CAS: How we can eventually get the cheaper power tools that we deserve

besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 11:44
Last edited 23/02/2025 - 12:18

I’ve been researching this topic for an article I'm writing, and I wanted to get your input on the topic. Just a heads-up, I’m wearing my Tux Guevara shirt for this one.

We’re Getting Screwed on Power Tools

The level of profiteering on power tools in Australia is insane, and it's all driven by market control. First, we have the monopolisation of hardware stores by Bunnings, and then we’re locked into closed ecosystems like Ryobi, Ozito, and Makita’s battery systems.

Locking You In

If you invest in a battery ecosystem, you’re stuck. Gone are the days when you would buy any brand of corded power tool without worrying about compatibility. Now, brands like Ryobi entice you with sales on entry-level battery and tool combos, which seem like a great deal at first. But the problem comes when you need to buy additional tools.

Maybe you just need a cheap sander—nothing fancy, just something to get the job done. A cheap Ozito is good enough, but now you're faced with a choice: either buy new Ozito batteries or pay extra for a Ryobi tool to match the batteries you already own.

Ozito Isn’t That Cheap

We often think Ozito is the budget-friendly option, but that’s only because we compare it to higher-end brands like Ryobi, Makita, or DeWalt in Bunnings. In reality, Bunnings slashes the price of Ozito tools by as much as 50% just to compete with ALDI's Ferrex-branded tools, which already make a healthy margin. Bunnings, as the exclusive distributor of Ryobi and Ozito in Australia, holds a firm grip on both the budget and mid-range tool market and is making an absolute killing.

It’s Not Like Other Industries

This isn’t free market competition. It’s anti-competitive behaviour. When buying a smartphone, you can walk into JB HiFi, OfficeWorks, or order from Amazon and buy any number of devices and know it will be compatible with your USB-C chargers. This is real consumer choice and market competition.

The EU put a stop to Apple’s Lightning cables specifically because it was anti-competitive. While I’m not necessarily advocating for top-down regulation, consumers should reject these tactics. There's no reason there can’t be a universal battery standard for power tools—just like we have with AA or AAA batteries. In fact, there is one.

The Solution

Enter CAS (Cordless Alliance System). This is a universal, brand-agnostic system that already allows over 40 brands to share the same 18V battery packs. Unlike proprietary systems that force you into a specific brand, CAS gives you the freedom to mix and match tools across different brands without being locked in. CAS is currently the best example of an open, cross-brand battery platform, and I feel it genuinely deserves our support so that other brands adopt these batteries in the future.

Unfortunately, brands that use CAS batteries, such as Metabo, aren't yet as readily available or affordable in Australia as they don't yet have a foothold here (they're much more popular in Europe). It's interesting that Bunnings sells corded tools from Metabo, but battery tools need to be specially ordered. Total Tools does stock Metabo, and they also appear to have a promotion on at the moment so I may post that as a deal (I have no affiliation with Total Tools).

Hopefully, over time, CAS compatible tools will grow in popularity and come down in price, while other manufacturers adopt the CAS standard. Once they do, they will need to drop their prices across their ranges and not just their "loss leaders" that lock you into their ecosystem. It will also open up competition from stores other than Bunnings.

Of course, Bunnings and the larger tool manufacturers will fight this, but hopefully smaller tool manufacturers see this as an opportunity to shake up the market.

Invest In CAS Batteries Slowly

I'm heavily invested in an ecosystem already, so I'm going to do is begin slowly replacing my existing batteries with CAS batteries. As my existing batteries/tools die, I will buy CAS replacements.

I've also found a lot of CAS-to-Makita, CAS-to-Ryobi, CAS-to-DeWalt, etc (and reverse) adaptors online and will be doing some research on which of these are compatible, safe and reliable. CAS batteries have the BMS built directly into the battery. As these batteries become more popular, there's zero reason why manufacturers couldn't produce their own official adaptors.

