Which cordless tools to buy first (and in what order)

The classic beginner mistake is buying a 6-tool combo kit on sale and using two of the tools. Buy in order of actual need — here's the sequence that makes sense for almost everyone.

1. Drill/driver kit

The foundation. Buy it as a kit (drill + two batteries + charger) because the batteries and charger are the expensive part — often worth more than the drill itself. This is the one time the kit math favors you.

2. Impact driver (bare tool)

Drives long screws and lag bolts without stripping heads or twisting your wrist. Once you use one, the drill goes back in the bag for driving duty. Buy it bare — you already own batteries.

3. Circular saw (bare tool)

The first real "project" tool. A 6-1/2" or 7-1/4" cordless circular saw handles sheet goods, framing lumber, and deck boards. This is where a bigger battery (4–5Ah) starts to matter.

4. Everything else, as needed

Reciprocating saw, oscillating multi-tool, angle grinder, brad nailer — buy each one when a project demands it, bare-tool, on the same battery platform. Never before.

The combo-kit trap

Holiday 5-tool kits look like incredible value per tool, but the "value" assumes you'd buy all five tools separately at full price. If three of them sit in the case for five years, you didn't save anything — you prepaid for clutter. Exception: if you genuinely need three or more of the included tools within a year, the kit wins.