Good Buys: Black+Decker’s Reviva, a Sustainable Approach to Power Tools

Black+Decker's new line of power tools, reviva, was designed with sustainability in mind.

With our planet in crisis mode, more and more companies are jumping on board to help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Among these companies aiming to make a difference in manufacturing are Black+Decker and Eastman, a power tools company and a specialty plastics manufacturer, respectively. This duo has partnered together to create a greener initiative for power tools, and earlier this year released their long-awaited product line: Reviva. 

In accordance with the Environment, Social & Governance strategy of Black+Decker’s parent company (StanleyBlack & Decker), this new line of power tools is a big step towards their near-term goal of 100 percent reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by the year 2025. With more products coming next year and a focus on “Innovating with Purpose,” this may be the new way forward in the world of manufacturing.

Defining Sustainability

Gauging how sustainable a product is can be tricky, but the manufacturing process used to create the Reviva line of power tools is the key to future green innovations. Currently, the power tools are made utilizing Eastman’s Tritan Renew, a durable and reliable material made up of 50 percent recycled plastic. This new way of recycling gives a second life to single-use plastics, keeping them out of landfills and avoiding the unnecessary, harmful production of more materials. Compared to the typical manufacturing methods many companies are still using, this production method reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the use of fossil-based resources as it provides an equally efficient medium.

On top of using this recycled material, Reviva’s packaging is environmentally friendly, too. The manufacturers claim that all of their packaging is frustration-free, 100 percent sustainable, and curbside recyclable. As a consumer, this should be especially appealing with the movement toward a smaller carbon footprint.

Unfortunately, not all materials used in these products are sustainable yet, as each cordless Reviva power tool incorporates a battery that’s about as green as your typical lithium-ion battery. This should only be a problem though, when it comes to throwing away the tools, which shouldn’t be frequent as they’re built to last. The batteries used are rechargeable, and on the bright side, Stanley Black & Decker are already focusing on providing eco-friendly methods of recycling batteries and end-of-life tools across all of their brands.

The Reviva Product Line

Reviva Cordless Detail Sander

Specs:
— What One Charge Gets You: Over 30 minutes of runtime
— Applications: Sanding varnish, metal polishing, removing paint and rust
— What’s Included: Sander, charger, sand paper (2x P80 Grit, 2x P120 Grit, 2x P180 Grit)
— Weight: 2.9 pounds

DIY projects can be difficult, especially when you’re working with heavy, overloaded machines. The Reviva Cordless Detail Sander is a lightweight, versatile piece of equipment made up of recycled material that’s equivalent to the weight of 11, 16.9 fluid-ounce single-use plastic bottles. With the sander weighing in at just under three pounds, you can complete your projects without your arm getting tired, and feel good about working with a greener product.

Its intuitive design is great for any sanding requirements, be it removing paint or refining surfaces. The triangular-shaped sanding base allows you to work on tight corners and angles while achieving high-quality results, making it a fantastic tool for nearly any project. Everything you need to get started comes in the box. Setup is as simple as plugging in the sander, waiting for the charging light to turn off, attaching the sandpaper, and it’s smooth sailing from there.

Reviva Cordless Drill/Driver

Specs:
— What One Charge Gets You: Over 200 holes and 400 screws driven
— Applications: General assembly, decor hanging, installations, fastening, woodworking, household repairs
— What’s Included: Drill/driver, charger, double-ended screwdriver bit
— Weight: 2.2 pounds

Built compactly for easy use, the Reviva Cordless Drill/Driver is a key asset in any DIYer’s tool belt. This powerful machine is incredibly lightweight, comes equipped with 10 screwdriving settings for better control, and is suitable for drilling into several kinds of material. It’s also made up of recycled material that’s equivalent to the weight of eight 16.9 fluid ounce single-use plastic bottles, making it a solid option for the eco-conscious odd-jobber.

This multifunctional drill has a maximum torque of 230 in-pounds, enabling it for reliable usage on wood, plastic, and metal materials, and incorporates 11 clutch positions for controlled use. With a long-lasting battery life, you can drill hundreds of holes and likely need a break yourself before this drill needs a charge. Whether you’re hanging frames, installing a fire alarm, or assembling furniture, Reviva is designed with the ergonomic tools needed to get the job done.

