Cordless Power Tool Reviews Archives

June 13, 2011 0

Milwaukee 5262-21 7/8″ SDS Plus Rotary Hammer Preview

Lightweight rotary hammers are fast becoming the new tool of choice among professionals who need to drop in some large anchors or drill through concrete or cinder block with a bit more performance than you get out of a cordless tool. Milwaukee has just revamped its rotary hammer platform with a new M18 Cordless rotary hammer, but their 5262-21 7/8″ SDS Plus Rotary Hammer is just the ticket when you’ve got enough work to warrant the extra power and versatility. At just 5.8 pounds, this D-handled tool is going to be able to be used overhead without causing your arms to fall off after the first 2 minutes of drilling. In fact, Milwaukee, in order to keep the price point where it is, opted out of active vibration reduction, relying instead on the low weight to help the user with any overhead work.

June 8, 2011 0

Makita LXDG01 18V 1/4″ Die Grinder Preview

by Clint DeBoer

Makita dropped a new metalworking tool into its 18V line. Their brand new one-handed Makita LXDG01 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless […]

Milwaukee 14-inch abrasive cutoff saw 6177-20

June 1, 2011 0

Milwaukee 14-in Abrasive Cut-Off Saw 6177-20

by Clint DeBoer

Milwaukee gave some more love to metal workers today when it debuted their new Milwaukee 14″ Abrasive Cut-Off Saw (6177-20). […]

June 1, 2011 0

DeWalt 12″ Sliding Compound Miter Saw DWS780 Preview

by Clint DeBoer

We’re out at the DeWalt media event today, testing out various new products. One of them is the brand new 12″ Sliding Compound Miter Saw (Model DWS780). DeWalt is positioning the DWS780 as the lightest dual bevel sliding miter saw on the market – and indeed it weighs in at just 56 lbs. The $599 DWS780 seems like a really great product for both the professional and serial DIY’er who wants to tear into serous home projects. DeWalt’s new 12″ Sliding Compound Miter Saw has a new XPS LED light that throws a “laser-like” shadow on the work surface. This is designed to show where the blade will cut. DeWalt believes this system is more accurate than traditional laser systems and won’t drift out of alignment over time. While they are providing a neat new way to get an accurate cut, we were sad to still see them using the smoke-colored blade guard, which obscures the view of the blade.

Rockwell RK1001K2 12V Drill & Impact Driver Combo Kit Review

May 31, 2011 0

Rockwell RK1001K2 12V Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit Review

by Thomas Gaige

In our testing and review of the Rockwell RK1001K2 12V Drill & Impact Driver Combo Kit, we found it to offer a good combination of both value and performance. With a myriad of different manufacturers coming out with 12V lithium-ion powered cordless tools it can be hard to determine what ones are the best to pick. If you are on the market for a 12V lithium-ion combo set, we think that the Rockwell RK1001K2 Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit is worth a look. These tools offer performance that is comparable to many leading brands and, as a bonus, they come with a full three year warranty and a program where they offer free replacement batteries for life if you register your tools.

May 31, 2011 0

Milwaukee 2460-21 M12 Cordless Lithium-Ion Rotary Tool Review

by Thomas Gaige

With only a few manufactures offering cordless rotary tools, the Milwaukee 2460-21 M12 Cordless Lithium-Ion Rotary Tool is a welcomed addition, especially if you have other M12 tools and batteries. The specifications of this new rotary tool are right in line, if not better than, some of the other offerings on the market. Combine this with the well-proven M12 RedLithium batteries and you will have a tool that can be used for your weekend hobbies as well as on the job site. The Milwaukee Rotary Tool comes with a standard 1/8″ collet which will make it easy to use with the plethora of bits and blades that are widely available.

May 10, 2011 0

Panasonic EY7450LR2S 18V Li-ion Drill Driver Kit Preview

by Clint DeBoer

We got a sneak preview of Panasonic’s new IEC-rated EY7450LR2S 18V cordless drill driver at this year’s IBS Show in Vegas and were impressed by the company’s tough talk. Today, Panasonic announced the introduction of four of its new 18V Li-Ion cordless power tools. The new tools will be part of the company’s Tough IP line of professional-grade products. All feature IEC (International Electro Technical Commission) rated dust and water resistant technology and will be available this month. The four introduced models (which seem to be debuting overseas before they hit the US market) include a 1/2″ drill and driver kit, an impact wrench kit, an impact driver kit and a hammer drill/driver kit. All of the new 18V cordless models can be charged for use in 50 minutes with a full charge at 65 minutes, and feature Panasonic’s high capacity 3.3Ah Li-ion battery, LED work light, belt hook, and molded case.

May 10, 2011 0

Panasonic EY7950LR2S 18V Li-ion Hammer Drill Kit Preview

by Clint DeBoer

We got an advanced look at the new Panasonic IEC-rated EY7950LR2S 18V cordless hammer drill at this year’s IBS Show in Vegas and were impressed by the company’s tough talk. Today, Panasonic announced the introduction of four of its new 18V Li-Ion cordless power tools. The new tools will be part of the company’s Tough IP line of professional-grade products. All feature IEC (International Electro Technical Commission) rated dust and water resistant technology and will be available this month. The four introduced models (which seem to be debuting overseas before they hit the US market) include a 1/2″ drill and driver kit, an impact wrench kit, an impact driver kit and a hammer drill/driver kit. All of the new 18V cordless models can be charged for use in 50 minutes with a full charge at 65 minutes, and feature Panasonic’s high capacity 3.3Ah Li-ion battery, LED work light, belt hook, and molded case.

April 29, 2011 0

Makita LCT307W 12V Cordless Combo Kit Review

by Clint DeBoer

The Makita LCT307W 12V Cordless Combo Kit contains some very light and compact tools. Compared with typical competing portable drills, the included FD01W measures only 6 inches from hex chuck to back – and the DT01W Impact Driver is nearly the same. This really makes these Makita tools much more accessible to tight spaces. On both tools, the built-in LED light illuminates with just a touch of the trigger and proved to be very bright and helpful. Under our test conditions where we intentionally worked in tight (and thus dark) quarters, both the Makita Driver-Drill and Impact Driver were great tools.

April 19, 2011 0

Milwaukee 2458-21 M12 Cordless Palm Nailer Review

by Thomas Gaige

The Milwaukee 2458-21 M12 Cordless Palm Nailer is one of those types of tools that you probably won’t use every day, but it could prove to be a real asset when the occasion arises. We got a glimpse of this nailer at the 2010 Milwaukee Media Event where we were able to try out a few pre-production models – and they did prove very promising. We were slightly surprised that they were able to drive 16d common nails flush into 2×4 studs all day long. Finally a cordless, hand-held nailer that really drove nails. Up to now, the few battery powered nailers that we have seen, also known as auto hammers, have been more like gadgets than real working gear. The idea of being able to leave the air compressor, air hose, drop cords and nailers in the work trailer is rather compelling. Given its fairly compact size, you can drive nails in those difficult tight spots where you normally might not be able to fit a full size nailer or swing a hammer. To make it even better there is a LED work light built in that should make it easier to see what you are doing in a dim or dark work area.