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Re-activateFor years, the bigger-is-better mantra reigned when it came to battery-powered tools. But now it looks like the major cordless brands are in downsizing mode, as batteries are getting smaller and more efficient.
DeWalt's tools are getting smaller by relying on lithium-ion batteries instead of the usual nickel-cadmium variety. As our tests of cordless drills have shown, lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries tend to deliver much more run time per charge than nickel-cadmium (NiCad) cells while weighing significantly less. Li-Ions do tend to cost more, however.
Another plus: Li-Ion cells are also greener, since they don't include toxic cadmium and won't pose the same threat to the environment if they are not properly disposed of.
DeWalt plans to offer a 28-volt drill-driver that runs far longer and more powerfully than its 18-volt XRP NiCad drill, yet it weighs roughly a pound less. It will be equipped with a hammer-drill feature. Other svelter heavyweights include a 28-volt impact wrench that weighs less than 5 pounds (about the same as many 18-volt NiCads), a jigsaw with a flip-lock that lets you change blades without tools, and a 6½-inch circular saw that weighs 1/3 pound less than the 18-volt NiCad version and about a pound less than the company's 36-volt circular saw.
DeWalt is also touting the nano-phosphate chemistry inside its Li-Ion cells. Denser-yet-lighter are the claims for these latest batteries. We'll have a chance to put those claims to the test in our upcoming reports on cordless drills and other cordless tools.—Bob Markovich
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