How likely are you to switch cordless power tool brands?
I’m not talking about upgrading from an older platform, such as Dewalt 18V, where your tools and batteries are on their last legs and you’re ready for a complete upgrade.
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Some users, including pros, DIYers, and regular non-construction users, are okay jugging more than one battery platform. Dewalt 20V Max and Milwaukee M18? Sure. Bosch 12V Max and Makita 18V? Why not. Brand A, Brand B, Brand C? That can work too.
But many other users prefer to stick within a singular system. It’s cheaper and easier to do that, especially for pros that work in teams or partnerships, as opposed to individually. Every battery fits every charger, and every tool. Well, nearly every tool. Some brands have one-way compatibility, such as FlexVolt to 20V Max but not vice-versa.
So for you singular-system users, how likely are you to move to a different system? It’s certainly possible – you can sell everything via ebay or Craigslist, or to someone locally, maybe even an apprentice. But that’s usually a hassle, and a big one given how big a cordless power tool collection can be.
Can you be convinced to switch to a different system?
Considering how much trouble it can be to switch to a completely different system, let me ask a different question. How likely are you to buy into another cordless power tool system?
For instance, if you’re a Dewalt 20V Max user, would you buy a Milwaukee M18 cordless table saw? If you’re a Makita 18V X2 user, would you buy a Dewalt FlexVolt miter saw?
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Brian
As a diy’er teal/red/yellow are all the same to me. I never wear out my tools because I don’t use em enough, even though I use my impact and drill at least a few times a month. Ive built chicken coops and swingsets and renovated a basement. So I never have a need to replace anything, just add new tools as I need em. In that case I’d rather have a single battery platform. Can’t justify buying kits all the time…bare tools are cheaper. Until Makita completely changes their battery platform and I can’t use the batteries across the tools any longer, I’m gonna stick with em.
Mike G Robinson
I got a comment, don’t buy generic batteries. Especially from vanon batteries. 2 died and no way to get in touch with them. No real telephone number. Totally waste of money. The phase you get what you pay for, well I believe I got less !!!
Tony
I just got into a fight with a seller that showed OEM M12 batteries on their pictures but sent me the Venon batteries. They tried to feed some bullshit line that they were as good as the originals and have a 5 year warranty. I told them they violated Milwaukee’s warranty and they still tried to reason with me to take a partial refund. I finally got them to give me a full refund, they even told me to keep the batteries.
Robert
This is why you use a credit card for purchases. You simply go to your card issuer’s web site and click “dispute this charge” Works any time I have ever needed it.
Rick
In the past when using a CC this was true. Now most have binding arbitration, and this may or may not work.
Ben Bell
You can buy battery adapters and then use multiple brands
Jamie Davis
I have Milwaukee M12and M18, as well as DeWalt 20V. My reasoning is that I admire Milwaukee’s innovation and durability, yet I admire DeWalt for the same reasons. I have both MAJOR players in the US industry, as well as the defacto 12 vomt class leader. I admit to some redundancy, though. I had LXT 18 V, which is a great brand and line. I gifted those for the sake of gifting and for reduced complexity in my life. To sum it up, I don’t feel the need to switch….. because I feel like the 3 lines I have have something for everyone. I do admire Bosch’s build quality and battery tech, though.
Eric Saffell
Have you had any issues with the M12 batteries breaking? I had the clips and housing snap on two different models in one month. The batteries were falling out, needless to say they entire set went back to HD in exchange for Ridgid with a lifetime warranty.
Mo
Yes the m12 cell casings are pretty fragile.
I have a couple of cracked casings I’m holding on to until some other cells die,then I’ll swap casings.
But the variety of tools offered in the m12 lineup is unmatched.
Lance
I had a couple Bosch 12v battery tabs break on me. Since switching my 12v stuff to M12 I haven’t had any tabs break. Odd, since they are a very similar design.
Connor Miller
I use both the Milwaukee M18 and M12 lines as well as Dewalt 20V. 2 chargers are enough for me and these two companies can cover all of my needs.
Carl Sampson
I will not change simply because of the investment in batteries that I have already made as well as the room set aside for charging them is much greater a consideration than any functionality features or differences in cost that may exist in another brand’s tool. I am pretty much locked in with Makita for 18v and Bosch for 12v.
Raoul
Agreed, investment and maintenance keep me from branching out and having more than 1 platform. The old saying time is money rings true. Having not to maintain more than 1 line of batteries is the most important thing to me.
I did however get tired of DeWalts lackluster old offering of their 20v line prior to the release of Flexvolt. I made the decision to get rid of all my DeWalt and switch to Milwaukee. This literally happened a couple days before I heard anything about Flexvolt. I cancelled my order and my plans to switch and ordered some Flexvolt. Dewalt has really made significant improvements to almost all their tools since so I’m happy to have stayed with them. They were so close to losing me though.
ca
Yes DeWalt seemed quit stagnant for several years after they came out with their 20V line, but their pace has quickened.
Andrew
As the owner of a remodeling company I could be convinced to switch platforms… maybe. However it would take a serious misstep by our current platform and a serious advancement by another.
That being said. Due to previous experiences there is at least one company that I will not consider.
Silas De Vries
What tool brand do you use if I may ask
Dan
What’s the big secret? Name names!
Adam
It would either take someone offering me the right amount for what I own, or an insurance payout from theft/fire for me to switch. Now, adding another tool here or there from another company, is much more likely. I was going to grab the flexi-click when it was $139, but when i check it was back up to $169/$199, and I’m too Dutch to pay more than what I know the lowest selling price is. If they can afford to sell it for that much then, they can sell it to me now, otherwise they will be waiting to see my $$ until the next lowest matching sale.
John Patel
I was forced to given that bolt on was cancelled and c3 is now a dead end. I’ve gone Milwaukee. I’ll use older stuff until it stops working though.
-jp
Dominic S
JP, best decision of your life! =)
Gordon
I’m really happy with the Makita tools. My grandmother’s 9.6v stick battery tools still work to this day. My dad passed on his 18v, NiCad powered drill and it’s still ticking today. I want a new one, but I can’t justify replacing a working tool for what I do. He still has a 14.4v Impact that works, but has crappy batteries. I built houses with my dad for almost 7 years and we used both Makitas daily. When the batteries died on those two, it was a better investment to jump into Lithium tools and a single, shareable battery tech.
I’m gearing up for a kitchen remodel and looking at a lot of custom cabinets. I think investing in the Bosch 12v line is a reasonable way to spend some money. They offer some very cool products that I don’t see many other companies offer. More importantly, they fit my hand better than the M12 line, which I want to love, but can’t stand the ergonomics of.
The only line that I would seriously consider dropping Makita for is the HPT Multivolt stuff. I do a lot of automotive work and a 36v 1/2in impact gun sounds pretty awesome. But it’s a little too green (ha) for me to jump with both feet. Maybe in a year or two.
Lance
I have a big collection of Makita LXT that I’m very happy with.
I used to have Bosch 12v tools and switched to Milwaukee M12. They’re the leader in the 12v space, offering way more options than Bosch.
Funny you bring up ergonomics. One of the reasons for switching was the awkward (to me) Bosch handle design. They use the same triangular batttery design but put the flat side at the front where your fingers wrap around. Milwaukee puts the rounded side forward which still makes for a chunky handle but is a better fit. I wear size XL gloves and find the M12 design MUCH easier on the hands. To each their own I guess!
Do note that Milwaukee updated their M12 handles a few years ago, making the “waist” at the top of the handle much narrower on their newer tools. This is a big improvement over the first generation M12 design, which was extra chunky and felt a little odd even for my large hands.
Gordon
I think the Bosch vs M12 is mostly due to hand size. I wear a S/M glove and found my fingers were hitting the curve at the wrong spot. Their new tools are better but I still find they want to sit a little crooked in my hand.
Their 3/8 stubby impact looks pretty amazing and if I decide not to go with a 1/2, I might jump on it. Especially if I see a good deal.
EJ
No. There isn’t any reason for me to change from Makita. They fit my needs, and I like the brand. I’m perfectly comfortable now.
Thedge_1
My sentiments exactly! I have a dozen batteries and nearly that many tools and they all interchange. I will just replace the older tools with newer models as needed.
Alex
I’m kind of a power tool whore. I have one or two ryobi things, the flexiclick, some of the m12, mainly for their jackets/soldering iron and automotive tools then I’m also in the kobalt line… and I use makita at my job. I dont even understand the insanity of what I do.
Mick
I started with Hitachi 18v and love the line. When Ryobi came out with the dual power LED then came the glue gun, I bought into that line as well. I’ve always had times when I needed a smaller drill so, I added Milwaukee 12v to my Hitachi and Ryobi cordless group. Then trouble with the switch started on my 12v fuel hammer drill. It let me down so many times. Couldn’t drill a 1/4″ hole and frustrated me to no end. Enough for me to sell all my red and buy Bosch. So, yeppers I switched from Milwaukee to Bosch. Hitachi is my 18v, Bosch my 12v and Ryobi my misc. make life easier stuff.
Matthew
If I lost everything tomorrow I’d look hard at the big 3 (DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita). Hitachi and Bosch are too hard to find where I’m at (Lowes barely stocks them locally). With Ryobi’s improvements (especially with brushless, just got the jigsaw and it’s such an improvement over my old corded B&D) they’d be under consideration too but I’d probably leave them as my miscellaneous platform (unless Craftsman comes out with comparable quality and priced options for those items).
I stuck with DeWalt when I upgraded from the old 18V platform because of availability (both home centers, every locally owned hardware store and Northern Tool plus a locally located warranty center). I really like how Milwaukee integrated their 12/18V platforms but their ergonomics are just enough off that I didn’t go with them. Makita ergonomics are great but they are not nearly as widely available where I’m at. If I had a chance to start over I’d probably give Milwaukee and Makita a closer look. I don’t mind using 2 platforms for 18/20V currently but a 3rd probably isn’t in the cards right now.
Stephen
I recently did this. I started with dewalt 18v/20v, got into the Makita 18v system when I bought the cordless track saw and finally both Milwaukee systems when I got the M18 miter saw. I prefer the Makita and Milwaukee and ended up selling my dewalt. Each time I expanded my options were for a specific tool.
PHILIP JOHN
Makita is at a huge disadvantage with double battery set up. Other companies are superior with new cel . If makita were to fo to this new cel… they would make x2 36v pointless.
Lance
The larger cells are better, but Makita is working on those (latest X2 tools have wider battery slots to hold the bigger packs) and will soon have the advantage of both 36v AND the newer cells.
