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I'm invested in Milwaukee and DeWalt; don't have a strong preference for one platform over the other. I realize the Milwaukee Fuel has been around for a while and I own both 9.0 and 5.0 batteries. Meanwhile I own some 5.0 batteries for DeWalt. Right now Lowe's has a deal were you buy a bare brushless 20v saw and you get a free 6.0 battery. Does anyone have first-hand experience from both? In protoolreview's circular saw shootout the DeWalt finished higher than the Milwaukee FWIW. Thanks!

Both programmable lights with 360 coverage, both about the same height, Milwaukee's is brighter, but there's a huge price difference ($200 or so for the DeWalt vs $599 for the Milwaukee). Is there anyone who has experience with one or both that could shed some light (clank) on how these compare?

It's definitely not just a Milwaukee thing; DeWalt's first brushless 20v Max brushless drill (the DCD790) had the loudest brake of any drill I've ever used.

To those who have asked, yes the collars are plastic and its weight isn't distributed very well when picked up by the handle. Even with the lower lumens I prefer the older Milwaukee stand lights to this (the ones with the metal collars, anyway). They're easier to tote around and the build quality seems better IMHO.

Not a fan of an abbreviation at the end of a brand name. I think Hitabo has a better ring to it than Metabo HTP or Hikoki.

^Exactly. Lowe's is going to sell Craftsman products starting in (IIRC) 3Q 2018; possibly earlier, which will include (at least) hand tools and outdoor power equipment. Kobalt will coexist with Craftsman, albeit as a more value-oriented brand. Honestly, it's a great decision to have both considering their warranties. If Craftsman goes back to their made in the USA products then this is potentially game-changing as their history is far more iconic than, say, Husky and to a lesser extent Kobalt (the latter from people I've worked with generally has a better reputation for hand tools than the former). I think there's a pretty significant groundswell for products made in the US to re-emerge, and if there's a brand that's synonymous with hand tools at the forefront -- regardless of how warranted that reputation has been of late -- so much the better.

Absolutely. I remember reading that something like 1/2 of all tool chests and boxes are Craftsman brand. Lowe's is going to benefit tremendously from this partnership, ESPECIALLY if they go back to making everything in the US. If they do, there's no doubt in my mind that they'll once again be the premier hand tool brand of the big box stores. They're also going to sell their outdoor power equipment (mowers, etc) at Lowe's and, in theory, could well re-launch their cordless power tools.

I can't help but wonder if there will be a re-branding of the Kobalt line with Craftsman power tools. Perhaps make each platform battery-compatible with the other. Lowe's currently has DeWalt (which is their biggest seller by far), Porter-Cable, Hitachi, Bosch, Black and Decker, Bostitch (nailers only), and Kobalt battery platforms. As much as I like the Kobalt power tools they're basically a rich man's version of Porter-Cable's tools (very basic stuff; not much innovation at all but covers most of the bases).

All of the Kobalt 24v batteries (even the 1.5!) have fuel gauges on them. Whoever did this display was a moron. Also, Ridgid's cordless stuff has never been verified as being "best in class" in any category I've ever seen from videos and websites that run cross-platform reviews. They're generally the definition of the B-tier. If anything, the consensus is they inflate their specs.

I just bought a new 9.0 battery and the older rocket light new for $260 total including shipping. The ability to charge a battery and plug the light in isn't a huge deal to me. Thanks for the advice everyone!

Kind of stinks that you can't plug it in like with the new M18 rocket.

Hi all, Been thinking about adding a rocket light or two to my collection, and noticed a lot of them on Home Depot's website come with a free 5.0 battery and charger for the older models and a free 9.0 battery and rapid charger for the more recent 3-head model. My only question is, (aside from the price) what are the differences between these 2: 1)https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-ROCKET-LED-Tower-Light-with-Free-M18-18-Volt-5-0Ah-Starter-Kit-2130-20-48-59-1850/206705705 2) https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Rocket-LED-Tower-Light-Kit-2130-20P/207121220 Also, what's the difference between these 2? 3)https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Rocket-LED-Stand-Light-Charger-with-Free-M18-Rapid-Charger-and-9-0Ah-Battery-2135-20-48-59-1890/303841921 4)https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Rocket-LED-Stand-Light-Charger-with-Free-M18-Rapid-Charger-and-9-0Ah-Battery-2135-21HD-48-59-1890/303845749 Also, anyone have any experience with any of these models? Thanks!

Is there an official list of how many impacts Makita has made over the years? They have a serious fetish going on. This looks nice with plenty of features but it goes so fast that part of me wonders just how much precision you can get out of it on a consistent basis.

Nah, if I do get invested in another platform it would be M12. I ordered the M12/M18 Bluetooth speaker online (there was a promo for a free M12 2.0 battery and charger included). To make matters better, they actually sent me 3 of the speakers instead of the one I ordered (and was charged for), so now I have 3 m12 2.0 batteries, chargers, and Bluetooth speakers! I already gave one speaker/battery/charger to my gf and she LOVES it.

Bought the DeWalt DCK283D2 compact brushless combo kit and saved 30% off the $259.00 price for a total cost of $181. Already own the Milwaukee One-Key combo (albeit for a LOT less than HD's ridiculous $499 price) and the Makita subcompact combo, but for $181 I just couldn't pass it up. Besides, it's a great mid-size drill to compliment the larger M18 and smaller sub.

An updated Tough System radio? Is it even possible that it sounds BETTER than the previous gen?

Better way to do a test like this is with a radio, or something like that which requires consistent energy use.

I've heard that slow chargers prolong battery life; I recently got a good deal on a rapid charger though, so I wasn't sure if someone could verify that. Recently got into the M18 platform and would like to know which way to go.

Getting that second Festool rug will set you back at least a cool grand, though. Is it brushless?

Picked up the Milwaukee 18v/12v Bluetooth speaker at Acme Tools for $136 shipped (w/$20 off promo) which also includes a free M12 2.0 pack and 12v charger. I'll probably sell the freebies which will bring the speaker to the sub-$100 range, all things considered.

DeWalt's forward/reverse tabs are the worst. They're too far down the tool and are an annoyance to snap on/off as they tend to stick in neutral mode. Hitachi's 2-bar battery indicator on their premium tools. Really? 2 bars?

I'm interested in this too; everything I've heard suggests that the Surge combines the best attributes from the Ridgid and Makita.

I only have M18 and Makita 18v as my 2 platforms. Just curious for opinions on both so I can get a sense of which direction to go in; neither of them are available to purchase aside from online from what I can see.

Just wanted to look for opinions from folks who have used the Stealth Force, Makita Soft Impact and Milwaukee Surge. From what I understand, the Stealth Force is the hardest hitting impact, which makes it more ideal as an impact driver replacement but perhaps less useful for precision work. I'm interested in the Makita Soft Impact primarily as there are very few reviews compared to the Surge and Stealth Force. How do the latter two compare?

The brushed 12v drill/impact combo is at Lowe's for $129. I actually like their grip and durability far more than their brushless counterparts (which you can't even buy as a combo kit).