# 18v battery tools whats the best brand for professional use



## 4m-customs (Jun 15, 2012)

Im currently looking to upgrade my battery tool set i got the old school dewalt set and i have been amazed at there duribility but now they are all old and worn out and i would realy like to get some lithium ion tools price is not a problem i use them all day every day and i want the best they offer i would prefer to get a set circular saw, sawzal, hammerdrill, and impact drill i gues an angle grinder would be nice to but i dont need it any sugestions ??


----------



## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

4m-customs said:


> Im currently looking to upgrade my battery tool set i got the old school dewalt set and i have been amazed at there duribility but now they are all old and worn out and i would realy like to get some lithium ion tools price is not a problem i use them all day every day and i want the best they offer i would prefer to get a set circular saw, sawzal, hammerdrill, and impact drill i gues an angle grinder would be nice to but i dont need it any sugestions ??


Anytime you ask which is *best *it gets into everybodies fan club. If you have the deWalt tools and deWalt has lion batteries in the correct voltage and configuration. You can upgrade by just buying the batteries. Otherwise the name brands are all pretty good. I am currently using the Makita but the Ridgid with lifetime battery replacement looks awfully attractive. :smile:


----------



## cocheseuga (Dec 15, 2010)

4m-customs said:


> Im currently looking to upgrade my battery tool set i got the old school dewalt set and i have been amazed at there duribility but now they are all old and worn out and i would realy like to get some lithium ion tools price is not a problem i use them all day every day and i want the best they offer i would prefer to get a set circular saw, sawzal, hammerdrill, and impact drill i gues an angle grinder would be nice to but i dont need it any sugestions ??


While I'm partial to my Ryobi system, and think they are fantastic for a homeowner, I'm not sure I'd recommend them to a pro. Not so much quality, as I have no beef there, but I think I might recommend the Ridgid simply due to their battery program. Most important part of the system, IMO, and you can't beat free replacement.


----------



## gstanfield (Dec 23, 2011)

I don't know this for fact, but reading through several of the rigid reviews on homedepot's website it seems that to get the repalcement warranty you have to send the entire package back to them, not just swap the battery! 

Of course that's just coming from people who claim to have tried to swap them under warranty, I have no clue if it is true or not (same with anything I read online...)

I do know that my Makita and Milwaukee tools are incredible and I have had no battery issues at all! Heck even my 19.2V Craftsman tools that get used almost daily are still holding a good charge after 5 years which leads me to believe that as long as you care for them properly any of the big names will last a long time.


----------



## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

I had the old school DeWalt. Heavy but kept going. The reciprisaw seemed to be oversized for the battery, only ever got one cut but maybe it was my battery. Batteries lasted on drills and drivers but struggled with hammer drill too. 

I have now gone a complete package with Makita. 

Impact driver X 3
Medium size drill, 2 speed
Rattle gun (only thing I have not used yet)
Collated screw gun
Reciprisaw
Circular saw
Angle grinder
Jig saw
Lantern X 3

Compound Mitre Saw

Love em all, should have done it a long time ago. It is amazing how handy an 18 volt mitre saw is.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


----------



## 65BAJA (May 27, 2012)

I have a cordless 19.2V Craftsman drill, saw and light. Just bought new batteries for them after 6 years. Works as good as new now. That being said if I was in the market for a new drill I would go Milwaukee Ion.


----------



## FourEyes45 (Apr 30, 2012)

I've had bad luck with the DeWalt. batteries, the next time I buy I think I will try the Ridgid line...


----------



## haugerm (Nov 19, 2009)

I have several Ridgid cordless tools, the initial Lithium 18 volt line. I have to say I love them. Plenty of power, quick batter charges, and they just feel good in your hand. And the free batteries for life program is great. I've replaced two of my batteries with no hassle whatsoever, and that alone has made Ridgid a worthwhile purchase for me. You DO NOT have to send in the whole set to get replacements. 

That being said, I don't know if I'd recommend them for professional use, or at least I'd ask you about your climate. The batteries I have do not work in freezing weather. Building a deck in the winter was an exercise in frustration. Maybe they've fixed this issue in the newer versions. I don't know. Maybe this is a problem for all lithium batteries. Beats me. But if you do a lot of outside work in cold weather, it's something to think about before your purchase. 

