Buying power tools in Australia
Power Tools Australia
Power tools in Australia split into two families, and knowing which one a job belongs to saves more money than any sale ever will: cordless for anything you carry up a ladder, and corded for sustained output where the tool stays near a power point.
Cordless: the 18V platform is the working standard
An 18V brushless tool now matches the power of the 240V corded tools tradies were using a decade ago, without the lead. The catch is batteries: they are the real cost, and they only travel inside one platform. That is why the sensible question is never “which drill?” but “which battery system am I buying into?” On AEG 18V, one FORCE pack runs a drill, an impact driver, a circular saw, a grinder, the site radio and the brushcutter out the back. Buying skins after that first kit is the cheapest way to build a full set.
Corded: where mains power still wins
Bench grinders, 230mm grinders, mitre saws and belt sanders still earn their lead. Sustained load, no battery curve, and a lower price for the same motor. Australian mains is 230–240V at 50Hz on a standard 10A circuit, so check the plug and the RCM marking rather than assuming an import will behave on a site board.
What each trade actually buys
- Carpentry and framing — 184mm circular saw, impact driver, brushless hammer drill, brad or framing nailer, mitre saw for fit-out.
- Electrical and data — compact impact driver, multi tool, SDS hammer drill, cordless lighting for ceiling work.
- Plumbing and mechanical — high-torque impact wrench, reciprocating and multi-material saws, grease gun, heat gun.
- Concreting and landscaping — rotary hammer, 230mm grinder, post hole digger, brushcutter, blower, chainsaw.
- Maintenance and facilities — drill-driver, oscillating multi tool, inflator, caulking gun, compact blower.
Four numbers decide most purchases: max torque in Nm, battery capacity in Ah, whether the kit is skins-only, and the warranty term offered in Australia. Weight matters more than people admit — a tool that is 400g lighter is a tool you still want to use at 3pm.
Our buying guides go through platform choice, battery sizing and saw selection in plain English, and the combo kits are the quickest way onto the platform if you are starting from nothing.




