We already talked about some of the new Skil PWCore 12 cordless power tools, and we knew that there was a PWRCore 20V lineup also on the way. Here’s what we know so far.
First up, there’s a Skil PWRCore 20V 3-tool cordless power tool combo, featuring a drill/driver, impact driver, and USB adapter accessory. The tools don’t seem to be brushless (but they’re also priced more affordably).
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The impact driver has pre-light and after-glow LED illumination. The combo kit, model CB739101, comes with (1) 2.0Ah battery pack and a charger.
Torque and speed details aren’t mentioned yet.
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It looks like the same Skil PWRCore cordless drill/driver is available in a separate combo kit, model DL527502. They’re describing it as a “Go-To DIY drill.” The PWRCore 20V drill has 2 speed settings – 0-420 and 0-1450 RPM.
The kit’s said to be bundled with a 2.0Ah battery and 1-hour charger.
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Next, there’s a Skil PWRCore 20V cordless hammer drill, HD527803. Like the other tools, it doesn’t seem to be brushless. (But that doesn’t mean there won’t brushless versions in the future.)
The PWRCore hammer drill has a quick-selection switch, which I prefer more than clutch dial settings, and is rated to 350 in-lbs max torque. It has the same speed settings as the drill/driver 0-420/0-1450 RPM, but is said to be capable of delivering up to 350 in-lbs torque.
The hammer drill comes with a 5Ah battery pack, which takes 130 minutes to charge.
Price: $100
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The same (or similar) PWRCore impact driver is available in a kit – model ID572702.
It has a single speed range of 0-2500 RPM (0-3200 IPM), and is rated to 1100 in-lbs max torque.
Price (as of the time of this posting): $80
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There’s also a new Skil PWRCore jigsaw, sold as a bare tool, JS820301.
It features a 4-stage orbital function, 2800 SPM sped, a blade brake, and built-in dust blower.
Price (as of the time of this posting): $70
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Finally, there’s a new PWRCore 20V reciprocating saw kit, RS582902, which looks to be the most affordable 18V-class tool kit of its kind.
The saw has a 1″ stroke length and 3,000 SPM cutting speed. It also features a tool-less blade change system and an adjustable shoe.
Skil says that “it expertly cuts through almost any material from fiberglass and PVC to metal and masonry.”
It’s bundled with a 2Ah battery pack and 1-hour charger.
Price: $90
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Lastly, there’s 5Ah battery pack, BY519603. I haven’t seen a 2Ah battery pack yet, at least not sold separately, but I assume they will be.
Skil says this about their new platform:
The PWRCore 20 system features a wide range of products backed by industry-leading technology. The PWRCore 20 Lithium Battery has a patented temperature management system that results in longer run time and longer battery life. Each cell is surrounded by revolutionary phase change materials to keep the battery cool and powering through any project.
Price (as of the time of this posting): $68
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First Thoughts
Skil’s touting that you can “forget the bulky, heavy tools of a generation ago,” which seems like an encouraging way to kick off a new cordless lineup.
Both lineups hold quite a bit of my interest and attention, and I’m really eager to see what Skil might be coming out with next.
The pricing seems very competitive, even aggressive, and so Skil might have an edge there, appealing to beginner DIYers and homeowners looking for their first cordless power tools. It’ll be interesting to see where they go from here.
Matthew
I’m like you, the PWRCore 12 tools have my attention and the 20 volt tools seem very blah.
A good/diverse entry level 12V platform is an under served market. There are so many quality 18/20 volt platforms with varying levels within that these don’t seem very appealing (outside of having a known brand name attached to them I don’t see a benefit for someone starting from scratch).
John S
These basically compete with Harbor Freight Hercules line which has higher torque ratings, and probably better build quality than these Skil tools. Can’t say I would want either.
Jason Lynch
These are nothing like Harbor Freight crap……you clearly have never used a tool or just assume the worst case in everything in life. Possibly both.
AJ
Have you even taken a look at the new Hercules and Bauer brands from Harbor Freight? These new offerings from Skil definitely seem on par.
AlexV
Meh indeed…
Nathan
I have a neighbor that would buy a set on price alone. to have a common battery platform set with a reasonable priced set of tools that can work.
I tried to tell him to look into ridgid or ryobi. Price point shopping will see most of this. capability – function – secondary I suspect to many buyers.
TonyT
PWRCore 20?
Meh, not competitive vs Ryobi.