I'm also aware that there's 36V, 48V, etc. I know that professionals are usually heavily invested in Makita and will be resistant to changing the tools they rely on to make their living, etc. I'm interested to hear any other obstacles you can think of.

Home & Garden

Comments

    • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 12:00
      +1

      hahaha, love this meme.

      It's a bit different in this case though. None of the competing standards are open to other brands.

      • Hybroid on 23/02/2025 - 12:57

        It’s a bit of a circular argument though. None of the 40-odd CAS-compatible brands seem to exist in Australia, barring a few niche ones, which are more expensive than the Ozito’s you say are already expensive.

        So people aren’t likely to spend more on something that isn’t as-supported nowadays, but might maybe perhaps be in the future. Therefore, those manufacturers won’t see demand and less likely to enter the Australian marketplace fulfilling the less-support fear.

        Not to mention most people have some form of tool and battery system already.

        Hence, there’s yet another competing product line (standard).

        • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 13:11
          +1

          It’s a bit of a circular argument though.

          The problem is a cycle, but the argument isn't circular. The argument proposes breaking the cycle.

          None of the 40-odd CAS-compatible brands seem to exist in Australia, barring a few niche ones, which are more expensive than the Ozito’s you say are already expensive. So people aren’t likely to spend more on something that isn’t as-supported nowadays, but might maybe perhaps be in the future. Therefore, those manufacturers won’t see demand and less likely to enter the Australian marketplace fulfilling the less-support fear. Not to mention most people have some form of tool and battery system already.

          Yes, I did point all of this out in my post. That's why I addressed it with using adaptors as a temporary solution.

          Ultimately, different brands, standards, et cetera disrupt the market all the time, especially when they offer something objectively better. If car manufacturers can do it, I'm sure power tools can.

          Also, \few niche [tool manufacturers] exist out of necessity. Professionals who need these tools will have to buy batteries for them, so they will continue to exist. These people will then be locked into the same cycle. They will already have their CAS batteries out of necessity for these niche tools that Ryobi and Ozito can't fulfil. These professionals aren't then going to go invest in Ryobi.

          As niche tool manufacturers continue to take up CAS batteries, it's almost inevitable in the long-term that there will be a standardised battery.

          Hence, there’s yet another competing product line (standard).

          It is competing, but not inherently. The point of the standard is to be the first open standard, therefore being the first opportunity to break the cycle of competition.

          It's not like USB-A vs mini-USB vs micro-USB vs USB-C, all open standards which were competing with each other. There are no other open standards for CAS to compete with - it's the first one.

          Also, USB-C was ultimately very widely adopted, the competition is largely over for now, and this whole argument has become moot…

        • AdosHouse on 23/02/2025 - 22:11
          +1

          Metabo is CAS. Easy enough to get hold of in Aus. I love my Metabo drill and impact.

  • life is suffering on 23/02/2025 - 11:59

    How’s the warranty going to be affected?

  • Protractor on 23/02/2025 - 12:02
    +4

    Never mind that 2 Whoppers with cheese over $22!
    FMD
    Cheaper to eat a power tool.

  • stevco123 on 23/02/2025 - 12:51

    You answered a solution to your problem in the second last paragraph. Adapters. End of story.
    I also wish i could put 13 inch tyres from Mazda onto my BMW X5, but guess what? Won't happen

    • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 13:01
      +4

      You answered a solution to your problem in the second last paragraph. Adapters. End of story.

      No, for a few reasons, such as:

      • It's annoying to use adaptors. Apple didn't get away saying "just use a USB-C to lightning adaptor" and neither should Ryobi, Makita, etc.
      • It introduces another point of failure
      • Adaptors won't work in all cases as some tools are made to fit certain sizes of batteries
      • Extra cost, etc

      Adaptors are a short term, transitionary solution to this problem.

      I also wish i could put 13 inch tyres from Mazda onto my BMW X5, but guess what? Won't happen

      Because those are completely different things and a false equivalent.

      A more equivalent example would be fuel intake, which Mazda and BMW X5 already share the same standard, hence you can both fill up at AMPOL.

