How to Choose the Right Battery Platform for Your Power Tools
Cutting the cord is very easy. However, choosing a battery platform can be much more difficult. Here’s a handy guide to choosing the battery platform that’s right for you, 12 to 18 volts and from professional to professional.
Let’s start by narrowing down the battery voltage categories. We will not pay attention to the 14.4 V, 24 V and 36 V battery platforms. 14.4 V will soon disappear, as there is no special need for an intermediate size with such a powerful current of 12 V. Batteries at 24 V and 36 V only supply professional grade tools with limited extensibility beyond these tools.
This leaves us with 12V and 18V cordless platforms, which are the most popular and widely available cordless tools. Don’t be intimidated by 18V and 19.2V tools as they are less powerful than 20V tools. 20V is a marketing term as the manufacturers who use it specify maximum voltage (no load) instead of 18V nominal voltage. This DeWalt 20V MAX is a good example – pay attention to the asterisk and read the fine print.
We can further limit our battery choices by removing nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries from the list and focusing on lithium ion (Li-ion). If you’re not looking for something cheap, lithium-ion batteries are best suited as they are lighter and offer longer battery life. Nickel battery powered tools are becoming increasingly rare and the last thing you want to do when investing in a cordless tool platform is to limit your options.
Choose voltage based on your job
Professional users make a living with their tools and cannot afford interruption, so they pay more for better tool design and battery technology.
Everyone else is homemaker, whether you have zero or very high skills. The 12V tool will suit most people who know how to install a mesh door or hang hooks in a garage. 12 Volts won’t wrap many decking screws, but they are small and light enough for most users to handle. 12V batteries are the most expandable, as they can be used in vacuum cleaners, lighting fixtures, radios and heated equipment, as well as in drills, circular saws and impact screwdrivers .
However, weekend warriors planning to build awnings or cut plywood sheets will need to increase the power to 18 volts. If it’s just a few weekends a year, you can save money by opting for a larger plug-in job. There is no need to spend money on an 18V tool that sits on the charger most of the time. If you can handle the weight and cost, 18V tools give you maximum flexibility as they handle all small tasks with ease, but can also be used for power saws , rock drills and grinders.
Stick to the same manufacturer and battery type
Invest in a tooling platform that you can afford to expand. Don’t waste everything on one tool that’s so expensive that you’ll have to change manufacturers to add to your tool collection. Cordless power tool batteries are not compatible with each other. If you become a master, you will be stuck with them, unless you start with a different company.
If you already have a set of NiCad tools, it makes sense to stick with that manufacturer if their chargers are backward compatible and can charge both NiCd and Li-ion batteries. Bosch has taken battery technology a step further with its wireless charging systems while remaining backward compatible with their current lithium-ion range.
Premium tool companies sell their tools without batteries, so you can simply expand your range without paying for expensive batteries every time.
Get hands-on experience
The top rated tools are not always suitable. Go to a major home center or hardware store and buy as many power tools as possible. Twist them with your wrist, squeeze the handle and hold it as if you were using it. Pay attention to the balance of the instrument, weight (with the battery in it), trigger force, and other features such as belt clips, LED placement, and battery type (flat bottom to keep the instrument upright, or cartridge type that requires the instrument to lying on its side.).
Comfort is the most important thing. If the tool is inconvenient to use, it will sit down.
All the rest
The controversy over brush and brushless tools has more relevance to professionals than to DIYers. You can pay a premium for the technology, but when working on small projects, the ROI is negligible.
The supplied power tool kits are a great way to start collecting. Buying a combination of two or more instruments is cheaper than buying one at a time. This group of three 18-volt RYOBI One + tools and one flashlight costs $ 180. And this DeWalt 12V MAX combo kit costs $ 245. These are very reasonable prices for expandable platforms that include three reliable power tools (and a flashlight).