Topic
Battery platforms
Buying cordless tools means buying into a battery platform. Packs from one brand fit only that brand's tools, so the platform matters more than any single drill.
- UK 18 V
- = US 20 V max (same 5-cell pack)
- Energy
- Wh = V x Ah
Lithium-ion cells are 3.6 V nominal and 4.0 V maximum. A five-cell pack is sold as 18 V in the UK and as 20 V max in the US: the same pack, described two ways. A 12 V max pack is 10.8 V nominal.
Amp hours (Ah) tell you capacity, and volts times amp hours gives watt hours (Wh), the energy in the pack. An 18 V 5 Ah pack holds 90 Wh; a 2 Ah pack 36 Wh. Use the battery energy calculator to compare two packs.
Kits are sold bare (tool only), with one or two batteries, or as twin packs of drill and driver. If you already own packs, a bare tool on the same platform is usually the better buy.
Common mistakes
- Comparing a 20 V max US listing with an 18 V UK listing as if the voltages differed.
- Buying a bargain kit on a platform with few other tools you will want later.
Guides on this topic
- What does body only, bare or tool only mean?Body only, bare, skin and tool only all mean a power tool without battery or charger. See what Z, N and 0 model codes mean and when bare tools make sense.Guide
- Volts, amp hours and watt hours on tool batteriesWhy 18 V and 20 V max are the same cells, what amp hours mean for runtime, and how watt hours let you compare packs from different brands.Guide
- How to store power tool batteries in a cold shed or vanCharge level for storage, temperatures that pause charging, and why tool batteries are best kept out of an unheated UK shed or van overnight.How-to
- How to spot fake Makita and DeWalt toolsModel codes, battery labels, packaging and seller checks that help separate genuine Makita and DeWalt tools and batteries from copies.Guide
- Power tool vibration figures and HAVS explainedWhat the vibration figure in m/s² and the uncertainty K on a power tool listing mean, how exposure adds up over a day, and HSE guidance on hand arm vibration.Guide
- Power tool charger lights flashing: what it meansHot or cold pack delays, faulty pack signals and dead cells on DeWalt, Makita and Milwaukee chargers, and the safe checks to try at home.Fix
- Makita vs Milwaukee cordless tools comparedMakita LXT against Milwaukee M18 for trades and keen DIYers, plus M12, Makita's twin 18 V tools and the 40 V XGT range, with a drill spec table.Comparison
- How long do power tool batteries last?Runtime per charge and lifespan in years for lithium-ion tool batteries, what wears them out, how to make them last and why rebuilding packs is risky.Guide
- DeWalt vs Milwaukee cordless tools comparedDeWalt XR and FlexVolt against Milwaukee M18 Fuel, the two platforms most often weighed up on UK sites, with a bare drill spec comparison.Comparison
- DeWalt vs Makita cordless tools comparedTwo of the biggest 18 V platforms compared on tool range, batteries, ergonomics and warranty, with a compact drill spec table from each brand.Comparison
- How to choose a cordless battery platformRange of tools, battery costs, garden kit on the same pack and why your first cordless purchase locks you in, plus corded or cordless advice.Guide
- Can you take power tools and batteries on a plane?UK rules for flying with cordless drills and tool batteries: tools in hold luggage, spare lithium batteries in the cabin, watt hour limits and airline checks.Guide
- Brushless vs brushed cordless drillsHow brushless and brushed motors differ in runtime, size and power from the same battery, and when a brushed cordless drill is still enough.Comparison
- Bosch Professional vs Makita cordless toolsBosch Professional 18V and AMPShare against Makita LXT: battery systems, tool ranges, home drill kits and the difference between green and blue Bosch.Comparison
- Are power tool batteries interchangeable between brands?Which cordless batteries fit which tools: brand platforms, shared alliances such as AMPShare, CAS and Power X-Change, and the risks of third party adapters.Guide
Buying guides on this topic
- Best combi drill and impact driver twin packsDrill and impact driver twin packs compared by the two tools, the batteries and charger in the box, and the case, so you know exactly what you get.Buying guide
- Best cordless power tool kits and bundlesCordless power tool kits and bundles compared by the tools included, battery count and size, the charger and which 18 V platform they lock you into.Buying guide
- DeWalt 18V XR drills comparedDeWalt 18 V XR drills side by side: DCD800, DCD805, DCD799, DCD996 and the multi-head DCD803, by torque, gears and what comes in the box.Buying guide
- Makita 18V LXT drills comparedMakita 18 V LXT combi drills and drill drivers compared by torque, motor, hammer mode and box contents, from bare DHP483Z to the DDF486 kit.Buying guide
- Milwaukee M18 and M12 drills comparedMilwaukee M18 Fuel, standard M18 and M12 Fuel drills compared by torque, motor and box contents, plus the M18 SDS and impact driver options.Buying guide