Lowe’s is soon launching a wave of new next-generation Kobalt 24V Max cordless power tools.
The new Kobalt Gen-3 tools are said to be up to 30% more compact, lighter, and feature a newly designed grip with soft overmold.
There will be 6 new core tools, 2 new combo kits, and 2 new chargers:
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- Drill/Driver – 850 in-lbs max torque
- Hammer Drill/Driver
- Impact Driver – 2000 in-lbs max torque
- 1/2″ Medium Torque Impact Wrench – 650 ft-lbs nut-busting torque
- 6-1/2″ Circular Saw – Industry-first quick depth adjustment
- Reciprocating Saw – Lighter weight, 45% lower vibration
- 150W Rapid Charger – Recharges 4Ah battery in 60 minutes
- 85W Charger – Improved for faster battery charging times
All of the new tools feature brushless motors.
Kobalt 24V Max Gen-3 Drill
- 850 in-lbs max torque
- 2-speed gearing
- 2000 RPM max, no-load
- Premium 1/2″ Jacobs keyless ratcheting chuck
- Auxiliary handle included
- LED worklight
Price: $139 for the kit
Model KDD 2024A-03
Item 4913878
The kit comes with a 2Ah battery, 85W charger, and tool bag.
Kobalt 24V Max Gen-3 Hammer Drill
- 850 in-lbs max torque
- 2-speed gearing
- 2000 RPM max, no-load
- 32,000 BPM max
- Premium 1/2″ Jacobs keyless ratcheting chuck
- Auxiliary handle included
- LED worklight
Price: $129 (tool-only)
Model KHD 124B-03
Item 4913879
Kobalt 24V Max Gen-3 Impact Driver
- 1/4″ hex bit chuck
- One-handed quick-insert collet
- 2000 in-lbs max torque
- 3800 IPM max
- 3 speed settings
- Finish & self-tapping modes
- LED worklight
Price: $149 for the kit
Model 2024A-03
Item 4913880
The kit comes with a 2Ah battery, 85W charger, and tool bag.
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Kobalt 24V Max Gen-3 Mid-Torque Impact Wrench
- 1/2″ drive with friction ring
- 30% lighter and 30% shorter than current model
- 3 electronic push-button torque settings
- 500 ft-lbs max fastening torque
- 650 ft-lbs max nust-busting torque
- Hand-tight & auto-slow special modes
Price: $229 for the kit
Model KIW 4024A-03
Item 4913881
The kit comes with a 4Ah battery, 150W fast charger, and tool bag.
Kobalt 24V Max Gen-3 Circular Saw
- 6-1/2″ blade size
- Helical gear design
- 5500 RPM max
- Left-handed blade configuration
- Industry-first quick-depth blade adjustment mechanism
Here is a closer look at the quick “one-step” cutting depth adjustment feature.
Price: $129 (tool-only)
Model KCS 124B-03
Item 4913883
Kobalt 24V Max Gen-3 Reciprocating Saw
- 1-1/4″ stroke length
- 3200 SPM
- Variable speed trigger
- High/low speed settings
- Adjustable shoe “allows blade bending during flush cuts”
- Tool-less blade change
- Lower weight than previous model
- Soft overmolded grip
- 45% lower vibration than previous model
- Improved LED worklight location
- Integrated rafter hook
Price: $129 (tool-only)
Model KRS 224B-03
Item 4913882
Kobalt 24V Max Gen-3 Rapid Charger
- 150W
- Recharges 4Ah battery in 60 minutes
Price: $49.98
Model KCH 2411-03
Item 4913886
Kobalt 24V Max Next-Gen Combo Kits
2-Tool Combo Kit
The 2-tool kit comes with the drill/driver, impact driver, 2Ah battery, charger, and tool bag.
Price: $199
Model KLC 2324A-03
Item 4913884
4-Tool Combo Kit
The 4-tool combo kit comes with a drill/drover, impact driver, reciprocating saw, 300 lumens LED light, 4Ah battery, charger, and tool bag.
Price: $229
Model KLC 4324A-03
Item 4913885
Discussion
Here is Kobalt’s introduction to the new line:
Using the most innovative electronics and brushless motor technology in the industry today, meet the newest generation of Kobalt 24V Max Brushless tools!
The tools are up to 30% more compact, offer 35% faster charging and continue the Kobalt tradition of guaranteed power and performance all at a value.
This seems like typical marketing for new cordless power tools, but there’s some weight behind it.
For instance, compared to Kobalt’s existing brushless drill (KDD 1424A-03), the new model delivers far greater torque – 850 vs 650 in-lbs. The new impact driver delivers 2000 in-lbs max torque, vs 1800 in-lbs for their KID 1324A-03 model.
While not as powerful as Kobalt’s XTR line of premium 24V max cordless power tools, the new generation of core tools do look to deliver worthwhile improvements over their predecessors.
Jamie Lee Davis
They seem reasonably priced.
JoeH
Just an FYI, In the top bulleted listing, the Drill/Driver is listed as Ft./Lbs. not In./Lbs.
Stuart
Thank you! *fixed*
Franck B.
I was looking at these yesterday when I was picking up my Flex Stack Pack stuff. A couple take-aways (I didn’t buy any):
The circular saw is somewhat disappointing because they took away the absolute best feature of the previous model–depth of cut that matches most 7-1/4 saws. The only reason you want a 6-1/2 saw is for compactness and portability, it’s not because you like paying more for blades, or having a slower tip speed, or to get the less-than-premium parts like plastic blade guards or stamped shoes. The previous Kobalt saw was a standout because it was small, light, still cut deep yet could do 50 degree cuts and had nice metal bits. The 24v allowed the motor to be powerful and it was one of the fastest cutting 6-1/2 saws out there, and performed better than a lot of 18v-class 7-1/4 saws.
The new one has some nice features no doubt, it is certainly quieter (the gears on the old one were kind of loose and noisy). It also has a rafter hook! But it did lose a lot in what I thought were nice features, the cast shoe being another important one. I’ve been able to, in an “emergency”, perform near finish quality cuts with the old saw. If the new one is thrown in a tool box, it won’t be long before the shoe is out of whack.
At least they kept the Jacobs chuck on the drills, I also think this is one of the best features of Kobalt drills because I mostly have chuck failures on other “cheaper” tools that get used too hard (cough Ryobi cough).
Joaquin Chan
Man, I could live without the depth capacity of the old because the pros outweigh the cons. That saw…..took me by surprise. I own like 3 6.5 saws and I use them as a punch list saw and this little guy cuts with confidence. Reminds me of the Makita saw, but this saw has better performance overall. What sold me on this saw was the dust shoot because it’s similar to the Flex inline saw and the rear handle saw where it tries to catch from the front (I own all 3 now). If I want better capacity, I use the inline, but I will be using the Kobalt 90% of the time. You CANNOT tell if the saw is good simply by looking at it. Because of the saw, I went ahead and reinvested back to Kobalt. They will make good secondary tool units. On a side note, aluminum shoe base is HIGHLY underrated. Yes, it might get bent, BUT it’s resistant to surface scratches caused by rougher materials. Your MAG will get scuffed overtime. Both have their pros and cons, but Kobalt’s shoe base is actually fairly thick for an aluminum base unlike it’s competitor like Ridgid.
Franck B.
You’re right, I shouldn’t judge it without trying. But I do need the depth capacity if I show up at a site and up cutting all the 3x mudsills.
The older Kobalt 6-1/2 saw has a cast aluminum base, not magnesium! I don’t think it’s stronger just because it is cast, but primarily because it is even thicker than the stamped version.
I agree with you on the dust collection though, I use it with a Dewalt vacuum and it picks it right up and makes it easy to see.
Nathan
so blue Flex tools? any major differences?
Franck B.
That Flex 6-1/2 saw is a pretty amazing design in of itself. It actually cuts a bit deeper than the Kobalt, and the narrow design lets it get in a lot of tight places (although it is taller and longer). You can see both sides easily so the “left side blade” isn’t an issue for use on work that isn’t supported or held in place.
The impact at 2000 in-lbs is probably more than most people would need. I would probably rather have that with its improved one-hand chuck than the XTR at 2400 in-lbs. The XTR seems nervous, a little difficult to control, and I prefer the slightly lower power of the DeWalts or the smoothness of the Milwaukee Pulse.
Collin
Chervon knows how to make fine tools at all price points.
The name brand Jacobs chuck is a nice touch on a budget tool line. What a shame that the chucks on these house brand tools will likely outlast and outgrip the chucks on even the more premium offerings.
Fyrfytr998
It’s almost as if Lowes heard my complaint in your last article, lol. The question is does Lowes have the sack to put SBD in its place and aggressively promote the house brand over Red DeWalt?
Stuart
If Kobalt 24V has been selling well enough to drive continued expansion and innovation, why would Lowe’s disrupt a good relationship with SBD?
Jared
Those are very respectable specs for the price point.
xu lu
What makes someone decide to buy what will be an orphaned system in the not to distant future? Seems like for a single tool like a drill fine but beyond that a robust system just makes sense.
Stuart
Kobalt 24V Max launched 6-1/2 years ago.
