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Power tools make everything easier and your finishes more professional. You might think that connecting those power tools to an app on your phone via Bluetooth is an unnecessary upgrade—why in the world does your power drill need to be connected to your phone? The truth is that Bluetooth-connected, “smart” power tools offer a lot of real advantages, and you should definitely start thinking about upgrading your tools to include them.
More control
The biggest reason smart power tools are a good investment is the increased control they offer. If you’ve ever wasted time experimenting with the torque settings on a drill (and then forgotten those settings the next time you’re doing a similar project), you know how often you’re working blind and just figuring things out by feel. With a smart drill, you have an extremely fine amount of control. For example, Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel Drill lets you not only set a specific RPM for the drill—it allows you to set a torque range that shuts the drill off when you hit it. No more snapped or stripped screws.
Smart tools like this also enable you to select or create profiles for specific jobs. You can pick the material you’re drilling into, the size of the bit, and other factors, and the app will select the ideal settings for the job. If you tweak those settings or come up with your own, you can save it as a custom profile so you don’t have to perform all that experimentation every time you tackle a similar job.
Better safety
Anyone who’s worked with power tools knows how dangerous they are. I am still haunted by a power saw experience a few years ago that came very close to maiming me, and I consider myself a pretty safety-conscious DIYer.
Smart tools offer a range of enhanced safety features. Smart saws like the Milwaukee Sawzall M18 Fuel can monitor vibration, temperature, and the motor’s strain and shut the tool down if it’s about to overload, overheat, or spin out of control. This not only protects your squishy bits and vulnerable fingers; it protects the tool itself. Instead of a burned-out motor or a bent guide, the tool flashes a warning and shuts down so you can safely disengage, take a breath, and start over.
Rich data
Have you ever unearthed an old power tool and wondered if it was still in good working condition? If the battery still had enough capacity to be useful, if the tool still offered acceptable performance? With a smart power tool, you don’t have to guess. Bluetooth-connected power tools typically collect a lot of data about their condition and performance, and can tell you at if the battery’s still good (and how much use is left in the current charge), the condition of the motor, and whether it needs maintenance. You’ll be able to avoid unnecessarily replacing tools that just need a calibration or a cleaning, but you’ll also know you need to replace a tool before it fails you in a critical moment.
Location tracking
Most smart power tools offer a tracking feature that shows you where your tool is. While this is probably most useful for professionals who have a team deployed over a large area, if you have a habit of loaning out your tools or you’re not the only person using them, being able to see who ran off with your drill or saw is a blessing. And if you have a bad habit of leaving your tools wherever you used them last, this feature could also save you the wasted time of searching for them.
Smart tools, especially if purchased from the same manufacturer, can also offer inventory tracking, showing you exactly what tools you have—or lack. Didn’t you once have a reciprocating saw? Your inventory screen can tell you, and your tracking feature can show you where it’s currently residing, so you don’t mistakenly purchase a duplicate of a tool you already own.
Simply put, it’s the price. These tools tend to be a lot more expensive than their simpler brethren. The M18 drill mentioned above costs more than $100 less if you get the non-smart version, for example. But if you use your tools a lot and need fine control over their settings and a way to monitor their condition, the extra expense might just be worth it.
