Since Flex rocked Lowe's with its line of power tools, we've had the chance to review many of the top products in the line. In this article, we'll take a look at some of the flagship products we hope serious players in the professional industry can design well, and see if the Flex passes the test.
Flexible 24V battery system
There's a lot of confusion between 18V and 20V max (spoiler: they're the same voltage), but 24V is really different. Instead of using a 5-cell pack to create a 18V/20V max power supply, it uses a 6-cell pack to create a 21.6V/24V max battery. It does have 20% capacity available for extra power or runtime. Adding an extra cell is one thing. However, the Flex takes it to the next level with the advanced thermal management of its package design.
Flextronics was also one of the first companies to introduce pouch batteries, and one of the first companies to offer high-capacity battery packs. These batteries are designed to provide more usable power transfer, faster charging and longer life.
Flex's top rig model is impressive on several fronts. In high gear, it can hit 2500 RPM, which is some of the fastest drilling speeds we've seen. In low gear, it's quicker than most at 700 RPM and hits 1400 inch-pounds of peak torque.
In addition to the two gears, there are two working modes, standard and Turbo. In standard mode the drill performs very similarly to other premium professional brands. Press the Turbo button and you'll unleash its full speed and power potential.
The only downside is that this model isn't as lightweight or compact as some other options on the market. In most cases, though, professionals who aim for the highest possible performance are willing to make this tradeoff.
One last thing – the pricing on this drill is really attractive. It launched as a kit for $249.99, but we found it at Lowe's for $199.00.
price:
- $159.00 naked
- $
249.99$199.00 Kit with 2.5Ah battery, 5.0Ah battery and fast charger - $279.00 kit with 6.0Ah stacked lithium battery and fast charger
- $349.00 combo kit including Quick Eject impact driver, 2.5Ah battery, 5.0Ah battery and quick charger
Specification
- Model: Flextronics FX1271T-2B
- Power: Flex 24V battery
- Motor: Brushless
- No-load speed: 0 – 700 / 0 – 2500 RPM
- Maximum Torque: 1400 in-lbs
- Weight: 3.8 lbs bare, 5.9 lbs with 5.0Ah battery
- Length: 7.1 inches
Like the exercise above, Flex's flagship impact driver has some impressive numbers. 4000 RPM and 4450 IPM impact rates ensure fast drives with smaller fasteners. Massive 2500 inch-pounds of torque mean you can easily drive larger fasteners than less torquey models.
Flex adds something special with the quick popup feature. A button just above the trigger releases the bit so you can remove it with one hand without removing the other from the handle. It's fast and very convenient.
As we’ve seen with hammer drills, this impact driver is larger and heavier than some of the closest competition for higher performance.
price:
- $159.00 naked
-
$229.00$199.00 Kit including 2.5Ah battery, 5.0Ah battery and fast charger - $279.00 kit with 6.0Ah stacked lithium battery and fast charger
- $349.00 combo kit including turbo hammer drill, 2.5Ah battery, 5.0Ah battery and fast charger
Specification
- Model: Flextronics FX1371A
- Power: Flex 24V battery
- Motor: Brushless
- No-load speed: 0 – 1900/2700/4000 RPM
- Maximum Torque: 2500 in-lbs
- Impact rate: 4450 IPM
- Length: 4.75 inches
- Weight: 2.8 lbs bare, 4.1 lbs at 2.5Ah, 4.9 lbs at 5.0Ah
Flex has a variety of great circular saws to choose from, and we recommend you dig a little deeper to see which one is best for the way you work. There is no bad choice between them.
Take a look at the Flex's cordless classic 7 1/4" Sidewinder style and you won't be surprised just by looking at the specs. Its 5800 RPM and 2 5/8 inch depth of cut seem to be on par with what you get from other brands. However, stack up a few OSBs to see how hard you can push the saw, and you'll find plenty of torque for quick cuts in rough conditions. It easily outperforms 15-amp corded models in performance and is on par with the best cordless circular saws on the market.
price:
- Bare Metal $199.99
- $299.00 kit with 8.0Ah battery and fast charger
- $399.00 kit with 10.0Ah stacked lithium battery and fast charger
Specification
- Model: Flextronics FX2141-1D
- Power: Flex 24V battery
- Motor: Brushless
- Blade Diameter: 7 1/4 inches
- No-load speed: 5800 RPM
- Maximum Cutting Depth: 2 5/8 inches
- Weight: 9.2 lbs bare, 12.3 lbs with 8.0Ah battery
Flex offers full-size and one-handed reciprocating saw models to meet your demolition needs. For the fastest cuts, this is the full-size model you want to get your hands on. With 3000 RPM, a 1 1/4 inch stroke length, and optional orbital action, it's a strong contender with other models in the 12 to 13 amp corded class.
It doesn't achieve the same performance as some of the top cordless models that beat their 15-amp corded counterparts, though. It's also not as heavy as those saws. As Flex continues to expand 24V systems, we're curious to see if they'll be targeting the 15 amp class.
price:
- Bare Metal $199.99
- $249.99 Bundle with 5.0Ah battery and fast charger
Specification
- Model: Flextronics FX2271-1C
- Power: Flex 24V battery
- Motor: Brushless
- Strokes per minute: 3000 SPM
- Blade Travel: 1.25 inches
- Weight: 7.4 lbs bare, 9.5 lbs with 5.0Ah battery
- Price: $249
Many brands have tool storage, and Flex's Stack Pack looks similar to other brands at first glance. Take a closer look and you'll see that a lot of attention has been paid to durability. But it's much more than that. Flex has designed a complete accessory system for the inside and outside of the box, which is unmatched by other brands.
There are battery holders, cable winders, level holders, and many more that we don't have space to discuss in this brief overview. Click the link in the header above to see what it's all about!
But wait, there's more!
While this article focuses on the basic "general contractor's toolkit," Flex has many more products and is constantly expanding. You can click here to browse all of our Flex content, click one of the buttons below to start shopping, or visit Flex's website to learn more.
the bottom line
Flex may not be as deep as the longer-existing brands, but the powerful tools they have are impressive in performance and offer solid value in terms of pricing. Keep your eyes open, though. Flex has an expanded roadmap that promises to continue developing the lineup. For now, it's clear to us that Flextronics isn't just a brand for professionals, but that it's making some of the highest-performing power tools around with meaningful innovation.