The quest for maximum functionality and cost-cutting are excellent reasons to strive to complete home tools so that the same battery fits each one.
Drill, screwdriver, angle grinder and even a wood chain saw can all run on the same battery. So is it worth overpaying and buying equipment that runs on different systems? Leading manufacturers convince us that it is not worth it. But what about in practice?
First of all, it is worth considering what affects the growing popularity of rechargeable devices themselves. Initially, such a method of power supply was used mainly by devices such as screwdrivers or drills. Nowadays we can find circular saws or trimmers powered in this way, which need quite a lot of energy to function efficiently.
One of the advantages of battery-powered devices is that they do not use energy from fossil fuels. Of course, the electricity we charge by plugging the battery into an outlet doesn’t necessarily come from alternative sources, but it’s a step toward a greener approach to everyday work. Plus, we don’t produce harmful exhaust fumes this way
Of course, many power tools have long been available and popular in an electric-powered system. However, we are talking about grinders, drills and trimmers equipped with a long cable that has to be plugged into an electrical socket during use. You can extend the range of such equipment with extension cables, but you can’t do that forever. It’s also all about convenience: While occasional use of a corded drill can be quite bearable, using a corded grass trimmer when you have a lot of plants in your garden seems like a nuisance
Another reason for the popularity of power tools is the increasing efficiency of batteries, which are coming down in price. While they used to be high-end tools, they are now often the entry-level solution.
A step towards increased functionality is the offerings that power tool manufacturers are increasingly making to customers. These are entire tool sets where the same battery pack is used in each tool. Such tools not only allow a much more mobile approach to work and are very convenient, but also allow you to reduce expenses and organize the set of tools that you have in your garage or workshop
Anyone who has ever bought a cordless screwdriver and wanted to buy an extra battery knows that the battery is an unexpectedly large part of the price of the whole set. Therefore, the possibility of having one battery that we can use in different devices, allows us to buy them at a lower price. Will this solution satisfy everyone? Certainly it is ideal for people who use power tools occasionally. After all, we rarely use a drill, a sander and a trimmer at the same time – even one well-charged battery should be enough here
In addition, we have a great convenience: we do not have to charge a different battery for each of the equipment separately. Just have one charged battery and you won’t have to worry about using any of your tools. We will also gain more free space in our toolbox. It will be easier to keep the storage place tidy.
What power tools can be powered by only one battery? Much depends on the solutions adopted in a particular system. The most common are:
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Sometimes, however, it is worth to have at least two replaceable batteries. This is the case, for example, when we renovate the house on our own and we need more than one tool at the same time. Similarly, when we have a relatively large lawn to mow and after several minutes of work and battery exhaustion we do not want to wait for its recharging. Nevertheless, buying two batteries for numerous power tools is a cheaper solution than collecting different models that do not form a functional system.
A simple solution is to purchase a single-battery system from a specific power tool manufacturer. You don’t necessarily have to buy them all at once – another option is to methodically assemble the tools you need. The brands that offer such solutions include, among others:
