We all love our cordless power tools, especially with how easy it is to snap on a battery and get to work. And even though many of us own several tools from big names like Ryobi or Milwaukee, knowing which battery pack is the best one to buy or use is still somewhat confusing. That's by design, and here's the battery spec that neither brand puts on the box or label.

Power tool battery packs are the best and worst part of these tools. They deliver cordless convenience, tons of power, and recharge quickly. However, they're also wildly expensive, the different Ah ratings or branding are often highly confusing, and some folks might not know the difference between a regular battery and a High-Performance or FORGE model.

Once you've chosen the right tool for the job, you'll also want to reach for the ideal battery pack. Here's what the label secretly does and doesn't tell you.

Most of the time, buying a bigger Ah battery from Ryobi or Milwaukee doesn't mean more power; it just means the tool will run longer. Think of the Ah rating like your car's gas tank.

While that rating is clearly displayed on the box and your battery's label, a few important specs are completely missing. One is the low-voltage protection system, which is wildly important if you use powerful tools or battery adapters, and the other one is the internal cell configuration and type.

I mainly want to talk about the cells on the inside, as they're a pretty big deal these days.

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