Brushless vs Brushed: When It Matters (and When It’s Marketing)
A practical decision rule for DIY: pay for brushless only when your use case benefits.
Published: 2026-02-18
Brushless motors are typically more efficient and can deliver better performance. But the question is: will you actually notice?
When brushless is worth paying for
- You use the tool often (weekly)
- You do high-load tasks (long screws, dense wood)
- You want longer runtime per battery
- You care about heat management (less fatigue)
When brushed is totally fine
- You do occasional light DIY
- Your biggest pain is weight/ergonomics, not power
- You’re buying a starter kit and want more tools sooner
The decision rule
If brushless costs ~10–20% more, and you’ll use the tool regularly → worth it.
If it costs much more, buy brushed + invest in better batteries or your next tool.