The Truth About Harbor Freight Hercules Battery Tools! Should You Buy Them?

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In this episode of The Questionable Garage, Jared takes a deep dive into the evolution of battery-powered tools and how they’ve revolutionized the way we work on cars. From their humble beginnings to the powerhouse tools we use today, Jared breaks down the technology that has reshaped the toolbox.
The focus then shifts to a head-to-head comparison between Harbor Freight's new Hercules line and industry giants like Dewalt and Milwaukee. Jared explores critical aspects like battery warranties-how long they last and what's really covered-along with the overall cost of the tools. He also highlights some of the standout, specialized tools offered by each brand, providing valuable insight for those in the market for high-performance equipment. Whether you’re a professional mechanic or just looking to upgrade your home garage setup, this episode gives you the knowledge to make an informed choice on your next tool investment.
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[@The_Faceless_Chad]

The tool guy got me into Milwaukee back in 2016. We were prepping for a blizzard, he showed up at the right time and demo’ed the shit out of the all new Milwaukee 1/2” impact. We pulled several dump truck wheels off as well as several 1 ton wheels off with that gun. I bought the kit that day. I worked the entire blizzard using that gun for everything. After that, I was into that battery ecosystem and I’ve never looked back.

[@MrHeHim]

There was nothing like Milwaukee back then for the price. The odd Bosch drill would match them here and there, since they make most the parts in Milwaukee tool anyway.. but that was about it unless you wanted to buy a $600+ Hilti/Metabo for just the drill and there batteries back then cost at least X2 a Milwaukee battery. Anyway, can't go wrong with them unless you want to go cheap lol

[@Harey0407]

I have Ryobi and I have no complaints at all. I love the variety really, I have a small power adapter, a drill, a 1/4 inch driver, a 5 1/4" circular saw, a light, a weed whacker, a blower, an edger, and a 1/2" impact. All uses the same 18v battery. Though I bought some after market bigger batteries, because it was cheaper and I have no complaints with those batteries either (I actually use those batteries the most).

[@MrHeHim]

Ryobi One+ HP are basically slightly "detuned" Milwaukee tools, Same parent company TTI😉

[@Harey0407]

@@MrHeHim Yup. So they end up being cheaper than Milwaukee too.

[@corydriver7634]

I bought into Ryobi almost 25 years ago mainly because they were the first to use the same battery across the line of tools. My first purchase was a circular saw and a 3/8 impact driver. I still have and use both of them this was before their green tool line came out.

[@Harey0407]

@@corydriver7634 Yup my light and little circular saw are not green, in fact found them on the side of the road with a bad battery between them. Both work great still.

[@communalnoodle1356]

There's another thing to be careful of - Big stores can sometimes convince tool brands to make lesser models for them to sell cheaper. When I was starting out I looked at what tools the older guys were using, and spoke to a bunch of them, and the going opinion was that "Time is money so I bought DeWalt" I did and haven't been disappointed at all, 1/2" and screwdriver impacts, drills, sawsall etc have been great.

[@RobFromRI]

The Hercules line has been working out well for me. I keep adding tools and batteries when there is a good sale which Harbor Freight seems to have often.

[@randomstuff159]

Ive been loving mine the most used tool of mine would be their brushed 12v 1/4 anvil impact, I have about almost a year and a half of useage on it of taking off doors and body panels on cars and maan that thing is amazing it hasent skipped a beat sense I got it. the only complaint I got is that its brushed I would kill for a brushless version of most of their 12v line

[@RHort1337]

Good video, quick comment. You mention a difference of 20v on some to 18v on another. The 20v tools are 20v Max, the 18v tools are 18v Nominal. The milwaukee is also 20v Max, both the DeWalt and Hercules are also 18v Nominal. Hope this helps/makes sense. All three battery platforms run at the same spec.

[@mikemaloney2142]

Amazing some people still don’t believe this!

[@TheQuestionableGarage]

Good call, spaced on the marketing numbers myself.

[@emmettturner9452]

@@TheQuestionableGarageDeWALT was probably trying to differentiate between their 18v lithium and 18v NiCd lines. The NiCd line was already named after the nominal 18v voltages so they named the newer line after the maximum voltage for 5S lithium ion: “20V Max” though they actually charge closer to 21v max. Of course, that opened the floodgates to many competing 18v tool lines pulling a DeWALT and calling their tools “20 volt” too.

[@ironclaw6969]

Yeah, the 18/20V thing is nothing but marketing gibberish. But if it made that much difference, people would flock to the Kobalt 24V stuff. Not that I have any problem with those tools other than I don't own any.

[@ORRadtech]

Used to have access to buying Dewalt batteries from a warranty center. Could get brand new batteries for about 25% of retail. Tools were very reasonable as well. Those were the days!

[@Krunked]

im 38 single dad. starting over, again. and frankly harbor freight has been amazing. hercules stuff is great. icons great. us general. even pittsburgh aint bad. but im a big nerd and like to min-max everything i do specialy if im spending my hard earned money on it. and i too have not regretted my descions of going with the top tier stuff at HF!

[@harrywalker968]

watch ave / boltr. on real tool reviews.. old vids.. he,s in bc, kanakistan, ex engineer. funny as hell..even did his wifes dildo.. & dyson..

