Every tool company wants you to buy cordless everything. Scroll through any manufacturer’s website and you’ll see brushless motors, high-capacity batteries, and promises that their latest platform can replace every corded tool in your shop. And honestly? For a lot of tools, they’re right. Cordless has genuinely won in many categories.
But not all of them. Not even close.
If you’ve ever watched a cordless table saw bog down in thick hardwood, or swapped batteries three times during a long routing session, you already know what the marketing won’t tell you: some tools still belong on a cord. Here’s an honest breakdown of where cordless has earned its place — and where plugging in still wins.
The State of Cordless in 2026
Let’s give credit where it’s due. Battery technology has made massive leaps. Modern 18V/20V platforms from DeWalt, Makita, and Bosch deliver performance that was unthinkable a decade ago. Brushless motors squeeze more work from every charge. High-output 5.0Ah and 8.0Ah packs keep tools running longer. DeWalt’s FlexVolt system and Makita’s 36V (twin 18V) approach push into territory that used to be corded-only.
But physics hasn’t changed. A 20V 5.0Ah battery stores 100 watt-hours of energy. A standard 15A outlet delivers 1,800 watts continuously. That’s not a gap that marketing can close — it’s a fundamental difference between stored energy and continuous power from the wall. A corded tool never gets tired. It doesn’t care if it’s been running for 10 minutes or 10 hours.
Understanding this isn’t anti-cordless. It’s the difference between buying the right tool and buying the most expensive one.
Where Cordless Has Won — No Contest
Before we talk about what stays plugged in, let’s acknowledge the categories where corded tools are effectively dead. If you’re still buying corded versions of these, you’re making your life harder for no reason.
Drills and Impact Drivers
This was the first category cordless conquered, and the victory is total. Nobody buys a corded drill anymore. Modern 18V/20V brushless drills deliver more than enough power for any drilling or driving task, and the freedom from a cord makes them dramatically more practical. The same goes for impact drivers — the compact size and portability of cordless models make corded impacts a relic.
Nailers
Cordless nailers are genuinely transformational. No compressor, no hose, no dragging an air setup to the second floor. Cordless framing nailers, finish nailers, and brad nailers have reached the point where they match pneumatic performance for most applications. For trim carpenters and framers working across a jobsite, cordless nailers save real time and hassle every single day.
Circular Saws
For 90% of DIY cuts and most jobsite work, a cordless circular saw handles it. Cross-cuts, ripping plywood, framing lumber — a good 18V/20V saw with a sharp blade chews through it without complaint. You lose a little power compared to a 15A corded worm drive, but the convenience is worth it for most users.
Outdoor Power Equipment
Blowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, lawn mowers — corded outdoor tools are dead. Battery-powered outdoor equipment has won on every front: no gas, no cords to run over, no emissions. This is the category where cordless didn’t just match corded — it buried it.
Jobsite Mobility Tools
Any tool that moves around a jobsite benefits enormously from losing the cord. Oscillating tools for flush cuts in tight spaces, rotary tools for detail work, work lights — anywhere you need to move freely, cordless is the obvious choice.
Where Corded Still Dominates
Now for the part the marketing departments don’t emphasize. These are categories where corded tools aren’t just competitive — they’re still the better choice for serious work.
Table Saws
This is the biggest one. A quality corded table saw draws 13-15 amps continuously. It doesn’t care if you’re ripping sheet after sheet of 3/4″ plywood or making 200 crosscuts in a row. It just keeps cutting.
Cordless table saws exist — DeWalt’s FlexVolt 8-1/4″ jobsite saw is probably the best of them. It’s genuinely useful for trim carpenters who need a few cuts on a remote jobsite. But you’re dealing with a smaller blade, less rip capacity, and battery swaps every 100-150 cuts in real-world use. For a shop table saw that runs all day? Corded, no question.
The math: A 15A corded table saw delivers 1,800W continuously. A FlexVolt battery at 60V and 6.0Ah stores 360Wh. Under load, that battery is delivering power at a rate that simply can’t match sustained corded output. If your table saw is a daily-use shop tool, keep it plugged in.
Routers
Routers need sustained high RPM — typically 10,000 to 25,000 RPM — under continuous load. Edge profiling a stack of boards, running dados, plunge routing mortises, or using a router table all demand constant power over extended periods.