In the meantime it’s not like their X2 tools are lacking, they’ve got plenty of power. I just got the X2 sliding 10” miter saw and it’s fantastic!
Newtonsapple
I think a total switch is unlikely for most unless you have only a few tools or a fleet were maintenance and management of multiple lines has a real cost.
For us homeowners in the middle, it is more about will you branch out. Each brand/line has something the other does not. I am pretty much all yellow for cordless. I stumbled into flexvolt, which is like a half switch/ expansion.
On my wants of other colors:
M12 stubby 1/2” and 3/8” impacts
Makita 2x track saw (already run the corded one and would get one if they run another bonus battery special like last year)
Bosch GAS-18V-3N – Actually went for it, this my first purchase that isn’t yellow
Haitachi triple hammer impact
Cr8on
I’m a 2 platform user, my core construction tools are DeWalt and my supplementals are Ryobi. I also frequently use Ridgid and Milwaukee stuff too. I very much prefer, in general, DeWalt, but will reach for the Ridgid receip saw over my yellow one. I don’t plan on switching brands not adding yet another.
Richard
I have two platforms DeWalt and rigid. My wife bought me a rigid 18 volt battery compressor that will inflate three car tires from empty to 35 PSI on one charge. I also purchased the hedge trimmer from Ridgid and I am very impressed with their yard tools. I will always use the wall four hand power tools
John
Have regrets of not buying red when I got my 18 volt Makita tools in 2010 but they have been good. I have had to replace a couple of batteries but I can live with that expense every couple of years. New tools are too expensive to replace on a whim for the average/ somewhat advanced DIYer once you have a handful of tools – impact driver, impact wrench, 2 drills, recip saw, circ saw, grinder, light, radio, and blower. Looking at offers this past Christmas I was a little shocked to see that the tools I bought for less than $700 then would be over $1200 now – just not worth it considering I don’t need bluetooth or a giant battery pack.
That being said, I did switch from 12V Bosch to Milwaukee M12 a few years ago and haven’t looked back for my smaller stuff. I realized that Bosch just wasn’t going to expand their line like Milwaukee was and saw need for some of their tools so I took the plunge at Christmas a couple of years ago during some good promo offers.
Jason
Pretty impossible. At around 35 Dewalt tools spanning 12v/18v/20v/40v and some Flexvolt stuff, zero reason. Absolute super reliable and hold up. Even have 5 Mac tools and 7 Mac tools batteries built by Dewalt.
Scott K
I bought into Bosch’s 18v platform when I bought my drill/driver kit. I love it, but I have some regrets because DeWalt and Milwaukee have a wider selection often at lower prices for other tools. I’d be more likely to upgrade older corded tools if Bosch had better pricing.
I would consider switching if I had a real need for more tools. With that said, it seems tough to find a good combo kit without a drill/driver/light (as I have).
Bill
Eventually, I will have to. I’m heavily invested in Craftsman 19.2 volt, which, apparently, no one is going to support any more.
Chris
Hmm. It’s so hard to say. I really love my Dewalt 20v Max. But the only reason I’m a Dewalt guy is because my dad and grandpa both have used Dewalt for ever. If they had used Milwaukee, then Milwaukee would likely be my main platform. (Although I do have m12 tools that I absolutely love!) had I been raised with Makita, I’d be using Makita, and so on and so forth. It’s not that I think Dewalt is the best brand, (it is though) and I don’t hate other brands (except hitachi and black and decker) I don’t remember where I was going with this comment. Family started talking to me so I’ll jsut leave it there.
Mo
FYI- black and Decker=DeWalt
They even make some tools in the same clamshell, just different colors.
Just saying….
Chris
Same parent company, different brands.
Aaron
I spent a few years buying regardless of system and it worked for me. I was building cabinets so I had my chargers at my bench and rarely needed a second battery for my tools before the overnight charge session. My Makita 14.4 nimh drill, 12v Black and Decker impact, misc other cordless did great, and of course a variety of pricey shop equipment.
Then I did office work for a few years and discovered that my freezing garage was a dumb place to keep batteries. I bought a Ryobi combo.
Later I bought some more Ryobi, and when I got into contacting I bought a whole lot of Ryobi. I made the switch to li-ion and an now doing the switch to brushless. In the meantime I added some b&d 20v max which I ended up giving away, and a couple other odds and ends, all of which I’ve discarded. It takes a lot to be worth adding a system.
Recently M12 has what it takes. M12 fuel impact and hammer drill as daily use, with base level m12 for system breadth and Ryobi as fallback for weird stuff and for my airstrike 18ga.
Still on the fence with m18. I bought a few pieces but don’t want to invest for real yet. The combined m12/m18 charger makes it seem a little too easy.
At work I have access to DeWalt and Porter Cable stuff, so I could add a tool from either system if there was a really good reason but I haven’t seen it yet.
Brandon
Dewalt all the way… Always and probably ALWAYS will. Between Mac and Dewalt. I’ve got at least 30 tools and probably 40+ batteries. And now that FlexVolt is out. I couldn’t be happier with my cordless arsenal.
Greg
Likewise, most of the brand new power tools I’ve bought are from Dewalt. Now I am not brand loyal, I am loyal my fellow American workers. Hence any I possibly can I buy USA made or USA made/assembled with global materials. As someone who has family/friends that lost their jobs due to globalism, I vehemently hate this with a passion.
If companies want my money, especially the onus needs to be on American companies, create products in the United States of America. Let other countries make their own products and focus domestically.
Some find the notion of supporting American manufacturing and supporting American jobs offensive and even are deeply opposed to this. Everyone is entitled to their opinion so think whatever you want. Bluntly speaking though, I am glad we live in a nation where we can agree to disagree. Not the case everywhere sadly.
Joe framer
Awesome attitude ?
MacLean
I love Makita but I’m frustrated with the x2 platform…it’s unessarily heavy. If I wasn’t so heavily invested in tools I’d switch to Milwaukee…they have lights…an inflator and better batteries.
I did buy a Surebonder Makita to Ryobi adapter…I bought a cheap Ryobi inflator at a Home Depot sale. Might buy a light too. Generally not impressed with Ryobi. My neighbor has a set. We’ve been building his barn… whenever I come over to help he puts down his Ryobi saw and uses my Makita.
D
I feel the same about Makita X2. I’ve just bought into Hikoki/Metabo HPT multivolt. It achieves 36V with the same size and weight as 18V Makita.
Bryan
As a agresskve DIYer with a traditional “office” job my only hobby besides my family is tools. I do my best to keep great care of them. Therefore, I do take advantage of eBay and sell when I’m interested in something new and take advantage of bundled promos. I probably have a problem but I have Dewalt 20V/Flex Volt, Milwaukee M18 and M12 (heated gear is great) Festool (CXS – My most used tool and 18V) Bosch 12V, Makita 18V, several Ryobi items for camping, and lastly Ego OPE! Upon reflection I think I have a issue!! 🙂
Josh
Im currently running the c3 which I really like but the 1/2in impact gets the most work out. Really would like something with more power but I can’t justify the change yet. Keeping an eye on the 12 volt Milwaukee stuff. Since theres a high torque 18 volt at like 1400 ft lb why not a 12 volt at 600 ft lb. That would get me really thinking hard
Jon
I bought my first drill and impact driver 2 years ago for DIY projects, went with m18. If my 2 batteries suddenly died tomorrow, I’d consider switching to Ryobi for cheaper tools (only a DIYer) or Ridgid for lifetime batteries. But unless another brand offers a trade-in program, I’m probably not going to go through the effort to sell my kit and switch.
Jon
And if I NEED another cordless power tool and Milwaukee’s is atleast decently rated, I’ll only consider buying m18.
Eric
Surebonder sells an adapter for $20 that will let you use your M18 batteries with Ryobi tools. They also have them for Makita and Dewalt.
Eric
Very doubtful for me but I do have multiple platforms. DeWalt 20v/60v rule in my house and on my property. They make all of the things I need and lots of things I want that I use hard. I have a ton of them and will stay on the platform as long as possible.
This year, I added two more platforms. I added tools from Ryobi that DeWalt either does not make or charges 2-5x for that I do not use hard. This included a directional worklight, fan, caulk gun, buffer, bike tire inflator, wheeled cordless vacuum, dust buster, etc. I do not view these as a replacement for when I need the pro tools, more as a complent for when home owner grade will suffice.
I also got some of the Bosch 12v tools in order to have the smallest/lightest possible for the interior tasks. I also added the flexi-click which has already paid for itself with the offset adapter.
I do not see adding anything else. I have Bosch 12v for small and light, Ryobi for suburban quality of life tasks, and DeWalt for general power tools.
Richard
Try the Ryobi air compressor. It will inflate three tires from 0 to 35 PSI on one charge. The hedge trimmer is also a good product
Scott K
I’ve had my eye on the inflator. I recently bought a ryobi string trimmer. It was pretty cheap (1 or 1.5 ah battery) so it works as well as can be expected. I’ve got enough gas OPE and use this rarely enough to not want to maintain something else.
Jason Nero
DeWalt also makes an inflator now as well. I’ve run mine with the 5.0AH battery and inflated half a dozen tires without exhausting the charge.
Ron
I’m extremely heavily invested in DeWalt flexvolt and regular DeWalt. Also Bosch M12. There’s no way I would wind up switching I love both platforms they’ve held up great and serve all my needs
Flotsam
Getting a new battery platform would be no big deal in my book. I started with DeWalt 20v when i bought a kit and have gotten a couple other tools since then. I wanted a Milwaukee M12 ratchet so i bought that when i got a deal on a package.
I got into Ridgid when i got a killer deal of a fan and then got a bunch of other Ridgid 18v stuff. I use my stuff at home so an extra charger is no big deal.
Steve
Bought into Makita 18v around January 2015 and at that point they had such a great variety of tools that I knew it was the way to go. Great drivers/drills, had the little brushless circ Saw, the brushless jigsaw and a few other items. To be honest I’ve had no problems with the tools, the quality has been pretty good and they get the job done (just wear and tear) but I feel they are lagging a little bit behind now. A severe lack of good job site lighting, battery tech is now pretty far behind Metabo/Bosch/Hitachi/Dewalt and Milwaukee which is disappointing and they seem good at bringing out niche tools like the rebar tying tool, the big cordless metal cut off saw and the drywall cutter but their nail-guns are terrible as well as a few of the brushless items now needing an upgrade but not getting it. That’s all without mentioning the DLS111z (18v x2 10” Mitre), with the rail twist, poor quality detent plate and fences. What a waste of $1049 that was.
