The FLEX with a 2.5ah weighs 4.04lbs and with a 5.0ah weights 4.83lbs compared to the Milwaukee with a 4.0ah XC weighs 3.79lbs and the Makita with a 5.0ah weights 3.35lbs and the Dewalt weights 3.39lbs. When you do power to weight ratio it's clear which one is lighter and faster tool. *** I do not own a battery bigger than the 4.0ah for the Milwaukee tools. I displayed the FLEX with a 2.5ah and 5.0ah so you can compare side by side.
Not really an issue. The M18 CP3.0HP, XC4.0, and XC5.0 can all deliver essentially the same amount of power, only the runtime is different. It’s not until you move up to the XC6.0HO or HD9/12HO that you’ll see more power...if the tool is capable of using it. Of course, if your XC4.0 is old, that might be a factor.
@ClientGraphics great video, finally someone does a proper vs for Flex. I have some m18 high output batteries I can loan you if you want to try those in a versus let me know!!!
@@NUTZJ98 There is no doubt that Flex is good. But the big issue is that they are not as good as or as tried as Milwaukee, but cost a bit more. Why would I risk buying a Flex when I can pay less for something better?
Upgraded from an older 18v kit. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxW1vOBRCMrgTCDEijzpVzDWsgI-Jm2iQv I independently chose the drill and impact tool, before I came across the kit.I like the 3 speed impact gun. It seems more powerful than my older one, and it can be set to be really gentle. The drill is more appropriately sized for my use. I used to have a hammer drill, but I did not like that it was so big and it was not a great hammer drill. I rather have a smaller drill like this, and then get a corded hammer drill for the odd case I need that.
I agree my 3 dewalt 885s have been getting it done for years every day and my 887 get the job done as well. And I will say the 4ah bat being used on the Dewalt is old bat tech and I believe if the dewalt was used with 27500 cells it might have performed better.
In the end that's all that really matters. A few seconds there and there aren't going to make a difference in the scheme big things, so you may as well just go with your favorite color when picking a high end brand.
@@titaniumwolf1123 Lol, well my Dewalt tools work Hard all day long , get used and abused by me and my workers and keep on working Hard and making money everyday. They may not be the fastest or most powerful tools out there but they are good reliable professional grade tools that have proven themselves over many many years of hard use. I personally still use some of my Dewalt 18v tools like my 6 1/2 circ and my grinder and I power them with the 20v adapter. My four 885 impacts just woulnt die no matter how hard they get worked. Ive had to rebend my collet springs at least twice on each one due the day long driving of T40 5/16" lags of verying sizes from 2" to 8" and im too lazy I guess to order new ones from Dewalt.
As someone who does construction for a living, great video. Very nice to see these side by side. From personal experience the Milwaukee is my favorite for things that need speed, like metal roofing. If its something that doesn't need speed I will use the Dewalt. I find it less fatiguing to use for long periods. Also the Dewalts durability is insane! Its not uncommon for our crew to accidentally drop a drill of a roof and we only had one break in the 4 years I've been working. That was after a 16 foot fall onto concrete, the handle broke. And after epoxying the handle back together, were still using it. Again I can't over state the durability.
Yeah, I have to agree. I have been thinking about switching to Milwaukee or Makita, but my DeWalt tools just last forever. And I have beat them all to hell. Can't talk bad about DeWalt. That is from personal experience. Been good to me.
The XR Drills just don't take abuse well. I smoked 3 in less than a year before changing platforms. Disappointing they use a plastic gear case for their high end drills.
Flex is a great tool and it stands up well to everything tested here. Moving up from old style battery drills/drivers....when you need a new one...Flex is a great, top of the line choice. No, I wouldn't be out buying anything if I owned a good, new style Milwaukee 18 volt drill driver or Dewalt quality one. But Flex is a great choice!
I watch several Flex vids too, its the hype. But still not impressed, its powerful but not engineered with the knowhow of the 3 biggest established brands.
I personally don’t care which one finished the fastest . I care more about the life longevity of the tool . If had to bet the Makita will outlive all others 🤷🏻♂️ !!!! Ohhh and Makita fits perfect in the human hand , and is well balanced 😎
All of my tools are makita except for my 12" mider saws. Makita tools are not the most powerful tool out there but they are the most balanced when it comes to power and battery durability. And the only reason I don't rock a makita mider saw is because it takes a PHD to tune it (about 10 adjustments) compared to my dewalt (3 adjustments)
@@fu2974 let me tell you they’re pretty bad ass . They almost feel like a Makita in the hand . I call I Hitachi the Makita brother , they’re very similar!!
@@philltafollaDo you think Metabo helped Hitachi or hurt it? I have buddies that swear on Metabo. My only real problem with Makita and Hitachi is that thier isn't any real distributors for my brand or Hitachi (Metabo) and I don't like to give my money to the HD or Lowe's if I can help it. Plus their lines seem to be a bit less durable than the pro grade. I've had to go to different cities to purchase what I want which is a pain in the ass.
I really appreciate how you purchased all these tools to do this set of tests. For ms personally it gives me a measure of extra legitimacy. Great job Chris amazing video as always.
I’ve got Milwaukee, Dewalt, and the Flex. I’m retired and like all of them. Unfortunately the batteries outlast me! All of them! I just need the things to work! When I get my tools out, there is usually no one around! I like having everything in my Flex Case, in my truck trunk! Dewalt in the garage, Milwaukee in my shed! They all support me, well! Not getting any more brands, except Ryobie , for yard maintenance.
Project farm > Big criticism for this test is the battery size doesnt determine speed... discharge rate does. Most high end tools regulate discharge rate and battery size doesn't matter.
Looks like Flex focused on speed on lighter duty tasks, but can’t always keep up when maximum torque is needed. That’s probably a good trade off for most users, but it’s definitely something to consider if you use your impact for a lot of high torque tasks.
ABSOLUTEL , but the specs are very misleading, 4,000 rpm's and 2,400 inlbs torque , those are Monster numbers and should have Blown Out Everyone including the Milwaukee Fuel which is 3,600 rpm's and 2,000 inlbs. of torque, but as soon as the Flex hit a tough piece of wood it shit the bed and that also makes me question its longevity.....
@@Victory_Venture. No , its only a lifetime Warranty on the tools that are bought the first year that Flex is out , after year 1 it goes to 3 or 5 yrs limited warranty....
I dont see any high output batteries from Milwaukee, which is all I run and I never have an issue getting a task done. Flex is only flexing fake muscles. Milwaukee will outlive it. I can guarantee it.
This is the best vid so far because it doesn't start out talking smack, just puts em all through same test. I still think the brand looks decent-the Turbo Hammer Drill and Quick Eject Impact with two batteries are $350-but we'll see what folks say about durability in the field. That's all that matters. Maybe we'll know by this summer. Thanks for setting it all up! Eager to see the Hammer Drill in action, too.
Thank GOD!!! I been waiting for someone to do a comparison on these top tier impact drivers. Awesome job and video review my brother Chris. YOU ARE THE MAIN MAN!!! 😎
I agree with you 100% that if you are are already on the Milwaukee, DeWalt, Makita or Bosch battery platform with several tools it would be just silly to go buy a Flex just because it it less than a second faster. ((((and something that is never ever mentioned by anyone on TH-cam is that if you're drilling through metal (like electricians often do), you need it on the slower (Speed 1 ) anyway. ..... so you are absolutely right, if you're on a battery platform, there is no reason to switch
Agreed. All tools are so capable now, the only real reason to switch battery ecosystems is if another platform has other tools that you can't get in your current platform and you really want (i.e. vacuum, lights, lawncare OPE, etc).
My thought would always be, when you're buying your first tools, get whichever major brand has the best deals at the time - DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, Bosch, Metabo, Ryobi, Rigid, and maybe Flex are all good. Unless you're going to be using them professionally, then stick with either DeWalt for ergonomics or Milwaukee for performance because of how expansive their lineups are - consider adding a Metabo hammer drill, Bosch oscillating multi-tool, and Rigid pulse driver as needed.
The contract said the paycheck is only if the flex wins the showdown! the 4.0 is an old and obsolete battery, he really had to search to handicap the Milwaukee
We will see how they hold up with longevity and durability. I use Makita & DeWalt because they’ve lasted me years in the past.. I still have a working dewalt drill before they started putting li ion battery’s in them. It’s insane!
