Thanks to everyone who suggesting this video idea and please let me know if there are other brands you'd like tested for round 2. Here's the list of batteries that I tested. Thanks again, Todd Products Tested In This Video (in no particular order): DeWalt: amzn.to/2Efg9jh Waitley: amzn.to/3aM0fbQ Vanon: amzn.to/31jVa7u
You are welcome, do you also realize people on here speak english? not Amps, Wats, or hours and in some cases not old english C*? Love the channel by the way, keep it up but can you make a dumb educational video for the rest of us, to get the basics?
You spent some serious cash on this experiment... and yet again, did not receive a dime back from the companies you're demoing. Once again one of the best YT channels for unbiased assessments, quality experiments, great editing, and enthusiasm.
I would have to agree. Not everything that they do reviews on I'm actually interested in, but sometimes I get a few videos that really peak my interest. Before finding his Channel I didn't even know people made videos doing tests like this.
He makes on average around 2600 USD per video. Worth spending a hundred bucks on making one :D This is not even talking about all the free stuff he might get send, advertising offers, bla. Good youtuber!
@_ David _ That doesn't mean they don't send him all sorts of free stuff anyway. Big UA-camrs get stuff sent to them whether they want it or not. And Leo, if he's only getting $2600 for a video with almost 2 million views, he needs to figure out why Scotty Kilmer would be getting $15K for that and he isn't. Great channel, though, I do like what he does, so I'm a new subscriber. Seems like a nice guy, fairly competent. BUT... for EVERY VIDEO I've watched, there are people posting their worries about how much he spends on stuff he tests. For him to not shut that down and tell them they don't need to worry, that he's pulling down real money from each video, and the tested items are a cost of doing business, tax deductible, is a bit ridiculous. At least Kilmer admitted that he made about $7.5 million from his first billion views. So, it's good business for a major reviewer to not accept sponsors, not something to award them an integrity medal for. And it's impossible to prevent free stuff from showing up on your doorstep anyway. Either you let it corrupt you or you don't. I'm assuming this guy, just like Kilmer, is unaffected by it, if/when it happens. Kilmer is currently giving his viewers $100K of mostly free stuff sent to him that piled up in his garage over the years.
This video restores hope in UA-cam content and definitely earned a sub. No clickbait, no misrepresentation, no hype, no HATED, distracting, annoying racket claiming to be "music", no long, drawn out, pointless intros, no unnecessary, droning jabber. This is about as close to a perfect video, that an imperfect human can get! ...and we're ALL imperfect. You covered all the bases that needed covering and not one time did I ever think, "oh come ON and get to the dang point already!" .....and for a 14 minute UA-cam video that is practically unheard of. AWESOME job! I definitely look forward to other videos on this channel!
Your choice of tools to test never ceases to amaze me. You always do tests on what I would want tested. Much thanks and appreciation for what you do. You provide a great deal useful info to help us make good choices on what to spend our money on.
just an FYI: Dewalt calculates their Watt hour ratings incorrectly compared to a lot of other big name manufacturers. Because they use peak voltage (20V, or 4V per series cell.) This is wrong because you never ever use peak voltage to calculate a Wh rating. Wh ratings are supposed to be calculated using the nominal voltage multiplied by amp hours. (3.6V nominal in the case of Li-Ion battery cells) Both Makita and Milwaukee correctly rate their 5.0 Ah packs at 90 Wh because they use a nominal voltage of 18V. And funnily enough, both companies also use the exact same Samsung 25R cells in their 5.0 Ah packs, same as Dewalt does. Which is great idea for a video comparison since a lot of people like to pretend that their preferred power tool company uses extra special cells (red lithium?) compared to the competition. But in reality they all source from the same 3-4 manufacturers. Samsung, LG, Murata(used to be SonyChem) & Sanyo-Panasonic.
This is correct. All tools advertised as 20V lithium are misrepresenting the facts. The no-load voltage may be 20V, but the loaded voltage is 18V, and the OP is correct that the WH rating must be calculated using the nominal voltage, not the peak (no-load) voltage. While there is a technically valid claim to be 20V, I consider it being deliberately misleading, aka, lying. “Red Lithium” doesn’t refer to special cells, it refers to he smart communication between battery and tool. It’s to distinguish them from Milwaukee’s older lithium batteries. Nothing special about them other than their ability to communicate and determine how much power is available for instantaneous delivery at any given time. Now, the High Output (and Ridgid’s Octane) batteries use different cells, 21700 rather than 18650, so they can deliver higher amperage for a given number of cells. Of course, that makes the packs a bit larger and slightly heavier than a comparably rated pack using 18650 cells, but you can pack more MAh into a 21700, so it’s possible to get up to 4.0AH in a compact battery pack at significantly lower weight than an older 4.0Ah pack using 18650 cells.
Aa BB what about Kobalt with their 24 volt tooling? I'm thinking about getting a cordless impact wrench and while I know the Dewalt is a good tool they are a bit pricey. So I was thinking about either going with Kobalt or Ridgid, leaning toward the latter because of their warranty. Thanks for the information.
@@Parents_of_Twins unless your using every single day for your profession,I would just go with dirt cheap harbor freight cordless tools...for the most part theyre just as good as dewalt makita Milwaukee ect.
Mentioned you while at O'Reilly's today and immediately all 6 of us in the building (staff and customers) were arguing which of your videos are best because literally everyone within ear shot knew and loved you. In San Marcos Texas. 🍻
You have one of the highest quality channels on UA-cam I’ve ever seen. You have helped more people then you could imagine and have shared your knowledge with so many people. God bless you, and thank you for being a blessing for so many
Wow man. This video goes way above and beyond what I’d have expected from any UA-cam battery review. No filler, no bias, no subscribe begging, all valuable information. I have no idea why you never popped up in my feed before.
I just love how you test everything properly, with precise methods. And you're constantly improving, it's great! I hope others learn from your scientific methods, and learn to see through all the marketing speak.
@@ProjectFarm Can you test those batteries for torque throughout discharge? ie Knowing how long my saw will run is not the same as how many cuts I could get out before its starts bogging and binding.
Idea: Best Shop Vacuum? Best suction, rated vs actually HP (some advertise a peak HP), other useful features that make one a good buy for specific jobs over others. How to get the most out of a shop vac?
I bought a Waitley after watching this video. It lasted about 10 months (with 1 year warranty). It would only charge to about 15v (1 bar or charge). I opened it after getting my replacement battery and found that 4 of the 10 18650 batteries had failed. Considering the Dewalt has a 3 year warranty, which they honor based on the battery date, and I doubt Waitley will warranty the replacement battery since they require a receipt and the batteries are not date stamped, I would purchase the Dewalt battery if I had it to do over again. Dewalt will be better value over time even at twice the price.
i guess would depend on how much you use your drill tbh if you only use every once and while i dont see point buying/paying double for the dewalt batts when most likely the reason your dewalt died to start with was from infrequent use. most 18650 have about same cycle life as long as your use within the stated cell parameters and you store the batts in right conditions ie around 70%charge.
Video Idea: Garage Shelving Units - A lot of these units say they can hold 800, 1000, 200 pounds per shelf. I would like to see if you could test these out. I bet we would get a lot damage from these failures and some good information for you and the viewers. Thanks for always producing great videos. I watch all the ads in your videos, I hope that brings some pennies your way.
Some day, when you have some time, you should catalog every test results you found on all the tools, oils, batteries, etc. Catalog it all by brand name and see the company's successes and faults within their products. You do amazing work and I consider this almost like the show mythbusters, but in a completely different light. Thank you for your work.
Project Farm this is like consumer reports except better. You actually test in real world applications, and you publicly video document everything. And you’re so matter-of-fact that your conclusions that differ from my preconceived notions are easy to accept.
I just wish the sample size was larger. Still very happy with the quality of testing with such a low sample size, better than any other UA-camr I watch
Consumer reports does some really shill stuff. When you talk to an expert about anything you'll find some serious inconsistencies between what consumer reports says and reality.
Todd reminds me of a Science teacher of whom I was privileged to have been a student. Methodical, patient, thorough and real world application. Everything is a teachable moment with plenty of explanation without condescension. Well done.
Never really thought about that when it takes my 1000ftlb impact a couple sec to spin a bolt out. Like wouldn't actual 1k ftlbs just knock the head off?
You dont feel the power and torque of a 700lbs dewalt impact , unless you have a wrench on the anvil and try to hold it, its brutal , dangerous and it can break your bones, I dont recommend it, don't try it
I'm surprised you didn't test the battery degradation after many cycles, which is probably the biggest concern when dealing with a cheaper battery of any kind.
I was literally looking at new batteries last night trying to decide if the cost is worth it or not. Thank you for all the amazing information you share in every video!
it comes down to how much you use the cordless tool and how much you depend on it. With batteries, you get what you pay for, (with diminishing returns at the high end).
one thing i have learned (expecially watching this channel) is that some of the cheap knock off companies end up being the exact same thing in different packaging. Obviously not the case here. And with how much use I get out of my tools the dewalt is worth the extra
@@sum1liteamatch another good reason to go for the name brand if you use them alot is the durability of the cases, ive dropped my dewalt impact from over 20 ft before and it came out with just a few scratches, some of these cheaper ones I bet would just break apart
Don't forget Ryobi. I got 4 years and lost count on how many hundreds of pounds of screws I have put in with one cheap drill combo set with smaller lithium batteries from them. They are still going strong. I can't believe it.
