As batteries continue to advance, companies are pushing the boundaries of power tools, offering viable alternatives to gas and corded products for everything from cutting rebar and concrete to plate compactors and rammers.
Products for the batteries themselves are advancing, as well, making it easier for contractors to recharge, swap and store them on the jobsite. Most major companies now have one battery platform for their tools, making it easier for owners to power various products without having to buy a whole new set of batteries.
All of this was on display and being demonstrated last month at World of Concrete 2025. Here’s a sample of some of the new things we saw being offered in battery-powered tools from Bosch, DeWalt, Hilti and Milwaukee Tool.
Bosch
Bosch 18V Brushless 9-inch Cutoff SawEquipment World
The offerings include “the world's first dry-cutting metal chop saw on an 18-volt battery,” says Corey Hinkel, group product manager. “This thing has the ability to cut up to 5-inch pipe.”
The company is also revamping its grinders, giving them kickback control, drop detection, variable speeds and electronic brakes.
Another new item being demonstrated at the Bosch booth was the 18V Brushless 9-inch Cutoff Saw, scheduled for launch this month.
The wet, dry saw has interchangeable blades for cutting concrete or metal. Bosch considers it a go-to saw for whatever needs to be cut quickly. On concrete, it can cut 2.5 inches deep, 60 inches long on a charge. (It can cut down to 3.3 inches.) And you can get 80, 1-inch cuts on metal pipe.
Bosch sealed the battery compartment to keep out water and debris and made the battery easy to change with the press of a button. An onboard wrench is used to change blades.
Other features include a 2-second blade brake, water shutoff valve, direct water-line link to the tool, a battery life indicator, an LED in front and multi-grip handle. The battery has been placed for optimal balance.
DeWalt
DeWalt Powershift Plate CompactorEquipment World
All three run on the company’s 554-watt-hour Powershift battery system.
The Powershift Forward Plate Compactor weighs 200 pounds and can compact 96 feet per minute on high speed and 72 feet per minute on low. It is equipped with a 4-gallon water tank for dust suppression.
The Powershift 60Kg Rammer is designed for working in trenches, around pipework and foundations and weighs about 140 pounds.
The compactor and rammer have a runtime of 30 to 45 minutes, depending on whether being operated in high or low.
“Typically, with most of our contractors, they're using these tools for 5 to 10 minutes at a time,” a DeWalt product expert said. “They're not using it a straight 30 minutes or a straight 40 minutes.”
“What's great about these tools,” he added, “if you're working inside in a hospital or a school or anywhere that you're not allowed to use gas equipment, this is compatible. There's no fumes.”
Charge time is 52 to 54 minutes, with 80% charge in the first 30 minutes.
The tools come with two batteries and a 550-watt charger. “The connection points on this are heavy duty,” he said. “This is designed so you're getting the wattage and the output that these tools need to be able to have sufficient power of a gas product.”
Equipment World
The screed puts out 7,800 vibrations per minute. The handles adjust to be wider or narrower to fit the operator. The throttle switch can be placed on the left or right. It also has rigging attachments so it can be hoisted with a crane when working in high-rise buildings.
It can hold up to a 16-foot bar, and it has adapters to run different bar types. “Probably about 80% to 90% of the bars on the market, our screed is compatible with, so you don't need to go out and buy new bars,” said DeWalt product expert Mike Davis.
DeWalt Powershift Concrete Power ScreedEquipment World
Hilti
Hilti continues to advance its Nuron battery platform, with more than 100 cordless tools that all work off of the same battery interface, according to David Walker, Hilti business unit leader. “You can interchange those batteries among tools.”
The new Nuron-compatible products include some of Hilti’s most popular corded or gas products, like the NBL 6-22 Cordless Blower for clearing jobsite debris. It delivers 459 cubic feet per minute of air volume. Runtime is about 20 minutes, and battery charge time is about 30 minutes with the company’s fast charger. “With two or three batteries, you can work all day, just interchange as needed,” he says.