My point being, i would happily switch to Dewalt/Bosch (even Hikoki now) if the 2nd tool prices here in Australia weren’t so bad. Also, I’m one of the only employees with my company that invests in their own tools so for me it’s far too much of an expense without a huge benefit to myself to change now. We’ve got guys (carpenters) who show up with a drill and a driver and expect $45 an hour and all tools provided!
I also find the other tool companies have better deals/sales/redemptions than Makita here in Aus, nothing compared to you guys in the states but still ok.
Samuel Garcia
Ridgid all the way. I’m a DIYer, woodworker, and somewhat of a handyman… I switched from Porter Cable brushless to Ridgid Brushless tools. Absolutely love Ridgid cordless. I own a DeWalt table saw and a Ryobi miter saw. Love em both.
Nathan
Milwaukee M12 & M18 here, no desire to switch, as I have actively tried to get down to one battery platform. However if Big Red does not come out with a Cordless Router this year, I will probably buy one of the other flavors and a battery adapter.
Clyde joines
I use to be very brand loyal until I finally realized not one brand had the best tool available for every job.
We currently have several different brands. It can be a pain to keep up with different batteries and multiple chargers but in the end being more efficient using the best tool for each job is worth it.
Eric
I agree completely which is why I recommend making an adapter to use other brands of tools. It’s not hard at all and the convenience of only needing to have a single brand of batteries and chargers is really helpful when you bounce around from jobsite to jobsite often.
Jerry
I used to have 4 battery platforms at one time but the major one was DeWalt 18V. Thought long and hard before changing over to Ryobi. Went with Think not because I thought they were the.best as much as they were good for the price, and more importantly they have every tool i need and then some on one battery platform. Did the musical chargers too long and have no desire to again have 3 full batteries but none for the tool I need at the moment
A W
For work, absolutely. 8 years ago, lots of aircraft mechanics had the Craftsman Nextec driver for opening up inspection panels, and they have largely switched over to Milwaukee or Snap on.
For home use, it would take fairly seismic events for me to swap brands. My corded tools are all sorts of colors, but cordless is M18. I primarily chose them a couple years ago because I liked the idea of a one handed hackzall, and I could get an entry set of drill, impact driver, hackzall, and light for $250.
Since then, I spend more time wanting upgraded version of tools I already have than tools of other colors. I’d like to have the gen 3 rocket light or fuel hackzall as much as I’d love a yellow router or teal track saw.
Benny
I have a bunch of Milwaukee m12 and m18 fuel tools. Milwaukee has the best batteries and the widest selection of the type of tools that I would use.
There are a few tools that I would like to have, that Milwaukee doesn’t make. A cordless track saw and a mini router. I will most likely buy makitas, they seem to be the best quality in those certain tools.
Josh
I got into Bosch 18v when I got my first cordless drill, many, many years ago. I’m still pretty happy with them, but I recently bought a house and branched out into Ryobi for things like their 18v weed whacker, air mattress inflator, and hot glue gun. At this point I’m on two battery systems and it’ll be a hard job to convince me to start a 3rd.
Scott
Makita’s 18v nominal line has been the way to go for me with the higher-power group, as their full-size tools are well-made, durable, straightforward, and they fit my big dumb meat hooks well in terms of ergonomics. Their cordless line also dovetails really well into their corded offerings, with some tools even having cross compatibility with accessories (their trim router and router bases come to mind).
I also appreciate the ability to have the light weight and small dimensions of a 12v system in their 18v subcompact line, which eliminates the need for buying into a second battery system. Their subcompact offerings have a very similar feel to their full-size tools, so muscle memory isn’t compromised when switching to their lower-powered offerings.
I also have invested in the Ryobi line for lighter-duty homeowner-style items like LED lights and such, and for seldom-used or emergency tools like transfer pumps and portable air compressors and whatnot.
And to round out the good/better/best situation, I have my Hilti tools – 21.6v nominal – that bring the heat in terms of heavy-duty applications. These get used about as frequently as the Ryobi tools, though, as I find that the Makita lineup is more conducive to use on 90% of jobs.
I wouldn’t change battery platforms for those good/better/best brands at this time. Not until the batteries are obsolete, really… but I’m not seeing that happen with Li-ion tools anytime soon, and these are some of the longest-lived battery platforms on the market today. Huh – maybe that’s why I chose ‘em.
Cheers, y’all. Hope that helps.
Corey
When you set all the aggressive tribalism aside (this comment section is much friendlier than I expected lol) it’s another Chevy/Dodge/Ford or Android/iPhone situation: they all obviously owe their success and wealth to making good products in much greater quantities than lemons, and statistically you probably can’t go wrong with any particular investment. Personally I chose yellow after a couple red lemons, but hold no grudges. The m12s are impressive, but I elected for Makita subcompacts before gen 2 was available, and I’ve simply no want or need for another platform for any particular tool or offering. We fleet generally with Milwaukee at work for general tools and battery sharing, but I leave the truck tools for apprentices as I personally own more yellow than there is red on any three trucks and I obviously prefer them. So with DeWalt, Makita, and Milwaukee on hand daily, I suppose my long winded answer would be, no lol no reason to change anything, personally.
Andy
I have a small beach house with no garage. I work out of a 8×12 shed. Having multiple battery chargers is not a luxury I can afford
fred
When I was buying for the business – I tried to be analytical – took advice from the crews – did not let what we did in one business cloud decisions for other businesses (had to keep them separated of course – lest we’d run afoul of the IRS) and did present worth analysis or even ran business-case studies on big purchasing decisions. We had one business that was mostly Makita – with a few exceptions (like 36V Dewalt saws) – where Makita did not then have a comparable tool. We did not switch so much as we bought into an outlier or two. For the plumbing business – we had decided on Milwaukee – 12V and then 18V
– probably because of trade specific tools that they offered earlier than their competition. For our installers – in the cabinet business – it was mostly M12 – but I’ve heard that they have been buying into Bosch . Almost all of this was to keep the number of different batteries and chargers – in our truck and workout centers down to a rational cost-effective number.
Now at home it is a different issue. Retired (now 6 years) – I’m supporting woodworking and furniture making hobbies, the occasional remodeling, maintenance or home improvement project in 3 homes – plus the kid’s places – and my wife’s landscaping and gardening activities. Once I retired my old NiCad and NiMH battery-powered tools – being familiar with Makita – I went (starting in 2008) that route with their LXT line – and thought that I would not be enticed to move away. But tools like Ryobi’s cordless glue gun (for my wife) – had me buying into that lineup. A desire for light-weight tools got me buying Milwaukee M12 – so I was up to 3 platforms. Then a big landscaping project – had me buying a M18 7/16 impact gun – so now 4 platforms – this one also supporting additional OPE for my wife’s gardening. Bosch’s little trim router and planer – had no comparable – wanted them to compliment some inlay and veneering projects – and voilà I was up to 5 platforms. Then, last year my wife wanted a cordless shears – and the Makita CXT battery platform was added – making it #6. Most of this runs against my business sense. None of these battery-platform additions (not exactly switches) were necessary – but they did not strain my wallet – so I sort of said “what the heck.”
Buck Rogers
Yes, I could be convinced to switch. Though I wont because it would be a hefty investment no matter what. My situation is unique and decidedly my own fault.
I am a tried and true Black and Decker/Porter Cable user. I use almost all of my tools on a daily basis, from the porter cable 20v angle grinder and porter cable 20v 1/4 inch crown stapler to the Black and Decker 1/4inch hex drive impact. My reasoning was economical, I had purchased a Black and Decker set including 20v circular saw, 20v sawsall, 20v flashlight, 20v 2 speed drill with 1/2inch chuck and later bought the black and decker 1/4inch hex drive impact all together for about $190 including 2A charger and 3 1.5Ah batteries. By far the least expensive avenue I could have taken for the tools I got. Then I realized I was tired of finding outlets to plug in my 4 inch angle grinder, after searching extensively for a 20v Black and Decker angle grinder I discovered they don’t make one but I discovered Stanley Black and Decker also owns Porter Cable and I believe Dewalt. So I went to lowes and looked at the Porter Cable battery from factor and spent $50 on the porter cable angle grinder with the intention of modifying the tool enough to be able to use my black and decker batteries in my porter cable tool. To my surprise it took about 5 minutes with a utility knife and now all of my porter cable and black and decker tools use the same batteries, I have also had really good luck with 4Ah generic battery packs of varying brands purchased for between $28 and $35. I have been using this setup for almost 2 years and have not killed any of the tools and only one battery pack that I just harvested the good 18650’s from to reuse in USB battery packs and various toys of children’s that I was sick of purchasing D cell batteries for.
I would love to switch brands but it would be for aesthetics and not merely cost and function.
I am curious however if anyone else has done similar with any other brands.
Marty
I used to think multiple platforms would cause issues, but it doesn’t. I have Dewalt 8v and 20v, Hitachi 18v, Milwaukee 12v, and Ryobi 18v. Those give me everything I could want.
RKA
I’ve got 6 battery platforms. I’ve pruned it down some, but the remaining each have their place. But when I see a new tool that looks interesting, I look at the stack of chargers on my bench and that’s usually enough to convince me to pass on it. Usually. Makita’s cordless router…I’ll wait and see if an M18 comes along.
CaveSAR
I go by need/does a platform make a compelling business case. Then can I get a special pricing deal.
Wait for the right deal and the tool is almost free – one is just paying for the batteries. I can afford to have a power strip with a couple of different chargers.
One is almost forced to use multiple platforms because of annoying gaps – Ryobi is the closest to a full line. For a long time Milwaukee was the only way to get a cordless LED tower light. But, as noted above, no Milwaukee cordless router. Nor belt sander.
I initially went with a Bosch cordless reciprocating saw, pruning saw blade, because I do trail clearing and Bosch was first with a 6 Ah battery. Then I added what is now their Freak impact driver as a 2 – 4 Ah battery kit. It took me a couple of years to get 1/2″ impact sockets – Amazon sale finally had them at a really good price.
Next year I got Milwaukee because of the amazing 9Ah kit prices – I sold off the tools and the chargers so the batteries became 1/2 price. Then I added full M18, M12 kits, from Home Depot holiday specials.
Ryobi always fills a niche like their more expensive 18V compressor – digital pressure gauge so set and walk away while filling a tire. Their vacuums, transfer pump, pool radio, LED lights.
I got a Dewalt cordless bandsaw kit on special for the price of the two batteries – and it was less than a bare Milwaukee M18. Plus a lot of the folks I do trail builds with have Dewalt cordless drills and circular saws.
Makita couple shaft allows one to have both cordless and 4 cycle gas power heads. Plus, when the kit is a special that includes 2 extra batteries, the power head is almost free. I also already had an X2 circular saw.
