Tool Harmony: Living Without A Cord

Cordless tools are a great gift for yourself or your favorite do-it-yourselfer. They make almost any job easier since they allow for mobility. Since tools are very personal, selecting one for you or someone else isn't always easy. Go into any home improvement store and you will find an extensive array tools sans cords-from saws to sanders.

When shopping for cordless tools, be aware that you will encounter two distinct types: professional and non-professional. In general you should always purchase the best tool you can afford, so selecting from the professional line of cordless tools is a good idea. You will notice that a professional drill may have 16 clutch positions, while the non-professional model may only have six. If you can afford to pay about 50 percent more for the professional model, do so. And be sure to choose a tool with at least 12 or 24 volts. That extra power will definitely come in handy for future projects.

With cordless tools in particular, but with conventional tools as well, it is wise to pick one brand of tool and purchase exclusively from that line. If you are purchasing for someone else, see if he or she is brand loyal. Picking one brand is smart since the chargers and battery packs are interchangeable, which allows you to swap a charged battery pack from the drill to the circular saw. It is also important to see if he or she already has a tool of a specific voltage. A 14 volt drill won't work with the battery from a 12 volt circular saw.

If you are looking to become "brand loyal," research several product lines to learn about the benefits of each line. Investigate the reliability and reputation of the manufacturer as well as the life span and product guarantee for a particular tool line. And be sure to go into a store to test and handle several different tools. The tool should fit comfortably in your hand and while it should be of substantial weight, it shouldn't be too heavy for you to operate for several minutes at a time. Remember that you don't need to outfit your work room in one shopping trip, but selecting a brand name will help you effectively supply your work bench with interacting tools in an organized manner.

When purchasing a cordless tool, look for a kit that contains the tool and an extra battery pack. That way you can keep one battery pack charging while you are working and then trade the exhausted battery out for the recharged one. Your charger should be a high-tech rapid charger, which will restore you to power in about 15 minutes.

Selecting cordless tools for the do-it-yourselfers in your life, or for your own use, becomes much easier when you have a preferred brand as a starting point. Once you have that, then the question becomes "What shall I choose next?"

Sources used in this article include James Dulley at www.dulley.com and www.doityourself.com.