Hilti has also developed a battery-powered model of its most popular corded concrete breaker, the TE 2000. The TE 2000-22 Cordless Jackhammer (photo at top of story) gets similar runtime and battery charging specs as the blower. It weighs about 34 pounds. It delivers 28.2 foot-pounds of single impact energy and max hammering of 1,800 impacts per minute.
Hilti's DD 150-U-22 Cordless Core DrillHilti
On a charge, the drill can cut up to five, 3-inch-diameter holes through 8-inch reinforced concrete slab. “If you had less reinforcement, you would have less resistance and be able to core more, or if you used a smaller diameter bit,” Walker said. “But 3 inches is our most common core hole in the U.S.”
Hilti also brought out its Nuron-powered DSH-700-22 Battery Cut-off Saw. It can cut through concrete, brick, masonry, asphalt and steel. The operator gets 30% more cuts with four batteries versus a full tank on the gas-powered version, the company says. It weighs about 29 pounds with batteries and blade. Max cutting depth is 4.75 inches in slabs and pavement.
Hilti DSH-700-22 Battery Cut-off SawEquipment World
Milwaukee Tool
Milwaukee Tool had one of the more diverse World of Concrete displays, not only showing new concrete products but battery storage solutions and even a battery-powered hoist for lifting items weighing up to 1 metric ton.
The company offers an array of tools on its new M18 RedLithium Forge battery platform, including the new M18 Fuel No. 10 1-1/4-inch Rebar Cutter. The cutter can slice through No. 5 rebar in 2 seconds. On a fully charged battery, it can make up to 240 cuts in Grade 60 No. 5 rebar.
The blade can make about 800 cuts before it needs to be changed. Milwaukee also sped up blade change to 2 minutes.
The tool comes with rapid stop that brakes the wheel in under 1 second. Other features include a tether point on the bottom, a forward-facing chute for the cuttings and an LED light on the front.
Milwaukee Tool MX Fuel 14-inch Cut-off Saw with Rapid StopEquipment World
The company’s MX Fuel Backpack Blower delivers 800 cubic feet per minute of air volume at up to 190 mph for clearing jobsites of debris. It delivers 20 to 45 minutes of runtime per charge, depending on how it’s used. It weighs about 30 pounds and is scheduled to be available for sale in June.
Milwaukee also showed off its jobsite battery storage products, where workers can pick up charged batteries and drop off spent ones.
Milwaukee Tool M18 and M12 Gang Box Rapid ChargerEquipment World
“This is the first charger of its kind in the industry completely optimized to be used inside of the job box,” said Madeline Thomas, associate product manager. “You're easily able to mount and then dismount. So you can be very flexible with how you set it up.”
Milwaukee Tool M18 Six Bay Packout Daisy Chain ChargerEquipment World
“So overnight over a few hours, these will all charge up to 60 batteries off of that one outlet without tripping that breaker,” said Product Manager Tanner Mascarenas. “So if you're using a lot of M18 batteries, this is a great way to set it and forget it and have all that runtime the next day.”
And the last item in our roundup of battery-powered tools is Milwaukee’s M18 Compact 1-Ton Chain Hoist.
The hoist is operated by remote control with up to 60 feet of range and has a 20-foot chain for lifting anything that weighs up to 1 metric ton, or 2,204 pounds, like tools, pipe and other materials. It weighs 48 pounds.
“It'll go up and down about five to six times before you have to change that battery pack,” said Chad Gariety, regional manager. “On your remote, it'll show a 25% battery life when it needs to be replaced.”
When changing the battery, the hoist will hold the weight in place. It also has easy access, so you don’t have to climb a ladder to change the battery.
“We're seeing big feedback with improved mobility and downtime on jobs because it is so portable,” Gariety said. “You can put it in a shop, use it for a couple days, take it down, take it out in the field.”
Milwaukee Tool M18 Compact 1-Ton Chain HoistEquipment World
