What voltage cordless tools should I buy for home use?

18V or 20V MAX tools handle every household task from drilling into studs to cutting framing lumber. The two numbers describe the same battery chemistry: 18V is the nominal voltage; 20V MAX is the peak voltage at full charge. Neither is stronger than the other. 12V compact tools work for light-duty indoor tasks like assembling furniture and driving small screws, but most households should skip 12V and start with the larger platform so batteries are shared across drills, saws, and outdoor equipment.

What do amp-hours mean on a cordless tool battery?

Amp-hours measure how long a battery runs before needing a recharge. A 2.0Ah battery on a drill that draws 2 amps runs for about one hour of continuous use. A 5.0Ah battery on the same drill runs about two and a half times longer. Higher Ah batteries are heavier and more expensive. For most household tasks a 2.0Ah to 4.0Ah battery is sufficient. Save the 5.0Ah or larger batteries for sustained cutting and outdoor power equipment.

Can I use batteries from different brands in my cordless tools?

No. Each manufacturer designs its batteries, chargers, and tools as a tested system. The battery communicates electronically with the charger and tool to manage temperature, cell balance, and power delivery. Cross-brand adapters exist but void warranties, bypass safety monitoring, and are flagged as a fire risk by both the Power Tool Institute and the tool manufacturers. Choose one platform and stay with it.

Is brushless better than brushed for cordless tools?

Yes, for most purposes. Brushless motors have no carbon brushes to wear out, run cooler, use battery power more efficiently (roughly 10 to 25 percent longer runtime), deliver more power per pound, and adjust their speed and torque electronically to match the load. They cost $20 to $50 more per tool but last significantly longer. If you are building a tool kit you will keep for decades, buy brushless.

Should I buy cordless tool kits or bare tools?

Buy one starter kit with batteries and a charger, then buy subsequent tools as bare tools. A starter drill kit with two batteries and a charger costs $150 to $200 and gives you the batteries that power every future purchase. Each bare tool after that costs $80 to $200 less than the equivalent kit. By the third or fourth tool, the savings are substantial and you are not accumulating redundant chargers and low-capacity batteries.

One Battery, Every Tool: Choosing a Cordless Platform — Tools

The lock-in problem

Choose once. Live with it for twenty years.

A cordless tool is not a standalone purchase. It is a vote for a battery platform. The drill shares batteries with the circular saw, the reciprocating saw, the jigsaw, the sander, the leaf blower, and eventually the chainsaw. By the time you own four tools and three batteries on one platform, you have $600 to $1,200 invested in that brand's battery shape.

Switching means replacing everything. Not just the tools, but every battery and charger you own. Nobody does this willingly. Which means the platform you pick with your first cordless drill is the platform you will probably keep for decades.

That is not a problem if you choose well. It is a very expensive problem if you choose on impulse because a drill kit was on sale for $79.

$150

The first drill kit

Two batteries, a charger, and the drill. This is the anchor purchase. Everything after it is shaped by this choice.

$800

By year three

Drill, circular saw, reciprocating saw, sander, four batteries, two chargers. All sharing the same platform.

$0

Cost of a new battery

Every bare tool you add already has batteries to run it. That is the economics of a platform done right.

The numbers on the battery

Voltage is strength. Amp-hours are stamina.

Two numbers are printed on every cordless tool battery. Understanding them takes five minutes and saves hundreds of dollars in buying the wrong size.

Voltage (V)

Voltage measures the electrical force the battery can push through the motor. Higher voltage means more torque and cutting power, which matters when a circular saw hits a knot in a 2x6 or a drill drives a 3-inch lag bolt into a joist.

12V compact

Light duty. Assembling furniture, driving small screws, drilling into drywall. Small, light, fits in a kitchen drawer. Fine for an apartment where every tool lives in a closet and nothing bigger than a shelf bracket needs hanging. $60 to $120 for a kit. Most households should skip this tier and start at 18V so batteries transfer to saws and outdoor tools.