  • Switchblade88 on 23/02/2025 - 13:06

    Zero point in me buying a CAS battery when I have four different tool skins; none of which are CAS compatible…

    I can 3D print an adapter for like $2 including the cost of cable and crimp connectors. I get the best value Ozito 4Ah battery, and then whatever skin that's currently on sale. That's the OzBargain way!

    • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 13:13
      +1

      Zero point in me buying a CAS battery when I have four different tool skins; none of which are CAS compatible… I can 3D print an adapter for like $2 including the cost of cable and crimp connectors.

      That's great, but most people don't have that ability, nor should we have to.

      I get the best value Ozito 4Ah battery, and then whatever skin that's currently on sale. That's the OzBargain way!

      Yes, but the Ozito batteries still cost more than they would if they were competing on an open standard like AAA batteries and USB-C cables are.

      • Switchblade88 on 23/02/2025 - 13:24

        Ozito batteries still cost more than they would if they were competing on an open standard

        Ozito was by far the cheapest 4Ah batteries available. For years. If they weren't a loss leader for Bunnings, they would be more expensive on a universal standard.

  • AustriaBargain on 23/02/2025 - 13:24

    We could start using Chinese power tools. We use the same voltage and Type I connector is the same, and you can get adapters for the other types.

    • tenpercent on 23/02/2025 - 13:30

      Aren't all the power tools Made in China anyway?

      • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 13:35
        +1

        Most of the Metabo tools sold in Europe are made in Germany. I think we most get Chinese made Metabo tools here though. Bosch also makes some stuff in Germany, but not as much.

  • You Were Warned on 23/02/2025 - 14:06

    OP, your wall of text is the very example of cannot see the forest for the trees

    No where have you identified the actual underlying reason why the prices of power tools in Australia are high

    Hint: think utes, jet skis and building materials

    • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 14:14
      +1

      Hint: think utes, jet skis and building materials

      They get stolen and sold on marketplace?

      Seriously though, ecosystem lock-in is a genuine reason for high prices, though obviously not the only reason. Another is when a retailer like Bunnings controls over 2/3rds of the market.

  • boomramada on 23/02/2025 - 14:18

    why not take your argument to the EU, they are good at sorting these things out lol

  • ihbh on 23/02/2025 - 14:33

    Invest In CAS Batteries Slowly

    Why? Are you saving anything on the batteries, or is it the skins you think you're saving on.

    ~$60 for 6Ah

    Vs say Ozito, I've bought 2x 4Ah with charger for not much more and I was given a free 4Ah from my local community because they are so common.

    My ecosystem is Aldi and Ozito - I buy skins on sale/price matching Aldi/Aldi special buy if I need it.

    My bad, I do have Kobalt from Masters days - when the mower was half price - still going strong. I also bought a Katana 36V chainsaw with 2x 4Ah batteries and charger for $120 (that's pretty much the cost of your two 6Ah batteries - yes, it's more than 4) because I needed to cut down a massive tree that my smaller Aldi chainsaw would have struggled with. It paid for itself with that job and there's more to come.

    • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 14:51

      Why? Are you saving anything on the batteries, or is it the skins you think you're saving on.

      In the long term, both. In the short term, neither will be cheaper as it will take early adopters in Australia.

      ~$60 for 6Ah Vs say Ozito, I've bought 2x 4Ah with charger for not much more and I was given a free 4Ah from my local community because they are so common.

      Sure, but I'd prefer to pay a bit more per Ah and have a universal battery than be stuck in one system. This will allow you to save more money in the long run, if all skins shared the same batteries, because you'd be able to buy cheap Ozito when for things you don't rely on then quality Makita for things you do rely on.

      It will also introduce more competition into the market generally because you will have new tool manufacturers popping up left and right with the confidence that people will purchase their tools, and without the need to invest in manufacturing batteries for those tools.

  • jj8aus on 23/02/2025 - 14:38
    +3

    Love the passion behind this post. I have been watching what the EU will do. I feel like standardisation around the USB C standard is just the beginning. In time they will go after these tools too… hopefully. Feel like it's the most likely pathway to getting the outcome you are wanting.