Cordless routers exist and work for light edge work or quick roundovers. But try running a raised panel bit through hardwood on battery power, or spending an afternoon at the router table, and you’ll understand why most serious woodworkers keep a corded router. A good 2-1/4 HP corded router costs less than most cordless routers and delivers more consistent power.
Planers and Jointers
Benchtop planers and jointers are continuous-feed machines. You push material through them for minutes at a time. A 15A benchtop planer running at full depth through hard maple draws serious, sustained current. These are shop tools that sit in one place and run off wall power. Making them cordless would add cost and complexity for zero practical benefit.
Dust Collection
Your dust collector needs to run the entire time you’re working — every cut, every pass. That’s hours of continuous operation. A cordless dust collector would need a battery the size of a car battery to run through a shop session. This isn’t even a debate.
Shop Vacuums (for Dust Extraction)
Same logic as dust collection. If your shop vac is connected to a tool for dust extraction, it runs as long as the tool runs. Cordless shop vacs exist for quick cleanups and jobsite use, but for dust extraction duty, you want corded.
Bench Grinders
A bench grinder sits bolted to your workbench. It never moves. It never needs to move. Making it cordless would be solving a problem that doesn’t exist. Corded bench grinders are simple, reliable, and cheap.
The Gray Zone — Depends on Your Use Case
These tools could go either way depending on how you use them. The right choice depends on your specific work, not on what the marketing says.
| Tool | Go Cordless If… | Stay Corded If… |
|---|---|---|
| Reciprocating Saw | Demo work, remodeling, cutting in tight spaces, occasional pruning | All-day plumbing or HVAC demo, cutting heavy steel, sustained overhead work |
| Jigsaw | Short cuts, trim work, occasional curved cuts in sheet goods | Extended curved cuts in thick hardwood, production cabinet work |
| Angle Grinder | Quick grinding, cutting bolts, light fabrication, masonry cuts | Heavy metal fabrication, extended grinding sessions, continuous cutting |
| Oscillating Multi-Tool | Most tasks — flush cuts, sanding, grout removal for a few hours | Full-day renovation work, continuous use that drains batteries fast |
| Miter Saw | Trim work on location, working in spaces without power | Shop use, production framing cuts, all-day baseboard or crown installation |
The pattern here is clear: short bursts of use favor cordless. Long, sustained use favors corded. If you’re making 20 cuts with a reciprocating saw during a kitchen demo, cordless is great. If you’re cutting cast iron pipe all day, you’ll appreciate a corded saw that never needs a break.
The Hidden Costs of Going All-Cordless
The sticker price on a cordless tool is just the beginning. Before you commit to replacing every corded tool in your shop, consider what you’re really signing up for.
Battery Ecosystem Lock-In
Once you’ve invested in a battery platform, switching brands means buying all new batteries. This isn’t accidental — it’s the entire business model. That $400 worth of DeWalt 20V batteries keeps you buying DeWalt tools whether or not they make the best version of what you need next. Every battery purchase deepens the lock-in.
Replacement Battery Costs
Lithium-ion batteries degrade over time. After 3-5 years of regular use (roughly 500-1,000 charge cycles), capacity drops noticeably. Replacement batteries cost $80-150 each depending on capacity and brand. If you have 6-8 batteries across your cordless tools, that’s a $500-1,200 replacement cycle every few years. A corded tool’s power source — your electrical panel — doesn’t wear out.
The Battery Inventory Problem
To keep working without downtime, you need at least 2-3 batteries per active tool. If you’re running a cordless drill, impact driver, and circular saw simultaneously (common on any real project), that’s 6-9 batteries minimum. At $100-150 per high-capacity pack, your battery collection can easily cost more than the tools themselves.
Charging Infrastructure
Multiple tools mean multiple chargers — or at least a multi-bay charger — and enough outlets to run them. On a jobsite without reliable power, you’re running a generator to charge batteries to avoid using cords. Think about that for a second.
The Hybrid Workshop: The Smart Approach
The best workshops aren’t all-cordless or all-corded. They’re hybrid. The smart approach is simple:
- Cordless for mobility tools — drills, impact drivers, circular saws, nailers, oscillating tools. Anything that moves around the shop or goes to the jobsite.