Eric
Solution = battery adapters. Not hard to diy one yourself and if done right it can retain the thermal and over discharge protections necessary to not destroy your batteries. I’ve been running 20v dewalt batteries on ryobi 18v tools now for 6 months and haven’t had a single problem yet.
Paramount
I switched over from Dewalt 18 NiMh to Makitas LXT a few years ago. I never had any real issues with the Dewalts, but the L-ion batteries were a revolution of sorts. I’ve been pretty happy with the Makitas. They certainly have a huge array of bare tool offerings.
I own a construction company, so it would take a lot to universally switch battery platforms (money, essentially). There’s plenty of efficiency realized when everyone is on the same page.
The little Bosch 12V (10.8 that I have) are pretty handy for the work we do, so I have some of them as well.
I doubt that I would ever add another true cordless platform beyond the 2 we use. We do have a fleet of Paslode cordless nailers, which are their own thing, battery-wise.
Steve Fedor
DeWalt has my business when it comes to 20 volt and flexvolt tools I love my flexvolt grinder and miter saw but I have a ton of Milwaukee 12 volt tools they have a killer 12 volt lineup so many of their 12 volt tools crossover perfectly to the automotive world too
Dustysa4
I’m currently invested in batteries of two brands, DeWalt and Makita. So whenever I’m in need of a new cordless tool, I’m confident one of my two brands will make something worth buying.
Having said that, I would never turn down a tool gift. And I’ll buy whatever brand I deem worthy when it comes to corded tools.
Greg
I run with Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee, and Ryobi. This mix seems to be the best of everything for me. Yes it means I have tons of non interchangeable batteries but when I decided to go cordless I decided that sticking to one manufacturer (even though it’s more convenient) wasn’t going to be the way to go. Instead I decided whoever makes the best in class for the tool I need I’ll go with.
Now if you said pick one and only one brand I would say it would be Makita honestly. I could probably live without every other brand (although the trade specific tools Milwaukee makes would be tough to live without, wouldn’t do a plumbing job without the ProPex tools for example).
I’ve never had Bosch and maybe I should give them a shot sometime. Same thing with Hitachi, Panasonic, Ingersoll Rand Cordless Impacts, and Rigid. Long ago I used to own a handful of Snap On cordless tools but there’s no way I can justify it anymore. The replacement batteries for either voltage platform cost way too much money considering they are Sony cells in most of them. So I sold all of my Snap On used and bought almost all the available (in 2015) Milwaukee Fuel Impacts for the same price.
I’d love to buy one Hilti even used someday just to see what it’s all about.
Tim E.
I think DIYers are fairly lucky, we can do multiple platforms if needed at mostly just a minor inconvenience cost (provided you get your tools as kits on deal). I’d really hate being a pro using really nice air nail guns and being on M18 otherwise, staring at dewalt’s flexvolt compressor lustily all the time. Same with a router as has been mentioned. If I were in Dewalt’s line I might dream of some of the M18 lighting solutions, maybe M12 after DeWalt essentially mothballed their 12V. So many brands/lines have their unique tools, as DIYers it makes more sense to be able to pick those where desired and not be an issue, whereas for pros considerations for being on a single platform may override branching out to cherry pick.
mattd
I currently have adapters so I can use my main lines batteries in both ryobi (3-d printed) and makita (home-made jerry rigged.). I figure if i have a need for a tool that these companies do not provide I can make another adapter. You can get dead batteries from most big box stores by rummaging through their battery recycling bins and then just convert those with parts I have from extra chargers to make an easy adapter.
Bryan
I started getting out of the Craftsman C3 line three years ago when I saw the writing on the wall with Sears. Took maybe 4 months to sell all of it on Craigslist. Jumped on the Milwaukee M18 platform and then a year ago got into the Ryobi One+ platform as well. There is just some stuff Ryobi makes that Milwaukee doesn’t, like inflators and glue guns. And then there are some things Ryobi just plain out beats Milwaukee in like nailers. I use Milwaukee for impact wrenches, impact drivers, drills, sawzalls, etc. I find it good to be invested in both brands.
Ben
I’m Dewalt all the way but in hindsight I’d probably have picked Milwaukee, they do appear to have a large range. I feel like Dewalt is slow to release obvious tools, like their cordless woodworking tools.
As I can afford it, I will add Festools to shop, starting with their Track saw.
JoeM
If money was no object, and I got to keep the tools I have? Of course I’d add another brand. Milwaukee and Bosch, I Think. If I can get my head wrapped around their Model Numbering systems, then yeah. I’d have no issues having their tools along side my DeWALT tools.
Just don’t take away my DeWALT or Dremel tools, that’s all. But, don’t ask me to do it on a budget, either. The whole reason I went with DeWALT is because they’re powerful and durable, even outside of the warranty. And I can’t afford to replace my tools constantly. So… Money has to be no object if I’m going to add other companies to my… Arsenal…
Dave
I switched from Ryobi to Milwaukee last year, but did a ton of research before choosing and was considering literally all of the major brands. For me the breadth of tool selection won out, but I’m sure I’d be happy if I’d have gone with DeWalt or Makita or Ridgid as well.
Ryobi is still handy for specialty tools that don’t get a lot of use (if I need it more than a couple times a month I’m buying red, if I only need it a few times a year it’s probably going to be green), but no way I’m expanding beyond two platforms.
Eric
I was all in on Milwaukee M12/M18. Then I got roped into Porter Cable when Lowes had some 20v crown staplers on clearance, I couldn’t say no for $1 7 shipped to my door. Which led to buying one of their 2 gallon vacs, a grinder, and an oscillating tool. I accept that it’s a dead end platform, but I saw some really great deals on tools that won’t get used that often anyway.
Lance
Happy New Year folks!
I personally don’t have any loyalties per say, only favs in certain categories. I buy nothing unless the price is rite & justifiable to an extent in my head. I strive to be completely wireless. 12” cordless sliding miter? No question, Dewalt, cordless 8 1/2 could go to either red or yellow. For future ref I will go with which ever comes up cheapest & I have the batteries to spare. For my trade Dewalt leads with nailers so I’m yellow. I like the look & feel of the m18 & m12 impacts & drills…check! We all know who holds the crown w/ sawzalls, red. Stud/joist drill could go a few ways I like the size/weight of reds version. I believe yellow flex has the angle grinder on lock. I’m in for red & yellow mostly atm but makita is bosses brand so I use those too. He literally buys which ever is closest when he is walking around depot & which ever is cheapest. Never looks deeper than surface. As my boy says, they will ALL complete the job in “trained” hands, so wether or not they are 103, 93, or 87 octane lol it doesn’t always matter to everyone. Oh and Fein has the multitool on lock! So people are completely content with mediocre and/or not bad, i personally preference friggin amazing! But not everyone cares as much as I do so Ive learned to not stress myself trying to convert people to amazing when they get by just fine with ok, bc chances are we have different values & different priorities! Which is completely cool! I preach no hate! I will never be 1 brand only personally, regardless of a power tool, television, surround sound, electronics, clothing line ect ect as long as my money is right I shoot for top 1-5 all around beasts! Portable Dust extraction? Prob Festool eventually (money…) ridgid does just fine atm. exspresso/latte? Starbucks!? No questions asked my friggin custom exspresso is off the chain! Having prob converted 15-20 non-regular Starbucks drinkers to my drink given how damn delicious it is! Gotta like pretty sweet though! I won’t waiver there. But again to each his own! Rock with it! It works if YOU work it!
The What?
If you’re dewalt to switching from shit quality diy brands like b&d to prosumer brands like dewalt, Hitachi, etc then yes. But if you’re talking about switching from makita to Milwaukee, then no I wouldn’t. Why would you want to? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?. If a person has been using dewalt for a long time and they’ve served them well, why would they want to switch to makita, Hitachi, etc and vice versa? That would be a complete waste of money to buy the same tools you already own just to start another battery platform. There’s nothing to benefit from by doing so. Other than visible distinctions, they’re all identical in electronics specs, design characteristics, weight, etc. Battery voltage is identical. People invest a lot of money into their preferred brand of tools and battery platform and they generally stick to it when they’ve been using it for a while. However if you are given tools and batteries free of charge on a regular basis and you have that luxury of switching whenever you want, then sure, why not.
Stuart
Not really; each brand has certain unique tools, and others that might be a little better than the competition.
P.S. TooloftheTrade/GoodnightJohnboy, Will this be your new name for 2019? Yes, we know who you are. You can change your name, all I ask is that you stick with it. Unless you resort to personal attacks again, in which case you’ll be blacklisted.
OhioHead
Thank you Stuart.
This topic is very relevant and creating “healthy” discussion among your readers to learn the logic other users have had to use to make a switch (if they did)!
Todd
I have an assorted hodgepodge, and starting over from scratch.
Am I a sucker not to got for Ridgid with the lifetime warranty?
Doing some remodeling and maybe some rental stuff, so slightly more than average homeowner stuff, but not professional.
Thanks!
Mo
My helper has rigid 18v bl driver drill, saw, sawzall.
Every time he is on site with my tools.he reaches for my Milwaukee cordless.
The Gen 3 m12 fuel impact has more power than the rigid 18v bl driver. All day long the little one will sink the same tapcons that the rigid leaves an inch exposed.
I’ll gladly pay for new batteries in 5 years if it means my tools do what I asked.
I am a pro remodeler so there’s that …
T M
This past summer Lowes started closing out their Bosch line of 18V, preparing for Craftsman. I went around and started buying up their display models and other inventory at 7 stores at 50-75% off. Some were marked but mostly I convinced store managers to cut me some great deals and now have 25 pieces including 6 impacts and 10 of the various drills and hammer drills, 7 saws, a light, a grinder and my favorite multitool. I lead teams of volunteers that build ramps and fix elderly and veteran homes on the weekend. The tools have worked great! I just wish I had double the 14 batteries and 8 chargers.
Eric. Lantz
I am very impressed with Dewalt only because they are starting to make certain cordless tools back in the United States. That is the main reason I switched from Makita to Dewalt. I understand not all the tools are made in the USA but they have done a good job bringing back manufacturing to the USA and for that reason I will support them!
Keegan Koeppe
I bought a DeWalt kit soon after I bought my first house (5-6 years ago). I was real familiar with the yellow stuff as I preferred shopping at Lowe’s and the place I worked had all DeWalt, although 18v versions at the time. Got a super sale on the top end kit with the hammer drill and impact with 2 3aH batteries.
A friend at work got a Snap-On battery ratchet, and I wanted one for home. Settled on the Milwaukee M12 Fuel instead. We also had the brushless 1/2 impact, found a sale on that so I also bought it because it’s awesome. Also got the 3/8 yellow impact when I found that on sale.