Reviva Cordless Jigsaw

Specs:
— What One Charge Gets You: Cut up to 65 feet of ⅜-inch plywood
— Applications: Cutting wood, laminate flooring, thin sheet metal, plastic, tight curves, cutting out holes
— What’s Included: Jigsaw, charger, wood blade
— Weight: 3.1 pounds

For woodworking, crafting, and household repairs, the Reviva Cordless Jigsaw does it all. You can easily saw through wood, plastic, and metal materials with this handy saw that’s built for longevity. The ability to cut through up to 65 feet of plywood on a single charge will save even the most dedicated woodworker plenty of time. The jigsaw is made up of recycled material that’s equivalent to the weight of 18 single-use 16.9 fluid-ounce plastic bottles, which is quite a feat for such a lightweight instrument. 

Changing the blade for different materials and projects is effortless, requiring only a simple press of the tool-free blade release lever. This tool provides all of the control you’ll need, with the integrated variable speed trigger; once you’ve charged the jigsaw and your included blade is attached, a light pressure will get things started, and as your cutting needs change, you can vary the speed. You shouldn’t have to compromise on results when it comes to buying sustainably, and Reviva’s tool set proves you don’t have to.

Black+Decker and Eastman have made a fantastic example that creating eco-friendly products in a sustainable way doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality. Their aim is to continue trailblazing sustainable manufacturing, and hope to eventually work with 100 percent recycled and recyclable materials. With so many companies working to incorporate greener initiatives, it’s likely that new sustainable innovations will continue to be implemented, paving the way for a more optimistic future.

Additional Reviva products are scheduled to debut in 2023 and we can’t wait to see what will be added to the collection. In the meantime, eco-conscious shoppers should check out other sustainable products to add to their list.

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurism’s owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post. 

The post Good Buys: Black+Decker’s Reviva, a Sustainable Approach to Power Tools appeared first on Futurism.

This content was originally published here.

Posted 21 Aug 2022 08:08 by | Tools | No comments

DeWalt 20V Max XR High Torque Impact Wrench

DeWalt 20V High Torque Impact Wrench

More power is always welcome for tough fastening jobs, especially in professional or commercial capacities where time is money. DeWalt plans to help with the 20V Max XR High Torque Impact Wrench (DCF900). An update to the previous model (DCF899), this model improves upon the high-torque impact wrench formula.

DeWalt 20V Max XR High Torque Impact Wrench: The Big Deal

DeWalt increased the torque output for the DCF900 impact wrench. In fact, it has a massive 47% more torque when you compare it to the last model. Expect to achieve 1030 ft-lbs of max fastening torque and 1400 ft-lbs of max breakaway torque thanks to the tool’s brushless motor. It pairs with a max speed of 2300 RPM and 2200 IPM. There are four speed control settings to dial things down when you don’t need the highest performance the tool offers.

The DCF900 features DeWalt’s Precision Wrench mode, designed to help prevent overtightening in forward and run-off in reverse.

Additionally, DeWalt brings in BatteryGuard technology, which uses a shock-absorbing battery-to-tool connection to isolate it from the extreme vibration these tools can produce. Vibration is one of the big battery killers, so BatteryGuard is an important step forward.

The DCF900 is ideal for demanding jobs like fastening large pipes flanges and wheel lugs, so pro-grade performance is expected.

Additional Features

  • Ergonomic grip
  • LED work light with adjustable brightness

DeWalt 20V Max XR High Torque Impact Wrench Price

The DeWalt DCF900 retails for $299 as a bare tool. You have the option to purchase this tool as part of a kit, too, including a 5.0Ah battery, charger, and carrying case for $369. DeWalt backs your purchase with a 3-year warranty.

Discover more DeWalt 20V Max products here!

Specifications

  • Model: DeWalt DCF900
  • Length: 8.8 in
  • Height: 9.1 in
  • Weight: 6.4 lbs
  • Impacts per minute: 2200
  • Max RPM: 2300
  • Drive size: 1/2 in
  • Battery voltage: 20V

The post DeWalt 20V Max XR High Torque Impact Wrench appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

This content was originally published here.

