, “Dave. Why do you have to have a tape measure on your nightstand?” “SHUTUP!” he says.
Yep.
No. Consumers don’t need trackers for tools. Or optimization. We need better made tools, for less. Cheers! (I think an AppleTag slot inside my beer cooler would be ideal! or maybe if you have a neighbor/inlaw/child that takes your tools and never brings them back….)
Mopar
Sounds like an AI written piece or best case written by someone who doesn’t actually use the tools.
MM
Agreed.
Bob
Most likely AI click bait+affiliate links. The domains of many, once prominent, magazines are now filled with nothing but such AI generated crap. The domains get bought by the content farms to give the source a look of legitimacy.
Mark
You know I think I just read my first AI article yesterday. Was researching garden pruner sheaths & the images were obvious ai & the writing had those classic logic mishaps – like suggesting that “a garden sheath is ideal for carrying tools to any work site*. Which is non-sensical to say in many contexts.
Sad to see more garbage websites on the Internet but I guess we already had those low effort Amazon -affilate only “gear testing” sites that just summarize Amazon reviews & hope you use their ref-link.
I’m just scared for when we can’t tell the difference, if it gets there.
Stuart
This was not from a “garbage site,” which is what makes it so concerning. It’s from a usually trustworthy publication from a media conglomerate that should have the budget for proper editing policies.
Nick B
I happened to read the article in question this morning before seeing this post and my first thought was that the site in question had gone way downhill since I used to read their content semi-regularly.
Scott K
I misplace plenty of small things around the house, but I have never misplaced a power tool. At best, this is probably a misunderstanding of the purpose of tool tracking tech; at worst, this is likely an attempt to push higher priced tools through affiliate links.
Z
i dont agree 100%,i just got the strongest gun but doesent have that option,so obviously is not to pump up the price,which is most cases is true,i need that gun,but also i need that feature as well,i can care less about the trucking,but there is many options in that feature,for example i want it that option because you can set the torque of tightening on it,because 90% of what im doing require torque,so that option was gonna be a huge plus l,it was gonna save me timei wish they are working on it is same gun with same soecs to add that feature,trist me ill be the first to wait in line to get it,is gonna save me minimum 70-80% time
Mac
To be fair though, the One-Key drill does have some useful other features that are handy for anyone, such as setting output speed for different jobs all preloaded, and controlling kickback stop.
Z
thats what ive been saying,i dont care about the tracking,i need those torque options etc. but too bad,their best impact 1/2 inch fun gun diesent have the ONE-KEY option
Ct451
It’s fluff about wireless connectivity on cordless tools. No home user needs any of it yet manufactures make them and try to market them for diy. I blame the source.
ITCD
I don’t think I’ve seen them ever marketed to DIY. I don’t think of the word “jobsite” when I think hanging curtains or zipping off lugnuts for an at-home tire rotation, but “jobsite” is a word that keeps coming up in their marketing. And for Milwaukee at least, their OneKey website goes so far as to list actual enterprises that use the platform.
Stuart
Tool brands have never marketed their tracking tools or services to home users, and it just seems bizarre for a major publication to somehow encourage such tools as homeowner must-haves.
In another, they claim that graphene batteries are the next big thing in cordless power tool tech and rumors are that brands are going to follow CAT’s lead.
Ct451
I read a few of her articles and I agree with you. I think the hype she generates probably benefits tool makers. With that in mind I tend to think that it’s marketing at some level. Even if they did not reach out to her directly (which they would’t, because they’d be liable for her false claims or statements).
BJ
Tool tracking is far easier to accomplish for a home user or even small business via a spreadshert or–if you want more flexibility–a self-hosted inventory app on a server.
I use Homebox on my home server to inventory my tools and electronic equipment. My power tools and select hand tools are engraved with a serial number and phone contact. Since my tools see some travel between home and work, it’s nice to see where they are.
Another added benefit is for insurance claims. Far easier to validate a claim as legit wjen you have a database with serial numbers, receipts, asset tag numbers, and pictures all in one place.
I agree with Stuart, here: this is overkill for probably >95% of home users, though. Just use a spreadhseet somewhere and keep pictures of receipts and you’ll be ok.
Kingsley
I often misplace hand tools, but power tools all live together. Also, they’re yellow!
Rob G Mann
Even as somebody who consistently uses the “find my” feature with AppleTags to find my wallet, keys, etc, I haven’t used tool tracking at all.
