What Were Aldi Thinking!

[PeteG]

I've bought a few of the Ferrex power tools, drill/driver, impact driver and multi tool ( impulse buy at £8.00 ). I bought one Active battery charger and two 20V batteries to start, then picked up a 20/40 hoping to use that with the hedge trimmer, but they sold out so quick I ended up buying a corded one from Lidl. I bought a Ferrex corded recip saw, I really wanted a cordless but had no idea when or if one would appear in the Ferrex range. They have now, but sadly too late...

Has anyone had a good look at the power tool range and noticed how many are not compatible with the Active Energy battery system, 20V and 20/40V! The new 18V Combi drill This would have been a very handy addition to my kit )and the 18V Multi Head are being supplied with a Samsung battery and charger, but no spare battery. On one review someone points out that Bauker 18V Li-Ion batteries from Tool Station will fit, they cost £23.00.

They've brought out a cordless mitre saw, 4.0AH 18V battery, Tool Station if you want a spare, £38.00.

Cordless Orbital Sander, £50.00, one star in six reviews, 20V battery, not compatible with the Active System.

Angle grinder, I noticed these in store a few months when I first bought the drills, this might be a different one but it's now being advertised as "Not Active Energy Battery Compatible"

Another mention of the recip saw, it now seems they have two cordless ones. One Active Energy compatible and one that isn't! And like one or two other power tools, one saw doesn't have the Ferrex branding on the tool, just in the product description.

Is this a case of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing #-o or do reckon there are darker forces at play

 

[MikeJhn]

It's the dark side of the force Luke, don't give in to it, sorry Pete.

 

[arcflup]

It is annoying for sure but they are all clearly marked if they are Active Energy compatible. If it is bare tool only, what they call a "Skin," it is Active Energy; if it comes with a battery probably not (they do bundle Active Energy tool/bat/charger sometimes just to confuse the issue). The other thing folk get confused with is the 20/40 volt aspect where they are putting 20volt only batteries on 40volt tools and wondering why they don't work.

There are new Active Energy tools coming out all the time I expect they will eventually standardise on the system. I have a lot of power tools from the traditional named manufacturers but I can't stop these buying these Ferrex things when they come out as they are just so cheap that I don't worrying about abusing them or leaving them in the back of the van.

 

[RobinBHM]

but I can't stop these buying these Ferrex things when they come out as they are just so cheap that I don't worrying about abusing them or leaving them in the back of the van

do they work well? -I guess they must be ok or you wouldnt buy more....

 

[PeteG]

It's the dark side of the force Luke, don't give in to it, sorry Pete.

It definitely is Mike, it definitely is

It is annoying for sure but they are all clearly marked if they are Active Energy compatible. If it is bare tool only, what they call a "Skin," it is Active Energy; if it comes with a battery probably not (they do bundle Active Energy tool/bat/charger sometimes just to confuse the issue). The other thing folk get confused with is the 20/40 volt aspect where they are putting 20volt only batteries on 40volt tools and wondering why they don't work.

There are new Active Energy tools coming out all the time I expect they will eventually standardise on the system. I have a lot of power tools from the traditional named manufacturers but I can't stop these buying these Ferrex things when they come out as they are just so cheap that I don't worrying about abusing them or leaving them in the back of the van.

They are cheap, but I still treat them the same as my Bosch Pro, with love and tender care
It's a system that's definitely confused a few folk fella from reading reviews, and you can't blame them. Being able to buy the "Skin" is a cracking idea, but to launch a new range of power and gardening tools that all work on the same battery only to bring out another battery system under the same "Ferrex" branding six months later just seems ill thought out...Still, at least spare batteries for the new range are available at Tool Station.

but I can't stop these buying these Ferrex things when they come out as they are just so cheap that I don't worrying about abusing them or leaving them in the back of the van

do they work well? -I guess they must be ok or you wouldnt buy more....

I think they do Robin, I've been using the drill/driver almost daily for several weeks without any issues. I picked up the cordless glue gun (Reduced) as well which I forgot about, that's come in handy a few times now. The only product I returned was one of those small cordless screw drivers, I tried several bits in it and not a one stayed in place. The impact driver as a skin for £25.00 was a complete bargain, haven't used it too much admittedly but when it's needed it's brilliant.