My dad and I have a construction company he’s been using dewalt forever and loves the durability I hopped on the flex train since I was just using his hand me downs for like 5 years now haha. He only wants to use my tools now he really likes the circular saw and the hammer drill. But he did say the true test will be how long it lasts.
Home depot has a sale on dewalt drill sets right now (at the time of writing this) for like $150. It comes with a drill, an impact, a charger, and 2 1.5 AH batteries. I'm pretty happy with my purchase, and this video was very informative on the other brands.
Nice masterforce impact driver at 1:41. They have a new one in the boost line that looks identical except it says boost right above thr battery, it does have a nice boost in stats and is the same price. Great test btw. It's good to see straight up solid testing.
How did that thing sneak in there.... It’s a Chervon manufactured power tool from Menards. Big and powerful but priced really competitive when on-sale, just doesn’t have the lineup depth. I’ll get around to testing it for TH-cam one day.
Agreed...i love my Kobalt... amazing how many will spend 2 or even 3 times the money for the same performance and just pay for a name...i work hard for my cash, i like it in my pocket
@@justgregnow i found significant difference in speed between my 3AH and 5AH batteries on dewalt. Before I thought that there should be no difference and it was a myth.
@@cb84capri What you talking about? My service vans are outfitted with Milwaukee tools and never had an issue outside of one battery failure. Probably about $25k worth of equipment. One m12 impact started acting funny after it slid off a roof 2 stories high onto dirt. I haven’t ever even heard of any common failures.
I will say this. Speed and power is not everything. It all depends what kind of work you are doing with the tools. sometimes a light weight tool for over head work is preferred instead of a heavier tool that gives you a small bit of extra power and speed.
Finally a real test and weight on the tools and. someone that's not paid by flex to make their tool look like it outperformed the real tools on the market. You're the first person that had an honest review on flex
You can buy a Makita XDT14 with 3 speeds , a 3.0ah battery and charger for $99.00 at Xmas time , it has the same exact specs as the XDT16 , it just has less modes. Definitely my Favorite Impact.....
Excellent! Love the sync'ed up side-by side format. The results once you got into the white oak were really interesting. Regarding your drill bit questions - I don't personally drill with my impact drivers. But plenty of people do and I don't think it's an unfair test to run. The collets on these things should be an area to focus on for all of the manufacturers that had failures. Especially Milwaukee, where the collet is a well-known issue. Note - Flex will expand beyond Lowe's after an exclusive period. Not sure how long that will be, though.
Just wanted to stop in and say what’s up Jim. Love your channel brother. You two guys are truly the most unbiased and your opinions are valued in my book. Hope all is well my brother
Cool to have a new competitor on the market. You kinda expect them to do the best since they can look at the competition and improve slightly. I’ll stick with my red but the flex is impressive
Great video comparison! In my opinion if someone is buying into a new battery platform I would say Milwaukee just because they have almost every tool you want in both M12 and M18 from wood working to automotive.
When you went thru the white oak the amount of vibration transferred to the users hand is VERY noticeable. I’ve owned the same Makita drill and impact for about 9 years and they both still work great. Now granted I don’t use them all day every day, but I use them more than any home do it yourselfer. Heck 1 of the 2 original batteries is still working.
I'll go with flex I've been using them since they came out haven't had any problems with them yet they are ahh bit expensive but very nice looking tools I built decks porches add ons to houses and they are quite quick and powerful 😉 ..Hopefully they make bigger and better batteries that's the secret to faster speed work.
In comparison to Milwaukee and some dewalt tools flex is definitely cheaper. They also do promotional deals more since it’s a lowe exclusive brand so they can do what they want.
@@willng34 Milwaukee has made it very clear that the batteries are the limiting factor on there brushless motors. This is actually a good thing long-term Because if you were to buy an impact or drill Down the road if you got to spend a couple hundred dollars on a good battery it’s better than buying a brand new drill IMO
im waiting for the Makita 20/40V since its gonna be its own battery platform. i switched from Milly to Makita because of the bit release issues and saving microseconds mean nothing if i cant count on bits coming out while in operation. Its becomes a nuisance all the way to a safety issue. That's me, cant drive 30 plus miles from a job site to a home depot or where ever to buy a replacement.
Odd I've seen people have issues with the Milwaukee's collet, I snap bits rather than them slip out I guess hahah. I am curious why you used a 4AH and not a 5AH battery for the Milwaukee.
4Ah is the biggest I have in Milwaukee and since I normally don’t included Makita and just bought that for the video in addition to the FLEX I’m tapped out. At least I got a deal on the Makita with 4(5.0Ah and 2 tools) instagram.com/p/CN8hYlnDt8_/?igshid=g8mvfuqllufz
Because he “did not have a 5.0Ah” which is the most common M18 battery on the market right now. 4.0 is an old and obsolete battery, it’s been proven that the 5.0 is much more powerful, and the 3.0 HO has even more power than the 5.0. These rigged tests are hilarious
All these comments of "you shouldve used this or that". This guy isnt rich...he cant go out and buy a crap ton of everything. He bought some..and used what he already had on some. It is what it is and still informative.
Being refined says so much more to me than speed. I know the xtr has a lot of torque, and im not sure about the flex, but the makita is so smooth and ergonomic. Id take that everyday.
The only interest I have in Flex is the 6 1/2 inch circular saw, grinder and the multi tool. And since you can get a lifetime warranty when you buy them this year, peaks my interest.
You really wanted to dislike the Flex because of its weight, as a woman (5'4") I own the Flex combo that gives me 2 tools 4 batteries 2 chargers That cost me $200 bucks. I use them for kitchen remodeling and they work like a charm and the weight is no problem what so ever.
@janicecopeland9083...I'm not a fan of any particular brand, but you are spot on about him wanting to dislike Flex. If you are a tradesman that can't handle an extra pound of weight, then maybe it's time for a career change. The Flex lost on inserting once, but still was faster on the removal, otherwise, Flex smoked em all on every other test. You can definitely hear the fan boy for Milwaukee in his voice, as well as most of the commenters making excuses for their favorite brand names. It's Pretty sad when, mainly grow men, defend their favorite brand like children, as though they made the tools themselves.
#TeamMakita! I started of with the Dewalt for two years until it fell off a scaffold from the 4th level. Still functioned but lost power. Tried out the Milwaukee loved the look and everything but I had the exact same problem. Returned it for a Makita, cheaper, smoother and quieter. and now all my tools are Makita. Aside from my reciprocating saw and finish nailer.
I watched HOURS of these types of videos several months ago and sifted through hundreds of reviews (prior to Flex even being on the scene) and visited the stores multiple times and checked out most of these thoroughly. I noticed that the Milwaukee collet was an issue across the board and let’s go of bits constantly. I liked the Makita stuff, but was a bit more than I wanted to spend. Bosch just didn’t seem as rugged. I ended up mostly comparing Dewalt and Kobalt. Everything about the Dewalt seemed less solid. The Chuck felt cheap and the directional switch felt squishy. Lowe’s had a promotion where I got a free 4.0 amp battery and offered a 5 year in-store warranty. I went with the XTR set. It was hard to find anyone complain about them
I use kobalt professionally, i switched because my DeWalt xr impact burnt out after a year. I abuse the absolute shit out of my impact all day everyday. There was an issue with the trigger and i got a new replacement tool through the standard warranty. Im glad i made the switch 2 years later. I don't abuse any other power tools but i can say the xtr hammer drill is a beast
Little update, right after I made this comment, the trigger started doing the same funny business. Lowe's replaced the impact driver again on the spot, cannot say enough about how good the warranty is.
It looks like the collets are being pulled into the wood by the bit going in too far. Perhaps the collet is hitting the edge of the hole. @12:23 at 0.25 speed, you can see that when the speedbore is inserted all the way down into the wood, the collett is being disengaged by the edge of the hole. If you tried this with a bigger, or even a smaller bit, the collett would hold it normally.
