I hear you on the corded tools—sometimes old school just works. I’ve had too many battery-powered drills die halfway through a job, and it’s always at the worst possible moment. I keep a backup set of batteries, but even then, it’s a gamble if they’re actually charged. Universal chargers are hit or miss... I fried a couple of 9Vs once and never looked back. At least with cords, you know what you’re getting, even if you have to trip over them now and then.
Totally get the frustration with batteries—nothing like that sinking feeling when your drill just coughs and dies mid-screw. Here’s my usual playbook: I keep a long extension cord handy for those “just in case” moments, and if the power really goes out, I’ve got a small generator stashed in the garage. Not ideal, but it gets me through in a pinch. Cords are a pain to wrangle sometimes, but at least you know they won’t quit unless you trip the breaker. I do still use cordless for quick jobs, but for anything serious, I’m dragging out the old corded gear.
Dragging out the corded tools brings back memories of my first flip—old Victorian, wiring from the dark ages, and every outlet seemed to be on its own weird circuit. I learned pretty quick that batteries are great until you’re halfway through a job and suddenly you’re hunting for a charger instead of finishing drywall. Extension cords aren’t glamorous, but they’re reliable. I still keep a backup battery or two charged, but for anything that matters, I’m with you—corded all the way. There’s something reassuring about knowing your tool won’t just quit on you mid-project.
I get what you mean about the reliability of cords—nothing worse than a battery dying when you’re in the zone. But honestly, I’m still kinda torn. I love the freedom of cordless, even if it means swapping batteries more than I’d like. My first reno was a tiny 50s bungalow and half the outlets sparked if you looked at them funny, so dragging cords around felt sketchy. Maybe I just need to invest in better extension cords... or finally fix the wiring.
Honestly, dragging cords through a house with sketchy wiring sounds like a recipe for stress. I’d say, if you’re on a budget, start by grabbing one heavy-duty extension cord (the thick orange ones) and a decent surge protector. That’ll buy you some time until you can tackle the electrical upgrades. I had to do the same in my old place—extension cord from the kitchen was my lifeline for months. Not perfect, but it worked until I could afford to get things rewired.