I really depend on your testing to guide me when I do buy power tools and batteries. I am a dewalt guy, this is my 48th year in the business. I just want to thank you for giving me an insight to other brands vs dewalt. Now I can honestly say I know what I'm buying because of you. Thank you for this educational channel.
I’ve been watching your videos for quite a while, and you truly deserve a sincere thank you. You really put the consumer’s interest and well being first, and deliver great real-world testing. One may not be immediately enthralled by the concept of watching different oils tested against each other, but your passion and energy for these tests makes these videos incredibly enjoyable, while also giving good data. I appreciate your work! :D
I bought my dewalt 20v batteries when they first came out. Still going strong some of them. Incredible longevity. I am a roofer and I beat these things. Cold weather, and sun heat killed the three I lost. Id say it was my fault. Don’t let them freeze.
Nice to see that you've grown so much recently that you've changed from "I read just about every comment" to "as many as I can". Another great vid this time.
TV fails to recognize the need and fulfillment we get from actually learning something. The only things they 'teach' is largely garbage and purposefully incorrect.
@@ProjectFarm Planning on any long term follow up testing? How many charge/discharge cycles each brand lasts, capacity left (if any) after all that? PS great video thanks!
To be fair, ignoring whats on the batterypack casing/specs, the actual description on the 18650 batteries themselves is plenty telling of the capability. Samsung produces some of the worlds best 18650 batteries and I'm not surprised the '1st party brand' pack uses those. If you're interested in learning more about 18650 cells check out this link: www.18650batterystore.com/Best-18650-Battery-Guide-s/142.htm
Especially when some things are like "last 50x longer" or something. Yeah it will last 50x longer than the absolute cheapest worst possible similar product, it still means nothing
Dude, this is a no nonsense fully informed straight to the point video with great production. You deserve the 73 thousand + likes you'v received. Fantastic job and thank you very much.
I’ve got some of the Dewalt 18v batteries that lasted almost 8 years (I always write the date of purchase on new batteries). They lost some run time toward the end of life, but were still functional. That impressed me.
Absolutely love this channel! One of the best there is quality wise which makes for very informative and interesting videos. Can't wait until you hit 1,000,000 subs!
Good info, appreciate your time and effort in providing this video. Just FYI- DeWalt makes an adapter for about $40 for running their 18V tools off the newer 20V batteries. I've been using it for my grinder and hammer drill for a couple years Constantly and both still work great. Well worth it considering the cost of 18v batteries. I've never had any of the 18v batteries last over 3yrs. As a carpenter by trade they get a lot of use. The 20v batteries are much better run time and number of recharges so far
"18v" & "20v" are nominal voltages, you see li-ion battery packs that all use 5 cells in series alternately marketed as 18v,19v,20v,21v - all are honest(about 18V discharged to 21V charged), though it artificially makes some look better. They could theoretically also be different chemistries(with different voltages), but I expect the vast majority(if not all) use li-ion. A fully charged nimh battery will be over 19V, sites say about 19.3V but I think it could be quite a bit higher depending on the charger or when you consider it to be "charged". From looking at charts, it looks like both types will have a very similar voltage for most of their discharge.
One of the best channels on UA-cam. I appreciate your commitment to fairness, openness and accuracy. And some very creative rigs to test things. Thanks!
Excellent as always. Purely quantitative data without detectable bias. Some times I have more videos and articles in my queue than I can watch or read, so don't rely on UA-cam analytics as a definitive measurement (minutes watched).
We just purchased a liquid drain cleaning product. I didn't know which one to select off the shelf, and I genuinely said out loud, "Maybe I can mention drain cleaners to Project Farm to see which is best." Here's hoping you'll consider a video! Your videos are phenomenal and as an engineer, I appreciate the work you put into these analyses. Thank you!
You should know he probably made a video for everything. This guy is bad dor businesses but great for customers his way of testing is great and he puts companies to the test .
I stumbled upon your site by watching a chap called James, youtube channel "plumberparts" in the uk. I'm so glad i did! Your enthusiasm / energy / passion is beyond impressive. So interesting, imformative and in depth. Near one and a quarter million subs well deserved sir. Kind reguards, Marcus.
Excellent overview. Thank you for your hard work. I don’t know English well, but neural networks allow me to listen to you in my language. Hello from Russia! We love DeWalt too.
I've been watching you since you had 20,000 subscribers. You have helped me immensely in my "most bang for the buck" pilgrimage in life. Congrats on your new subscribers count!
Senor Project Farm (LOL): you can (usually) tell the mAh of the battery by the numbers. Square brackets are where I found the mAh The Vanon batteries should be 1500mAh (18650HR[15]), which would make sense based on your results. The Waitley batteries should be 2000mAh (INR18650P - [20]ECCF12L3ARC2), which makes sense 3.7V * 2Ah = 7.4Wh The DeWalt batteries should be 2500mAh (INR18650-[25]R), which makes sense based on your results. Also, obviously Samsung is the most quality brand there as the other ones are Chinese branded knock-offs. The Waitley battery actually seems to be okay quality, but not like the Samsung. They're actually over-performing as they seem to be rated for 2000mAh. Thanks again for your videos as I always enjoy watching them.
@@ProjectFarm Woah! Wasn't expecting you to reply, but thank you! The Waitley batteries also seem to be LG cells, but after handling 18650s and playing with them, I'd be willing to bet they're not authentic LG cells. Normally LG cells (or any real cell) won't perform 10% over the stated capacity. That, and 'made in China', makes me believe that they're knockoffs. Regardless, you're still getting 10% over the rated capacity, which isn't bad if you think about the price point. If you do the math at 2.2Ah @ 3.7v, you're getting 8.14Wh, which ends up being 81.4Wh instead of the rated 74Wh. Nice!
@@NicholasDeLisi Judging by the different charge states of the Waitley packs after the high draw test (two batteries at one bar, two at two bars) the variability in the cell capacities seems noticeable (a bit too high) between the packs, leading to two of the packs giving up earlier which brings the total result down. It's probably okay though, if at least the cells in each _individual pack_ are well matched between them. Based on this I'm not convinced they're LG either but they seem okay if you know what you're getting into - if their cycle life isn't abruptly short, that is.
I would say it depends on how much you use the tool. for the weekend tinkerer the cheaper batteries would be fine but if your tools are your job then go for the dewalt ones.
I'm just a home use guy and would get the waitleys for sure. If I were doing construction every day I think I'd probably go name brand as the possibility of downtime dealing with a battery issue could easily offset any savings youd get. Then again with as many more waitleys as you can buy even if one does crap out on you as long as you have a few more laying around probably no big deal.
Thank you for this very in-depth analysis, while I bought two of the lower cost batteries that were in your test and it didn’t take me long to realize that outcome was exactly as you did at a much more scientific level. I only buy DeWalt batteries after trying the cheaper batteries just once. I have watched many of your various tests and appreciate your knowledge and level of details you provide. As I consider other ideas for you to try, I’ll be sure to reach out to you with my thoughts. Thank You
There are some cheaper batteries that are (at least relatively)good, some "no-name" batteries(often seems to be when they're made for tools under the same brand) have samsung cells inside for example.
Jóhann Kristjánsson probably because in Europe regulationsay prevent false claims or marketing gimmicks mfg seek to get away with in the states, just a guess??
@@Giggidygiggidy12 Yep. In some countries regulations forbid exaggerated performance claims in certain ways. A tool marketed as 20V which is only 18V nominally would be illegal. We have a lot of this in the US. We have things like a vacuum cleaner labeled as 8 peak horsepower. Well, 8 horsepower is 6000 Watts. The most we can get from our common wall socket is 1800. That term peak can mean most anything. At the moment you turn it on, with the hose completely blocked, there's an instantaneous pulse if it happens right at the voltage peak in the A/C cycle where it draws 6000 Watts. I'm most always against more government regulation but that sort of nonsense is way out of hand
I was just thinking about the shop vac thing the other day... with a twist. Most 120v motors draw about 10 to 15 amps per horsepower. It has to do with power factor and inefficiencies. And yet, of all the appliances I've seen trip a 15A breaker, i've never seen it happen with these vacuums.
It would seem that these other batteries cannot be sold in Europe legally. Very interesting. US laws are worded in a way to allow business to fool US consumers, while European laws are worded to protest EU consumers. Says a lot about US laws and lawmakers.
First of your videos I watched. Bravo! Love the detail and the straightforward no gimmick narration. Just a normal guy doing his best to honestly review at his best ability. You're a true trade and showman, instant like a subscribe! I've had mixed results but now one won't charge making me instantly regret.
This is about the 3rd or 4th time ive came across one of your videos being relevant to something i have been researching. I appreciate your content and production. most content producers waste time by rambling or repeating themselves and require me to skip ahead skip ahead constantly, you keep it nice a concise. Also thank you for maintaining good volume -- m y aux speaker port i messed up on my laptop (which is aincent) and the speakers dont get very loud- no problems hearing you however. i also like that you verify all your claims bby testing things with proper alicable test equipment and disclose all that .. A+ grade for you projectfarm
Your vids are just plain awesome...well planned, edited beautifully. I can't imagine the number of hours a vid like this takes from set up through the final edit. My hat is off to you.