I’m thinking of getting a Flex combo kit with the hammer drill and the impact…I have a handful of dewalt tools for cutting (brushless jigsaw) bolts, drilling and or hole sawing through steel and aluminum, and the like. (All brushless tools) I got a Dewalt Compact XR set and already had issue with my XR Dcd800 Compact drill after hardly a month…it had a disgustingly wobbly chuck so I sent it in and they replaced the drill with a brand new one. Same thing not even a month later with the new replacement. I’m not sure why but it seems like Dewalts quality is lacking on the newer tools other than their battery options (love the power stacks so far) I haven’t had issue with the 1/4” compact impact (newest generation) but I don’t really use it as much. Aside from that I have their compact 1/2” impact with hog ring anvil and love that so far. But I’m most disappointed with the drill. (Dewalt said the wobble is “like that from factory” which I think is very odd) I can sacrifice the weight difference with a battery if it means faster drilling…even with hex end drill bits, I’m not too worried about the weight of the Flex impact for some light OH usage; not that I’m getting rid of the dewalt I have. The big plus of Flex is their limited lifetime warrant and big sale prices. Their combo kit being $349 plus tax vs $699 plus tax right now is a huge appeal with the limited lifetime warranty with registration! Good comparison video nonetheless. Although I’m curious as to what setting was used on the flex, since it has multiple settings for torque
Ah yes glad Makita was my 1st and only choice. I am satisfied with all the tests I seen even if not in 1st place. Can't wait to see XGT coming for the crown.
One thing a lot of reviews leave out is any info on the batteries themselves. I have batteries from all these brands except the kobalt. The flex batteries charge almost twice as fast which is a huge perk in situations where you run out of electrons :)
@@kyleb5518 Teal is good. White isn’t commercial, it’s the equivalent to Bosch Green. You won’t find many red Makitas because they are the few still made in Japan. If it’s Red or Teal it’s good. Makita even stated the white color is not as heavy duty. Taking a white Makita and expecting it to be top tier is like taking a Black and Decker to a job site thinking it’s good cause it’s DeWalt home brand.
Heavy Industrial machinist here working in the rail/transportation sector. Have to say I've been very impressed with FLEX in the shop. It's getting abused in a dirty freezing environment. Battery life is great, we'll see how it matches up against my otherwise red collection
Milwaukee is it. They’ve been tested many of times. They’ve been targeted by other brands many of times.... then flex comes out aiming at Milwaukee first. Lol. Milwaukee has history behind their tools. I’m not gonna change battery platform just because flex is 1sec faster.
@@jasonm6111 - Spot on! Look at all they offer and what they LEAD in and look at their capabilities of the platform. It's hard to go wrong with any of the big 3. But legitimately big red CONSISTENTLY finish top 3 in most any tool category for the things I own and use. Look at their drills, impacts, saws, lights etc etc etc.... They're hard to beat!
@@rubenaguilera4018 the 9.0 is not a high output battery, it is a high demand. The 3.0, 6.0, 8.0 and 12.0 are the new 21700 cell batteries and the 9.0 is the older 18650 cell battery. Milwaukee has released a warning about the 9.0 having a issues. They're are videos of them catching on fire. Lots of people still use and love them. But there's a reason they don't sell and sometimes wont warranty them.
I sent both of my Milwaukee’s in. Got it back with still the single ball for retention in the collet. The new gen 3.5’s have a 2 ball bearings and upgraded springs for stiffer ball bearing retention.
When did you send yours in? I sent mine in last month and it came back twice with the same single ball bearing. I'm waiting until the new version is more widely available, then sending it back in.
@@J-WHO312 if flex is still available in 5 years and still kicking butt I am going to get me a set of them _thats all I'm saying _ you give the company time to work out any bugs and all new products start with tough talk
So the flex is only the fastest installing deck screws, but also weighed the most so not a great option for that either. Ill stick with my Milwaukee. Not shure how the flex is going to make it with all the already proven tools available.
What video did you watch? Flex beat out everything on every test except the 6 inch lag bolt. Milwaukee matched it for a few tests, but Flex crushed the competition here.
@@cameronaberner ya so only the speed test and if you looking for speed its not only about how fast the tool spins the bit, alot has to do with the weight of the tool. I watch this as a actual user of tools that makes my money with them not in aww of the newest shinny toy. Makita dewalt and milwaukee are far better tools just in weight alone and are pleny fast enough in real world use, anything faster you can't control the fastener because not everyone is driving screws in there garage on a test wood.
@@chriswebb3018 It lost in 1 test with a rarely used lagbolt. It dominated in tests with other screws and drilling. That a lot more than "it did 1 thing faster" it's clearly a good tool. You just one of those people who don't want to accept that makita and dewalt aren't the top dogs anymore for some reason and take it as a personal attack when another tool outperforms them. And fyi, I'm a carpenter. I use these things every day. So no, it's not just "oh shiny."
Good test and interesting how they all performed under different loads. As a homeowner doing DIY projects I don’t need the mightiest tools, but I do want the power when I need it, range of tools (workshop as well as garden, etc) and the right price. And none of those things Flex can touch at this point. Another advantage Yellow, Red and Blue offer is both 18 or 20v tools as well as 12v and combo chargers. The is a great feature because you may want the higher power and torque for some tools (hammer drill & impact driver) but may only need 12v for lighter and more precision woodworking or trim work. So in effect you can be with one brand but have two platforms. The final part is with Father’s and Mother’s Day coming up these brands will have huge deals, again something Flex won’t be able to match.
Cause it's a fraudulent test.... Get the biggest battery flex has but not dewalt or Milwaukee... Hmmm... Also.. Doesn't show what speed settings each are at or battery level... Hmmmm.... Sou ds very bias... Go to man cave tools for a good honest review of the flex hammer drill.. And go to torque test channel for a honest review of the the flex impact
He probably didn't have a bigger battery, but seeing as how it matched or came in a close second in most of the tests I think we know how it would go. Also, he used the smallest available flex battery(2.5) as well as the bigger one(5.0) to see how they stacked up to the other brands with bigger batteries.
Hello again Chris and Mrs. CG Thank you once again for another Great Video. As I am trying to stay current on the new tools and battery platforms. Right now all I have is a Hitachi 12v, drill and impact wrench. Which has been a great tool. But I have nothing else in the lineup. So my commitment is very limited. Once again thank you
the thing with impacts or any power tools, 99% ppl only see the power, the speed, but in real life, on-site, real usage, there are so much more to it. i start off buying Milwaukee coz they do have the raw power, and selection range. but the more I use Makita stuff on-site, the more I like it. details like revers trigger, it is so much easier on the Makita ones. yes, using the high torque impact on a 5-meter ladder at an awkward position, that bit of easiness is a game-changer for me. in another word, use brain, use all the tools from other brands, and really think about what actually benefits your work. raw power might just have been the least important thing on the list given nowadays the motor and the battery tech are pretty much at their limit for now. the weight balance, the details, the ergo shape, price, durability under the weather etc etc..............
The thing about these tests is regardless of which one ends up winning any particular showdown it's usually only by half a second or even 1 second ... but then you look at price ... it's up to the consumer to decide whether or not that 1 second is worth 50% to 100% more money....
Which one is cheapest because I was looking into starting a flex system (hence why I’m here) and I thought they were pretty cheap and had a lot of useful attachments for carpentry
@@thehourglasswithaman they ( Flex Tools) aren't going to be cheap... Ridgid is your best bet for Power, price and selection..and a lifetime service agreement.....
@@boosted2.4_sky I don’t mind paying a little bit more if I know the tools are going to last and that would be my biggest concern with ridgid as I’ve heard mixed results
@@boosted2.4_sky also I just looked at their prices and for the same price I could literally just get into Milwaukee. The entire point of me looking into flex was so that way I can get into a tool Brand that is competitive but less than what I would pay for Milwaukee and then being backed by the same distributor as Bosch eventually if enough people pay into it the technology will continue to get passed down and they will have just said as a diverse lineup as Bosch
@@thehourglasswithaman i... Hear you but I have over 20 ridgid tools and I've never had to send one in or replace 1 or even wait for it to cool down to continue using.... But I don't use them every day either... Flex looks like they're going to be a good professional tool line and of course Milwaukee Milwaukee is proven
Bro, looks like you’ve been cheating a bit. Towards the middle of the video you’re putting the dewalt, makita, and Milwaukee screws through holes that were previously drilled by screws whereas the flex screws went through solid wood where no screws previously drilled in the wood. I had to comment because it wasn’t fair for flex!
Keep in mind ah only really measures the time between charges. A higher ah battery can go longer between charges, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's delivering more power while it's being used.
