Which is the BEST cordless power tool brand? Dewalt? Milwaukee? Ryobi? This seems like a simple question, but the answer isn’t.

I last attempted to tackle this question in early 2021, and there have been enough developments and changes in the 2-1/2 years since then to justify an update.

Here is the question that started it all:

If you had to stick to one brand for most of your tools which would it be? Taking into consideration tool reliability, power, ergonomics, batteries and number of cordless tools.

Just one brand?! Dewalt. Wait, no – Milwaukee. Metabo HPT?

Most cordless power tool brands have their distinct innovations and selling points, and tool brands continuously and fiercely compete for a spot in your tool box.

Whether the question is about the best cordless power tool brand overall, or even which one brand I would stick with, the answer depends on the user.

Are you an electrician? Plumber? Carpenter? Deck builder? DIYer? Every user’s needs are different, and there’s really no singular best brand overall.

The real question to answer is this one – which is the best cordless tool brand for you?

Instead of simply answering the title question, I will offer my opinions on each particular tool brand to help you make your own determinations.

As always, readers’ opinions are extremely valuable. What would you say to anyone looking to buy into a cordless power tool system?

The brands below are listed in alphabetical order.

Table of Contents

Bosch
Craftsman
Dewalt
Festool
Flex
Hart
Hercules
Hilti
Kobalt
Makita
Metabo
Metabo HPT
Milwaukee
Porter Cable
Ridgid
Ryobi
Skil

Bosch

Benefits: Good performance and reliability.

Downsides: Historically, Bosch has not kept up with competitors in the USA, and some innovations are released here later than in Europe or not at all.

What I Said in 2021: Bosch makes some spectacular tools. Looking at the greater picture, their 12V and 18V platforms aren’t as compelling as competing platforms. While I was impressed with some of their past releases, there are fewer reasons to buy into either of Bosch’s cordless power tool systems today.

What’s Changed? Bosch recently launched AmpShare, where their 18V battery will soon power a range of tools from numerous partnered brands. They have been releasing new tools at a faster pace, and also seem to have abandoned the somewhat silly names given to certain tools, such as “the Freak.”

Bosch still has holes in their cordless lineup, but they’ve been filling some of the more glaring ones. I anticipate that AmpShare will greatly help with this.

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Related Tool News: Bosch 12V Max Tools, Bosch 18V Tools

Craftsman

Benefits: Affordable price points for DIYers.

Downsides: Limited selection.

What I Said in 2021: Craftsman has been slow to expand their V20/20V Max cordless power tool lineup, but there are some interesting entries, such as a cordless air compressor.

What’s Changed? Craftsman has steadily been expanding their line of V20 cordless power tools, but still not at anywhere close to the pace of their top competitor. Their Brushless RP tools offer higher performance.

See More: Craftsman V20 Cordless Power Tool News

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Dewalt

Benefits: Excellent tools, expansive selection, comfortable ergonomics, great reliability. Dewalt has been continually expanding their 20V Max cordless power tool lineup, as well as their FlexVolt lineup, and they have also been actively expanding their 12V Max Xtreme Subcompact line.

Downsides: Sorting through some of their core options can be a little confusing. For instance, you can now choose between 20V Max brushless, 20V Max Power Detect, FlexVolt 60V Max, and 20V Max FlexVolt advantage saws.

What I Said in 2021: Dewalt continues to have a lot of “firsts.” They’re no longer playing catch-up and are once again pushing boundaries.

Quite simply put, you cannot go wrong with Dewalt cordless power tools. Dewalt’s cordless platforms continue to have a lot of strengths, and few weaknesses.

If I had to choose a “Best Cordless Power Tool Brand Overall” winner, Dewalt would face off against Milwaukee in a battle too close to easily call.

What’s Changed? Dewalt has entered the automotive tool market with new ratchets, and recently launched new rivet tools. They’ve been filling noticeable holes. Dewalt’s PowerStack batteries provide numerous benefits over older technologies.

Notable Products: Power Detect and FlexVolt Advantage lines bridge the gap between 20V Max and FlexVolt 60V Max platforms. Even so, FlexVolt still provides a power benefit that most other 18V/20V Max systems struggle to match.

Related Tool News: Dewalt 12V Max, Dewalt 20V Max, Dewalt FlexVolt

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Festool

Benefits: Unique tools, such as hybrid corded-cordless sanders, good quality, brand reputation.

Downsides: Very limited product selection, very high pricing.

What I Said in 2021: If you want a Festool power tool, and you want it to be cordless, you have some options. Festool made a push in 2020 to consolidate some of their cordless power tools into combo kits aimed at contractors and remodelers.

Festool’s cordless platforms are limited, presumably because they are more of a finish and fine work brand. The brand is not focused on the broader needs of users involved in construction or the trades.

Additionally, Festool’s high pricing can make the tools inaccessible to many individual users.

What’s Changed? Festool has made some questionable design choices, such as launching a cordless dust collector vacuum that can only be used with smaller low capacity batteries. There’s also a new cordless reciprocating saw, which fills a hole in their cordless lineup, but doesn’t seem to be in the spirit of the brand’s core competency – fine finishing tools.

See More: Festool 18V Tool News

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Flex

Benefits: Competitive performance (at least), next-gen Stacked Lithium batteries, numerous innovations and tools with distinct user benefits.

Downsides: As a relatively new brand, Flex is going to be playing catch-up for a few years, in terms of product selection and market share. Their 24V battery is going to be slightly larger than 18V batteries, but not without positive traits (such as in power delivery).

Overall: Flex has expanded their line of 24V Max brushless cordless power tools at a rapid pace. The brand recently launched new compact core tools, and a strong selection of specialty tools, such as a cordless router, sander, and band saws.

Flex aspires to be a major player in the professional cordless power tool industry, and so far it seems they’re doing everything right to get there.

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Hart

What I Said in 2021: Hart is a Walmart-exclusive brand that offers entry-priced cordless power tools that are similar to Ryobi’s most basic offerings. If you’re shopping for the lowest cost cordless power tools on the market, I’d go with Hart (or any of these other brands) over the no-name stuff on Amazon and other online marketplaces.

What’s Changed? Hart doesn’t share product news, but it looks like they added a couple of new tools since I last checked. Hart still looks to be an entry-level cordless brand aimed at beginners or Walmart shoppers buying on impulse.

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Hercules (Harbor Freight)

Benefits: Better cordless tools for Harbor Freight shoppers.

Downsides: Limited selection, young brand reputation, still Harbor Freight.

What I Said in 2021: Harbor Freight launched the Hercules cordless power tool platforms with name-brand competitors in sight. I purchased earlier samples, and while respectable, the tools lacked the fit and finish I would expect from true professional-grade cordless power tool brands.

Harbor Freight and their Hercules line have potential, but it seems they are still striving to make cheaper tools. With new brushless tools on the way, it’s possible they are trying to walk down a different path, at least as far as the Hercules lines are concerned.

Harbor Freight has the potential to disrupt the core cordless power tools market, but they still have to prove they can deliver quality.

What’s Changed? Harbor Freight has been steadily expanding their Hercules lineup of “professional” tools. The quality seems to have improved – from pretty good to almost great – and the tools now boast a 5 year limited warranty.

Harbor Freight has been bouncing between different marketing strategies, and with the latest changes they’ve been following examples set by major industry players.

The tools are not quite on even ground with those from the tool brands Harbor Freight claims Hercules compares to, but they are inching closer.

See More: Harbor Freight Hercules Tool News

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Hilti

Benefits: Strong reputation, gimmick-free solutions.

Downsides: Limited retail availability, limited tool selection, high prices.

What I Said in 2021: Hilti tends to target commercial users, rather than individuals. They have a strong focus on masonry tools, but also some exceptionally capable tools for working with wood, metal, and other common construction and fabrication materials.

What’s Changed? Hilti launched Nuron, a new line of 22V cordless power tools. While not as comprehensive as competing professional tool brands’ lineups, Hilti quickly converted over dozens of tools from the outgoing tool system. There are still a lot of holes that need to be filled.

Hilti still needs to do a better job at appealing to individual tool users.

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Kobalt

Benefits: Brushless motors, inexpensive pricing on spare/replacement batteries.

Downsides: Limited selection.

What I Said in 2021: Lowe’s Kobalt 24V max cordless power tool platform focuses on brushless-motor tools, and with reasonable and competitive pricing.

There’s not much compromise when it comes to performance, and the newer XTR tools take things to another level with respect to power and features.

What’s Changed? Kobalt launched all-new core cordless power tools. They seemed to have all but dropped the XTR performance line of tools, except during holiday shopping seasons when the combos make a quick reappearance.

Lowe’s never seems to have a clear direction in mind for their exclusive tool brand.

See More: Kobalt 24V Max Cordless Power Tools

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Makita

Benefits: Broad 18V cordless power tool system.

Downsides: Makita has been slow to adapt to industry trends, and certain product categories are difficult to sort out with an excessive number of options. The 18V line hasn’t kept up with competing tool systems, and the new XGT line is very limited and expensive. Their revamped 12V Max cordless system has been stagnant.

What I Said in 2021: Some of Makita’s 18V LXT cordless tools are competitive, but the system has hit its limits. The new Makita XGT 40V Max platform is due to launch in the USA at some point, but the new system is not backwards compatible with their 18V cordless system.

What’s Changed? Makita has finally brought a couple of tools from the XGT line to the LXT line, but many premium features remain XGT exclusives, such as cordless drill anti-kickback tech.

Makita launched Outdoor Adventure in the USA, a new line of existing 18V tools but in an olive green color.

They have two main cordless systems – 18V LXT and 36V/40V Max XGT, and aren’t throwing their full weight behind either one.

Makita USA recently cut jobs company-wide, following their third price increase in just over a year.

Related Tool News: Makita 12V, Makita 18V, Makita 18V X2, Makita XGT 40V

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Metabo

Benefits: Great quality, performance, and reliability, and a strong reputation. Metabo offers more specialty tools that cater to fabrication and metalworking industries.

Downsides: Limited selection, less market availability and visibility compared to other pro-grade brands,

What I Said in 2021: Metabo has a lot of great cordless power tools, and has been expanding steadily. Its 18V cordless platform is more expansive in Europe, but an increasing number of tools have launched in the USA as well.

Metabo has embarked on a mission towards enabling a truly cordless jobsite, and each year they move closer and closer to that goal.

What’s Changed? Metabo used to do their part in driving the industry forward, but lately it seems like they’ve been falling behind. Where’s the cordless table saw, dust collection systems, air compressor, or other tools needed for the “cordless jobsite” they talked so much about over the years?

Related Tool News: Metabo 18V, Metabo 12V

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Metabo HPT (Formerly Hitachi Power Tools)

Benefits: Metabo HPT offers many excellent-quality 18V and MultiVolt cordless power tools, and occasionally innovates with unique offerings.

Downsides: Limited selection, Hitachi to Metabo HPT name-change has resulted in quite a bit of confusion. There’s added confusion between Metabo HPT and Metabo, as there is zero compatibility between the two brands’ cordless platforms.

What I Said in 2021: As a system, Metabo HPT offers a much smaller selection of cordless power tools than other brands. They have quite a few competitive and compelling tools, making the brand a potentially good choice if their strengths align with particular user needs and wants.

What’s Changed? Metabo HPT has been releasing new tools at a steady pace. Their MultiVolt cordless platform is excellent, and remains a very competitive choice. The brand needs greater market visibility; select tools are available at Lowe’s, but the retailer has done little to promote the brand or drive consumer awareness.

Notable Products: Metabo HPT’s 18V Triple Hammer impact driver remains a personal favorite.

Related Tool News: Metabo HPT, Hitachi Power Tools

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Milwaukee

Benefits: Great quality, reliability, and performance. Fantastic M18 (18V/20V-class) cordless power tool system and unmatched M12 (12V-class) tool selection. Milwaukee Tool is a very active innovator.

Downsides: M12 tools have a stem-style battery that inserts into the hand grip, resulting in a chunkier grip than some other brands can accomplish with slide-style batteries.

What I Said in 2021: Milwaukee seeks to be a “solutions provider,” and they charge into new markets with a disruptive ferocity. Their philosophy for the M12 cordless system has been to provide user-friendly alternatives to hand tools, and their expanding M18 system offers all the core tools pros and demanding users might need, plus many trade-specific options.

Milwaukee Tool cordless power tools can carry premium pricing, but they regularly offer very aggressive promotions in the form of free tool or battery bonus bundles.

While not the market-leader in every category, Milwaukee is an easy recommendation. Quite simply put, you can’t go wrong with Milwaukee cordless power tools.

If I absolutely had to choose a “Best Cordless Power Tool Brand Overall” winner, Milwaukee would face off against Dewalt in a battle too close to easily call.

What’s Changed? Milwaukee has continued to innovate and push forward in recent years. I expect to see the brand shake up the entire industry once they launch – and heavily advertise – next-gen power tool batteries built with pouch-style Li-ion cells.

The MX Fuel line of cordless equipment redefined what can be powered with a cordless battery, and still holds untapped potential.

Notable Products: Milwaukee’s M12 Fuel and M18 Fuel brushless power tools are often considered the gold standard.

Related Tool News: Milwaukee M12, Milwaukee M18, Milwaukee MX Fuel

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Porter Cable

Benefits: None.

Downsides: Limited selection, limited availability.

What I Said in 2021: Porter Cable was effectively pushed out of Lowe’s when Craftsman (also a Stanley Black & Decker brand) came along, and out of Walmart after TTI launched their exclusive Hart tool brand there.

Porter Cable announced a new partnership with Tractor Supply in late-2021. No new tools or developments have been announced since then.

The brand doesn’t appear to be investing any time, effort, or resources into their cordless platform.

What’s Changed? Nothing.