I love your tests! You helped answer the questions I had about replacing the batteries for my drill versus spending $20 more to purchase a new drill. New drill it is!
As others may have already suggested, a cross-brand test similar to this one (with Bosch, Makita, Ryobi, Festool, Milwaukee, etc) would be great. Especially for those of us yet to commit to a battery / tool platform. Excellent channel, btw. Keep up the good work!
I build batteries. The cells used within the case are no-name Chinese cells for the cheaper replacement batteries. The factory packs use high-output cells from reputable manufacturers. That's true regardless of brand of tool, as long as it's a quality tool.
Almost to 1 million I'm so happy for you 💯, I recently started watching and I'm learning about small engines in highschool right now, so your channel is very educational. Thank you.
Just when I'm thinking of making a purchase, you post a video giving me tremendous help making an informed decision. Thank you, and keep up the good work.
You’re great man! - Love that you get right to it. You’re so organized with displaying specs, heat, time in the overall evaluation. Great job; super love your content!
I'll do it if there's enough interest. I'm just reluctant to spend the $ if the interest isn't there. I'll check back later to see if there are a lot of likes/interest.
my original Makita batteries are still working after over 15 years im sure they also have the Samsung 25r 18650 cells in em. Sony vtc5a would be just as good or better
I'd definitely be curious to find out to find out how well the cheap batteries hold up under working conditions. My (admittedly anecdotal) experience has been it's virtually always better to buy quality over the long haul if one can afford it. With a few pleasant (read: cheap) surprises, it seems to end that way in your videos as well. Thanks again for the test! (Edited for clarity.)
@@patty109109 It's a bit more ambiguous than I thought, at least for my sample size of 1. Around the time this video was published, I'd just bought some generic replacement batteries for my drill, as direct factory replacements don't exist anymore. As I write this a year or so later, they're still holding a good charge and keeping the old drill running. I'm not exactly gentle on that drill either. Though, I should point out, these battery packs are using NiCd, not Lithium. That could be a big difference in reliability right there.
Very interesting video! I have a Makita 18v drill driver combo. But based on your videos I just picked up many Makita 12v tools. For most applications that I do, they work great. I am just a weekend warrior DIY'er. Thank you for your videos! They are the best by far. I do love that they are not sponsored, or influenced.
The Samsung 25 R battery is the same as I bought for my e-cigarett and was sold as a 2550 mAh battery, it's not so far off. Keep up the good work I love to watch your channel. Greetings from Norway.
I know you're probably a busy guy that gets lots of suggestions, but I thought I'd throw out another, doesn't hurt.. Maybe some kind of nitrile glove test, different brands.. A popular nitrile vs latex brand maybe to make things more interesting, maybe even throw in a vinyl glove just for comparison.
This would be good, it would have implications outside of handiwork. Since people use these in crafts, cooking, and medical work, you might draw eyes to this channel that you otherwise wouldn't.
I might be wrong, but I would guess batch to batch consistency in the product would vary greatly unless you are buying high end quality. Walmart/Harbor Freight are probably made from factories with wide tolerance on raw materials from batch to batch
I really wish somebody would do a assessment of the knockoff and name brand batteries after 100+ charge cycles. I also have seen that larger batteries outperform smaller batteries in power. I think you could do a video on that.
Ohms law my man. By nature a larger mAh capacity battery of the same voltage will have the potential to deliver more current - what you describe as outperform.
you'll have to sort of understand lithium batteries....some are recycled and just re wraped...since you cant tell (either way ) what the DISCHARGE rate or C ratings and mah are on lion...it's a shot in the dark...unless you have some sort of testing Eq. it's hit and miss no matter the markings. Lower C rating will over heat and crap out...sooner. If one cell REVERSE POLE or crapout...you'll have to some type of battery pack surgergy...if you know what you're doing..if NOT...you'll simply throw them out... It's usually the cell....at the 18-20v of the Pack..getting most of extra heat. It depends what you want to do and use it for...Large batteries are HEAVIER.. if you have to use the drill in weird position..I'd go lite. If you had to use it all day long...I definitely go LITE..CHuck the cordless and use a generator or impac. I can make packs out of LI PO...ligther and more powerful than Lion. I put 2s and 3s 50C 5000 mah..(5s 50C 5000mah ).I basically got 4-ea set for $100...i just use it on POWERWHEELS..it gets used daily twice p/day sometimes. PEDAL to the plastic ( full throttle) for kids...for 15 mins per pack(set).lmao I know what off brand to get. LIthium batteries had also made improvements over the years. There's name brands that will charge 2-3x as much...as well. Not sure why MGF havent use LI PO on cordless drills.
Just stumbled across your channel while searching for a snow blower that might take Dewalt Batteries since they don't make one. I need one and want to go with batteries, but may end up with a corded electric. On another note, I really like your video production. Very concise, quick, you never stumble for words and the science seems solid. I like how you speed up through some of the laborious sections of unloading , reloading the batteries and checking their meters. Keep up the good work.
Another great video. I have some DeWalt batteries from 2013 that are still working great. I will definitely stick with the branded ones. Even if they were the same performance I would stay with DeWalt just because these have lasted so well. Thank you again!
Well that would be great Eric I think we all know the snap on our Mac are going to be stronger than the l basic one from Amazon How about we text the box and that people use 98% of the time I bet you those show up pretty much the same and I'm talking to my hand power Can anybody bend the ranch of it El cheapo Pittsburgh pro ranch I bet you you can't now you want to slap a pipe on there I guarantee the snap-on's going to be better
If you do that a point to note is that the harbor freight combo wrench, box end has a chamfered opening and in tight spots or limited area to grab bolt / nut it slips or strips hardware.
One of four of each brand was disassembled. 1 can be light weekly duty, 1 can be drop/durability tested, and the last stored as directed. After 6 months, the video would have some valuable information everyday people can understand and make use of.
I am on 6 months with my 2 chinese batteries. Use them daily on 5 different tools in a commercial setting. Big impact, grease guns, circular saw. They are decent for the money but best to buy the DeWalts when they are on sale.
It is also worth mentioning that brushless tools are much better to get. They are more expensive but last so much longer on the batteries. Plus they have other advantages.
Thanks for the very thorough testing!! Great data and great comparisons!! As you say, once you get to a certain point with batteries, it may be better just to buy a new tool. My key thought about name-brand batteries versus "generics" is that the major manufacturers such as DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, and Bosch have better quality control. They may all be made in the same overseas' locations but the major manufacturers are going to deliver consistent quality is my thought just from using a lot of different brands of tools over the years.
I have used 4 Gaitley batteries for a year on construction . On my DeWalt power tools and they have performed beyond my expectation,no more DeWalt crap batteries form me. !!!!
nah mate, i work in car parts, about 70% of the requests i get is for well known brands, about 20% ask for the cheap option, and around 10% ask what we would recommend.
Cheapest is never the way to go. Like the batteries tested in this video, second cheapest usually works out to be the best value. The most expensive name brand is almost always the best, but cost effectiveness goes out the window. Mid-range tends to be just that. In my experience, the second-from-the-top and the second-from-the-bottom tiers of products tend to be the best bang for the buck.
The problem I've had with off-brand batteries is that they were worn out after about a year. My Ryobi batteries, one the other hand, last about 5 years, so that's what I'm sticking with, even at twice the price.
Agreed. Also, my off-brand batteries couldn't power my snow thrower which requires more power than hand tools. The off brand stuff kept going in auto-protection off mode. Ryobi cost more than imitations but handle all tools, store more energy and last longer. My experience.
Nobody makes comparison videos as well as you do. THANK YOU for taking the time and putting so much thought into these videos. I hope you're making a crap-ton of money doing this because you deserve it! :)
i once dropped my dewalt impact gun with a 5ah 20v dewalt battery off of a scissor lift about 25 feet up and shit bounced around on the ground for a couple seconds, that was 5 years ago, and its still kickin ass today
I was 57 feet up working on a parking lot light about 2.5 years ago and dropped my impact with a 5ah on it and it still out powers my buddy's brand new Milwaukee impact🤣
@@xwarlockxbakerx exactly! I've had the same "full" dewalt set for over 4 years and everyone uses my big hammer/drill to drill through anything thicker than half inch because there Milwaukee's burn up lol
I was installing a grinder pump in a septic tank and couldn't find my 18v hammer drill while cleaning up for the day. We found it the next day in the bottom of the septic tank. It was submerged for about 16 hours. I sprayed it off with a water hose and let it dry for a few hours. That was about 2 years ago. It's still kicking to this day.
I've drop by Porter Cable impact from my ladders several times on concrete and all other type of floors since 2012 and I'm still using them and same batteries as well... :)
I have been using Waitley batteries at work for about 1.5 years. I have 8 of the 5ah battery. All of them are still working. I use them on everything drill, 1/4, impact, 1/2 impact, jig saw, sawzal, chain saw, circular, work lights, ect . I have had dewald brand batteries last less then 6months. We now have 4 other location ( and me personally at home) that have also changed over to Waitley. The maintenance personal all agree that for the money they are better than the name brand. Also if you have older 18v tools they have a 20v conversation that is around 15$ and has a USB port. Dewalts are twice as expensive no USB port.