18V / 20V MAX

The household standard. These are the same battery chemistry: 18V is the nominal voltage (the average the cells deliver under load) and 20V MAX is the peak voltage at full charge. DeWalt, Milwaukee, and some others label theirs 20V MAX. Makita and Ryobi label theirs 18V. Neither is stronger than the other. This tier handles every household task: drilling into studs, driving deck screws, cutting framing lumber, grinding, sanding, and running a leaf blower. $100 to $200 for a starter kit.

36V / 40V MAX / 56V

Heavy-duty outdoor power equipment. Chainsaws, lawn mowers, snow blowers, and large string trimmers. Some brands achieve this by ganging two 18V batteries together on the same tool (Makita's 36V X2 system uses two 18V LXT batteries); others use a separate, larger battery line. Most households do not need this tier until a yard demands the power of a gas engine without the gas. $200 to $500 for the battery alone.

Amp-hours (Ah)

Amp-hours measure the battery's capacity, the amount of energy stored. A larger Ah battery runs longer before needing a charge. The trade-off is weight: a 5.0Ah battery weighs roughly twice what a 2.0Ah weighs.

1.5Ah to 2.0Ah

Compact. Good for drills, impact drivers, and overhead work where weight matters. Handles most indoor tasks on a single charge. Often included in starter kits. Charges in 30 to 45 minutes.

3.0Ah to 4.0Ah

The working sweet spot for most households. Enough capacity for a full afternoon of mixed tasks (drilling, cutting, sanding) without needing a swap. Moderate weight. $50 to $80 per battery.

5.0Ah to 6.0Ah

Extended-run. Best for sustained cutting with circular saws, reciprocating saws, and outdoor power equipment that drains batteries fast. Heavier, so not ideal for overhead drilling. $80 to $120 per battery.

8.0Ah to 12.0Ah+

Professional tier. High-draw tools like miter saws and table saws running off batteries. Most household users never need this size. Heavy, expensive ($120 to $200+), and overkill for a drill or jigsaw.

A practical rule: Own at least two batteries for your platform. While one works, the other charges. A drill on a dead battery with no backup is a hand screwdriver.

The motor inside

Brushless costs more. It earns it back.

Every cordless tool line offers brushed and brushless motors. The difference is worth understanding because it affects how long the tool lasts, how far each battery charge goes, and how much heat the motor generates in sustained use.

Brushed motors

The older design. Two carbon brushes press against a spinning commutator inside the motor, transferring electricity through physical contact. Friction creates heat and wears the brushes down over time.

Lower purchase price ($20 to $50 less per tool)
Carbon brushes wear out and eventually need replacement
Less efficient: more heat, shorter battery runtime
Fixed speed: the motor runs the same whether driving a drywall screw or a lag bolt

Brushless motors

Recommended

No physical contact between the parts that spin and the parts that stay still. An electronic controller manages the magnetic field directly. No brushes to wear. Less friction, less heat, more of the battery's energy reaches the bit.

Roughly 10 to 25 percent longer runtime per charge
No wearing parts inside the motor: longer tool life
Electronic speed and torque adjustment: the motor senses the load and responds
Runs cooler, which also extends battery health over years of use

If you are building a tool kit you intend to keep for decades, buy brushless. The $20 to $50 premium per tool is repaid in battery runtime, motor longevity, and the absence of brush replacements. The only case for buying brushed is a tool you expect to use once or twice a year and do not want to spend much on. Even then, the price gap has narrowed enough that brushless is often the better value at any use frequency.

The four ecosystems

Four platforms. All of them work.

DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, and Ryobi are the four battery platforms that cover the widest range of tools and have the longest track record of keeping batteries compatible across generations. All four make tools that will last a household decades. The differences are in price, breadth of the ecosystem, and where each brand puts its engineering emphasis.

This is not a ranking. It is a comparison of what each platform does well so you can match it to how you work.

