Battery powered tool systems

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#3100465 6-Jul-2023 08:30

I started my battery ecosystem with B&D purely because of my proximity to Mega (5 mins) vs Bunnings (20 mins) and they had the tool I specifically needed at the time (extended reach hedge trimmer).

I then ended up needing an impact wrench (rattle gun not impact driver) which B&D doesn't or didn't do and so the Ryobi One+ ecosystem is now sharing my garage and has been my go to for battery tools since then.

One battery was DoA, refused to hold charge and was replaced on the spot but otherwise they've been reliable.

No they aren't the "best" but for the price point they are a good balance of performance vs price for the handyman level of use I give them.

Still also have a corded hammer drill, angle grinders and bench saw. Pity Ryobi didn't seem to have the framing nailer in their line up until recently as that would have been quite handy in the last couple of years of reno projects.

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BlargHonk

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#3100467 6-Jul-2023 08:33

If I was starting again I would probably go for Ozito, but the Ryobi stuff I have seems to be fine for most DIY stuff. You can always get the Brushless version if the reviews for the normal one are a bit shit.

MikeAqua

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#3100521 6-Jul-2023 11:37

geoffwnz:

One battery was DoA, refused to hold charge and was replaced on the spot but otherwise they've been reliable.

It's worth checking out YT videos for how to refurb a battery. If you know how to use multimeter and solder, it's simple to find an replace a defective cell.

We had a battery failure with our Ego mower. Ego sent a new battery to M10 in just a few days, but they didn't want the old one back. I opened it up and was able to find a defective cell, which I replaced with a same spec cell I was able to source easily and swap in. Now working just fine.

Disclaimer: Obviously effing around with lithium batteries comes with certain risk, so you have to careful - heat, short circuits etc.

Mike

geoffwnz

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#3100525 6-Jul-2023 11:56

MikeAqua:

geoffwnz:

One battery was DoA, refused to hold charge and was replaced on the spot but otherwise they've been reliable.

It's worth checking out YT videos for how to refurb a battery. If you know how to use multimeter and solder, it's simple to find an replace a defective cell.

We had a battery failure with our Ego mower. Ego sent a new battery to M10 in just a few days, but they didn't want the old one back. I opened it up and was able to find a defective cell, which I replaced with a same spec cell I was able to source easily and swap in. Now working just fine

If it was a well used battery then I'll definitely keep that in mind for future reference as my battery packs eventually start to fail.

That particular one was brand new, purchased, tested, returned and replaced within one weekend. Not really any benefit to refurbing something that's still under replacement warranty in that specific instance though.

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MikeAqua

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#3100598 6-Jul-2023 13:46

geoffwnz:

If it was a well used battery then I'll definitely keep that in mind for future reference as my battery packs eventually start to fail.

That particular one was brand new, purchased, tested, returned and replaced within one weekend. Not really any benefit to refurbing something that's still under replacement warranty in that specific instance though.

True, unless you get to keep the defective unit, in which case if you can repair it, you have two.

Mike

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#3100599 6-Jul-2023 13:56

IME, there is a general correlation between price point and overall tool quality. Every tool range will have at least some tools that are better (or worse) than the equivalents of other brands but in general, you will get better quality (but pay more) for the trade-focussed brands (e.g., Makita, Milwaukee, DeWalt, Bosch Blue) than the consumer-focussed brands (e.g., Ryobi, Black & Decker, Ozito, Bosch Green). "Quality" might involve some combination of better power, features, ergonomics, reliability, or accuracy but ultimately drills will still make holes, saws will cut lines etc. Unless you are shopping for some specific tool for a specific use, you kind of need to make an overall assessment of where you want to be on that price-quality spectrum and accept that there will always be some "I wish I had the equivalent tool from X range instead of this".

I don't think anyone ever regretted moving up a step in the quality rankings, but you kind of need to assess your personal use case and see whether that upgrade is worthwhile. I took a sabbatical from my office job a couple of years ago and worked with a buddy on a building site for a few months (just wanted to do something different for a bit). Battery life and tool reliability make a huge difference on-site, since tools are constantly working and a breakdown or flat battery can be a real pain and result in lost productivity. Whereas if it is just DIY around the house, it can be a nuisance but usually not the end of the world if you need to take an extra long break while a tool charges or wait a few days for it to be fixed. But then contrast again that most "building" involves an awful lot of "near enough is good enough" and "the painter/plasterer will cover that up later" so some trade tools are made to be robust and fast, but possibly not perfectly accurate or repeatable. If you are trying to do finer/high quality projects and woodworking, maybe you want to pick tools that suit that - an additional mortgage for Festool or Mafell, or (possibly more likely) a more expensive bit or blade for a slightly cheaper tool.

FWIW, I've got AEG. I got a drill/driver set at least a decade ago and have gradually built out from there. Everything has been really reliable and no issues with batteries (original set is still going, plus some supplemental ones that have been purchased since) and the range is gradually expanding, though doesn't have the same range of options as some other brands. Probably my main issue with it isn't the tools themselves, it is that it is a Bunnings exclusive. That applies to most of the prosumer/consumer level brands, and there is zero competition or availability at other retailers. In contrast, Makita and DeWalt is available everywhere and you can at least sometimes get deals on these (though there is still blatant price-match-avoiding behaviour with retailers getting notionally different SKU bundles exclusively). So don't under-value the fringe factors surrounding tools as well.

