Black & Decker 18V Cordless Drill

[LCHIEN]

A couple of my Lion batteries for my 20 V max Dewalts have a charge indicator on them. Just a button that you push that shows the charge level with three led's. That is a very useful feature. Lets me know before I start a job if I will need a newly charged battery or not as well as when to charge them.
This isn't something I have ever seen in any of my other cordless tools, but would like to see that widely implemented in the future.
I also didn't think I would care for the three led's that light on front of the tools when the trigger is pulled, but they have proven to be a very nice feature as well. It is pretty much a premium tool though. I gotta say that it ranks an A+ where other B&D, Dewalts, Hitachi's were at best a B- mainly for battery life and strength.

The Craftsman C3 LiIon batteries also have a charge readout button and indicator LEDs.
If you had NiCads you will need a new charger, but the new "multi-chemistry" charger will identify and properly charge both C3 NiCad batteries and C3 Li-Ion batteries. No need to keep the old charger.

[10sCoachRick]

I've been using the B&D yard tools for many years, often buying hand tool clearance deals to get the new batts and selling off the bare tools at a bargain. B&D and Lowes often team up with a 'free battery with purchase' deal on blowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers. I'll get a new trimmer every couple of years and a new blower every two or three. Same hedge trimmers for about 7 years! Lowe's and Target both get very aggressive with the 18v clearance tools. I currently(get it? 'current'ly ) have two dual smart chargers and two smart single chargers. The new little-bitty charger is better than the ones from a few years ago.

IF we go through with our downsizing efforts, I'll be getting rid of all the yard tools except the little sweeper/blower. Somebody's gonna get a great deal on a bunch of B&D 18v tools !!! Don't need a hedge trimmer in a condo! or a string trimmer...or pole pruner...or scrubby brush...or ...Now that I think about it, we might make it a 'gift with purchase' for the nice folks who buy our house!(Fingers are crossed)