During all this i stated the Milwaukee kool-aid, but didn’t want to switch platforms. Found the Gen 2 one-key kit with 2 5aH batteries for 200 the other day. Planning on having 3 platforms now. Allows me to buy the best quality tool at the best price when they go on sale. I’ll sell my DeWalt kit with 1 battery and will have a 3 &4ah 20v. 2 x 5aH M18s, and 2ah and 2x 4ah M12s.
David Ski
I am a die-hard Ridgid user they make awesome tools I use them everyday. The fact is they will fix it or replace as long as I own it. Does not matter batteries or tools they will fix or replace. As far as I’m concerned there is no other cordless power tool manufacturer.
william matteson
I had all craftman c3 for few years but the batteries had short life. The last straw was when i had 3 tools die on me on the job in couple months.. I went our and bought the Milwaukee m18. Haven’t regretted it since. It’s simply the best tools so far
PHILIP JOHN
I am a industrial mechanic. I now use both. I will comment on cons.
Milwaukee… releases new tools so quick… they often remake a tool. IE m18 mag drill.
Dewalt… craftman purchase slowed dewalt down… too many brands. Needs to be quicker at new flex tools.
Mike M
I had a cabinet shop for 30 years and started with Makita then Panasonic , who made all the batteries for everyone at the time. Then switched to Bosch because of size and now retired I have all Milwaukee. They have the best tool platform going, offering brushless motors and the highest amp hour battery ( so far). They make a tool for just about any trade. Once you have a couple chargers / batteries ,purchasing the tool only makes sense.
I would guess this survey is testing Matabo’s new tool/ battery platform coming out. For me I’m too invested into Milwaukee but do have a couple older corded Matabo tools that perform very well when needed.
Corey
To be fair, DeWalt announced the 12 amp hour battery the day before Milwaukee lol so they’re the second manufacturer to achieve the highest current capacity battery. Good ass tools though, none the less.
Adam Schultz
I started out as a dyi guy who always did interior painting on the side and I had a limited budget. So, I went Craftsman C3. I had a pretty decent collection going. Well, I started full time my own painting and handymam businesses and it was easy to see my tools were not up to some of the tasks. A circular saw that could get a few cuts in 2x12s before battery dies or an impacter that would overheat putting in lag screws. I started by getting a Milwaukee Fuel 1st generstion Hammerdrill driver because there was a sale at my local lumberyard. From there I saw the HUGE difference in a pro quality tool. This was 4 years ago. I decided I’d have to replace all my C3 tools. I’ve done that and added much more. I’ve kept the C3 stuff for my little workshop and all my Milwaukee stuff stay in my work van.
That being said, I’ve spent well over $4,000 on M18 tools so far and I don’t see why I would need or want another platform at this point. Selling my current ones? No one wants used tools unless they can get it for half price or less so that would not be an economical solution. Sure, I envy other brands options sometimes if Milwaukee doesn’t make it, but not enough to invest in another line. I either need to be patient for them to make it or bye a cheaper corded similar item until they do. That’s just me. I’m a one man band and don’t need 2 of everything in my arsenal.
Daryl weatherman
Why has know one talked about Hilti ? Just try them and you will know. The impact driver has three setttings ! It is worth trying ! I did and there is no comparison.
fred
We had a batch of Hilti PATS and corded tools in one business. They were workhorse tools – but Hilti seemed slow to move into cordless. By the time they had their first LiIon cordless too – we were heavily invested in Makita – which had (still do) a lot more offerings to meet our needs.
I could make similar remarks about why we did not go with Festool cordless. Mafell cordless or Fein cordless tools. The businesses and I have corded tools from these folks – but the breadth of their cordless lineups did not make a compelling case for either me or the businesses.
Chris? Barbot
As history repeats itself one month the tool you bought was at the top of its class then 3 months later a new tool brand comes out with stronger driving power and battery life. The question answered is sure I would switch because I learned a while back some tool companies become stagnant and rely on a good hit on a tool and just keep riding the same train and does not try to improve.
fred
That is a good point. For a business – what gets you to think about jumping ship is either some paradigm shift in offerings by one brand – or maybe even a batch of tools that make increased productivity or enhanced safety possible. Who’s first to market to help you comply with a new OSHA requirement might also get you thinking.
Joe framer
Actually ,not really true. Dewalt has a 996 drill that has been the number 1 heavy duty drill for over 3 years ,even now it’s as good or slightly behind the gen 3 Milwaukee …
The dewalt 887 has been unmatched for years until the gen 3 Milwaukee…the circ saws are still unmatched 2 yrs..575 and 577….
… Milwaukee makes a new generation tool every year , dewalt makes tools that lead for years. .. Makita is innovative but doesn’t lead any category. Neither does any other brand..
….yes other brands make quality,high end tools, work great and last..but..they are not category leading … Loo
Jared
When it was time to upgrade from Nicad tools I thought I’d stick to one brand because it would be cheaper to have fewer batteries. I was wrong. I’ve branched into three brands now – having found kits over the years priced lower than adding bare tools for my existing collection.
The first tool I bought was a Dewalt oscillating multi-tool with a pair of 4ah batteries and a 4 amp charger. By shopping around and waiting for deals I paid less for that self-assembled “kit” than the pre-packaged one with smaller batteries and the slow charger.
Next I got a Bosch drill kit as a “free bonus” from my locale hardware store (I was remodeling at the time and buying a LOT of stuff from them). Soon after I bought another Bosch drill and impact kit from an Amazon promotion because I wanted a impact driver while building my deck. The combo was on sale about $20 more than the bare impact driver alone. I figured that was a good deal to add two more batteries and a charger – even if I now had a duplicate drill.
More recently I bought some Porter Cable tools. I was doing trim in my house and my pneumatic nailer broke. I found a 20v 16ga nailer kit on clearance for substantially less than the bare Dewalt tool.
Shortly after picking it up I saw other Porter Cable tools go on clearance and I picked up a grinder, jig saw and a 4amp battery for surprisingly little money. Between all of those tools and the bonus battery I’m probably right around the price of just the Dewalt nailer.
I’ve purchased more tools since, but the moral of my story is I now own three different brands: Dewalt, Bosch and Porter Cable. Ha – well actually five if you count my Flexvolt tools and my one Dewalt 12v driver as separate lines. I never intended things to work out this way, but in my case I saved money and ended up with more batteries by buying into three brands.
Too embarrassed to admit
As someone who is diagnosed with OCD and is a professional carpenter, this topic hits close to home. I had ALL yellow tools, power and hand (20v & Flexvolt). I then decided to start a red collection for home with the M12 Fuel platform. I was extremely impressed with the innovation, although I must say the quality is very good with both brands. I eventually bought some M18 tools on steep discounts like the 7-1/4 miter saw kit and 1/2” impact gun. I started using some of the Milwaukee tools at work and could not stand having two battery platforms at once. Eventually I sold, gave away, or put out of sight every single Dewalt tool I had and replaced them with brand new M18 equivalents. Having a full line of M18, M12 and hand tools all in the same color with matching and organized Packout boxes really pleases my OCD. I know that this is an extreme waste of money and may sound ridiculous to some but working with the tools every day and suffering from OCD makes every dollar spent worth it.
Philly B.
I recently did exactly what you’re talking about. I had been a big fan of Bosch power tools. I have drills, saws, routers, and a ton of misc Bosch tools. I had been happy for the most part until I ran across the DeWalt flexvolt miter saw. I researched the heck out of it. The more I researched the more I noticed how outdated the Bosch battery platform was. I soon bought the miter saw and have since replaced all my drills and portable saws. I still like Bosch for small jobs around the house but if I’m out working at a site, the DeWalt are what I reach for. In my opinion their battery platform is second to none! And the power I get out of the tool is far superior.
Mo
As a pro remodeler I have been mostly a red guy for the last decade plus, at least for cordless stuff. I do own DeWalt,Rigid, Makita,, Hitachi,even a Ryobi or 2(40v lawn mower and trimmer are awesome)
Milwaukee really let me down with the new cordless trim nailers (went through 3 of the 18 ga nailers, never once actually using one for a paying job because garbage tool)
so I picked up the Hitachi BL 18ga nailer, framing nailer and 23ga Pinner. So I have a pile of those batteries now, but really these replace the Paslode gas nailers, so not really a change.
I have also invested heavily into the green and black German Brand. I have a couple of drills,the drywall screwgun, the csx saw and the 18v x2 tracksaw.
Once you step up to true pro tools(festool, Hilti,,mafel,etc-maybe I just have a German fetish??) you can just tell the corners cut by the prosumer stuff. The festool drills are so silky smooth.
The drywall gun runs circles around the Milwaukee unit(I never touch that pos anymore,it’s for the helpers)
To get to the main question,No I would not switch platforms for my core tools
But I will buy whatever tool works for what I need.
I do have brand preferences and they will affect my choice when multiple manufacturers offer the same tools.
Frank D
If money was no object, and perhaps I was single ( wife factor 😉 ) I might go red, instead of a mix of things with primarily ridgid, ryobi, bosch, old makita and craftsman.
Still it seems like no brand excells in everything, whether number of tool options, warranty, price point, …
And we still can’t settle around a single voltage line whether 12v 18v … 20v 36v and up … which give me flashbacks of my obsoleted 12v Makita and 24v Ridgid. I am still a bit sour about Ridgid forcing me to struggle without new 24v “ lifetime warranty replacement “ batteries … I would have been happier and more productive with ryobi and buying my own 18v batteries. But, Ridgid finally got their act together and sent me a refurbished set of 18v … which drill aggressive brake system releases the bit after drilling three holes … always something :/
OhioHead
^ this – no brand excels at everything, hence my electric tools are made by the best in their respective classes. Cordless is hard to do this with, you can not go wrong with the major players.
Chung
I started out my tool collection with the Makita compact drill combo kit (white colored version) that my buddy got me into buying. From there on, I’ve expanded my cordless tool collection with Makita. I’ve bought some corded tools from Makita as well as Bosch but that doesn’t affect my battery loyalty. Later i bought the Bosch 12v combo kit (impact, drill, drill driver). End up selling them due to lack of power and bulky feel in hand.
However, I recently acquired the new Milwaukee impact driver and loved it and decided to buy into some of their tools. Bought the 7 1/2″ circular saw and some extra batteries. Even bought my dad a Milwaukee combo kit (drill, impact, sawzall).
But because I’m so invested in Makita’s cordless platform, I don’t think I’ll make a full switch to another brand such as Milwaukee even though I like some of their new tool but I wouldn’t mind keeping two brands as long as I don’t duplicate the same tool. There are tools that shine with each brand.