[@workingguy6666]

The Herc 20V impact driver was my first cordless mechanic's tool (vs. cordless drills for mostly wood and house work), and it's been a great tool. I've used it repeatedly on big rig trucks, and for changing out parts on my pickup truck. Lately been using it on a medium-duty truck for bolts from 10mm to 14mm. Just recently bought the Herc reciprocating cutter for cuts I needed to go straight down into, and it worked.

[@terrywelch-gk4xm]

Interestingly enough, back in the day when my 18 volt dewalts were brand new, i stuck a multimeter on one and found the new 18 volt nicads had 30 volts of charge on them! I was then able to reliably gauge the actual life left on them after charging as the voltages dropped off steadily over repeated chargings. The packaging said they could be recharged "Hundreds of times" but 100 to 150 maximum was closer to the truth- about six months worth or so to this sheet metal worker.

[@terrywelch-gk4xm]

The trusty old makita 9.6 volt drill was the go to drill in the trades in the 1970's- I was there doing sheet metal installs with it all day, every day. More buildings were built with this tool than all the others combined, then. I'm glad to see the dewalt 18 v cordless four packs now get the lithium ion batteries- my first four packs had the ni cads and were useless without running two chargers at a time and also with two extra $100 dollar each nicads to keep me fully powered all day long.

[@StephensPenTurnings]

I still have my 9.6, in its's original case no less. Still works too, YAY me lol

[@Glocktard]

And guys cry today about batteries not lasting long enough 😂😂

[@paulshannon4576]

⁠​⁠@@StephensPenTurnings I bought a house and they left a bunch of old power tools and one of them was the Makita 9.6 and it still works, the battery just doesn’t last long.

[@chasingpips]

Just last month HF was doing a deal on the 8ah batteries. Picked up two 8ah batteries for 99.99. I own both dewalt 20v & 60v and milwaukee m12 & m18 and honestly hercules is just as good. Also the hercules batteries use samsung cells too. Another good youtuber for tool testing is Tools Tested.

[@CALDues]

I hit up that same deal on batteries and just "discovered" Tools Tested yesterday. Amazing content for tools.

[@jasondilts510]

I think the Ryobi line of tools would be more comparable to the Hercules tools. The Ryobi line is absolutely huge. For the home gamer, I think Ryobi would be fine.

[@TheQuestionableGarage]

I didn’t include them as I don’t have a lot of experience. I know @agingwheels loves his, as do our Mighty Car Mod friends, I went to compare the three I did because of how plentiful they are throughout the us.

[@ditunnod]

Been using them for everything for 10 years. Even expanded to their 40 volt line for a lot of my yard care tools. Helps I have a Home Depot under 2 miles from my house.

[@Bubbaxlt]

My experience with Ryobi is overwhelmingly positive. Especially when my brother in law got upset my half inch impact got lug nuts off faster than his Milwaukee, could have been operator error to be fair to the tools. 😂

[@freewilly5073]

I would add direct tools sells ryobi and ridgid so you can buy refurbished or blemish tools for cheaper. Also if you find a cool knock off brand tool it'll probably work for Dewalt, Milwaukee, or makita. You can always buy some knock off batteries for those tools but something to think about for those looking into their 1st power tool brand

[@cheeseblast]

Got a set of Drilll/Impact Bosh power tools from my fatherinlaw my first Christmas with the family. Best tool for the job is the one's you have on hand. Don't think these videos get enough appreciation. Thanks for the content!

[@just_your_localguard9612]

1k, vs almost 1,500 for Milwaukee, I'm huge Milwaukee fan, but I been buying Hercules lately, and been pretty impressed

[@ruikazane5123]

Agree on that, the batteries make the cordless tool. Somehow the old Sears/Craftsman NiMH drill a buddy has is still kicking to this day! Certainly was wishing the Makita batteries were better. Over where we are, the easiest genuine brand to get would be Makita. One specialist tool center sells Milwaukee, AEG, DeWalt, Ryobi, Bosch and perhaps other brands I don't remember or even know. I definitely wish there's a Harbor Freight here...or better, I should move to somewhere that has one nearby! I can surely use some tools, much more a cordless die grinder of sorts! Quick note on battery voltages: Typical Lithium-ion batteries are charged to 4.2 volts, and is shipped from the factory at 3.6 or 3.7 volts. With that in mind, an "18v" battery is 3.6 x 5 cells. "20v" or "21v" is the same number, just charged up (4.2 x 5). "12v" is usually 4.2 x 3 cells, 12.6 volts. "40v" is just basically doubling the "20v". For NiCd or NiMH, basically divide the voltage by 1.2 and you get how many cells are in there! Unfortunately that does make it a bit difficult converting those tools to lithium, there is a need for extra electronics for protection and a different charger must be used.

[@markhesanalienking9757]

Can't wait to see the next episode on the Satellite

[@doomsayer559]

Milwaukee might be a little pricey, but in my opinion it is well worth it if you can afford the initial investment. My tools have been used, abused and are still going strong 10 years later. Also, they have replacement parts available to keep them going or to be brought in for service and repair. The batteries are also fantastic. I have just recently dropped a cell, on just one, of the batteries I have. They last a long time and they're very powerful. The variety and range of tools is also quite astonishing. But I can also see how the Hercules tools are more than adequate for most DIY'ers. So it's great that there are options for great tools at multiple price points these days.