Posted 20 Aug 2022 23:08 by | Tools | No comments

Stanley Black & Decker Q2 2022 Earnings (SWK): Kitchen Sink Quarter, Buy | Seeking Alpha

Stanley Black And Decker

Scott Olson/Getty Images News

Since my last article on Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE:NYSE:SWK), shares have broadly underperformed the market. Clearly, my timing was off, but we’ll see if the underlying thesis is still intact. For starters, SWK shocked the market by cutting its earnings guidance from $9.50-$10.50 to $5.00-$6.00 over consumer demand and its scheduled pricing increases. That’s the worst level since FY13, which printed an EPS figure of $4.98.

In a way, this validates the bearish thesis that SWK will need to work through an inventory overhang. Analysts have been bringing up the concern that SWK is not only losing sales from consumer demand weakness, but also due to competition. If that’s the case, management will have even greater difficulty raising prices in order to meet competitors and thus establish pricing equilibrium in the marketplace.

Clearly, the move from $3 billion to $6.6 billion will take some time to work through. Although it’s not as simple as carrying more than double its normal amount of units compared to its historical trend, there is some inflation pricing embedded in there. Nonetheless, it makes sense as to why there’s significant gross margin erosion from the levels the company has historically enjoyed.

Of course, demand weakness combined with the commodity headwinds experienced up until April 2022 will also keep gross margins under pressure. Management guided that this process will take about three to four quarters. Let’s assume four quarters minimum given the large inventory overhang relative to its historical trend. Based on the Q2 conference call, the core issue comes from Tools & Outdoor, where the top line is expected to compress by a significant degree:

“organic revenue is expected to decline mid- to high single digits with margins down on a year-over-year basis.”

This scenario, in my mind, is a perfect storm and we’re in the midst of a recession. We can see that even industry leader, Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (OTCPK:TTNDY), owner of Milwaukee, is under pressure with its stock down by nearly 45% off its highs, quite similar to SWK. However, TTNDY management claims that organic growth continues to be robust despite the macroeconomic environment. I think that clearly calls out SWK’s underperformance and means they have their work cut out for them.

Capital allocation has also been tough. Total debt has reached a staggering $11.2 billion, which is above-average leverage. Moreover, SWK implemented an accelerated buyback in early 2022 but has since stalled the buyback until cash flow performance normalizes. In other words, the company made a fundamental mistake of buying back shares at an elevated price eliminating the opportunity of buying them at much lower levels beneath $100/per share.

So to sum things up, bears should take a bow for calling out the SWK weak performance and arguable lack of foresight. The question now, however, is where do we go from here?

Is The Kitchen Sink In?

Hard to say definitively, but there’s a good chance that management gave us the kitchen sink given the severity of the earnings cut. It’s not every day that management that has a history of being stewards of shareholder value revises TTM diluted EPS from $11.05 to $5.50 from one year to the next, which is a 50% reduction. Unless the economy falls into a deep, protracted downturn, I think the company’s operating performance will bottom out here in 2022.

On a macro level, overall U.S. construction spending is floating around all-time highs, housing starts continue to be strong in 2022, and input commodity prices appear to have peaked in March/April. These tailwinds already exist in SWK’s performance, but commodity disinflation should materially benefit gross margin in 2023.

More internally, one prong of the transformation is that SWK’s oil & gas (acquired in 2010 for $445 million and formerly known as CRC-Evans). In 2021, the segment generated about $140 million in revenue, and although the sale amount is undisclosed, SWK will incur a write-down ranging from $125 to $200 million. At face value, the loss is about one-third of the acquisition price, but keep in mind that SWK marked these assets for sale at a time when oil prices were trading hands above $100+/barrel. As a general rule of thumb, oil & gas assets valuations tend to move in sync with energy prices. So while I’m not making an oil price prediction, I think the timing of this transaction is quite good. The sale also allows management to focus its attention on its two primary operating units, i.e. consumer products and industrial tools.

Industrial also continues to be a bright spot as segment revenue was up 8% versus 2021. Additionally, management expects that there will still be significant growth due to its strongly recovering end markets, specifically aerospace and auto:

“achieve high single-digit to low double-digit organic growth, driven by innovation, pricing and cyclical recoveries across much of the portfolio.”

Turning to cost reductions, management outlined a variety of ways to improve performance (my emphasis in italics).

