You’ve probably seen multi-head drills and drivers before, as many pro-grade cordless power tool brands have then. Panasonic’s One Attach system is similar, but takes things to a higher level, with modular cordless drill/driver attachments I have never seen before.
Before you get too excited, you should know that Panasonic seemed to abandon the US tool market a few years ago, and so their cordless power tools and accessories can be very difficult to source here.
In addition to standard attachments, such as a drill chuck, hammer drill, right angle adapter, and offset screwdriver head, Panasonic’s line also includes unique attachments, – a cable cutter, crimping tool, and knockout punch driver.
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Most of the attachments can work with compatible drills or impact drivers, but it seems some are limited to only working with one type or the other.
For instance, their crimping tool works with their compatible impact drivers but not drill/drivers, and the drill chucks are only shown in use with compatible cordless drill/driver power handles.
Attachments like the offset screwdriver head can work with compatible drills or impact drivers.
The Panasonic One Attach system looks to have launched a few years ago, with new attachments having been released over the years since then.
It seems like a neat system, with a focus on being able to do more with fewer tools.
What seems unique about the system is that you can swap heads between compatible cordless drills and drivers. This isn’t just an x-in-1 type cordless drill or driver – it seems more like an ecosystem.
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We’ve seen drill and driver attachment ecosystems before, but I don’t believe I’ve seen any that also work with impact tools.
The new driver coming out has different modes, including a tap mode for smoother thread cutting and cleaning.
The closer I look at Panasonic’s lineup, the more appealing it looks, but then I remind myself of how difficult it is to source their power tool products.
Still, I think many readers would find this interesting, even if practically unobtanium.
Panasonic has a history of multi-functional tools.
Around 11 years ago, I posted about a then-new Panasonic 3-in-1 tool that was advertised as replacing your cordless drill, impact driver, and impact wrench. See Also: New Panasonic Multi-Functional Drill, Driver, Impact Wrench. I don’t believe I’ve seen an impact with a drill-style torque clutch since then.
Sal
Considering the cost of cable cutter, crimping tool, and knockout punch driver on their own this has my attention.
James
Cool!
Jared
It’s cool to see a “pro” version of this concept. I.e. not something silly like the Black & Decker Matrix.
It sort of makes sense. Carrying around individual tools to do each task this can accomplish would be cumbersome. Of course, if you’re swapping back and forth, even easy tool swaps might become annoying.
As a novel concept – I like it. I don’t think I would want it (except for the novelty of course).
It seems like the idea of attachments for existing tools would be more marketable – like how you can get Dewalt impact-powered shears for example.
MM
Those Dewalt attachments like the sheet metal shear and pipe cutter came to mind for me as well. I think they were called impact-connect or something like that? I do think it would be neat to see more tools like that. Innovation & competition is always a good thing.
Whether or not the modular system makes sense really would depend on the specific application. Systems like this let you carry less overall weight, but the trade-off is the hassle of swapping attachments. A lot of the time it’s more efficient to just have multiple tools instead.
Adabhael
This is always the trade off. I am a sucker for versatility, and got pretty into the Ridgid JobMaxx system before they stopped making them, as you would expect, while none of the tools is as good as a dedicated one, and swapping can be a hassle, it sure is handy to have an OMT, mini recip saw, and a right-angle impact, plus all the associated bits and blades fit into a small bag I can carry with one hand. I find those cover a surprising lot of things I do, and some esoteric things in a pinch, so I bring it with a small go-bag of hand tools when I’m not sure what might happen.
Bonnie
I could see this being handy for someone that does maintenance in facilities where a truck or packout loaded down with specialty tools for one-off tasks would get irritating. Like apartment maintenance maybe. Where you’re not doing sheet metal work often, but every once in awhile you need to punch out a hole in the sprinkler control box or something.
JML
In 2010 I bought the Panasonic EY6432GQKW 15.6-Volt 3.3Ah NiMH 1/2-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit. At the time, it was superb in every way – power, ergonomics, chuck, etc. But the batteries died and no replacements were available.
Jason M
In the year of 2024 all things AI that drill definitely would have jumped out as bad AI if I didn’t see your note about when it came out.