- Corded for stationary shop tools — table saw, router table, planer, jointer, dust collection, bench grinder. Anything that sits in one place and runs for extended periods.
- Evaluate the gray zone case by case — your reciprocating saw might be fine cordless if you only use it for demo days. Or it might need a cord if you’re a plumber cutting pipe all day.
This isn’t a compromise. It’s optimization. You get the mobility benefits of cordless where they matter and the sustained power of corded where it matters. And you spend less money on batteries in the process.
Decision Framework: Corded or Cordless?
For any given tool purchase, run through these three questions:
| Question | If Yes… |
|---|---|
| 1. Does this tool leave the shop or move around the jobsite? | Lean cordless. Mobility is the #1 advantage of battery power. |
| 2. Will I use it continuously for more than 30 minutes at a time? | Lean corded. This is where battery limitations become real. |
| 3. Does it draw more than 10 amps sustained? | Lean corded. High-draw tools burn through batteries fast and may not perform at full capacity. |
If the tool is mobile (question 1), cordless almost always wins. If it’s stationary AND runs for long periods AND draws heavy current (questions 2 and 3), corded is the clear choice. If you get mixed answers, you’re in the gray zone — consider your specific use case and budget.
Quick Reference by Tool Type
| Tool | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Drill/Driver | Cordless | Mobility essential, power is sufficient |
| Impact Driver | Cordless | No corded impact driver worth buying |
| Circular Saw | Cordless | Handles 90% of cuts, mobility matters |
| Nailer | Cordless | No compressor needed, game-changer |
| Table Saw | Corded | Continuous power, all-day use, shop tool |
| Router | Corded | Sustained RPM, router table use, cheaper |
| Planer | Corded | Continuous feed, high draw, stationary |
| Reciprocating Saw | Depends | Cordless for demo; corded for all-day cutting |
| Angle Grinder | Depends | Cordless for light use; corded for fabrication |
| Miter Saw | Depends | Cordless for trim on-site; corded for production |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will cordless table saws ever match corded?
Eventually? Probably. Battery energy density improves roughly 5-8% per year. But “eventually” could mean 10-15 years before a battery pack can match a 15A outlet for sustained output without being prohibitively expensive or heavy. For now, cordless table saws are excellent jobsite tools for trim carpenters who need a few cuts. They’re not shop table saws.
Can I just use a generator instead of corded tools?
You can, and many jobsite workers do. A quality inverter generator provides clean, continuous power anywhere. But a generator adds noise, fuel costs, maintenance, and fumes. If you’re in a fixed location with outlets — a workshop, a garage, a basement — there’s no reason to introduce a generator into the equation. Plug in and go.
Is the DeWalt FlexVolt table saw any good?
It’s genuinely impressive for what it is — a portable jobsite table saw that doesn’t need an outlet. For trim carpenters and remodelers who need to make cuts in a room with no power, it’s a real problem-solver. But it uses an 8-1/4″ blade (vs. 10″ on most corded saws), has a smaller rip capacity, and burns through batteries on heavy rip cuts. It’s a specialized tool for specific situations, not a replacement for a shop table saw.
What about dual-battery tools that use two packs at once?
Dual-battery tools (like Makita’s twin-18V system or DeWalt’s FlexVolt) do bridge part of the power gap. They’re the best option when you absolutely need cordless for a high-power tool. But they still can’t match continuous corded power for sustained use, and they double your battery consumption rate. They’re a smart compromise — not a corded replacement.
I’m just starting out. Should I buy corded or cordless first?
Start with a cordless drill/driver and impact driver combo kit. That’s your most-used, most-portable tool and the best value in cordless. For your first table saw, router, and sander — buy corded. You’ll get better tools for less money, and you won’t need a pile of batteries right away. Expand into cordless selectively as your needs (and budget) grow.
The Bottom Line
Cordless tools have earned their place. For drills, drivers, nailers, circular saws, and anything that moves around a jobsite, battery power is the way to go. The convenience is real, and the performance is there.
But your shop still needs outlets. Table saws, routers, planers, dust collection — these tools work harder, run longer, and perform better on corded power. The smartest workshop is a hybrid one: cordless where you need mobility, corded where you need sustained power.
Don’t let anyone tell you that plugging in is outdated. It’s not. It’s physics.
Prices and availability are accurate at time of writing and may change. Always verify current pricing before purchase.
