During the past few years, cordless electric tools have revolutionized the tools industry. Just 10 years ago, nobody could imagine that cordless tools would find themselves in every homeowner’s toolbox, let alone on every construction site.
Advancements in cordless technology have changed the way people see and use their tools and as a result, it’s only a matter of time when corded tools will become a thing of the past.
Still, cordless electric tools have been around for a while, so why did so many homeowners and construction workers start swearing by them all of a sudden? Well, it all has to do with their power source – the battery. Let’s take a deeper look.
How Have Cordless Tools Come So Far?
Cordless tools such as lawnmowers and power drills were available on the market for the past 30 years, but there’s a reason they weren’t so popular back in the day – there were just not good enough.
The reason? Nickel-cadmium batteries.
Nickel-cadmium (NiCad) batteries couldn’t last long enough to finish a job and took ages to charge. That’s not even the worst part – they suffered from a “memory effect”, meaning they eventually lost their capacity and lost their charge if left unused.
All of this meant that tools using NiCad batteries underperformed and as a result were way down the pecking order when it came to power tools.
Enter 2005 – Milwaukee introduces lithium-ion batteries in their tools and changes the tool industry forever.
Lithium-ion batteries led to a significant increase in the popularity of cordless tools, as their whole concept changed dramatically. Their functions became better, their size smaller and their runtime longer.
A long time has passed since 2005, and with the latest advancements in battery technology, cordless tools have become indispensable for many contractors all over the world – some of the cordless tools are even preferred over their corded counterparts now.
Still, the latest reports and studies suggest this trend is nowhere close to stopping. A study published by Freedonia shows that the demand for cordless tools is expected to grow 6.4% each year until 2021 when it will reach 7.6 billion US dollars.
Furthermore, the fact that cordless tools can match and even outperform corded tools is backed by another report from the same study – cordless tools will continue the trend of taking the market share from corded models, reaching 41% in 2021.
These incredible statistics show that cordless tools are really revolutionizing the way we use tools – but it’s not just their improved performance that led to these numbers – it’s how they help the end user. Let’s see why so many people have opted for a cordless tool.
Who Can Benefit The Most From Cordless Tools?
The whole technological development of cordless tools and their batteries would be for nothing if it couldn’t translate into benefits for people who used them. Obviously, they have done exactly that, hence all the fuss about them lately. Let’s see how they ease the lives of all the people that use them.
Homeowners
Cordless tools are extremely lightweight and quiet, meaning they can be easily used around the house. The fact that they don’t need to be plugged in to work is a great relief for many homeowners who have tasks in different areas of the house or outdoors.
Cordless garden tools are the perfect example – they offer the same power as gas or corded tools, but are much quieter, easier to move around, and don’t produce any noise that will disturb the neighbours.
And the companies that manufacture cordless tools are growing in number, too. Not only are smaller, independent companies popping up, but the larger ones like Black and Decker and Bosch are also havign a complete overhaul of their products in light of these new technologies and demand.
The cordless grass trimmer is a good example of a tool which used to be only petrol or corded electric powered.
Now, however, you can find the majority are cordless electric. This Black & Decker 36V one is one of the best sellers on Amazon for the semi-serious DIYer, for example.
DIYers
For DIYers that only need light work with their projects, cordless tools are a perfect choice. They are reliable in a wide range of applications and often come with plenty of accessories that will make your projects run smoothly.
There are even powerful cordless vacuums that will make an easy job out of cleaning up after your DIY project.
Contractors
Many cordless tools are designed ergonomically and include special functions such as built-in light. All of these features make cordless tools the perfect companion for any contractor. Their smart design and quality performance allows the job to be completed faster, easier and more effectively.
Additionally, the lack of cords on the site means fewer injuries – statistics have shown that tripping is the single most common cause of injury in workplaces in the UK.
So, with cordless tools already being a part of our life, it’s only right to ask – what’s next?
The Future of Cordless Tools
Cordless technology has come so far, it would be difficult to try to imagine what would improve in the next 5 or 10 years. Then again, people from 10 years ago wouldn’t think that almost every homeowner would have a cordless power drill in their toolbox.
Even though cordless tech is pretty advanced at the moment, with more and more manufacturers focusing on building whole new lines of cordless products, we can only expect them to advance even further. Luckily, with all the information at our disposal, we can get a sense of what’s next for cordless tools.
Smart power tools
TVs, phones, kitchen appliances – almost everything in our homes is becoming smart, and so are tools.
Manufacturers are starting to produce cordless tools that pair with online tool connectivity platforms. These platforms can remember settings and reveal the power levels of all the connected tools, resulting in more efficient and faster work.
With such technologies already available by big players such as Bosch and Dewalt, we can only imagine how things will look in 10 years.
Improved charging solutions
The one flaw that cordless tools have is that you have to charge the battery. However, with new charging solutions already developing, the popularity of cordless tech should only go higher.
Bosch has already started offering inductive charging for some of their tools. Inductive charging works by transferring energy wirelessly, meaning factory workers would benefit greatly from this new charging technology. Instead of replacing batteries or removing them for charging, all you need to do is leave it on your table and it will charge itself.
To sum it all up…
There’s a reason why cordless tools have become the preferred type of tool for many users – they are incredibly easy to use and can easily match the performance of corded tools. Besides, with new battery developments imminent, cordless technology is only getting started – we are yet to see what these tools are capable of.
