That is the only dewalt in the a tier. We have them at work and I personally hate them but it’s the grip not the performance of the tool I hate. But it is a good tool.
If you pair the Atomics with the Power stack batteries, that might be the top tier. You have an 18V device in the same size as an M12 tool with the XC battery pack. The atomic with the Power stack battery will be much more powerful.
That thing about the Ryobi batteries--that form factor hasn't changed in 20 years, and that's their selling point. I have tools I bought 20 years ago when they were still blue (and I couldn't afford the Dewalt that I wanted) that I can power with batteries I bought last year. Yeah, I could have replaced the tools, but frankly I replace my tools when they wear out, and I've got a recip saw that still works. It's beat to hell, but it still keeps soldiering on, and the newest battery works with it, and that's pretty amazing, honestly.
@@Wohlfe I mean it would make it more unwieldy and I think the battery interchangeability is why people buy Ryobi. You don't have to worry about different sizes or this or that.
Ryobi brushed tools should definately be solidly in the C tier. The amount of tools, the backwards compatability, and they continue to update the entire lineup and add to it makes them the champion of C tier. I have Kobalt cordless tools and they are very nice, but battery costs are why I'm moving away from them and to Ryobi; and I've been quite impressed with the brushed tools I have from them. I currently have 8, as well as over a dozen batteries and all that cost less than $1,000!
I’m not sure how you claim that a battery with a phallic symbol inconveniently protruding from it preventing compact storage is a selling point. That is exactly why I will not buy any Ryobi battery tools. It’s the dumbest battery configuration on the market. I do own a couple of their corded tools, but that usually is only for an item which is not available in craftsman or one of the other tool lines. I can actually get adapters to use my craftsman batteries and other vendor tools, except for Ryobi, of course. The only reason for their success is because they have had a very smart designer, coming up with new and clever tools that no one else has, and sometimes also with clever features. If it were not for that aspect of their line up, their batteries would’ve tanked them long ago.
@@hu5116 the main advantage is not the battery shape, but the fact they didn't change it and as a result in not having to find the right battery and shell out for new chargers and batteries every time a new line of tools come out. It's stupid simple, it gets the job done and it's cost effective. It might not be the end all be all highest performance but it can do 95% of what the other tools do for 1/3 the price and I don't need to go buy new batteries with it. I could own one battery and all the Ryobi tools and be just fine. There's not one other brand you can say that of that's of the same quality and size of product line as Ryobi.
I’ve used most of these brands except for the cheaper lower tier brands and have mostly dewalt but I can confidently say that makita is far and away my favorite. 2nd to none in ergonomics and the sheer size of their tool lineup. Always up there in power as well.
@@gregorsamsa1364It’s true for sure in America. We are spoiled here bc Milwaukee and Dewalt are domestic and super cheap. Around the world Makita is priced better in comparison and dominates many markets.
ima makita guy as well. same story as you i started off with dewalt and built a massive collection but eventually went to makita out of frustration with dewalt and plain curiosity. ive never used a tool so good. love em.
Only problem I have with this is Ryobi and Rigid need to be switched. Ryobi is DIY and Prosumer. Rigid is Prosumer and Value Pro. And if you think that’s just my opinion, here’s an excerpt from the first paragraph of Ryobi’s warranty terms: “The product is designed and dedicated to consumer and private use only. So there is no warranty provided in case of professional or commercial use. This warranty applies only on new products.” Rigid has no such clause in their warranty. Ryobi tools, especially their HP brushless line has value pro performance. But they can never be truly value pro as using them for profit voids the warranty.
exactly you really need to know the warranty before you buy a tool by that company to be sure it can be used in you line of work or just home /DYI usage
Yes he downgrade Rigdid too much! Same as Dewalt brush series, Worx Brushless, Hikoki brush, Hikoki brushless... they should be higher! But he overrated too: Makita brush, Metabo Brush, Bosch prof. brush, Hart should be F tier! for sure....
I use my ryobi stuff for automotive and they been put to some extreme use the most brutal test was using them in the rain and snow they still work just fine so idk what you talking about
I had plans at one point of getting a bunch of Kobalt tools. However, between Lowes and "Kobalt" they wouldn't cover warranty for a faulty drill. I ditched their crap and moved to Milwaukee. I also don't buy any tools at Lowes anymore.
I’ll admit I’m a Milwaukee fan boy purchased the M18 hammer drill and impact driver, the hammer drill performance is at the high quality corded hammer drills. Left my M18s behind and needed drill and impact driver picked up the M12 because of pricing and brand, I’m impressed as they are small and light weight with surprising performance, they have become my primary wood shop tools.
I'm a metal worker so I can't afford to downgrade on quality at all, and after seeing 4 drills in a single shop get clapped i stay away from Milwaukee tools. Except their saws all and band saw I'd say they are mid tier equipment once you bring reliability into the equation.
I don’t know what you two are talking about but I worked at a plywood mill and all their tools were Milwaukee and they got a lot of use because shit would break all the time. Never heard one complaint about them.
@@MarineX Honestly didn’t know that Metabo had a 12v line, just the 18 and 36. I have a Bosch 12v drill driver and impact driver that I bought for super cheap on clearance, and they’re what I tend to reach for around the house.
Yes, and can we agree hercules 12v line has so much potential, in brushless it could rule, and bauer brushless 12v drill, impact combo ,if good, and I'm betting it'll be awesome,, but yea , that would fly off the shelves, a 2 tool kit for both,,and dewalt xtreme I have that set,it's 200 bucks, fantastic light tools to work above your head, and strong, but I'm betting bauer could do it better for 100,and I know hercules could,, say a 5 tool package like the skil 12v power core,, I have it too,,I love 12v
I know Porter Cable ignored you for a hot minute, but man I would encourage you to test them out. I have the entire line, brushed and brushless with 4ah batteries and I use them on EVERYTHING. I literally have never had a problem and even used the 1/2" impact for hours this past weekend. I love the PC line!
I have been in construction sales for the last 8 years but before that I was in various top so construction but got into some mid-level woodworking. I wanted to upgrade my tools and my mother-in-law went out and bought me a brushless Ryobi and tax driver and drill combo kit and also got me a brushless jigsaw. At the time, I wasn't super excited but it was very considerate so I started using them and have added on several other tools in their lineup sets and I absolutely love Ryobi. I have since started my own company and I am often working on decks doing either full builds or repairs in my brushless HP Ryobi has been excellent to work with. Would I rather have rigid or Milwaukee? Sure, but I don't do construction everyday and when I do, I can always rely on my Ryobi tools to get the job done.
The biggest problem I have with Festool isn't the price of the tools themselves, its that they use non-standard consumables/accessories with them. They are like Apple in this regard. The Festool drills don't use standard drill bits and use their Centrotec bits, the tracksaws use a nonstandard blade size, and the miter saws use a different size arbor than other miter saws. I am honestly surprised Festool doesn't make orbital sanders with 140mm sanding pads (~5.5" instead of 5" or 6") just to mess with people. Makita tools will do everything a Festool product will do, except the Festool product will have better dust collection. That is the difference between S tier and A tier.
@@scrambler350 Festool is German and I believe some of their line is made in Germany. I don't see them locally either.. Not sure which American brick and mortar retailers carry them.
Makita is Makita and not even close to Festool,Mafell ,German Metabo ,Hilti or Fein. All named one are top notch and abowe Makita ,Milwaukee,Bosch Blue or DeWalt.
@@eagleeyephoto8715 Go ahead and think that. There are a lot of detailed reviews comparing Festool tools vs Makita or Bosch counterparts. They use objective measurements and it is not a big gap if any. You can't dispute my main point about Festool being user hostile with the consumables. There is absolutely no reason for them to use nonstandard size blades or arbors.
Metabo HPT and Makita is pro level tool. Hands down Metabo is the best I’ve used. For something like FLEX to be in pro line and those two not is asinine.
My father is retired, and spends most of his days doing woodworking in his shop building small items. He owns the DeWalt Brushless lineup of tools, but for one specific purpose, he chose to purchase a Warrior drill - He needed something light, with less power to drive small screws for tiny hinges as to not strip them out. Cost him $15 on sale, and has lasted him YEARS.
