Rechargeable Ni-MH Battery were the first on the market for cordless power tools and the technology is older, it is still very reliable. NiCads are less susceptible to freezing temperatures and have a high recharge cycle, which means they can be loaded and reloaded several times during a long period of time. NiCads are also less expensive than NiMH and Li-ion. On the side, however, NiCads tend to suffer from the memory effect of the battery. This occurs when the battery can no longer accept a full charge, because it was repeatedly charged without being completely exhausted. It seems that the battery "remembers" how much energy he is acquitted, and no one wants to accept the return as much energy from the charger. Cadmium is highly toxic element that makes the battery more harmful to the environment. The negative effects on the environment NiCad, in fact, cause them to be heavily taxed outside the U.S. As a result, many European suppliers will not sell nickel-cadmium batteries.

The nickel-metal hydride run on a higher amperage than NiCads, thus they also have a longer run-time. NiMH batteries are lighter than NiCads but they are much more sensitive to hot and cold temperatures, in fact, NiMH can not work below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit and below) and they degrade quickly intensely temperatures high (105 degrees Fahrenheit one up). While NiMH has a run-time duration of the NiCad it does not accept all the charges. NiCad and NiMH are very similar, but the overall life NiMH has a greater capacity for energy storage.

The Polymer Lithium ion Battery have a higher energy density than most other rechargeable batteries. A high energy density indicates that the lithium ion having a higher energy to weight ratio store more energy for their size than most of the other batteries. Li-Ion has a very low self-discharge, which means they retain their charge longer. Most rechargeable batteries significantly deplete because they are disengaged, the slow loss of charge of Li-Ion, however, allows them to maintain their charge over long periods, even on a shelf in your store or in the garage.