I have always wondered how the off brand budget batteries perform over time. Thanks for sharing your experience. For comparison I have 40+ Dewalt brand 20v and 60v batteries that we use for my home remodeling business. We have had all of these batteries in use anywhere from 1-5 years. We had one 60v flex volt battery that was dead out of the box and Dewalt sent a new one hassle free after calling into their customer service. We also had a 4ah 20 volt battery that would no longer charge after an employee left it in the bed of the truck in the rain over the weekend. I figure that one is on me so I didn't call it in. We have been very happy with the performance of our batteries over the years. I think weather may be a factor that works in our favor. We live in the pacific northwest in Oregon. We don't get extreme weather like many other places. All of our batteries are stored in construction trailers so they sit at roughly the same temperature as outdoors. After seeing this video and reading your review I may have to give the Waitleys a try next time the need arises.
Check out battery mooch. He shows some 18650 batteries that are just the 18650 can with a 14500 battery (a AA size Li-ion battery, but 4.2V instead of 1.55V like a AA) inside with jumpers spot welded between the 14500 terminals and the 18650 terminals.
@@xenonram because he shows one example doesn't mean there all made that way. I can bet that most of the battery pack on the market today have cells made in China. I've used knockoff batteries that have held up as long as the oem packs for a fraction of the price. This is hard, on the job use.
Take a third option: renew the Dewalt pack with quality LG or Samsung cells when it wears out and save nearly half. Edit: Just be careful if you're gonna solder them in; don't apply heat directly to the cells and use a wad of aluminum as a heat sink and press it to your solder spot to cool it down.
I had a DeWalt 36v angle grinder and one of the original batteries packed up after only four recharges. Apparently the 36v batteries were notorious for being damaged by the DeWalts own charger and soon failing. I now will not touch DeWalt with a barge pole. Makita and Bosch are more reliable.
Thanks to everyone who suggesting this video idea and please let me know if there are other brands you'd like tested for round 2. Here's the list of batteries that I tested. Thanks again, Todd
Products Tested In This Video (in no particular order):
DeWalt: amzn.to/2Efg9jh
Waitley: amzn.to/3aM0fbQ
Vanon: amzn.to/31jVa7u
Congrats man! I seem to always have a tab open with your videos, between you AvE and Deboss Garage I dont even have time to watch netflixs anymore
www.aliexpress.com/item/4000337641533.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.76cfae2bJvZD51&algo_pvid=53e46f89-0541-4cf5-8a9e-540e07bd6ece&algo_expid=53e46f89-0541-4cf5-8a9e-540e07bd6ece-1&btsid=0b0a187b15834363212021075e0817&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_
could you test these ni-cad to li-on converters for older DeWALT gear?
Bravo!
You are welcome, do you also realize people on here speak english? not Amps, Wats, or hours and in some cases not old english C*? Love the channel by the way, keep it up but can you make a dumb educational video for the rest of us, to get the basics?
You spent some serious cash on this experiment... and yet again, did not receive a dime back from the companies you're demoing. Once again one of the best YT channels for unbiased assessments, quality experiments, great editing, and enthusiasm.
Thanks
I would have to agree. Not everything that they do reviews on I'm actually interested in, but sometimes I get a few videos that really peak my interest.
Before finding his Channel I didn't even know people made videos doing tests like this.
Getting payment from the companies could make the "unbiased" portion questionable
He makes on average around 2600 USD per video. Worth spending a hundred bucks on making one :D This is not even talking about all the free stuff he might get send, advertising offers, bla. Good youtuber!
@_ David _ That doesn't mean they don't send him all sorts of free stuff anyway. Big UA-camrs get stuff sent to them whether they want it or not. And Leo, if he's only getting $2600 for a video with almost 2 million views, he needs to figure out why Scotty Kilmer would be getting $15K for that and he isn't. Great channel, though, I do like what he does, so I'm a new subscriber. Seems like a nice guy, fairly competent. BUT... for EVERY VIDEO I've watched, there are people posting their worries about how much he spends on stuff he tests. For him to not shut that down and tell them they don't need to worry, that he's pulling down real money from each video, and the tested items are a cost of doing business, tax deductible, is a bit ridiculous. At least Kilmer admitted that he made about $7.5 million from his first billion views. So, it's good business for a major reviewer to not accept sponsors, not something to award them an integrity medal for. And it's impossible to prevent free stuff from showing up on your doorstep anyway. Either you let it corrupt you or you don't. I'm assuming this guy, just like Kilmer, is unaffected by it, if/when it happens. Kilmer is currently giving his viewers $100K of mostly free stuff sent to him that piled up in his garage over the years.
This video restores hope in UA-cam content and definitely earned a sub.
No clickbait, no misrepresentation, no hype, no HATED, distracting, annoying racket claiming to be "music", no long, drawn out, pointless intros, no unnecessary, droning jabber.
This is about as close to a perfect video, that an imperfect human can get!
...and we're ALL imperfect.
You covered all the bases that needed covering and not one time did I ever think, "oh come ON and get to the dang point already!"
.....and for a 14 minute UA-cam video that is practically unheard of.
AWESOME job!
I definitely look forward to other videos on this channel!
Thanks so much. Thanks for watching and subscribing!
Savagegeese does really great vids with cars. Watched their almost 30 min. vid once and haven't thought about skipping
This guy is definitely one of the most thorough guys when it comes to comparing videos! Awesome content!
This is the most bot comment to ever bot.
This has to be one of the best channels on UA-cam. It is amazing everything you do.
Thank you very much!
I agree!
Agreed. I subscribe to about 50 and this is one of 5 that I watch all of them.
Agree
We used to read Consumer Reports, now we watch Project Farm. 😁
Your choice of tools to test never ceases to amaze me. You always do tests on what I would want tested. Much thanks and appreciation for what you do. You provide a great deal useful info to help us make good choices on what to spend our money on.
Thanks!
He must be "ONE OF US", Doc. We're ATUs. (Articulate Tool Users)
Project Farm is one of the only channels where I don't have to turn up the playback speed. Thank you for speaking at a normal pace!
Thank you very much!
NORMAL ? Looks like this guy has taken some speed pills....
@@peterc2373 I still do 2x on this channel. I consider it a challenge.
Normal pace, are you nuts.
I'm going to have to agree with you. His videos are always rapid paced with fast cuts to achieve maximum results in minimal time.
I love how organized the testing always is. Talk about a professional at reviewing products
Thank you for the feedback
Well said Nathan.
I totally agree 👍
The videos are straight to the point and easy to follow.
@Montana fishing Fun the dislikes come from people trying to scam us with crap battery packs on eBay.
just an FYI:
Dewalt calculates their Watt hour ratings incorrectly compared to a lot of other big name manufacturers. Because they use peak voltage (20V, or 4V per series cell.) This is wrong because you never ever use peak voltage to calculate a Wh rating. Wh ratings are supposed to be calculated using the nominal voltage multiplied by amp hours. (3.6V nominal in the case of Li-Ion battery cells)
Both Makita and Milwaukee correctly rate their 5.0 Ah packs at 90 Wh because they use a nominal voltage of 18V.
And funnily enough, both companies also use the exact same Samsung 25R cells in their 5.0 Ah packs, same as Dewalt does. Which is great idea for a video comparison since a lot of people like to pretend that their preferred power tool company uses extra special cells (red lithium?) compared to the competition.
But in reality they all source from the same 3-4 manufacturers. Samsung, LG, Murata(used to be SonyChem) & Sanyo-Panasonic.
This is great information and explains why my math didn't come out to 100 AH. Makita and Milwaukee seem to have a more honest approach. Thank you!
This is correct. All tools advertised as 20V lithium are misrepresenting the facts. The no-load voltage may be 20V, but the loaded voltage is 18V, and the OP is correct that the WH rating must be calculated using the nominal voltage, not the peak (no-load) voltage. While there is a technically valid claim to be 20V, I consider it being deliberately misleading, aka, lying.
“Red Lithium” doesn’t refer to special cells, it refers to he smart communication between battery and tool. It’s to distinguish them from Milwaukee’s older lithium batteries. Nothing special about them other than their ability to communicate and determine how much power is available for instantaneous delivery at any given time.
Now, the High Output (and Ridgid’s Octane) batteries use different cells, 21700 rather than 18650, so they can deliver higher amperage for a given number of cells. Of course, that makes the packs a bit larger and slightly heavier than a comparably rated pack using 18650 cells, but you can pack more MAh into a 21700, so it’s possible to get up to 4.0AH in a compact battery pack at significantly lower weight than an older 4.0Ah pack using 18650 cells.
Expert has entered the chat.
Aa BB what about Kobalt with their 24 volt tooling? I'm thinking about getting a cordless impact wrench and while I know the Dewalt is a good tool they are a bit pricey. So I was thinking about either going with Kobalt or Ridgid, leaning toward the latter because of their warranty. Thanks for the information.