I know what you’re talking about, I’m a true Makita fan, but for the shop I use Milwaukee 12v for driving small screws and Kreg pocket screws. Much easier on the wrists and no stripping
I converted from Craftsman to Bauer years ago, and am heavily invested in the lineup. Although I've always purchased the additional warranty, I've never needed to use it. I'm thoroughly impressed with how well these are made, and the huge lineup of tools and batteries available. Recently they had a promotion for two 5mAH batteries for $79. I bought six of 'em!
I work in an industry where I constantly drill anything from standard wood screws to 3 quarter inch lags into solid wood all day., for 25 years. I started off with brushed DeWalt and moved through Milwaukee, and Makita throughout the years. the last set of drills i bought were the Ryobi impact and driver because a new employee needed starter drills one day. I ended up taking them as my own and beat the crap out of them for 4 years and they are still going. If you asked me in the past what drills I prefer I never would have said Ryobi, but here i am.
I love my Ryobi tools and they have never let me down until I bought cheap batteries online. Using those cheap ass batteries I smoked three of my tools
Speed and looking like a pro matters. Given the testing I have seen, you are wasting your time with ryobi. I use oscilating tools all day for caulking removal. Speed matters.. I would reconsider your position.
Growing up with my dad who does tile work he had a lot of dewalt but around 7 years old he started getting a lot of blue and green tools since then he’s never looked back and is always looking for the next makita tool to buy
I have been using the Dewalt 20v line for years but the battery costs are outrageous. I have started in the past year replacing with the Hercules line and have been thrilled with them. Each equivalent tool is equal to or better than Dewalt and the batteries cost about 40% compared to Dewalt. Also, they are steadily adding to the lineup.
@@donniep2822 dewalt constantly has deals where you get a free battery or batteries with tools. I have like 15 batteries most of which were free because I got them during those times
@@Laynenelson320 agree. And now that the OP mentioned Hercules they're well made and powerful today. But most of their tools are sold as bare tools and once you start adding a charger and battery they are not cheap anymore. A DeWalt deal with "free batteries" can end up being better savings than a $10 coupon on a Hercules battery.
I love my brushless Ridgid. The subcompact drill fits the hand so good. I can’t waste money on Dewalt or Milwaukee when you pretty much get same performance.
@@Dtonk4609 for sure. My brother has the older porter cable and I couldn’t believe how ergo it is. I have the brushed ryobi I keep at the house for weekend use and it feels soooo bulky.
Yeah, I would put RIDGID a bit higher. I have put mine through hell and they work fantastic. Have been very happy thus far with everything I have got in the line
Most folks I know have the CXS drill, if they have Festool. It's not strong, but incredibly smooth and loves by several folks I know. The 12v Bosch Flexiclick is what a lot of folks go for, though. Love that thing.
As a serious DIYer I have landed on two types….Kobalt (XTR or NextGen) for the larger power requirements like their bigger hammer drill or circular 7 1/4 saws and to get in tight spaces or tremendous selection, you cannot beat the Milwaukee 12v line. No one size or brand is suitable for the power to price and selection ratios I had to consider.
So ive been a Ryobi guy for years. Good price, tons of tools all same battery. But i got a semi truck again and want to upgrade and use 1 brand, especially impact guns and wrenches, but not sure which way to go. Milwaukee? DeWalt? Makita? Hercules? I have a Harbor Freight and Lowes near by.
I think Bauer is so impressive it should have been a step above what you gave it,,but, I do agree that the 90 day warranty is holding them back,,if they will expand the brushless line a little more and even a 3 year warranty will make them definitely a value pro at least,,and yes , Hercules brushless deserves top tier also,,right beside Milwaukee,,they are serious competitors,,and 5 year warranty too,,shoot !!!
Bauer really stepped it up, but because the warranty sucks I always consider the 2 year replacement plan mandatory and add it to the price when I consider them.
A lot of companies front load the cost of a longer warranty into the sales price of the tool. Bauer's strategy is to remove that warranty cost and sell an equivalent or even better tool at a lower price. Then it's up to the consumer if they want to add the extended warranty. The risk is the perception of a lower quality tool due to the short warranty.
Look at the teardown videos. The Bauer housings lack internal reinforcement, the battery packs lack shielding on cables, and the boards don't have conformal coatings for corrosion resistance. They are as minimal as it gets on anything but ecosystem range.
People who take care of their stuff are the ones who say their brand lasted a while. Stuff happens but if you have 20 tools and they all don’t last then you didn’t take care of them in one way or another. Just like ford vs Chevy…it’s all the same just gotta maintain them correctly
I have have tons of tools from the trifecta.......Dewalt, Milwaukee, Makita. They all work great.....but each has strengths and weaknesses in different tool categories. IMO Dewalt has the best batteries. Milwaukee has the biggest selection. Makita tools have the best fit and finish.
I'm in the same boat. Now I own nothing but Dewalt batteries (including knock off Dewalt batteries) and I use adapters for tools from other brands. (Rigid, Makita, RyobI). I'm hugely disappointed on how Makita batteries would die within months, it's outrageous given how good their tools are. I play with drones and have a high end battery charger. I end up hooking that up to the Dewalt charger so that I can discharge, balance, maintain, and charge my Dewalt batteries to any voltage levels at the charging speed of my choosing. You can't do that with batteries from other brands as their batteries don't have pin-out to individual cells.
If you are home construction for ur own house or relatives house, any brand will do heck the cheapest brand will do the job but when u are in the carpentry industry, for me DeWalt is the cheapest best brand against the other brands and still does what the other expensive brand does.
I have a ryobi brushless drill i used to mix a 5 gallon bucket of drywall mud. It started smoking and overheated, but still works fine now and has been for over a year lol.
Based on your recommendations I’ve the past two years I’ve switched to Kobalts 24V line. If I were to get back into professional work I’ll go with either Flex or Makita. Cheers.
Hi Bear, loved the vid! FYI, I might have put the craftsman drills one level higher than you did. I own just about the whole line of craftsman V20 tools, and have been very happy with all of them in my company shop and lab. Absolutely they are not a festtool. But when you compare the value that you get, I believe they are some of the best values out there. I know there are some that rag on craftsman, but they are refuted by numerous RUclips videos that I have seen where they pit for example, a craftsman impact driver against the comparable, or better, Milwaukee, and darn all the craftsman holds its own very nicely, particularly when you consider the price difference. Also, they have a good selection of batteries, including the light weight 2, a heavier weight 4 (or was it 5?) and a hulker 9! And note that most of the tools usually come with a battery and charger, so about the only additional batteries I have bought are the big ones and given that I now have so many small ones it’s less imperative to buy more. Combine this with a nice diversity of different tools (jigsaw, pressure washer, polisher, chainsaw, trimmer, pruner, weeder, etc., etc.) using this battery system and it is really the best value proposition IMHO for the money. For the same money to buy a couple of the high end tools, I now have a wide variety of tools to use at my disposal. That in my view provides the best capability for the least money. And, like I said, I have not been disappointed by the craftsman tools at least yet.
Jeff, thank you so much for doing this video. I see that it is about a year old. As so, many new products are introduced every year, I recommend that you do this kind of video annually.
I’ve had zero issues with my Rigid! I’m a finish carpenter and epoxy coatings specialist since 94. I use other brands for specific uses and finishes but Rigid… can’t beat the warranty, price point and reliability!
Are we ranking just the drill drivers on this list or the entire lineup including saws and sanders. I am wanting to replace my corded hand held tools with cordless. Tired of tripping over cords.
I love your tool reviews and recommendations. You’re one of the most honest and unbiased I’ve seen. You give harbor freight their due. I bought into the Hercules line the get a lot of hate being a HF brand but it truly does hold its own with the big boys
The only change I would make is move Milwaukee fuel and dewalt Xr to S tier. The reason being is how massive their line ups are. That’s why I think they’re separate from the rest of the A tier list.
Funny you mention the Warrior brand. We all know that they're cheap tools, I believe that it's only a 3/8" drill with a plastic chuck but, I could be mistaken. With that said, a friend of mine bought their drill/spotlight kit several years ago completely intending the drill as a one use tool and figuring that he'd use the light until it died. He's still using that cheap drill on small projects today but, the light died! Personally, my favorite and, the brand I'm most vested in is Porter Cable but, due to circumstances beyond my control, your placement of the brand is probably right on the money. I use my P-C stuff regularly and, pretty hard and none of it has ever let me down. However, I know that it eventually will. When that happens, since I'm not a contractor, I'm planning on replacing it with Skil.