As expensive as some of the crimpers and cutters are this seems like a smart avenue but I think in most cases folks that use those tools all the time want a dedicated version. There’s a reason why the Ridgid 18v thing I forget the name never took off with recip heads and stuff. Even the Jobmax before that eventually faded and that was the big thing 15 years ago.
Saulac
I know it is wishful thinking, but there should be a standard for this kind of interface. They are already very similar, with the 1/4 hex as the base. Make me think about one of the Dewalt impact the new M12 stubby impact…they are both very short and very flat in the front…would be very easy to add this kind of attachments. As modern construction requires more and more special/powered tools, I think attachments can offer the space/weight saving that can be attractive to the pros.
MM
A universal interface for attachments would be really slick. Saving space/weight has its appeal for many situations, but above that it could also save money. Someone might not have the need or the budget for a whole new tool but if an attachment to their existing tool could meet their needs? That’s ideal.
That said, I wonder if there are 3rd parties who make attachments that use Dewalt or Milwaukee drivers as the power source? There is some precedence for this with other kinds of tools. I have seen stump grinders and capstan winches that use Stihl and Husqvarna chain saw motors to power them; they bolt on in place of a saw bar. There are beam saw attachments fitted to circular saws (some of questionable safety). Before Milwaukee released their M12 bandfiles people were selling kits to convert the 3in cut-off tool into one. If someone had to make a small special-purpose tool, powering it with a big name drill/driver sounds like a good idea, and it would be even easier with the tool designed for quick-release attachments. It would also offer the opportunity to sell more adapters & accessories as part of the quick-change system. Things like extensions, angle drives, torque or speed multipliers, are possible and potentially useful. I bought a second 90-degree adapter for my M12 installation driver so I can combine the two of them to get angles other than 90 degrees–I don’t use it very often, but sometimes it is very nice. If someone made extensions or multipliers to suit it I would absolutely buy them.
Robert
Years ago I saw advertised a cordless Panasonic drill with a high voltage, 20 or 40, higher than anything Dewalt or Milwaukee had at the time. I don’t know what its current was. Its body was almost all white, with dark blue trim. It was quite expensive. But as Stuart says, Panasonic didn’t seem to have its heart in staying in the game. Sort like Samsung with its awesome mirrorless camera.
JR Ramos
I didn’t even realize Panasonic was still in the cordless tools game. I wasn’t following your site when you posted about the 3-in-1 drill and have just never seen them stocked or even mentioned since the late 90s or so. Back at that time they had a great cordless drill that kicked the pants off of anything else available (for a little while). We stocked them but for some reason they were never kept in the same area as all of the other corded and cordless power tools, and never one on display…they were in rather plain white retail boxes and stuck on a bottom shelf at the end of a long row of cases of Bostitch coil roofing nails and hammer tackers above them…nearly out of sight. People that we were able to “sell” and spend a little time with, and who bought that drill, were unanimously pleased with it even if they were looking for the latest best from Makita, Ryobi (pre-shift to DIY tools), and Milwaukee (and the earlier DeWalt models). Sleeper favorite and I’ve thought for awhile that it would have been neat to see the torque and dynamic load testing on that drill in particular but all of them from that earlier era of cordless drills.
JML
Look here: https://www.amazon.co.jp/s?k=panasonic+drill
HmmmDusty
I actually have one of the impacts with a few a attachments. It’s nice! Made with a lot of care and attention to detail, even though it’s meant to take a beating.
I even got the drill chuck attachment for it, which technically works since attachment system is the same, but the issue being that since there is no gear box like in the drill driver, it’s more difficult to tighten or loosen the chuck – it will just free spin. The only way to use it is to give the tool a quick burst to put up some resistance against the chuck till it clicks.
Norm
Here is the press release:
https://news-panasonic-com.translate.goog/jp/press/jn221108-2?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en
Norm
Oh, and here are the attachments. The crimper being around $1000 doesn’t surprise me.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/EZ9HX502-Attachment-Compatible-Separately-Prevention/dp/B0BR7PRSJV?th=1
Ken
Fein has a new multifunction driver available in the US that uses Bosch batteries:
https://www.acmetools.com/fein-18v-ascm18-4-qmp-as-high-torque-quickin-top-set-cordless-hammer-drill%2Fdriver-kit/S0000000077907.html
They call their system “QuickIN” and it has several unique attachments:
https://fein.com/en_us/blog/quickin-accessories/
I am guessing that Fein will continue to expand the number of attachments available. An obvious choice for Fein would be a nibbler.