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Ridgid

Benefits: Ridgid has a strong selection of core 18V cordless power tools, and some unique and innovative tools sprinkled in. The brand offers a good balance between performance and price.

The Limited Lifetime Service Agreement covers parts, service, and batteries – with some restrictions.

Downsides: Smaller selection of 18V tools compared to other brands, 12V system has been abandoned (although you can still buy replacement batteries or chargers).

What I Said in 2021: Ridgid is a good brand and they have continued to expand and enhance their 18V cordless power tool system over the years. Some of their tools offer innovations not found in other cordless systems, giving some users reason to choose Ridgid as their primary or secondary brand.

What’s Changed? Ridgid has continued to launch new 18V cordless power tools. They haven’t been as innovative as in recent years, but are still going strong. Ridgid’s 18V line continues to be exclusive to Home Depot.

See More: Ridgid 18V Cordless System Tool News

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Ryobi

Benefits: Ryobi’s 18V One+ platform is huge, and satisfies a broad range of user needs, from beginner DIYer to value-minded pros.

Downsides: Ryobi’s commitment to DIYer users (a great thing) also means they haven’t updated their battery system to a slide-style form factor yet. Lower-priced tools have compromised features or performance.

What I Said in 2021: Ryobi is a very customer-centric brand that is well-liked and well-regarded among their many loyal DIYer users. Some pros will use certain Ryobi tools as well, especially for specialty tasks where a tool might not see frequent use.

What’s Changed? Ryobi has expanded their line of compact brushless 18V One+ HP tools, and added new home, hobby, and lifestyle tools, including from a new USB Lithium line of 4V-class tools and accessories.

Ryobi tools remains exclusive to Home Depot.

See More: Ryobi 18V One+ Tool News

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Skil

Benefits: Skil’s new cordless power tool platforms offer very high bang for the buck – competitive performance and above-average features for what you pay.

Downsides: Limited selection.

What I Said in 2021: Under new ownership, Skil has refreshed their branding and launched all-new cordless power tool lineups. They’re definitely worth a chance for DIYers looking to get modern features at affordable pricing.

What’s Changed? Skil has launched more tools and updated their core 12V and 20V class offerings. They have also expanded their cordless outdoor power tool offerings. With respect to core offerings – drills, drivers, and saws – Skil tools in many cases outperform competing products while also being more affordable.

Skil is definitely worth paying attention to.

Related Tool News: Skil 12V Max, Skil 20V Max

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Reader Recommendations

Which cordless power tool lineup(s) did you go with? What would you recommend to someone looking to buy into a new cordless power tool system?

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Are you considering a new Milwaukee cordless drill? Hopefully we’ll make things clearer, and with as little fluff as possible.

While it is a bit easier to navigate Milwaukee’s selection of cordless drills than many other cordless power tool brands’, it can still be daunting for anyone who isn’t intimately familiar with all of the latest models.

Milwaukee has introduced 8 new models in the two years since I last wrote up a quick comparison, and so an update was due.

There are plenty of Milwaukee cordless drill buying guides out there, but I haven’t seen a single one that would actually help me if I were researching a purchase.

So, I’m approaching this post as if I were an end user looking to make sense of all of Milwaukee’s different cordless drill offerings for the first time.

After going over some comparisons and specs, I’ll offer my recommendations on the best Milwaukee cordless drills for different user requirements, or rather what I’d purchase for my own needs depending on what I’m looking for.

Please let me know if you feel there’s something missing that could help make this buying guide better, and also if you would like the same approach applied to different brands or types of tools.

Milwaukee Cordless Drill Torque and Speed Comparison Chart

Most tool users will start off their research by looking at a cordless drill’s maximum torque rating. The comparison chart above shows the maximum torque, and maximum no-load speeds.

All of Milwaukee’s M12 and M18 cordless drills have 2 speed settings – low and high – and I feel it’s important to see how torque and speed compare between various models.

How to Read the Graphs

In the graphs featured on this page, above and below, the vertical y-axis values on the left corresponds to the maximum torque values for Milwaukee’s different cordless drill models, and the values on the right correspond to the maximum speed range values.

If this is your first time seeing a two-axis chart, note that the scales are different. The vertical y-axis labels are also color-coded to help guide you.

Basically, compare red to red and blue to blue. The numbers for the torque specs are on the left, and speed specs on the right.

Model numbers and basic differentiating details are on the horizontal x-axis.

The First Two Decisions to Make

If you want the highest torque and performance possible, there’s one clear choice. If you’re looking for a cordless drill for light to mid duty use, that’s where you get a lot of overlapping options and tough decisions to make.

The first decision you need to make – or have already made – is whether you want an M18 cordless drill, or M12. The M18 drills are great choices for most users, and the M12 are great choices where tool size, weight, and cost are higher priorities over speed and power.

Milwaukee’s M18 cordless drills operate at 18V nominal voltage, and the M12 drills operate at 12V Max, or 10.8V nominal voltage, with the same being true for competing brands’ offerings.

Milwaukee M18 Cordless Drills

There are 7 models of M18 cordless drills, plus 2 more One-Key models (more on those below).

2606 – This brushed motor drill is most commonly available as part of high-value combo kits that are popular with DIYers, homeowners, and possibly tradespeople and pros on a very limited budget.

2607 – Although technically still available, the hammer drill version of the 2606 is increasingly rare to come across these days. I see no reason to discuss it further.

3601/3602 – Milwaukee recently announced these two new M18 compact brushless models, a drill/driver (3601) and hammer drill (3602).

As an aside, cordless drills and hammer drills are both considered drill/drivers, but it seems unnecessary to write out “drill/driver” or “hammer drill/driver” every time. A lot of tool users delegate fastening tasks to impact drivers, but the repeatability of a drill with adjustable torque clutch is still very hard to beat.

The 3601 looks to be replacing the 2801, which has been a highly well-regarded compact brushless drill in the years since it launched.

2902 – This hammer drill fills the gap between the compact brushless drills and M18 Fuel heavy duty models. With Milwaukee now having launched a compact brushless hammer drill, the 2902 seems almost unnecessary.

2903/2904 – These are Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel flagship models – their best drills with the latest tech and features. The hammer drill (2904) is more popular and featured in more sales, promotions, and combo kits.

The 2606 (and 2607 hammer drill) are older tech. As mentioned above, they’re included in high value combo kits, but they can be safely ignored. If you’re looking just to buy a cordless drill, you get much more with Milwaukee’s compact brushless drills, and often at lower prices too.

The outgoing M18 compact brushless drill (2801) is a strong performer and great value. It’s not shown here as it’s seemingly being replaced by the new 3601.

There’s a single battery promo kit version, model 2801-21P, that has been regularly discounted to $99 seasonally. Hopefully the same will be true for the new 3601 model.

As mentioned, the M18 Fuel drill (2903) and hammer drill (2904) are Milwaukee’s flagship models. These are Milwaukee’s best and highest-performing cordless drills. If you’re simply looking for Milwaukee’s best cordless drill – the 2904 is what you want.

I should add that the M18 Fuel drills have an AutoStop feature, an anti-kickback technology designed to help prevent twisting injuries that can happen when a drill binds or jams.

All of the weights are tool-only specs.

If you want to narrow things down quickly, I’d say look at the M18 compact brushless drill, model 3601 (or outgoing 2801 if you’re in a hurry), or the M18 Fuel brushless hammer drill, model 2904. I’d say that these two models will serve most users’ needs.

M18 Cordless Drills with One-Key

Milwaukee recently launched new One-Key versions of their M18 Fuel cordless drill and hammer drill.

The One-Key models, 2905 for the drill/driver and 2906 for the hammer drill, are nearly identical to the 2903 and 2904 drills, but with app-based customizations.

Most notably, the One-Key versions give you more control over the AutoStop anti-kickback tech, as well as customizable speed settings.

Milwaukee M12 Cordless Drills

2407 – Milwaukee’s M12 brushed motor drill is a bit long in the tooth, but still delivers solid performance. It’s a decent value-choice and is included in a couple of seasonal “special buy” kits and combo kits.

2408 – The brushed motor hammer drill isn’t widely available, but it’s still around.

3403/3404 – Milwaukee’s flagship M12 Fuel cordless drill (3403) and hammer drill (3404) are an improvement over the previous generation. They offer a great balance between power and size. The hammer drill is more widely available and included in more discounts and promos.

2505 – The M12 Fuel 4-in-1 drill/driver is a problem-solver that comes with different attachments for drilling holes and accessing fasteners in tight or awkward locations.

If you’re set on an M12 cordless drill, the choices are easy. The 2407 is still a decent budget pick, the M18 Fuel hammer drill (3404) is the performance pick – and often included in deal bundles and promos – and the 2505 is the “you’ll know if you need it” specialty option.

Best Milwaukee Cordless Drill for Power Users

Do you want the do-it-all cordless drill? Go for the Milwaukee M18 Fuel hammer drill, model 2904.

You might be thinking “but I don’t really need the hammer drill functionality.” I get it – I’m the same way; I prefer cordless drills to hammer drills where there’s a meaningful difference.

However, there’s not much difference here, and good reasons to look at the hammer drill over the non-hammer drill.

If the hammer drill is any longer, it’s by a rounding error, and it’s less than 1/10 of a pound heavier. There’s no obvious downside anymore.

The drill/driver (2903) is $10 less for the tool-only, and the same for the 2-battery kit. But, there are many more opportunities to score the hammer drill at a discount.

The 2pc combo kit with a hammer drill and impact driver is a popular way to get Milwaukee’s latest and greatest drilling and driving tech.

At the time of this posting, Home Depot has a promo bundle where you can get the tool-only M18 Fuel hammer drill with a bonus charger, 5Ah battery, and 2Ah battery. The tool-only drill/driver is regularly $189, and the tool-only hammer drill is $199. But here, you get the hammer drill, 2x batteries, and a charger, for $199.

Do you see what I mean about how the M18 Fuel hammer drill is worth looking at over the drill/driver, even if you don’t plan on drilling into masonry materials?

Best Milwaukee Cordless Drill Where Size Matters

Milwaukee did a great job with their latest M12 Fuel cordless hammer drill, model 3404.

It’s compact, powerful enough for most light to medium duty tasks, and comfortable to use (at least in my opinion). These are Milwaukee’s best M12 Fuel cordless drills to date.

As with the M18 Fuel drills, the M12 Fuel hammer drill (3404) is featured in more deals and promos than the non-hammer drill (3403). If you just want a cordless drill without hammer function, you can save $10.

Personally, I tend to favor compact 18V-class cordless drills over the M12 Fuel, as the nature of how M12 batteries attach to the drill makes the handle thicker. I feel that the ergonomics have gotten better with each revision, and it’s hard to argue with the small size and light weight of these drills.

The M12 Fuel hammer drill can be a good one-and-only compact drill, or a complement to a higher power 18V-class model.

Milwaukee makes it highly compelling for tool users to upgrade to the latest M12 Fuel hammer drill and brushless impact driver at the same time.

If you’re interested in the Milwaukee M12 Fuel hammer drill, you might want to consider the 2pc hammer drill and impact driver combo kit for just $20 more.

Best Milwaukee Cordless Drill for Most Casual Users

The new Milwaukee 3601 and 3602 M18 compact brushless drill and hammer drill are expected to launch in late summer 2023, and so I have not been able to test them yet.

However, they build upon the previous generations of Milwaukee’s M18 compact brushless drills – tools that I have been especially fond of over the years – and so I am very optimistic that they’ll perform at least on-par if not better.

The new models compare well against the last generation with respect to power and speed, and are more compact.

Here’s a quick comparison:

If you can wait, I think this will be the model for most casual users to get, as it offers a balance between power, size, and cost.

Best Value Milwaukee Cordless Drill

I fully expect for the new 3601 to also be the new best value pick.

Milwaukee’s cordless drill kits always feature 2 batteries, except for special promotional kits that are sold as seasonal special buys.

Shown here is the 3601-21P, which is the upcoming compact brushless drill kit with a 2Ah battery, charger, and tool bag.

There’s no guarantee it’ll be discounted to the same low price point as the previous generation model, but I’m hoping it will. (Home Depot is currently showing the promo kit at $99 but out of stock, all but confirming that my optimism won’t lead to disappointment.)

In the meantime, if you can’t wait, the 2801-21P promo kit is still a great bargain at $99.

Best Milwaukee Cordless Drill for Working in Tight Spots

Milwaukee’s M12 Fuel installation drill/driver is a convenient and versatile problem-solver.

With the drill chuck attached, it’s a fairly compact drill. (The length listed in the specs table above is for the tool-only.)

Or you can add a quick-change chuck, right angle adapter, or offset adapter to drill or drive around obstacles or in corners and tight spaces. The drill chuck can be attached to the right angle adapter as well.

As mentioned above, this is a “you’ll know if you need it” type of drill. If you’re on the fence, keep track of all the types of tasks and applications you’d use it for, and wait for the next deal bundle or sale.

It has an adjustable torque clutch, which makes it a convenience option for driving fasteners to repeatable depths.

I tend to use it more for driving fasteners than drilling holes, but your needs and habits might be different..

The design takes a little getting used to, but I think it’s worth it.

Some users don’t like the style or placement of the electronic direction control switch, but I have not found it to be a problem.

Where to Get the Best Deals

A lot of buying guides point to listings at Amazon and Walmart as places to buy Milwaukee drills and other cordless power tools, but neither are authorized dealers for the brand. Most 3rd party listings are from resellers who shop the same retail sales and deals you can.

Acme Tools, Home Depot, Ohio Power Tool, and Tool Nut are recommended sources for Milwaukee tools.

You can sometimes get great discounts on drill kits, but a lot of the time the best deals are on bundle or combo offerings.