That said, the best feature about the One Key app is that it downloads a copy of the manual for any tool you enter. That helped me feel much less guilt/anxiety throwing away the paper copy of the manual that I would have never needed anyway. 🤷🏻♂️ 😂
Steve L
Milwaukee and Dewalt web sites have every owners manual available for download. Agree, no need to keep paper copies
Z
Agree,but my gun doesent have it,which was gonna be a big plus if i had it,i need it for the torque settings,it was gonna save me 70-80% of the time easy,since im flat rate i can finish more jobs,but i guess you cant have it all 🙂
Jimmie
I wonder if the magazine article was written by an AI that was given the task “write an article to convince homeowners why they should upgrade to these new tools.”
Stuart
That’s far less forgivable than an ambitious author tackling a new subject that their editors are ill-equipped to fact-check.
Bob
For finding misplaced power tools, I suspect that taping an AirTag on to the tool is a better solution than these tool tracking services. It will also tell you that the tool was left behind.
OldDominionDIYer
I have been using my One Key app as a DIYer for years, but not for location info (except my PACKOUT tool box stacks I use Geofencing for those with One-Key Asset tags affixed to the interior of the lids) I also can very easily assign tools to friends and family that have borrowed them. I tend to forget, and the app helps. I also use it to assign locations where I keep my tools since I have them at my home, my truck and also at my church. Although I do have a few tools that need maintenance (portable generator) and that helps as well. Never even thought to try to use it to locate a specific tool with One-Key built in, that does seem ridiculous. I do find the App and One Key Tech very useful as a homeowner for sure, I like it also for tracking battery age as well. I appreciate these modern features and I’m glad they developed it; it is easy to use and has been very reliable with very few issues.
AlexK
Still using my original m12 fuel impact driver and never thought of maintanance. It might be 8-10 years old. More? Never read the pamphlet so I don’t know what to do to take care of it. Still works great, as do all my tools. Mostly home owner use, but also some hard core interior remodeling jobs and cabinet installations over the years.
Stuart
I can’t think of a single One-Key tool that a homeowner would require maintenance reminders for.
Chip
I have a single one/key tool, the tablesaw .
It’s nice to disable it with your phone.
I wish it was on all my saws that I use on-site,it can be very concerning when a kid starts playing with dangerous tools.
However the app does have unmentioned value.
It will store serial and model #,pictures of the receipts for date of purchase.
You can assign a group of tools per user for verifying an employee still has them all.
You can also save pictures and store other brands of tools as well.
The “my Festool” app makes it more simple for warranty claims,after 20 in 3 years the app made the next 5 easier.
Pro tip save the cardboard box your systainer fits,and re-use it.
The warranty process is easy,the service is quick,and a production shop is hard on tools.
Robert
The first time I read about Milwaukee One-Key and Dewalt Tool Connect, I realized that was an unnecessary expensive solution without a problem for me as a hobbyist. That’s why I got a Dewalt DCD999 drill versus a DCD997 drill.
Another Bob
Obviously the author of that piece is unfamiliar with the product category he’s trying to write about. Unfortunately and all too common occurrence these days.
I lament the death of quality print material. There are only a few industry periodicals left that are worth a damn. Most of the content out there is nothing more than ad copy or propaganda disguised as a legitimate magazine article.
Everyone wants a boogie man, like AI, but professional journalism as a trade has declined markedly before AI was a thing.
A skill set the next generation is going to have to master is deciphering fact from fiction on topics they may not be familiar with. No easy task.
JR Ramos
Odd that there’s no mention of Bosch….if memory serves they’re the ones who introduced this feature into the power tool market, no? I think DeWalt was hot on their heels. It had been used in industry settings before it trickled down into the general market, though.
At this point we have 15 years or better of nonsense ad-revenue driven fluff articles on the internet. Generally takes about five seconds to recognize those (the content, if not the source site itself) and proceed to ignore it. If some gal is making her living by padding word counts and fractions of a penny per click, I guess that’s the world we live in now and thus content like this is to be expected and is totally unsurprising anymore. As long as advertisers are paying for exposure, we don’t have much hope that ignoring the poor content will make it fade away, but…one can hope.
The state of marketing and “worthless”…information…these days kind of turns my stomach. What’s alarming is that so many younger users/consumers take it in not knowing otherwise (compounded by the whole “influencer” arena, especially in easily consumable content like YouTube). At this point the manufacturing companies themselves are just as guilty, imho, so…..well, reminds me of your previous article on table saw marketing claims/errors/safety. I’m glad I learned from people who knew how to work with tools and complete tasks properly, and got a lot of fantastic information from factory reps and such…..it’s no wonder why the lack of tool education exists these days but I would sure hate to be cutting my teeth and trying to learn now. Makes the good content like this site and several others that much more appreciated and valuable.