James
Cool, thanks. Interesting option to send with a new technician to cover the basics.
Nathan
I’ve always been envious of the Vario system for being the only sensible steps up from 1/4 hex any manufacturer is putting new money into.
I wish it was the standard 7/16″ hex instead of a semi-proprietary ~1/2″ but I’ll take the entire industry moving over to anything at this point.
John
I remember when the Panasonic brand was synonymous with radios and TVs. And then I was given a Panasonic bicycle as a young teen. Maybe it’s just me, but I have a hard time accepting when a brand ventures too far afield from its identity. (That bicycle was definitely *not* cool to be seen with.) I don’t know anything about the quality of Panasonic tools (this is the first I’ve ever heard of them), but I’d be as reluctant to buy one (never mind my investment in the Milwaukee platform) any more than I’d be tempted to buy a Nike tennis racket or a Dewalt bathrobe.
Ken
I had to look up Panasonic bicycles. It turns out they have a rich history in bicycle manufacturing! I thought they must have just slapped their name on bikes made by some other company, but that is not the case.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panasonic_Cycle_Technology
Bonnie
There are a lot of japanese conglomerates with huge and diverse portfolios. Like Hitachi used to make business laptops, hard drives, power tools, and excavators (though they’ve sold off their hard drive and power tool businesses and the laptops are long gone). Not exactly what we’d consider sister enterprises.
The thing that would make me more willing to try out Panasonic power tools is their position as a battery manufacturer. While they’re no longer the head of the pack, they’ve still got a leg up there versus traditional tool makers.
Stuart
Hitachi also makes scanning electron microscopes.
Bonnie
Funny, I actually worked for a company that made tooling for those machines.
HmmmDusty
Japanaese Zaibatsu (now Keiretsu after new laws) are a fascinating cultural thing going back to deudal times.
Most people have no idea that kost major corporations in Japan manufacture enromous jumber of things in completely different fields. A close European equivalent would be Phillips.
Jimmie
I’d love to have a crimper attachment for my impact driver but I’d never use it enough to justify the price versus a $100 manual hydraulic crimper.
Travis
Might have been strange for a lot of folks to see, but Panasonic bicycles are very highly regarded. They exited the US market for bikes, but they still make extremely high dollar, team-issue racing cycles for professionals (among other things). Bridgestone (the tire company) is another unexpected maker of nice high-end bikes.
Panasonic with power tools, bikes, and electronics is a lot like Yamaha with grand pianos, outboards, and motorcycles or Hitachi with excavators, hard drives, and microwaves…not necessarily what you expect but making a fully serious, outstanding product with each.
Lyle
20 years ago I had a Panasonic cordless drill. It was 15.6V. Probably one of the best drills I ever had. It was the first one that I remember having a belt hook. Great quality. It was from Japan, but it worked perfectly fine here since the plug still fit and the charger handled 100-120VAC.
Tony
I miss Panasonic power tools. I have a 14.4v drill/driver and impact driver that still run on their original batteries from 2011. I got it to replace their 12v drill/driver from 2000. I believe Panasonic was the first to introduce the “tee” body drill while everyone else’s drills were shaped like the number 7 that were unbalanced and could not be put down in the vertical position. In Fine Homebuilding magazine performance tests, Panasonic always drilled more holes and drove more screws in one charge than other makes and they had the best ergonomics.
Panasonic’s battery tech is superior enough that Tesla partnered with them for their EVs.
These multi-tool designs are interesting. All I’ve seen on Panasonic’s web site are cordless screw drivers for manufacturing/assembly work.
eddiesky
Agreed. I still have my 14.4v Drill and driver. Just used it yesterday to install new blinds. Need to find some new batteries…eventually. Wonder if Amazon Japan can ship to US?
Tony
I don’t think Panasonic supports the old 14.4v. You may try 3rd party battery rebuild. You ship them your old battery pack and they return it to you with fresh cells. You can find battery rebuilders on the internet.
I rebuilt two dead Makita 12v NiMH batteries in the 1990s. The rebuilds worked fine but did not last as many years as OEM Makita batteries.
Matthew
Do anyone have any idea where one can buy those? Japan Reseller Site?