--Matt


----------



## gstanfield (Dec 23, 2011)

> ...You DO NOT have to send in the whole set to get replacements


Good to know. I'm guessing the guys who posted that on the reviews online are either writing fiction or maybe they ran into a store employee who gave them bad info.


----------



## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

*whats the best brand for professional use*

Milwaukee. :smile:


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Yup*



mdntrdr said:


> Milwaukee. :smile:


:thumbsup::thumbsup:


----------



## jigs-n-fixtures (Apr 28, 2012)

4m-customs said:


> Im currently looking to upgrade my battery tool set i got the old school dewalt set and i have been amazed at there duribility but now they are all old and worn out and i would realy like to get some lithium ion tools price is not a problem i use them all day every day and i want the best they offer i would prefer to get a set circular saw, sawzal, hammerdrill, and impact drill i gues an angle grinder would be nice to but i dont need it any sugestions ??


I just decided to stay with Dewalt's 18-volt line. Just because of the depth and breadth of the tool selection. Who else has a side grinder and metal cutting bandsaw In their line up? 

Also, Dewalts' li-on 18-volt batteries can be used with the old tools. So I decided it made the most sense.

Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

gstanfield said:


> ... which leads me to believe that as long as you care for them properly any of the big names will last a long time.


+1. :yes: I find that to be the case. The higher voltage...18V and higher may be somewhat better, but I don't really notice a difference. I was very impressed with a 14.4 VSR drill with L-Ion that has sufficient power, holds a charge when not used, and is much lighter than the larger ones. This is a great benefit if it's being used for an extended period of time.









 







.


----------



## burkhome (Sep 5, 2010)

I sell Dewalt, Milwaukee, Makita, etc. In our area Dewalt takes the cake for preference by contractors. Milwaukee is the second choice. I suspect the little higher price probably plays into that. For what it is worth, My Dewalt sales rep says that for heavy use you are better off with the NiCd batteries than the LiIon. Not my opinion...just information from sales rep.


----------



## Longknife (Oct 25, 2010)

I've always had the belief that bigger is better when it comes to cordless drills but 6 months ago I bought a 12V Milwaukee and I must say I love it. It has a very handy size, quite enough torque and with three batteries that charges in 30 min I've never yet been standing without power no matter how much I use it. For the toughest screw jobs I have a 10.8 V Black & Decker impact drill in the same handy size.
Now the heavy 18V drills stand out as dinosaurs and I'll never go back to them.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Longknife said:


> I've always had the belief that bigger is better when it comes to cordless drills but 6 months ago I bought a 12V Milwaukee and I must say I love it. It has a very handy size, quite enough torque and with three batteries that charges in 30 min I've never yet been standing without power no matter how much I use it. For the toughest screw jobs I have a 10.8 V Black & Decker impact drill in the same handy size.
> Now the heavy 18V drills stand out as dinosaurs and I'll never go back to them.


+1. :yes: I agree.









 







.


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Longknife said:


> I've always had the belief that bigger is better when it comes to cordless drills but 6 months ago I bought a 12V Milwaukee and I must say I love it. It has a very handy size, quite enough torque and with three batteries that charges in 30 min I've never yet been standing without power no matter how much I use it. For the toughest screw jobs I have a 10.8 V Black & Decker impact drill in the same handy size.
> Now the heavy 18V drills stand out as dinosaurs and I'll never go back to them.


I agree, however, I cannot say I will never use the larger models.

A year ago I bought a Craftsman 12v Nextec drill. This is a great little drill, as are its companbion 12 volt units. (I also have the multi tool and a small light that all use the same battery.)

However, just yesterday I needed the 20v drill that sits next to it on the shelf. This drill does not get used a lot, but it still has it's moments.

George


----------



## panzer (Dec 12, 2010)

I heard that Metabo has a very nice cordless drill but I've also had my Dewalt for 10 years with no issues. Milwaukee's have had a few battery issues but they do stand behind their products.


----------



## haugerm (Nov 19, 2009)

Longknife said:


> I've always had the belief that bigger is better when it comes to cordless drills but 6 months ago I bought a 12V Milwaukee and I must say I love it. It has a very handy size, quite enough torque and with three batteries that charges in 30 min I've never yet been standing without power no matter how much I use it. For the toughest screw jobs I have a 10.8 V Black & Decker impact drill in the same handy size.
> Now the heavy 18V drills stand out as dinosaurs and I'll never go back to them.