Great test. Using 2.5ah batteries in my Makita tools most of the time, even when not fully charged the power is adequate, no issues. As for impact drivers, the first few seconds of the video eliminates all except Makita and DeWalt, how much time do you want to spend pulling out stuck drillbits? Most of my go-to drillbits are Makita impact bits. Anyway, this was a big lose for Flex, the way the skin of his hand vibrates wildly when the hammer kicks in is painful to watch, and it failed to perform on 6in lag because the impact energy is transferred to the operator and not to the bolt.
A lot of these tools are made so closely that you can’t really go wrong. Just get whatever is on sale at the time you need to buy something That being said, my makita cordless set has been used/abused daily for the last six years and the drill/driver/batteries are all still good, despite being banged up as hell.
The Flex seemed to be vibrating your wrist quite a bit more than the others, clearly seen at 10:14 for one example. Could you actually feel a big difference there or was it not really noticeable?
Also, change the Milwaukee battery to the High Output battery and see where the results line up. But even at 24v, I'm not seeing a major improvement in performance from the Flex over the others. Definitely not a game changer in performance, maybe a slight improvement in the price category.
You are correct sir, miluakees 6 ah has the 21700 cells. I own a decent assortment of both m12 and m18. I usually use the m18 3 ah battery which I have a feeling is also the bigger cells but regardless when the big lags need attention the 6 ah shines bright. My buddy's new makita barely drives them. Stopped half way through n asked for mine lol. Head hung in shame. I like makita, and dewalt they all make good tools. But I happen to bleed red currently. I'll just add that through the past, the only time I had a collet issue was my old Gen 2. Only used it for half a yr before the Gen 3 came out. Haven't had a collet issue so far. But it's def a well documented flaw.
As a plumber, I usually use m12 tools. When I need more power i go with flex. But lately I’ve been buying more m18 tools so we’ll see what happens in the future
I love my flex drill and impact with the stacked Lithium batteries. I Use it exclusively for aluminum building big ships. Man let me tell you its a straight up beast.
Not sure why use a 4.0 on the milwaukee 🤔 even a 3.0 HO will take all of the tests no problem. Not Milwaukee's fault that other companies stayed behind technology with the old batteries.
High Output didn’t seem to matter for the Kobalt XTR using 21700. I did test some 18650 battery cells and it didn’t seem to matter either. I do have some 3.0 Milwaukee HO 21700 cells I might test if I have time but I wouldn’t bet on the time thing😢
@@ClientGraphics you might be right but I seen the new milwaukee tools performed way better with the new HO batteries. Not gonna lie... those flex tools are looking good. Great video BTW 👍
The CP3.0's power output is roughly equivalent to the XC batteries. You'd be trading some run time for a lighter overall package, without sacrificing performance. It's the High Demand 9.0 and the multiple bank 21700 HO batteries that *can* see a boost over that.
@@reaperreaper5098 that was exactly my point. With a High Output battery the tool will perform way better. You are 100% right and don't need to be a 9.0, a 6.0 will do the trick 👍
@@pinos74667 Except the HO you referred to in your original post was the CP3.0, which only matches the output of the XC (2 banks of 18650s) batteries, which the 4.0 is an XC. Not all tools see performance boosts moving past XC batteries either. I know my Surge and previous gen Fuel impacts don't see a meaningful increase moving from an XC 5.0 to an HD 9.0, and theoretically, the HO 6.0+ provides a modest performance bump on top of the 9.0.
The FLEX with a 2.5ah weighs 4.04lbs and with a 5.0ah weights 4.83lbs compared to the Milwaukee with a 4.0ah XC weighs 3.79lbs and the Makita with a 5.0ah weights 3.35lbs and the Dewalt weights 3.39lbs. When you do power to weight ratio it's clear which one is lighter and faster tool.
*** I do not own a battery bigger than the 4.0ah for the Milwaukee tools. I displayed the FLEX with a 2.5ah and 5.0ah so you can compare side by side.
Not really an issue. The M18 CP3.0HP, XC4.0, and XC5.0 can all deliver essentially the same amount of power, only the runtime is different. It’s not until you move up to the XC6.0HO or HD9/12HO that you’ll see more power...if the tool is capable of using it. Of course, if your XC4.0 is old, that might be a factor.
My XC4.0 is from Home Depot this Christmas 2020 and was included in a brushless 3pc tool kit that came with a free mini hack all for $249
@ClientGraphics great video, finally someone does a proper vs for Flex. I have some m18 high output batteries I can loan you if you want to try those in a versus let me know!!!
Why didn’t you use a 5 on all of them 😡
@@lamurtedeenzotorres7054 he explained that is the comment you replied to.
Flex hasn't beaten anything until its been abused for years and still works everyday.
True. I have abused the hell out of my Ridgids, not one has broken.
Yes I’m buying it but I wanna see how long it will last
Yup, my dad has a 12 year old makita set and still uses it every day. Thats why I like makita
@@NUTZJ98 nothing saying they will either. Have to wait and see i guess
@@NUTZJ98 There is no doubt that Flex is good. But the big issue is that they are not as good as or as tried as Milwaukee, but cost a bit more. Why would I risk buying a Flex when I can pay less for something better?
Bruh! You spent a million bucks on wood for these tests! Thanks bro!
When the wood cost more than 5 new impact drivers.
Last week I traded a 4x8 sheet of osb for a 2020 Ram 2500 Cummings Diesel With 1500 miles on it. Hopefully wood continues to hold this value
@@thefifthhorseman8886 sad thing is that's almost believable now a days.
Look for pallets great source of scrap wood!
Almost said the same thing until I read your comment. Spent as much on wood as he did tools
Upgraded from an older 18v kit. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxW1vOBRCMrgTCDEijzpVzDWsgI-Jm2iQv I independently chose the drill and impact tool, before I came across the kit.I like the 3 speed impact gun. It seems more powerful than my older one, and it can be set to be really gentle. The drill is more appropriately sized for my use. I used to have a hammer drill, but I did not like that it was so big and it was not a great hammer drill. I rather have a smaller drill like this, and then get a corded hammer drill for the odd case I need that.
I still love my Dewalts, they might not be the fastest or most powerful but for me they are the most comfortable in my hand for repetitive use.
I agree my 3 dewalt 885s have been getting it done for years every day and my 887 get the job done as well. And I will say the 4ah bat being used on the Dewalt is old bat tech and I believe if the dewalt was used with 27500 cells it might have performed better.
I do love my flexvolt tools but I've had nothing but issues with my impact
In the end that's all that really matters. A few seconds there and there aren't going to make a difference in the scheme big things, so you may as well just go with your favorite color when picking a high end brand.
DeWalt is honestly hot garbage
@@titaniumwolf1123 Lol, well my Dewalt tools work Hard all day long , get used and abused by me and my workers and keep on working Hard and making money everyday. They may not be the fastest or most powerful tools out there but they are good reliable professional grade tools that have proven themselves over many many years of hard use. I personally still use some of my Dewalt 18v tools like my 6 1/2 circ and my grinder and I power them with the 20v adapter. My four 885 impacts just woulnt die no matter how hard they get worked. Ive had to rebend my collet springs at least twice on each one due the day long driving of T40 5/16" lags of verying sizes from 2" to 8" and im too lazy I guess to order new ones from Dewalt.
As someone who does construction for a living, great video. Very nice to see these side by side. From personal experience the Milwaukee is my favorite for things that need speed, like metal roofing. If its something that doesn't need speed I will use the Dewalt. I find it less fatiguing to use for long periods. Also the Dewalts durability is insane! Its not uncommon for our crew to accidentally drop a drill of a roof and we only had one break in the 4 years I've been working. That was after a 16 foot fall onto concrete, the handle broke. And after epoxying the handle back together, were still using it. Again I can't over state the durability.
The dewalt xr impact fits my hand better
Obviously haven't handle the makita in your hands....best lightest feel impact driver in the hands
Yeah, I have to agree. I have been thinking about switching to Milwaukee or Makita, but my DeWalt tools just last forever. And I have beat them all to hell. Can't talk bad about DeWalt. That is from personal experience. Been good to me.
The XR Drills just don't take abuse well. I smoked 3 in less than a year before changing platforms. Disappointing they use a plastic gear case for their high end drills.
Flex is a great tool and it stands up well to everything tested here. Moving up from old style battery drills/drivers....when you need a new one...Flex is a great, top of the line choice. No, I wouldn't be out buying anything if I owned a good, new style Milwaukee 18 volt drill driver or Dewalt quality one. But Flex is a great choice!
