Cordless Brushless tools

Cordless Brushless tools

Handtools are very personal we each have our favorites I guess they're much like boats. But one thing that is common throughout is the invention or implantation of brushless motors to cordless tools. Traditionally most electric tools have used what's called a brushed or canned motor. The next generation of tools is using brushless technology. Many of these tools and manufacturers are claiming 35 to 45% efficiency in both power and run time. many of you might have noticed a great deal in tool performance when you switched over from lead acid or NiCad to lithium ion batteries, I think you will notice the same sort of benefits of brushless technology more power and longer run time along with a lighter more balanced tool.

Many manufacturers are slow to switch over but trust me it's coming.

Milwaukee's new line of cordless tools in the "fuel" line are brushless. They are pushing a 12v system and a 18volt system (Disclaimer) last year Milwaukee branded some of their tools "fuel" and they were not brushless motor tools. This year they have set aside all brushless tools to be branded under the fuel line so make sure you know what you're getting before you buy it

DeWalts brushless tools are dubbed the "XR" series for extra run time and are running the 20volt system

The Bosch tools say EC brushless right on them. But they only have a very small amount of brushless now. They say the whole line will be brushless at least not this year. They also have the 12 and 18 volt system. As well as higher voltage offerings

As far as I could see Milwaukee seems to have the largest selection of brushless tools right now followed by Dewalt.

I'm not sure how Mikita or Rigid or any of the other tool manufacturers are branding their brushless line or how many they have.

Ryobi must have the largest selection of cordless tools that use the same battery but I have not seen any mention of a brushless system from them and I wouldn't expect them to.


Porter cable seems to have a big selection of cordless tools and they seem to try and set them selfs apart by switching to 20volt linked system but I didn't see any brushless.


Manufacturers will slowly be implementing brushless tools into their tool lineup so it wouldn't surprise me to see many of the popular tools now on sale soon so as to make way for the new brushless tools.

The trend I am noticing is
Smaller and lighter is better. It's amazing what and how powerful the 12 V line of drills and impact drivers are. The 12 V tools look like toys but it's amazing how well they work. With the implementation of brushless motors it would not surprise me that a new brushless 12 V drill could and would outperform a traditional 18 V drill. Many people are realizing that they have way too much tool for the job and that the smaller lighter 12 full tools work just fine. I personally have been drinking the Bosh Kool aid and have sold all my Ryobi tools and will Slowly start to replace all my tools with Bosh. I'm going to try and buy only brushless offerings but it may take a while. This was my first Brushless combo kit. It's a impact driver and a hammer drill with a charger and 2 battery's. You can buy the kit in a Hard plastic case bosh calls it a L box and they are stackable portable tool box Cary cases.

This is the DeWalt XR