Ryan
I just did this last month. I jumped on to makita about 8 or 9 years ago when they came out with lithium ion batteries. Over the years I’ve built up quite a few makita tools. Drills and other tools have been replaced multiple times. Over the last year I’ve been looking at the milwaukee M18 fuel tools. I finally took the plunge, and I have to say, I’ve always bought tools one or two pieces at a time. This is the first time I’ve bought everything at once. In the past I’ve spent $3500 on one large tool (metal lathe, pipe threading machine, pro-press) and it did not sting me near as much as spending $3150 on all new cordless tools. I think it hurt more because I still had very capable working makita tools. I’m extremely happy with the milwaukee tools, but I know it wasnt a necessity for me to buy them. I would not say I have sellers remorse, but I do know that $3k could have gone to something a lot more fun…. the biggest difference in my opinion are the drills. I like the makita bandsaw better than the mid size 3.25″ milwaukee bandsaw. Sawzall, circ-saw, hammer drill, multi-tool, grinder are not used often, so I dont see a great differnece. The milwaukee lighting is AMAZING. I’m sure battery life is better, but I haven’t really noticed.
Ralph Mayes
I made the switch to Hitachi about 2 years ago because they had the best cordless nailers and that was the best decision I have ever made! My battery is typically the first thing to need replacement and they have very good quality batteries at an extremely low retail! Only thing I wish is that the 18V batteries had a charge light on them…BUT, they introduced the MultiVolt battery and a super impressive platform to boot! And guess what!? Those batteries not only have a charge light, they also work in my 18V tools!!! It’s with the metabo name, but I guess that’s all part of their re-brand thing. I’m sold for life with these tools. And covered for life as apparently they have lifetime warranties on their tools. Haven’t encountered an issue yet though.
stg454
It’s kind of funny that this was mentioned in your email today.
I just purchased the Milwaukee M12 5 tool kit for an amazing price. I have wanted the cordless ratchet and other unique Milwaukee tools for a while.
I have been using a Bosch 12V kit for several years and have been happy with them except for their lack of tool selection. I plan to keep the flashlight, right angle driver and jacket. The drill, impact driver and sawzall will be for sale soon.
I have the 20V DeWalt tools for more demanding tasks.
Diamond Dave
Invested in Dewalt 20v Platform along with Milwaukee’s 12v Platform. Seriously in love with Milwaukee’s 12v platform and the new tools they constantly bring out! I own the 12v Brushed Ratchet 3/8” and now looking at purchasing the new M12 Stubby Impact for Automotive work. As far as Dewalt’s 20v platform, I have the Brushless Drill and 3 Speed Impact, Recip, Circ Saw, Multi Use tool, Jigsaw and both 20v Impact Wrenches, but I definitely use the Milwaukee M12 lineup tools more frequently since am retired from the trades and just a serious DIYer.
Thom
I try to stick with Makita 18v but honestly due to price I also own Ridgid, Milwaukee, Ryobi, Craftsman and Dewalt and I find that Im using my Ridgid stuff more than the rest lately.
Nathan
Now that i have a set of items I don’t know I would swap brands. In my case Dewalt 20V. I wouldn’t just tomorrow buy a Milwaukee M18 something. Few reasons other than there isn’t a M18 device that I don’t think there is a suitable equivalent Dewalt 20V device. Same with Makita or Bosch. But I went into my purchase eyes open planning on picking a platform to live with. And to be fair had I picked say Milwaukee for my 18V/20V system back then I would say similar today. I wouldn’t swap over.
Now would I augment – I’m thinking about it. For the flexclick device alone I’m thinking about getting into Bosch 12V. But I also have a significant desire for the M12 ratchet device. But I’m also thinking hard about getting into the IR cordless tools for my auto use. I want the dewalt 20V mid torque impact wrench – but I also like aspects of the IR device and IR makes a few other tools I would consider. But they wouldn’t make a drill or saw I would use.
So I guess My answer is no because I feel I chose well – followed up by a maybe add to.
ToolJunkie
I had the 18v line of Dewalt for the first 10 yrs, then bought into their 20v line. When used side by side with a buddy’s Gen 1 Milwaukee, they always drove faster/harder. Then I got a Flexvolt left cut ‘worm drive’ style saw, which is an amazing tool. Plus the Flexvolt batteries definitely give more torque to the 20v tools.
However, my 12″ Bosch articulated saw was way too heavy to take out to the side of the house, much less somewhere else. My buddy got the Milwaukee 7 1/4″ SCMS (at 26#) and Dewalt’s version is a shame, as it doesn’t bevel to both sides. So, I bought it after waiting on Dewalt all year with nothing. I then found the Surge (oil hydraulic impact) and then the Hacksall. So, over Christmas most of my money went into Milwaukee.
I’ve been waiting on a cordless trim router & Dewalt has one coming out, which would be a lot cheaper that a whole Makita kit with batteries…
It seems like Milwaukee is more in tune with the trades, so they have a nice variety. I talked with a Dewalt rep and he said that Dewalt was doing away with having several versions of the impact driver, in favor of only one, as there isn’t a much down time switching over the production runs.
So, I feel I now have the my choice for a given tool, say a jigsaw. If one company doesn’t have it, the other likely will.
Now, if Dewalt came out with a lightweight dual bevel 7 1/4″ SCMS with a 10″ crosscut, I’d likely get that…
aerodawg
I’m into both DeWalt and Ryobi and that’s about my limit. Anything I use a lot I buy DeWalt. Anything that sees more limited use or is a more specialty tool, I buy Ryobi.
Ct
NO WAY! I love my ryobi 18v li so much I have even changed several other brands over to take ryobi batteries. .I am a handy man and the green tools hold up very well. Only had a problem with 1 tool over the years there reciprocating saws. Since modified a Milwaukee hatchet to take its place…I feel like most the other tool brands screwed there customers over by changing battery platforms over the years.
https://youtu.be/0bzYtPofJ54
Joe framer
Money isn’t an issue, so that makes it easy
Nothing beats flexvolt for framing so at work it’s all dewalt, especially with 12ah batteries, except the sawzall is Milwaukee.
….at home I prefer the best tool for the job .Festool sanders,jigsaw, mitre saw and vacuum . Makita td171 impact ad Makita drill… probably the best finesse tools around, not as powerful but impressive. …..Bosch 12v brushless tools…mafell jigsaw…powermatic, ..the best tools do make a huge difference,…
…if I was just DIY then Ryobi has everything you could ever want and more.. awesome brand.
Matt
I tend to get whatever is priced best/performs best for what I need. Sometimes that means getting a bare tool, but more often I can often get whatever bare tool I need as a throw in to some slightly more expensive kit that comes with a battery and extra tool for another 10-20%. With the typically high cost for batteries alone, as long as I have a need for a kit item or 2 or the extra battery, it’s often worth it (both psychologically and economically) to me to go the kit route. With some of the higher priced brands, I can also part out and ebay some of the bare tools in the kit that I don’t need. This tends to be a bit tougher with value priced stuff from Ryobi, as the shipping costs make it tough to create an attractive item out of a core tool while also making back whatever extra I spent.
I am using the tools as a homeowner/DIY guy, so most of the time I only need to do more than one battery change for major projects. However, having multiple platforms (mostly because of pricing differences that made some kind of kit more attractive than another at different times) is actually pretty convenient because I end up having more batteries to switch between or I can have more tools out to use on a project with batteries on them ready to go. I suppose I could get more batteries in one system, but then I’d end up doing charger musical chairs and having to find storage for the extra batteries.
I’ve got a mix of Ryobi One+ 18V, Ryobi 12V, Milwaukee M18 and M12, and Greenworks and Kobalt 80V systems for OPE. Pretty much all of them I got because there was a tool that I heard good reviews on or I found something on clearance. The Ryobi buy-in was a bit more purposeful as I knew they had a wide range of odd/unique but useful tools at good prices.
So in short, no. I have no specific allegiance to one brand/color over another.
Eugene H Neier
I would love to have the Milwaukee 18 volt kit but the rigid set comes with a lifetime warranty it much easier price tag and performs well enough that I don’t feel the need to switch.at this point I have too much invested in batteries and tools to start over with a brand new brand.
MT_Noob
As others have mentioned, or alluded to, the thing that would allow me to switch was if someone had a tool line with universal adapters that would take my current ones. I use Makita LXT for 18v and Bosch for 12 (and a few oddball items I am hoping to phase out/give away and replace with Bosch/Makita so I eventually only have 2 battery platforms).
It would be great to have the option to go to another line if a specific tool is not available and just use an adapter for the current batteries I already have. For example it looks like dewalt has a battery powered air compressor. I’d be tempted to buy that since Makita doesn’t offer one here. yet. But that would mean buying into another line of batteries. If there was an adapter that allowed me to buy the bare tool and use my own batteries, then I’d snatch it up. For now I am going to be patient, and hope that the rumors of a Makita portable compressor coming out this year are true.
I know others have done DIY adapters, but I’m just not willing to go that far.
Luis
No. Makita all the . On Black Friday I was going to buy the Hitachi angle grinder that super cheap but just could not do it.
Luis
Makita all the way.
JoeM
Y’see… I want to bring up a particular issue among all of us… Part of this question of whether we’d switch brands, given the chance…
Can we get a post, article, or something on the Forum that may help break down the model number naming conventions of the different brands? I know DeWALT’s model numbers are just plain stupid for their cordless tools… DCD “DeWALT Cordless Drill”… DCS “DeWALT Cordless Saw”, Etc.
But, given the chance for those without Budget restrictions… Can we get a Primer on how each brand does their model numbers?
Altan
I am mostly on DeWALT platform and a bit on Makita, not any other power tool brand, any newly released tool from DeWALT I buy, I delete the Makita version! DeWALT is very slow in making new tools or upgrading the old versions compare to Makita, sometimes I get angry and fed up waiting for a new release, I like DeWALT 12V, 20V and 60V platforms, some tools can not be 20V like the 20V grinder, if you use it for cutting metal the battery is going to be dead in 5 minutes, the same with vacuum cleaner, too. So these tools have to be minimum 60V or a 120V Flexvolt vacuum cleaner would be amazing. If there is a US-EU-JP made brand which makes everything cordless and powerful enough, durable and quality I say bye bye to DeWALT tonight. That is the result of too much waiting!!! (For DeWALT’s consideration) I don’t mind the price, I am looking for quality and expect my tools to save more and more time for me. DeWALT does not satisfy me sometimes, They do make some great tools and they do downgrade some other tools also and I don’t understand why!
Joe framer
What dewalt tool is not not the best or second best on the market ???
Altan
You can not compare the quality of DeWALT cordless multi tool (oscillating machine) with Fein cordless multi tool, not the machine itself and not the blades. DeWALT cordless multi tool does not have the variable speed option, accessories are not completed and comparable to Fein, Makita, Bosch, Festool and Fein multi tool blades are mostly better quality than the DeWALT ones, Mostly are made in Switzerland or Germany, but DeWALT makes some in USA and some in China, Just compare the Diamond blade for multi tool in Bosch and DeWALT, diamond particles vacuum brazed on the blade in bosch is better quality and brazed symmetrically but not the DeWALT ones, BiM blades teeth are not well brazed in DeWALT blades compared to Makita ones and are not symmetric also.
Makita has cordless Biscuit Joiner and DeWALT does not have anymore.
Makita has cordless rebar tier and DeWALT does not have.
Makita has cordless rebar cutter and DeWLAT does not have.
DeWALT cordless planer is much much bigger than the Makita one.
JoeM
Sorry Joe (framer)… I’m somewhat on Altan’s end of this. DeWALT blades of any sort are sub-par with the Bosch family blades. DeWALT TOOLS, especially Power Tools, are on par with the best in the industry… probably because they WERE the best in the industry for so long that Milwaukee, Bosch, Hitachi, and several others, have stepped up to the plate with DeWALT.
But DeWALT depends far too much on TiN for blades, when they should have ditched it for Carbide when Bosch came out with their Carbide blades. Sure, there are some specific models of Framing, or Low-Temp blades that DeWALT does for Circular, or a few varieties of Recip blades they do in BiMetal, or their equivalents in T-Shank Jigsaw blades… but even then, Bosch does it better.
I HAVE DeWALT blades that came with my Saws and Oscillating Tool, but I have, more often than not, gone and grabbed Bosch and Dremel items that DeWALT just doesn’t make. Do they work with the quick-change system DeWALT uses? No. Do they work BETTER than the DeWALT blades? Yes.
I’m happy to be powering my work with DeWALT large scale Cordless tools, and Dremel Rotary tools, but the blades I use always seem to come back to Bosch. I haven’t tried Imperial Blades yet, but they also come much higher rated than the DeWALT equivalents.
DeWALT BITS? Like the Impact Ready, FlexTorq, and MaxFIT lines? Yeah, you bet I’m for those. But for PRECISION bits… they don’t MAKE any, so I’ve been forced to go with Wiha for them.
framer, buddy, you’ve talked about your crews being the most important thing to you, and that money is no object in keeping them happy. Why not, on a job or two… Take a day where you’re testing a different brand blade than normal? Instead of, say, DeWALT or Diablo… Toss a free pack of Imperial Blades at a guy, and ask him how he likes them? You’ve got buying power to experiment like that, and call it a write-off of some sort, right? Don’t do it often, just… See if your crews agree with what us ToolGuyd Readers and Commenters are saying. You literally have an opinionated testing group at your fingertips. Why not generate some in-situ opinions and share them with us? I’m sure we’d get a kick out of it. Or, at least I will.
glenn
Did it earlier this year. Sold off near all my Milwaukee M12 tools and bought into Makitas CXT line. Also sold off some of my M18 tools too.
I am not the only one in our work group to swap either. One of our electricians bought into AEG this year and sold of all his Milwaukee M18 stuff as well.
OhioHead
Ridgid is the US version of AEG, both are owned/developed by TTI which owns Ryobi (US & most of the globe) & MKE.
glenn
I was aware of that and so is our sparky. Aeg had a couple of tools in particular that he wanted. I also have Ryobi 18v tools as well.
If/when Makita release a ratchet, a bandsaw and a Dremel style rotary tool in the CXT range, then I will be completely swapped from Milwaukee to Makita.
DannyK
I can’t stick to one platform because they don’t have the tool I need. Having multiple type of batteries are kind of liberating. It’s an ongoing expense/hassle, sure, but I’m OK with the trade-off.
* Makita: all tools except
* Dewalt: 21 degree framing nailer, flexvolt circular saw
* Milwaukee Fuel M12 hackzall
* Bosch 12v multi-head driver
Jim
I’ve been anti-battery tools for a long time. I had a few each from different brands. I didn’t really use them because of a non-standard battery platform.
Recently I sold them all and got into Harbor Freight’s Bauer brand. They are affordable for a home DiYer and decently built. More importantly the variety they currently have as well as what’s slated come out this year according to the leaks from their managers conference interested me enough to get a couple tools, then a couple more. Nope they are not Dewalt or other big player tool but I don’t make a living off of the tools either. Hobby stuff and occasional side jobs. They are perfect for me.
Mike
Now that I don’t swing a hammer for a living anymore I’ll just keep what I’ve got. Running 5 battery platforms now, sure, it would be nice to have just one. But the numbers don’t add up consolidating right now.
Rick
mutiple battery systems are annoying- if you don’t mind the fab work, you can get battery adapters- some are by the mfg, (dewalt 20v to 18v adapters). If the 18v’s worked for you before, the new batteries will breath a lot of new life into it, up until they give up the ghost. Even then, they are still selling the 18v models.
I just recently purchased an adapter for a set of really old nicad skil tool set. Its batteries charged slow, got almost nothing done. In fact, that whole set I used maybe 3 times, it was so bad. Back in those days, cell phones still used nicads, and were just starting to use NIMH. I look at is as both a motor (obviously not brushless) and battery issue, but primarily a battery issue.
Once I get it cobbled together, I will be able to breath new life into the tool, while utilizing an existing battery system. Dewalt is the only company that I know that officially made an adapter for their own older tools; ryobi has kept their original 18v style, and ridgid has also kep the same 18v style of slide pack. (I’ll ignore the 14.4’s and the 24v’s system,). Every other company has made some changes; milwaukee abandoned their older 18’v. Skil abandoned it after they got bought out, and there’s a new 18v.
It was nice back in the day when you could buy any brands tool you wanted without worry about how to power it..
Tycoon Shin
I have both Dewalt and Milwaukee cordless tools, 18v fuel for red and flex-volt for yellow. I work in concrete form-work and cordless is a way of life for us, our tools are punished everyday from dirt, sun and rain. For unmatched durability, power, and run time: Milwaukee 18v fuel (Expensive, I know!) but excellent consistent performance.
Not to say Dewalt doesn’t do just as well, overall fantastic power and run time on flexvolt tools, even their standard 20v platform performs well and has a great price point.
But for durability Milwaukee can’t be beat.
I’ve been slowing changing over to Milwaukee as things break or wear out, but I still have many Dewalt tools that work terrific and haven’t died on me yet, even my really old stuff.
Love Dewalt’s:
1″ SDS brushless rotary hammer with a 9.0 flexvolt, it can do some damage. (drilling/chipping)
Cordless flexvolt table saw (awesome)
cordless 7-1/4″ miter saw (light, and compact)
and of course Brushless drill and driver.
Love Milwaukee’s:
6-1/2″ fuel circular saw (durable, reliable, good power, great runtime, all day with a 9.0)
Fuel Sawzall (powerful!)
Awesome various work lights.
Makita makes sleek, light and compact tools, great for light duty jobs, but just can’t match up with our needs, I have some Makita corded tools that I still love.
Matt
I just bought my first M18 still this week…coming from RYOBI into the big boy brand feels nice. Way smoother, noticeable improvement in torque immediately.
I’ll probably stick with this line exclusively from now on.
Chris Fyfe
ATM , I have three platforms on the go .Milwaukee M12 &18 ( as they use the dame charger , I treat them as one ) .Bosch 12 volt ,mainly for the Mini Jigsaw,and the flexclic . Last but not least , Festool , used in one drill , and a carvex jigsaw . I don’t typically take the Festool stuff i to the feild , if I do it would be the carvex , which runs off the 15 and 18 volt batteries , and use the same charger ( again ,treated as one platform ) . Would I take on another , ? Hilti is about the only make that interests me enuff .
Chris
TZi
As a primarily DIY with around 15 cordless tools split between Dewalt 20v/flexvolt, Makita 18v (with only 1 tracksaw on it), Ryobi 18v, and Bosch 12v I would be willing to jump ship to any brand that can lower the amount of brands I’m running without increasing my cost while doing so. I don’t exactly like having 4 (technically 5 if counting flexvolt) different types of batteries, but at the same time I’d rather be on 4 different brands of tools than have to buy overpriced tools.
I went the cheapest route to get the tools with the features I wanted, so brand loyalty wasn’t exactly a selling point for any of them. I could have easily skipped out on Makita if Dewalt’s tracksaw was competitively priced. However, it was cheaper for me to get the Makita tracksaw along with 2 batteries, a track, and a charger than to just get the Dewalt bare tracksaw along with a track.
Basically I’m going with whatever costs the least money. As a DIY’er I’m not going to spend more money to stick to 1 lineup for added convenience that I don’t really need that badly.
CountyCork
We have a small homestead that we have to keep up. We went with Bosch 18v, Bosch 12v, and Dewalt 40v. Couldn’t be happier with how everything has held up for the last 4 years and Bosch’s batteries are really really good and may even outlast the tools……..maybe. I will be putting the Dewalt 40v string trimmer and telescoping trimmer to the test next year and if that works out I may expand by getting the chainsaw just so it’s not as loud and use the gas for the heavier stuff. I think one of the most impressive and most used tools I have on the farm is Bosch’s brushless recip saw GSA18V-125, what a powerhouse.
For myself I tried to do all the research up front before buying into a line of cordless tools. I felt Bosch had everything I needed when I looked at their full line of tools and their quality, reliability, and batteries all stood out in my research. I went through the same process when buying a tractor. Just like the tool brands everyone has their preference (John Deer, Kubota, Massy, New Holland, Mahindra, Kioti). They will all basically do the job but you have to pick one. Love my Kubota. Kills me that I had to buy my son a GREEN John Deer sit on toy. haha
ktash
My main platforms are Makita 18v, Ryobi 18v, and Bosch 12v. I also have a few assorted tools from other platforms (Ridgid both 12 and 18v, Kobalt 24v, Bosch 18v). Most of the assorted tools I got because they had very low prices for unique tools. If I could have gotten comparably priced, comparable tools from my main platform brands, I would have. Since I’m a hobbyist woodworker, diyer, having multiple chargers is not a deal breaker.
It’s unlikely that I’d change any of the three main platforms given current offerings. I love the Makita tools for most things woodworking, but Ryobi for most things diy including yardwork. I’ve had the Bosch 12v drill and driver for a long time and used them a lot, but the flexiclick drill and driver are game changers for woodworking. I’m eying the brushless version to go with flexiclick heads, so maybe next Black Friday if there’s a really good bare tool deal.
