Power tools

[korolev]

I'm moving soon and looking for a cordless SDS. My son has a Bosch for work and it goes through anything but he's moving out so I won't be able to keep borrowing it and have to buy my own.
The one he has is about £350 but I'd prefer not to spend more than £200 if I can get away with it.

[jansman]

I'm moving soon and looking for a cordless SDS. My son has a Bosch for work and it goes through anything but he's moving out so I won't be able to keep borrowing it and have to buy my own.
The one he has is about £350 but I'd prefer not to spend more than £200 if I can get away with it.

Have a look at Screwfix https://www.screwfix.com/

[peejay]

I've just picked up the Ryobi One+ cordless SDS but haven't used it as yet.

[grenfell]

I've used bosch , dewalt and hitachi cordless sds drills and have considered getting one but so far my corded tools have sufficed. I'm happier with corded in that they seem to live longer although that might be because people abuse cordless tools expecting them to be exactly the same as a corded job. Many people on trade forums seem to really rate festool but i have no experience with them other than knowing they are chuffing expensive. I've very little experience with ryobi but they seemed ok . Like any make you'll find those that rave about them and those who berate them. The one battery thing is a good idea but then don't most manufacturers have battery interchangability? I have seen adapters to use the new Li-on batteries on existing dewalt tools made for ni-cads although if they are worth it is a whole different question. The other option is to do what a friend does and what i'm starting to do is to run the tools off a car battery . Not as portable but cheap.

[PreppingPingu]

I have a growing inventory of Ryobi One+ tools as I like having a single battery model fitting all my tools. not had any issues with them so far after a few years (though the small hand-held vacuum is pretty crap but TBF I think all of these little vacs are anyway).

I was going to go for Ryobi but ended up with Worx. I know its cheepish but I have had no complaints so far. My basic cordless drill/screwdriver is Worx and then I got a strimmer and lawn mower package together which used the same battery. Kinda handy as the strimmer/lawnmower pack just came with the 2 batteries needed for the mower but the strimmer just takes one too so I can use the one off my drill if I need all 3. I am a fan of these one battery fits all systems. Though it does then mean that you are tied to that range! Plusses and minuses I guess!

[grenfell]

I went to a tool show a while ago and looked at a dewalt battery mower. To be honest i was thinking they would be quieter although in reality they are as noisy as a petrol mower. The mower uses two 18v batteries and the guy demonstrating it said that i'd be able to use my existing batteries. "I don't think so " i said but he repeated that i could . When i said i was still running 14.4v tools with ni-cads he was somewhat surprised . Guess it just shows how often manufactures expect people to change tools. Perhaps that explains why quality has gone down ? Manufacturers expect tools to be "upgraded" after a few years so don't need to last a decade or more.

[Arwen Thebard]

I've ended up with a really mixed power tool bag built up over the years. Makita used to be our go-to choice but that changed to DeWalt some years ago, except for the flip over saws which we reckon are better built quality from Elu. We do have a large Bosch SDS-Max drill / breaker which has stood the test of time very well and an AEG 18v cordless hammer drill that never seems to stop working. My go-to cordless these days is definitely the DeWalt 18V 1.5Ah combi which came with 2 Li-Ion batteries but I only ever seem to need one. Also have a 33cm Ryobi portable planner which has performed very well over 20 years as has the large Ryobi beam planer. Outside its Sthil all the way, especially chainsaws, I have a few "others" that just aren't worth the effort anymore, Sthil starts [almost] first time, every time.

I've got three boxes of cordless Bosch drills and batteries, 9.6v - 18v and 24v all dead and useless and far to expensive to repair. Similar case for the older Makita drills.

[scoobie]

I've used, and owned most brands in the last 25 years. Starting with black and decker many years ago... Makita used to be great (I've still got an old ni-cad drill, that's about 15 years old and it's still going strong). Same for a hitachi drill and impact driver that's about 5 years old.

Last year I needed a new jigsaw and circular saw, so took the decision to upgrade all my regularly used power tools to DeWalt (so they all share the same batteries). So i'm in that process at the moment.

If I'm not sure that I will use a power tool that much, I will start with a well reviewed but more budget tool; then upgrade as needed. I have a few 'titan' branded tools from Screwfix. The SDS drill in particular has taken an absolute beating since I bought it, and it's still going strong! Have a titan track saw too, which is decent after upgrading the blade!

Would I buy titan over DeWalt. No. Are titan tools perfectly useable? Yes, absolutely.

For hand tools, I have Halfords professional sockets and spanners which are fantastic. Wiha and Wera screwdrivers, and Knipex pliers of various types. Got a few Bahco bits too, they're decent as well.

I think I have a tool addiction

[blue90]

Best power tools are my Makita ROS and my Record Power band saw, the rest of my power tools are crap. But I use hand tools way more than power tools, so thats where my tool allowance goes.

[blue90]

I've used, and owned most brands in the last 25 years. Starting with black and decker many years ago... Makita used to be great (I've still got an old ni-cad drill, that's about 15 years old and it's still going strong). Same for a hitachi drill and impact driver that's about 5 years old.

Last year I needed a new jigsaw and circular saw, so took the decision to upgrade all my regularly used power tools to DeWalt (so they all share the same batteries). So i'm in that process at the moment.

If I'm not sure that I will use a power tool that much, I will start with a well reviewed but more budget tool; then upgrade as needed. I have a few 'titan' branded tools from Screwfix. The SDS drill in particular has taken an absolute beating since I bought it, and it's still going strong! Have a titan track saw too, which is decent after upgrading the blade!

Would I buy titan over DeWalt. No. Are titan tools perfectly useable? Yes, absolutely.

For hand tools, I have Halfords professional sockets and spanners which are fantastic. Wiha and Wera screwdrivers, and Knipex pliers of various types. Got a few Bahco bits too, they're decent as well.

I think I have a tool addiction

I use Halfords Pro socketry and cant fault them, some Snap On but they are just silly prices and a lot of Sealey stuff. The Halfords sets used to be all multipoint which is a bit crap but they seemed to have changed to 6 point now, no more grazed knuckles! The Halfords Pro tool chests arnt bad either. I got a trade card with them so get a decent discount on their tools.