cost of brushless

[GEB]

So when will the cost of brushless driver drills and impacts come down? My 20 year old deWalt bit the dust and I’m thinking I’ll play Santa next month.
GEB

[Phil Thien]

31 days after you buy one.

[Billbo]

Ain't it the truth.

[K. L. McReynolds]

After December.

Christmas, sales and predicted sales drive the prices now. After the prices scare off some of the predicted sales, prices drop.

[Robert Adams]

The funny thing is cordless power tools got their first motors from the rc car Industry. Same happened with brushless. The rc plane industry was the first to use them in a high torque and larger format due to needing light weight high power and the people that are into it will spend more to get it. That has lowered the price for other uses. 

       The brushless motors are basically a three phase motor and the electronics to run them are quite cheap now. It's all marketing and they can sell a brushless for more because of the performance difference. 

      Back when tools were switching from nicad/nimh to lithium the lithium batteries were cheaper to make but since they are better the performance demands a higher price than the older tech.

[Huxleywood]

After December.

Christmas, sales and predicted sales drive the prices now. After the prices scare off some of the predicted sales, prices drop.

This has not been the case for several years with cordless tools, particularly the drill/driver and/or impact sets.  They have been following the TV model where holiday season sales have been the lowest price for the year, while they MAY drop down to the price again it is unusual and almost never drop below those prices.

If you are looking for 18v Drill/Impact sets Milwaukee and Makita have brushless sets with 2 batteries and charger for $299 plus your choice of one extra tool which in both cases can be 2 3ah batteries or other various options.  So it appears this is not the year that prices go off the cliff since brushed tools are still a viable option for many people and still command a significant market share.

PS I forgot Ridgid will be doing a very similar deal @ $279 and Dewalt just had a sale on their older compact 18v combo about 2-3 days ago on Amazon for $189 so if you are willing to settle for the slightly older kits that type of bargain may come around again in the coming weeks.