The Trend
Companies are rolling out lithium- ion cells-old hat in mobile phones-with enough juice to feed amp-hungry power tools.

Why Now
Engineers have tweaked the
li-ion recipe and added circuit boards that monitor cells to prevent batteries from exploding.

How You'll Benefit
Li-ion tools offer 40 percent more power per pound than those using nickel-based batteries.

The Golden Rule

Stick with one manufacturer, and you can use the same battery in all your tools-as long as they have the same voltage. So don't go for a 9.6-volt drill if you think you'll want an 18-volt reciprocating saw later. The descriptions below will help you determine how handy you really are around the house-and, thus, your future cordless tool needs.

The Unhandy Handyman