Festool has announced their “most powerful and durable” 18V battery yet – the Li-HighPower battery pack with Airstream technology and built-in Bluetooth signaling.
Festool says that their new battery delivers 54% longer runtime compared to their 5.2Ah battery.
They advertise that the battery is “extremely durable” and that “the high current resistant cells ensure durability.”
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There is also a “smart extension” via their smartphone app.
The Festool WorkApp enables clever additional functions in combination with the Bluetooth function of the battery pack, such as the detailed display of the charging status and further operating data such as temperature or charging cycles.
To quickly and easily identify the battery with the lowest charge status, you can flash the LED indicator directly on the battery pack. Software updates are also possible: Install the newest version to work with the latest tool functions at all times
Unfortunate, it doesn’t look like the Festool WorkApp is available to iPhone users, at least not in the USA. I checked, and the app is not available in the iOS app store, although it does appear in the Google Play Android app store.
That seems neat, to be able to identify which battery has the lowest charge status from among more than one Festool 18V battery.
You would be right in saying isn’t that what a battery’s on-board fuel gauge is for?, but I’m assuming the app can read exact charge percentages, rather than simply having a 3 or 4 broad range LED indicators.
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The 8Ah battery’s on-board charge status indicator looks very different compared to Festool’s current 18V batteries, but Festool doesn’t elaborate about how or why.
Festool says that the battery is “ideal for applications with very high power needs.”
The new battery is not compatible with Festool cordless sanders (ETSC 125, RTSC 400, DTSC 400), which have a completely different form factor, or the brand new CTC SYS cordless portable dust extractor vacuum, due to how its battery port is designed.
Although I could not find any published dimensional specs, the 8Ah battery certainly appears to be longer than the brand’s existing 18V batteries. According to Festool’s technical specs, the battery weighs 1.00kg (2.2 lbs), compared to 0.70 kg (1.54 lbs) for their 5.2Ah battery.
Thank you to Harrison for the heads-up!
Discussion
Professional cordless power tool brands added 8Ah Li-ion batteries to their 18V and 20V Max cordless power tool lines several years ago.
Bosch announced theirs in 2018, Dewalt in 2019, and Milwaukee launched theirs alongside the M18 Super Charger in 2019.
Festool advertises that their new 18V 8ah battery is due to launch in 2023.
4 years late to the party isn’t great, but that’s better than never. For instance, it seems that Makita is never bringing an 8Ah battery to their 18V cordless power tool system.
Meanwhile, Dewalt’s PowerStack battery has been out for about a year now, Flex launched an entire line of Stacked Lithium batteries earlier this year, and Milwaukee is currently still developing and testing next-gen batteries.
Festool has been heavily promoting their cordless power tool system on social media, such as with “product testers wanted” sweepstakes.
They seem to be doing some interesting things, but is it enough to drive adoption by Festool users and non-users?
I own several Festool cordless power tools and equipment, and have steered clear of their cordless system.
I donated my Festool impact driver test sample earlier this year, describing it as being perfectly unexceptional.
While their app functionality sounds like it could be convenient, it’s a moot point when Festool has only an Android app and not one for iOS. What’s the point of “smart” features that many users are locked out of?
Additionally, Festool’s new and higher capacity battery is not compatible with the new Festool CTC Sys cordless vacuum?!
Not to belabor the point, I don’t want to have to buy three different sizes of 18V batteries to operate different tools.
Festool’s cordless sanders have their own 18V battery system, matched to the tools’ ergonomics, and I can understand that.
But while it’s important to pair the right battery to the right tool for optimal performance, broad compatibility within the same cordless system is also important.
Little conveniences cannot offset big hassles.
There are several 18V cordless power tool system “alliances” where the same battery can be used across different brands’ tools, not to mention the number of brands that have “all of our 18V batteries fit all our 18V tools” types of claims.
Related: Bosch AMPShare – a Revamped Cordless Battery System
And then there’s Festool, following in the footsteps of other cordless power tool brands with an 18V 8Ah battery of their own, and you can’t even use it with their new 18V cordless dust vac that’s also launching soon.
