Hardware show: Lightweight power tools for heavy-duty tasks

Following a trend in electronics, smaller, lighter power tools are muscling their way into the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas. With lighter, easier-to-charge batteries, these hand tools tip the scales at less than five pounds. But can they hold their own against the heavyweights? Here's the drill.

Ridgid R86007 cordless drill. Ridgid claims its 4.3-pound drill ($200) is the most compact 18-volt model on the market. But voltage isn't everything. In Consumer Reports tests of cordless drills, some lower-priced, lower-voltage models outperformed higher-powered drills. The R86007's lower weight is due to its lightweight lithium-ion batteries, which usually offer longer run times than nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries.

Ridgid says the R86007's battery can be recharged in only 20 minutes but we haven't tested that claim. When we looked at several lithium-ion batteries from multiple brands, we found some that couldn't be recharged after they were fully discharged—and replacement batteries can cost $100 or more. For that you can buy a 5.1-pound Porter-Cable PC180DK-2 NiCd-powered drill, which beat out some drills with lithium-ion batteries in our run-time tests.

Ryobi HP53LK TEK4 cordless screwdriver. Ryobi claims the HP53LK's 4-volt battery gives it enough power to "drive four times more screws per charge then the competition." We have yet to test the 2.1-pound screwdriver ($40), but almost all the other cordless drills and screwdrivers in its weight class scored poorly in our run-time tests. For a little more weight and money you can have the 3.4-pound Hitachi DS12DVF3 ($80) which performs better all-around. Its NiCd batteries can be recharged in just 30 minutes.

Skil 1400 Multi-Tasking oscillating tool. If you rarely need a full-sized saw or sander—or just find those tools too heavy—Skil's 2.75-pound corded multitool ($90) can still handle a lot of projects. Its triangular sanding pad is well-suited for working in tight areas and scraping paint off windows, doors and furniture. Four saw blades let you make plunge and flush cuts to softwoods and other soft materials, cut drywall, and remove grout from between tiles. See it in action at the hardware show.

—Gian Trotta