Power Tools: Air vs Electric

Power tools are the great enablers, helping us to either do what we could not manage manually or to simply get it done more quickly. We’ve been relying on them for more than a century and they continue to evolve, gaining capability and efficiency. Not so long ago, impact wrenches and other automotive-focused garage power tools were the exclusive province of professionals, and almost all such implements were powered by compressed air. Today, air tools are commonly used by hobbyists in home garages, as capable air compressors, and the pneumatic tools they power, have steadily become more affordable.

Yet, while air tools were becoming more accessible, a new breed of power tools for the garage was emerging. Battery-powered electric tools are not new, but the variety of different items that can be run with rechargeable battery packs has expanded significantly in recent years as the power levels and efficiency of the batteries themselves has improved. So, where once a cordless drill might have been the only battery-powered item in a professional’s tool chest, now impact drivers, cut-off wheels, chop saws, and other high-draw power tools are commonly seen.

This leaves professionals and hobbyists alike with a relatively new choice to make: air or electric? We’re going