I included some shopping tips in the post, such as how the hammer drill versions can be better buys than the non-hammer model drills. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Reader Recommendations?

I covered what I’d pick and why – I narrowed it down to the M12 and M18 Fuel hammer drills, the M18 compact brushless drill, and the M12 Fuel 4-in-1 installation drill/driver.

I put together the information I’d find helpful when shopping for a drill, and would appreciate any feedback.

Do you agree with these recommendations? What would you pick differently?

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Milwaukee Tool’s scissors are quite possibly the only tool in their entire product catalog that can serve everyone’s needs.

I had to open some packaging last week, and my Milwaukee scissors were the go-to.

Cutting rubber sheet material? Twine in the garden? Twist ties holding a bunch of wire together? Cardboard? Milwaukee scissors got it done.

They’re plenty durable, too.

I used my scissors in a way I’m not proud of yesterday, to tap a garden stake a little deeper into the soil. I should have walked back to the garage and grabbed a mallet, but the scissors were already in my hand.

It was kind of asking for it, with the exposed metal through-tang part of the handle all exposed like that.

The scissors are comfortable to use, and after several years they’re still easy to open.

It also turns out that the scissors are 100% true to Milwaukee’s claims, that the “bolt lock technology” prevents the blades from loosening over time.

There are two versions – straight scissors, and offset.

Technically the title should be “the two Milwaukee tools for every tool box,” but I consider them to be variations of the same tool.

I have found that either one will do the job maybe 95% of the time. If I had to pick one over the other, it might be the straight scissors.

The straight scissors are more compact, and I tend to favor them for this if given the choice.

The offset scissors keeps my hand a bit further away from whatever I’m cutting, which can make a difference when cutting sheets of something.

So, I will generally use whichever is closest to me, but will grab the straight scissors when moving around or on the go, and the offset scissors when making longer cuts.

The straight scissors look to be more popular, judging by the review count for the new version on Home Depot’s website. They’re also less expensive by a few dollars.

Milwaukee calls these jobsite scissors, and while I don’t doubt their usefulness in a construction setting, they’re definitely highly versatile, convenient, and well-performing beyond pro usage environments.

I have bought quite a few of these scissors over the years, and like to give them as gifts. Everyone can use strong high quality scissors, right?

Price: $15.97 (straight), $18.97 (offset)

Home Depot is offering free shipping for either model right now, with no minimum order amount required. Both styles can usually be found at most stores.

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In the past, I’ve used physics, creativity, and luck to lift or move heavy loads, such as woodworking and metalworking machinery. Now, I’ve got a Harbor Freight Pittsburgh 2-ton shop crane at my disposable, and it has changed everything.

I have had mixed experiences with Harbor Freight tools and equipment in the past, and although they’ve been much more positive lately than not, I was hesitant to buy one of their shop cranes.

Note: The test sample I’ve been working with was provided by Harbor Freight (at ToolGuyd’s request).

I had been looking at other brands, and it was difficult to make sense of the huge swings in price. Were the cranes and hoists at other retailers and industrial suppliers better? Would the Pittsburgh shop crane be “good enough?” Or would it be a mess?

This particular model is new and updated compared to its predecessor. At first it looked like just a change in branding and appearance. Yes, the new model looks sharper, but there’s more to it.

My Harbor Freight PR contact explained that the new 2-ton shop crane features:

• Overall improved structure
• Locking rear casters
• Tie down hoops
• Improved casters and cotter pins

It also has an internal load limiting device to prevent overloading.

These changes were made to comply with ASME PASE standards, and also to “improve overall customer experience and ease of use.”

I was very curious at that point.

The shop crane legs fold up for storage, but would still take up some of my valuable shop space.

I asked whether there’s much of a difference between 2-ton and 1-ton models, and was told that their footprints are similar, with the 2-ton having extra reinforcements and the larger hydraulic ram size.

I was very curious about the new Pittsburgh model, but wasn’t convinced yet to reach for my wallet. I requested a test sample, and it arrived a few days later via truck along with a hydraulic lifting table – more on that another time.

To be frank, I was impressed with the packaging. The outer box was beat up a little, but everything inside was neatly packaged.

The hardware was nicely presented and made the assembly process extremely easy.

I was also impressed with the instructions. They were 9 out of 10 for a Harbor Freight product, with the only niggle being that I might have benefited from more beginner info.

For instance, I learned via observation that the end of the jack handle can be used to twist the hydraulic jack’s release valve.

The hydraulic jack was easily bled and did not require any filling, which is completely opposite of my experience with the lifting table.

The shop crane isn’t exactly effortless to fold the legs up and down and pin them in place, but I believe that’s due to my garage floor being uneven. To get around this, I carefully lift the middle when installing or removing the pin to switch between usage and storage modes.

Ideally I should move or rotate the crane to a different part of the floor that’s better leveled along each leg axis, but I’m short on maneuvering space right now.

I used the crane a couple of times now, most recently to lift my new 370 lb benchtop mill into position on its stand. The mill came with lifting instructions.

I’m just getting over a neck and shoulder injury, and my lower back has seen better days. I don’t think I would have found an easy way to safely lift the benchtop mill otherwise. My neck and back are thanking me for taking a chance on testing the Pittsburgh crane.

The Harbor Freight Pittsburgh 2-ton shop crane made things easier. If not, I would have balked on getting a shop crane – again – and likely would have had to disassemble the mill to move its major components separately.

It still requires a lot of care and planning to lift or move heavy equipment, and I read up on as many rigging safety guidelines as I could find.

The question I sought to answer is this: is there any reason not to buy the Pittsburgh 2-ton shop crane?

For the longest time, I convinced myself that this, and other cranes like it, were mainly for use with car engines. Yes, that’s a popular application, but it has already proved to be versatile in my use for lifting small and heavy machines.

Also for the longest time, I wondered what the compromises were. I can’t speak about its predecessor, but this model feels quite solid to me.

It’s easy to use, and feels very secure. I took things slow, but at no point did I doubt the crane’s strength or reliability.

Is it worth the floor space? I’m still thinking about this. So far, yes. It solved two major equipment-lifting problems for me. I could have definitely used this crane in the past.

One thing I like is that all of the separate parts moved around easily. If I don’t think I’ll be using it for a couple of months, I might disassemble it and put the pieces in the basement or attic. But, we’re also planning on getting a shed. That will free up space in the garage, and I might have space in the shed for the crane, although if I do that I’ll likely keep the hydraulic ram in a temperature-consistent space.

With more value-priced tools and equipment, it’s often clear where money is being saved. Here, I couldn’t find any obvious compromises or tradeoffs. It proved to be a near-perfect solution to a need.

I cannot guarantee that your experiences will mirror mine. But I can tell you that this has been a positive experience for me.

The crane is $369.99 plus shipping, which is $136.98 to my zip code. The freight company was paid for curbside delivery with a lift gate. I asked the driver to bring it up the driveway, and tipped him $20.

I was hesitant about an in-store ordering or pickup option, not knowing how large the box would be. It’s too heavy to lift – the crane weighs 197 lbs and has a 220 lb shipping weight.

But in theory Harbor Freight store associates could helped me get it in the back of my SUV, as all stores should have lifting tables for customer use or assisted loading. Once home, the crane can be removed from an SUV or truck bed in pieces.

I have been very happy with the shop crane. Will I feel the same way a year from now? 5 years from now? I hope so.

All of my concerns and hesitations seem to have been for naught. Harbor Freight did a great job with this one. So far, there has been no obvious downsides.

Thank you to Harbor Freight for providing the test sample.

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Vaughan is a well-regarded brand of hammers, pry bars, and other such tools, and I am especially fond of their USA-made wood-handled ball peen hammers.

Shown here is their 16oz ball peen hammer which, as of the time of this posting, retailers for just $15.

Oh, that’s right – a pro-grade USA-made ball peen hammer for just $15. I double-checked the price at a couple of retailers, as I didn’t believe it at first.

I bought my first Vaughan ball peen hammers a long time ago, and then I bought some more.

The 16oz, model TC016, is a great starting point.

After the 16oz hammer, my most-used sizes are 12oz, 24oz, and maybe 8oz – in that order.

I also bought other sizes, but don’t use them very often. If I lost the use of my 32oz ball peen, which I purchased on sale in 2008, I wouldn’t replace it today, at least not at its regular retail price.

For larger sizes, I generally prefer to grab a dead blow ball peen hammer, as they recoil less. Or, I might reach for a drilling hammer, will I have found provides better control.

I use the ball ends every so often, but my hammers’ flat faces see the most action. You can find hammers with dual flat faces – most notably dead blow-style.

Everyone’s needs and usage habits will vary, but ball peen hammers are generally used for striking hard metal tools or metal materials. I mainly use my ball peen hammers to strike center punches, pin punches, cold chisels, and other such tools, or to shape metal when needed.

You can use other hammers for this, of course, but ball peen hammers are specifically designed for these types of tasks. They have polished and bevel faces and are usually hardened in such a way to avoid chipping.

Claw hammer faces are engineered for driving nails into wood; ball peen hammer faces are engineered for hard metal contact.

A ball peen hammer can usually also fit in spaces too tight for other styles of hammers.

Vaughan has changed their hammer styling a little over the years, but mostly for branded purposes, such as with the rust-resistant blue paint on the non-working areas of the hammer heads.

I would absolutely buy Vaughan wood-handled ball peen hammers again, without hesitation. I have steel-handled and dead blow ball peen hammers too, but the Vaughan remain my precision workhorses.

I’d say that everyone needs at least a 16oz ball peen hammer in their tool kit.

Price: $15

While we’re on the subject, do you spell it as ball peen or ball pein? I was accustomed to ball pein, but apparently ball peen is the more common spelling. I’ve been forcing myself to change over, only to find that Vaughan spells it as ball pein. Next week’s discussion? Lineman’s vs linesman pliers.

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Milwaukee sent over test samples of their new dead blow hammers, and I think they’re definitely worth a look. Their smaller size 28oz dead blow hammer has quickly become one of my favorite striking tools.

There are 6 hammers in the lineup – 2 sizes of dead blow hammers, 2 sizes of dead blow ball peen hammers, and 2 sizes of standard ball peen hammers.

• Dead Blow Hammers
  • 28oz (48-22-9150)
  • 48oz (48-22-9151)
• Dead Blow Ball Peen Hammers
  • 16oz (48-22-9140)
  • 32oz (48-22-9141)
• Steel Ball Peen Hammers
  • 16oz (48-22-9130)
  • 24oz (48-22-9131)

Compared to my other dead blow hammers and mallets, I like the Milwaukee hammer’s handle shape and grip material a bit better, and the flat spot on top of the head allows me to set them down with the handle positioned upwards for quick retrieval.

The new dead blow hammers also feature reinforced overstrike protection, a “precision balanced design,” and a lanyard loop in the handle.

They’re comfortable to use, and the face seems impact and abrasion resistant. Milwaukee also says these hammers have “the most durable handle.”

So far, I’ve not had any issues with it – or the other models I’ve been testing. As mentioned, I have taken a strong liking to the 28oz especially.

These hammers are part of Milwaukee’s automotive hand tools line, which could explain why they only launched 2 of the most popular sizes in each style so far.

I’d like to see more sizes in the future.

The dead blow hammers are not huge upgrades, but they swing and strike well, feel especially durable so far (or at least are resisting face wear), and are reasonably priced. Saying “they’re worth a look” seems to sum this up.

To be clear, the steel ball peen hammers do not have dead blow-style heads. I have not tested those yet, only the dead blow hammers.

Pricing and Availability

Here’s another chart of the 6 hammers, with pricing accurate as of the time of this posting.

• Dead Blow Hammers
  • 28oz (48-22-9150) – $30
  • 48oz (48-22-9151) – $36
• Dead Blow Ball Peen Hammers
  • 16oz (48-22-9140) – $51
  • 32oz (48-22-9141) – $70
• Steel Ball Peen Hammers
  • 16oz (48-22-9130) – $30
  • 24oz (48-22-9131) – $35

You can find these hammers at Home Depot and other Milwaukee hand tool dealers.

All of these hammers are backed by Milwaukee’s lifetime guarantee.

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If you’ve got a favorite tool – how about a quick review in the comments section?

It doesn’t have to be your all-time favorite, if that’s too hard, but maybe a recent favorite.

For me, the Klein 11057 wire stripper – and the similar long-discontinued Craftsman Pro’s that are built similarly – is one of my favorites.

The Klein 11057 is their finer-gauge (20-30 AWG solid, 22-32 AWG stranded) wire stripper. It has spring-action “Klein Kurve” handles, a slightly arced cutting blade, and precise holes.

It’s the handle grip that I especially like, on top of the precise wire insulation-stripping action, of course. Something about the cushioning effect of the double-dipped handle grip makes these better than thin-dipped and thicker comfort-grip tool handles.

You can get your own for ~$21 at Amazon.

Now, it’s your turn – if you’re up to it. Tell us about one of your favorite tools – what it is, and why you like it.

Keep things short and sweet – maybe 1 to 5 sentences, or a single short paragraph.

Why? Some positivity could do everyone some good.

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I have been testing out the Bluetti EB3A, a portable battery backup and power station.

The EB3A features a 268 Whr battery, multiple USB outputs, pure sine wave AC outputs, auto DC power port, barrel jacks, and an LED light.

A Bluetti rep sent out the EB3A as well as a compatible solar charger. I haven’t had a chance to test out the solar panel yet, but I put in enough time with the battery backup for an early review.

The charger is about the size of a car battery, and has similar heft. Meaning, it’s compact but not featherweight.

