Where corded tools are going to end up in 10 years?

Keywords: corded tools / power tools / corded

Technology has extensively transformed the way we live. Our lifestyle is really different than before. Every aspect of our lives is influenced by technology, from the way we connect to each other and communicate with another to the way we go from one place to another has gone through extreme change. The question is that how this tirelessly progressive technology is going to shape our future?

As a community of handy people, woodworkers, metal workers, construction worker, and avid DIYers, what is going to happen in the tools industry is really interesting. Since we are in direct contact with the tools that we use every day, the advanced technology that is going to be used 10 years from now, does concern us.

To get a clear understanding of what will happen to our beloved corded tools in the future, we must take a look back and observe what happened before them. This is only then that we can have a better perspective towards the future and are able to predict more accurately.

Hand tools

Before all, there were hand tools. We humans started using hand tools a really really long time ago. If you are thinking about the efficient hand tools that we are using nowadays, think again! The first-hand tools that our ancestors used were so simple that sometimes calling them tools sounds ridiculous. Our early fathers used sharp stones to shape other stones. Sometimes these sharp primitive tools acted as knives and they were used to skin the hunted animals.

When humans gained the ability to create metal objects, this technology was completely revolutionary for tools. We could make more durable and accurate tools. They could make in a wide range of shapes and sizes. They started experimenting with different metals to get the best result possible. The traits that they were looking for were lightness, more durability, more strength, and less expensive. Because these tools took a long time to be made, the costs were generally really high. And regular people could not really afford to buy them. Most of the people could only afford to buy a cheap shovel or a low-quality sickle.

The next big event in hand tools was the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution enabled the mass production of tools, resulting in the reduction of tools’ prices. People could buy more tools and therefore, demanded better tools. This is why tool manufacturers start to compete with each other to offer better tools at reasonable prices to get the larger shares of the market. They started to scientifically analyze tools in order to design better-performing tools.

Power tools

After the invention of electricity, tool manufacturers started to modify some of the tools they made to work with electricity. This was another dramatic transformation in the realm of tools. Now with the electricity-powered tools, everything was done in an extremely easier and faster way. With the extra power that construction workers gained, they could make houses and tall buildings more quickly, and soon, cities were filled with new houses. Making new structures that in the past seemed a really difficult and time-consuming job, was now done in a much quicker time. Power tools truly changed the way we use tools. In the past, just those people who were professional workers needed to have tools; but as power tools gained popularity, they came to our houses and became an essential part of our everyday life.

Cordless tools

Power tools were truly amazing. But they had a really big flaw! You could only use them if there was a power outlet nearby. And you could move around with them at your job site until the length of your tool’s cord allowed you to. Freedom of movement was something that power tools lacked seriously. For years, tools manufacturers tried to solve this problem by providing power tools with batteries. However, the early batteries were too expensive, too weak, and too heavy to take care of the needs of professionals. The first generation of cordless batteries was Nickel-Cadmium batteries. They were still heavy, but good enough to handle the basic needs of a power tool at a job site. The downside of Ni-Cd batteries was that they were (and still are) really harmful to the environment.

The Nickel Metal Hydride batteries were improved upon the Ni-Cd batteries. They had larger capacities, were lighter and more environmentally friendly. These two types of batteries were OK but what really changed the cordless tools industry was the invention of Lithium-Ion batteries. Compared to other types, the Li-Ion batteries are extremely light and are really strong. Since their invention, they have gained amazing popularity among professional workers and home users. However, they are not pure benefits. In comparison to Ni-Cd or Ni-MH batteries, Li-Ion batteries are more expensive.

Interchangeable batteries

Batteries of cordless tools are responsible for the majority of the costs. This is why tool manufacturers like Ronix were trying to come up with a solution to make cordless tools affordable. And this is when “All in One” cordless tools were born! The idea is to design a collection of tools that run on the same battery. Imagine you have a drill, jigsaw, and a blower. With interchangeable and compatible batteries, you will not have to pay for three batteries, you can use only one battery for all your cordless tools. It is just amazing, isn’t it? They offer the freedom of cordless tools and they are way less expensive than them! What else do you want?

What is the fate of the corded tools?

Nowadays, cordless tools have dominated the tools industry. The great features that they offer make people needless heavy and bulky corded power tools. However, there are still some power tools that require such great levels of power that batteries are not yet able to provide. Tools like demolition hammers which are extremely strong and practical on job sites, need a lot of power to operate. And the technology of rechargeable batteries has not reached this level. But it is progressing quickly and experts predict that tool manufacturers will soon reach that state.

Some go even further and predict that in the next 10 years, we will totally abandon corded chargers for all of our electronic devices, and the technology of wireless charging will rule the world. Can you imagine recharging all of your batteries becomes that easy? You just need to lay them on a wireless charging pad after a workday and let the technology do the rest!