brushed vs. brushless cordless tools

what’s better and why?

I have no opinion. I own about $2,500 worth of Milwaukee Fuel cordless. They work.

Brushless. Less friction which means longer battery life, less heat, more energy transfer to task, less part wear and generally more lifetime when comparing similar build quality tools.

I like using the brushed tools at work because if you forget a striker you can light a torch off an impact (just kidding….kinda). We have a mix of a bunch of different brands at work primarily Milwaukee, dewalt and IR. It seems like the dewalt stuff is a little more durable than the others but they all seem pretty amazing considering the environment they work in and the torture they get put through. I have a mix of Dewalt and IR stuff in my locker. Some guys have the Milwaukee stuff, lots of power but they don’t seem to last as long.

Depends on usage. If using extensively FinickyFish has the right advice. For casual home usage it doesn’t make a big difference and the price on brushless is often significantly higher.

Brushless is the way all tools are headed. Much harder to overheat the tool when working it hard.

Brushless for the auger, otherwise brush Black & Decker drill for around the house. I drill less than 50 holes a year! Sure many on this site will have 50 by noon today.