Here’s a list of all the ports you get:

Bluettti EB3A Output Ports

• USB-C (100W)
• 2x USB-A (3A)
• 2x AC (3-prong, 600W total)
• Car/Marine plug
• 2x DC5521 12V DC 10A
• Wireless charger (top)

Bluettti EB3A Input Ports

• AC
• 12-28V 8.5A DC barrel (MPPT)

It comes with an AC power cord, and can be charged via solar panel, auto DC, or other means.

Charging via AC is fast.

Bluetti says that the EB3A portable power station can be recharged from 0% to 80% in 30 minutes. The charging rate slows down a little after that, but is by no means slow.

It has a maximum charging rate of 430W – via AC/wall outlet – and can charge via solar panel at a rate of up to 200W.

The total recharge time is said to be just 1 hour.

The LiFEPO4 battery is said to last for 2500+ cycles. For maximum longevity, Bluetti advises that the EB3A be charged to 80% every 3-6 months for long-term storage.

Bluetti describes their LiFEPO4 batteries as having long charge life, stable performance, better power density, low discharge rate, and flat discharge curve. They add that this battery technology has a “strong safety profile,” and even go as far to say that it’s the “safest lithium-ion battery by far.”

I searched around for user reviews before accepting the test sample, and did not find any reports to suggest or indicate otherwise.

A neat aspect I wasn’t aware of when I accepted the test sample opportunity is that the power station can double as a UPS (uninterruptable power supply), potentially giving it added use in between excursions or emergency situations.

Bluetti advertises that it has a 20ms response/switchover time in case of an outage.

The display is very clear.

Wake up the display when it’s charging, and it will display charging wattage, charge capacity, and output at that time.

When outputting power to various devices, you can control which modules to enable via independent power switches.

The EB3A has a power switch for the light, one for the USB charging ports, one for the AC outlets, and one for the car/marine plug and barrel jack DC connections.

Initial Impression

A couple of ToolGuyd readers put Bluetti on my radar (see Are Portable Power Stations Practical?), but I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I liked the idea of a portable power station in theory, but I had hesitations.

Bluetti advertises the EB3A as “tiny but mighty,” and I have to agree. They crammed a lot of ports and functionality into a very portable package.

Not only that, it seems to be a very well-polished product. The user manual is only a couple of pages, but is detailed and well-written regardless of technical savviness. I found that I didn’t need to refer to the manual at all, but it has some helpful info, such as how to disable ECO mode.

(I read that the ECO mode can also be disabled in the app, which I have not yet downloaded.)

Portable power sources are Bluetti’s entire business. They say they “prioritize design, service, and quality over everything else.” Still, I wasn’t expecting the EB3A to have such a nicer user interface.

I was surprised by the noise level of the internal fan during charging, which rivals that of internal fan-cooled cordless power tool battery chargers. But if there’s the choice of fan-cooled charging or slower charging, I’ll take the noise for a short while.

It also gave off a slight odor during charging – I’ll have to see if this goes away. I don’t expect this to happen every time; I’ve used other equipment that takes a bit of use for “new product” smells to go away.

Searching online, others have experienced and asked about this; on the Bluetti user forum, a moderator posted in September that “The smell will go away after it heats and cools a few times. This is normal.”

Bluetti offers a wide range of power stations, from this compact model to ones with thousands of watt-hours of energy storage capacity.

This one won’t power the refrigerator or something like a wet/dry vacuum, but it’ll charge phones, tablets, laptops, and even a fan in case an outage takes out the AC in the peak of summer.

The last time we had a power outage, we shared a portable battery bank back and forth to charge 2 smartphones and a tablet. This Bluetti can handle all of that, plus my laptop – at the same time, and more.

So far, I’m impressed. This is something I’m going to keep and use.

It worked well in all of my multi-device charging tests. I hope I don’t have to use it in a power outage, but I’m feeling pretty confident that it will be ready and capable.

I feel that the variety of ports will make this useful for home and hobby use.

For instance, my telescope mount can only be plugged into a car-type 12V DC port, for which I have a lead acid battery power supply. Rather than replace that battery with another low capacity and difficult-to-maintain lead acid battery, it’s one more task I can potentially use the Bluetti for.

I wish there was just one more USB-C port, but I have plenty of USB-A charging cables. Plus, I can always plug an AC adapter to get more of whatever type of USB connection I need.

Bluetti was the first brand of portable power station that I agreed to test for review – aside from those from cordless power tool makers, and I’m glad I did. A couple of readers recommended Bluetti, and now I see why.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I’ll be testing the solar panel charger next.

Price: $299, $239 after clickable coupon

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SOG is one of just a few tool brands that offer unique multi-tool designs. I bought a SOG PowerLock more than 10 years ago, and while it’s never my go-to, it has some compelling attributes.

The biggest selling point of SOG multi-tools are their pliers, which open quickly and easily, and deliver compound leverage.

According to SOG, the compound leverage pliers design “makes cutting and tightening twice as easy.”

The standard SOG PowerLock multi-tool has common tools and features, such as combination jaws, wire cutting blades, a combination knife blade, scissors, wood-cutting saw, bottle and can openers, and several screwdriver sizes.

It also has a 1/4″ driver that pairs with a square-to-hex socket adapter for use with 1/4″ hex screwdrivers and accessories. Mine came with such a socket, and the sheath had a dedicated spot for storing it.

SOG PowerLock multi-tools, even those described as being suited for daily professional use, also have an EOD crimper for military users.

I tend to prefer other brands’ multi-tools over SOG’s, such as Leatherman, Victorinox, and Gerber – in that order – but the PowerLock pliers have kept me from passing mine along to anyone else.

The pliers open quickly, via a geared mechanism. But, tread carefully, as you can smash your knuckles when opening the pliers with a wrist-flick motion.

I all but swore off SOG tools nearly 13 years ago, right after I received my purchase and asked them a question about the tool’s country of origin labeling. SOG customer service never responded to my two email inquiries, and I felt that their phone agent wasn’t any more helpful.

But, the pliers continue to offer distinct benefits.

Gerber and Leatherman have developed good one-hand-opening multi-tools as well, but nothing quite mirrors SOG’s compound leverage design and benefits.

The rest of my PowerLock tool is decent too, with easy-accessible tools. In addition to all of the non-pliers tools and functions requiring the pliers to be flipped open first, they’re also all secured behind a hinged cover.

A pro in some regards, and con in others, the PowerLock pliers are longer than other multi-tools. It also has a larger sheath, which fits the 1/4″ square to hex socket adapter at the bottom. Its size isn’t a concern when carried or stored in a pouch, bag, or tool box.

The latest models have a different nylon belt pouch, and it’s unclear as to whether SOG stills gives you the square to hex socket adapter. This is an inexpensive accessory you can always purchase separately.

Key Specs

• 7″ overall length
• 4.6″ closed length
• Weighs 9.6 oz
• 420 stainless steel construction

Price: ~$58

Would I recommend the SOG PowerLock multi-tool?

Personally, I prefer more compact tools for EDC (everyday carry) and travel.

SOG advertises the PowerLock as having an “electrician wire cutter.” The wire cutting blades don’t have user-replaceable inserts, which I consider a must-have for modern tools aimed at professional use.

Aside from the pliers, the rest of the SOG multi-tool is average. However, the tools and functions feel strong, reliable, and as mentioned are easy to fold out and access. While not as good as the action on Leatherman’s Free series multi-tools, the SOG cost less than half the price.

The price is a strong selling point. You can get a basic but reliable Gerber for less, but there’s no similarly-featured Leatherman or Victorinox multi-tool at anywhere close to the PowerLock’s under-$40 price point.

The SOG PowerLock seemed worth revisiting for those 3 reasons – it’s decent enough I haven’t given mine away yet, it remains affordably priced, and its pliers are as of yet unmatched in their ease of opening and compound leverage.

All that said, I would recommend it, but not unconditionally. This is one of the most highly-functional multi-tools for the money.

The next step up would be the Leatherman Rebar multi-tool, which I reviewed here. At the time of this posting, the Rebar is $80 at Amazon, which is more than 35% higher-priced.

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Skil recently launched a new 40V Max cordless blower, BL4713C-11, which delivers up to 530 CFM, 140 MPH, and is advertised as being lightest in its class.

The new Skil blower features a brushless motor and IPX4 rating, which provides protection against changing weather conditions.

Skil, a ToolGuyd sponsor, sent over a sample for testing and review consideration.

I used the Skil blower a couple of times to blow dry and wet leaves around the deck and driveway before passing along to a reviewer for long-term use.

The reviewer’s first words as I handed the blower off to them? “Wow, it’s so light!”

I deliberately avoid describing a tool or its selling points when passing a sample to a new reviewer. There’s something highly amusing when one’s first impressions directly match up with a manufacturer’s claims.

I’ve been kicking myself for passing my sample along to someone else for long-term testing, but I offered before I started testing this model.

The blower seems very capable and definitely arm-friendly blower. You can control the airflow via a variable speed trigger and a settable lock-on “cruise lever.”

It’s also very reasonably priced at $119 for the kit right now.

Skil emphasizes that this is the lightest blower in its class, weighing just 4.8 lbs (tool-only) and 6.4 lbs with battery.

With the included 2.5Ah battery, the balance was perfect.

I also liked the battery connection, a seemingly minor feature, which was designed in a way that allows for the IPX4-level water resistance.

The included 2.5Ah battery is fully recharged in 60 minutes, and the PWR Jump function can bring it to 30% charge capacity in 15 minutes.

This means that if you only have the one battery and just a little more work to do, you can take a quick break and finish up in short order. It’s a good-to-have feature.

The kit comes with the blower, charger, and 2.5Ah battery.

Price: $119

How it Compares to Other Cordless Blowers

Looking at other brands’ offerings, similarly-priced 18V cordless blowers from Skil’s top competitor don’t deliver anywhere close to these specs. Looking at the lime green competitor’s 40V Max models, they have a kit with lower CFM and MPH specs, and for considerably more money ($179 with a 4Ah battery vs $119 with a 2.5Ah battery).

At present I have 3 cordless blowers in my long-term test rack – a very compact 12V-class jobsite blower, an 18V/20V Max cordless blower, and an EGO 56V blower.

The EGO is great for heavier blowing tasks when I need maximum power and the longest runtime. The jobsite blower is relatively new and has largely replaced the 18V/20V Max cordless blower for blowing sawdust and debris out of the garage.

I continue to use the 18V/20V Max cordless blower for quick cleanup tasks outdoors, but there are times when it’s a bit wimpy.

The Skil 40V cordless blower performs somewhere in between that 18V/20V Max cordless power tool brand of blower, and EGO’s 56V cordless blower.

I like the idea of a cordless blower that uses cordless power tool batteries. But, the 40V battery can drive a larger turbine fan, delivering more power.

Frankly, the price is also appealing. I’d say you get greater quality and performance than the current $119 promo price suggests.

With respect to application speeds, the Skil 40V outperformed my yellow and black 18V-class blower sample.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with the compact jobsite cleanup blower a 1, and EGO top-spec’ed model a 5, the yellow pro cordless power tool brand blower would rate a 2 and this Skil a 3 or maybe 3.5 with respect to power.

Additional Thoughts

As mentioned, I liked the battery design, and how it connected to the tool. The unlatching lever is easy to use and protected against unintentional release.

The Skil 40V cordless blower has softened my stance on 40V-class cordless outdoor power tool systems.

The blower is a compact and manageable size, perfect for common leaf blowing and driveway-clearing tasks. I didn’t have a higher capacity battery to test the blower with, which is okay; I can’t say I minded the weight, balance, or runtime of the included 2.5Ah battery.

Skil bundles the blower with a battery charging dock, which I prefer over “compact” chargers that give you a wall transformer and slide-on charging adapter.

Additional 2.5Ah batteries are available separately, as is a 5Ah battery. If you want a round nozzle, it’s available as a separate purchase. That’s the only *gotcha* – but a minor one. At the time of this posting, the optional nozzle is available at Amazon and elsewhere.

I rarely use nozzles that come with blowers, but it’s good to know it’s available separately. The only thing they’re really good for, in my experience, is scraping wet clumps of leaves in tricky spots. I allow myself to be a little more abusive with a removable nozzle.

40V systems offer a compromise between heavier, pricier, and typically more capable higher voltage cordless outdoor power tool systems, and 18V-class cordless tools that deliver lower performance or capacity but conveniently work with handheld power tool batteries.

I think this Skil 40V cordless blower is capable enough for many users, especially anyone shopping with a tight budget.

What are the cons? I expected some compromises due to its size, but there weren’t any. It doesn’t come with a round nozzle, but you can still buy one separately if you want to.

I’ve been strongly considering buying one for personal use, and if so it’ll take the place of my yellow-branded 18V-class blower. Whenever I use that blower, I have to grab a battery that has a replacement cost in excess of the $119 for this entire Skil kit.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Skil’s 40V cordless blower, but I think they did everything right here.

I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised; Skil tools are designed and developed by the same company that owns EGO, which has been a leader and innovator in the cordless outdoor power tool space for years.

Somehow, Skil managed to deliver high mid-level power and performance into a light blower that’s also more affordable than I would expect for its on-paper and in-test performance. Kudos to Skil – I hope they keep it up!

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Husky provided their Pro Duty 72″ 20-drawer mobile workbench for review purposes, and I have been thoroughly using and testing it these past couple of weeks.

Home Depot’s Husky Pro Duty tool storage system offers a modern and modular mobile work station solution that’s engineered around the needs of professional and demanding users.

As such, it’s priced at a premium, at least compared to consumer storage products. Compared to the other professional tool storage systems I looked at, the Husky system seems competitively and even compellingly priced.

I need more time to use and test it further, but I have some early thoughts you might find interesting.

To start, the mobile workbench is the heart of the Husky Pro Duty system. Husky also offers side lockers, a hutch with fold-down cover, and top lockers in two sizes.