I disagree about Makita brushes being value pro. I work heavy construction; I’ve used my brushed 18v Makita impact daily for 5 years. I mean driving 3.5 inch tap cons into concrete, driving teck screws overhead into structural steel, daily. Has never quit. I’m Canadian. Left it outside in the cold over a weekend, got covered in snow. Found it. Still worked instantly. And it was the standard 18v brushed model; one function, no different modes. Fantastic tool.
I never thought there were so many options for just drills; more choices here than at Baskin Robbins. However, this does give me a good feeling about the Milwaukee combo pack I got in November. I've used both tools, the drill and the impact driver, and they both work and handle great.
I’ve had Milwaukee, Delwalt and Mikita however wanted to buy all new kits and only one brand for my company, after a lot of research and after using only the tools from a sub contractor we ripped 50 sheets of 3/4 ply and hundreds of 2”x12” lumber for concrete forms. So I bought all brushless Rigid tools. The reliability, the durability plus the great battery endurance and quick charging along with a lifetime warranty plus lower cost made the decision easy.
As a tools associate at Lowes for over 8 years….Bosch has not been touched in a long time by customers. Their corded hammer drills do fly off the shelves, but no one (at least in my store’s area) buys them. Also, Metabo HPT has both 18 and 36v line, so I’m wondering which one you were referring to in your ranking?
@@zachzoltowski1414 yee yee. I have both 36v impact and hammer driver (our store stopped selling the 36v drill line due to it not selling too much, so I got the displays, batteries and chargers for around $80) I also have the 36v circular saw and it is really nice. I’m hoping to get the recip saw next since it is clearance at our store too (I believe they need to make room for newer Metabo tools, so they clearance items that don’t sell too much). Bonus tip: just cause you see several tools within the same brand on clearance does not mean the brand is leaving the store or going out of business. It usually means that newer models are coming in to replace them. So I hope the recip 36v saw is shrinking in size lol
I've been using the hyper tough line fire 5 years and I've got no complaints and they would be in the lower category I have some dewalt brushless tools but I reach for the hyper tough products
I'm a DIYer who loves a little bit of overkill at a good price. Thank you so much for this video! It helped me land on the Kobalt XTR line of tools. (Upgrading from Porter Cable. My PC tools have performed wonderfully, but looking to get away from them due to poor support/ecosystem.) It's funny how tools can be such a personal journey. My dad was always a DeWalt guy. Oddly, this makes me want to try something different, even though he gave me my love for tools! Beyond that, Makita hurts my wallet too much, and Flex just doesn't attract me for some intangible reason that I can't describe (though they are undeniable high-performers!) Thank you again for this video!
anyone want to advise?.... i'm either going to go makita, dewalt or milwaukee bundle... i work with glass and metal as a glazier...installation of panels and custom windows doors, mostly attaching metal frames to other metal frames and screwing to regular flooring, walls and ceilings in homes and offices (sometimes the floors are tile or stone).... the bundle will have a screwgun, impact driver, small circular saw and chop saw, grinder and multi-tool (a few other things as well but this is the most frequently used) ... and also, separately a 3 plane laser level... i need mostly lighter batteries for gun/drill because i have to do a lot of small screws, with only like a quarter requiring decent torque and the rest minor, but it's a lot in total and weight matters any advice appreciated PS i've used all of these brands and they all perform decently well, i'm not a brand loyalist at all, just whatever is sufficient, i just want to be on one platform mostly (for batteries and charging ease)
the biggest thing to think about for the S,A ,and B is how they fit in your hand. the power of the tool is close enough between them that makes more of a difference. this is a tool you will use all day every day. my best fit is Bosch for most. but i have and old porter cable corded saw that just rocks. ok i also have a 25yr old Bosch 12 drill that still runs that was my work drill till i picked up a ni-cad 24V and then a lithium 18.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video. I’ve been hoping for a long time that you would make this video. Simple and straightforward answer to what category each lineup belongs in.
For UK, Europe and Australia I recommend Einhell / Ozito if you're buying into a whole range of tools but can't stretch to Makita The brushless range are great value with 10 year service Impact TP-CI 18 3-in-1 TE-CD 18/50 Circular TE-CS 18/190 Cordless Oil-Free Compressor TE-AC 36/6/8 Drywall Depthstop Driver TE-DY 18 And so many more tools in their platform, competitive with Ryobi and Makitas extensive ranges
I just picked up a XR set of drill/impact set to replace my old brushed Dewalt, honestly the brushed drill wasn't that bad but I got it 10 years ago and it got way more wear/abuse than the average consumer would and its still going (granted the motor is starting to burn out). In todays context is it a great drill? Not really since brushless versions are only a few bucks more in many cases but I think it could have made C tier at least for its durability.
Great review, thanks for all the work. Just a thought on Craftsman. You mentioned their batteries being expensive. I carefully watch for sales on Lowes and don't think they are too bad. I once got four, 2-amp batteries for $100. They also have some good deals on their 4 amp ones. And if you get tool/battery combos, they are very reasonable. I only buy the brushless/RP versions and for home/DIY use, I have no issues.
I’ve got to agree about the Ryobi being in the D and then the HP skipping C to a B. The HP stuff really is great value for the money. Since they have started selling the HP I’ve picked new ones each season I’d I’m pretty pleased with the performance.
I visit a lot of highway bridge construction sites for work. I usually see a lot of Makita and Milwaukee tools. But this particular contractor I saw the other day was using regular old Lowes 24V Kobalt brushless tools. I could tell they had seen some rough treatment but the seemed to be working ok. I suspect they were treating them like disposable tools because of the price. That tells me they should hold up pretty good for a hobbyist or, home user particularly if you get them on sale.
Love these where you rank lots of items in the same family I guess. Been binge watching\listening for a while now. Tool carts, it packs sockets versus wrench sockets, etc. Thanks for your content.
Actually, the good thing about Ryobi battery style is that it's not going to change. You can use the same battery on a 1996 drill as a new one. You're stuff won't get obsolete so that's good especially if you just use them around the house. My dad gave me an old dewalt and the battery is dead and also obsolete so I can't even get a replacement at the store anymore.
I would put standard Kobalt at or above HP Ryobi in performance. Yes, the Kobalt line is limited, but so is HP Ryobi, if separating by subcategory like that.
Yup, got a few Ryobi tools, latest is the RPD18X brushless hammer drill, been very impressed with the torque for driving large bits and hole saws, and the ato' brake for when it grabs has certainly saved my wrists a time or two! There've a compact version with less torque, if that's all you need.
i bought into cordless power tools several yesrs ago and started off with Milwsukee M18. now i find formmy line of work(aircraft mechanic) that the M12 outnumberd most of my M18 lineup. when i need to do a construction project, its my M18 all the way. the battery technology that milwsukee brings to the table puts them a cut above sll the rest they deserve the S tier in my opinion. great video.
I have a whole line of brushless Porter cable tools. They are awesome. I used them for the past 4x years remolding 3 houses. DYI guru. Outperformed some dewalt tools and Ryobi. Tractor supply has 2000 stores nationwide wide.
I'm looking at expanding my cordless lineup and trying to decide on either Kobalt, Craftsman, or Bauer. Looking for good DIY set that won't break the bank.
@@denoftools It's crazy how expensive the batteries are for most of the cordless stuff. The Bauer tools are very affordable, but that's what worries me for how long they will last. Harbor Freight has pretty good warranties though and we just finally got one that opened this week here.
I work for Menards ultradeck extrusion plant and we use exclusively masterforce tools, they are ok, but the only real issue is their batteries absolutely suck
I have bought a few bauer tools and think they are very well made tool for the money. If I didn't already have the milwaukee m12 tools I would invest in some of the cordless bauer
Seems about right. Did I miss Hyper Tough or are they just too bad to mention? Heavily into the Hart 20v line here and it does what I need for home DIY and auto work. Love my 3/8 power ratchet, a tool nobody talks about. Golly has that thing made working on my car easier. Yes I said golly in 2023. Anyway, I am not trying to do contractor work with Hart. What I do need it does and it was by far the cheapest decent tool line to get into. Wish the batteries were a bit better. The 2.0ah just have no legs at all. Walmart support for Hart has been abysmal. If you do have an issue, you will have to hope TTI will help. TTI was quick to help with one issue I had but I've been waiting five months for help on the second issue. They don't seem to have the repair or replacement parts.
