"mike" wrote in message
...
Any thoughts on the Ridgid lifetime warranty on their lithium tool
batteries?

I like the idea of lithium battery powered tools because
every time I try to use a NiCd tool, the battery is dead.
And if I leave it on the charger, that cooks it. Only takes
a power glitch to cause it to charge a fully charged battery
and overheat it.

The only lithium tool I have is a Skill driver with a
failed (open) battery. Lithiums are still not quite ready
for prime time in tools.

I'd be willing to pay Ridgid prices for a battery that was
guaranteed for life.
But
What's the probability of actually being able to use it?
I tend to keep tools for half a century.
I've never been able to get warranty replacement on any power tool
I've ever owned (Craftsman hand tools ain't power tools).
The warranty is not for MY lifetime, it's for
the lifetime of the company.

I once had a checking account that paid 7.5% interest on deposits
for life. One Friday, they closed up shop, replaced the sign over
the door and reopened on Monday under a new name. As a courtesy,
they seamlessly transferred all our accounts to the new bank, minus
the interest guarantee. I checked, I was still alive.

In the case of the Skill driver, you can't buy a replacement battery.
Skill doesn't even admit that they ever made that model. And you can't
buy a replacement battery for the current model either.

I've got zero confidence that I'll be able to get a free Ridgid
replacement
battery 20 years from now.

Do lithium powered tools make any sense yet?

That's why I'm a big fan of corded tools! Get a small generator if need be.