@@Parents_of_Twins unless your using every single day for your profession,I would just go with dirt cheap harbor freight cordless tools...for the most part theyre just as good as dewalt makita Milwaukee ect.
No gimmick, no attitude, not stand-up comedian with tools thing, BUT straight to the point, well research and developed INFO.
thank you
You are welcome!
Mentioned you while at O'Reilly's today and immediately all 6 of us in the building (staff and customers) were arguing which of your videos are best because literally everyone within ear shot knew and loved you. In San Marcos Texas. 🍻
Wow, thanks for watching!
Eat'em Up!
Thats crazy. Im in New Braunfels Texas buddy. 78130.
@@ProjectFarm yes sir. You're widely known.
Never heard of you... Glad I'm here now thnx boss...
When he started explaining the testing method, I clicked like. So detailed, no qualms nor complaints here.
Thanks for watching!
Ditto!!
I know, isn't he great?!
He's a good man.
And thorough.
Chad Moller has
You have one of the highest quality channels on UA-cam I’ve ever seen. You have helped more people then you could imagine and have shared your knowledge with so many people. God bless you, and thank you for being a blessing for so many
Appreciate that!
Wow man. This video goes way above and beyond what I’d have expected from any UA-cam battery review. No filler, no bias, no subscribe begging, all valuable information. I have no idea why you never popped up in my feed before.
Thanks!
I just love how you test everything properly, with precise methods. And you're constantly improving, it's great! I hope others learn from your scientific methods, and learn to see through all the marketing speak.
Thank you very much!
@@ProjectFarm do operating power tools at home draw more electricity?
ALSO VERY MODEST
He's so thorough that he even tells you what music is playing!!!
@@ProjectFarm Can you test those batteries for torque throughout discharge? ie Knowing how long my saw will run is not the same as how many cuts I could get out before its starts bogging and binding.
I love those bar graphs at the end of every section! Please never stop doing that!
Glad to hear!
THIS
Idea: Best Shop Vacuum? Best suction, rated vs actually HP (some advertise a peak HP), other useful features that make one a good buy for specific jobs over others. How to get the most out of a shop vac?
Great recommendation! Thank you
@@ProjectFarm That would be an excellent video!
Amazing idea... Very expensive though 😅
Yeah, I wanna see this!
See which one can hold up a bowling ball!! Like them old shark vac commercials!!
I bought a Waitley after watching this video. It lasted about 10 months (with 1 year warranty). It would only charge to about 15v (1 bar or charge). I opened it after getting my replacement battery and found that 4 of the 10 18650 batteries had failed. Considering the Dewalt has a 3 year warranty, which they honor based on the battery date, and I doubt Waitley will warranty the replacement battery since they require a receipt and the batteries are not date stamped, I would purchase the Dewalt battery if I had it to do over again. Dewalt will be better value over time even at twice the price.
I guess it's true you get what you pay for
Excellent points!!!! 👍👍
This is a very valuable feedback.
i guess would depend on how much you use your drill tbh if you only use every once and while i dont see point buying/paying double for the dewalt batts when most likely the reason your dewalt died to start with was from infrequent use. most 18650 have about same cycle life as long as your use within the stated cell parameters and you store the batts in right conditions ie around 70%charge.
Possible you got a dud next time go with Amazon and just bait and switch ;)
Video Idea: Garage Shelving Units - A lot of these units say they can hold 800, 1000, 200 pounds per shelf. I would like to see if you could test these out. I bet we would get a lot damage from these failures and some good information for you and the viewers. Thanks for always producing great videos. I watch all the ads in your videos, I hope that brings some pennies your way.
Would be interested to know this. I know folks use em for aquatic purposes which can really bring on the weight
There's already a video testing wall fixtures dude.
@@Promethium666 Hes talking free standing shelving units. those plastic or wooden shelf units Walmart and the like sell
Yes! I ordered and installed some for my wife's parents garage. Now I want some shelves for my own garage, so I need to know what best shelves to get.
Fantastic idea!
Some day, when you have some time, you should catalog every test results you found on all the tools, oils, batteries, etc. Catalog it all by brand name and see the company's successes and faults within their products.
You do amazing work and I consider this almost like the show mythbusters, but in a completely different light. Thank you for your work.
Great suggestion! Thank you
Project Farm this is like consumer reports except better. You actually test in real world applications, and you publicly video document everything. And you’re so matter-of-fact that your conclusions that differ from my preconceived notions are easy to accept.
@@ProjectFarm you could make a book about the tests and test results
@Daniel Kintigh Well did anyone?
Consumer Reports Must Fear You!! Lol
You test the Crap out of Everything you have on the show! Good job brother!
Thank you very much!
I just wish the sample size was larger. Still very happy with the quality of testing with such a low sample size, better than any other UA-camr I watch
Consumer Reports probably has a bigger budget to do tests of larger scale and size, but I still trust and respect Project Farm.
@@jaklumen I completely agree
Consumer reports does some really shill stuff. When you talk to an expert about anything you'll find some serious inconsistencies between what consumer reports says and reality.
Todd reminds me of a Science teacher of whom I was privileged to have been a student.
Methodical, patient, thorough and real world application.
Everything is a teachable moment with plenty of explanation without condescension.
Well done.
Thanks!
You did a recent test on Mobil 1 VS the new Rotella trk oil , I switched and saved $8 a gallon , thanks thanks thanks
Nice! That's a great savings!
If you have a Costco in your area you should check the oil prices, I recently grabbed 21 gallons of Rotella for under $7 a gallon.
I'm sad, here in Brasil I don't find this Shell oil :/
My next oil change, my Toyota 4Runner is getting the Rotella!
Still waiting for new shell and Schaefers comparison.
I have an idea, The torque ratings on impact wrenches seems to be astronomical compared to how they perform. Both pneumatic and cordless.
Thank you for the feedback
Never really thought about that when it takes my 1000ftlb impact a couple sec to spin a bolt out. Like wouldn't actual 1k ftlbs just knock the head off?
You dont feel the power and torque of a 700lbs dewalt impact , unless you have a wrench on the anvil and try to hold it, its brutal , dangerous and it can break your bones, I dont recommend it, don't try it
I have a DeWalt and it never failed to get a bolt off, it's rare I have to pull out the 3/4 or 1" impacts.
Impact drivers/burp guns only generate that level of torque for a fraction of a second, many times repeatedly.
Anytime I need to buy something, I check to see if there is a Project Farm video on it. Thank you Project Farm.
Thank you very much!
Same
Same here! Looking at batteries at home depot and came to look! Lol
I wish I could give this comment more "likes". This is very much my sentiment!
Scott Piazza I should have been doing that
I'm surprised you didn't test the battery degradation after many cycles, which is probably the biggest concern when dealing with a cheaper battery of any kind.
Safety is probably a bigger concern than the cycles with the cheap bois
ive had my waitley 9.0 m12s for about a year now and they last wayyy longer then my xc 4.0s
@veryslyfox Oh yessss.... Life time is the point.
@veryslyfoxit's all about number of cycles, you can stimulate years of use just by charging and discharging them in a loop
That would take forever.
I was literally looking at new batteries last night trying to decide if the cost is worth it or not. Thank you for all the amazing information you share in every video!
Perfect timing! Thank you!
it comes down to how much you use the cordless tool and how much you depend on it. With batteries, you get what you pay for, (with diminishing returns at the high end).
one thing i have learned (expecially watching this channel) is that some of the cheap knock off companies end up being the exact same thing in different packaging. Obviously not the case here. And with how much use I get out of my tools the dewalt is worth the extra
@@sum1liteamatch another good reason to go for the name brand if you use them alot is the durability of the cases, ive dropped my dewalt impact from over 20 ft before and it came out with just a few scratches, some of these cheaper ones I bet would just break apart
This definitely calls for a dewalt vs milwaukee showdown
DeWalt, Milwaukee, Kobalt......
that be nice to see which brand has the better lasting battery
Just stay away from mikita and ryobi ;)
I like it!! Thanks for the recommendation!
Don't forget Ryobi. I got 4 years and lost count on how many hundreds of pounds of screws I have put in with one cheap drill combo set with smaller lithium batteries from them. They are still going strong. I can't believe it.
I really depend on your testing to guide me when I do buy power tools and batteries. I am a dewalt guy, this is my 48th year in the business. I just want to thank you for giving me an insight to other brands vs dewalt. Now I can honestly say I know what I'm buying because of you. Thank you for this educational channel.
Thanks and you are welcome!
Consumer Reports has nothing on you . Thanks for making some decisions easier , God bless you sir !
I appreciate that!
I'm amazed that you have the time and energy to keep putting out these videos as well as run a farm. Thanks again.
Thank you for the feedback
I’ve been watching your videos for quite a while, and you truly deserve a sincere thank you. You really put the consumer’s interest and well being first, and deliver great real-world testing. One may not be immediately enthralled by the concept of watching different oils tested against each other, but your passion and energy for these tests makes these videos incredibly enjoyable, while also giving good data. I appreciate your work! :D
Thank you very much for the positive comments!
I bought my dewalt 20v batteries when they first came out. Still going strong some of them. Incredible longevity. I am a roofer and I beat these things. Cold weather, and sun heat killed the three I lost. Id say it was my fault. Don’t let them freeze.