I use Bosch and Milwaukee for construction, but also use Ego for landscaping.
I keep watching Flex videos, even though I have zero plans to buy.
Same, I just bought the whole XTR set a few months ago so I won't be looking to upgrade for many years, but I do love seeing what the new ones can do.
I watch several Flex vids too, its the hype. But still not impressed, its powerful but not engineered with the knowhow of the 3 biggest established brands.
18v line bosch guy here i have one dewalt tool and its the drywall gun great tool for the price neither bosch or Milwaukee could beat it pricewise
@ Cannot speak for Bosch, but the Milwakee will last 2 lifetimes. Dewalt will need to be replaced 3 times over a life.
I keep watching about flex tools for interest but I'm not even sure that they will sell it in my country ever
I personally don’t care which one finished the fastest . I care more about the life longevity of the tool . If had to bet the Makita will outlive all others 🤷🏻♂️ !!!! Ohhh and Makita fits perfect in the human hand , and is well balanced 😎
All of my tools are makita except for my 12" mider saws. Makita tools are not the most powerful tool out there but they are the most balanced when it comes to power and battery durability. And the only reason I don't rock a makita mider saw is because it takes a PHD to tune it (about 10 adjustments) compared to my dewalt (3 adjustments)
@@fu2974 right on !! In my own personal opinion Makita and Hitachi make the best impact driver .
I personally haven't used their battery powered tools but I do have all of Hitachi trim nail guns and framers and they haven't failed me yet.
@@fu2974 let me tell you they’re pretty bad ass . They almost feel like a Makita in the hand . I call I Hitachi the Makita brother , they’re very similar!!
@@philltafollaDo you think Metabo helped Hitachi or hurt it? I have buddies that swear on Metabo. My only real problem with Makita and Hitachi is that thier isn't any real distributors for my brand or Hitachi (Metabo) and I don't like to give my money to the HD or Lowe's if I can help it. Plus their lines seem to be a bit less durable than the pro grade. I've had to go to different cities to purchase what I want which is a pain in the ass.
I really appreciate how you purchased all these tools to do this set of tests. For ms personally it gives me a measure of extra legitimacy. Great job Chris amazing video as always.
I like that he does a direct side by side split screen that shows exactly how different they are.
I’ve got Milwaukee, Dewalt, and the Flex. I’m retired and like all of them. Unfortunately the batteries outlast me! All of them! I just need the things to work! When I get my tools out, there is usually no one around! I like having everything in my Flex Case, in my truck trunk! Dewalt in the garage, Milwaukee in my shed! They all support me, well! Not getting any more brands, except Ryobie , for yard maintenance.
Luv your head to head way way better than vcg. More concise ,,to the point without all the bs! Thanks for introducing the new kid in town.....
Amen to that!
VCG Who ??
VCG has been doing loaded tests for a while now. The king of unbiased tests is Project Farm.
@@TheDwightMamba I thought they were wonky tests, too bad they’re they way.
Project farm >
Big criticism for this test is the battery size doesnt determine speed... discharge rate does. Most high end tools regulate discharge rate and battery size doesn't matter.
Looks like Flex focused on speed on lighter duty tasks, but can’t always keep up when maximum torque is needed. That’s probably a good trade off for most users, but it’s definitely something to consider if you use your impact for a lot of high torque tasks.
That’s a really good observation as it does make a good distinction between this tool compared to the others.
ABSOLUTEL , but the specs are very misleading, 4,000 rpm's and 2,400 inlbs torque , those are Monster numbers and should have Blown Out Everyone including the Milwaukee Fuel which is 3,600 rpm's and 2,000 inlbs. of torque, but as soon as the Flex hit a tough piece of wood it shit the bed and that also makes me question its longevity.....
@@brianf9619 theres life time warranty on flex so thats a big plus for flex.
@@Victory_Venture. No , its only a lifetime Warranty on the tools that are bought the first year that Flex is out , after year 1 it goes to 3 or 5 yrs limited warranty....
I dont see any high output batteries from Milwaukee, which is all I run and I never have an issue getting a task done. Flex is only flexing fake muscles. Milwaukee will outlive it. I can guarantee it.
This is the best vid so far because it doesn't start out talking smack, just puts em all through same test. I still think the brand looks decent-the Turbo Hammer Drill and Quick Eject Impact with two batteries are $350-but we'll see what folks say about durability in the field. That's all that matters. Maybe we'll know by this summer.
Thanks for setting it all up! Eager to see the Hammer Drill in action, too.
Thank GOD!!! I been waiting for someone to do a comparison on these top tier impact drivers. Awesome job and video review my brother Chris. YOU ARE THE MAIN MAN!!! 😎
I agree with you 100% that if you are are already on the Milwaukee, DeWalt, Makita or Bosch battery platform with several tools it would be just silly to go buy a Flex just because it it less than a second faster. ((((and something that is never ever mentioned by anyone on TH-cam is that if you're drilling through metal (like electricians often do), you need it on the slower (Speed 1 ) anyway. ..... so you are absolutely right, if you're on a battery platform, there is no reason to switch
Agreed. All tools are so capable now, the only real reason to switch battery ecosystems is if another platform has other tools that you can't get in your current platform and you really want (i.e. vacuum, lights, lawncare OPE, etc).
Use Kobalt every day at work for the price it can’t be beat
Agree! Better than old time.
My thought would always be, when you're buying your first tools, get whichever major brand has the best deals at the time - DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, Bosch, Metabo, Ryobi, Rigid, and maybe Flex are all good. Unless you're going to be using them professionally, then stick with either DeWalt for ergonomics or Milwaukee for performance because of how expansive their lineups are - consider adding a Metabo hammer drill, Bosch oscillating multi-tool, and Rigid pulse driver as needed.
Bought a xdt16 to run primary to my older dewalt and I love it don’t get as much fatigue and hot spots in the hand when doing steel construction
Les see the Milwaukee with a 3.0 high output battery blow out the flex..
Exactly! Unfair test for sure when u compare 18v vs 24 , Milwaukee for me thanks
I agree.... Also... Why doesn't he show us what speed settings you have each one on also.. Hmmmm... I wonder............
Or the 40v Makita.... No contest.
This annoyed me the whole time! Just flex marketing
The contract said the paycheck is only if the flex wins the showdown! the 4.0 is an old and obsolete battery, he really had to search to handicap the Milwaukee
We will see how they hold up with longevity and durability. I use Makita & DeWalt because they’ve lasted me years in the past.. I still have a working dewalt drill before they started putting li ion battery’s in them. It’s insane!
My dad and I have a construction company he’s been using dewalt forever and loves the durability I hopped on the flex train since I was just using his hand me downs for like 5 years now haha. He only wants to use my tools now he really likes the circular saw and the hammer drill. But he did say the true test will be how long it lasts.
Home depot has a sale on dewalt drill sets right now (at the time of writing this) for like $150. It comes with a drill, an impact, a charger, and 2 1.5 AH batteries. I'm pretty happy with my purchase, and this video was very informative on the other brands.
Combo kits is where it's at.
I love these side by side comparisons! Nice work :)
Nice masterforce impact driver at 1:41. They have a new one in the boost line that looks identical except it says boost right above thr battery, it does have a nice boost in stats and is the same price. Great test btw. It's good to see straight up solid testing.
How did that thing sneak in there.... It’s a Chervon manufactured power tool from Menards. Big and powerful but priced really competitive when on-sale, just doesn’t have the lineup depth. I’ll get around to testing it for TH-cam one day.
Ill still take my kobalt stuff! Im a contractor and the price for kobalt stuff is cheap and its good quality. It has a huge line up to.
Agreed...i love my Kobalt... amazing how many will spend 2 or even 3 times the money for the same performance and just pay for a name...i work hard for my cash, i like it in my pocket
Yeah I have everything kobalt. Great products, hate dewalt
Exactly how i feel. Given the value to performance ratio Kobalt provides, I can't imagine going back to anyone else.
@@brandongerber7404 agreed. DeWalt is absolute garbage
I agree! I hate milwaukee. Trash collet on mine didn't last.
That DeWalt 4ah battery isn’t all that great. It would kick butt with a higher ah.
@Pae Dahe was thinking the same thing. I bet the Dewalt would have performed better with some 27500 cells.