  • brendanm on 23/02/2025 - 16:53

    We get ripped off on everything, this isn't special. Just use an adaptor if you are that upset about it. The universal batteries often don't perform as well as the manufacturer specific ones, especially the high output ones.

    • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 17:19

      The universal batteries often don't perform as well as the manufacturer specific ones

      That's not true of the CAS batteries…

      • brendanm on 23/02/2025 - 18:34

        Feel free to post links showing them tested against the high output variants, including the newer tabless cells.

        • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 22:40

          Yes, feel free to show the tests

          • brendanm on 23/02/2025 - 23:10

            @besttechadvisor: What? I'm wanting you to show the tests, you are the ones that just said that they are as good as the high output batteries from other manufacturers, I assume you have data to back that up?

  • Free Fall on 23/02/2025 - 17:04

    If you're willing to invest the time, a way around it is buying kits when there are multiple promotions and flogging off unwanted bits. Ie: Combine the redemption offers with the spend x get y $ discount (usually 20%) + discounted gift cards and or Bunnings 10% price beat. Doing this I've built up a very nice Dewalt collection.

  • Clear on 23/02/2025 - 17:33

    If you invest in a battery ecosystem, you’re stuck

    My Ozito, Ryobi and Makita converters would like to have a word with you.

    • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 17:51

      Do you print them yourself or buy them?

      Still, it'd be so much nicer if we didn't have to do that.

      • Clear on 24/02/2025 - 00:26

        Purchased. cbf printing them and they weren't expensive.

  • fantombloo on 23/02/2025 - 17:33

    Gone are the days when you would buy any brand of corded power tool without worrying about compatibility

    Not true. It's generally all I buy. (I only do battery for drill and impact driver because I use them most frequently in various locations - for anything more occasional or stuck in the same area I won't even think about battery. Everyone's needs are obviously different but I find this general gravitation towards battery a bit silly tbh when electric variants are so much cheaper and portability is not a prime requirement).

    • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 17:50

      Yeah, I go through the same thought process. Generally speaking, though, everything's gravitating towards batteries as you said.

      • fantombloo on 23/02/2025 - 17:58
        +1

        If you don't need it then you don't have to follow. There are lots of options. Get what makes sense for your own situation. (An example is I'm considering a battery operated angle grinder just because I can easily get a smaller one with less power than a standard corded one and it helps me tame my own angle grinder jitters).

  • poohduck on 23/02/2025 - 17:41
    -2

    OP comes across as arrogant and priviledged

    • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 17:52
      +1

      I wish my arrogance was backed up by privilege.

    • rwps on 23/02/2025 - 18:08
      +2

      I see it very differently, OP is just pointing out a reality we should all recognise - we are being screwed by the current Aus system/monopoloy.
      And is asking for our thoughts on how we can get better ongoing bargains driven through competition.
      To me that is the essence of OzBargain, neither arrogant or privileged.

  • Ocker on 23/02/2025 - 17:42

    " How we can eventually get the cheaper power tools that we deserve"

    Take a trip to China and take a big suitcase

    • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 17:48

      OzBargain group buying trip? OzBatteries?

  • pegaxs on 23/02/2025 - 17:52

    Higher end brand like Ryobi? Hahaha… maybe 20 years ago.

    • besttechadvisor on 23/02/2025 - 17:53

      Higher than Ozito, definitely mid-tier overall.

  • Milkywayss on 23/02/2025 - 18:01
    +2

    Great perspective OP and well written. Ignore the haters on here - they clearly hate USB C and still want a drawer of 14 different cables for each of their devices (you could use an adapter after all)

    • Clear on 23/02/2025 - 18:56
      +1

      I love USB-C and I love my battery adapters.

  • Bolt Upright on 23/02/2025 - 19:11

    I once wrote to Bosch suggesting they make an adapter for cameras and phones, a simple USB socket would be enough. Not interested.

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