Thanks for the feedback.
You simply are the most believable testing person in our country. Thank you so much.
Great job doing that in under 14 mins. Other YT bloggers would stretch that over 30 mins,
You're right at the least 30 minutes and a million ad's!
The unboxing would be longer than this video.
Nice to see that you've grown so much recently that you've changed from "I read just about every comment" to "as many as I can". Another great vid this time.
Thank you for the feedback
There is no show on tv as interesting as this channel. These tests are so well done and therefore so enjoyable to watch.
TV fails to recognize the need and fulfillment we get from actually learning something. The only things they 'teach' is largely garbage and purposefully incorrect.
The amount of testing and rigs you make really shows us you enjoy doing this, keep up the great work 👍
Thank you very much!
This channel never ceases to amaze me. Such awesome content, and seminar level tests... 👍👍👍👍
Thank you very much for the positive feedback!
Specs from a lab are deceiving. REAL WORLD testing is hard to come by and that’s what this channel does.
Thank you very much!
@@ProjectFarm Planning on any long term follow up testing? How many charge/discharge cycles each brand lasts, capacity left (if any) after all that?
PS great video thanks!
To be fair, ignoring whats on the batterypack casing/specs, the actual description on the 18650 batteries themselves is plenty telling of the capability.
Samsung produces some of the worlds best 18650 batteries and I'm not surprised the '1st party brand' pack uses those.
If you're interested in learning more about 18650 cells check out this link:
www.18650batterystore.com/Best-18650-Battery-Guide-s/142.htm
Especially when some things are like "last 50x longer" or something. Yeah it will last 50x longer than the absolute cheapest worst possible similar product, it still means nothing
mrmatalino but with lab level precision
Dude, this is a no nonsense fully informed straight to the point video with great production. You deserve the 73 thousand + likes you'v received. Fantastic job and thank you very much.
Thanks and you are welcome!
I’ve got some of the Dewalt 18v batteries that lasted almost 8 years (I always write the date of purchase on new batteries). They lost some run time toward the end of life, but were still functional. That impressed me.
Thanks for sharing.
Yes my husbands just started to lose its charge this July, the battery is dated July 2012
I still have good working batteries from 2010. None of the newer ones I bought have lasted that long.
Absolutely love this channel! One of the best there is quality wise which makes for very informative and interesting videos. Can't wait until you hit 1,000,000 subs!
Thank you very much!!
Test cheap versus expensive wrenches/breaker bars/ratchets/sockets.
That'd be a good show
(Edited for spelling)
Thank you for the video idea!
AvE already did
Definitely include performance tool or Willmar in that test.
Where would you rate snap-on on that scale of cheap/expensive? Lol
Good info, appreciate your time and effort in providing this video. Just FYI- DeWalt makes an adapter for about $40 for running their 18V tools off the newer 20V batteries. I've been using it for my grinder and hammer drill for a couple years Constantly and both still work great. Well worth it considering the cost of 18v batteries. I've never had any of the 18v batteries last over 3yrs. As a carpenter by trade they get a lot of use. The 20v batteries are much better run time and number of recharges so far
Thanks! Thanks for the feedback.
"18v" & "20v" are nominal voltages, you see li-ion battery packs that all use 5 cells in series alternately marketed as 18v,19v,20v,21v - all are honest(about 18V discharged to 21V charged), though it artificially makes some look better.
They could theoretically also be different chemistries(with different voltages), but I expect the vast majority(if not all) use li-ion.
A fully charged nimh battery will be over 19V, sites say about 19.3V but I think it could be quite a bit higher depending on the charger or when you consider it to be "charged".
From looking at charts, it looks like both types will have a very similar voltage for most of their discharge.
@@DoubleMonoLRThe 20v dewalts are still sold as 18v in the EU because they're still 18v.
The true test would be how many times they can be recharged before they affected usage time.
Great point!
Would be nice to see the performance numbers but I would expect them to still rank the same.
Then cheap ones win. I've tested for several years. Aftermarket beat dewalt oem
@@SgtJoeSmith calling.b.s
I've had my Dewalt 20v batteries for years and they still work great. Keep them charged
You and Chris fix are the only two channels that I don’t get mad when I can’t skip an ad
Thanks for watching!
No joke
Don't forget the outdoor gear review!
Yours is one of the few channels where I don't start tapping my fingers impatiently. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, will do!
One of the best channels on UA-cam. I appreciate your commitment to fairness, openness and accuracy. And some very creative rigs to test things. Thanks!
Thanks and you are welcome!
Excellent as always. Purely quantitative data without detectable bias. Some times I have more videos and articles in my queue than I can watch or read, so don't rely on UA-cam analytics as a definitive measurement (minutes watched).
Thank you very much!
Project Farm is on another Level. I love this!
Thank you very much!
The single best review channel for hardware store items. Phenomenal, thank you!
Wow, thanks!
AvE is up there, though.
I can’t believe what all you go through to test products. One of the best channels there is! Subscribed!
Thank you!
We just purchased a liquid drain cleaning product. I didn't know which one to select off the shelf, and I genuinely said out loud, "Maybe I can mention drain cleaners to Project Farm to see which is best." Here's hoping you'll consider a video!
Your videos are phenomenal and as an engineer, I appreciate the work you put into these analyses. Thank you!
Thank you very much!
ua-cam.com/video/fm2CE2e_3To/v-deo.html He already made a video.
You should know he probably made a video for everything. This guy is bad dor businesses but great for customers his way of testing is great and he puts companies to the test .
just commenting so that the youtube algorithm notes another comment and upranks you. you deserve it.
Thanks so much!
@@ProjectFarm thanks. 🙂
I stumbled upon your site by watching a chap called James, youtube channel "plumberparts" in the uk. I'm so glad i did! Your enthusiasm / energy / passion is beyond impressive. So interesting, imformative and in depth. Near one and a quarter million subs well deserved sir. Kind reguards, Marcus.
Awesome, thank you!
Excellent overview. Thank you for your hard work. I don’t know English well, but neural networks allow me to listen to you in my language. Hello from Russia! We love DeWalt too.
Thanks and you are welcome!
I've been watching you since you had 20,000 subscribers. You have helped me immensely in my "most bang for the buck" pilgrimage in life. Congrats on your new subscribers count!
Thank you very much!
Senor Project Farm (LOL): you can (usually) tell the mAh of the battery by the numbers. Square brackets are where I found the mAh
The Vanon batteries should be 1500mAh (18650HR[15]), which would make sense based on your results.
The Waitley batteries should be 2000mAh (INR18650P - [20]ECCF12L3ARC2), which makes sense 3.7V * 2Ah = 7.4Wh
The DeWalt batteries should be 2500mAh (INR18650-[25]R), which makes sense based on your results.
Also, obviously Samsung is the most quality brand there as the other ones are Chinese branded knock-offs. The Waitley battery actually seems to be okay quality, but not like the Samsung. They're actually over-performing as they seem to be rated for 2000mAh.
Thanks again for your videos as I always enjoy watching them.
Great information! Thank you
@@ProjectFarm Woah! Wasn't expecting you to reply, but thank you! The Waitley batteries also seem to be LG cells, but after handling 18650s and playing with them, I'd be willing to bet they're not authentic LG cells. Normally LG cells (or any real cell) won't perform 10% over the stated capacity. That, and 'made in China', makes me believe that they're knockoffs. Regardless, you're still getting 10% over the rated capacity, which isn't bad if you think about the price point.
If you do the math at 2.2Ah @ 3.7v, you're getting 8.14Wh, which ends up being 81.4Wh instead of the rated 74Wh. Nice!
@@NicholasDeLisi Judging by the different charge states of the Waitley packs after the high draw test (two batteries at one bar, two at two bars) the variability in the cell capacities seems noticeable (a bit too high) between the packs, leading to two of the packs giving up earlier which brings the total result down. It's probably okay though, if at least the cells in each _individual pack_ are well matched between them. Based on this I'm not convinced they're LG either but they seem okay if you know what you're getting into - if their cycle life isn't abruptly short, that is.
@@NicholasDeLisi He always replies & yes 95% of the time pink 18650s are LG and green are samsung.
@@NicholasDeLisi ultrafire lol
I would say it depends on how much you use the tool. for the weekend tinkerer the cheaper batteries would be fine but if your tools are your job then go for the dewalt ones.
Great point!
Or if your clumsy or forgetful get the other brands , it will be cheaper in the long run :-)
I'm in this exact situation. 3 Dewalt tools, 2 batteries, light usage. I'll be getting some Waitley batteries from Amazon!
I'm just a home use guy and would get the waitleys for sure. If I were doing construction every day I think I'd probably go name brand as the possibility of downtime dealing with a battery issue could easily offset any savings youd get. Then again with as many more waitleys as you can buy even if one does crap out on you as long as you have a few more laying around probably no big deal.
