Battery platforms

Not directly. Each brand shapes and wires its packs for its own tools, so a Makita pack won't fit a DeWalt tool. Adapters are sold, but the tool makers don't approve them, so check your warranty terms before using one.

Yes. Within a platform, every capacity fits every tool on it. A bigger Ah pack runs for longer but weighs more, so our tool pages show the weight with each pack size.

Some bigger tools, like mitre saws and plunge saws, run on two of the brand's standard 18V packs at once to get 36V. You don't need a different battery, just two of the ones you already have. Makita, Festool and Einhell all do this.

Yes. FlexVolt packs run DeWalt 18V XR tools as well as FlexVolt tools. They are bigger and heavier than a standard 18V pack, though, so check it suits the tool: a big pack can make a compact drill awkward, and where the pack slides into a tight spot, check there's room for it. It only works one way: an 18V XR pack won't run a 54V FlexVolt tool.

Our numbers are the tools we've added so far, each with specs from the maker's own documentation. The makers' ranges are bigger, and we're adding more tools all the time.

It depends on the work you do and the tools you'll need next, not just the drill you're buying today. Our Battery Platform Finder asks four questions and suggests the platforms that suit you best. Try the finder ›