Bare tool or kit: decide by what you already own

What the two words mean

"Bare tool", or "tool only", means the tool and nothing else: no battery and no charger. A "kit" includes at least one battery and a charger, sometimes more. The tool may also differ, so compare the model numbers as well: the two CRAFTSMAN rows here are different tools, a hammer drill and a drill/driver. This page is research-based, from current listings and makers' pages; we have not used these tools.

So the question is not which one is better. It is what you already have on your shelf, and that can be settled in a few minutes before you look at a listing.

Start here: what you own

The last row is the one that catches people. Batteries do not cross systems: Milwaukee says plainly that its batteries are not interchangeable across power tool systems, and CRAFTSMAN describes its V20 batteries as compatible with V20 tools. Even similar voltage labels from two makers do not mean a fit. Before you start a second platform, see cordless tool platforms compared.

How many batteries do you actually need?

Our rule of thumb, not a maker's figure:

1. Count the tools you run at the same time. One person usually means one tool in the hand, even across a job that uses three tools.
2. Add one if you work long enough to need a swap. A battery on the charger means you can keep working.
3. That total is your target. Past it, more batteries sit on the shelf.

Worked through: one person hanging shelves at home, one drill and one driver, one tool at a time, needs one battery, or two if the session runs long. A combo kit with two batteries already covers that. So the next tool can be bare.

The size of the battery in the kit

A kit battery is often a small one. The DEWALT kit here lists 2 Ah and the CRAFTSMAN kit two 2.0 Ah packs, and tool-only buyers often already own larger ones. A small pack still fits the tool on its platform. What changes is how long it runs and how much it weighs in your hand, so check that against the job. For a heavy tool such as a reciprocating saw, ask whether you own a large enough battery, not just whether you own a battery. See DEWALT battery sizes and Milwaukee M18 batteries explained for how the makers describe sizes.

The third option: battery and charger with no tool

If you want a tool that is sold only bare, or you want to choose your own tools, a battery and charger kit starts you off. The Milwaukee row here is an example: two XC5.0 packs and a charger that the listing says handles M12 and M18, with no tool in the box. It gets you a battery and a charger, and leaves the tool choice open. If you will want a drill and a driver together, compare combo kits first.

How to read a listing

• "Tool only", "bare tool" or "battery sold separately" in the title: no battery or charger. Believe it, and check it again before you order.
• "Kit" alone is not enough. Look for the named contents: how many batteries, what size, which charger. Some "kits" are bundles from a reseller.
• A kit model number and a tool-only model number often differ by a suffix. Here the CMCD725D2 is a kit, while the CMCD726B and the DCF845B, both ending in "B", say tool only in their titles. Do not rely on the suffix alone; read the title.
• "Sold as" in our table shows "Tool only" or "Battery and charger included" when the listing says so. Read the title for the exact contents.

Reading the table

Figures with a mark come from CRAFTSMAN's page for the CMCD725D2, linked under Sources. Other cells come from the current listing. "Not stated in listing" means the listing does not give that figure.

What this page does not tell you

We have not used these tools, and we do not rank them. We do not compare runtime or power, and the battery count above is our rule of thumb. Compatibility statements belong to the makers and can change, so check the maker's page for your exact battery and tool.