I taught myself 20+ years ago. I pretty much just took other peoples spreadsheets and tore them apart to see how they worked. There is some really complicated stuff you can do with it but I just do the basics. This = That + the other thing kind of stuff.
Good work on this one! I would like to see Metabo HPT's 36v line represented though! The line might not be huge yet, but they are straight pro. "A" category for sure!
@fredsanford336 s based on things in there line that competitors don't offer. Who else offers a full size cordless table saw? Or ac adapter for cordless tools? How about plugged router? Duplex nailer? Oh and at a way better price.
@@dylanwheaton2785 Yep. Industry-firsts, left and right. The full-size cordless router and full-size cordless table saw, which you mentioned, for example. And the best promotional offers, by far, to go along with the best value-pricing.
The results of the Cordless Power Tool Tier List are as follows: - Greenworks: Entry-level DIY (Grade F) - Siervon: Brushed tools at entry-level DIY, brushless tools at prosumer grade - Menards: Brushed tools at entry-level DIY - Cobalt XTR: Value Pro grade - Flex: Top-tier professional grade - Harbor Freight (Warrior line): Entry-level DIY; Brushless tools potentially in prosumer grade - Craftsman: Entry-level DIY for brushed tools, prosumer grade for brushless - DeWalt: Low-tier DIY for brushed line; XR line in prosumer grade - Milwaukee: Value Pro for brushed, professional grade for Fuel line - Black and Decker: Bottom tier, to be avoided - Porter Cable: Entry-level DIY for brushed, higher-tier DIY for brushless - Mac and Macbrushless: Top tier - Metabo: A-tier for both brushed and brushless - Makita: A-tier for brushed; Brushless Sub Compact in A-tier; Full Power Sub Compact in A-tier - Bosch: High-end, A-tier - Snap-on: A-tier - Festool: S-tier - Matco: A-tier These rankings are subjective and based on the evaluation provided in the transcript.
I use a combination of Makita tools, it's my entire ecosystem for battery operated tools, and absolutely love them. I got the combo drill and driver kit for Christmas years ago and it was clear they're great tools for someone like me who only needs them for around the home projects. At my level, I know they will last and work well.
What about Panasonic? I've seen ratings showing their drills are the best. Because of sales where including batteries and charger doesn't raise the price of the tool, I'm not wedded to one brand (but I have a lot of batteries to charge). DeWalt burned me by changing battery fit when they went from 18V to 20V, so not buying any more. Love Makita, especially those made in Japan via eBay. Milwaukee is great too, and Bosch drills fit in my hand the best. And have the nicest color.
What a shame about Porter Cable. I own several of their older American-made power tools (Router, sander/polisher, and corded drill) and they are still kicking ass some 30 years later. As far as Snap-On is concerned, a lot of mechanics/techs are getting sick of being ass-raped for trying to stay with them. (I drive for a dealership, and I hear the techs talk about this all of the time......)
I too love PC. Bought the new brushless circular saw and mid-torque impact. Great tools. And they added several more brushless tools. Not tons but nice to see they didn’t give up on PC
I'm a rough & fine finish carpenter by trade, but I also do electrical,pluming and also Appliance work so my tools have to be reliable and I also carry back ups. I've been board of late with the consistency and reliability of my power and they all work fine every day. Meaning my 13 DeWalt cordless and 3 Milwaukee Along with my Corded tools in Bosh, Hilti,Makita, DeWalt,Skill, Milwaukee,and Back&Decker industrial I bought a half dozen Bauer cordless for shits and giggles and I'm somewhat impressed with the cordless tools so far. Granted after I tested them out on a few Jobs I went back to my other cordless after finding them a good cheep second fiddle just on case just my mains take a bad fall or broke down?
As an average tool user I am deep in 6 tool lines, way more than I need but not all I want, always something else. Anyway, I have a Dewalt drill that I got when the 20 volt line came out and it still goes and goes, probably keep going because I have options that are better and tend to go for others. Drills, they all do the same thing pretty much, just some do it slightly different Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita are always my go to on big projects where brute is needed. Smaller projects like drywall, My ryobi hp is perfect for me because it's light and can go all day with the small batteries. Boring big holes, I like my Ridgid, it's surprisingly powerful in a compact size. But my go to 90 percent of the time is a Metabo compact brushless model especially when framing. I worked where we were furnished Hilti and man they are awesome, just can't justify the price for extra batteries. Plus I didn't see much difference in power only prestige. Kinda like HK pistols but I own some of those.
No Dewalt Atomic?
I was thinking the same thing!
WOW, not sure how I left them out. A tier for sure.
That is the only dewalt in the a tier. We have them at work and I personally hate them but it’s the grip not the performance of the tool I hate. But it is a good tool.
If you pair the Atomics with the Power stack batteries, that might be the top tier. You have an 18V device in the same size as an M12 tool with the XC battery pack. The atomic with the Power stack battery will be much more powerful.
@@maximusmagni1 I agree. I can’t get them to buy the power stack batteries tho. I would rather just use my m12 tools instead and I do when I can.
That thing about the Ryobi batteries--that form factor hasn't changed in 20 years, and that's their selling point. I have tools I bought 20 years ago when they were still blue (and I couldn't afford the Dewalt that I wanted) that I can power with batteries I bought last year. Yeah, I could have replaced the tools, but frankly I replace my tools when they wear out, and I've got a recip saw that still works. It's beat to hell, but it still keeps soldiering on, and the newest battery works with it, and that's pretty amazing, honestly.
I think they could easily do a phase out period where they include an adapter with new kits and sell it dirt cheap.
@@Wohlfe I mean it would make it more unwieldy and I think the battery interchangeability is why people buy Ryobi. You don't have to worry about different sizes or this or that.
Ryobi brushed tools should definately be solidly in the C tier. The amount of tools, the backwards compatability, and they continue to update the entire lineup and add to it makes them the champion of C tier. I have Kobalt cordless tools and they are very nice, but battery costs are why I'm moving away from them and to Ryobi; and I've been quite impressed with the brushed tools I have from them. I currently have 8, as well as over a dozen batteries and all that cost less than $1,000!
I’m not sure how you claim that a battery with a phallic symbol inconveniently protruding from it preventing compact storage is a selling point. That is exactly why I will not buy any Ryobi battery tools. It’s the dumbest battery configuration on the market. I do own a couple of their corded tools, but that usually is only for an item which is not available in craftsman or one of the other tool lines. I can actually get adapters to use my craftsman batteries and other vendor tools, except for Ryobi, of course. The only reason for their success is because they have had a very smart designer, coming up with new and clever tools that no one else has, and sometimes also with clever features. If it were not for that aspect of their line up, their batteries would’ve tanked them long ago.
@@hu5116 the main advantage is not the battery shape, but the fact they didn't change it and as a result in not having to find the right battery and shell out for new chargers and batteries every time a new line of tools come out. It's stupid simple, it gets the job done and it's cost effective. It might not be the end all be all highest performance but it can do 95% of what the other tools do for 1/3 the price and I don't need to go buy new batteries with it. I could own one battery and all the Ryobi tools and be just fine. There's not one other brand you can say that of that's of the same quality and size of product line as Ryobi.
I’ve used most of these brands except for the cheaper lower tier brands and have mostly dewalt but I can confidently say that makita is far and away my favorite. 2nd to none in ergonomics and the sheer size of their tool lineup. Always up there in power as well.
Always way up there in price as well
@@gregorsamsa1364quality is expensive
@@gregorsamsa1364It’s true for sure in America. We are spoiled here bc Milwaukee and Dewalt are domestic and super cheap. Around the world Makita is priced better in comparison and dominates many markets.
I agree, best overall. They also come with the highest capacity batteries for the money and a fast charger standard
ima makita guy as well. same story as you i started off with dewalt and built a massive collection but eventually went to makita out of frustration with dewalt and plain curiosity. ive never used a tool so good. love em.
makita & bosch quickly rose to the top for my woodworking applications. just built different
I have been in the cabinet business for 32yrs and Makita and bosch are my pick also.
Makita and bosh are reliable tools you can know that they are longlasting
I feel like Bosch caters to the metal worker, too. fabrication, machining, and welding.
