Lowe’s has a new Flex 24V Max cordless power tool deal for Black Friday 2024, where you can buy a 2-tool combo kit at the Ryobi-like price of $99.
You get 2 Flex brushless tools – a drill and an impact driver, 2x 24V Max batteries, a charger, and a tool bag. All that for $99.
Lowe’s pulled the plug on Flex’s deals early last year, and swept the featured tool promos out of stores. Hopefully the same won’t happen this time, because this actually looks like a good Flex value.
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I mean – $99? You can’t get a Ryobi brushless combo kit for that price right now. Can you even get a 2-tool brushless combo kit at Harbor Freight for that price? Nope – doesn’t look like it.
These are far from the best compact cordless tools on the market, and definitely not the best that Flex has offered. But the price can’t be beat, at least if you’re interested in the Flex cordless ecosystem.
Should you buy into Flex’s cordless power tool platform? Sure. Personally, I think that Dewalt 20V Max and Milwaukee M18 systems offer a lot more. I’d go with Bosch, Metabo HPT, Metabo, and even Makita 18V over Flex.
However, all of those brands’ 2-tool combo kits, even the ones with better deals this year, are priced quite a bit higher than this Flex power tool combo kit..
Here are the next-best 2-tool compact drill and impact driver combo kit deals available right now:
Dewalt 20V Max Atomic Brushless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit – $149 at Home Depot
Dewalt 20V Max XR Hammer Drill + Atomic Impact Kit + 1 FREE Tool – $299 at Home Depot
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Milwaukee M18 Compact Brushless Combo Kit – $179 at Home Depot
Metabo HPT 18V Brushless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit – ~$147 at Amazon
Ryobi 18V Drill & Impact Driver Kit – $129 at Home Depot
Ryobi 18V Drill & Impact Driver Kit + 1 FREE Tool – $199 at Home Depot
Yep, even Ryobi’s 18V HP brushless 2-tool combo kit is $30 more than Flex’s. Ryobi’s higher-performing 18V HP brushless combo kit is double the price, and although you get a free tool, the choices aren’t as good as last year’s.
When I say “higher-powered” this is in regard to the higher priced Ryobi combo having better torque specs than both the lower-priced Ryobi and on-sale Flex combo kits.
The Ryobi drill delivers 750 in-lb max torque compared to Flex’s 650 in-lbs, and the Ryobi impact driver delivers 2200 in-lbs max torque compared to Flex’s 1700 in-lbs.
Yes, it’s strange for Ryobi 18V cordless drill and impact driver specs to be considerably higher than Flex’s. Maybe that’s why the Flex combo kit is considerably cheaper.
Still, if all you need is a drill and impact driver, the Flex deal is going to be hard to beat. Actually, it looks impossible to beat. Also keep in mind that the Flex deal gives you 2x 2.5Ah batteries.
Bosch 12V Max 2-Tool Cordless Combo Kit – $100 at Amazon
Milwaukee M12 Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit – $99 at Home Depot
The same $99 gets you pro brands’ brushed motor 12V-class 2-tool combo kits.
After years of mostly sitting out on Black Friday, Flex came through with a very compelling deal this year.
Alexk
Stuart- you typed “a two cool combo”. And it is two cool. It’s like getting a starter kit plus two tools for $99.
Stuart
Thanks! *fixed*
I’m thinking that either Lowe’s said “we want a combo kit we can sell at the $99 price point,” or Flex was thinking “we need to sell some tools no matter the cost.” Either way, it seems like a very good deal.
Jason
They get you to buy the cheap starter kit and then you feel stuck in the ecosystem when you need to expand.
It’ll be another 5ish years before I’d be willing to consider buying Flex tools. The line constantly seems to be on the verge of being discontinued.
PW
This is legitimately tempting. An all-metal drill chuck? Selectable drill modes on the impact driver? 2x 2.5Ah batteries?
I think getting worked up about power rating comparisons for compact tools misses the point – for me it’s about ergonomics and features. And on paper this seems great.
I’m skeptical of the Flex ecosystem, but this seems like a steal if the tools aren’t total trash.
Stuart
Specs don’t matter until they do, and you have a bunch of construction fasteners a little too large for an impact to handle quickly, or hole sizes just a little too large for a compact drill.
Flex promised things like “unrivaled torque, power, and speed,” and “more power than competitors” but these are not the tools that can satisfy those claims.
That said, I’m a big fan of more compact tools, although the 24V battery size makes these less compact than competing options.
For $99, some might find both points to be forgivable, hence the post.
PW
Marketing BS aside, I just don’t actually expect “unrivaled torque” from a $50 compact drill. As long as it’s moderately competitive I’m much more focused on other attributes.
If Flex is trying to beat competitors on specs yeah this probably isn’t the way. But if the goal is to hook someone with an incredibly price count me interested.
Eric H Neste
I use flex tools everyday I install rails and balconies and flex tools work great.
