Over at Amazon, they’re holding an early Father’s Day tool deal of the day, today only, where you can save up to 20% on Skil 12V and 20V Max cordless power tools.
Here’s more about the Skil 20V lineup, more about the Skil PWRCore cordless power tools, and my review of the Skil PWRCore 12V brushless drill driver.
Advertisement
Only select tools (shown above) are included in the promo, but the selection should be appealing to new DIYers, homeowners, and others looking to buy or upgrade to modern Li-ion cordless power tools.
The deal selection includes:
- 20V 4-1/2″ angle grinder kit, $72
- 20V 6-1/2″ circular saw kit, $72
- 20V Impact driver kit, $64
- 12V Brushless impact driver kit, $80
- 20V Oscillating multi-tool kit, $72
- 12V 5-tool brushless power tool kit, $200
- 12V brushless drill and level kit, $95
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Deal ends at 3am ET 6/2/2019, unless supplies sell out sooner.
Separately, two months ago, I expressed frustration at Skil not having launched their 20V Max brushless cordless power tools yet. Well, good news – they’re heeeere. We have a couple of samples we’ll be testing shortly. Please let me know if you have any questions!
See Also(Skil 20V Max Brushless Power Tools via Amazon)
Advertisement
Thom
Chervon?
Stuart
Yes.
Thom
Looks decent, hopefully we will see better pricing.
Stuart
Better than this? That’s unlikely.
fred
I’m not sure where tools (other than vacuum cleaners) fit into the higher tariffs being collected on Chinese goods arriving at our POE’s – but I thought they were going up as of today. Tariffs on imports from China look like they might continue for a while -maybe even expand/increase – so the cost basis (if not the price) of Chinese good may not be going down much if at all.
Thom
It’s a crowded market. They are going to have to do something to set themselves apart from the other second tier brands like Ryobi.
Thom
Disregard. I didn’t notice they were full kits and not bare tools
Stuart
Sorry! I tried to be clear that they were kits, as that surprised me too, but didn’t think to emphasize it.
Frank D
Looking forward to the different ads and seeing if there’s any extra tools from my wish list that will make it into my cart.
I will not add an extra brand or battery platform though. Ideally one would go all in one brand and two battery sizes …….
And, there’s never any tempting many-tool-combo kit deals on the 12v side. I have been very happy with Bosch 12v, would love to expand that way, but getting the extra tools in a combo is probably a pipe dream.
Steve
Those are kits with battery and charger so I don’t think you are going to see prices much lower than that.
Thom
Oh I didn’t notice that!
Santosh
Hi Stuart, I’ve been reading your site for a few months now, new home owner and DIY-hopeful (though two young kids makes time a premium). I’ve read your “best tool brand” posts, both the pro and DIY ones, and the question I have is, how do I get an understanding of upcoming tools/product roadmaps?
I bought a Ryobi brushless set that was highly discounted locally (P1837 – drill, driver, circ saw for $149), but am debating whether I need that much weight and power or whether to look into M12 or Skil. M12 is obviously more expensive and possibly overkill for me, but my concern with Skil is how long it’ll take for them to release new tools. (Side note, I got the Ego mower and am very impressed, so that gives me hope with Chevron).
Anyway, just wanted your take on how to gauge tool development/releases though I’m not a pro like many of you other readers.
Thanks!
Stuart
The Ryobi brushless drill in that combo kit can deliver up to 460 in-lbs of max torque, unless it’s different from the drill in the Ryobi P1815 kit. That should be enough for light and medium duty tasks, even some heavier tasks. The size and capabilities of that drill aren’t too high where you would feel strongly compelled to complement it with a smaller 12V-class drill.
It’s hard to anticipate how much power you will need. A 12V-class tool could very well suit you well enough. Milwaukee M12 Fuel is at the high end of the spectrum. Skil’s are much more affordable, and I really liked their brushless model, which I would pick over an entry-priced 18V-class drill like the Craftsman I reviewed around the same time.
It’s not an easy comparison or decision to make. If you start off with that Ryobi brushless drill and need more power, its size doesn’t make it as good of a compact and lightweight complement as a 12V-class tool would be. But, your options for more power are limited based on budget. I was impressed with the power of Ridgid’s brushless drill, but that’s also the type of tool that I would want to complement with a 12V-class drill for projects involving a lot of lighter tasks.
Understanding tools, upcoming tools, and product roadmaps isn’t terribly difficult if you look at things openly and objectively. What can it do? Why is it designed like that? Who is it for?
That Ryobi brushless kit is designed for homeowners, DIYers, and value-minded pros who want more power and better features than more basic and less expensive Ryobi cordless offerings. The saw has a full-size blade, and the drill has respectable mid-range specs, and the impact driver has a higher-range torque rating. It’s a good “one and done” type of kit. If you go with a 12V-class tool, you might need more power later on. If you go with a more powerful 18V-class tool, you might want something smaller and lighter.
Predicting what brands might come out with is a challenge. There are patterns, but generally nothing is set in stone. Even if I know what might be coming out, then “when” is then the uncertainty. It’s usually a big guessing game.
You might always be plagued with self-questioning, wondering if you made the right choice. There might be times you choose wrong. But, unless you do something like buy a metal-cutting circular saw when you really only need to cut wood, you should expect to grow your tool collection as you take on different projects and learn more about your current and future needs. it can be helpful to anticipate what your future needs are, but that’s not always the most efficient or cost-effective approach.
I hope this helps!