Cordless Tool Kits

Do the math on cordless combo kits—you can get a drill, circular saw, recip saw, and handy flashlight for a little more than half of what you'd pay if you bought each separately. Plus, kits eliminate redundancy—they share the same bag, batteries, and charger—and allow you to upgrade to the latest technology in one fell swoop. Some high-tech chargers even work with older batteries, so you can expand your existing collection without sacrificing compatibility.

Ryobi's "Renovator" package gives a homeowner a fine power tool starter set. You get a reciprocating saw, a circular saw, a flashlight, a detail sander, a jigsaw, a drill/driver, and a hand vacuum colorfully called the "Tuff Sucker." In addition, you buy into Ryobi's "One+" system—a 25-member family of 18-volt cordless tools that can all operate on the same batteries and charger. about $230, ryobitools.com.

by Harry Sawyers