Mopar
If I was gifting a new homeowner, or a young adult just starting on their own, I would probably still go with Ryobi over the Flex. We all know you are buying into the battery system, and Ryobi seems to have some of the best battery deals, plus plenty of tool deals. They also have a much broader line for the homeowner/crafter/DIY type of person, and what seems like a broader availability of those tools in stock locally, at least in my area. Not to mention, again this may just be local to me, but there are far more orange stores than blue ones, and the blue stores feel like I’m at a funeral when I shop there. My closest Home Depot and Lowes are actually located at opposite ends of a huge shopping complex, and the former is always busy and the latter is usually empty.
Josephus
I’m waiting for their small bit cases to maybe go on sale. Guess I should check ebay. I refuse to pay what Lowes is asking for them. That Flex toolbox has been great to carry most of my Bosch tools around in, but if I can snap some of the Flex bit holders to the lid it would be even *more* better.
JJ
Frankly, it’s about time. This is what Flex needs to do if they actually want to carve out market share from Milwaukee and DeWalt. The tools are solid, but confidence in them staying on store shelves is not.
FX1131 compact drill weighs 2.5 lb, outputs 650 in-lb torque
FX1331 compact impact weighs 2.0 lb, outputs 1,700 in-lb torque
Stuart
Honestly, I think they blew their chance at competing against Milwaukee and Dewalt. They – or Lowe’s as their main partner – backtracked on the “we’ll win on POWER” angle, and I feel this messed with the brand identity they were trying to establish.
Even brands like Bosch, Makita, and Metabo HPT can’t compete with Dewalt and Milwaukee anymore, at least not in the USA. The two leaders pulled so far ahead that everyone else is just competing for distant 3rd place.
Bill
I can’t disagree they missed their chance to battle Dewalt and Milwaukee at the top end. Lowes was definitely the wrong partner for that. Over the past year, I picked up a few Flex tools. They’re solid and very powerful, but also very heavy. The rear handle circular saw is a beast and I love it. Packaging their faster chargers instead of making you buy them separately is also great.
These are their light and compact offerings. They have several choices that are more powerful and compete with the competition. Honestly, these look like a better fit for the typical Lowes tool shopper. I could see this as a last gasp to try to stay relevant by offering something that has a chance to sell through their largest retail partner. Perhaps a good gateway in to the rest of their line. Assuming US consumers will go for a relatively unknown brand. Chervon really should have used the EGO branding rather than using an unknown, albeit quality (and niche), German brand for this tool line. Perhaps that was an attempt to seem professional versus consumer focused.
While I like every Flex tool I’ve bought and do find them comparable to Dewalt, it’s not a brand I’d pay Dewalt or Milwaukee money for. I just don’t know how long they’ll be willing to break in to the market before they give up. Each Flex tool I own was bought at significant discount.
I want to buy this just for the great deal on two batteries for my existing Flex tools. I really don’t need another drill or impact. Although the weight of the drill is a compelling idea thrown in with the batteries. Alas, Lowes doesn’t ship (they only offer a $75 option to send a truck from the store to my house) and I’m out of town (more than their max 5 day in store pickup hold). I’ll see if there are any available when I get home (there’s currently only 1 in stock within 25 miles of my house). Amazon, Acme and HD are such better experiences.
Stuart
Lowe’s exec VP of merchandising is the former head of Flex’s parent company in the USA. If Flex can’t make it at Lowe’s, I don’t think they will make it anywhere. EGO’s product category and Home Depot’s support fostered growth. Flex was introduced into a
mature market, and Lowe’s is not Home Depot. I’d say that Chervon excel at B2B, not B2C, and I think this has been part of their struggle.
Perry
I think flex should have been a kobalt “high-line” instead of a separate brand. With this $99 deal it doesn’t make sense to have kobalt, craftsman and flex in the store competing against each other.
To me, it would have made more sense to integrate flex and kobalt on the same battery system much like dewalt has a “pro-sumer” and diy entry level all the way up to their professional line. That allows homeowners to buy into a line where they can get 1 or 2 pro grade tools where needed and still save money on other tools. It also allows pros to buy a few cheaper less often used tools .
Plus, flex’s marketing is not great.
I just found out they have a cordless miter saw and table saw while looking on Amazon
Stuart
The line is designed and made by the same company as Kobalt 24V max, and so Flex is kind of is like Kobalt-Plus.
Lowe’s didn’t do much with the Kobalt XTR line – Flex seems almost like an exploration into what could have been.
Flex promised to get me more info on the saws, but they never did.
Joe
I use multiple cordless brands (Makita, Milwaukee, German Metabo, FLEX, etc) and I love my FLEX tools. They are a quality brand. Yes, they were a German brand that was purchased by a Chinese conglomerate. No one ever says that about Milwaukee. But they too were purchased by a Chinese conglomerate.
Before I rattle much longer, I would just say to anyone considering the $99 deal, do it. You will not be sorry.
Adrian Cortes
I think the battery is trash I bought it 6 months ago 4 batteries don’t take charge anymore