I suppose this is still better than Festool not launching an 8Ah battery at all. Right?
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Matt
Maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to get into their cordless platform if they ran deals like they do outside the USA and Canada. I often see our European counterparts offered free batteries with purchase of Festool cordless. I avoid buying batteries here in the US because I know I can get them thrown in during these promotions. I can’t see spending the $100+ for one battery. I’m flush with DeWALT 20V because of their promos and as a result I’m inclined to shop their tools when it comes to cordless. This is coming from someone with loads and loads of Festool.
Robert
Matt, I assume the chargers run on voltage specific to their intended country of use. If so, how do you charge in the USA the batteries you get in these European promotions?
MM
The batteries are universal, so you could charge a Festool battery purchased in Germany on a charger purchased in the USA or vice-versa.
Also, these days most electronic devices, chargers included, contain auto-switching power supplies that will work on either 110/220 and 50 or 60 hz and simply need a plug adapter to be used in a different country. I’d bet that the only difference between a Euro, USA, Australian, Asian, etc, charger is the type of plug on the end.
Robert
Thanks. I knew that about the electronic devices, I wasn’t sure about the batteries versus the chargers.
TomD
I suspect many players in the market don’t really care about different batteries (how many pictures and videos do I see with at least 3 or 4 chargers on the workbench).
The bigger issue *for me* is similar/same batteries from the same company that don’t work together. That’s way more annoying, especially on a job site where you’re tying to get someone to get the right battery when you’re up the scaffolding. “The red one” is a lot easier than “the gray one, no not that one, the 4 AH”.
Rog
Let’s put Festool, Makita, and Bosch’s product dev and marketing teams in a room and see who “wins” for Most Head-scratching Decisions
Ct451
You should not put in-series batteries of different capacities (to run a tool at twice the voltage). I think that is the reason you can’t fit two big ones into the vacuum. It will let users mix a 3 with an 8ah.
I get the convenience of using 18v batteries you already have but a lot of tools would be better if the voltages were higher.
Bonnie
How much of a problem is that really in use? And is it really impossible for Festool to twll when one battery is running low? I routinely run my lawnmower (Dewalt) with a 5ah and a 9ah. Each battery has a separate meter, and if one gets low the whole thing cuts out.
TomD
I suspect it could have been a problem long ago but modern tools should have voltage cutouts that are sensitive enough.
Assuming that they don’t burn up with two 3ahs or something.
JEREMY MOORE
Festool, Makita, Metabo do well with having two batteries on the tools that need more voltage. Some tools make perfect sense staying 18 or 20v. And with brushless motors, many rival 110 systems due to companies refusing to make brushless 110v tools. I have a corded Festool track saw. The two 18v batteries on the cordless saw make it significantly better. But I like the idea of a futureproofed tool when I’m spending so much money. And in the rare instances I’d need excessive power, I’ll just do two passes
Kevin
Yeah I’ve never put too much stock in Festool. I’m not opposed to spending top dollar on high end tools but Festool has just always been a little niche. Great for shops when you can just run AC to your heart’s content and don’t mind cords but the cordless lineup is laughable. They’re playing catch up on the back end and it shows.
Collin
What is airstream?
Tim
“The tools are fine.
You’ll buy the tools…
Or you won’t.”
-Festool
thomas
So I’m curious if these 8Ah batteries have the 21700 cells or the older 18650 cells.
Harrison
Definitely 21700s based on the larger footprint.
I wonder if we’ll see any more powerful tools to take advantage of these batteries? These are probably a win for the rolling CT vacuums.
@ Stuart, thanks for the shoutout!
Adam
Anyone interested in festool , festool have a new track saw coming out it’s a TS 60 and it has a 1500 watt motor it comes out in the Uk in October.
JEREMY MOORE
A lot of their cordless tools are exceptional. For some reason, their drills aren’t. Maybe they just don’t expect many suckers to buy them
Adam
I don’t think there suckers, there drills are expensive I don’t have any but I’ve used them there very ergonomic and well designed, they do have a good right angle attachment you can put on, the regular chunk comes off it all depends on what kind of work your doing.