[@juanc5149]

I think Torque Test channel has answered. Here’s basically how it goes. Most powerful impact wrenches, are made by Dewalt first, Milwaukee second, with a few honorable mentions from Bosch, snap on, matco, etc. Hercules ultra torque test really well, being on par to a Milwaukee gen 2 high torque. Yes I’m aware this comment might upset the Milwaukee fans. But Dewalt spent a tremendous amount of money to become number one with the dcf961 for high torque or dcf891 for mid torque.

[@TheQuestionableGarage]

I made several mentions to them for that reason, but they also offer just a clinical lab test. I am offering 8 months of real world abuse and feedback, really the end of the day to me, easy if warranty is the biggest factor and Harbor Freight and Dewalt lead that segment

[@russelljacob7955]

​@@TheQuestionableGarage Good advice. Is relatable to car people too. Is 700hp nice? Sure. But is the cost of the 700hp over 300 worth what you actually use it for? Motorcycles when I got my adv. motorcycle. An 800 vs a 1200. 99.5% of the time the higher cost of buy and insure would never have been needed on the 1200. So I got the 800.

[@cliffordmontana4562]

Some of dewalt tools are terrible, but some are awesome. I used to run dewalt and sold all of them or gave them to my kids. The Milwaukee telescoping pole saw is the best tool I own. It’s professional grade and an absolute beast. The m12 lineup sets Milwaukee apart. So small yet so powerful.

[@riker302011]

I was informed by one of the HF Management staff that the Hercules motors are manufactured by Milwaukee. HF hinted in their marketing when Hercules came out that there was some sort of underlying connection to DeWalt tools.

[@devbloggs]

Ive been using Milwaukee since the Fuel line started coming out, and ive never had to pay for a repair (a few times out of warranty, and they just replaced it for free anyways). But i believe that was mostly due to the tool trucks that ive dealt with. They've never charged me to ship and anything and have always had the tool or battey come back within a few weeks. I have everything from electric ratchets, to 3/4 impacts, drills, grinders, vacuums, the lawnmower, trimmer, torque wrench, even the m18 generator and havent had any complaints that werent just nitpicky or something that was resolved in the next revision of tool.

[@paulshannon4576]

I bought several different battery powered drills and many times by the time I needed to replace the battery they had changed the design and it was cheaper to buy a new combo kit. I friend convinced me to start buying Ridgid tools. I’ve been very happy with them and I had to send in the 3/8” angle drill because the chuck stopped locking. It took 2 tries because they didn’t understand about it not locking but they did the shipping both times. I now carry a 1/2” impact driver in my pickup truck.

[@Gadget0343]

I have a Dewault corded band saw. The rubber tracks turned to mush one day and gummed up the entire saw. New ones are available but it was a PITA to get it all cleaned up and the new ones installed.

[@aussiegonz]

what i like about dewalt that's never talked about is the bright colour. you can find them easily in a busy work place, no wasting time searching. also there a lot of battery adapters out there to use one type of battery on different makes of tools.

[@o1mtbiker]

I have been in the dewalt platform for over 20 years. Is it the best? Not even close, was it the best for me at the time? Yes. Since I was in that platform I just stayed. Honestly it would take a lot for me to switch, that’s only because of the investment I already have. Now if another tool company traded me tool for tool and battery. I would switch. If I was just starting out? Harbor freight here I come

[@CALDues]

For me also. 20ish years ago we had a Lowe's almost next door to the fixer upper we just bought. Craftsman was still at Sears, Kobalt had not been conceived yet and DeWalt was king of the commercials. Over a year ago I bought into Bauer needing a tool Hercules didn't have any DeWalt wanted over 3 times the price for. It started with BUYING the tool I needed with a battery and a charger (since the adapter I bought wouldn't let me use my yellow batteries) which included a free tool. Then I bought a second larger battery that came with a free charger and I still hadn't spent what I would've for the DeWalt tool. Since then I've bought into Hercules also and haven't had any problems or regrets. As my DeWalt tools fail I'll replace them with blue or red from HF.

[@o1mtbiker]

@@CALDues yah I was pissed the first time I traded my American craftsman in and got a China replacement tool. Haven’t bought another since.

[@G.RayBrown]

If you need a special tool, there are battery adapters you can purchase that work fine. I have a lot of milwaukee STYLE batteries that charge on my milwaukee charger, and a BAUR adapter that fits the milwaukeee STYLE battery onto the Baur tool and works fine. Just another option out there for you to use.

[@paularnold6616]

I just had a "what the heck" moment. An 18v brushless drill from a major manufacturer could not drill out a 3/8 to 7/16 hole in steel. It did not have enough power, even in low gear, to turn the bit. Had to get my corded to finish the job. The drill had not seen this size bit in metal before and had always performed well. My heart sank. A 1/2 inch drill should be able to drill a hole.