Finally - and this is really just a hypothesis - my current thinking is that builders are probably the ones that get the most benefit from sticking primarily to a particular battery platform. Swapping one battery after another can be super useful on site. However, at a DIY level it is very seldom the end of the world if a battery goes flat and you need to wait for a bit (or find something else to do) for it to charge, so you only really need batteries for the tools your using right now, plus one on charge. My current thinking is that if one of my existing tools or batteries kicks the bucket, I'm planning on replacing it with something from a different range and run a couple of battery systems concurrently. When I buy new tools, I've then got a choice of battery platform and can pick the best tool at the time, rather than being cornered into just buying the thing that already works with my existing batteries.

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MikeAqua

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#3100628 6-Jul-2023 14:30

I've noticed that Stanley and B&D use the same batteries, but with a slightly different shape. It's a minor modification to use BD batteries on fatmax tools.

Mike

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#3100699 6-Jul-2023 17:50

MikeAqua:
I've noticed that Stanley and B&D use the same batteries, but with a slightly different shape. It's a minor modification to use BD batteries on fatmax tools.

It’s almost like the parent company is called Stanley Black and Decker

larknz

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#3100702 6-Jul-2023 17:54

The same company also makes DeWalt tools

Handle9

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#3100708 6-Jul-2023 18:01

larknz: The same company also makes DeWalt tools

And Irwin, Craftsman, Sidchrome and some others.

Most brands are part of a consolidated group.

power tool manufacturers and who really owns them

Handle9

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#3100709 6-Jul-2023 18:06

mdf:

Finally - and this is really just a hypothesis - my current thinking is that builders are probably the ones that get the most benefit from sticking primarily to a particular battery platform. Swapping one battery after another can be super useful on site. However, at a DIY level it is very seldom the end of the world if a battery goes flat and you need to wait for a bit (or find something else to do) for it to charge, so you only really need batteries for the tools your using right now, plus one on charge. My current thinking is that if one of my existing tools or batteries kicks the bucket, I'm planning on replacing it with something from a different range and run a couple of battery systems concurrently. When I buy new tools, I've then got a choice of battery platform and can pick the best tool at the time, rather than being cornered into just buying the thing that already works with my existing batteries.

I'd much rather have a few batteries of one system than a variety of batteries. I went Ryobi for this reason. I do general DIY stuff and I'll usually run out of battery capacity before I reach the limit of the capability of my tools. I generally find the sack of meat on the end of the tool is more of a limiting factor than the quality of the tool.

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angski

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#3101695 9-Jul-2023 15:31

FlyingPete:

angski:

Nowadays, with battery adaptors, you can use Dewalt battery on Makita bare tools or Milwaukee tools. As long as there is an adaptor, you can buy any bare skin tool.

If you stick with Dewalt or Makita battery, you literally can use tools from both camps. All you need is a battery adaptor. I have a Metabo battery and with Milwaukee adaptor, I can use all Milwaukee tools.

Would be interesting to see which battery system is most cost effective, I was on the Bunnings site last night and noticed the Ozito stuff is considerably cheaper than Ryobi.

Ryobi batteries would be a bad idea to use for everything due to their sticky out bit, looks like they are the only one that still does that.

Let me share with you what I did.
I bought a Metabo power drill sometime back. Why Metabo? Metabo belongs to the CAS group where a group of power tools manufacturers agree on sharing the same type of batteries. I also have a Mafell cordless saw with use the same batteries as Metabo.

I was looking for a sabre saw but I do not like the Metabo model. I then go for the Milwaukee M18 model. I hunt and found a Metabo to Milwaukee power tools adaptor. I am over the moon. I only need one battery.
I then found Metabo to Makita and Metabo to Dewalt adaptor. So now I only need one set of batteries and I just need to buy the powertools without the battery.

Forget about Ozito, go for Dewalt or Makita. There are plenty of battery adaptors out there.

johno1234

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#3101787 10-Jul-2023 07:21

That’s nuts. I’m a home handyman not a pro. Why would I spend $400 on a DeWalt skin when I can buy an Ozito one for $100? Or a set of everything I need for $600 v $2400?

DeWalt make beautiful quality tools but a hole in drilled and a screw driven by either is the same to me and I have other stuff to spend money on.

Rikkitic

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#3101799 10-Jul-2023 08:37

I don't really qualify as a DIY-er. I inherited a set of Ryobi tools and am a very light user of some. I especially like the drill. My contribution to this thread is that when my fancy charger stopped working, I discovered that Ryobi has a non-repair policy, which I object to on principle. If something fails under warranty they will replace it without problem but there is no way to fix it, even if the failure is minor. According to someone at Bunnings, Ryobi is the only brand that won't repair. I find this short-sighted, wasteful and out of touch with the times.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

johno1234

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#3101887 10-Jul-2023 10:37

Rikkitic:

I don't really qualify as a DIY-er. I inherited a set of Ryobi tools and am a very light user of some. I especially like the drill. My contribution to this thread is that when my fancy charger stopped working, I discovered that Ryobi has a non-repair policy, which I object to on principle. If something fails under warranty they will replace it without problem but there is no way to fix it, even if the failure is minor. According to someone at Bunnings, Ryobi is the only brand that won't repair. I find this short-sighted, wasteful and out of touch with the times.

They make this stuff so cheap it's consequentially cheaper to issue a new replacement and scrap faulty units than to support a repair infrastructure (spare parts, repair facilities, shipping, technicians, overheads for all). It is wasteful of materials and energy, However it is the least cost option and it is the consumers that are forcing this on the manufacturers by choosing the lowest priced option. If these tools retail price at around $100 to a consumer then the manufacturer's cost in an automated mass production facility is probably < $25. Simply uneconomical to spend even an hour repairing them.

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