DeWalt 20V MAX / 60V MAX

Professional crossover

DeWalt's 20V MAX line has been the construction-site standard for over a decade. The FLEXVOLT system lets certain 60V MAX batteries also run in 20V MAX tools, so a homeowner who later needs a 60V miter saw or chainsaw does not start over. Wide retail availability, easy to find batteries and bare tools at hardware stores. Chargers are fast (typically 60 to 90 minutes for a full charge). Strong mid-range pricing: neither the cheapest nor the most expensive.

Starter drill kit: $130 to $180

Ecosystem breadth: 200+ tools on 20V MAX

Outdoor crossover: String trimmer, leaf blower, chainsaw on 20V MAX; mower on 2x20V or 60V MAX

Best for: Households that want professional-grade tools at mid-range prices and broad retail availability

Milwaukee M18 / M12

Trade professional favorite

Milwaukee's M18 platform is the deepest professional ecosystem available, with specialized tools for plumbing, electrical, and HVAC trades that no other brand matches. The M12 compact line is a separate battery system (12V) that covers light-duty and tight-space work. If you work in the trades and want your home tools on the same batteries as your work tools, Milwaukee is often the natural choice. Premium pricing reflects the professional positioning.

Starter drill kit: $150 to $220

Ecosystem breadth: 250+ tools on M18

Outdoor crossover: Growing but not as broad as DeWalt or Ryobi on M18

Best for: Trade professionals who want one platform for work and home; households that prioritize the strongest motors and deepest accessory range

Makita 18V LXT / 40V MAX XGT

Engineering precision

Makita's 18V LXT platform has been in production since 2005, one of the longest-running battery compatibility commitments in the industry. The 36V X2 system runs heavy-duty tools off two 18V batteries, so your existing batteries power a table saw or mower. The newer 40V MAX XGT line is a separate, higher-performance platform. Makita tools tend to be lighter than competitors at the same power level, a difference that matters over a long day.

Starter drill kit: $120 to $180

Ecosystem breadth: 300+ tools on 18V LXT (largest single-platform count)

Outdoor crossover: Broad; the X2 (2x18V = 36V) system runs mowers, chainsaws, and blowers on existing 18V batteries

Best for: Households that want the longest-proven battery compatibility and the lightest tools; woodworkers who appreciate Makita's fit and finish

Ryobi ONE+ 18V / 40V HP

The honest budget choice

Ryobi's ONE+ platform has maintained battery compatibility since 1996, the longest backward-compatible run of any major brand. A battery bought thirty years ago still fits a tool bought today. The tools are not as durable as DeWalt or Milwaukee under daily professional use, and the motors are not as powerful at the margins. For a household that uses tools on weekends and wants to build a broad kit without spending $1,500, Ryobi is a legitimate and honest choice. The 40V line handles outdoor power equipment on a separate, larger battery.

Starter drill kit: $80 to $130

Ecosystem breadth: 300+ tools on ONE+ 18V

Outdoor crossover: Broadest outdoor lineup of any brand on the 40V platform; the 18V line also covers blowers and string trimmers

Best for: Households on a budget that want the widest range of tools at the lowest entry cost, with proven decades of backward compatibility

Other brands worth knowing about. Bosch, Craftsman (on the DeWalt-compatible VERSASTACK system for some tools), Ridgid (lifetime battery warranty through registration), and Kobalt (Lowe's house brand on a 24V platform) all have their merits. Ridgid's battery warranty is particularly interesting for household users. But none has the ecosystem breadth or the decade-plus backward-compatibility track record of the four above. If you start with one of the four, you will not run out of tools to add.

The buying strategy

One kit. Then bare tools forever.

The most expensive way to build a cordless tool kit is to buy every tool as a kit with its own batteries and charger. By the third purchase, you have three chargers and six low-capacity batteries when you needed one charger and three good batteries. The cheapest way is to buy one anchor kit and everything else as bare tools.