[@Noslime]

I will say that I think the Bauer brand is their testbed. When they have it 100% dialed in, they will release it in the Hercules

[@triumph9252]

As someone who has thousands of dollars of earthquake tools from harbor freight I say don’t buy anything thing that needs support from harbor freight. They decided to discontinue the earth quake tool line and also not to make batteries for them. Very soon I will be throwing big money into the trash bin. Step up and buy a brand that’s going to support their products.

[@RandomGreymane]

Check around and see if there’s a battery adapter. I have one to adapt my M18 batteries to my single remaining Dewalt drill. And maybe ask the 3D printing forums if anyone might be willing to make one for you. You never know.

[@robertvulliet3278]

@triumph9252 I have a 3/8" earthquake impact and ran into you issue but the after market makes batteries for them and the AC Delco branded ones are the same tools so their batteries will work

[@68jacen]

Being a homegamer had to go with the Bauer line, due to the lack of variety. Hercules is just now going to release a cordless jigsaw. The only bauer tool had an issue with was the brushed circular saw. It was gutless.

[@tomisamish]

There's a newcomer in the 12v tool line. Walmart's hypertough has ratchets, mini Sawzalls, cut off tools, etc. Haven't beat on them yet but first look is impressive for the price. $20 for a drill and battery, $40 for an electric ratchet and battery, $50 for a 3/8 impact. I think the highest they go for a tool is $50. I'm going to try a ratchet and drill, see how it goes. You can buy a 3 year warranty for $7 or less for any of them, then get a new tool and battery by saying "it broke " at any Walmart.

[@christhomas6116]

Spent a month working in the US back in June and the airline lost my bags on the way over so needed a driver and drill ASAP!!! Headed to Harbor Freight bought a 12v Hercules drill and impact driver and got to say I was impressed. Normally use Bosch tools for working the UK and now use my Hercules set for traveling as they are light and powerful enough for the stuff I do professionally and so far holding up well to use and abuse.

[@bgee461]

Bosch is junk too, so you aren't exactly making a strong case

[@christhomas6116]

@@bgee461 well Bosch is what the company gives me and to be honest the drill drills holes, the wrench wrenches bolts and the driver drives screws does it for me. Far too much snobbery over brands of tools if it works for you its fine.

[@pete79602]

@@bgee461 your comment did absolutely nothing for your case. You sound like one of those tool slobs just like the guy is saying. SMH

[@greggsvintageworkshop8974]

I have a Hercules drill and batteries w/charger that are about 9 years old and is still working perfectly! This drill has been used HARD too, not a shelf queen. I will continue to buy Hercules and the fact the HF stores are conveniently located is also a plus!

[@chrislove4594]

I started with Rigid many years ago when I was a carpenter for a major exterminating company and have abused them dropping the off top of houses multiple times. I do wish they had a bigger tool selection but they are coming around. As always great video enjoyed it.

[@cliffordmontana4562]

Right now you can get the M18 12.0 battery for $125. You get a “free” 5.0 and you return it and it makes the 12.0 drop from $199 to $125.

[@alainorozco8032]

Hercules has been awesome! My buddies that have Milwaukee and tool truck offerings, they want to make the switch. If Hercules made a stubby impact like the Milwaukee, it would be game over.

[@TheCannonball79]

Which tool goes farther when you throw it across the garage?

[@markhesanalienking9757]

Harbor Freight is the Toys R Us for big boys!

[@uneducatedmechanic]

I used to work on Toyota and now work on school buses all day long and my Hercules and Kobalt tools get me through just fine. Haven’t needed a tool truck in many years.

[@philrohtla6458]

I am using Ryobi because we don’t have Harbor Freight in Canada. No issues. The brushless 1/2-inch impact gun is incredible with the high performance batteries. The Milwaukee might be stronger, but for the amount I use the stuff, the extra expense makes no sense.

[@rjs2005]

When I finally decided to commit to a single battery ecosystem, I (home garage DIY guy) decided on Bauer- the "better" of HF's "good" (Warrior)- "better" (Bauer)- "best" (Hercules) lines. I bought a cordless drill, impact driver, palm sander, jigsaw, leaf blower and shop blower. Later on I added a 3/8" impact wrench. The tools are "ok"- not great. My neighbor had a Ryobi 3/8" impact wrench which I borrowed to compare with my Bauer- blew it away. I've added a bunch of Ryobi tools, batteries and a 6-pot charger for the batteries. I do still use my Bauer leaf blower and shop blower- they are more than fine for my needs, and I added one of the new Bauer brushless 1/2" compact impact wrenches- it's much better than the old 3/8". I used it exclusively to upgrade the suspension on my Jeep TJ, rather than break out my super-heavy Ryobi 1/2" high-torque impact. It handled the job with no issues.

[@charlenetaylor5548]

Giant gorilla... 🤣 I started out cordless life back in the early 90s with a makita drill. (I worked on theater sets.) The balance on that thing was atrocious. When someone walked in with a Craftsman we "snobs" all laughed at him, until we used it. No more bad balance and aching arms and wrists. For me the straw that broke the camel's back was trying to drive sheetrock screws into a ceiling with it. It went in the bin.... Never went back.