Brand name is pricey but most reliable. I work construction on a commercial and residential scale, has not failed me yet after 5 years:
Thank you for this very in-depth analysis, while I bought two of the lower cost batteries that were in your test and it didn’t take me long to realize that outcome was exactly as you did at a much more scientific level. I only buy DeWalt batteries after trying the cheaper batteries just once. I have watched many of your various tests and appreciate your knowledge and level of details you provide. As I consider other ideas for you to try, I’ll be sure to reach out to you with my thoughts. Thank You
You are welcome!
There are some cheaper batteries that are (at least relatively)good, some "no-name" batteries(often seems to be when they're made for tools under the same brand) have samsung cells inside for example.
In europe Dewalt 5ah are labeld 90wh, for that it seems to be on the spot.
This is great information! 90wh seems right.
Jóhann Kristjánsson probably because in Europe regulationsay prevent false claims or marketing gimmicks mfg seek to get away with in the states, just a guess??
@@Giggidygiggidy12 Yep. In some countries regulations forbid exaggerated performance claims in certain ways. A tool marketed as 20V which is only 18V nominally would be illegal. We have a lot of this in the US. We have things like a vacuum cleaner labeled as 8 peak horsepower. Well, 8 horsepower is 6000 Watts. The most we can get from our common wall socket is 1800. That term peak can mean most anything. At the moment you turn it on, with the hose completely blocked, there's an instantaneous pulse if it happens right at the voltage peak in the A/C cycle where it draws 6000 Watts. I'm most always against more government regulation but that sort of nonsense is way out of hand
I was just thinking about the shop vac thing the other day... with a twist. Most 120v motors draw about 10 to 15 amps per horsepower. It has to do with power factor and inefficiencies. And yet, of all the appliances I've seen trip a 15A breaker, i've never seen it happen with these vacuums.
It would seem that these other batteries cannot be sold in Europe legally. Very interesting. US laws are worded in a way to allow business to fool US consumers, while European laws are worded to protest EU consumers. Says a lot about US laws and lawmakers.
First of your videos I watched. Bravo! Love the detail and the straightforward no gimmick narration. Just a normal guy doing his best to honestly review at his best ability. You're a true trade and showman, instant like a subscribe! I've had mixed results but now one won't charge making me instantly regret.
Thanks for watching and subscribing!
We've been using those off brand batteries the last couple months (heavy use) with no complaints.
Nice!
This is about the 3rd or 4th time ive came across one of your videos being relevant to something i have been researching. I appreciate your content and production. most content producers waste time by rambling or repeating themselves and require me to skip ahead skip ahead constantly, you keep it nice a concise. Also thank you for maintaining good volume -- m y aux speaker port i messed up on my laptop (which is aincent) and the speakers dont get very loud- no problems hearing you however. i also like that you verify all your claims bby testing things with proper alicable test equipment and disclose all that .. A+ grade for you projectfarm
Thanks so much!
Your vids are just plain awesome...well planned, edited beautifully. I can't imagine the number of hours a vid like this takes from set up through the final edit. My hat is off to you.
Thank you for the feedback!
I love your tests! You helped answer the questions I had about replacing the batteries for my drill versus spending $20 more to purchase a new drill. New drill it is!
Thank you
I have to say, you do the most thorough test of anyone.
Thanks so much!
How do you decide the testing methods? And would you be interested in doing a behind the scenes vid showing the process of doing a test?
As others may have already suggested, a cross-brand test similar to this one (with Bosch, Makita, Ryobi, Festool, Milwaukee, etc) would be great.
Especially for those of us yet to commit to a battery / tool platform.
Excellent channel, btw. Keep up the good work!
Thank you, will do! Thanks for the video idea.
I build batteries. The cells used within the case are no-name Chinese cells for the cheaper replacement batteries. The factory packs use high-output cells from reputable manufacturers. That's true regardless of brand of tool, as long as it's a quality tool.
@@paulmryglod4802 yep, I may try stuffing some samsung 18650-30Q into the generic brand, didn't realize they were just 18650's.
Almost to 1 million I'm so happy for you 💯, I recently started watching and I'm learning about small engines in highschool right now, so your channel is very educational. Thank you.
Thank you
@Bill Williams yeah! I'm in woodshop, and in a college construction class as well the mechanics class.
Just when I'm thinking of making a purchase, you post a video giving me tremendous help making an informed decision. Thank you, and keep up the good work.
Nice timing! Thank you
You do a great job. I love how detailed you are when comparing items
Thank you very much!
You’re great man! - Love that you get right to it. You’re so organized with displaying specs, heat, time in the overall evaluation. Great job; super love your content!
Thanks so much!
Fantastic! You have now opened a can of worms. Lol. You NEED to test dewalt vs makita vs milwaukie.......... this would be great.
I have had really bad luck with aftermarket batteries. You just showed me why. Thanks.
I'll do it if there's enough interest. I'm just reluctant to spend the $ if the interest isn't there. I'll check back later to see if there are a lot of likes/interest.
@@ProjectFarm I also have about 20 makita batteries that are "bad" meaning the charger will no longer charge them. Mabey u could test these?
my original Makita batteries are still working after over 15 years im sure they also have the Samsung 25r 18650 cells in em. Sony vtc5a would be just as good or better
AvE has done this already
I'd definitely be curious to find out to find out how well the cheap batteries hold up under working conditions. My (admittedly anecdotal) experience has been it's virtually always better to buy quality over the long haul if one can afford it. With a few pleasant (read: cheap) surprises, it seems to end that way in your videos as well. Thanks again for the test! (Edited for clarity.)
You are welcome!
Badly, I bet. Longevity would suffer.
@@patty109109 It's a bit more ambiguous than I thought, at least for my sample size of 1.
Around the time this video was published, I'd just bought some generic replacement batteries for my drill, as direct factory replacements don't exist anymore. As I write this a year or so later, they're still holding a good charge and keeping the old drill running. I'm not exactly gentle on that drill either.
Though, I should point out, these battery packs are using NiCd, not Lithium. That could be a big difference in reliability right there.
Very interesting video! I have a Makita 18v drill driver combo. But based on your videos I just picked up many Makita 12v tools. For most applications that I do, they work great. I am just a weekend warrior DIY'er. Thank you for your videos! They are the best by far. I do love that they are not sponsored, or influenced.
Great to hear! Thank you!
The Samsung 25 R battery is the same as I bought for my e-cigarett and was sold as a 2550 mAh battery, it's not so far off. Keep up the good work I love to watch your channel. Greetings from Norway.
Thanks, will do.
I know you're probably a busy guy that gets lots of suggestions, but I thought I'd throw out another, doesn't hurt.. Maybe some kind of nitrile glove test, different brands.. A popular nitrile vs latex brand maybe to make things more interesting, maybe even throw in a vinyl glove just for comparison.
Definitely... with Harbor Freight gloves included. They seem like a real value in any given thickness. I'd like to see a fair comparison.
This would be good, it would have implications outside of handiwork. Since people use these in crafts, cooking, and medical work, you might draw eyes to this channel that you otherwise wouldn't.
I might be wrong, but I would guess batch to batch consistency in the product would vary greatly unless you are buying high end quality. Walmart/Harbor Freight are probably made from factories with wide tolerance on raw materials from batch to batch
@@jayc4283 could buy 3-5 brands, one pack each from 3 or different stores, to make sure you're getting varied lot numbers
It would be nice to cee things like grip durability how easily they rip when pulling and whats the grip when wet
I really wish somebody would do a assessment of the knockoff and name brand batteries after 100+ charge cycles.
I also have seen that larger batteries outperform smaller batteries in power. I think you could do a video on that.
Both are A++ video ideas! Thank you!
You could. Just a thought
Ohms law my man. By nature a larger mAh capacity battery of the same voltage will have the potential to deliver more current - what you describe as outperform.
you'll have to sort of understand lithium batteries....some are recycled and just
re wraped...since you cant tell (either way ) what the DISCHARGE rate or C ratings and mah are on lion...it's a shot in the dark...unless you have some sort
of testing Eq. it's hit and miss no matter the markings.
Lower C rating will over heat and crap out...sooner.
If one cell REVERSE POLE or crapout...you'll have to some type of battery pack surgergy...if you know what you're doing..if NOT...you'll simply throw them out...
It's usually the cell....at the 18-20v of the Pack..getting most of extra heat.
It depends what you want to do and use it for...Large batteries are HEAVIER..
if you have to use the drill in weird position..I'd go lite. If you had to use it all day long...I definitely go LITE..CHuck the cordless and use a generator or impac.
I can make packs out of LI PO...ligther and more powerful than Lion.
I put 2s and 3s 50C 5000 mah..(5s 50C 5000mah ).I basically got 4-ea set for $100...i just use it on POWERWHEELS..it gets used daily twice p/day sometimes. PEDAL to the plastic ( full throttle) for kids...for 15 mins per pack(set).lmao
I know what off brand to get.
LIthium batteries had also made improvements over the years.
There's name brands that will charge 2-3x as much...as well.
Not sure why MGF havent use LI PO on cordless drills.
I've had 2 of the yellow knock off DeWalt batteries for a few years now with no issues.
Just stumbled across your channel while searching for a snow blower that might take Dewalt Batteries since they don't make one. I need one and want to go with batteries, but may end up with a corded electric.
On another note, I really like your video production. Very concise, quick, you never stumble for words and the science seems solid. I like how you speed up through some of the laborious sections of unloading , reloading the batteries and checking their meters.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks, will do! Thanks for watching!