Currently, investors are working under the baseline of about $5.5 EPS. Management specifically identified that once it executes on all of these items, EPS should revert towards $7 or higher. I think that’s achievable but the onus is on management to restore investor confidence. Earnings estimates are calling for some normalization by Q2 2023:

SWK Earnings Estimates (Seeking Alpha)

At $100 per share, $7 EPS equates to ~14x earnings, which is selling at a slight discount to the S&P 500’s 17x forward earnings. My best guess is that the kitchen sink quarter is official in and that the stock will continue to “bottom out” around current levels before moving higher in 2023.

Bottom Line

Since we’re already in a recession, the argument becomes about how long does it last and how deep will it be. For the economy in general, I think there’s more pain to come even moving into 2023. Optically, SWK’s next quarter will be even worse as it looks to move through its inventory overhang. However, management has already outlined a tough-to-swallow scenario for shareholders, and having it out in the open for everyone to see is helpful. While SWK is not without risk, I prefer to be a buyer when there’s blood in the streets. How do you think SWK will perform? Let me know in the comments section below. As always, thank you for reading.

This content was originally published here.

Posted 20 Aug 2022 14:08 by | Tools | No comments

BangShift.com Best Shop Vac? Ridgid vs Shop Vac, DeWalt, Stanley, Hart, Craftsman – BangShift.com

I recently replaced our old worn-out shop vac with one that is much bigger and more powerful, but shopping for one certainly wasn’t easy. Not that it was hard per se, but since you can’t test them out you really have nothing to go by except the specs on the manufacturer’s spec sheet. And since […]

This content was originally published here.

Posted 20 Aug 2022 05:08 by | Tools | No comments

DeWALT Recalls Miter Saw

Power tools company DeWALT has announced the recall of its 12-inch sliding compound miter saws, a move that affects more than 1.3 million products.

The saws have a rear safety guard which can break or become detached, posing a risk of injuries from flying pieces or from contact with the saw blade.

Saws included in the recall were sold between April 2019 and May 2022 at Lowe’s, Home Depot, other hardware stores, and on Amazon.com; the saws retailed for between $600 and $820. Models named in the recall are DWS779, DWS780 and DHS790, though saws with a black dot on the arm or a green dot on the name plate are not included.

Customers with one of the defective miter saw models should immediately stop use and contact DeWALT to receive a repair kit or learn where to find a DeWALT service center.

At the time of the recall, the company had received 571 reports of the rear safety guard or component pieces malfunctioning or breaking off, leading to nine laceration injuries.

Questions about a DeWALT Miter Saw lawsuit? Contact a Johnson//Becker lawyer today for a free case review.

If you or a loved one has been injured while using a recalled DeWALT miter saw, you may want to speak with the lawyers at Johnson//Becker. We are actively filing new product liability lawsuits across the country.

We offer a free case evaluation. Please contact us using the form below or by calling us at (800) 279-6386. We would be honored to speak with you and respond promptly to every inquiry we receive.

The post DeWALT Recalls Miter Saw appeared first on Johnson // Becker.

This content was originally published here.

Posted 19 Aug 2022 08:08 by | Tools | No comments

Health Canada Recalls DeWalt Saws Over Laceration Hazard | HOT 100.5 – Hits of the 80s · 90s · 2000s

Health Canada has issued a recall for DeWalt’s 12-inch sliding compound miter saws due to a laceration hazard,…

This content was originally published here.

Posted 18 Aug 2022 23:08 by | Tools | No comments

Student From New Jersey Receives Award for STEAM Sustainability Innovation from Stanley Black & Decker and Discovery Education

DESCRIPTION:

SILVER SPRING, Md., August 10, 2022 /3BL Media/ – Stanley Black & Decker and Discovery Education today recognized a New Jersey student as the winner of the 2022 Trade Champions Challenge. The Challenge asks high school students to work to create a 30-60 second video submission, directed at their peers, about why they aspire to be a trade professional and/or why they are passionate about the trade career in which they are currently engaged.

The 2022 Trade Champions Challenge winner is Samantha S., a 10th grade student at Cumberland County Technical Education Center of the Cumberland County Vocational School District. Samantha will receive a cash prize and a Stanley Black & Decker Prize Pack. Her project – entitled “The Future of Construction” – addresses the fourth industrial revolution as related to the innovative technologies of the construction industry. See the full description of the winning project here.