One top locker size (72″) can be installed above the hutch, and another (63.5″) is solid in pairs for use above a full setup with the workbench and two lockers.

See the Full Husky Pro Duty System

You can start with just the workbench – which is the only part I’m testing for review – or build it into a complete system. You can also add just a top hutch or single side locker. Home Depot and Husky offer the Pro Duty system in several pre-configurated combinations, and you can purchase the components separately as well.

The cabinet I’m testing is red, and it’s also available in black. The red workbench comes with black trim, and the black workbench with silver trim. Both have a stainless steel worktop.

The same add-on options are available in both colors.

The very first thing I noticed was how easy it was to move the workbench into position.

There are 4 locking swivel casters, with a combined load capacity of 6,000 lbs. Each caster has spring shock absorbers.

Normally, larger mobile workbenches – at least consumer models – have 6 casters.

This one has 4 swivel casters, which makes it more maneuverable. It was easier to move this into position than with other larger mobile workbenches and tool cabinets I’ve used before.

My floor is uneven in some spots. With these casters, all 4 casters touch the floor, a benefit of the shock-absorbing system and absence of middle casters.

Pull handles on both sides also made the workbench easier to move around.

The top is made from 18-gauge 304-grade stainless steel. The frame is made with 16 gauge steel, and the base frame 9 gauge.

Each drawer can support up to 220 lbs. The deeper top drawer and deep bottom drawers have double pairs of drawer slides and 400 lb load ratings.

Husky equipped the workbench with a Kwikset SmartKey system, which allows for easy rekeying multiple locks to the same Kwikset key.

There are two locks – one for the main section, and another for the right side bank of drawers.

There’s a 6-outlet plus 2 USB power strip on the right side.

All of that sounds good on paper. In reality, it does provide for a more premium user experience. The drawers feel to be of very high quality – they don’t rack or sag, and open and close smoothly.

The soft close feature is a convenience, and also provides some closed drawer retention strength, which is typical.

The 20 drawers are a dream, and can fit much more tools than the Husky 62″ tool cabinet that previously occupied this space.

I wasn’t quite expecting the workbench to be as large as it is; this is not a workbench as much as it is a workstation. This fits well with how I use tool cabinets and chests.

I typically place tools, parts, workshop equipment, and other things on top of a mobile workbench. There are times when I clear the tops for heavy parts or equipment.

The Husky Pro Duty workbench measures 72″ wide x 24.6″ deep x 44.2″ tall. The outgoing 62″ workbench measured 24.1″ deep and 38.1″ tall.

The storage volume belies its actual size and capacity. The 62″ cabinet is described as providing 31,721 cubic inches of storage volume, while this 72″ cabinet is said to have 34,326 cubic inches of storage volume.

While a roughly 10% difference doesn’t sound like a lot on paper, I can fit a lot more tools due to the drawer count and dimensions.

The first cabinet shipped to me (shown on its pallet, above) with handling damage – it seems someone rammed the box with a fork lift – but the second was perfect.

I didn’t photograph the actual damage, but one of the drawers and part of the frame were crumpled inwards. A replacement drawer wouldn’t have fixed the damage.

Always unwrap steel storage products with the freight driver still there. It’s quicker to refuse a delivery than to arrange for return pickup, although I would add that Home Depot’s customer service has been great about refusals and returns over the years.

With how the test sample was arranged, the return and replacement was done via Home Depot customer service. I called their Pro Xtra phone number, and they were able to sort everything out rather quickly.

The workbench has a net weight of 788 lbs, and gross weight of 851 lbs. Setup is easy, especially since the casters are installed at the factory.

The mobile workbench has a retail price of $3498. If you add on two side lockers, a top hutch, and two top lockers, the total price would be $8990. The Pro Duty system is covered by Husky’s Lifetime Warranty.

Is it worth it? That’s of course the question to ask, as this cost much more than consumer tool storage products.

The Husky Pro Duty roller cabinet has the heaviest gauge frame of any tool storage cabinet of this size I’ve tested before, and the heaviest duty ball bearing drawers I’ve ever used. It’s a solution to demanding tool storage and organizational needs, and exists in the space between consumer and industrial products.

So far, I think that Husky did a fantastic job – the design, construction, and quality have all impressed me.

Yes, you can get slightly smaller and considerably less expensive roller cabinets with similar drawer counts. But, the difference between 220 lb (or 400 lbs doubled up) drawer slides and 100 lb drawer slides is something you can feel when opening and closing a drawer loaded with tools.

Mobile workbenches, tool cabinets, and tool chests of this caliber – and price – are intended for heavier users that are in and out of their tool boxes daily.

Husky’s “standard duty” 72″ ball bearing tool cabinet is constructed with a 21 gauge steel frame. This Husky Pro Duty mobile workbench has a 16 gauge frame and 9 gauge steel base frame. 16 gauge steel is 82% thicker than 21 gauge steel.

Husky’s 72″ standard duty mobile workbench has 6 casters and can support up to 1800 lbs. This Pro Duty model has 4 casters and can support up to 6000 lbs.

Overall, the Husky Pro Duty workbench is stronger and built for more demanding use, even if you don’t plan to load it up with 3 tons of tools and equipment in and on top of it.

Husky offers top hutches and side lockers for their standard and heavy duty mobile workbenches, but the Pro Duty system is the only line where you can have a top hutch, side lockers, and top cabinets.

A fully equipped Pro Duty setup, with hutch, 2 side lockers, and 2 top cabinets, measures a whopping 127″ long x 94″ tall x 25″ wide. That’s more than 10 feet long and nearly 8 feet tall.

I was eager to test the mobile workbench as a standalone product as a representative sample of the Husky Pro Duty system.

There are some areas where more attention could have been paid, such as how the welded vertical dividers have visible seams, or how the corner guards are rather plain. But we’re talking about cosmetic nitpicking that I didn’t notice until I started looking for compromises and imperfections.

I generally prefer wood-topped tool cabinets and workbenches, and this only comes with a 304 stainless steel top. However, given its 44.2″ height, I have been using and testing it as a work station rather than a workbench.

Stainless steel is resistant to common chemicals and easy to clean. After using it, and placing things on top that I never think of with a wood worktop, I’m glad I didn’t have the opportunity to choose otherwise.

The added height can allow for precision work, but I have been taking most work to a shorter workbench.

If this tool cabinet were to be a permanent addition to my workshop, I might plan to remove some wall cabinets and add the top hutch and upper cabinet in the future. I could definitely make use of the side lockers, but sadly I’d never have the space.

I didn’t explore whether a vise could be added, as the height of the worktop is not ideal for this.

So far, the Pro Duty tool cabinet has exceeded my expectations, which I had based on positive past experiences with Husky standard and heavy duty tool storage products.

I had intended to only temporarily adjust my workspace to accommodate the size of the Husky Pro Duty mobile tool chest, but I’m liking it far more than I had anticipated.

I still plan to donate the sample, but extended the testing timetable.

It’s not that the Pro Duty workbench is a joy to use, but that it delivers an invisible experience, melting into the background of things.

Do you know the feeling when you upgrade from a tool that frustrates you, to one that doesn’t? This is like going from pliers that you can never really break in to ones that are smooth and effortless to use. Or, it’s like upgrading from a drill or impact driver that can only drive certain fasteners 90% flush, to ones that perfectly seat fasteners every time.

The Husky Pro Duty line is built far better than average consumer ball bearing storage products. Side by side, the differences are apparent.

Is there a difference in the smoothness of the drawers? Yes. Is there a difference if a drawer can hold 100, 220, or 400 lbs if you’re only loading it with 50 lbs of tools? Yes. Does it matter to you? That’s a question you’ll have to answer.

The biggest surprise to me is in how much I’m enjoying configuring the 20 drawers to my needs. It’s going to hurt when it’s time to give this cabinet up.

I think Husky did a great job with the Pro Duty system so far, and hope they expand upon it.

With respect to the price, $3498 seems very competitive for what you get. This sounds like a lot of money compared to products built for consumer needs, but it’s the floor when talking about storage aimed at automotive, professional, and industrial users.

Thank you to Husky and Home Depot for providing the test sample for review. Husky is not an active sponsor, but has partnered with ToolGuyd within the past 12 months.

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The Festool 500483 is a drilling dust nozzle that attaches to the end of 27mm dust extractor hoses.

I use it at the end of my Festool dust vacuum, and it works on other dust extractors and vacuums with similar-sized hose ends.

You place it over where you want to drill a hole, and activate the vacuum to help keep it in place.

As you drill, fine dust and shavings are collected through a hole in the bushing, reducing cleanup time and helping to keep fine particulates from being released into the air.

This is a universal-type dust shroud, where it doesn’t matter which brand of drill or drill bits you use it with.

It can be used with drill bits up to 12mm or 1/2″.

The foam pad helps create a good seal, even when placed against uneven or rough surfaces.

Festool says that it is “compatible with all standard industrial and domestic vacuum cleaners.”

Price: $26

Benjamen posted about it here, when the accessory first launched in 2016.

I bought mine at that time (for $21 plus tax), and continue to use it. I have tried a couple of other drilling dust collection accessories, but like this one the best, at least for drilling smaller holes.

Its design does reduce visibility; it can be difficult to perfectly align a drill bit to a mark when you can’t see it from the sides. But, the results are better than with other dust shrouds and accessories I’ve tried.

The right angle adapter can be rotated within the dust shroud, or be removed entirely. This allows for the drilling dust collection accessory to be used in multiple orientations as needed.

I have had zero regrets or disappointments with this accessory over the years. I would buy it again without hesitation.

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Engineer Inc, which specializes in hand tools for electronics and general purpose use, makes very decent miniature and precision pliers.

This one, PS-01 long nose pliers, are 5.5″ long and have ESD-safe anti-static handles.

In my opinion, the PS-01 mid-length long nose pliers are a good introduction to Engineer Inc pliers. If you like it, there are many more styles to choose from, such as precision cutters, non-serrated needle nose pliers, and others in between.

The jaws are fine enough to grip small and delicate electronic components enough, but also strong enough for a broader range of tasks.

It has wire cutting blades, for use on copper wire up to 2mm in diameter, and loops at the ends of the handles for a tether.

I own many styles of Engineer Inc mini pliers, and like them a lot. The jaws are well-formed and precise, the handles are comfortable, and overall their pliers perform quite well. I have had zero regrets.

Price: ~$20
COO: Made in Japan

Also… I can’t mention Engineer Inc tools without bringing up their fantastic compact scissors, which are ~$20 at Amazon at the time of this posting. (JML, this plug’s for you! =)

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I have been testing the SawStop Compact Table Saw (CTS), and will be discussing its design and performance in this review.

The Compact Table Saw, model CTS-120A60, is SawStop’s most affordable table saw yet, and it incorporates similar flesh detection and blade brake technologies as the brand’s jobsite, contractor, and cabinet saws.

SawStop provided a sample for testing and review.

SawStop Flesh Detection and Blade Brake Tech

If you’re familiar with the SawStop brand, you probably already know about their flesh-detection and blade brake safety features.

The saw sends a small current through the blade, and constantly monitors the signal. If the saw senses that the signal has changed, such as if a user’s fingers or hand are brought into contact with the blade, the brake activates. Once that happens, a block of metal is thrust into the blade, which is then propelled down into the machine. All of this happens within 5 milliseconds of skin contact detection.

The user often walks away with just a scratch, rather than what could have been a severe life-altering injury.

A new cartridge is required to reset the machine, and usually a new blade as well.

All of this is standard for SawStop table saws.

For the bulk of this review, I will be looking at all of the other aspects of the saw, everything else that makes it special.

SawStop Compact Table Saw Fence

Let’s start with the fence, which has a rack and pinion-type of adjustment mechanism.

I found the fence to be easy to adjust and use.

The fence attaches on both sides via lever-action clamps.

It was spot-on from the factory and perfectly aligned with the blade and miter slots..

What I like about the SawStop Compact Table Saw is that its controls are intuitive and well-labeled.

How do you unlock the fence? Ah, you pull the knob. And to lock it, you push the knob back into place.

Here’s the fence unlocked.

To adjust the fence position, rotate the grey knob. It’s as precise as I would expect from a portable jobsite saw.

Spring-action stops prevent the fence from getting too close to the blade, and they can be easily overridden if needed. Simply push either tab inwards to move the fence past it.

The auxiliary fence shelf can be set to two positions, or lifted out of the way.

Shown here, it is folded down over the table, to provide support for narrower rip cuts without having to remove the blade guard.

With the fence extended past the table top, the shelf can be placed in its lower position for material outrigger support.

A handy diagram reminds you of the low fence and support shelf positions and their purposes.

The saw provides a rip cut capacity of up to 24-1/2″ at full extension, to the right of the blade. To the left, it can provide a maximum rip cut of 9-1/2″.

Blade Guard Assembly

Here is where SawStop’s engineering starts to shine through even more.

The blade guard breaks down into 3 pieces – the riving knife, anti-kickback pawls, and clear automatically-adjusting shield.

The Compact Table Saw also comes with a basic riving knife, for when the guard isn’t installed or partial cuts are needed.

Assembly is easy and fairly intuitive, although I had to refer to the user manual the first time I attached the anti-kickback pawls.

I’m pleased with how the guard comes together and breaks down quickly and easily.

Here’s the blade guard installed.

Attaching or removing the guard or riving knife is easy.

As with other jobsite table saws, you raise the blade, remove the throat plate, and then unlock the riving knife clamp.

I would rate the process better than average, which is important. The easier safety features are to install or remove, the greatly the likelihood users will actually use them.

Accessory Storage

All of the safety attachments tuck away inside a removable compartment that installs to the rear of the saw.

Intuitive diagrams will help clue you in as to where everything goes.