[@danielhorschel9089]

Just an after thought… You can stay with a battery system and in many cases use a battery adapter to use a different manufacturer’s tool.

[@Noslime]

This is something I’ve been waiting on. I am so sick of buying Milwaukee batteries. They break. The tools are great. The batteries suck. I’m transitioning to Hercules.

[@tarstarkusz]

What is your garage/house worth to you? Your children's lives? These things have generic blue wrap batteries in them.

[@benholler1389]

I have been using Milwaukee since the m18 line came out every day. And have had very very few issues with batteries

[@Supra_Rankin]

Same as above. Have thousands of dollars of milwalkee tools. The small 1/2" guns more powerful then my snapon gun

[@pete79602]

@@tarstarkusz lie

[@Noslime]

@@benholler1389 I didn’t have problems till about two years ago. I have pulled batteries out of my toolbox and the bottom part just fall off. I have one of the brand new six amp power batteries that’s less than six months old. The problem, however, is more with their 12 V stuff, every time I see another KZbinr using them they are being held together with duct tape

[@AutoAli]

Due to the fact that I use my tools for wood, home, and auto I have been in the Dewalt ecosystem mostly for years. I do have a craftsman battery ratchet that I love. I may invest in some Hercules eventually but the dealt had done me well overall.

[@rellmonger7935]

You are so correct. I have folks with Red & Yellow tools that don't perform for they task. They have to use my Hercules 20v tools to get the job started & done. I also own the Kobalt 24v 2016 7pcs

[@cliffordmontana4562]

Milwaukee isn’t much more expensive if you wait for sales. There are ALWAYS sales! I own 60 Milwaukee tools and 35 batteries and I’ve NEVER paid close to MSRP on one of them. I just got a new m18 midtorque for $100 from factory authorized outlet. Home Depot “hacks” and “special buy of the day” has saved me thousands of dollars. Home Depot was running a deal for two m18 6.0 high output batteries and two 8.0 high output batteries for $270.

[@Yackhammer75]

Personally I'm a RIDGID fan but with all the new tech out now I could see going with Hercules or even Hart for at home use. I started with RIDGID in my old factory job and stay because I'm already invested with chargers and batteries for them. Starting over or even helping my son start his collection I tell him to look at his needs, use, and price range. Big brand isn't always the best for price versus intended use.

[@mikekozi-lester3887]

Hi Jared nice video 📹 and workmanship!!! The tools 🔧 were good !!! I worked with Milwaukee Bufffers all tool need the number speed locator !!! Even for special ed speed

[@rcadd1ct]

I bought into the ryobi early. Now I have way too many, but I use them a lot. I had dewalt, but when the batteries died I could get the ryobi starter kit with the same amp hour batteries and 4 tools. I went ryobi.

[@johanekeberg3374]

Always noticed that Milwaukee batteries have longer life, i dont know but my Dewalts always end up halfway there! We dont have the brand Hercules in Sweden :(

[@jackamo427327]

Ace Hardware runs specials on Dewalt and Milwaukee that often beat Lowes and Home Depot

[@ElectroAtletico]

DIY here. I have "Red", "Yellow", "Light Green", and "Blue" (Hercules). Yep. and I buy what I need, that provides the best performance, for the right price, and with a good warranty. p.s. Moving mostly to "BLUE".

[@jaymedina3142]

I went with Hercules, and Bauer for the tools that Hercules didn't have.

[@Nitrousbird]

It's very simple. Take whatever decent brand has the overall type of tools you need. That's great that Milwaukee has the best stuff for automotive use, but if 1/2 of your use of house stuff, they aren't as good for that. And since you want to avoid multiple battery types, pick what is best for your total use case. For me, I had to go yellow, as Dewalt had the stuff I needed. Battery powered jig saw, circular saw, Oscillating tool, etc. But yet they also have 1/4 and 1/2" impacts I use all the time (1/2" is a bit weak, sadly), 1/2 in ratchet driver, etc. They also had the cheapest powered PEX-A expander, which I needed to do some plumbing additions in the house. But if you turning wrenches in your 1-car garage in an apartment, Dewalt isn't the brand I would choose. If I'm running a shop turning wrenches all day, I'm not going yellow either.

[@ManinBlack76]

I truly love you testing Harbor Freight tools

[@jackamo427327]

You can buy adapters to use one manufactures battery on abother maufactures tools and older tools using newer style battery . Simplify and save money .

[@2SlayZGTE]

Very informative and helpful video, Jared! Your positive experiences with HF tools and honest reviews have certainly made me much more likely to consider buying them. Thanks for providing me (and many others, I suspect) with some really useful insights! Keep up the great work! P.S. Nice work with the price comparison graphics, Editor Duane! I missed the awesome tunes, but I understand they’re not appropriate for such a knowledge intensive video.

[@dustinbrown7436]

technician for twenty five plus years Agree with you on the snap on. But if you buy the Milwaukee stuff off the trucks it's, it's much easier to get them replaced.

[@Tom-x3m9g]

I started with Ryobi cordless tools, but now I'm buying all Harbor freight tools. I got 17 or so of Bauer tools and probably 8 Hercules tools and 5 or 6 of each battery lines. I'm never gonna buy Ryobi again. But will keep them for loaner tools.