1

Buy one starter kit with batteries

A drill/driver kit with two batteries (at least 2.0Ah, ideally 4.0Ah) and a charger. This is the anchor. Spend $130 to $220 depending on the platform. If the kit only comes with two 1.5Ah batteries, budget for one additional 4.0Ah or 5.0Ah battery ($60 to $100) within the first few months. Two good batteries and one charging means you never wait.

2

Buy every subsequent tool as a bare tool

A bare tool is the tool without batteries or a charger, typically $80 to $200 less than the equivalent kit. A bare circular saw for $120 instead of a $250 kit. A bare reciprocating saw for $100 instead of $200. A bare jigsaw for $80 instead of $170. By the third bare tool, you have saved more than the cost of the original kit. Your existing batteries and charger serve them all.

3

Add batteries as demand grows

When you find yourself pulling a battery from the drill to put in the saw mid-project, buy one more battery in the Ah size that fits the work. For most households, three to four batteries across a mix of 2.0Ah (compact for the drill) and 4.0Ah or 5.0Ah (for saws) covers everything without redundancy. Watch for battery two-packs during holiday sales, which are often the best per-unit price of the year.

4

Extend into outdoor power when the yard demands it

A leaf blower, string trimmer, or chainsaw on the same battery platform as your shop tools means no new batteries, no new chargers, and no gas cans to store. This is where the platform decision pays off most visibly: the leaf blower that runs on the same battery as your drill costs $100 to $150 bare. A leaf blower on a separate battery system costs that plus $80 to $120 for a battery you own for one purpose. See Toolkit by housing situation for what outdoor tools each property type typically needs.

The math on bare tools vs. kits

A household that buys a drill kit and then adds a circular saw, reciprocating saw, and sander as bare tools:

Bare-tool path

Drill kit ($170) + 3 bare tools ($340) = $510

All-kits path

4 kits ($180 + $250 + $200 + $160) = $790

Prices are representative mid-range. The spread widens with premium brands and narrows with budget brands, but the ratio holds: bare tools save roughly 30 to 40 percent over the lifetime of a kit-by-kit approach, and you end up with fewer redundant chargers and small batteries you never use.

The exception

Some tools are better with a cord.

Not everything should be cordless. Some tools draw so much power for so long that battery runtime becomes a frustration, or the corded version costs half as much for identical performance. Knowing which tools belong on the platform and which belong on a cord saves money and annoyance.

Better cordless

Portability, convenience, or no outlet available.

Drill/driver (constant repositioning, overhead work, outdoor)
Impact driver (tight spaces, one-handed use)
Reciprocating saw (demolition, branches, pipes in awkward positions)
Jigsaw (moving around a workpiece, outdoor cuts)
Random orbital sander (moving freely around furniture, decks)
All outdoor power equipment (leaf blower, trimmer, chainsaw)

Often better corded

Stationary tools near an outlet, sustained high draw.

Bench grinder (stationary, runs for long sharpening sessions)
Table saw (highest power draw; cordless table saws exist but batteries drain fast and cost more)
Miter saw (usually near an outlet at a workstation)
Router (sustained high-speed cutting, heavy draw)
Shop vacuum (runs for the entire work session)

The circular saw sits at the boundary. A cordless circular saw on a 5.0Ah battery handles the amount of cutting most households do in a weekend. A corded circular saw costs $50 to $80, never runs out of power, and cuts with the same precision. If you already own the battery platform, buy it cordless (bare tool). If this is your only power saw and you have an outlet nearby, corded is fine and cheaper. See Power tools and safety for safe operation of either.

Battery safety and care

The batteries that power your tools need attention too.

Lithium-ion batteries pack a large amount of energy into a small space. When used properly with manufacturer-approved chargers and stored correctly, they are safe and reliable. When damaged, overheated, or charged with incompatible equipment, they can overheat, catch fire, or vent toxic gases. These are the practices that keep them working safely for years.