There’s a lot of plastic here, but it works well. Subtle textures provide clues about what to press to release different attachments or accessories for use. The miter saw is a little fickle to remove, and I only mention it to be thorough.

A lot of portable jobsite table saws will have me going back and forth to the user manual to figure out how and where the safety attachments all stow away.

It all works well.

The Miter Gauge

The miter gauge is no better or worse than the ones included with other jobsite table saws.

It has a T-shaped bar to fit the T-shaped slots.

SawStop Compact Table Saw Power and Bypass Switches

After plugging in the saw, you turn on the power via a rocker switch. The key-shaped switch next to it is used for bypass mode.

The bypass mode should be used when cutting conductive materials that might otherwise trigger the safety mechanism, such as wet wood.

Once powered up, the saw will go through a self-test process, with its two LED indicators flashing green and red until a solid green light signals that everything is set and ready.

There’s no guessing as to what’s going on – a color-coded chart helps with troubleshooting.

Blade Adjustments

The controls are straightforward.

Squeeze the knob assembly to tilt the blade, and crank the handle to raise or lower it.

Unfortunately, the saw doesn’t have the same one-turn adjustment as the jobsite saw, but I didn’t really mind it. Raising or tilting the blade is easy.

Do you see how it says “micro” in two places, on the part of the adjustment knob behind the “squeeze to tilt” part?

Here is the blade purposely set slightly out of alignment.

And here it is perfectly dialed in.

This isn’t the best example, as the 0° stop was perfect out of the box and can be recalibrated as needed, but I hope you get the idea.

You can make a coarse bevel adjustment by tilting the blade, and then sneak up on the exact angle you need with the micro adjust.

The micro adjust setting can be locked-in by pushing the outer ring. Squeezing the dial for tilt adjustment unlocks it again.

I can see this coming in handy. Precise bevel angles are possible on most table saws, it’s just a matter of how quickly and easily you can get there. The CTS’s micro adjust speeds up the process.

Nice Touches

If you should activate the blade, refer to the user manual for instructions on how to reset the saw with a replacement cartridge and blade. Can’t find your user manual? There are clear instructions printed on the side of the saw.

Power and Performance

The saw has a 15A motor and operates at 4,000 RPM.

I mainly tested the saw by ripping plywood (baltic birch and basic ply from the home center) and 2x construction lumber. I performed some cross-cuts just to get a feel for the table.

One thing to keep in mind is that this is a 10″ table saw, whereas most other saws in this class now have 8-1/4″ blades. I have been told that current safety guidelines dictate how large of a saw blade can be used with respect to table size.

As such, the saw has a maximum cutting depth of 3-1/8″ at 90°, and 2-1/8″ at 45°.

I can feel and hear resistance when pushing thicker wood with more effort. It’s important to listen to your tool and respond accordingly.

The saw performed on-par with other saws of this class.

SawStop ships the saw with a 24T ripping blade pre-installed. It is also equipped with a standard throat plate, but zero clearance plates are also available separately.

Portability

The saw has a comfortable rubber-gripped carrying handle.

I like that the power cord wrap is on the same side as the handle, as it lowers the chance of it being trapped between the tool and ground.

There are thicker rubber pads at the corners.

The base is trapezoidal, and very different compared to the box jobsite table saws I’m used to. I shouldn’t be surprised – a lot is different about this saw.

One negative about the saw is its weight. At 68 pounds, the SawStop Compact Table Saw is not as light or easily maneuvered as other portable table saws.

It is manageable, however, and not overly cumbersome.

I would say that it’s a little heavier than I would have preferred, but not too heavy for me to work with. I can carry it with one hand, but prefer two.

SawStop Compact Table Saw Folding Stand

Simply put, the saw is perfectly paired with its folding stand, an optional purchase.

The stand was easy to assemble, and is very easy to use.

Before placing the saw on top, ensure that the locking tabs are oriented in such a manner that it can accept the saw’s roll cage.

I start by seating the rear roll cage, and then the front. A quick quarter-turn rotation of the locking tab, and the table saw is secured to the stand.

This is the easiest folding stand setup I have used. It’s simple, but effective.

Compared with the SawStop Jobsite Saw

I made some quick comparisons before donating my older jobsite table saw sample.

The SawStop Jobsite Saw is decent, and I loved its one-turn blade height adjustment, most of the time. However, I always felt it to be a large table saw with SawStop safety tech added in. That’s not bad, and it felt like a polished product, but I preferred using other table saws a lot better.

SawStop’s newer Jobsite Saw Pro has a slightly larger table depth than the version shown here, with both being considerably larger saws than the Compact Table Saw.

The SawStop CTS handled rip cutting with ease, and I would add outfeed support for longer workpieces or larger panels of sheet materials.

The Jobsite Saw feels more powerful and faster-cutting. At the time of this posting, the Jobsite Saw costs nearly 76% more than the Compact Saw ($1579 plus freight).

SawStop provides a detailed rundown of the differences on their website:

The main differences you will find on our Compact Table Saw (CTS): Lighter weight at 68 lbs. for the saw body vs 84 lbs. on the Jobsite Saw (JSS). Max rip capacity CTS 24-1/2″ vs JSS 25-1/2″ The CTS is even more portable with an easy-carry handle, whereas the JSS has a built-in mobile cart. The CTS has a rack and pinion fence vs JSS has T-style with ergo lock (self-squaring) Multi-turn blade elevation on CTS vs JSS has the one-turn elevation Standard blade guard on CTS vs JSS has dust collection blade guard. CTS is a direct drive motor vs JSS having a belt driven motor. The CTS is not able to support the use of Dado blades.

Warranty

The CTS is covered by a 1-year warranty.

SawStop’s documentation has always been top-notch, but in verifying a technical spec for this writeup, I found that they have an 87-page service manual for the saw (PDF), detailing all of the different replacement and repair operations users might someday have to do. There’s a separate 77 page parts list (PDF).

Some users might not like having to repair their own tools, but when we’re talking about a 68 pound portable saw that can’t be easily shipped back to the factory, parts availability and servicing instructions can help minimize downtime.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the SawStop CTS feels like a well designed and engineered product. This is the company’s first saw of its kind, and their most affordable model. I expected some hiccups or niggles, and was glad not to find any.

Everything from the fence to the blade height adjustment, is user friendly.

The motor and adjustment mechanisms are better shrouded than I’ve seen in other saws, but I’m not sure if there are any functional advantages there.

There’s a single 2-1/2″ vacuum port at the rear, and the saw sends most of its sawdust out the chute, whether a dust collector or vacuum is attached or not. At this time, there is no option for dust collection via the blade guard.

I have definitely enjoyed using the SawStop CTS. I have been using it alongside other portable jobsite-style saws, to get a feel for how its features and performance compares.

Strip out the SawStop-specific safety tech – the blade brake and flesh detection active injury mitigation (AIM) tech – and it’s still a fantastic portable table saw.

This has been the tricky part to determine. Without the safety tech, is this a recommendable portable or jobsite-type table saw? So far, yes, I think so.

There are some compromises. I wish the table top surface was a bit smoother, and for the saw to be a little lighter. The miter gauge is practically disposable, although this seems to be a universal truth for portable table saws.

The anti-kickback pawl attachment doesn’t seem as robust as I’ve seen on other saws, but I have had zero problems with it so far. I actually like how easy it is to swing out of the way if needed.

The CTS table top measures 23″ wide and 22-5/8″ deep, and provides more workpiece support than smaller 8-1/4″ table saws. Additional outfeed support, such as with a portable roller stand or platform, helps with larger cuts, and I feel the same about all portable table saws.

It does not work with a dado stack, but the same has been true for most table saws this size. Dado stack compatibility typically requires stepping up to a model that comes with a roller stand – such as the Jobsite Saw Pro.

The CTS costs approximately 3X as much as other portable table saws – and even more than that in some cases. But you’re not just paying a premium for the SawStop safety tech, you’re paying for more features and what so far seems to be superb build quality.

Even if we ignore the SawStop safety tech and unique micro bevel adjustments, the CTS is a very good portable table saw that’s very easy to set up and intuitive to use, thanks to an abundance of attention given to written, graphical, and tactile guidance.

SawStop didn’t reinvent the portable table saw, but it seems they did their best to improve the user experience while matching the performance of top competitors’ tools.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Pricing and Availability

Prices are accurate as of the time of this posting.

Price (CTS-120A60): $899 + $75 shipping (similar across all retailers)

Accessories

Folding Stand (CTS-FS): $129
Zero Clearance Insert (CTS-TSI): $25
Replacement Brake Cartridge (TSBC-10R3): $95

Thank you to SawStop for providing the review sample.

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This is the story about how I bought a couple of Harbor Freight US General roller cabinet tool boxes.

It all happened quite by accident, really, and turned out to be quite the adventure.

Just to prepare you – this is a long post, discussing everything about my Harbor Freight purchasing experience.

I have been organizing my workspace and storage spaces, and have been deliberating about what to buy. I need more storage for tools, parts, supplies, and misc. smaller things.

My tall Proto 540 has grown on me, and I am quite attached to my Beta rolling cabinet. The Proto 540 isn’t available anymore, and I’m not yet ready to buy its larger and pricier replacement.

Here’s an older photo of my Beta roller cabinet, in orange. Aside from a broken key I have yet to replace, it has been great for more than 12 years now.

Beta’s current line roller cabinets are end-of-life. New Beta cabinets came out in Europe in 2021, and their USA launch has been delayed. The new cabinets are supposedly launching next summer.

One of Beta’s few dealers have the older model I would buy, but their pre-sale customer service experience has been terrible.

Plus, even if they were easy to buy right now, the pricing is a bit high – more than $700 each. That might be worth it for a primary tool box I’m in and out of multiple times a day, but not for secondary tool and part storage and organization

I looked at garage storage products, but their pricing is quite steep too. New Age Pro’s 5-drawer unit – two of which I currently have in-use, are now $550 to $649 each, plus shipping.

I started thinking about deeper shelves.

I have industrial tote boxes on 12″ deep wire shelving racks, and also hinged-lid containers on dollies, These are no longer efficient for smaller tools, parts, and doodads, even if I only need them on occasion.

Containers now have mixed contents, things have been moved around… it’s an inefficient mess. Drawers could work, and I started planning out a long-term DIY project involving drawers on the bottom with shelves or cubbies on top.

Given the cost of materials and hardware today, store-bought solutions can be more economical, if I can find the right setup.

On Saturday, I searched for some inspiration online. I searched for woodworking tool cabinets, and voila, a Harbor Freight advertisement popped up, showing their yellow cabinet on sale for 10% off.

Everything over $50 was 10% off this weekend.

I… had not considered this at all. It could work.

I have always wanted a yellow tool box, ever since I saw Craftsman Griplatch cabinets in a Sears catalog maybe 15 years ago. I took the bait.

I have a Craftsman orange top chest – Sunburst Orange, if I recall correctly. I suppose I like bright tool box colors.

Hmm. The US General single bay tool cabinets have 8 drawers, are 26″ wide, 22″ deep, 40.5″ tall, and weigh 175 pounds.

There are 3 shallow drawers, 3 medium drawers, and 2 deep drawers.

While not perfect, that might do the trick for secondary tool and part storage!

I’m shopping for my basement, not my garage. Consumer-strength single bay tool boxes around 26″ to 30″ wide are at the limit of what I can safely get up or down the stairs.

I checked the website – it’s in stock!

Hmm. I figured I would check out the floor sample and maybe buy one. If it works out, I could always buy another.

I drove to my closest Harbor Freight store, checked out the US General floor sample, figuring the larger roller cabinet would indicate the quality level for the entire product line, and grabbed the purchase ticket from the display.

I went to the cashier.

They had one in stock, but it’s a “presale” item, meaning it was sold and waiting for its new owner to pick it up. Bummer.

They had a couple of other colors in stock, but I really wanted it in yellow. They gave me the number for another store in the area. I called them up, and they had one in stock!

I drove a half hour, picked it up, and took it home.

Here’s where I’m impressed with my Harbor Freight shopping experience. They brought the product to the front – it was in good shape – they rang me up, and then helped me load it up.

Sears never did that.

They said it would take 10 minutes to get from the back, as “there was stuff on top of it,” but I only had to wait maybe 5 minutes.

I was worried about damage, but everything was in great condition.

Once home, the top box lifted right off, and this is what it looks like underneath. There was styrofoam on the top and bottom, and the corners were covered with foam on the inside and stiff cardboard on the outside.

I feel I made a great choice with the color – I love it!

My basement is dark in places due to a huge HVAC soffit running down the middle, and bright colors work better than say blue or black. Renovating the basement will be a far-off future project. But, I do plan to add a lighter colored floating floor, which should help brighten things up a little.

Here’s what it looks like inside. It’s not perfect, but few brands spend time or effort on areas that aren’t visible during use. There’s just enough of a coating to hopefully help prevent rust and corrosion.

My idea was to remove all the drawers, carry the cabinet into the house and down the basement stairs.

I decided to install the casters first.

The casters are very cheap. But, this is a Harbor Freight US General product – corners are cut in some areas.

The instructions disappointed me.

The side handle is shown to install with a washer, bolt, and spring washer. But nope, there are no washers included, just two bolts. I guess a design change was made, but nobody bothered to update the user manual.

As for the caster installation instructions, take a close look at the diagram.

It shows a bolt, small washer, large washer, and caster plate. The image is correct. The labels are mismatched.

The label for the flat washer is pointing towards the spring washer, and the label for the “spring was” [sic] is pointing to the flat washer. At least the diagram is correct.

I got it down the stairs, although it wasn’t easy. After popping the drawers back in – carefully, I had to install the end caps for the handle pulls. They went in most of the way, and I used a small hammer to gently nudge the caps fully into place.

I was pretty pleased overall.