Stuart
No, but I’d think they are trying to be.
satch
Weird. I thought from the beginning it was odd they focused on the PWRCore 12 rather than the 20 volt line. Most of these manufacturers seem obsessed with touting power and voltage beyond all other specs since they seem to think it is what most buyers are focused on. And maybe they are.
Yet if Skil wants to really shake up the DIY/maker they are going to have to give a bit of wow factor to both lines. Like Stuart, I think they would be pushing the brushless feature front and centre.
I also think we can deduce nearly nothing from Amazon’s listings. They have been all over the place with the PWRCore 12 offerings in regards to pricing and availability. Just after the second Toolguyd posting about them an impact driver showed up. Of course it was out of stock but I noticed the price on one of the kits Stuart linked to had changed price by a bit. And some of the product listings say out of stock and others say something to the effect that they don’t know when or if they will be back in stock.
I don’t buy any of it. I think we will see prices and listings jump all over the place til they are in regular listings. And indeed, I wish the specifications were more clear. It may go back to what I was saying about Amazon’s typically wonky initial listings. 177 inch pounds of torque? I don’t really buy that either. It may be accurate though and if so, the 20 volt line will quickly fall to also-ran against Ryobi, Craftsman or even Hercules. We shall see.
Toolfreak
I used to almost exclusively have Skil stuff years ago back when they were Bosch-designed but made by Chervon, or at least some were. Eventually sold the cordless stuff in favor of the Bosch 12V Max and have been extremely happy ever since.
I don’t see myself going back to Skil now that Chervon is coming out with this PWRCore stuff. The red plastic they’re using looks like the same stuff you’d find on children’s toys. Look at the adjuster lever on that jigsaw. You’ve got to be kidding me. I know Chervon can do way, way better than this based on the tools they were making just a few years ago.
I’m not sure what they’re up to, if they are just cutting QC or materials costs or just going cheap in order to try to charge the same and make more profit, or if they just don’t care and however well they do, they do.
Personally I like the Black & Decker 20V stuff more than any of this PWRCore stuff at this point. They are widely available and essentially sold at disposable prices when you get them on sale.
I was really hoping that Chervon would step it up with the Skil brand once they had ownership, but it appears that Bosch’s designs and input were a large part of what made the tools good. Of course, it still remains to be seen how well the tools do in the real world, but based on appearances the wonky specs, the poor roll out and advertising, etc. I’m not impressed at all so far and they don’t stike me as something worth buying.
logan
FINALLY
i’ve been waiting forever for a recip saw that expertly cuts.
Corey
?
Daniel Clark
If you think Ryobi tools are that good you clearly don’t know much about tools. They’re made by total tool corporation in China and their batteries are junk. You get what you pay for in name brands even Milwaukee tools are made in China.
Stuart
So you’re saying it’s inappropriate to compare these DIYer tools to other DIYer tools?
Bruce
I run a Ryobi kit at the house, they do OK. They aren’t the Dewalts I run at work, but for building the chicken coop, hanging gutters, etc, they’ve been fine. Price can’t be beat and unlike my Dewalt tools, I haven’t had to replace them all just to get lithium ion batteries.
Curtis
I’ve been using them for years, as well as Milwaukee and Dewalt and by and large they have held up great. Their batteries, (p108), use Samsung 18650 15q cells if I remember right. Not top of the line, but still decent cells.
John
I bought a B&D electric drill back in the early 70’s….junk. Never bought B&D or Skil since then….probably never will. Why spend $100 on a junk product when a better product is only $20 more.
Daniel
Wait, I missed something somewhere. I read that the 12v Pwrcore Skil drill would be 350 in/lbs of torque, and the 12v impact would be 1100 in/lbs
Those numbers seem more realistic for 12v tools.
Are the 20v tool specs listed here correct?
Stuart
What I’m thinking is that the brushed motor PWRCore 20 tools are spec’ed low so as to allow for entry level pricing, and that the brushless ones will offer higher performance.
The listings look to be launch-ready, and so they should be accurate. I haven’t received official specs from Skil yet.
Daniel
That makes sense, but is still odd to me. The 12v stats match the current 20v stats (higher RPMs, actually), have brushless motors, come with the 5 minute jump charger, and the kit is $10 cheaper.
I guess the 12v lineup might not be as extensive as the 20v, eventually, but right now, they’re both new products with tiny lineups, so what’s the point?