Charging

Use only the charger supplied by or recommended by the tool manufacturer. A charger designed for one battery chemistry may create a risk of fire when used with another.^[1]
Charge in a dry location, on a hard surface, away from anything that can catch fire. Not on a bed, couch, or carpeted floor.^[2]
Do not charge batteries that are hot from use. Let them cool to room temperature first. Most modern chargers will refuse to charge a hot battery, but not all do.
Do not charge at temperatures below 32 degrees F (0 degrees C) or above 105 degrees F (40 degrees C).^[2] An unheated garage in winter or a closed car in summer can exceed these limits.

Storage

Store batteries in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources. A climate-controlled closet or a shelf in an insulated garage works well.
Keep battery terminals away from metal objects (keys, coins, screws, nails) that could bridge the terminals and cause a short circuit.^[1]
If storing batteries for more than a few weeks (seasonal tools, for instance), store them at roughly 30 to 50 percent charge rather than fully charged or fully depleted. This minimizes stress on the cells and extends the battery's usable life span.
Remove batteries from tools during extended storage. Some tools draw a small amount of standby current that can drain a battery to zero over weeks.

Inspection and replacement

Inspect batteries regularly for cracking, swelling, leaking fluid, corrosion on the terminals, or unusual odor. Any of these is a sign to stop using the battery immediately.^[3]
If a battery has been dropped hard, crushed, or punctured, do not use it or charge it. Physical damage to the cells can cause delayed failure, sometimes days later.
When a battery's runtime noticeably decreases (the drill dies halfway through a task that used to take a full charge), the cells are reaching end of life. Replace the battery rather than pushing it further.^[1]

Disposal

Never throw lithium-ion batteries in household trash or municipal recycling bins. They can cause fires in waste-processing facilities.^[1]
Place electrical tape over the battery terminals before taking it to a recycling drop-off. Most hardware stores (Home Depot, Lowe's) accept spent power tool batteries at no charge through the Call2Recycle program.^[1]

Cross-brand battery adapters

Adapters that let you use one brand's battery on another brand's tool are sold online for $10 to $30. They bypass the electronic communication between the battery, the charger, and the tool that manages temperature, cell balance, and power delivery. The Power Tool Institute warns that aftermarket batteries and adapters have not been evaluated as part of the tool-battery-charger system and may come with hazards including fire, property damage, or personal injury.^[4] Using one typically voids the warranty on both the tool and the battery. This page recommends choosing one platform and staying with it rather than trying to bridge two.

Common mistakes

Five ways to waste money on batteries.

1

Buying the cheapest drill kit on sale without checking the ecosystem.

The $69 drill kit is cheap because the brand has twelve tools on its platform. The $169 kit is more expensive because the brand has three hundred. By the time you need a circular saw, the cheap brand does not make one on the same battery, and you buy into a second platform. Now you own two sets of everything.

2

Buying every tool as a kit instead of bare.

Four kits means four chargers and eight 1.5Ah batteries. You needed one charger and three 4.0Ah batteries. The unused chargers and small batteries sit in a drawer forever. The cost difference across four tools is $200 to $300 that bought you nothing.

3

Starting with 12V and having to restart at 18V.

A 12V drill handles light indoor work, but the moment you need a circular saw or a leaf blower, you need 18V, and 12V batteries do not cross over. Unless you are certain you will never need more than a drill and an impact driver, start at 18V / 20V MAX.

4

Using third-party or counterfeit batteries to save $30.

They bypass the safety monitoring built into the manufacturer's system, void the tool warranty, and are identified by the Power Tool Institute as a growing source of fires and failures.^[4] A genuine replacement battery from the manufacturer costs more and is worth it.

5

Leaving batteries on the charger permanently or in a freezing garage all winter.

Perpetual charging stresses the cells and shortens the battery's life by months or years. Freezing temperatures can damage cells permanently. Store batteries at room temperature and partial charge when they are not in active use. A dead battery in April is the tax you pay for laziness in November.

Next steps

The platform decision is step two.

Hand tools first, then power tools on one battery platform. Here is where to go from here.