What’s the load capacity for the ball bearing drawer slides? *shrug* Harbor Freight doesn’t say. All they say is that the single bay cabinet can hold 1000 lbs when “evenly distributed from bottom up.”

Does that mean 100 lbs per drawer, plus 200 lbs for the top? There’s also a top chest with 6 rows of drawers and a top lid compartment. So… 75 lbs per drawer, plus 400 lbs for the top?

Not knowing bugs me a little.

For the money, $360 minus $36 = $324 plus tax, I’m pretty pleased.

I decided I wanted another one. I was off to Harbor Freight again on Sunday!

I called first – yes, that have an orange tool box in stock. They said they could hold it for me until the end of the day.

I went to Harbor Freight, and it was busier than yesterday. Apparently it gets “crazy crowded” on Sundays.

At one point, when I was still waiting in line to make my return, someone abandoned their purchase – a magnetic tool box power strip – due to the long checkout wait. Note to self: avoid Harbor Freight on Sunday afternoons.

I paid, and they brought out the cabinet. This was different from yesterday, where they brought it out first and then rung me up.

One of the corners was mashed in a little, but it didn’t seem like a big deal.

I gave myself a choice – was this worth my driving to the other Harbor Freight ~25-30 minutes away on a busy Sunday to get a more perfect one? No.

I brought it home, unloaded my shiny new orange US General tool box, and… the drawers started sliding out.

The locking mechanism was completely broken somehow. The box had a 2020 date code.

None of the drawers had detents either. With the yellow tool box I bought first, which has a 2022 date code, the drawers close maybe 98% of the way, with the final fraction of an inch requiring extra effort to engage a detent mechanism. This helps with drawer retention.

My brand new orange box apparently didn’t have drawer slide detents, and its lock was completely non-functional, even with all the drawers pushed inside. The lock turned and made some noise, but none of the drawers engaged.

Back to Harbor Freight!

I called first, and was told to come right in. They would help me unload the tool box, do the return, and then I can buy a new one. They have one orange in stock (maybe the one I just bought?) and two in blue.

I have a US General tool cart in blue, and know it to be a bright medium blue, and figured maybe it will work okay in the basement. Okay, I’ll get a replacement cabinet in blue.

I arrived at the store, waited in line, and when the cashier saw my hands were empty, they asked what they could help with.

I told them about the return, and an associate helped me bring the tool cabinet back in.

I was asked to stand to the side until the blue cabinet came out. The cashier said they prefer to have the product on a cart in-hand in front of me – or them – before I could be rung up. Okay, sounds fine. The tool box was brought out.

The associate who retrieved the tool box – maybe the manager? – was about to head outside and down the ramp when the cashier informed them I didn’t pay yet.

“Why not? When it’s this busy, ring them up without delay, we can always reverse it.”

Everyone had treated me well so far, and waiting for them to ring me up after the next customer didn’t take long. Then again, the people in front of me bought all kinds of equipment that took a while to scan. Earlier, when I was paying for the orange box, customers in front of me had carts filled to the brim.

Cashiers and associates looking out for the customer’s convenience? Where was I?

I’m guessing they like to have products on a cart and in front of the cashier just in case a customer wants to buy something that’s not actually in stock. When I asked about a replacement orange tool box, I was told the one they have in the system might be a floor sample. Or maybe the system didn’t update yet and was showing the one I bought and was returning.

One reason I didn’t mind waiting was because it gave me a chance to see what other customers were buying.

The defective orange roller cabinet was a huge waste of time, but everyone was friendly and helpful.

If you’ve read this far, I hope you’re not too disappointed or distracted by my digressions. I never purchased larger equipment from Harbor Freight before, which made this an adventure in several ways.

I paid for the blue cabinet, we loaded it up, and I brought it home.

I unloaded it, took the drawers out, plopped it on its side, and got to work getting the casters on.

With the first cabinet, I learned that I could only fit a 13mm combination wrench on the fixed casters, although a ratchet and socket worked well on the swivel casters. So, I positioned the cart on its side in a way that let me install the fixed casters on top and swivel casters on the bottom.

It was far easier for me to get the second cabinet down the stairs. If you do not have a way to do this in a safe manner, hire professionals.

The handle pull hardware isn’t flat and square. I didn’t have this issue with the first tool box. The side of the tool box appears to be flat, but the handle mounting brackets are rounded away from the tool box.

That’s kind of janky.

The handle brackets are installed in place with just two socket cap screws, with short pins helping with installation alignment. Needless to say, they’re not going to support a lot of weight.

When taking out the drawers, there was lint on two of the slides. One of the side handle mounting brackets has a hair or fiber of some kind underneath the chrome finish.

Some of the panels had gaps at the seams. This is true for both of my cabinets, but is not entirely unexpected for what seems to be spot-welded construction.

There are some metal splinters at the back of the drawers, but not in any areas most users will ever be expected to touch.

With yesterday’s yellow cabinet, there was scraped-off yellow powder coat on some of the handles, presumably from when the handle pulls were installed at the factory.

Overall though, these are 8-drawer steel tool boxes for under $400.

Let’s think about the price for a moment. Perhaps $120 of the price goes towards the sturdy-feeling main cabinet, $25 goes toward each drawer ($200 total) – including the drawer slides – and the remaining $40 goes towards the casters, lock, side handle, drawer mats, top mat, and labels for the handle pulls.

At this price, for what you get, I can forgive a lot.

I might call Harbor Freight to see if I can get a replacement handle, partly just to test out their customer service.

Oh, and I don’t know if this is typical for Harbor Freight or not, but they helped me load up with this Haul-Master hydraulic table cart. This is the one they sell, and I was told they have a larger one (that they don’t sell) for the bigger tool cabinets.

I didn’t see any of these carts at the other location I visited yesterday. I supposed they have to have something like this on-hand, how else could anyone load a larger tool box into a pickup truck or similar?

As an aside, I don’t have the space for an engine hoist, and definitely not a gantry. I considered getting a hydraulic lift table like this a while back, but didn’t even think about how it can be used to load or unload heavy cargo in and out of my SUV. Maybe this will be my next Harbor Freight purchase.

I might buy more cabinets, although I’m not 100% certain yet.

Maybe I will add a couple along the basement wall, with a long butcher block top added to create a workbench, although I’ll have to figure out how to build a strong-enough leveling base. As the bottom isn’t flat, it complicates the matter just a little.

Just the fact that I’m thinking about this should give you a sense of my satisfaction so far.

I loaded the tool boxes with tools, parts, and equipment previously stored in space-inefficient totes and containers, and I really like the volume of the roller cabinets.

Too bad there aren’t other drawer configuration options, although that’s probably one of the reasons the price can be as low as it is.

Some of the drawers are noticeably sluggish under heavy weight. The casters are usable.

Harbor Freight says this is a “professional quality roller cabinet,” but it most certainly does not feel like one. It’s reasonably well-made given its price tag, and with a little care, I’m sure it will last a very long time.

Even though there are some obvious shortcomings compared to some of the more premium tool storage products I have purchased or used in the past, I feel that I got a lot for the money spent.

Are these as refined as pricey tool cabinets? No. More premium tool storage products will deliver higher quality and a better user experience. But, these deliver more than I expected for under $400 each.

The two tool cabinets helped me empty more plastic tote bins and boxes than I’d like to admit. They’re not very organized right now, but they’re going to be.

What if I need more?

When looking at Harbor Freight’s website, store pickup isn’t an option if I want a couple in a specific color. I can order online for delivery, with freight fees tacked on for each roller cabinet, and presumably lift gate charges as well. I suppose I’d have to visit my local store to buy more via “presale.” I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I’d be hesitant about delivery, though, as I have seen how severe freight handlers can damage or even demolish far sturdier and better-packaged tool boxes.

I visited Harbor Freight stores four times in two days, which is about the same number of visits I made in the previous five years combined.

This has turned out to be a very surprising weekend. I hadn’t anticipated buying a US General tool cabinet, let alone two. Well, technically I bought three, but returned one due to internal defects. There might be additional purchases in my future.

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I will soon say goodbye to my Husky 62″ mobile workbench roller cabinet, and wanted to share some thoughts after using it for nearly two years

Home Depot and Husky sent me this sample in mid-2021, and I have enjoyed using it since then.

You can find my early impressions about the mobile workbench here.

This roller cabinet is part of Husky’s heavy duty lineup, featuring 19 gauge construction. It has 14 drawers, an adjustable-height wood top, and 6 swivel casters.

I never used the adjustable-height top. It’s a good-to-have feature, I didn’t use it outside of initial testing.

6 swivel casters are a game-changer. Many if not most roller cabinets have a combination of swivel and fixed casters. This one has locking casters at the ends and swivel in the rear. Although I very rarely moved the cabinet around, all-swivel casters were hugely convenient.

The drawers have been perfect. They opened and closed smoothly and with minimal effort. The drawers are rated to 120 lbs, or 240 lbs for the deep bottom drawers.

I was both optimistic and doubtful about the drawer configuration.

The left bank of drawers measure 15″ wide and nearly 22″ deep, and the right bank of drawers measure a little more than 39.5″ wide x nearly 22″ deep.

Most drawers are 3.05″ deep. A couple of the narrower drawers measure 2″ deep. The bottom drawers measure 10″ (left) and 6.8″ (right).

I loaded up the drawers with hand tools, power tool accessories, smaller tool cases, and misc. parts and supplies. The smaller deep drawer held bulkier things, such as large dust collection fittings. The larger deeper drawer held large accessory boxes and cordless power tools.

I mainly used the roller cabinet for tool storage, but also as a workbench on occasion. It excelled at both.

I should have better-utilized the power strip on the right side. It features 6 outlets and 2 USB charging ports.

I thought I might miss having a 4-inch drawer, such as for deep sockets, but I didn’t. If I need 1/2″ sockets or drive tools, I retrieve them from a different tool box.

A deeper top drawer might have been convenient for cordless power tools and batteries. But, I hang my cordless drills and impacts off a different tool cart. I mention this because my new test tool box has two deep top drawers, and it will be interesting to see how my experience with it differs.

Still, this Husky 14-drawer configuration provided incredible storage density, which I tend to prefer.

There are different kinds of organizers you can use to better optimize deeper drawers for tools such as pliers. But what about wrenches, screwdrivers, or hex key sets? Shallow drawers are great for hand tools.

In theory, maybe the drawers could have been a fraction of an inch wider if not for the adjustable height worktop mechanism. However, I liked knowing I could raise the top if I ever needed a taller work surface or the ability to clamp something down.

The adjustable height table top would also make it easier to install a bench vise or other clamp-through fixture.

I have used and tested many different types of mobile workbenches, roller cabinets, and tool chests. This is one of the sturdiest. The drawers never flexed or fought back. There were no hiccups.

I’m at a struggle to find something I didn’t like. If I had to find one negative, it would be that this heavy duty 62″ mobile workbench is only available in matte black.

I have tested and parted with many tool cabinets over the years. This is one of the few that I will truly miss. It delivered a consistently excellent experience.

If I didn’t need the space to begin testing new storage products, this would have had a permanent place in my garage. It will soon be donated locally.

Key Features & Specs

• 62″ x 24″
• Height-adjustable from 38″ to 48″
• Max load of 2500 lbs
• 31,721 cubic inches storage volume
• 6 swivel casters (4 locking)
• 1-inch wood top
• Built-in power strip (6 outlets, 2 USB)
• Includes drawer liners
• Tubular lock

Price (as of the time of this posting): $1159

The Husky test sample was provided as part of a paid partnership with Home Depot in 2021.

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I bought a Harbor Freight US General 30″ service cart back in November 2020, for use as a catch-all in my garage.

It has served me well in the more than 2 years since then.

The cart features an open bottom shelf, a single drawer with ball bearing slides, and an open top compartment.

If I recall correctly, it went together easily. The handles’ surface finish had minor flaws, but other than that there wasn’t much to complain about.

This is a low-strength cart, but at the time I spent around $100 including shipping. There was nothing else I could find that even came close to what this offered for the money.

I bought this as a temporary catch-all. It has been my electrical work cart, my power tool battery cart, and my project workcenter.

Right now, I have the bottom loaded with cordless outdoor power tools and batteries, the drawer with a couple of hand and power tools, and the top with new equipment I’ll be testing shortly. There are tape measures, a drill, and a cordless vacuum clipped to or otherwise hanging off the side walls that surround the top shelf.

To my surprise, the finish has held up well also – there is very little chipping except a point or two where I am to blame. The wheels are in great condition, and the drawer shows no sign of wear yet.

I definitely got my money’s worth here.

I have been considering retiring the cart, as I need greater storage efficiency. Basically, I need something much taller that can hold more stuff without taking up a lot more space. The open shelf on the bottom is useful, but another shelf or second drawer would be better use of the space.

But, it continues to be useful. Maybe this will end up in the utility room, where it can hold misc. replacement plumbing and lighting parts. There are a couple of other ways I might use it.

The US General cart turned out to be far more versatile than I had anticipated. I bought it as a somewhat temporary solution, but I keep finding new ways to use it.

It’s too long to slide under a workbench, and too short to use as a work surface.

I should note that the current version is labeled Series 2, but I can’t see how it’s different than the one I bought.

Yes, I would absolutely buy it again.

The cart is currently priced at $140, and Harbor Freight has occasional promos or coupons that might work on it. There are 7 color choices – red, blue, black, green, orange, yellow, and white.

Key Specs

• 30″ length x 16″ depth x 35″ height
• 350 lb total weight capacity
• Powder-coated finish
• 4″ casters (2 locking)
• One drawer with ball bearing slides
• Weighs 52 lbs

Price: $140

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I’m building a couple of specialty carts right now, and needed good quality smooth-rolling casters to go with them. There were a lot of decisions to make in those projects, but the caster choice was easy.