Last year I finally picked up a nice 12 volt bosch that was on sale. After hearing so many good things about the new lines of 12 volts, I thought it would pretty much replace my 18 volts. As it turns out, not even close. 

Don't get me wrong, the 12 volt is nice and it gets used frequently, but it turns out I do plenty of stuff (much more than I ever realized) where the 12 volt just doesn't cut it. My 18 volt Ridgid is still my go to drill. 

So think about what you do with it. Don't waste money on even a really nice 12 volt, if it's not going to do what you want it to do.

--Matt


----------



## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

jschaben said:


> Anytime you ask which is *best *it gets into everybodies fan club. If you have the deWalt tools and deWalt has lion batteries in the correct voltage and configuration. You can upgrade by just buying the batteries. Otherwise the name brands are all pretty good. I am currently using the Makita but the Ridgid with lifetime battery replacement looks awfully attractive. :smile:


See sounds good and I have been a Dewalt fan but they got me upset with that battery thing. Dewalt, PC, and a few others redesign the batteries so you can't use an older drill with the new batteries.

I Know Ryobi, I think Rigid and Milwaukee you can buy a new battery and use it with the old drills. The advantage is you will have an extra drill if you buy a new kit. I have a Dewalt 12V drill that I need to either buy new old style batteries or throw it away.


----------



## Gilgaron (Mar 16, 2012)

rrbrown, I have no idea if it is worthwhile or not, but last time I got my watch battery replaced at Batteries Plus I noted that they would replace the cells in cordless tool batteries. If you can't find new replacements for your old tools that might be something to consider, assuming the cost is reasonable enough.


----------



## TJames (Jun 17, 2012)

The latest Makita 18V cordless drill and driver set is my standard go-to tool. I used to sell tools for years and have not ever been a fan of Dewalt.

These little Makitas are really amazing.


----------



## haugerm (Nov 19, 2009)

4m-customs, are you still here?


----------



## Steve Walsh (May 30, 2012)

I personally like the Rigid drills. It's amazing that the 24 volt lithium weighs slightly less than my 18 volt Dewalt ni-cad. The Rigid warrenty makes my choice easy.:thumbsup:


----------



## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I'd vote for the dewalt 18v stuff for three reasons. 1....most of its built like a tank. I've seen drills dropped off roofs, a radio fall out of the truck on the highway and still work, ect. 2. I've had my set for 6 years now (recip saw 3 years) and am still on the original batteries.....they get pretty darn hard use. 3. Like someone else said.....no one has as many tools that are all of good quality. Sure the 19.2v craftsman stuff has a chainsaw and a leaf blower, but i'm not looking to use my portable power tools for that.......the dewalt stuff seems of top notch quality by my use.


----------



## BigJoe16 (Feb 20, 2012)

We have the DeWalt 18v and they kick ass. They get beat on. Dropped from floor joists to basement floors. I have never had a problem. The batteries have gotten wet and it hasn't bothered them yet. They are holding up well and I would buy them again


----------



## Eagleeye (Dec 3, 2011)

I was ready to dump the Rigid tools because of the high price of the batts. but when I found out about the lifetime replacement and the fact that I could use them on all my old tools and I went with a new hammer drill pkg.

The Pkg came with 2 Batts and HD had a promo for a free one. The lifetime warranty only covers the ones that came with the combo. Not the free one. They ask for serial #s on the batts. so that might be something to consider.


----------



## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

My dewalt stuff outlasts everything else anyone has in our shop. My corded Sewalt stuff goes until the brushes wear out. Ive never seen any other tools in the shop have brushes go out because they are that old. Only the Dewalt last that long. Ive also owned every brand namke of metal chop saw there is and the Dewalt has been the toughest. 

I also have B&D drivers at home I use just for screwing in wood screws. I have a Ryobi set and the batteries suck. 

I will stick with Dewalt


----------



## Jake80 (Aug 3, 2012)

i have had both the 12 and 18v hitichi drills and driver with no problem. used the hell out of both. the 12v did 3/8 lag bolts with no problem. used the 18v to drill 1" holes in about 300 2/4's with little effort. i do like the button on the mil.'s to tell if the batt. is charged. lifetime on the hitichi batts. also


----------

