Are Kreg power tools any good?

The new Kreg Ionic Drive power tools are sure to take the battery tool market by storm, but are they any good? Let's review them!

Kreg tool has officially launched their new line of power tools to complement their long-lived line of pocket hole jigs and other woodworking and household solutions.

To say that it's a surprise for Kreg to jump into the power tool game is two sided. On the one hand, this is not a product line they have much experience in. On the other hand, people HAVE to use other brands of power tools to use Kreg tools, so why wouldn't they want to have you using all Kreg?

It could be tough to convert users of other power tool lines to start using Kreg power tools. However, Kreg has an excellent reputation in the woodworking community and a history of making quality products. So, they can be trusted.

Let's take a look at the new line of Kreg Ionic Drive power tools and see how they stack up!

Kreg power tools review

For the record, this is not Kreg's first power tool. They have previous experience with their Adaptive Cutting System with a plunge track saw. I've long said this is my favorite and best-cutting saw I have.

They also make so many tools that require power tools to operate, so they have a history of using other brands to make their tools work, so they knew what to look for and what to avoid when making their own line.

This is also their first experience with a battery. So did they do a good job?

What power tools does Kreg have?

Kreg announced their initial line of power tools called their Ionic Drive. In the initial launch, the tools included are:

• Rebel pocket hole joiner
• Compact drill
• Compact driver
• Plunge saw
• Trim router
• 7 ½" circular saw
• 4 ½" circular saw
• Jigsaw
• Random orbit sander
• Oscillating multi-tool

Kreg has also said they plan to continue to add tools to this line in the future after the initial run.

What battery do Kreg power tools use?

Kreg decided to create their own battery to operate their power tools. They call it the 20v Blue Ion battery.

The Blue Ion battery is compatible with all their battery powered tools and should be upward compatible going forward. It is not compatible with other tool brands, even though it looks very similar to some others.

The batteries charge very quickly, especially on the fast-charge charging base and stay fairly cool while doing it. They also are quick and smooth to install and remove.

How to Kreg power tools feel?

Kreg power tools don't feel cheap. One common knock (one that I don't necessarily agree with) is that Kreg tools sometimes feel cheap because of their plastic construction. To me, this makes them lightweight, but have never failed me on operation.

The Ionic Drive power tools don't feel the same. They are sturdy, but lightweight compared to other brands I've used. Several of their designs, such as the barrel grip jigsaw, are designed to be more compact and ergonomic than other brands and it shows.

But in operation, none of the tools feel cheap or like they will have any issues. Saws that are running hard or the router that is rapidly spinning don't shake or cause issues. Even the sander feels smooth.

How well do Kreg power tools run?

All the Kreg power tools have a brushless motor and operate at a higher speed, making operation more seamless with less physical power needed for operation. Even the lower amp batteries don't sacrifice power during operation like some of my other brands.

While in operation, the Kreg power tools all run really smoothly. For instance, there isn't a massive amount of shake on the sander. Which for me, who is sensitive to that after wrist surgery, is a big plus.

Another example is the Kreg circular saw, which has ripped through 1 ½" thick butcher block for me with ease and didn't shut down once. Compared to my Ryobi brushless circular saw that shuts down when doing anything thicker than ½" material, this is a major plus.

As for the most commonly used tool in most people's shop, their drill and driver power run powerful and smooth. They have speed settings on the drill that have a lot more variance than some other brands and work really smoothly to drill pocket holes, join boards or any other need you have.

I compared the Dewalt and Ryobi drills and drivers here!

How does the Kreg Rebel compare to other Kreg pocket hole jigs?

The Kreg Rebel is their battery powered pocket hole jig. Unlike the Kreg 720 or the Kreg 520, or even their XL and Micro which all need an outside drill to actually drill the hole, the Rebel drills its own pocket holes.

This is similar in function to the Kreg Foreman, which is their large tabletop pocket hole jig with a built in bit. The Rebel operates by holding one handle firmly in place while pushing back on the handle to drive the drill big into the wood.

Admittedly, every time I've used the Rebel so far, I've tried to pull the handle toward me instead of pushing it away like you're supposed to. It seems more intuitive to me to pull it toward me because that's the direction the drill bit will be going. But that doesn't work.

You also have to hold the Rebel very secure or the drill be can roll on top of your board before plunging into it. This will change the position of where the hole is, which can be a problem in some cases.

While the onboard sawdust storage is nicer than the other jigs, I personally still like the Kreg 720 Pro the best for normal use and the Kreg 520 best for on the go. I'm sure I'll get more used to it, and I do like that it doesn't need an outside drill to operate, but I prefer the independent models.

How do Kreg power tools compare to other brands?

So how do Kreg power tools compare to other brands? Of the brands I've used, I can say that the new Kreg Ionic Drive power tools rank very highly.

I've said before that I prefer Dewalt for larger tools, such as table saws and scroll saws, and Ryobi for smaller hand tools. Comparatively, I think the Kreg power tools blow Ryobi tools out of the water. Their power is much more in line with Dewalt brand tools.

I also started using Senix brand power tools at the beginning of the year and wrote an entire review on their tools. While I like the functionality of Senix tools, their tool designs are a little more clunky than the Kreg tools, with Kreg being a little more streamlined.

Conclusion on Kreg power tools

So if you're looking to buy your first battery powered line of power tools, I'd highly recommend starting with the Kreg Ionic Drive tools. But, if you already have a line that you are passionate about, you'd be hard pressed to completely switch over, especially since Kreg doesn't have a full line yet.

I've always said that you need to pick a brand of power tools and stick with it so that your batteries all work. Having to switch back and forth can be a hassle.

But I really like the Kreg Ionic Drive power tools and I'm really excited to see what they come out with in the future. For now, go out and create!