[@DanMestayer]

I'm a professional KZbin certified home mechanic plus 40 years doing field technical service on complex robotic stuff. . I approve this video!

[@RandomGuyDan]

I have 5 Hercules tools: 20v 1/4" impact driver, drill, circular saw, and hand held shop vac and a 12v 3/8 impact. I have 2 chargers. I've had the impact and drill for at least 5 years and been thrilled with them. The impact driver has seen lots of use and never a hitch. I will be adding the high torque 1/2" impact and a 12ah battery soon.

[@juanc5149]

You can get close to Hercules pricing with Dewalt and Milwaukee if you buy, and take advantage of holiday sales and offers like on Labor Day weekend or Black Friday deals. There are also hacks where you can get a free battery or etc, that you may not need then, you return the battery. Comparison with the Hercules ultra torque would be the dcf900. Which is significantly more powerful. There is the dcf961 but that was just made to piss on Milwaukee gen 3 before it even came out, in bragging rights. A tool with actual vtec mode. 😂

[@ironclaw6969]

I've been using the 20V Hercules tools for a little over the last year and they've been great. I've never had to use the warranty, but I do know that anything that says "brushless" in the Hercules line is a 5 year warranty. If it doesn't say that, it's a 90 day warranty and as Jared said, the batteries and charger are a 3 year warranty. All purchase information is conveniently stored on my HF account, so no storing receipts. As for the 12V stuff, the thing I really wanted was the ratchet, but they are not brushless,so they don't get the good warranty. I ended up going with the Skil 12V PWRCORE ratchet and impact driver which both come with a 5 year warranty and cost pretty similarly to the Hercules stuff. I haven't even found a need to get a 3/8" impact gun because the impact driver with a stubby socket adapter has proven not only more compact, but more than sufficient for anything I've asked of it. I can very much recommend either of those lines of tools without reservation.

[@kevinhollingsworth5816]

I've got a bunch of Ryobi tools but I have been wondering about the Hercules tools. Thanks for the info

[@ilbercgross4736]

I mainly use Ryobi and Hercules. The Ryobi because they had a sweet system deal and I love the color. I like the feel of the tools and they do what I want. I started using the Hercules because of the pricing. I hate the color. The feel is okay. They do what I want. For me, it boils down to how often will I use the tool and then the cost. I have a full size Ryobi recip and small Hercules recip.

[@ricardotriaes9304]

Parkside in Europe is life-changing. Love from Portugal.

[@jarrodpagac]

Great video, good advice, and entertaining. For anyone looking at the Home Depot weekly emails, I've gone down the Ryobi rabbit hole, and overall, they're fine for a garage mechanic, the older cordless impact leaves a bit of umph to be desired, vs my plug in electric, but can break anything thats not ugga dugga'd in place. The Sawzall does a great job eliminating northern rust monsters, as well as unwanted shrubs/trees/roots where I'm digging. And the rest of the tools are down right good values. Otherwise, because I do more wood working, and finish work, I'm very happy with the neon green team. Just my 2 cents, I am fully prepared to be mocked, and belittled.

[@NJVernick1]

Here is your mocking and belittling comment. Ryobi sucks... when it comes to palm sanders. Just sharing this as hopefully a helpful tip. My dad does a lot of hobby woodworking in his retirement days and is a mixed bag of Ryobi, Rigid and HF. I used his Ryobi palm sander working on a project with him and thought my teeth were going to rattle loose. Other than that, I have nothing bad to say about Ryobi so no judgement here. If you can deal with the cord, just get a decent corded one and save your hands.

[@jarrodpagac]

@@NJVernick1 Yeah, I have the corded sander (it is almost at its end after multiple garden beds, and 3 kitchen remodels), because I don't need to carry that weight around while finish sanding wood.

[@HeathClark-nh7vo]

My Ryobi tools are so old they're not even green, they're blue. Heheha. I've been curious about the Hercules brand so thank you for the video.

[@TheJuanSolid]

No mocking here. I went down Ryobi's rabbit hole as well. The huge problem now, is Ryobi is being treated like Milwaukee by fan Bois. Seriously. What in the living hell now? It's Ryobi, I should not be seeing comments about a new Ryobibtool, that's as much as Milwaukee also made by TTI and being OK with the full price. I mean, for crying out loud, the ryobi stick vacuum is near the price of the of a Dyson. Sure you can pay half and get a $200 ryoni stick vacuum, but it's not anywhere near the $400 stick vac that's only 30% stronger. But hey, it's green, take our green money! I was anti harbor freight cordless stuff because Ryobi was beating them in specs and price. But again, Ryobi is charging like double, so paying slightly more than old prices, but less than current Ryobi prices, for hercules it now makes sense. Good job TTI, you destroyed the only good everyday person brand you had. Those fanatics will come down from their fever high and your going in the clearance bin. Your stupid stick battery is not worth it anymore, stupidly bulky for no darn reason. Easy to deal with for cheap tools, but not worth it at all when you are trying to sell garbage at vanity prices.

[@talon262]

I've been a Ryobi man for a long time; I've not had a tool fail and have not had issues with the 18v lithium batteries. My biggest issue traditionally with HF power tools over the years, especially on the low end, has been fit, finish, and ergonomics; the Hercules tools does look to be an improvement over HF's older stuff.