Only problem I have with this is Ryobi and Rigid need to be switched. Ryobi is DIY and Prosumer. Rigid is Prosumer and Value Pro. And if you think that’s just my opinion, here’s an excerpt from the first paragraph of Ryobi’s warranty terms: “The product is designed and dedicated to consumer and private use only. So there is no warranty provided in case of professional or commercial use. This warranty applies only on new products.” Rigid has no such clause in their warranty. Ryobi tools, especially their HP brushless line has value pro performance. But they can never be truly value pro as using them for profit voids the warranty.
exactly you really need to know the warranty before you buy a tool by that company to be sure it can be used in you line of work or just home /DYI usage
Yes he downgrade Rigdid too much! Same as Dewalt brush series, Worx Brushless, Hikoki brush, Hikoki brushless... they should be higher! But he overrated too: Makita brush, Metabo Brush, Bosch prof. brush, Hart should be F tier! for sure....
I use my ryobi stuff for automotive and they been put to some extreme use the most brutal test was using them in the rain and snow they still work just fine so idk what you talking about
@@BlargeAdamridgid is still stronger and still has a better warranty and features.
@@KallenSCyou haven’t used hart brushless then. There brushless line is decent
I had plans at one point of getting a bunch of Kobalt tools. However, between Lowes and "Kobalt" they wouldn't cover warranty for a faulty drill. I ditched their crap and moved to Milwaukee. I also don't buy any tools at Lowes anymore.
I’ll admit I’m a Milwaukee fan boy purchased the M18 hammer drill and impact driver, the hammer drill performance is at the high quality corded hammer drills. Left my M18s behind and needed drill and impact driver picked up the M12 because of pricing and brand, I’m impressed as they are small and light weight with surprising performance, they have become my primary wood shop tools.
I'm a metal worker so I can't afford to downgrade on quality at all, and after seeing 4 drills in a single shop get clapped i stay away from Milwaukee tools.
Except their saws all and band saw I'd say they are mid tier equipment once you bring reliability into the equation.
@@jonathangarzon2798I agree with you there, Milwaukee tools seem to break when the going gets tough.
I don’t know what you two are talking about but I worked at a plywood mill and all their tools were Milwaukee and they got a lot of use because shit would break all the time. Never heard one complaint about them.
I'd love to see this with the 12-volt brands
It’s coming!
@@denoftools can't wait! I use Metabo Powermaxx 12v as my EDC truck kit and Milwaukee 12v for around the house. Love them both.
@@MarineX Honestly didn’t know that Metabo had a 12v line, just the 18 and 36. I have a Bosch 12v drill driver and impact driver that I bought for super cheap on clearance, and they’re what I tend to reach for around the house.
Yes, and can we agree hercules 12v line has so much potential, in brushless it could rule, and bauer brushless 12v drill, impact combo ,if good, and I'm betting it'll be awesome,, but yea , that would fly off the shelves, a 2 tool kit for both,,and dewalt xtreme I have that set,it's 200 bucks, fantastic light tools to work above your head, and strong, but I'm betting bauer could do it better for 100,and I know hercules could,, say a 5 tool package like the skil 12v power core,, I have it too,,I love 12v
I know Porter Cable ignored you for a hot minute, but man I would encourage you to test them out. I have the entire line, brushed and brushless with 4ah batteries and I use them on EVERYTHING. I literally have never had a problem and even used the 1/2" impact for hours this past weekend. I love the PC line!
I agree the brushless reciprocating saw and multi tool, are fantastic! I don’t even use my dewalt saw hardly.
I have been in construction sales for the last 8 years but before that I was in various top so construction but got into some mid-level woodworking. I wanted to upgrade my tools and my mother-in-law went out and bought me a brushless Ryobi and tax driver and drill combo kit and also got me a brushless jigsaw. At the time, I wasn't super excited but it was very considerate so I started using them and have added on several other tools in their lineup sets and I absolutely love Ryobi. I have since started my own company and I am often working on decks doing either full builds or repairs in my brushless HP Ryobi has been excellent to work with. Would I rather have rigid or Milwaukee? Sure, but I don't do construction everyday and when I do, I can always rely on my Ryobi tools to get the job done.
The biggest problem I have with Festool isn't the price of the tools themselves, its that they use non-standard consumables/accessories with them. They are like Apple in this regard. The Festool drills don't use standard drill bits and use their Centrotec bits, the tracksaws use a nonstandard blade size, and the miter saws use a different size arbor than other miter saws. I am honestly surprised Festool doesn't make orbital sanders with 140mm sanding pads (~5.5" instead of 5" or 6") just to mess with people.
Makita tools will do everything a Festool product will do, except the Festool product will have better dust collection. That is the difference between S tier and A tier.
Festool must be a regional thing, I've never seen the stuff for sale in Texas....nor have I seen any 'Fein' tools.
@@scrambler350 Festool is German and I believe some of their line is made in Germany. I don't see them locally either.. Not sure which American brick and mortar retailers carry them.
Makita is Makita and not even close to Festool,Mafell ,German Metabo ,Hilti or Fein. All named one are top notch and abowe Makita ,Milwaukee,Bosch Blue or DeWalt.
@@eagleeyephoto8715 Go ahead and think that. There are a lot of detailed reviews comparing Festool tools vs Makita or Bosch counterparts. They use objective measurements and it is not a big gap if any.
You can't dispute my main point about Festool being user hostile with the consumables. There is absolutely no reason for them to use nonstandard size blades or arbors.
@@maximusmagni1You have to look in to the eco system and as much as I like Makita tools , Festool is better thought out tool and system.
Metabo HPT and Makita is pro level tool. Hands down Metabo is the best I’ve used. For something like FLEX to be in pro line and those two not is asinine.
My father is retired, and spends most of his days doing woodworking in his shop building small items. He owns the DeWalt Brushless lineup of tools, but for one specific purpose, he chose to purchase a Warrior drill - He needed something light, with less power to drive small screws for tiny hinges as to not strip them out. Cost him $15 on sale, and has lasted him YEARS.
I know what you’re talking about, I’m a true Makita fan, but for the shop I use Milwaukee 12v for driving small screws and Kreg pocket screws. Much easier on the wrists and no stripping
I converted from Craftsman to Bauer years ago, and am heavily invested in the lineup. Although I've always purchased the additional warranty, I've never needed to use it. I'm thoroughly impressed with how well these are made, and the huge lineup of tools and batteries available. Recently they had a promotion for two 5mAH batteries for $79. I bought six of 'em!
You'll need a thousand of them to make up for a 5 Ah battery. That's probably why they're so cheap. 😁
I work in an industry where I constantly drill anything from standard wood screws to 3 quarter inch lags into solid wood all day., for 25 years. I started off with brushed DeWalt and moved through Milwaukee, and Makita throughout the years. the last set of drills i bought were the Ryobi impact and driver because a new employee needed starter drills one day. I ended up taking them as my own and beat the crap out of them for 4 years and they are still going. If you asked me in the past what drills I prefer I never would have said Ryobi, but here i am.
I love my Ryobi tools and they have never let me down until I bought cheap batteries online. Using those cheap ass batteries I smoked three of my tools
@@MIRedneckEnginrdang man, why'd you use it on 3? That's about 1 too many
Speed and looking like a pro matters. Given the testing I have seen, you are wasting your time with ryobi.
I use oscilating tools all day for caulking removal. Speed matters..
I would reconsider your position.
Every time the misses hears the bear on TV she knows I'm going to buy something new to replace something that I probably don't need to replace.
My misses hates me watching the bear she knows I am out buying tool's 😊
@@ruebencover5795 me too
You mean to replace something that you probably didn’t even need to begin with.
Me too
😂😂😂
Basically like, but disagree with lots of your ratings. Strangely most of the cabinet workers in my area swear by Rigid and Dewalt.
Something worth considering with Metabo HPT/Hikoki is that they have an ac adapter and their multivolt batteries fit their 18V and 36V tools.
As well as other things that no one else offers.
I thought the AC adapter doesn't work for the 18v line?
@@Wildland_Firefighter It doesn't, but the 36v (MultiVolt) batteries do.
Yeah, he really missed the mark with HPT. They belong at the A tier.
@@d.a.9937 wish it did
Growing up with my dad who does tile work he had a lot of dewalt but around 7 years old he started getting a lot of blue and green tools since then he’s never looked back and is always looking for the next makita tool to buy
I am looking my 20v brushless hart tools right now. These tools are perfect for basic needs around the house.