The annual challenge builds upon a Stanley Black & Decker and Discovery Education educational program – Innovation Generation – designed to ignite, engage, and empower students to become innovators through no-cost dynamic digital resources. Through real-world explorations of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM), Innovation Generation cultivates students’ collaboration, problem solving, and creative thinking.

“As a purpose-driven industrial organization, we do the hard work to make our world a better place. Part of that work is to celebrate and elevate the young innovators whose ideas solve problems, big and small,” said Stanley Black & Decker Corporate Responsibility Officer Deb Geyer. “We applaud Samantha for her innovative demonstration of how trade careers are changing the world.”

Powered by Stanley Black & Decker’s tools and Discovery Education’s unparalleled educational resources, Innovation Generation fuels student learning with a premiere, STEAM-focused, cross-disciplinary initiative that invites students and educators to explore their worlds through building, making, and doing. Innovation Generation resources help students build the important critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills needed for success beyond the classroom. The program’s digital tools can be accessed online at Innovation-Gen.com and through Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform on the Social Impact channel.

“The winner of the 2022 Trade Champions Challenge is a perfect example of how trade jobs impact, influence, and inspire today’s students,” said Beth Meyer, Vice President of Social Impact at Discovery Education. “In partnership with Stanley Black & Decker, we are empowering students with the STEAM content to pursue the trade careers of the future.”

Stanley Black & Decker is also signature partner of the STEM Careers Coalition™ – the first-of-its-kind national STEM initiative powered by corporate and non-profit leaders and anchored in schools by Discovery Education. The STEM Careers Coalition prepares 10 million students for the future of work by providing equitable access to digital content and experiences that engage students, build foundational STEM knowledge, and develop the critical skills students need for college and career success. Having reached over 5 million students by the second-year anniversary in 2021, the Coalition is nurturing a diverse culture of STEM education in K-12 schools and afterschool centers nationwide by empowering educators to teach STEM effectively in the classroom, fostering and promoting quality education, and building the next generation of STEM solution-seekers with intentional focus on racial and gender equity.

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.

###

About Stanley Black & Decker
Stanley Black & Decker, an S&P 500 company, is a leading $14.5 billion global diversified industrial with 53,000 employees in more than 60 countries who make the tools, products and solutions to deliver on its Purpose, For Those Who Make The World. The Company operates the world’s largest tools and storage business featuring iconic brands such as DEWALT, STANLEY, BLACK+DECKER and CRAFTSMAN; the world’s second largest commercial electronic security company; and is a global industrial leader of highly engineered solutions within its engineered fastening and infrastructure businesses. Learn more at stanleyblackanddecker.com.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the worldwide EdTech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading EdTech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at .

Contacts
Stanley Black & Decker
Abigail Dreher
[email protected]
860-515-2759

Discovery Education
Grace Maliska
[email protected]
240-839-4239

This content was originally published here.

Posted 18 Aug 2022 14:08 by | Tools | No comments

DeWALT Recalls Nearly 1.4 Million Power Tools Over Injury Risk

DeWALT power tool recall
DeWALT

If you’re one of the millions of people who love DIY projects and have a bunch of power tools, you’ll want to look at the latest DeWALT recall. The company recently started recalling nearly 1.4 million tools, mainly Miter Saws, over the risk of injury or laceration.

Even while taking the proper safety precautions, several owners reported getting injured from a faulty or easily broken rear safety guard, which then exposes the blade or throws shrapnel that could cause harm.

The recall covers DeWALT’s 12-inch Sliding Compound Miter saw; apparently, more than 1.4 million were sold throughout the U.S. and Canada. DeWALT has received 571 reports of this defect, including nine resulting in injuries. Miter saws are a common tool sold at stores, including Home Depot, Lowe’s, and several other hardware stores throughout the U.S. and online. Affected models were sold from April 2019 through May 2022.

Which models are part of the recall? As detailed here, owners can look for the model number on a nameplate near the handle of DeWALT saws. If you own a Miter saw with the model number DWS779, DWS780, or DHS790, you’ll want to contact the company for further instruction.

Affected owners can reach DeWALT at 800-990-6421 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET or contact the company on a new dedicated recall webpage.