Yeah there's a 2750 4ah battery out there but it wouldn't of mattered. dewalt needs to upgrade the dcf887 I'm sure they already have it designed!
@@justgregnow just imagine a Flexvolt Advantage impact...
Is it just me or did it look like the Dewalt was on the lowest setting?
@@justgregnow i found significant difference in speed between my 3AH and 5AH batteries on dewalt. Before I thought that there should be no difference and it was a myth.
Thanks for validating my milwaukee fuel impact purchase
From a makita user it is unforgivable for the bit to slip off. Speed and power is not everything.
It is to Milwaukee fan boys. Nevermind the collet being messed up and downtime to send the tool off for repair.
@@cb84capri What you talking about? My service vans are outfitted with Milwaukee tools and never had an issue outside of one battery failure. Probably about $25k worth of equipment. One m12 impact started acting funny after it slid off a roof 2 stories high onto dirt. I haven’t ever even heard of any common failures.
I will say this. Speed and power is not everything. It all depends what kind of work you are doing with the tools. sometimes a light weight tool for over head work is preferred instead of a heavier tool that gives you a small bit of extra power and speed.
Yes... 12v systems are definitely the way to go for that.
100% team Makita :) nice review!!
Makita fan right here too
Tools is like ladies, dont chose only based on power, Flex is a weightlifter from DDR, Makita is a figure skater.
Only #Makita®✓👍
@@pflaffik have you seen a flex used and abused for 10 years and still work like new?
Makita is the best
Finally a real test and weight on the tools and. someone that's not paid by flex to make their tool look like it outperformed the real tools on the market. You're the first person that had an honest review on flex
You can buy a Makita XDT14 with 3 speeds , a 3.0ah battery and charger for $99.00 at Xmas time , it has the same exact specs as the XDT16 , it just has less modes. Definitely my Favorite Impact.....
Cheap doesn’t always make it better
If someone is buying a Makita impact other than the XDT16 it had better be the XGT impact or the td172. ;)
Excellent! Love the sync'ed up side-by side format. The results once you got into the white oak were really interesting. Regarding your drill bit questions - I don't personally drill with my impact drivers. But plenty of people do and I don't think it's an unfair test to run. The collets on these things should be an area to focus on for all of the manufacturers that had failures. Especially Milwaukee, where the collet is a well-known issue.
Note - Flex will expand beyond Lowe's after an exclusive period. Not sure how long that will be, though.
Just wanted to stop in and say what’s up Jim. Love your channel brother. You two guys are truly the most unbiased and your opinions are valued in my book. Hope all is well my brother
"Destroyed" now means being 1-2 seconds slower. Yikes. Glad I've never entered the races and just use my tools for working.
I know right
Great video...love the split screen work!
Cool to have a new competitor on the market. You kinda expect them to do the best since they can look at the competition and improve slightly. I’ll stick with my red but the flex is impressive
Great video Chris! best Flex volt video Ive seen by far! thanks for sharing
Great video comparison! In my opinion if someone is buying into a new battery platform I would say Milwaukee just because they have almost every tool you want in both M12 and M18 from wood working to automotive.
Agreed. Though they are super expensive. Guess you get what you pay for.
When you went thru the white oak the amount of vibration transferred to the users hand is VERY noticeable. I’ve owned the same Makita drill and impact for about 9 years and they both still work great. Now granted I don’t use them all day every day, but I use them more than any home do it yourselfer. Heck 1 of the 2 original batteries is still working.
I'll go with flex I've been using them since they came out haven't had any problems with them yet they are ahh bit expensive but very nice looking tools I built decks porches add ons to houses and they are quite quick and powerful 😉 ..Hopefully they make bigger and better batteries that's the secret to faster speed work.
Flex for life brother 💯
In comparison to Milwaukee and some dewalt tools flex is definitely cheaper. They also do promotional deals more since it’s a lowe exclusive brand so they can do what they want.
I only got them due to the lifetime warranty if registered but I’m impressed
@@primebulldog4441 they are awesome. I love the whole line of tools they have out. Especially the saws
Very nice in-depth review of all the tools side by side, some of the other channels seem to be on the flex wagon as if they are paid.
How come these vids never uses Milwaukee high output batteries? Would they even make a difference?
He probably doesn't have bigger batteries, they are expensive as hell.
He uses the 4.0 in this test. The 5.0 has higher output and the 3.0 has even more. Yeah it does make a huge difference
@@willng34 Milwaukee has made it very clear that the batteries are the limiting factor on there brushless motors. This is actually a good thing long-term Because if you were to buy an impact or drill Down the road if you got to spend a couple hundred dollars on a good battery it’s better than buying a brand new drill IMO
im waiting for the Makita 20/40V since its gonna be its own battery platform. i switched from Milly to Makita because of the bit release issues and saving microseconds mean nothing if i cant count on bits coming out while in operation. Its becomes a nuisance all the way to a safety issue. That's me, cant drive 30 plus miles from a job site to a home depot or where ever to buy a replacement.
Odd I've seen people have issues with the Milwaukee's collet, I snap bits rather than them slip out I guess hahah. I am curious why you used a 4AH and not a 5AH battery for the Milwaukee.
4Ah is the biggest I have in Milwaukee and since I normally don’t included Makita and just bought that for the video in addition to the FLEX I’m tapped out. At least I got a deal on the Makita with 4(5.0Ah and 2 tools) instagram.com/p/CN8hYlnDt8_/?igshid=g8mvfuqllufz
@@ClientGraphics You want to borrow a battery for the next video vs Flex?
Because he “did not have a 5.0Ah” which is the most common M18 battery on the market right now. 4.0 is an old and obsolete battery, it’s been proven that the 5.0 is much more powerful, and the 3.0 HO has even more power than the 5.0.
These rigged tests are hilarious
What kind of impact socket bit were you using at 3:14 on those impact gun what is the brand
All these comments of "you shouldve used this or that". This guy isnt rich...he cant go out and buy a crap ton of everything. He bought some..and used what he already had on some. It is what it is and still informative.
He should have all of them he's got everything else. Can't do a top this or that video with only 4 brands out of 10. That's the way it is.
How do you know what he can and cannot afford? He's already spent a shit ton on what's in his garage. What are you anyway, his wife? 🤭🤭😂😂
The Flex drill performed really good I think I should buy one.Great video
I just think it might be too heavy but it’s still a good tool.
Being refined says so much more to me than speed. I know the xtr has a lot of torque, and im not sure about the flex, but the makita is so smooth and ergonomic. Id take that everyday.
The only interest I have in Flex is the 6 1/2 inch circular saw, grinder and the multi tool.
And since you can get a lifetime warranty when you buy them this year, peaks my interest.
Yup, u get 3 free replacement batteries which is a lot on its own not counting the drool and charger, btw how is the flex running, still good?
The good thing for us is all the tools are pretty good and will do the job for 90% of those who buy one.
You really wanted to dislike the Flex because of its weight, as a woman (5'4") I own the Flex combo that gives me 2 tools 4 batteries 2 chargers That cost me $200 bucks. I use them for kitchen remodeling and they work like a charm and the weight is no problem what so ever.
@janicecopeland9083...I'm not a fan of any particular brand, but you are spot on about him wanting to dislike Flex. If you are a tradesman that can't handle an extra pound of weight, then maybe it's time for a career change. The Flex lost on inserting once, but still was faster on the removal, otherwise, Flex smoked em all on every other test. You can definitely hear the fan boy for Milwaukee in his voice, as well as most of the commenters making excuses for their favorite brand names. It's Pretty sad when, mainly grow men, defend their favorite brand like children, as though they made the tools themselves.
#TeamMakita! I started of with the Dewalt for two years until it fell off a scaffold from the 4th level. Still functioned but lost power. Tried out the Milwaukee loved the look and everything but I had the exact same problem. Returned it for a Makita, cheaper, smoother and quieter. and now all my tools are Makita. Aside from my reciprocating saw and finish nailer.
I use DeWalt 20V and Milwaukee M12, very happy with this combo.