Calling it “an orphaned system in the not to distant future” seems a bit fear-mongering.
Franck B.
I don’t know the answer to your question, but they did just release the 18g nailer (saw it yesterday). I think they wouldn’t release new tools if it was soon to be orphaned? Even as slow as they do!
Jbongo
I hadn’t seen the 18g nailer, so I did a search and did find it on lowes.com. Currently it says not available though. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it. Longevity of the brand has been my one hesitation to jumping fully into the Kobalt 24V system.
Franck B.
I can’t find the nailer on the web site but they have it in my local stores as a kit. 4965674 is the number. It was with the XTR tool display (since it is XTR), which at my store is a separate end cap.
The price is a little dear ($249 in kit) so I’m hoping a better price + sale will make it impulse buy worthy. I already have two other cordless ones so it would probably end up as an “around the homestead” tool.
Jbongo
Interesting. Here’s the only link to what I could find online, and it’s not a kit.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-24V-XTR-18-Gauge-Nailer-Bare/5012963341
Franck B.
Also the non-business end of the tool looks very compact and narrow, so I’m hoping I’ll like it compared to my two other (SBD + Milwaukee) ones. If it can still drive a 2″ brad all the way in then the small head will definitely be a positive.
Franck B.
Oh, and even though I don’t know the answer to your question, it’s nice that you ask and try and find out rather than presuming the people who do are [some word with negative connotation] because they do something that you would do differently.
Some possibilities are:
– Proximity or other convenience with retailer
– System meets all necessary requirements at desired investment
– System provides a necessary feature not available in another system at a target price, or at all
– Purchaser has some emotional attachment to system’s brand or manufacturer
– Purchaser has a negative opinion of all other suitable systems due to prior experience, or an acquaintance’s prior experience
– Peer pressure
– Impulse purchase
And that’s just partial. Even if you ask someone, you might not even get a full explanation as many people aren’t really forthcoming with their true reasoning.
Stuart
Lowe’s/Kobalt did switch over from 18V to 20V Max (fully compatible but confusing) and then over to 24V Max, and so while xu lu’s comment might be a little harsh, their concern isn’t entirely unfounded.
Franck B.
I didn’t think it was harsh? I though it was nice that that person asked instead of making assumptions, and so I tried to give some possible reasons.
I believe the 20V system had a dearth of new tools before being put out to pasture. Or just lack of a tool line in general, which isn’t the case with the 24V system. Unless you are in Australia, where I don’t think Kobalt tools are available anymore, and you can be rightfully concerned with tool line availability just being cut off at any time.
I don’t know, I didn’t pay too much attention to the pre-24V systems because they weren’t blue enough.
Stuart
It hard to gauge intended tone.
To paraphrase: “Why buy an an abandoned system? I wouldn’t.”
My first reply to them dismissed their “will be an orphaned system”, statement, but I wanted to circle back to that, as it’s not completely unfounded.
You made excellent points, but future support and availability could be a deciding factor. Will any of the criteria you mentioned outweigh the detracting influence of a discontinued line?
When a cordless system is discontinued, clearance pricing and fear of future availability are going to be the biggest driving factors. Users with less investment in a system will likely seek other brands for future purchases once their brand’s dropped support is made known.
Mopar4wd
Price and availability. Plus Kobalt has been around for a while now, Lowes seems to be sticking with it. I do question their lawn and garden cordless stuff as they seem to be cutting back on stocking that now that they have ego.
My local stores have equal display area to Craftsman V20 and Kobalt 24V. Whereas they have really shrunk the Bosch area. Dewalt seems to get the most space overall.
Tool Nerd
Let’s see if these upgrades stand the test of time? Raising the price on these tools will not help Lowes sell more of them. Lowes always has a problem finding the sweet spot for buyers on this tool line.
Franck B.
Did they raise the prices? They look to be the same as the normal prices for the older tools, at least off the top of my head for the ones I knew (like $129 for the circular saw, $50 for the fast charger and so on).
At least they are out early enough that there can be significant discounts for holiday shopping.
Dewalt’s “lower end” line is serious competition though, because of the brand name cachet for “wannabe” home users who see the professional name at a price point similar to the Kobalt offerings that are markedly superior. So it’s a tough spot, and raising prices would probably not help and I think they avoided it here.
p.s. I’m not implying all home users are “wannabe”. I just know some friends who aren’t sure which end of the reciprocating saw to hold but are adamant that they need Dewalt or Milwaukee tools. I support that, I just think they should buy the good ones then, and if they don’t want to spend the money, other brands will suit them better.