It’s important to remember that with a recall, not all items will experience the problem. In fact, most won’t. That said, it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially with power tools. DeWALT is either sending customers a free repair kit or a replacement safety guard. Some owners may need to take the tool to an authorized service center.

The company says it will try to contact all known buyers, but feel free to reach out yourself if you have one of the above tools.

via LifeHacker

This content was originally published here.

Posted 18 Aug 2022 05:08 by | Tools | No comments

DeWALT Recalls Nearly 1.4 Million Miter Saws Due to Injury and Laceration Hazards

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled miter saws and contact DeWALT for details on how to receive a free repair kit or to take their saw to a DeWALT service center for a free repair. DeWALT is directly contacting all known purchasers.

This content was originally published here.

Posted 17 Aug 2022 20:08 by | Tools | No comments

DeWalt USB-C Charging Kit review: your power tool battery can charge gadgets now – Scoophot

Your leaf blower battery should be able to charge a laptop. Your drill battery should charge your phone. And while we’re at it, why shouldn’t our ever-more powerful USB-C power adapters be able to charge those power tool batteries as well?

Fundamentally, there’s not much difference between a battery bank you buy from Anker and a power tool battery from DeWalt — both generally contain the same 18650 lithium-ion cells. But to do all that, your power tool batteries would need a powerful USB-C port.

And that hasn’t really been a thing… till now.

The $100 DeWalt DCB094 USB Charging Kit lets you add that port to any DeWalt 20V power tool battery in a literal snap. Slide this quarter-pound adapter onto your battery pack, and you get a bi-directional 100W USB-C PD port. That means not only can you charge up to a MacBook Pro-sized laptop with a big enough DeWalt pack, you can charge those DeWalt packs with your laptop or phone’s USB-C charger as well.

The adapter supports everything from the cheap 1.3Ah packs that came with your loss-leader combo kit to the massive 15Ah FlexVolt packs you’d probably only stick in stationary tools. It’s the biggest gadget charging battery you’re liable to find outside of dedicated power stations.

As someone with a garage drawer full of DeWalt batteries, I couldn’t wait to put it to the test. But it’s also not quite the experience I was dreaming of.

Good Stuff

Bad Stuff

How we rate and review devices

I’ve been testing the DeWalt DCB094 on and off for months, and here’s the good news: it totally works.

I turned DeWalt’s monster 15Ah pack into a USB-C external battery that was able to charge my wife’s 14-inch MacBook Pro (69.6Wh) three full times and still had gas in the tank. My Steam Deck? I charged up its 40.04Wh pack five full times — that’s 10 extra hours of Elden Ring right there. When I filmed a nearly three-hour timelapse Lego build with my iPhone, I plugged it into a 6Ah DeWalt pack knowing there was no way I’d run out of juice.

You get one 100W USB-C PD port, and one 12W USB-A port. The USB-A port will do passthrough charging while you’re charging the DeWalt battery, too.

Every DeWalt 20V battery I tried, new or old, large or small, worked with the adapter, too. That includes my two 1.5Ah packs, one 1.7Ah pack, the two 5Ah packs that came with my lawnmower, and the two 6Ah packs I bought about a year ago and rarely use. I clocked them all charging up to 100W in both directions over that USB-C port, enough to keep today’s (but not tomorrow’s) biggest USB-C PD laptops running just like they were plugged into the wall.

When it came time to recharge those power tool batteries, the 100W USB-C port sometimes let me do it faster than DeWalt’s AC adapters, too. While DeWalt unfortunately only ships the DCB094 with a 65W USB-C charger, even that should offer a faster charging rate than the company’s cheaper AC adapters that come with drill or driver kits. And when I added my own separately purchased 100W USB-C charger, I was able to shave off time over my 4A (80W) DeWalt AC adapter when charging the very biggest packs.