But what about this [rolls face on keyboard] brand that I found on Amazon?
“ rules face on keyboard” I just aspirated bourbon through my nose. Thank you so much for that.
I have been using the Dewalt 20v line for years but the battery costs are outrageous. I have started in the past year replacing with the Hercules line and have been thrilled with them. Each equivalent tool is equal to or better than Dewalt and the batteries cost about 40% compared to Dewalt. Also, they are steadily adding to the lineup.
If you aren’t buying your dewalt tools around the deals you’re doing it wrong
@@Laynenelson320 It's not the tool prices. It's the battery prices. I have never paid retail price for Dewalt tools or batteries.
@@donniep2822 dewalt constantly has deals where you get a free battery or batteries with tools. I have like 15 batteries most of which were free because I got them during those times
@@Laynenelson320 agree. And now that the OP mentioned Hercules they're well made and powerful today. But most of their tools are sold as bare tools and once you start adding a charger and battery they are not cheap anymore.
A DeWalt deal with "free batteries" can end up being better savings than a $10 coupon on a Hercules battery.
@@engineer_alv why keep buying tools you don't need just for a cheap 1.5 ah battery they thrown in there
I know nothing about tools and yet somehow I still enjoy watching these videos
Ha...nice. I'm right there with you. The Bear is very entertaining.
Question. If you had to buy one brand of cordless power tools for the DYI, who would you recommend?
I love my brushless Ridgid. The subcompact drill fits the hand so good. I can’t waste money on Dewalt or Milwaukee when you pretty much get same performance.
Ridgid and even porter cable feel great. Ryobi feels way to bully, no way that’s rated higher
@@Dtonk4609 for sure. My brother has the older porter cable and I couldn’t believe how ergo it is. I have the brushed ryobi I keep at the house for weekend use and it feels soooo bulky.
Ridgid and Milwaukee are both made by TTI. I love my Ridgid tools.
Yeah, I would put RIDGID a bit higher. I have put mine through hell and they work fantastic. Have been very happy thus far with everything I have got in the line
I've had my Ridgid for ten years and I have most of the 18v line up. I could do without the Halloween colors but they have been great tools.
The hpt brushless, are you including the 36v in that?
I know custom woodworkers that own a lot of festools. None of them own the drills lol
Most folks I know have the CXS drill, if they have Festool. It's not strong, but incredibly smooth and loves by several folks I know. The 12v Bosch Flexiclick is what a lot of folks go for, though. Love that thing.
As a serious DIYer I have landed on two types….Kobalt (XTR or NextGen) for the larger power requirements like their bigger hammer drill or circular 7 1/4 saws and to get in tight spaces or tremendous selection, you cannot beat the Milwaukee 12v line. No one size or brand is suitable for the power to price and selection ratios I had to consider.
Totally agree on the 12v Milwaukee tools, fairly economical and a great range of different tools. Easy on the hands and wrists too
Can a transcript be obtained. I am looking to fill out a list of hand tools for my first set.
Why do you not like the Ryobi battery platform? I think its their best selling point
So ive been a Ryobi guy for years. Good price, tons of tools all same battery.
But i got a semi truck again and want to upgrade and use 1 brand, especially impact guns and wrenches, but not sure which way to go. Milwaukee? DeWalt? Makita? Hercules? I have a Harbor Freight and Lowes near by.
I think Bauer is so impressive it should have been a step above what you gave it,,but, I do agree that the 90 day warranty is holding them back,,if they will expand the brushless line a little more and even a 3 year warranty will make them definitely a value pro at least,,and yes , Hercules brushless deserves top tier also,,right beside Milwaukee,,they are serious competitors,,and 5 year warranty too,,shoot !!!
Bauer really stepped it up, but because the warranty sucks I always consider the 2 year replacement plan mandatory and add it to the price when I consider them.
A lot of companies front load the cost of a longer warranty into the sales price of the tool. Bauer's strategy is to remove that warranty cost and sell an equivalent or even better tool at a lower price. Then it's up to the consumer if they want to add the extended warranty. The risk is the perception of a lower quality tool due to the short warranty.
Yea I like they give you choice of paying for a warranty, but, maybe it should be 6 months or even a year standard,but yall right
Look at the teardown videos. The Bauer housings lack internal reinforcement, the battery packs lack shielding on cables, and the boards don't have conformal coatings for corrosion resistance. They are as minimal as it gets on anything but ecosystem range.
People who take care of their stuff are the ones who say their brand lasted a while. Stuff happens but if you have 20 tools and they all don’t last then you didn’t take care of them in one way or another. Just like ford vs Chevy…it’s all the same just gotta maintain them correctly
I have have tons of tools from the trifecta.......Dewalt, Milwaukee, Makita. They all work great.....but each has strengths and weaknesses in different tool categories. IMO Dewalt has the best batteries. Milwaukee has the biggest selection. Makita tools have the best fit and finish.
I'm in the same boat. Now I own nothing but Dewalt batteries (including knock off Dewalt batteries) and I use adapters for tools from other brands. (Rigid, Makita, RyobI). I'm hugely disappointed on how Makita batteries would die within months, it's outrageous given how good their tools are.
I play with drones and have a high end battery charger. I end up hooking that up to the Dewalt charger so that I can discharge, balance, maintain, and charge my Dewalt batteries to any voltage levels at the charging speed of my choosing. You can't do that with batteries from other brands as their batteries don't have pin-out to individual cells.
I wasn't impressed with Makita's fit and finish tbh, felt like it was Ryobi tier
Agree 100% Kobalt cordless drill hangs at my workstation always there and always reliable.
If you are home construction for ur own house or relatives house, any brand will do heck the cheapest brand will do the job but when u are in the carpentry industry, for me DeWalt is the cheapest best brand against the other brands and still does what the other expensive brand does.
I was ready to argue this list. But it’s spot on.
Respect.
I have a ryobi brushless drill i used to mix a 5 gallon bucket of drywall mud. It started smoking and overheated, but still works fine now and has been for over a year lol.
Based on your recommendations I’ve the past two years I’ve switched to Kobalts 24V line. If I were to get back into professional work I’ll go with either Flex or Makita. Cheers.
I would stay with kobalt they have lasted me many years and are just as good as any other brand and their warranty is amazing
Hi Bear, loved the vid! FYI, I might have put the craftsman drills one level higher than you did. I own just about the whole line of craftsman V20 tools, and have been very happy with all of them in my company shop and lab. Absolutely they are not a festtool. But when you compare the value that you get, I believe they are some of the best values out there. I know there are some that rag on craftsman, but they are refuted by numerous RUclips videos that I have seen where they pit for example, a craftsman impact driver against the comparable, or better, Milwaukee, and darn all the craftsman holds its own very nicely, particularly when you consider the price difference. Also, they have a good selection of batteries, including the light weight 2, a heavier weight 4 (or was it 5?) and a hulker 9! And note that most of the tools usually come with a battery and charger, so about the only additional batteries I have bought are the big ones and given that I now have so many small ones it’s less imperative to buy more. Combine this with a nice diversity of different tools (jigsaw, pressure washer, polisher, chainsaw, trimmer, pruner, weeder, etc., etc.) using this battery system and it is really the best value proposition IMHO for the money. For the same money to buy a couple of the high end tools, I now have a wide variety of tools to use at my disposal. That in my view provides the best capability for the least money. And, like I said, I have not been disappointed by the craftsman tools at least yet.
Jeff, thank you so much for doing this video. I see that it is about a year old. As so, many new products are introduced every year, I recommend that you do this kind of video annually.
I gotta second the opinion on the flex recip. Best in class imo. Haven’t been able to kill it so far
I’ve had zero issues with my Rigid! I’m a finish carpenter and epoxy coatings specialist since 94. I use other brands for specific uses and finishes but Rigid… can’t beat the warranty, price point and reliability!
Are we ranking just the drill drivers on this list or the entire lineup including saws and sanders. I am wanting to replace my corded hand held tools with cordless. Tired of tripping over cords.
I love your tool reviews and recommendations. You’re one of the most honest and unbiased I’ve seen. You give harbor freight their due. I bought into the Hercules line the get a lot of hate being a HF brand but it truly does hold its own with the big boys
The only change I would make is move Milwaukee fuel and dewalt Xr to S tier. The reason being is how massive their line ups are. That’s why I think they’re separate from the rest of the A tier list.
