Why You Shouldn't Buy Off-Brand Power Tool Batteries

January 11, 2023

Maybe you got some power tools for Christmas, and you’re looking for extra batteries to keep around the shop for those long making sessions. Great idea! And maybe you want to save some money by purchasing some off-brand batteries. Great idea? Maybe not. In our top story, Cory explains why investing in third-party battery brands for your tools might be a bad idea. He also lets you give you a few tips about how to improve your power tool’s battery life.

Other Highlights:

• Samsung confirms a date for the Galaxy Unpacked event.
• The Microsoft Surface Duo becomes the Microsoft Surface Uno
• A man hires an AI lawyer to represent him in court…sort of.
• … and more!

— Danny

Cordless power tools are available from several big-name brands, each using its own expensive battery system. Walk down any hardware tool aisle, and take your pick. But no matter what power tool brand you use, you shouldn’t buy off-brand battery packs. Read More »

Never fight over blanket space again with this HUGE 10' x 10' comfortable throw blanket. Whether you're binge watching Netflix series, cozying up next to a campfire, or making a blanket fort, this blanket is perfect to share with the entire family during the cold months of Winter. Plus, It's also machine washable!

When it comes to cordless power tools there’s no shortage of options. Walk into any hardware store, and you’ll quickly be overwhelmed with choices. If you’re wondering what to buy and asking yourself, “should I stick with one brand of power tools?” here are a few things to consider. Read More »

Portable chargers are a dime a dozen. Shargeek opted to break the mold with the retro, cyberpunk-themed Storm Slim Portable Power Bank. While the concept is neat, it merely highlights the simplicity of a power bank while failing to hide minor shortcomings. Read More »

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Are you a huge fan of Wordle and absolutely stuck today? Let me guess; you’re hanging out on guess four or five and feeling the pressure. We get it entirely: nothing feels worse than losing your streak. If you’re not ready to outright cheat, we have you covered with hints and today’s Wordle answer. Read More »

The holidays are a mysterious time where Tupperware containers seem to disappear. So, now that everything’s over, let’s refresh your supply of food storage containers. Grab an affordable eight-piece set of Anchor Hocking glass containers today.

In December, a Samsung executive said the next “Galaxy Unpacked” event would be in February. As promised, today Samsung officially confirmed its big Galaxy S23 launch event begins on February 1st, 2023, in San Francisco. Read More »

The days of cheap streaming are long gone. Services like Netflix are prohibitively expensive and offer much smaller libraries than they did just a few years ago. A personal collection of DVDs and Blu-Ray discs can alleviate this problem, but if you want to stream the media you own, you need a service like Plex. Read More »

We’ve never had much luck with the Surface Duo. Its dual-screen design is pretty neat, but Microsoft’s execution is lackluster—the cameras stink, app support is still quite limited, and the hardware is a bit too fragile. Maybe a foldable screen could fix these problems? Read More »

After a fairly successful year, BMW is kicking off 2023 with a big recall. The carmaker claims that a bug in its high-voltage battery software could result in a loss in power to the wheels of its iX, i7, and i4 EVs. This recall affects 14,086 vehicles in the United States and another 2,155 cars in Canada. Read More »

Recent advancements in AI are sending tremors through the tech industry. But as we’ve learned, this technology is also fairly unreliable—robots can’t write compelling articles, and conversational AI just can’t stop lying. Well, evidently, these are the perfect qualities for a lawyer. Read More »

Google Assistant offers a lot of nifty conveniences that make your life easier. But, in the past few days, many users have reported that one of the most-used features isn’t working correctly: the sleep timer. Read More »

Expensive new electric vehicles like the GMC Hummer EV and Rivian R1T truck feature Crab Walk or Tank Mode, allowing the wheels to turn in unconventional ways. Hyundai’s new concept IONIQ 5 can do the same, making parallel parking easier than ever. Read More »

In Back to The Future Part II, Biff Tannen’s future self visited him in 1955 with valuable information about upcoming events. He told his younger counterpart to “get a safe” to protect the info. If you ever find yourself in such a situation, you may want to look into the new Yale Smart Safe. Read More »

Does your TV not have enough HDMI ports for your needs? You don’t have to replace the TV. Fix the problem with an HDMI switcher! Just make sure you get the right one. Read More »

NordVPN might be one of the best-known VPNs out there, mainly thanks to its far-reaching, aggressive advertising campaigns. Of course, with so much money spent on marketing, I wondered whether or not it was all it was cracked up to be. Read More »

If you’ve never used a magic eraser to clean your walls or get soap scum off your shower, you’re missing out. But if you’re a devoted Magic Eraser user, there might be one usage you’re missing—cleaning your stained coffee mug. Read More »

It’s tempting to focus on the GPU power of a new graphics card and ignore how much VRAM it has, especially if you’re not playing at 4K. However, modern game engines and technologies like ray tracing are changing this fast. Read More »

There are a lot of words for soda out there, and arguably, pop or soda pop are two of the most common. But you’ve also probably heard people refer to them as soft drinks, but are soft drinks and sodas the same thing? Read More »