I went with Levina 75mm casters from Lee Valley.

They’re pricey, but I have used these casters before – and the larger 100mm size – with great results.

The 75mm casters have a ~3″ wheel size, and can support up to 165 lbs each. The 100mm casters, with a ~4″ wheel size, can hold up to 220 lbs each.

The casters have a grippy rubber tread around a polypropylene hub, and an easy-toggle brake that locks the wheels in both rotational and swivel directions.

I have used these casters for rough-ground projects before, but feel they work better on smoother and interior surfaces, or at least that’s what I prefer them for. I tend to feel bad using them in environments they’ll be chewed up in, due to the premium price.

The casters are quiet, strong, smooth-rolling, and easy to lock and unlock.

Are there less expensive casters? Absolutely, and I seek those out for certain projects too, as well as even stronger and more premium options when needed.

With the 75mm caster, you can choose from 3 installation options – M10-threaded stem, and two sizes of flat steel plates – small 1-5/8″ square and large 2-1/2″ square. The 100mm caster installs with 2-5/8″
x 3″ flat plates in steel or stainless steel.

The 75mm casters came with made-in-France labels (Lee Valley says they’re made in France and USA), and the 100mm casters are said to be made in Germany.

I haven’t found these Tente Levina casters anywhere else but Lee Valley.

Prices start at ~$10.50 each when you buy 4 of the 75mm casters, and $21.20 each when you buy 4 of the 100mm casters.

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Makita kicked off new deals where you can save $100 on their most popular XGT cordless power tool kits, AND get a free battery on top of that.

I found the new promo at Acme Tools, and I’m sure other authorized dealers will participate in this sale as well. At this time, it seems other retailers are showing the $100 savings or free battery, but only Acme looks to have both.

Should you take advantage of this promo? Maybe. If you ask me, these are the best XGT tool deals Makita has ever offered.

Makita’s XGT cordless power tool system is complicated. It’s a 40V Max cordless system, but with 18V-sized tools and batteries.

The tools are loaded with Makita’s latest tech and features, and the batteries are their most advanced and highest capacity.

Frankly speaking, the line includes a good selection of core tools, but is somewhat limited beyond that. Makita has been expanding the XGT system with new tools and accessories at what I would describe as a steady and satisfactory pace.

The tools and batteries are pricey, and there’s no cross-compatibility with Makita’s 18V system, aside from a single one-way charging adapter.

Makita had an excellent and unprecedented holiday promo, where they bundled 2x free batteries with select combo kits, or 1x free battery with the purchase of 2 bare tools. The latter promo looks to still be ongoing at some retailers.

I bought the XGT track saw last year, and more recently added their new blower (via Amazon Japan due to lower pricing and a greater number of included accessories).

I wanted more batteries, and there were a couple of user review requests I wanted to be able to fulfill. So, I took advantage of the holiday season deals to pick up a router, reciprocating saw, and a drill and impact driver combo kit.

With that, I bought 4 more tools and got 5 batteries with it – 2 compact batteries with the combo kit, and 3 free high capacity batteries.

Makita’s 4Ah battery (BL4040, 8Ah 18V equivalent) retail at $219 each, which makes the free battery promos very noteworthy.

I thought that the holiday season was unbeatable.

With the latest promo, they’re knocking off $100 off the price of select combo kits, and giving you a free battery that retails at $219.

If I’m being honest, I think this is the better deal. It’s not as good value-wise, but if given the choice between 2 free batteries and 1 free battery plus $100 more in my pocket, I’d prefer for the latter.

The Makita GT200D XGT hammer drill and impact driver combo kit is regularly $449. That’s what I paid last month. Now, it’s $349, plus you get 1 free battery.

I didn’t need another hammer drill and impact driver, and so I purchased these more for review purposes. I really wanted the 2.5Ah and 4Ah batteries though. The compact batteries (you get 2 with the kit) retail for $159 each. The bonus 4Ah battery retails for $219 by itself.

When you look at it in those terms, you get your money’s worth just in the 3 batteries (2 compact 2.5Ah + 1 bonus 4.0Ah).

$349 also puts this 40V Max combo kit below the price of other premium brands’ flagship 18V or 20V Max combo kits.

At this price, Makita XGT has entered the ring.

The Makita XGT rear-handle circular saw kit, GSR01M1, is also included in this promo. Right now, it’s $299, from $399, and you get 1 FREE 4Ah battery.

In other words, you get the saw, charger, and 2x batteries for less than it would cost you to buy just the batteries.

I should add that the bare tool is $264 by itself. So for just $35 more you get you 2x batteries, a charger, and a kit bag.

There are other kits included in this promo – 2 cordless miter saw kit options (10″ and 12″), the 10-1/4″ circular saw kit, and 2 4-tool combo kits (drill, impact, light, circular or reciprocating saw).

I feel that the 2pc tool kit and rear-handle circular saw kits are of the greatest interest and offer the greatest value, but it’s worth looking at the others in case the better match your needs.

You have time to think things over, as the promo looks to have an April 30th, 2023 end date.

Thoughts and Recommendations

Would I recommend that you buy into the XGT system right now? No. Yes. No. I don’t know.

Makita priced the XGT tools too high to interest me. There was one tool I wanted and purchased – the track saw – and then another – the compact blower. For personal use, I wanted more batteries. For professional purposes, I (and readers) still had a lot of questions that Makita USA wouldn’t or couldn’t answer about the tools’ features and performance.

Somehow, I convinced myself to dive into Makita’s 40V cordless system. Would I do so again at these prices? Absolutely.

But I’m not yet willing to buy deeper into the system.

Where’s the cordless jig saw?

The pin nailer kit is a whopping $549.

They have a new compact 6-1/2″ circular saw on the way, but how much will that be?

I’d consider a cordless 7-1/4″ miter saw, but they don’t have one yet, either.

I’m a hodge-podge type of cordless power tool user. I currently own battery-powered tools by Dewalt, Milwaukee, Metabo HPT, Bosch, and now Makita.

Would I buy into XGT’s system as my primary platform? No. They don’t offer the specialty/expansion tools I use most or am looking to buy, and tools to suit my more casual needs are too expensive for me to justify.

And yet, my tool collection went from 1 tool to 6 in a matter of weeks. They haven’t yet kicked my go-to tools out of their earned spots in my tool kit, but they potentially could.

If someone asked me today if they should buy into Makita’s XGT 40V Max cordless power tool system, and I had to give a yes or no answer, it would be NO. The core tools should suit many users’ needs, but beyond that the system is far from complete.

Consider this post, and how I can’t just say “wow these are great deals!” I cannot recommend XGT without including qualifications and heavy reasoning.

Would I buy or recommend certain XGT tools at their current prices and promos? YES!

Milwaukee’s M18 rear-handle circular saw kit is $449 (via Home Depot) with 1x 12Ah battery (216 watt-hours). Makita’s 40V saw kit is $299 with 2x 4Ah batteries (one included and one free, for 2x 144 watt-hours, or 288 Whr total).

Objectively, that’s a very good deal.

An 8Ah-equivalent battery is going to be lighter than a 12Ah battery, and it will charge faster as well. Let’s say you want a backup battery for the Milwaukee – how much will that cost? That Makita’s $299 promo and bonus battery kit pricing starts to look very appealing.

It’s also worth pointing out that the XGT kit is now less expensive than the 18V X2. Makita’s 18V X2 rear-handle circular saw kit (via Home Depot) is currently bundled with 1 set of 2x batteries for $359. Would you rather have a 36V-equivalent tool powered by 2x 5Ah batteries (180 watt-hours total), or a 36V tool powered by 1x 4Ah battery (144 watt-hours) with a bonus battery on-deck and $60 more in your pocket?

$299 plus 1 free battery somehow seems like a much better deal than $399 plus 2 free batteries. The same with the 2-tool drill and impact combo kit with 2 compact and 1 free 4Ah battery for $349.

This promo is going to sell more tools.

If you need or want to buy more XGT batteries in 2.5Ah (5Ah equivalent) or 4Ah (8Ah equivalent) sizes, why not get tools with them?

Even at promo pricing, Home Depot has a 2-pack of XGT 4Ah batteries for $398. Other retailers have them at $219 each. $398 for two batteries, or $299 for two batteries, a charger, tool bag, and Makita’s latest-and-greatest rear-handle circular saw?

Makita has a new impact driver (GDT02), which is less featured and more affordable than their other XGT impact driver (GDT01). That’s a good move for the brand to make, and it still looks like a premium-but-not-flagship type of tool. The new impact is kitted with 2x 2.5Ah batteries for $399. The flagship impact is kitted with 2x 2.5Ah batteries for $429.

Meanwhile, the 2-tool hammer drill and premium impact driver combo kit is $349, and you get a bonus 4Ah battery on top of the 2x 2.5Ah batteries it’s kitted with.

I love when tool promos do this, although it can complicate the decision-making process.

This promo is a highly aggressive marketing strategy. Makita USA really wants you to buy into their XGT cordless power tool system.

I was very convinced by the holiday season promos, but believe that $100 savings will be more compelling. And you do still get 1 free bonus battery with the eligible kits.

Other brands’ holiday season promos have finally timed-out. There are other new promos, and there will be more, but nothing like these. For instance, Milwaukee has a new “buy more save more” promo, where you save $50 off $350, up to $175 off $550+. That’s a good deal, but it’s only on select bare tools.

Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel hammer drill and impact driver ($399 at Home Depot) is a fantastic combo kit, and features the brand’s latest and greatest technologies. But with no active promos on that combo kit, brand agnostic tool users might be well-served by Makita’s XGT combo, which offers more at a lower price right now.

I’m glad I picked up what I did, and I’m awfully tempted to give the rear-handle circular saw a try as well – for ToolGuyd purposes, as I’m not much of a framing saw use.

With this new promo and price drop, even if only temporary (if you could say that given its end-date 3 months away), Makita has made the XGT system less ignorable. On top of that, more tools are on the way as they continue to expand the system.

I was hooked by the track saw and further committed thanks to the compact blower. I’m willing to bet that Makita is seeking to hook pro users with these new XGT promos, and that it’ll work.

Dewalt needs to counter with a PowerStack 5Ah promo of some kind. I’m not quite sure what Milwaukee’s counter will be. Bosch? They’re not yet playing the same game.

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I needed to buy new emergency flashlights, and after a bit of searching I settled on the Streamlight Dualie, a 3AA 140 lumen LED flashlight with separate spotlight and floodlight modes.

I have numerous everyday and regular-use flashlights, but had very different criteria when it came to emergency flashlights.

Part of what prompted this search was a conversation with my parents about how they needed another flashlight or two. After a bit of research, the Dualie seemed perfect.

The Dualie has separate floodlight and spotlight modes. The spotlight is built into the end of the flashlight, and the floodlight is built into the front side.

With the floodlight, you can clip the flashlight to a pocket, or place it standing up face-down to aim it where you please.

The spotlight and floodlight emitters have independent controls, so you can use either, or have them both on at the same.

The operation is simple, with on/off controls and nothing more.

As this is a 3AA flashlight, batteries are readily available.

The spotlight delivers 140 lumens of light, and so does the floodlight. Together, they emit 245 lumens. Runtime on fresh batteries is 18 hours for either mode, or 9 hours together.

Pros

• Impact-resistant housing
• Yellow housing stands out (also available in black)
• Easy to change batteries
• Textured grip
• Dual and independently-controlled pushbutton switches
• Large spring-action belt clip
• AA batteries are easy to find
• IP67 dust-tight and waterproof
• 2 meter impact resistance
• Wide operating temperature range (-20 to 130°F)
• Rugged-feeling design
• Chemical-resistant housing
• Intrinsically-safe design
• Streamlight reputation
• Easy controls and operation
• Light weight
• Long runtime

Cons

• Medium brightness
• No output mode controls (aside from on/off)
• Price

This isn’t a smart flashlight, meaning there are no programmable output modes. I like the simplicity of the on/off controls, but it hampers its versatility and performance as an everyday light. But, I did buy it specifically as an easy-to-grab light that I can pass around to other family members if needed.

$31 seems a bit high for a plastic-bodied on/off 140 lumens flashlight. However, Streamlight has a very good reputation, and I feel this is a flashlight that won’t let me down.

With a 2 meter drop rating and IP67 waterproof rating, the Dualie should be able to endure all kinds of environmental conditions and even incidental rough handling.

I probably won’t use the floodlight emitter mode a lot, but it seems good to have. As it’s on the side of the light, placing the flashlight vertical and face-down creates a stable base to aim it from.

The intrinsically-safe aspect – which usually means it cannot spark an explosion in the presence of combustible gasses – isn’t a feature I sought out, but can’t hurt to have.

Some people will scoff at the 140 lumen rating, but in reality that is plenty of light.

From Streamlight’s performance curve chart, the output brightness tapers away from 140 lumens somewhat quickly, with the 18 hours of runtime based on the amount of time it takes to drop down to 10% of its max output. I figure that 9 hours might be more realistic, after which I would use the half-depleted cells in 1xAA pocket lights or similar.

I will likely replace the included alkaline cells with lithium cells, which have a long shelf life and tend to be higher performing.

Overall, this flashlight checks off all the major boxes – it’s quick to find, easy to use, fairly bright and long-lasting, is powered by easily-replaceable batteries, and feels very durable. I have used enough Streamlight products to trust their quality and reliability.

Some of its aspects make this model a less-than-ideal EDC or daily-use flashlight, but that’s not what I bought them for.

I also wish the price was a bit lower.

I ordered two for my parents and two for my own home, and have zero regrets so far.

Price: $31

My challenge now is in finding a flashlight that’s at least 80% as good for half the price. I am very happy with my choice, but would like to find a more budget-friendly recommendation for others.

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