Here’s how fast I got these batteries to charge and roughly how much I got out of them:

Charge times and capacities

DeWalt battery Battery condition 65W USB-C charger + adapter 100W USB-C charger + adapter 4A DeWalt wall charger (DCB115) Steam Deck charge from DeWalt battery*
DeWalt battery Battery condition 65W USB-C charger + adapter 100W USB-C charger + adapter 4A DeWalt wall charger (DCB115) Steam Deck charge from DeWalt battery*
1.5Ah (30Wh) Moderately used 26 minutes 27 minutes 22 minutes 21Wh (half charge)
1.7Ah (34Wh) Brand new 30 minutes 26 minutes 26 minutes 22.8Wh (half charge)
4.0Ah (80Wh) Heavily used 55 minutes 51 minutes 47 minutes 48Wh (1 charge)
5Ah (100Wh) Moderately used 1h, 29m 1h, 5m 1h, 14m 66Wh (1.5 charges)
6Ah (120Wh) Lightly used 1h, 47m 1h, 24m 1h, 29m 84Wh (2 charges)
15Ah (300Wh) Brand new 4h, 33m 3h, 14m 4h, 6m 206Wh (5 charges)

*Charging larger batteries for longer may be more efficient. With 15Ah DeWalt battery, I saw closer to 224Wh charging a 69.6Wh MacBook Pro, and closer to 240Wh charging a 100Wh USB-C battery bank.

The only issue I had was that if I fully drained a battery, and I mean fully drained it — ran it all the way down in a leaf blower or drill repeatedly until it would spin no more — sometimes the DeWalt adapter wouldn’t light up to charge when I popped it on. Sometimes I had to trick it by plugging it into a different battery or charger first.

So if it all works so beautifully, why am I giving it this product a 6? Partly because The Verge just moved to a full 10-point scale for review scores to avoid score inflation — a 6 is still good! — but also partly because the DeWalt adapter’s advantages begin to recede when you’re not pairing it with a 15Ah battery that costs $389 all by itself.

Every battery I tried works — even a Chinese knockoff — but not all batteries are equal. I wouldn’t bother using a tiny 1.5Ah battery. Nor the knockoff, because the seller lied about its capacity.

With smaller batteries like my 1.5A, 1.7A and even 4Ah packs, they simply didn’t charge needy devices long enough to justify reaching for them over a traditional battery bank or charger.

Part of that’s likely due to transfer losses, which aren’t unique to DeWalt. You can’t fully charge a 100Wh laptop battery with a 100Wh battery pack like DeWalt’s DCB205 because some of that energy doesn’t make it across. (Some gets expended as heat, and I can attest that charging my 100Wh HyperJuice with the DeWalt adapter made the HyperJuice get uncomfortably hot to the touch.) In general, I saw losses of between 20 percent and 33 percent with my gadgets – for example, the 6Ah (120Wh) DCB206 only gave me 80Wh worth of Steam Deck battery life.

You can even charge your DeWalt batteries super slowly with a 5V USB-A adapter in a pinch. It took 28.5 hours to top up this 6Ah DeWalt battery.
Photo by Sean Hollister/The Verge

But that 6Ah battery is also a 2.5-pound brick once you add the DeWalt adapter — twice the weight of my HyperJuice, even if we’re assuming I don’t have to buy the DeWalt battery because I already have one for my tools. DeWalt’s 5Ah battery is only a little lighter, but then I might only be looking at 66Wh of power for my gadgets, and so on.

When you consider the fact that DeWalt’s batteries are quite pricey and heavy for the capacity they typically offer, I can’t really recommend someone buy into the DeWalt ecosystem just for this feature, unless you really need rugged batteries that can charge your devices and power tools on the go.

But if you already have a garage full of sizeable DeWalt batteries that don’t get a lot of use? I could absolutely see myself spending $100 if I didn’t already have a capable power bank or two. Between the 5A charging speeds and the 100W output for gadgets, there’s a lot to like.

Zoom in for the charging specs.

Now, though, what I really want is for DeWalt and company to take the obvious next step: stick the USB-C port on the battery itself, so we don’t need to mess with adapters at all. In January, DeWalt product manager Sean Fitzgibbons told me the DCB094 could be a bit of a test balloon: “If we get the interest that I expect we’re going to get, I think that would open the door a lot more to potentially adding that directly to batteries down the road.”

I think DeWalt should just do it. A lot of people would buy a USB-C native power tool battery who’d never consider a $100 adapter you’ve gotta take on and off every time.

This content was originally published here.

Posted 16 Aug 2022 23:08 by | Tools | No comments

« Previous Page — Next Page »