When we moved into our first house a month before the holidays, we were overjoyed to later receive gracious amounts of basic (and not-so-basic) tools and accessories from our famliy to help with our renovation plans. And while those tools have been more than useful to have around, when we have small projects lying around the house we keep coming back to the simplest of tools -- the IKEA FIXA line.
These tools have become the standbys in our home -- perhaps it's the convenient packaging, the portability, or the fact that they were so darn inexpensive that we don't worry about ruining them too much, but whenever a small project pops up, you can be sure to see a FIXA kit nearby.
Last week, I had the pleasure of traveling to Baltimore for DeWALT's new product launch. I had a basic familiarity of the brand, but it was fascinating to dive more into the company's history, methodology and what they're doing to produce functional, innovative tools that help people work better and faster. Plus, I got to indulge my inner DIY freak in the company's testing area (mitre saw, anyone?)
We saw lots of great new products during the two-day event, so I thought I'd pick out a few of my favorites. I'd say the biggest news from DeWALT is the launch of their new 20 volt MAX cordless line, which will be available later this summer. The new line was created from several trends, including a continued growth in the 10.8 and 12 volt categories, as well as the ongoing evolution of lithium ion technology.
DeWALT has made a sizable commitment to investing in the company's cordless line and, over the last three years, has doubled their engineering resources for cordless development.
Benefits of the 20 volt MAX line include unprecedented performance, ergonomic design and innovative features, according to a DeWALT presentation.
My personal favorite? The 20 volt MAX lithium ion compact drill/driver, which has been completely redesigned from the ground up. Features include an ergonomic handle, LED work light, compact size, high-speed transmission and a 1/2-inch ratcheting chuck. I love the compact size, but also think the line's impact driver is a must-have for your collection.