I watched HOURS of these types of videos several months ago and sifted through hundreds of reviews (prior to Flex even being on the scene) and visited the stores multiple times and checked out most of these thoroughly. I noticed that the Milwaukee collet was an issue across the board and let’s go of bits constantly. I liked the Makita stuff, but was a bit more than I wanted to spend. Bosch just didn’t seem as rugged. I ended up mostly comparing Dewalt and Kobalt. Everything about the Dewalt seemed less solid. The Chuck felt cheap and the directional switch felt squishy. Lowe’s had a promotion where I got a free 4.0 amp battery and offered a 5 year in-store warranty. I went with the XTR set. It was hard to find anyone complain about them
I have watched countless hours trying to find any reasons not to by the xtr set and its just awesome
I use kobalt professionally, i switched because my DeWalt xr impact burnt out after a year. I abuse the absolute shit out of my impact all day everyday. There was an issue with the trigger and i got a new replacement tool through the standard warranty. Im glad i made the switch 2 years later. I don't abuse any other power tools but i can say the xtr hammer drill is a beast
@@wichjr Awesome to hear man. Sounds like I made the right pick. I've hardly used mine so should last me forever.
Little update, right after I made this comment, the trigger started doing the same funny business. Lowe's replaced the impact driver again on the spot, cannot say enough about how good the warranty is.
It looks like the collets are being pulled into the wood by the bit going in too far. Perhaps the collet is hitting the edge of the hole. @12:23 at 0.25 speed, you can see that when the speedbore is inserted all the way down into the wood, the collett is being disengaged by the edge of the hole.
If you tried this with a bigger, or even a smaller bit, the collett would hold it normally.
Great head to head Chris was a good entertaining video as well as was cool to see the 6x6 videos again @Client Graphics
I’m thinking of getting a Flex combo kit with the hammer drill and the impact…I have a handful of dewalt tools for cutting (brushless jigsaw) bolts, drilling and or hole sawing through steel and aluminum, and the like. (All brushless tools)
I got a Dewalt Compact XR set and already had issue with my XR Dcd800 Compact drill after hardly a month…it had a disgustingly wobbly chuck so I sent it in and they replaced the drill with a brand new one. Same thing not even a month later with the new replacement. I’m not sure why but it seems like Dewalts quality is lacking on the newer tools other than their battery options (love the power stacks so far)
I haven’t had issue with the 1/4” compact impact (newest generation) but I don’t really use it as much. Aside from that I have their compact 1/2” impact with hog ring anvil and love that so far. But I’m most disappointed with the drill. (Dewalt said the wobble is “like that from factory” which I think is very odd)
I can sacrifice the weight difference with a battery if it means faster drilling…even with hex end drill bits, I’m not too worried about the weight of the Flex impact for some light OH usage; not that I’m getting rid of the dewalt I have.
The big plus of Flex is their limited lifetime warrant and big sale prices. Their combo kit being $349 plus tax vs $699 plus tax right now is a huge appeal with the limited lifetime warranty with registration!
Good comparison video nonetheless. Although I’m curious as to what setting was used on the flex, since it has multiple settings for torque
Ah yes glad Makita was my 1st and only choice. I am satisfied with all the tests I seen even if not in 1st place. Can't wait to see XGT coming for the crown.
'Coming for the crown?' For the price, ergonomics, service, reliability, and power all taken into consideration... Makita always has the crown!
@@travisjazzbo3490 true indeed.
One thing a lot of reviews leave out is any info on the batteries themselves. I have batteries from all these brands except the kobalt. The flex batteries charge almost twice as fast which is a huge perk in situations where you run out of electrons :)
I’ll take Makita all day long they last forever.
and feel so comfortable to use!
@@Anglo-EgyptianMan yep
Only red Makita though, the white and turquoise stuff is shit
@@kyleb5518 Teal is good. White isn’t commercial, it’s the equivalent to Bosch Green. You won’t find many red Makitas because they are the few still made in Japan. If it’s Red or Teal it’s good. Makita even stated the white color is not as heavy duty. Taking a white Makita and expecting it to be top tier is like taking a Black and Decker to a job site thinking it’s good cause it’s DeWalt home brand.
Heavy Industrial machinist here working in the rail/transportation sector. Have to say I've been very impressed with FLEX in the shop. It's getting abused in a dirty freezing environment. Battery life is great, we'll see how it matches up against my otherwise red collection
Yeah we got a Milwaukee store in my city and it’s beautiful
Sticking with my Milwaukee tools! Cool review!
Milwaukee just simply has it....imagine using the best battery they offer instead of the old pioneer 4.0
I use the 3.0 and the 9.0 high output batteries, night and day in performance,
Milwaukee is it. They’ve been tested many of times. They’ve been targeted by other brands many of times.... then flex comes out aiming at Milwaukee first. Lol. Milwaukee has history behind their tools. I’m not gonna change battery platform just because flex is 1sec faster.
@@jasonm6111 - Spot on! Look at all they offer and what they LEAD in and look at their capabilities of the platform. It's hard to go wrong with any of the big 3. But legitimately big red CONSISTENTLY finish top 3 in most any tool category for the things I own and use. Look at their drills, impacts, saws, lights etc etc etc.... They're hard to beat!
I prefer the 3.0 or 8.0 unless I need more power and life then it's the 12.0
@@rubenaguilera4018 the 9.0 is not a high output battery, it is a high demand. The 3.0, 6.0, 8.0 and 12.0 are the new 21700 cell batteries and the 9.0 is the older 18650 cell battery. Milwaukee has released a warning about the 9.0 having a issues. They're are videos of them catching on fire. Lots of people still use and love them. But there's a reason they don't sell and sometimes wont warranty them.
I sent both of my Milwaukee’s in. Got it back with still the single ball for retention in the collet. The new gen 3.5’s have a 2 ball bearings and upgraded springs for stiffer ball bearing retention.
When did you send yours in? I sent mine in last month and it came back twice with the same single ball bearing. I'm waiting until the new version is more widely available, then sending it back in.
@@NWGR I sent mine in about the same time frame as you did.
@@Lakecenterlawncare Thanks. I'll hold off a bit longer then, probably until june, or until they're in stores.
@@NWGR make sure you open the box and check for the double ball bearings!
Nice Makita impact!
Thanks Chris! Great run through!
If you are still around in 5 years and not full of it I'll try you guys
@Peter Lachance who is full of what? I hope I’m still around In 5 years!
@@J-WHO312 if flex is still available in 5 years and still kicking butt I am going to get me a set of them _thats all I'm saying _ you give the company time to work out any bugs and all new products start with tough talk
Ok I got you Peter Lachance good comment!
So the flex is only the fastest installing deck screws, but also weighed the most so not a great option for that either. Ill stick with my Milwaukee. Not shure how the flex is going to make it with all the already proven tools available.
I like all the platforms. Every one. When a project comes up, I have options, not mandatories.
What video did you watch? Flex beat out everything on every test except the 6 inch lag bolt. Milwaukee matched it for a few tests, but Flex crushed the competition here.
@@cameronaberner except Milwaukee could use a HD battery for even better performance and is lighter which is good when your working all day long
@@cameronaberner ya so only the speed test and if you looking for speed its not only about how fast the tool spins the bit, alot has to do with the weight of the tool. I watch this as a actual user of tools that makes my money with them not in aww of the newest shinny toy. Makita dewalt and milwaukee are far better tools just in weight alone and are pleny fast enough in real world use, anything faster you can't control the fastener because not everyone is driving screws in there garage on a test wood.
@@chriswebb3018 It lost in 1 test with a rarely used lagbolt. It dominated in tests with other screws and drilling. That a lot more than "it did 1 thing faster" it's clearly a good tool. You just one of those people who don't want to accept that makita and dewalt aren't the top dogs anymore for some reason and take it as a personal attack when another tool outperforms them.
And fyi, I'm a carpenter. I use these things every day. So no, it's not just "oh shiny."
Good test and interesting how they all performed under different loads. As a homeowner doing DIY projects I don’t need the mightiest tools, but I do want the power when I need it, range of tools (workshop as well as garden, etc) and the right price. And none of those things Flex can touch at this point. Another advantage Yellow, Red and Blue offer is both 18 or 20v tools as well as 12v and combo chargers. The is a great feature because you may want the higher power and torque for some tools (hammer drill & impact driver) but may only need 12v for lighter and more precision woodworking or trim work. So in effect you can be with one brand but have two platforms. The final part is with Father’s and Mother’s Day coming up these brands will have huge deals, again something Flex won’t be able to match.