[@Matt_bechillin]

IMHO Milwaukee is letting the fans keep Milwaukee alive as long as they’re will to pay for it, but TTI is really investing and betting on ryobi, as it competes with the up and coming harbor freight really well. Ryobi is also walk into homedepot with the tool and walk out. Especially since they’re the “house “ brand , the warranty is just as easy as harbor freight

[@DavidStrchld]

On the contrary NiCd battery can deliver unbelievable amount of power, not the other way around. It terms of the current they can provide (and thus the heat), they surpass Li-ion of today. It was one of the reasons they were used in these early drills. But they have such low internal resistance that they would burn up the circuit.motor before any harm came to the battery, and that actually was a problem. Drills that would stall out while still pulling the trigger could easily burn out with NiCd's. That was why early successful models such as the pistol grip Makieta had an always on clutch, to prevent the motor stalling and burning itself out. This was later handled (I believe first by early Dewalt drills) with a power or thermal switch which would prevent this overcurrent situation.

[@DachsAutos]

I've been a DeWalt fanboy for 20 years.. Over the past year those batteries have finally died out (2nd or 3rd round) I've had a few of the Bauer tools recently to fill the need for tools in my shop, and at the house. I went all-in with more Bauer tools this summer and have been quite happy with the performance. Picked up the transfer pump, air inflator, and that silly wet/dry vac, and was more than impressed with that last purchase.

[@kenandrs8987]

I like Harbor Freight for stuff that me or my kids tend to lose (10mm sockets) and unique tools like larger Metric Sockets and extensions. I like that you have used the Hercules tools and have shared with us your experience. I will lean towards those if I buy new, buying used or at a pawn shop is a good thing at times.

[@Danman1972]

No issues with the Milwaukee stuff. Years of battery use. Charger is fine. The little impact I have is a beast. I also have an adapter to run old ni-cad dewalt. Its been great. I've got no beef with the hercules though. Great for the money and I have thought about the 1/2 impact.

[@garyholder8843]

Thanks, Jared for the input

[@AnthonyRBlacker]

I went with Ridgid years ago because I was doing more carpentry / handyman work at the time and it was just smarter of a decision rather than going Red at the time. I have stuck with the 18v Ridgid and their lineup has grown over the years.. I have 14 4ah Ridgid 18v batteries that are all 7 years old now and they still ALL work just like they're still new. So.. to me, that made my decision back then worth it. I did have someone give me 2 broken Milwaukee 12v (pencil battery) small impact guns and a battery, was gifted a Milwaukee 12v jacket with a 3.0 battery so I do have a couple of those, but I'm actually really quite satisfied with my Ridgid. (Ryobi Ridgid and Milwaukee are from the same parent company. I'm just glad Ridgid has a real heavy duty high torque impact driver and they have the 18v ratchet with the extended reach - tool only for 149, can't beat that! (it's just like the Dewalt one)

[@terrywelch-gk4xm]

I should also add that as far as being dropped thirty feet onto concrete pads is concerned, only the older makitas could survive the fall and still be functional- they tended to break or crack at the top of the grip, where duct tape wraps could hold them together long enough to finish the day's work out. Dewalt was a close second, but both times each drill an xrp 18v and later a 14.4 hammer drill both lost whichever gear they happened to be in when they fell- the other gears still worked, however, andf again, duct tape sufficed to let them both finish out the day! Now, drop a milwaukee even just 20 feet onto the pad, and you are done for the day.- unless you have the cash and there is a home depot or other hardware store nearby.

[@aaronsnare9280]

Ive been a makita guy forever, thats what I have at work for decades. They've only recently started getting into automotive tools, I have their power ratchet, its nice because it both has 3/8 and 1/4 heads. As far as batteries 18v and 20 v are the same. Same cell count, just different methods of rating them. Peak vs mean voltage. The 18v stuff was around before brands like DeWalt started putting 20v on their tools to make them sound better. I think the best things out there are the battery brand adapters. I recently picked up a bauer 3in cut off tool and a makita adapter to run my Makita batteries. 1 thing I do like about makita over other brands is they have the lithium protection circuitry built into the battery not the tool, so if you were to damage a tool, or say use it off brand, theres no worry of over discharge and battery damage

[@Spendishy]

I've got enough milwaukee that's I'm stuck with wm now bit I can see why doing it again I may have went for Hercules but I'm happy either way

[@RandomGreymane]

I’ve always had to make do with whatever’s cheapest and paid the price so to speak many times. After my wife passed away I was able to afford to get all my proper tools. I bought Milwaukee because I was buying them once and I don’t intend to have to buy them again any time soon. I’m a shade tree mechanic so not such a load on them. That said, Harbor Freight is the way to go in my opinion if you need a decent tool at a decent price.

[@gerardjones7881]

i have milwaukee everything, all my batteries are over 5 yrs old, never had a bad one yet, same with the tools, never broke one. I had dewalt nicad tools, very good quality but they were slow getting into lithium auto tools so I went red.