Makita has a bigger lineup than Milwaukee and DeWalt, yet they are a solid A. And there's nothing wrong with it.
Funny you mention the Warrior brand. We all know that they're cheap tools, I believe that it's only a 3/8" drill with a plastic chuck but, I could be mistaken. With that said, a friend of mine bought their drill/spotlight kit several years ago completely intending the drill as a one use tool and figuring that he'd use the light until it died. He's still using that cheap drill on small projects today but, the light died!
Personally, my favorite and, the brand I'm most vested in is Porter Cable but, due to circumstances beyond my control, your placement of the brand is probably right on the money. I use my P-C stuff regularly and, pretty hard and none of it has ever let me down. However, I know that it eventually will. When that happens, since I'm not a contractor, I'm planning on replacing it with Skil.
I disagree about Makita brushes being value pro. I work heavy construction; I’ve used my brushed 18v Makita impact daily for 5 years.
I mean driving 3.5 inch tap cons into concrete, driving teck screws overhead into structural steel, daily. Has never quit.
I’m Canadian. Left it outside in the cold over a weekend, got covered in snow. Found it. Still worked instantly.
And it was the standard 18v brushed model; one function, no different modes. Fantastic tool.
Can ya do the same review for the 12V lines?
I think so…. Great minds think alike, it’s been really nice following this channel and their videos are amazingly great with useful informations
I’d love to know you better, thats only if you dont mind cos you seem to be a very nice person with a great sense of humor
My porter cable 20v is having out. Trying to find a full cordless setting change to.
I never thought there were so many options for just drills; more choices here than at Baskin Robbins. However, this does give me a good feeling about the Milwaukee combo pack I got in November. I've used both tools, the drill and the impact driver, and they both work and handle great.
Great minds think alike, it’s been really nice following this channel and their videos are amazingly great with useful informations
I’d love to know you better, thats only if you dont mind cos you seem to be a very nice person with a great sense of humor
I’ve had Milwaukee, Delwalt and Mikita however wanted to buy all new kits and only one brand for my company, after a lot of research and after using only the tools from a sub contractor we ripped 50 sheets of 3/4 ply and hundreds of 2”x12” lumber for concrete forms. So I bought all brushless Rigid tools. The reliability, the durability plus the great battery endurance and quick charging along with a lifetime warranty plus lower cost made the decision easy.
As a tools associate at Lowes for over 8 years….Bosch has not been touched in a long time by customers. Their corded hammer drills do fly off the shelves, but no one (at least in my store’s area) buys them.
Also, Metabo HPT has both 18 and 36v line, so I’m wondering which one you were referring to in your ranking?
Right??? Because Metabo hpt 36v line is super strong imo
@@zachzoltowski1414 yee yee. I have both 36v impact and hammer driver (our store stopped selling the 36v drill line due to it not selling too much, so I got the displays, batteries and chargers for around $80)
I also have the 36v circular saw and it is really nice. I’m hoping to get the recip saw next since it is clearance at our store too (I believe they need to make room for newer Metabo tools, so they clearance items that don’t sell too much).
Bonus tip: just cause you see several tools within the same brand on clearance does not mean the brand is leaving the store or going out of business. It usually means that newer models are coming in to replace them. So I hope the recip 36v saw is shrinking in size lol
Used Festool quite a bit in cabinetry and they are wonderful tools
I've been using the hyper tough line fire 5 years and I've got no complaints and they would be in the lower category I have some dewalt brushless tools but I reach for the hyper tough products
I'm a DIYer who loves a little bit of overkill at a good price. Thank you so much for this video! It helped me land on the Kobalt XTR line of tools. (Upgrading from Porter Cable. My PC tools have performed wonderfully, but looking to get away from them due to poor support/ecosystem.)
It's funny how tools can be such a personal journey. My dad was always a DeWalt guy. Oddly, this makes me want to try something different, even though he gave me my love for tools! Beyond that, Makita hurts my wallet too much, and Flex just doesn't attract me for some intangible reason that I can't describe (though they are undeniable high-performers!)
Thank you again for this video!
anyone want to advise?.... i'm either going to go makita, dewalt or milwaukee bundle... i work with glass and metal as a glazier...installation of panels and custom windows doors, mostly attaching metal frames to other metal frames and screwing to regular flooring, walls and ceilings in homes and offices (sometimes the floors are tile or stone).... the bundle will have a screwgun, impact driver, small circular saw and chop saw, grinder and multi-tool (a few other things as well but this is the most frequently used) ... and also, separately a 3 plane laser level...
i need mostly lighter batteries for gun/drill because i have to do a lot of small screws, with only like a quarter requiring decent torque and the rest minor, but it's a lot in total and weight matters
any advice appreciated
PS i've used all of these brands and they all perform decently well, i'm not a brand loyalist at all, just whatever is sufficient, i just want to be on one platform mostly (for batteries and charging ease)
Another comprehensive review. I think you’re right on. Good vid. Thank you
the biggest thing to think about for the S,A ,and B is how they fit in your hand. the power of the tool is close enough between them that makes more of a difference. this is a tool you will use all day every day.
my best fit is Bosch for most. but i have and old porter cable corded saw that just rocks. ok i also have a 25yr old Bosch 12 drill that still runs that was my work drill till i picked up a ni-cad 24V and then a lithium 18.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video. I’ve been hoping for a long time that you would make this video. Simple and straightforward answer to what category each lineup belongs in.
For UK, Europe and Australia I recommend Einhell / Ozito if you're buying into a whole range of tools but can't stretch to Makita
The brushless range are great value with 10 year service
Impact TP-CI 18
3-in-1 TE-CD 18/50
Circular TE-CS 18/190
Cordless Oil-Free Compressor TE-AC 36/6/8
Drywall Depthstop Driver TE-DY 18
And so many more tools in their platform, competitive with Ryobi and Makitas extensive ranges
I agree with Hilti and Festool. When you hold it and use it, it just feels very different from anything else.
I just picked up a XR set of drill/impact set to replace my old brushed Dewalt, honestly the brushed drill wasn't that bad but I got it 10 years ago and it got way more wear/abuse than the average consumer would and its still going (granted the motor is starting to burn out). In todays context is it a great drill? Not really since brushless versions are only a few bucks more in many cases but I think it could have made C tier at least for its durability.
Does the Kobalt XTR hammer drill have more torque than the Hercules hammer drill?
Great review, thanks for all the work. Just a thought on Craftsman. You mentioned their batteries being expensive. I carefully watch for sales on Lowes and don't think they are too bad. I once got four, 2-amp batteries for $100. They also have some good deals on their 4 amp ones. And if you get tool/battery combos, they are very reasonable. I only buy the brushless/RP versions and for home/DIY use, I have no issues.
I’ve got to agree about the Ryobi being in the D and then the HP skipping C to a B. The HP stuff really is great value for the money. Since they have started selling the HP I’ve picked new ones each season I’d I’m pretty pleased with the performance.
Metabo hpt deserves to be higher. Never failed me once. Warranteed more Milwaukee yhan anything. Hell my hpt hammer drill crished my m18 gen 3
Why did you put Metabo to the PRO if it also has 3 year of warranty?
I visit a lot of highway bridge construction sites for work. I usually see a lot of Makita and Milwaukee tools. But this particular contractor I saw the other day was using regular old Lowes 24V Kobalt brushless tools. I could tell they had seen some rough treatment but the seemed to be working ok. I suspect they were treating them like disposable tools because of the price. That tells me they should hold up pretty good for a hobbyist or, home user particularly if you get them on sale.
Love these where you rank lots of items in the same family I guess. Been binge watching\listening for a while now. Tool carts, it packs sockets versus wrench sockets, etc. Thanks for your content.
Actually, the good thing about Ryobi battery style is that it's not going to change. You can use the same battery on a 1996 drill as a new one. You're stuff won't get obsolete so that's good especially if you just use them around the house. My dad gave me an old dewalt and the battery is dead and also obsolete so I can't even get a replacement at the store anymore.
I would put standard Kobalt at or above HP Ryobi in performance. Yes, the Kobalt line is limited, but so is HP Ryobi, if separating by subcategory like that.
