Best cordless tools for builders and mechanics

Cordless power tools really are the way of the future and have been for quite some time already.

Every few years battery-powered tools become more and more advanced.

And more-and-more popular. When you are equipped with a 3, 4, 5, or a 6 Ah lithium battery pack and you have a cordless tool that is portable and easy to use to get your hard work done.

Apart from cordless power tools being easier and more fun to use. 

Battery tools are also safer for beginners, without a power lead that could accidentally be cut.

The cordless options also have slightly less power and are easier to control.

Don’t think that modern battery tools are not powerful though, a 5ah or 6ah battery will chew through steel, concrete, and of course even dense wood.

Builders pretty much only use cordless power tools these days. With the exception of a table saw, miter saw, and a 9-inch angle grinder on the lead.

Of course, power tools with a dedicated lead and juice-on-tap are required for some jobs.

Big tools that don’t need to be portable like table saws and miter saws are always better with a higher wattage motor that requires a power lead.

Of course, some tradespeople are on the move and for example; Window joiners might opt for a more portable cordless miter saw for their job.

There are many cordless tool brands out there just like there are tool brands in general.

All my reviews above lean towards getting the highest-performing model for a still modest price.

Sure you can go cheaper sometimes but if you want a tool to last you sometimes have to spend an extra $50.

You generally cannot go wrong with Makita, Dewalt, Milwaukee, and Bosch. On the cheaper end, there are good DIY brands like Ryobi, Skil, and Craftsman.

Like I said above it is much better to pick a brand when it comes to cordless tools and stick to it as changing battery between tools is what you will want to do when one runs out.

That being said people mix cordless tools still. A popular mix is with radios someone might be set-up with Makita or Milwaukee but then opt for the loudest radio, which happens to be made by Dewalt.

Most Jobsite radios (Except Makita) also work as battery chargers. Meaning that you only need 1 compatible battery and not a dedicated charger if you mix tools when it comes to Jobsite radios.

Definitely go for a cordless circular saw and a cordless drill as your first 2 DIY power tools.

With this combination, you will have the widest range of capabilities with only 2 power tools.

However I also highly recommend you get a cordless wood planer, wood router, and a cordless angle grinder.

From there your collection can grow, but from that set-up, you can substitute with cheaper plug-in tools here and there. But once you get started on these you properly won’t stray from the brand you started with.

But even as a beginner you should go for some of the best brands available.

Yes, they might cost a little bit more, but they’re cheaper, in the long run, that’s why tradies use them. The extra 40$ for less frustration better results and triple life is worth it.

There are exceptions sometimes when a cheaper DIY tool just lasts a really long time with really aggressive use.

And sometimes DIY tools are just replaced with their warranty no questions asked if something goes faulty.

Bigger brands commonly fix what is wrong with a broken tool instead of just sending you a new one. This takes longer as you have to ship the product to be assessed.

You then have to wait for it to be shipped back with a replacement part.

That being said DIY tools have a much higher chance of something going wrong, and inaccurate results generally will not occur until your warranty has run out.

That’s why it’s better to just get a tool that lasts longer, forget about the warranty saving you, some tools are designed for the day the warranty expires.