[@rodss67]

Answered a lot of questions! Thanks

[@nicolasanderson]

The only issue with the Hercules is the 12v line. It needs refreshed and upgraded to all brushless. For all the ratchets the best is snap on and next below that is Milwaukee. Snap on is only better for the battery design. I have Milwaukee and every time a battery doesn’t stay latched makes me want to get snap on but the price is just stupid

[@aaronhorm994]

I bought into the dewalt "echo system" 6 years ago, I keep getting tempted to switch to a different one

[@donnie017]

I’m all about Bauer. Good stuff for the DIYer at a good price.

[@TheRealMrCods]

Yay for the MightyCarMods reference 👍

[@EhBrokenToaster]

When I went to buy my first tool from harbor freight I had the choice of Bauer or Hercules, The Hercules felts SUPER slow and low on power with the in store model they had on display with a full battery. The Bauer hit twice as hard and twice as fast. I ended up going with Bauer and I've been happy with them. While they might be a little slower to get newer stuff out the brushless stuff they have out and even the brushed stuff is still VERY good. I've got a brushed 1/4 inch impact and regular style Sawzall. The impact has taken apart 90% of my Jetta when I was building its TDI and even took a few dunks in a pool of antifreeze, the Sawzall has torn down whole 5th Wheel campers with no issues and was even left in the rain. I've since picked up a lot of the brushless stuff and its even better and stronger. One handed brushless Sawzall rips thru anything I've thrown at it, 1/2 inch impact takes semi lugs off no issues, and the drill mixed 20 or so bags of concrete back to back no issues. Also picked up the 6 1/2 inch circular saw and that thing is a little beast, put a good Spyder demo blade on it and it tore thru plywood with nails and aluminum ducting on it no issues.

[@willhutton1516]

And that’s without any deals form HF for Hercules. The 2 for $99 is a godsend! I have 2-standard 12/20V chargers from the 5-AH Battery and charger kits that I got a free tool with for $99 each kit on Ohio’s tax free week. I got one with the 7-1/4” circular saw and the other with the 1/4 inch impact driver. I got the 1/2 inch high torque long anvil impact and the 8-AH battery for $99 during Ohio’s tax free week. Got their hammer drill and another 8-AH battery for another $99. Then I got 2x 8-AH batteries for another $99 Total spent: $517.94

[@Tom-x3m9g]

I just got DeWalt 12 volt tools, sawsall,drill and flash light and 2 little batteries and charger for 22 bucks at a yard sale. They worked so I got them. I'll probably sell them for double when I have a yard sale.Lmao! I don't need them and have all Bauer and Hercules tools. But I couldn't pass up a deal.

[@bread-gz3rl]

Got a list of model numbers you used to compare Milwaukee and dewalt? Also what site did you use because those prices seem kinda jank

[@barrylea1773]

I used to be a Harbor freight detractor but now tgeyre my go to. No issues

[@Rom3_29]

Power ratchet saves your wrist and fingers. I like the 3/8 Milwaukee power ratchet because it’s lightest and small battery. I check pawn shops for tools and I have found many name brand tools a lot cheaper. Mac tools batteries are same as devalt

[@kevinkaup3485]

I have a lot of the Bauer stuff and they’ve worked great for me

[@00mazone]

Rigid has a lifetime warranty on batteries but its a pain to get them warrantied. They also don't have as many tools for automotive use. I'm probably going Hercules. I already went to ICON for everything else. No need to wait for a tool truck just swing by Harbor Freight on the way home when I break a tool.

[@42Hertzer]

Not sure if I missed it but are they all brush less? I know DeWalt has some super "deals" but usually all the tools in the package is brushed motors, it does make a difference.

[@garthp9874]

I like the battery options on the Dewalt tools. I work for Ford and they buy Dewalt tools for their employees. I have a 7 1/4 dewalt circular saw that works great. Hercules tools batteries seem expensive and they lack different amp hour selections. Hercules seem cheaply made compared to Dewalt. Never bought Milwaukee cordless tools but their corded tools are OK.

[@Toolsareus]

I personally have a couple of these tools in my favorite is the brushless impact driver because I have used it for many builds where I have put in hundreds of 3 inch wood screws

[@TCM_Productions]

Never had an issue when buying MKE, DW, etc from box stores, too many fakes online. One of the major KZbin tool testers did some deep dives and most of the Herc stuff was comparable to first generation MKE internals. Been through them all since the and my first Makita with non-swappable batteries and now on MKE Fuel, won't ever go back. Economy of scale and need to attract repeat customers are major reasons the HF products continue to evolve, because you can't grow on low price and low quality alone- Hyundai prime example, far from the disposable cars of the 1980s when they first hit the shores here, still wouldn't consider them Honda or Toyota quality, but far above where they once were. As mentioned early in the video, the ecosystem and minimizing who's batteries you want to live with is just as important as any cordless tool decision. Good insight and obviously real world experience from jobs big and small.

[@timlee1292]

Thank you thinking of switching to cordless tools. Been thinking of getting harbor freight

[@juanc5149]

So I’ve used Dewalt warranty and craftsman warranty before. So they just asked me for the date code, and they mailed me the new batteries, and soldering iron. It came in about 48 to 72 hours later after the call.