Cordless V Mains Power Tools - Which Is Right For Me?
The range of cordless power tools available is now very extensive
, and there has never been so much choice in terms of the voltage platform or the type of tool now available with a cordless option.
The principal advantage of any cordless power tool is that it can be used anywhere without the need for direct access to a power supply. This can be a significant advantage for anyone under pressure to carry out a task as quickly and cost effectively as possible. Often the only alternative may be a long train of extension cables or a generator, not only is it expensive but sometimes just not possible.
Even where power is available cordless tools are often favoured due to their convenience and ability to be operated without a cable anchoring the user to a fixed point. Most tools are available with two batteries with charge times of 1 hour or even less, while the batteries deliver significantly more than 1 hour of runtime for many applications. This allows the user to carry on with the task safe in the knowledge that another battery will be available fully charged before the existing one runs out.
While cordless tools have yet to fully replicate the power of mains tools, there are a substantial number of applications where a cordless tool has other attributes which give it a distinct advantage. While a mains powered tool may have the advantage of additional power, recent advances in low voltage motor technology have led to the development of cordless tools with a power output getting much closer to their mains counterparts. Similar advances in battery technology have also meant that these tools can deliver a runtime performance substantial enough to make them of real value to tradesmen working in particularly difficult locations.
There are now many drilling and screwdriving tasks carried out by tradesmen worldwide where mains tools are virtually redundant, having been replaced by more convenient and versatile cordless alternatives. When all of this is taken into account it is easy to understand why cordless power tools are often the preferred option nowadays, even where power is available.