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Ryobi, Home Depot's house brand, just introduced their One+ Lithium Battery operated 4-piece combo kit. And, ya know, for $259, it's a pretty sweet deal for the Do-It-Yourselfer. You get 4 tools in the kit: a Circular saw, Reciprocating saw, drill, flashlight, two lithium batteries, one-charger and a nice heavy duty bag - all in the new "Ryobi HyperGreen" color. The best feature of the kit is that it includes two-new Lithium Ion batteries and a charger. The Ryobi Lithium Battery upgrade kit sold separately is $99. This battery will power every Ryobi 18v tool, making Ryobi ONE+ the most affordable and versatile 18v Lithium battery powered tool on the market. As far as combo-kits for the homeowner, this is the best priced one that I've seen yet. Home Depot will have this special price until December 27th.
 Ryobi states that their Lithium battery has twice the performance and runtime but I couldn't find any specifics as far as the number of times this one could be charged or what specific Lithium Ion technology they are using. Other power tool companies like DeWalt and Hitachi have come out with advanced Lithium Ion technology batteries. DeWalt recently introduced the NANO battery, a phosphate lithium ion battery. As far as Litium ion technology goes, DeWalt's NANO Phosphate LiIon batteries are unequalled with 2000 recharges. To put that number into play, if you charge them every day with 250 days of work each year, this battery will last 8 years.
Hitachi's version is the HXP LiIon. The advanced chemistry in these batteries exponentially improves their life expectancy. Hitachi states that they will last longer than a vampire. The reality is that this battery will last for 1300-1500 life cycles. What that means to you is if you charge it every workday (approximately 250 day/year), this battery will last you 5-6 years. And that's if you charge it everyday. This is quite a leap from the NiMH or NiCad batteries which last approximately 500 charges per battery. "The run time or time between charges for Hitachi HXP batteries is extended as well. The run time is determined by the Ah (Amp Hour) of the battery, not the battery technology per se. Hitachi HXP batteries are 3.0Ah, while many competitors fail to mention they are only using 1.2Ah and 2.6Ah batteries. Because of the 3.0Ah rating, Hitachi HXP batteries last longer between charges." -HitachiPowerTools.com
With all Lithium batteries, you must avoid storing them at extremely high temperatures. DO NOT keep it in your truck or car sealed up on a hot day. On the flipside, these batteries can work in cold temperatures down to zero degrees. As with most higher priced products up front, lithium ion batteries will save you money and time in the long run.
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