Big Bend
These were hitting shelves a couple of weeks ago, which was nice because the existing 1/4″ impact driver was down to 99 bucks for the tool, 2Ah battery, charger, and bag. Charger is a little slower and specs are just a bit lower but I’m certainly not pushing my tools that hard.
Franck B.
Besides the 18g nailer, they also have in stock the 24v light tripod towers, #4913887. They don’t show online or in the app but they’re on the floor at one of my local stores. Then again, I seem to be able to find lots of things in that store that take forever to show online (or don’t seem to stock in other stores).
The price is set at $159. In my opinion that is a bit high compared to other offerings, but on sale I’d spring for a couple. I often have extra Kobalt battery power available on site so this would be good use of it, where I’m usually running out of FlexVolt and wouldn’t want to use it for lighting.
Franck B.
My bad, $169. Even less acceptable, but then I didn’t buy one to gauge the quality. It might be totally worth it.
A-A-Ron
Am I the only one that’s a bit underwhelmed with this lineup? The prices are decent enough but they’re missing features that should be standard, like the anti-kickback on the drill. In addition, when Kobalt’s 24v lineup was released, they really hyped more voltage=more power, while these specs are nowhere near the top of the pack.
On a side note, the XTR platform is a pain in the butt to acquire. The 5-tool kit with rolling case hasn’t been available online or in store in over a year, and just to make it more annoying Lowe’s is currently running a buy more, save more promo on Kobalt’s power tools.
Franck B.
The XTR kit was probably collateral damage from the rolling case being transitioned to CaseStack. They knew they were going to have CaseStack a LONG time ago, but then it took six months for it to actually hit the stores. So there was probably some manufacturing hole with nothing to fill it. And now that CaseStack is touted as “get it while you can”, that’s probably why it isn’t in a new bundle, although they have another month to surprise us with something for the holiday season. But I’m not holding my breath.
And the specs on this lineup are probably more than good enough for entry-level. These are not XTR tools. I don’t know which specific tool you think is lacking, but for instance the hammer drill supplies decent specs. My go-to Dewalt DCD996 which was top-of-the-line 4-5 years ago has plenty of power for almost everything. It also does not have anti-kickback (don’t ask me how I know). Although it’s rated in UWO, I believe it’s been tested at about 95nM of torque, which is about what this Kobalt hammer drill is rated. The newer top Dewalt drills generally require a FlexVolt/H.O. battery to generate more power.
As an entry level set of cordless tools at their price point, I think they’re fine. I would like to see more and updated XTR tools though.
Franck B.
I couldn’t wait, I bought two light towers (listed at $169 each).
The tripod is actually a lot higher quality than I expected with a built in handle, and an addition 1/4″ stud at the top above the lights. The legs can adjust individually for non-flat surfaces. The “tray” on the tripod in can be put to good use for small things or tool belt equipped tools can hang on.
The battery well does actually fit a full size 8Ah battery. The light is about the same as the Dewalt DCL079 but the three separate heads can direct the light differently. I don’t care for the flat “reflector” type lights with T1-3/4 LEDs, but I must admit my favorite carry-along light is the Kobalt 700 lumen with the exact same type of light head that I say I don’t care for. It’s also $70 cheaper than the regular price for the Dewalt… so if you need a bunch, the savings can be significant.
I’ll be putting these into action as the days get shorter and we need more lighting, so I’ll see how they perform in real-world usage in the next few months. I can probably use them to light up the large lawn for evening play when the nieces/nephews are over running around during Halloween parties, along with the Dewalt versions I have.
Jeff R.
I’ve never had any issue with the quality of Lowes battery powered power tools, but I’m wary of investing in them again due to Lowes totally abandoning their first generation 18/20 volt tool platform.
When they changed to the 24 volt system, not only was it not backwards compatible in any way, they no longer supported the original platform with newer tools, or batteries effectively turning it into an orphan, leaving all of us who heavily invested in it out in the cold.
Franck B.
I don’t mean to belittle your concern, but seriously, it’s happened to every single tool platform before the current ones. I can show you a bunch of cordless tools from platforms that you might not even find in internet searches that over time I’ve either bought or collected from friends who felt “abandoned”. Some of my nicest ones are two different Bosch platforms that had Swiss-made tools! Is it worse to debut a new platform with a voltage incompatibility and not supply a battery adapter, or to produce a whole new line of tools with the same voltage but a different form factor and supply a battery adapter?
The old tools wear out, the new tools improve, so sometimes getting all new tools is more of a benefit than hanging on to old ones.
Anyhow, cordless power tools probably should not be considered an investment. They’re better to be thought of as an expense. But if you can’t think of it that way, then you’re right, some brands will be worse than others and should be avoided.