Yup, got a few Ryobi tools, latest is the RPD18X brushless hammer drill, been very impressed with the torque for driving large bits and hole saws, and the ato' brake for when it grabs has certainly saved my wrists a time or two!
There've a compact version with less torque, if that's all you need.
Now is the makita brushless include or exclude the xgt line?
The bear said 18V-24V tools, hence no XGT nor Flexvolt nor Multivolt tools
Einhell (the german brand) are not sold or known in USA?
i bought into cordless power tools several yesrs ago and started off with Milwsukee M18. now i find formmy line of work(aircraft mechanic) that the M12 outnumberd most of my M18 lineup. when i need to do a construction project, its my M18 all the way. the battery technology that milwsukee brings to the table puts them a cut above sll the rest they deserve the S tier in my opinion. great video.
Great minds think alike, it’s been really nice following this channel and their videos are amazingly great with useful informations
I’d love to know you better Karson, thats only if you dont mind cos you seem to be a very nice person with a great sense of humor
How do you rank a bunch of tools that come out of the same factory?
They use different quality components.
I have a whole line of brushless Porter cable tools. They are awesome. I used them for the past 4x years remolding 3 houses. DYI guru. Outperformed some dewalt tools and Ryobi. Tractor supply has 2000 stores nationwide wide.
I'm looking at expanding my cordless lineup and trying to decide on either Kobalt, Craftsman, or Bauer. Looking for good DIY set that won't break the bank.
I'd suggest Kobalt, Bauer or Ryobi. Craftsman brushless are solid tools but the batteries are pretty expensive for what you get.
@@denoftools It's crazy how expensive the batteries are for most of the cordless stuff. The Bauer tools are very affordable, but that's what worries me for how long they will last. Harbor Freight has pretty good warranties though and we just finally got one that opened this week here.
craftsman 100% my dad has bauer tools and their batteries die so fast
I work for Menards ultradeck extrusion plant and we use exclusively masterforce tools, they are ok, but the only real issue is their batteries absolutely suck
Alao who makes the Kawasaki battery drill. My sister got me one. I rarely use it since I have basically the whole b&d line
I have bought a few bauer tools and think they are very well made tool for the money. If I didn't already have the milwaukee m12 tools I would invest in some of the cordless bauer
Seems about right. Did I miss Hyper Tough or are they just too bad to mention? Heavily into the Hart 20v line here and it does what I need for home DIY and auto work. Love my 3/8 power ratchet, a tool nobody talks about. Golly has that thing made working on my car easier. Yes I said golly in 2023. Anyway, I am not trying to do contractor work with Hart. What I do need it does and it was by far the cheapest decent tool line to get into. Wish the batteries were a bit better. The 2.0ah just have no legs at all. Walmart support for Hart has been abysmal. If you do have an issue, you will have to hope TTI will help. TTI was quick to help with one issue I had but I've been waiting five months for help on the second issue. They don't seem to have the repair or replacement parts.
How about the 2 post car lifts?
Bear, Where did you learn how to use excel/ google sheets? It really whoops my butt and if I can get a hang of it, I'd be set.
I taught myself 20+ years ago. I pretty much just took other peoples spreadsheets and tore them apart to see how they worked. There is some really complicated stuff you can do with it but I just do the basics. This = That + the other thing kind of stuff.
@The Den of Tools thank you, much appreciated!
How do you tell the difference between the 2 FLEX lines?
I wish they would be more specific about it but really it comes down to the features.
Good work on this one! I would like to see Metabo HPT's 36v line represented though! The line might not be huge yet, but they are straight pro. "A" category for sure!
Naw S category forsure.
@@dylanwheaton2785 Calm down. No way they are S. Maybe A.
@fredsanford336 s based on things in there line that competitors don't offer. Who else offers a full size cordless table saw? Or ac adapter for cordless tools? How about plugged router? Duplex nailer? Oh and at a way better price.
@@dylanwheaton2785 Yep. Industry-firsts, left and right. The full-size cordless router and full-size cordless table saw, which you mentioned, for example. And the best promotional offers, by far, to go along with the best value-pricing.
The results of the Cordless Power Tool Tier List are as follows:
- Greenworks: Entry-level DIY (Grade F)
- Siervon: Brushed tools at entry-level DIY, brushless tools at prosumer grade
- Menards: Brushed tools at entry-level DIY
- Cobalt XTR: Value Pro grade
- Flex: Top-tier professional grade
- Harbor Freight (Warrior line): Entry-level DIY; Brushless tools potentially in prosumer grade
- Craftsman: Entry-level DIY for brushed tools, prosumer grade for brushless
- DeWalt: Low-tier DIY for brushed line; XR line in prosumer grade
- Milwaukee: Value Pro for brushed, professional grade for Fuel line
- Black and Decker: Bottom tier, to be avoided
- Porter Cable: Entry-level DIY for brushed, higher-tier DIY for brushless
- Mac and Macbrushless: Top tier
- Metabo: A-tier for both brushed and brushless
- Makita: A-tier for brushed; Brushless Sub Compact in A-tier; Full Power Sub Compact in A-tier
- Bosch: High-end, A-tier
- Snap-on: A-tier
- Festool: S-tier
- Matco: A-tier
These rankings are subjective and based on the evaluation provided in the transcript.
Bought a Ridgid Gen 5x kit 6 years ago. Great set!
I was wondering which of the two harbor freight lines was better, Hercules of Bauer?
Hercules
I didn't actually realize there were this many brands. Thanks 👍😊
Can someone help me ? What's the name of the second brand in this video, after Greenworks ?
I use a combination of Makita tools, it's my entire ecosystem for battery operated tools, and absolutely love them. I got the combo drill and driver kit for Christmas years ago and it was clear they're great tools for someone like me who only needs them for around the home projects. At my level, I know they will last and work well.
What about Panasonic? I've seen ratings showing their drills are the best.
Because of sales where including batteries and charger doesn't raise the price of the tool, I'm not wedded to one brand (but I have a lot of batteries to charge). DeWalt burned me by changing battery fit when they went from 18V to 20V, so not buying any more. Love Makita, especially those made in Japan via eBay. Milwaukee is great too, and Bosch drills fit in my hand the best. And have the nicest color.
Is it blue Bosch or green Boch? I can't see in the video.
What a shame about Porter Cable. I own several of their older American-made power tools (Router, sander/polisher, and corded drill) and they are still kicking ass some 30 years later.
As far as Snap-On is concerned, a lot of mechanics/techs are getting sick of being ass-raped for trying to stay with them.
(I drive for a dealership, and I hear the techs talk about this all of the time......)
I own a Porter Cable circular saw from 1953. It works like it was made last week.
I too love PC. Bought the new brushless circular saw and mid-torque impact. Great tools. And they added several more brushless tools. Not tons but nice to see they didn’t give up on PC
I'm a rough & fine finish carpenter by trade, but I also do electrical,pluming and also Appliance work so my tools have to be reliable and I also carry back ups.
I've been board of late with the consistency and reliability of my power and they all work fine every day.
Meaning my 13 DeWalt cordless and 3 Milwaukee
Along with my Corded tools in
Bosh, Hilti,Makita, DeWalt,Skill, Milwaukee,and Back&Decker industrial
I bought a half dozen Bauer cordless for shits and giggles and I'm somewhat impressed with the cordless tools so far.
Granted after I tested them out on a few Jobs I went back to my other cordless after finding them a good cheep second fiddle just on case just my mains take a bad fall or broke down?
Any chance you can link the tier list?
As an average tool user I am deep in 6 tool lines, way more than I need but not all I want, always something else. Anyway, I have a Dewalt drill that I got when the 20 volt line came out and it still goes and goes, probably keep going because I have options that are better and tend to go for others. Drills, they all do the same thing pretty much, just some do it slightly different Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita are always my go to on big projects where brute is needed. Smaller projects like drywall, My ryobi hp is perfect for me because it's light and can go all day with the small batteries. Boring big holes, I like my Ridgid, it's surprisingly powerful in a compact size. But my go to 90 percent of the time is a Metabo compact brushless model especially when framing. I worked where we were furnished Hilti and man they are awesome, just can't justify the price for extra batteries. Plus I didn't see much difference in power only prestige. Kinda like HK pistols but I own some of those.
I own makita and porter cable impacts and will grab the porter cable every time. I snap bits with that thing . Very under rated tools.