​Corded vs. Cordless Tools - What's For You?

Many people (not everyone, but many) look at corded power tools and see: less convenience, less high-tech, less “new,” and just less in general. They see the cordless version as: compact, convenient, fun, limitless, easy-to-use, and everything in between. Is this comparison true? Well it can be for some tools, but it can also be the opposite.It goes so much deeper than convenience and easability of use - you should be comparing reliability and power.

In today’s post we’re going to be going over the pros and cons of both corded and cordless power tools. We’ll then have the knowledge and information required to answer the question accurately, versus, our own bias opinions.

Corded Tools

Well, the obvious pro of a corded tool is that you’ll never have it die from a dead battery, meaning, endless power (best case scenario). Corded tools offer more torque than cordless tools, and their strength will not decrease when the battery starts to get drained (since it’s not battery-powered).

On to the cons… the most obvious one is lack of mobility. The tool is attached to a power cord that’s attached to a wall. You can only go as far as your cord can reach. Another con is always needing to be near a source of electricity. Doing a project more remote? That might be an issue if you don’t have a power source to plug into nearby. Sure, extension cords are a solution, but how annoying is it to carry one around?

Lastly, corded tools can be a little less tidy. You have that lengthy cord you need to wind up nicely and make sure it doesn’t tangle itself with your other corded tools. Sometimes it seems no matter what you do, the cord just has to knot itself around something.

Cordless Tools

There’s absolutely no doubt cordless tools are extremely popular. One of their major advantages is mobility. Since there is no pesky cord, and no need to find a plug in, you have the ability to use your tool in the most remote areas - as long as the battery is charged.

Speaking of being charged, the newest batteries manufactured by leading tool brands are able to hold a charge for longer than ever. Some batteries can hold their charges for weeks on end while in storage. If having to charge your batteries often was one of your worries, it’s not so bad these days.

The cons of cordless tools are a short list, just like corded, so we can’t really say which is better - that’s your choice. First thing, is waiting for your battery to charge. If you happen to leave your battery unused for months and months, and you’ve forgotten to charge it when you need to use it - you’ll have to wait for it to recharge. This con can be avoided with always remembering to check your batteries are charged ahead of using them.

There you have it - our pros and cons of both corded and cordless tools. Still not sure which you’d prefer? Contact our experts at Edmonton Fasteners and they’ll tell you which is best for your application.