Favorite tools in each platform Makita: 18v Subcompact drill and driver, track saw, 18v router.
Ryobi: Cordless Nailers/stapler, Glue gun, worklight, yard tools, mini blower.
Bosch 12v flexi click drill and driver. 18v jigsaw.
I also have two properties, so I keep the less-used tools at the second property. This is mostly Ryobi drills, recip saw, and older 12v Bosch tools like the ps32. Plus the Kobalt stuff. At the main property the most used tools live in the shop.
Ralph Sabato
What a good question . I am an 18v user. For some reason during Black Friday sales the Milwaukee fuel M12 brushless impact and hammer drill caught my eye.
I’ve been wanting brushless, more compact. To try an 18v set for a while. The specs were not too far off.. I think the torqur on the impact for the 18v Ryobi was around 1.5k and the Milwaukee was just under that. Now sure about the drills but the power amazed me for such a little battery and compact drill
I drove a long 4 inch bolt into a pallet through like 4 oeices of wood and it was not stressing the motor. Or battery as far as I could tell.
What really blew my mind was getting an aftermarket 12v 2k mAh battery off Amazon for 9.99 shipped via prime. I can’t say the runtime is equivalent or that it’s not until I test it more but the power is there.
No idea how they can profit off 3 18650 cells and the casing and chip not to mention assembly and shipping.
So after a few opportunities to use my set I’ve decided I’ll slowly switch over. Honestly considering selling the 18v stuff because I like the sawzaw design better theb a typical reciprocating saw.
I already got use out of what is a good few inches shorterfor height and length working on my freezer icemaker. No other drill I own much less many screw drivers would have fit.
What’s everyone else’s opinion? Mine in short is of you have the batteries to power your tools (more then would be necessary with 18v ), then 12v is a viable option.
The brand Milwaukee vs Ryobi was an upgrade for me IMO.
The set was 160 shipped from home Depot and it’s normally 220+ and on sale 200. Couldn’t resist.
Robert L
I’d likely swap to Bosch if i was using the stuff more; as it is, my Ryobi gear works well and some tools, like the glue gun, i’d keep.
The only thing making pine for the Bosch(or Milwaukee) gear is size – their drivers and drills are so much more compact. Otherwise i really have no complaints, i’m not working day-in day-out with the stuff so it’s been a good choice for me.
OldDominionDIYer
I did a bunch of research before I settled on Milwaukee and I have no doubt that there are a lot of very good MFR’s out there, including DeWalt, Bosch, Makita along with Milwaukee. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. I chose Milwaukee because it seemed to me that at the time it was the best solution for me. Since heavily investing in their M18 andM12 systems I have also branched out when necessary to buy a Hitachi 18v Framing nailer, and am now strongly contemplating purchasing Ryobi’s 18v trim router. Each tools not currently available within Milwaukee’s systems. That being said, if and when Milwaukee introduces either one or both of these tools I will be buying them in the Milwaukee platform so that I can maintain my system and the versatility one system offers. It would take something huge to get me to move out of my chosen MFR and into another, something like the company going out of business which at least for the foreseeable future doesn’t seem likely for any of the brands I mentioned above.
Alan
For years I built up my Craftsman 19.2v set with my dad. But now that system is pretty much dead I am moving to the Ryobi 18v system to replace it. The Ryobi 18v has similar tools and is actually better priced. The 19.2 stuff i plan to give some to my dad and others i plan to sell on ebay.
I also have a few Craftsman 12v Nextec tools. I liked them because they were compact, light and easy to travel with. The right angle impact driver was great for Kreg screws in tight spots. I am looking at the Milwalkee 12v set and find them a bit higher priced than the Nextec tools so i am not sure yet if i will start replacing the Nextec stuff anytime soon.
TonyT
To replace your 12V Nextec, you might want to look at the Bosch 12V Flexi-Click; it’s not an impact, but with its rotatable offset and right angle attachments can get into all kinds of places — but wait until it’s on sale.
TonyT
Like many others, I have added instead of switching. I started with Ryobi because of cost and selection, and haven’t regretted it. Ridgid was my #2 at the time, but the tool selection was way too limited (it’s better now, but not as good as Ryobi).
Then I added Bosch 12V to get the pocket driver and Flexi-Click — and now for many tasks I reach for Bosch first because they’re strong enough for most jobs, but lighter than Ryobi.
Finally, I added Makita to get the awesome x2 track saw. With these three systems, I think I’m pretty well covered; what I add in the future will depend on needs and what good deals I find.
Josh
Growing up, I was always taught that Dewalt was the way to go. When I started buying my own tools, I always went with them, but they always seemed to break. I went through 2 drills in 2 years. Same with my brother, he had their drill and driver, and both died after a year or two. Frustrated I switched over to Hitachi. That was a good drill for 3 or 4 years until the chuck spontaneously rusted shut. Still not sure how that happened inside the case. A few years back during a black Friday sale, I picked up a Milwaukee M18. I already had their corded recip saw and it had always been a champ. The drill has performed similarly. I have seen drill bits shear themselves in half (that was a fun day), but the drill keeps going.
I have several M18 tools now, and a couple of M12 tools. I don’t really like the way the M12 batteries snap-in. For more outdoorsy stuff I have some of the cheaper Ryobi tools.
But to answer the question of would I ever switch, the answer is yes. If Milwaukee quality were to go down, I wouldn’t stick with them out of loyalty or something. That’s crazy. I buy tools to get a job done and if they can’t do it, they’re done.
Chip
If your tools are used in making your living, and there is another tool brand that offers a tool that saves you time.
It’s really not much of discussion.
I have m12 ,m18, Makita 18, Ridgid,and Ryobi.
To minimize I have adapters that use Makita batteries with the Ridgid,and Ryobi tools.
I can keep up with only 4 chargers, 2 Makita dual chargers/6pack m18 only/sequential charger for m12 and m18 (3 of each)
Ken
I used to be a big Milwaukee fan. I had about 9 V20 tools. Then they obsoleted them all when they went to M20, which was not compatible.
I fumed about this for years until my last V20 battery gave up. When I started to look for new tools I wrote off Milwaukee. The one thing I knew was that I wasnt goint to reward Milwaukee for making my old tools obsolete.
When I saw Dewalt come out with the 20v system and also make an adapter so the old tools were not obsolete I was sold and bought all new 20v tools. I am up to about 15 20V tools and 4 flexvolt tools. And the fact that they make the flexvolt batteries backward compatible just backs up my decision.
Its not that I dont think that Milwaukee makes good tools, it is just that I feel that they dont respect the customer as much.
So, my answer to the question as to what would make me switch systems is for a company to screw the customer through making their older tools obsolete.
Jason Nero
I’ve been heavily into the 20V and 12V DeWalt lines for years.
Recently though, i’ve been buying some 12V Milwaukee tools. Namely their LED lights (underhood and tri-pod). Their LED technology seems to be far ahead of what DeWalt has. I also have my eye on their M12 buffer. I don’t think I’ll go much deeper than that into their line though.
Chris Gardner
Had I made the initial choice myself I probably would have gone with a different brand, but I was gifted a blue Ryobi 5-piece set for Christmas the year before all of their green tools came out. I stayed in the ecosystem and now have a shop full of green hand tools and half dozen of the ‘good’ batteries. I haven’t really used any of the other brands yet, but these haven’t let me down with anything I’ve tried to do with them, so I’ve got no real reason to change.
If I ever were to change ecosystems, some Ryobis would still have a place in my shop (as long as my batteries still work) because of their fantastic LED lights and fans!
Brandon
With as little use I put into most of my tools, I only run a cordless drill & impact: everything else has a tail so that when battery platforms are totally different (or gone) in 20+ years I’ll still be able to plug into a wall. And I buy corded tools that I expect to last that long, partially because I pay upfront and partially because I do my best not to abuse them.
All of my work is in the garage or finished houses (my own or friends/family); at worst I’ll have to run an extension cord to get the job done. I will probably be switching cordless brands once these batteries give out and I can find a better deal on a kit than on new batteries, but I don’t expect that to happen in the next 5 years.
MT_Noob
That’s a great point! I’d love to see tools have the option to allow an adapter to be used in place of the battery pack which allow you to plug into AC mains. I think DeWalt did that on one of their portable mitre saws. I’d love to see that option to simply use an ac plug in place of the battery pack. That would make the tool more of a long term investment instead of a consumable likely to change when the next generation of batteries comes out.
SteveP
I finally decided – after having multiple Makita lithium batteries fail on me – to switch to Ryobi. I’ve still got a few Makita tools, so I buy generic batteries to keep them running (the Chinese generics seem to last longer than OEM with my infrequent use). I had almost got into buying different types of cordless tools when I realized that was silly. I do have a few Milwaukee M12s.
I like Ryobi as they (via HD) offer at least some semblance of a warranty (Makita dealers will probably “do” something for a pro, but don’t care about DIYers in my experience). I’ve not had a Ryobi battery die yet, but they are priced well and there are many “kit” sales with usable tools, so I’ve already got quite a battery collection. Ryobi also has lots of interesting new tools every year. I bought one of their hand vacs, and it was SO much better than a B&D Dustbuster I bought multiples for the house and garage
Greg
I think it all comes down to deals like I find some many amazing deals on tools so it never hurts to have extra tools or systems . I have a lot of Milwaukee 18v because I bought a big set off craigslist that came with 5 batteries and I always find deals at Home Depot where the give you a free battery and charger so I must have about 10 18v batteries, I was never a big fan of the m12 stuff but I have three flashlights with m12 and the radio so I will stick with it. I have the Makita 18 volt tools and I have a lot of the Milwaukee M28 but they don’t make anything new for this system. I have a lot of the Stihl battery stuff and it seems pretty soild. The only Dewalt I have is a compact 20 volt drill I picked up at a pawnshop and it was such a good price I could not pass it up and I love the feel of how smooth that drill runs without being too powerful for smaller jobs. I don’t think the system is that important if you get a good enough deal on something. I mean who would be upset about have a new awesome Festool or Metabo tool just because it does does not fit in your system? Don’t limit yourself if the tool itself is superb you won’t regret it even if it is not apart of your system. All that being said I have some many Milwaukee 18v batteries I tend to buy there tools more than others but I also love there tools.
Jo B
My core DeWalt, 20 v cordless tools and batteries (2013) are worn out. I’m going to replace them with Milwaukee, piece by piece, and use the good battery adapters for a couple new DeWalt pieces that I don’t want to sell yet.