Which is the Best Cordless Power Tool Brand?

From this week’s mailbag came a question I’ve been dreading for so long. It essentially comes down to this: Which is the Best Cordless Power Tool Brand?

Each major brand is special in their own way, with their unique innovations, expertise, and advantages.

The major contenders would be Bosch, Dewalt, Makita, and Milwaukee. There are also other brands, such as Ridgid, Ryobi, Metabo, Hilti, Panasonic, and Festool. But generally, the greatest competition is between blue, yellow, teal, and red brands.

Bosch
Benefits: Solid performance and reliability, decent product selection in 12V and 18V lineups, occasional innovations, a great overall brand, stellar 12V offerings.

Downsides: 12V and 18V lineups not as vast as other brands’, some core tools aren’t “best in class” in notable categories.

High interest Bosch products include their inductive charging system, cordless drills with anti-kickback protection, and their hybrid impact driver and wrench.

DeWalt
Benefits: Known for superb durability (a lot of 18V tools keep on ticking), expanding 20V Max product line, with a couple of fantastic innovations (such as the 2-speed brushless nailer), okay 12V product selection. 20V Max pistol grips are super-ergonomic.

Downsides: 20V Max expansion has been slow, answers to competitors’ advancements have been slow.

Some of the best newer Dewalt cordless products include a compact reciprocating saw, 2-speed brushless framing nailer, and a rather popular 3-speed brushless hammer drill.

Makita
Benefits: Very large 18V selection, fast charger with best-in-class charging times, surprising innovations, often solid performance and jobsite durability, 18V X2 lineup allows for bigger and beefier 36V tools to be powered by 18V batteries.

Downsides: Very limited and long-in-the-tooth 12V lineup, slow to bring certain tools and battery pack sizes to the USA.

Makita is the brand to choose if you have very specific needs, such as the maximum torque in a cordless drill, quietest impact (impulse) driver, or smallest impact driver.

Milwaukee
Benefits: Vast M18 and M12 tool selection, including largest brushless tool selection in both battery sizes. Often a leader, with innovations that break the mold, such as an M12 rotary hammer, brushless tools with corded-like performance. Many more specialty tools than competing brands.

Downsides: Certain tools are especially pricey. First to market means competitors have time to answer with slight improvements to tool size, weight, power, or features.

Get more information about power tools: www.eastmachinery.com