Why not use a 6.0 high output on Milwaukee would be interested in seeing the difference
Cause it's a fraudulent test.... Get the biggest battery flex has but not dewalt or Milwaukee... Hmmm... Also.. Doesn't show what speed settings each are at or battery level... Hmmmm.... Sou ds very bias... Go to man cave tools for a good honest review of the flex hammer drill.. And go to torque test channel for a honest review of the the flex impact
@@bustanut3888 You wanna donate some batteries to him? They aren't exactly cheap.
Also, don't forget that he used the Flex 2.5 for every test too.
@@cameronaberner yes sir, you are right. They are expensive. 😎
He probably didn't have a bigger battery, but seeing as how it matched or came in a close second in most of the tests I think we know how it would go.
Also, he used the smallest available flex battery(2.5) as well as the bigger one(5.0) to see how they stacked up to the other brands with bigger batteries.
@@cameronaberner Exactly. 😎
Hello again Chris and Mrs. CG
Thank you once again for another Great Video. As I am trying to stay current on the new tools and battery platforms. Right now all I have is a Hitachi 12v, drill and impact wrench. Which has been a great tool. But I have nothing else in the lineup. So my commitment is very limited. Once again thank you
Good stuff brother. I think I’ll stick with my Dewalt 🍻😎🤙
the thing with impacts or any power tools, 99% ppl only see the power, the speed, but in real life, on-site, real usage, there are so much more to it.
i start off buying Milwaukee coz they do have the raw power, and selection range. but the more I use Makita stuff on-site, the more I like it. details like revers trigger, it is so much easier on the Makita ones. yes, using the high torque impact on a 5-meter ladder at an awkward position, that bit of easiness is a game-changer for me.
in another word, use brain, use all the tools from other brands, and really think about what actually benefits your work. raw power might just have been the least important thing on the list given nowadays the motor and the battery tech are pretty much at their limit for now.
the weight balance, the details, the ergo shape, price, durability under the weather etc etc..............
I was really excited about these flex tools, but you lost me at “Heavy”, I’ll stick with the m12/m18 stuff
The thing about these tests is regardless of which one ends up winning any particular showdown it's usually only by half a second or even 1 second ...
but then you look at price ... it's up to the consumer to decide whether or not that 1 second is worth 50% to 100% more money....
Which one is cheapest because I was looking into starting a flex system (hence why I’m here) and I thought they were pretty cheap and had a lot of useful attachments for carpentry
@@thehourglasswithaman they ( Flex Tools) aren't going to be cheap... Ridgid is your best bet for Power, price and selection..and a lifetime service agreement.....
@@boosted2.4_sky I don’t mind paying a little bit more if I know the tools are going to last and that would be my biggest concern with ridgid as I’ve heard mixed results
@@boosted2.4_sky also I just looked at their prices and for the same price I could literally just get into Milwaukee. The entire point of me looking into flex was so that way I can get into a tool Brand that is competitive but less than what I would pay for Milwaukee and then being backed by the same distributor as Bosch eventually if enough people pay into it the technology will continue to get passed down and they will have just said as a diverse lineup as Bosch
@@thehourglasswithaman i... Hear you but I have over 20 ridgid tools and I've never had to send one in or replace 1 or even wait for it to cool down to continue using.... But I don't use them every day either... Flex looks like they're going to be a good professional tool line and of course Milwaukee Milwaukee is proven
I have been waiting for your review on this! I am going to watch this on slow motion.
Which one is Stronger like for rusty bolts? Has more torque
Bro, looks like you’ve been cheating a bit. Towards the middle of the video you’re putting the dewalt, makita, and Milwaukee screws through holes that were previously drilled by screws whereas the flex screws went through solid wood where no screws previously drilled in the wood. I had to comment because it wasn’t fair for flex!
Keep in mind ah only really measures the time between charges. A higher ah battery can go longer between charges, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's delivering more power while it's being used.
Imagine if milwaukee was 24v its would destroy everything
I do not understand how the Ah battery rating affects the performance. It's just supposed to be capacity, is it not?
Great test. Using 2.5ah batteries in my Makita tools most of the time, even when not fully charged the power is adequate, no issues. As for impact drivers, the first few seconds of the video eliminates all except Makita and DeWalt, how much time do you want to spend pulling out stuck drillbits? Most of my go-to drillbits are Makita impact bits. Anyway, this was a big lose for Flex, the way the skin of his hand vibrates wildly when the hammer kicks in is painful to watch, and it failed to perform on 6in lag because the impact energy is transferred to the operator and not to the bolt.
Good information and quality testing!
A lot of these tools are made so closely that you can’t really go wrong. Just get whatever is on sale at the time you need to buy something
That being said, my makita cordless set has been used/abused daily for the last six years and the drill/driver/batteries are all still good, despite being banged up as hell.
I said this to a dude once and he basically said I am a POS for even watching or commenting on tool review videos 🤣.
You are right! Buy On-sale, no sale, no buy.
My Makita may be slower but it’s in my garage now, and paid for. It’s comfortable, and light. Power to weight ratio counts for something.
I noticed flex always slows down on larger lags, I wonder if it's actually engineered to do that because of the high torque for safety reasons.
I believe it's their battery protection technology that throttles when the temps get high or load too heavy
The Flex seemed to be vibrating your wrist quite a bit more than the others, clearly seen at 10:14 for one example. Could you actually feel a big difference there or was it not really noticeable?
I see a lot of videos like this, good job man!
Also, change the Milwaukee battery to the High Output battery and see where the results line up. But even at 24v, I'm not seeing a major improvement in performance from the Flex over the others. Definitely not a game changer in performance, maybe a slight improvement in the price category.
You are correct sir, miluakees 6 ah has the 21700 cells. I own a decent assortment of both m12 and m18. I usually use the m18 3 ah battery which I have a feeling is also the bigger cells but regardless when the big lags need attention the 6 ah shines bright. My buddy's new makita barely drives them. Stopped half way through n asked for mine lol. Head hung in shame. I like makita, and dewalt they all make good tools. But I happen to bleed red currently.
I'll just add that through the past, the only time I had a collet issue was my old Gen 2. Only used it for half a yr before the Gen 3 came out. Haven't had a collet issue so far. But it's def a well documented flaw.
not even a high output battery on the milwaukee
beast
Let’s go Makita!
The best review ever since the lunch of flex tools. You gained new subscriber
Never any love for Metabo 36v :( lol
Thank you for your video. Why do I need a impact tool? I can use a regular drill to do the same job, even it is a little slower.
Flex is tool overhyped I’m not starting over with a new brand even if it does win as long as it gets the job done that’s all that matters
As a plumber, I usually use m12 tools. When I need more power i go with flex. But lately I’ve been buying more m18 tools so we’ll see what happens in the future
I’ve got the Makita Milwaukee and a Bosch. Makita is just the best in the long run
I love my flex drill and impact with the stacked Lithium batteries. I Use it exclusively for aluminum building big ships. Man let me tell you its a straight up beast.
Not sure why use a 4.0 on the milwaukee 🤔 even a 3.0 HO will take all of the tests no problem. Not Milwaukee's fault that other companies stayed behind technology with the old batteries.
High Output didn’t seem to matter for the Kobalt XTR using 21700. I did test some 18650 battery cells and it didn’t seem to matter either. I do have some 3.0 Milwaukee HO 21700 cells I might test if I have time but I wouldn’t bet on the time thing😢
@@ClientGraphics you might be right but I seen the new milwaukee tools performed way better with the new HO batteries. Not gonna lie... those flex tools are looking good. Great video BTW 👍
The CP3.0's power output is roughly equivalent to the XC batteries. You'd be trading some run time for a lighter overall package, without sacrificing performance. It's the High Demand 9.0 and the multiple bank 21700 HO batteries that *can* see a boost over that.
@@reaperreaper5098 that was exactly my point. With a High Output battery the tool will perform way better. You are 100% right and don't need to be a 9.0, a 6.0 will do the trick 👍
@@pinos74667 Except the HO you referred to in your original post was the CP3.0, which only matches the output of the XC (2 banks of 18650s) batteries, which the 4.0 is an XC.
Not all tools see performance boosts moving past XC batteries either. I know my Surge and previous gen Fuel impacts don't see a meaningful increase moving from an XC 5.0 to an HD 9.0, and theoretically, the HO 6.0+ provides a modest performance bump on top of the 9.0.
What speed was the flex on with the large lag bolts?