Brushed vs Brushless Power Tool Motors

What's a Brushed Motor?

A close-up of a brushless motor, showing the brushes, commutator, armature and magnets.

Brushed motors have been the standard type of electric motors for many years. You’ll still see brushed motors in many power tools today, especially in corded power tools. Some cordless power tools use brushed motors as well.

One of the key features of a brushed motor is a set of brushes — components that transmit current to the motor. The primary parts of a brushed motor are:

An Armature: The armature or rotor is a series of wound wire coils surrounding a shaft. The armature spins when the motor is running, turning the shaft to drive a drill bit, saw blade, etc.
A Commutator: The commutator is attached around the armature shaft and spins with it.
Two Brushes: Made of carbon, the brushes are set on springs. The springs press the brushes against the commutator but stay in place as the shaft spins.
A Stator: This stationary pair of magnets, also known as the permanent magnets, surrounds the armature but don’t touch it. The magnets are aligned with opposite polarities.

How Does a Brushed Motor Work?

Here’s a simplified look at how brushed motors work in a cordless power tool:

When electrical current from the battery travels to the motor, the current passes through the brushes into the commutator, magnetizing the wire coils of the armature. The stator magnet with the same polarity pushes the armature away while the magnet with the same polarity pulls the armature toward itself. This push and pull action rotates the shaft.
As the shaft turns, the commutator on the armature shaft now contacts a brush with the opposite charge, changing the polarity of the armature so the magnet that repelled the armature now attracts it and the magnet that attracted the armature now pushes it away.
As long as the motor receives power, alternating charges from the brushes run through the commutator, causing the armature to continually switch polarity so it’s repelled or attracted first by one stator magnet and then the next to keep the shaft turning.
The rotating shaft drives the drilling or cutting action of the power tool.

Brushed Motor Advantages

A brushed motor can offer several advantages to a power tool:

A brushed motor is a comparatively inexpensive power option.
The lack of electronics in a brushed motor creates a relatively simple design.
A brushed motor doesn’t require an electronic controller, so it’s less sensitive to harsh conditions.

Brushed Motor Disadvantages

However, there are some things to think about before choosing a power tool with a brushed motor.

A brushed motor doesn’t use power as efficiently as a brushless motor does, so a brushed motor drains a battery on a cordless tool more quickly.
Since the brushes in a brushed motor contact the commutator, they’ll wear over time and will need to be replaced.
Contact between the brushes and commutator creates sparks in a brushed motor, which can be dangerous in some environments.
Friction from the brushes and commutator limits the torque or rotational power a brushed motor can deliver.
The friction of a brushed motor generates heat, leading to wear on the motor.

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What’s a Brushless Motor?

A close-up of a brushless motor, showing the rotor, stator and motor shaft.

A brushless motor uses a newer design to allow a power tool to operate more efficiently than a brushed motor would. What does brushless mean? As the term suggests, brushless means the motor doesn’t need carbon brushes to operate. The main parts of a brushless motor are:

A Rotor: In a brushless motor the rotor holds the permanent magnets. It spins when the motor is running, turning the motor shaft and powering the bit, blade, etc.
A Stator: This stationary component on a brushless motor consists of wound wire coils that surround the rotor but don’t touch it.
An Electronic Controller: The controller sends a positive or negative charge to each of the coils to keep the motor operating.

How Does a Brushless Motor Work?

Here’s a basic overview of how a brushless motor works in a power tool:

When you turn a brushless motor on, the controller determines the polarity the coils need to have to be attracted or repelled by the permanent magnets.
The controller supplies the necessary charge to the coils on the stator to repel the magnets and turn the rotor.
The controller alternates the charges to the coils as needed to keep the rotor spinning.
As the rotor spins, it turns the shaft on the tool and powers the drilling or cutting action of the tool.

Brushless Motor Advantages

A brushless motor offers several advantages to handheld power tools.

A brushless motor supplies more or less power as the needs of the tool increase or decrease, making efficient use of the battery on a cordless tool. This efficiency can allow the battery to operate longer before needing a recharge.
There are no brushes to replace on a brushless motor.
With no brushes and no commutator in contact, a brushless motor doesn’t create friction that can reduce the torque, increase heat and waste battery power.
A brushless motor runs more quietly than a brushed motor.
A brushless motor is less likely to spark than a brushed motor.
A brushless motor can give a tool a wide range of speeds.
A brushless motor can be more compact and lighter than a comparable brushed motor.
Less heat means less wear and a longer potential life for a brushless motor.

Brushless Motor Disadvantages

Balance these considerations with the advantages above to find the best type of power tool for your projects.

A tool with a brushless motor will be more expensive than a comparable tool with a brushed motor.
Brushless motors aren’t available on all types of power tools.
The electronics on a brushless motor make the motor more vulnerable to harsh operating conditions.
A brushless motor is more complex than a brushed motor, so any repairs to the motor will be more complicated.

Brushless vs. Brushed Motor: Which One Is Better?

So, are brushless motors better than brushed motors? Deciding whether you need a tool with a traditional brushed motor or a tool with a brushless motor depends on how — and how often — you plan to use the tool. For example, some do-it-yourselfers don’t need spend extra money to buy a brushless drill. If you’re taking on a lot of building projects, however, it might be a smart investment. Here are some factors to consider when deciding if a brushless or brushed power tool is better for you.

Reasons to Buy a Power Tool With a Brushed Motor

A person using a red and black CRAFTSMAN drill with a brushed motor to install hinges on a door.

It makes sense to consider a power tool with a brushed motor if:

Price is a Key Factor: You can save money with a brushed motor and still get a full-featured tool that will let you get a lot of work done.
You Won’t Use the Tool Often: If you just need a tool for a few projects a year you won’t need to worry much about wear or battery consumption. You may not use a brushless tool enough to get the full value of the investment.
You Typically Take on Light DIY Projects: Light-duty work like installing window blinds, hanging artwork or cutting a few boards won’t typically need the range of speed and power a brushless tool delivers.

Reasons to Buy a Power Tool With a Brushless Motor

A black and blue Kobalt brushless reciprocating saw next to a cut floor joist.

A power tool with a brushless motor can be a good investment if:

You Take On Heavy-Duty Projects: If you’re planning on building a deck, installing a wood fence, framing a building or doing demolition work, you’ll appreciate the speed, power and efficient battery use of a brushless tool. Professionals will often take on work that will make good use of brushless motors.
You’ll Be Using the Tool Regularly: A low-maintenance motor with a long lifespan makes a lot of sense for a tool you’ll be using every day.
You Have a Lot of Work to Do: A more compact tool with a lighter motor will be easier to carry around a jobsite or move from project to project.

Tools That Benefit From Brushless Motors

A person using a yellow and black DEWALT brushless circular saw to cut through a board.

Brushless motors are commonly available with some power tools. For example, you’ll see

These tools will usually be cordless models designed for either professional jobs or heavy-duty DIY projects. This work can benefit from the power, battery life and tool life a brushless motor can deliver to a power tool.

Brushed vs. Brushless Power Tool Motors