Another great video. I have some DeWalt batteries from 2013 that are still working great. I will definitely stick with the branded ones. Even if they were the same performance I would stay with DeWalt just because these have lasted so well. Thank you again!
Thank you! Thanks for sharing.
*Video Testing Idea:* Amazon Basic's wrench vs Name Brand wrench 🤔
Thank you!
ive been thinking about getting those too! It would be great to see a comparison!
Well that would be great Eric I think we all know the snap on our Mac are going to be stronger than the l basic one from Amazon How about we text the box and that people use 98% of the time I bet you those show up pretty much the same and I'm talking to my hand power Can anybody bend the ranch of it El cheapo Pittsburgh pro ranch I bet you you can't now you want to slap a pipe on there I guarantee the snap-on's going to be better
If you do that a point to note is that the harbor freight combo wrench, box end has a chamfered opening and in tight spots or limited area to grab bolt / nut it slips or strips hardware.
No contest there. Knipex flat jaw or kobra or code blue (irega) adjustables are the best you can get.
Idea: "Use" them all once a week for a few months and come back with a followup video.
Make sure to dropped them several times as well. The main reason I stick to name brand batteries is I know how clumsy I am sometimes.
durability and longevity tests are a great idea, i think it might also be interesting to see if they can perform in hot or humid conditions as well
Or power cycle them using a fan to keep them from overheating. Measure when they are at eighty, fifty, and twenty percent.
One of four of each brand was disassembled. 1 can be light weekly duty, 1 can be drop/durability tested, and the last stored as directed.
After 6 months, the video would have some valuable information everyday people can understand and make use of.
I am on 6 months with my 2 chinese batteries. Use them daily on 5 different tools in a commercial setting. Big impact, grease guns, circular saw. They are decent for the money but best to buy the DeWalts when they are on sale.
This would have to be one of the best explanations I've seen on this matter. The man knows his stuff.
holy crap. I was just going through this today. Looking up batteries, reading reviews etc. Amazing timing.
Nice timing! Thank you!
Same!!
I wouldn’t say amazing timing,I mean it’s kinda scary they are tracking what u buy and customizing the videos you see and get
@@710jay7 no, that's not how cookies work, the only reason I saw this is because I am an avid subscriber, and have the bell button engaged
@@710jay7 its real and look up 5g and chemtrails , predictive programming
Double the price = Double the performance.. You get what you pay for, Great video
Thank you!
The difference between the two cheap brands is pretty significant, eventhough the prices are similar.
It is also worth mentioning that brushless tools are much better to get. They are more expensive but last so much longer on the batteries. Plus they have other advantages.
Thanks for the very thorough testing!! Great data and great comparisons!! As you say, once you get to a certain point with batteries, it may be better just to buy a new tool. My key thought about name-brand batteries versus "generics" is that the major manufacturers such as DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, and Bosch have better quality control. They may all be made in the same overseas' locations but the major manufacturers are going to deliver consistent quality is my thought just from using a lot of different brands of tools over the years.
You are welcome! Thanks for the feedback.
I have used 4 Gaitley batteries for a year on construction . On my DeWalt power tools and they have performed beyond my expectation,no more DeWalt crap batteries form me. !!!!
Thanks for sharing.
buyer: its 1$ cheaper, i take it.
nah mate, i work in car parts, about 70% of the requests i get is for well known brands, about 20% ask for the cheap option, and around 10% ask what we would recommend.
@@raafmaat what do you recommend?
Cheapest is never the way to go. Like the batteries tested in this video, second cheapest usually works out to be the best value. The most expensive name brand is almost always the best, but cost effectiveness goes out the window. Mid-range tends to be just that.
In my experience, the second-from-the-top and the second-from-the-bottom tiers of products tend to be the best bang for the buck.
Except we're talkin more than a buck here.
The problem I've had with off-brand batteries is that they were worn out after about a year. My Ryobi batteries, one the other hand, last about 5 years, so that's what I'm sticking with, even at twice the price.
Thanks for sharing.
Agreed. Also, my off-brand batteries couldn't power my snow thrower which requires more power than hand tools. The off brand stuff kept going in auto-protection off mode. Ryobi cost more than imitations but handle all tools, store more energy and last longer. My experience.
Nobody makes comparison videos as well as you do. THANK YOU for taking the time and putting so much thought into these videos. I hope you're making a crap-ton of money doing this because you deserve it! :)
You are so welcome!
I appreciate your editing. This video is to the point and no garbage. A rarity on UA-cam.
Thanks!
Thanks. I am in awe and humbled by your thoroughness.
Wow, thank you!
Best honest channel on youtube idc what anyone says this guy is an angel sent from heaven 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Thanks for watching!
Agree
After watching the tests of Seafoam I have been using it and recommending it to all of my friends.
i once dropped my dewalt impact gun with a 5ah 20v dewalt battery off of a scissor lift about 25 feet up and shit bounced around on the ground for a couple seconds, that was 5 years ago, and its still kickin ass today
I was 57 feet up working on a parking lot light about 2.5 years ago and dropped my impact with a 5ah on it and it still out powers my buddy's brand new Milwaukee impact🤣
@@levireffitt9480 hell yeah bro, everyone I work with swears by Milwaukee until their drillls take a shit then everyone asks for the dewalt
@@xwarlockxbakerx exactly! I've had the same "full" dewalt set for over 4 years and everyone uses my big hammer/drill to drill through anything thicker than half inch because there Milwaukee's burn up lol
I was installing a grinder pump in a septic tank and couldn't find my 18v hammer drill while cleaning up for the day. We found it the next day in the bottom of the septic tank. It was submerged for about 16 hours. I sprayed it off with a water hose and let it dry for a few hours. That was about 2 years ago. It's still kicking to this day.
I've drop by Porter Cable impact from my ladders several times on concrete and all other type of floors since 2012 and I'm still using them and same batteries as well... :)
Thanks! Time to renew my 11 DeWalt batteries (20V) as most of them are 7 years old! Viewer on Westcoast Canada! CHEERS
Thanks for watching.
I have been using Waitley batteries at work for about 1.5 years. I have 8 of the 5ah battery. All of them are still working. I use them on everything drill, 1/4, impact, 1/2 impact, jig saw, sawzal, chain saw, circular, work lights, ect . I have had dewald brand batteries last less then 6months. We now have 4 other location ( and me personally at home) that have also changed over to Waitley. The maintenance personal all agree that for the money they are better than the name brand. Also if you have older 18v tools they have a 20v conversation that is around 15$ and has a USB port. Dewalts are twice as expensive no USB port.
Great feedback! Thank you
I have always wondered how the off brand budget batteries perform over time. Thanks for sharing your experience. For comparison I have 40+ Dewalt brand 20v and 60v batteries that we use for my home remodeling business. We have had all of these batteries in use anywhere from 1-5 years. We had one 60v flex volt battery that was dead out of the box and Dewalt sent a new one hassle free after calling into their customer service. We also had a 4ah 20 volt battery that would no longer charge after an employee left it in the bed of the truck in the rain over the weekend. I figure that one is on me so I didn't call it in. We have been very happy with the performance of our batteries over the years.
I think weather may be a factor that works in our favor. We live in the pacific northwest in Oregon. We don't get extreme weather like many other places. All of our batteries are stored in construction trailers so they sit at roughly the same temperature as outdoors. After seeing this video and reading your review I may have to give the Waitleys a try next time the need arises.
To be honest, I'm shocked that the batteries made in China didn't have weights inside to make them feel heavier.
Thank you for the feedback
Check out battery mooch. He shows some 18650 batteries that are just the 18650 can with a 14500 battery (a AA size Li-ion battery, but 4.2V instead of 1.55V like a AA) inside with jumpers spot welded between the 14500 terminals and the 18650 terminals.
@@xenonram because he shows one example doesn't mean there all made that way.
I can bet that most of the battery pack on the market today have cells made in China.
I've used knockoff batteries that have held up as long as the oem packs for a fraction of the price.
This is hard, on the job use.
Why bump up shipping weight ?
@@900stx7 Most brand names have factories in China, so yes, they could all be made in China.
Great video mate. I think I'll just stick with the original batteries.
Thanks! Thanks for the feedback.
Take a third option: renew the Dewalt pack with quality LG or Samsung cells when it wears out and save nearly half.
Edit: Just be careful if you're gonna solder them in; don't apply heat directly to the cells and use a wad of aluminum as a heat sink and press it to your solder spot to cool it down.
With my occasional use - I'll stick with corded tools for as much as I can :)
I had a DeWalt 36v angle grinder and one of the original batteries packed up after only four recharges. Apparently the 36v batteries were notorious for being damaged by the DeWalts own charger and soon failing. I now will not touch DeWalt with a barge pole. Makita and Bosch are more reliable.
@@firebladex8586 The Koreans are plenty good enough and they cost significantly less.
Now they have 9Ah alternatives for under $40 on Amazon. And I'm strongly thinking about buying at least 2 of them. Awesome vid!!!
Thanks!
Just made a career change and am having to learn a lot about tools. Thank you so much for all this awesome info so I can make the most of my money.