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Cordless Tools - Purchasing and Usage Tips

== Battery Size ==
For cordless tools, power is determined by battery voltage: the higher the voltage, the more torque and power the tool will have available. While more torque and power may seem like a good thing, there are trade-offs to be made. With high voltage cordless tools, along with the additional power, comes additional tool weight and cost.

Here's an example to illustrate the point. A 9.6 Volt cordless will typically weigh about 3-1/2 pounds and cost about $35 - $150. By comparison, the typical 19.2 Volt cordless drill can weigh nearly 10 pounds and cost somewhere in the range of $125 - $300. If you really need the power of a 19.2 Volt drill, then the added cost may be money well spent. But if you are using your cordless drill to once in a while drive screws in your home, a 19.2 Volt cordless drill is probably not worth it since it is harder to use (since it is heavy) and money not well spent. If the extra power is not actually needed, a cheaper, light-weight cordless drill may suit your needs much better.

== Number of Batteries ==
An additional thing to consider when purchasing a new cordless tool is the number of batteries that come with the tool. If you plan to use your tool for extended periods of time or often, you will want to only consider tools that come with two batteries. There is nothing worse than having your battery die and having to wait an hour or two for the battery to charge before you can get back to what you were doing. When you are considering a tool, check that it comes with two batteries. If it does not, look up the cost of an additional battery and add that in when you are comparing prices between tools.

== Battery Type ==
Two battery options are commonly available for cordless tools: Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) and Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH). Do yourself a favor, do not get a cordless tool that includes NiMH batteries. Yes, it may be cheaper, but it is cheaper for a reason. NiMH batteries suffer from memory problems (the batteries need to be completely discharged prior to being recharged or they lose battery capacity), they do not last for as many charge cycles (they die quicker), and they have less power than Li-Ion batteries of the equivalent voltage.

-- Tool and Battery Storage --
Even when your cordless tool is off, it will draw a small amount of energy from the battery. While the amount of energy being drawn is slight, it can add up over the course of days, or weeks. To keep this from occurring when you are not using your cordless tools, make sure to remove the battery from the tool; this will help keep the battery charged. Do not store your battery in the charger for extended periods of time. While there are some chargers that claim to be "smart" about this, but in general storing your cordless tool batteries in the charger will lead to them dying sooner than if you do not. When storing your batteries avoid cold and/or heat. Cold weather will not ruin your battery long-term, but it will reduce the amount of power available when the battery is being used. Extreme heat can permanently destroy the batteries of your cordless tools. Avoid it, and do not charge your batteries in an area that is overly hotas this can really ruin your battery.

== Charging Batteries ==
Some cordless tools come with advanced chargers which allow the battery to be charged in a very short period of time; often in about 15 minutes. Other cordless tools come with chargers that can take up to 3 hours to charge the battery. If battery charge time is going to be an issue for you, look into the available charging options before you get a cordless tool.

== Pick a Brand ==
An easy way to avoid issues with battery availability is to pick a brand and a battery size and stick with it. If you consistently purchase the same battery size and brand of tool when buying lights, screwdrivers, saws, drills, etc, you will be able to share batteries and chargers between all of your tools. This greatly increases the number of available batteries and it guarantees that you will never be left without any charged batteries.

Article Source: http://www.articleresourceindex.com

Frank has been a carpenter for over 20 years. You can find his cordless tool rankings at eDistiller.

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