Craftsman V20 Maker Tools: Five New Cordless Tools for Hobbyists

Introduction

Craftsman has rolled out five new V20 cordless tools aimed squarely at the hobbyist and maker crowd. The common theme is a piggyback design: each tool attaches to a V20 battery base, turning one battery platform into a growing family of small workshop devices. If you already own V20 batteries, several of these look like easy adds. If you are not in the lineup, the battery cost makes them a harder sell.

The Lineup at a Glance

The five new tools cover a mix of making, fixing, and workspace comfort: a cordless soldering iron, a cordless rotary tool, a cordless fan, a power inverter with USB charging, and a lighted square magnifying lens. Prices range from 24 for the fan to 49 for the soldering iron, rotary tool, and inverter, with the magnifying lens listed around 27.

One thing worth noting before the individual breakdowns: other brands have offered this kind of hobbyist accessory family for a while, and some offer broader ecosystems. Ryobi in particular has comparable tools, and other makers have built out impressive multi-tool hobby kits. Craftsman is playing catch-up here, but the shared battery base keeps things simple if you are already invested.

Craftsman V20 Cordless Soldering Iron

The soldering iron follows the piggyback formula: a heated tool mounted on a V20 battery base. It is not the first cordless soldering iron on the market, and other companies have offered similar designs for some time without reports of problems, even if the idea of a super-heated tip above a lithium-ion battery naturally raises an eyebrow.

At 49 it sits just under the 50 mark, which is reasonable for a cordless soldering setup if the batteries are already on your shelf. It suits electronics work, small repairs, and light fabrication around the bench.

Craftsman V20 Cordless Rotary Tool

The rotary tool uses a similar base and control layout as the soldering iron, with a dial for adjusting speed and the same piggyback battery attachment. The design looks cohesive across the new lineup, which helps if you end up buying more than one.

At 49 this is a no-brainer for anyone already in the V20 line, as long as it holds up and does what it is supposed to do. It is less compelling as a reason to enter the platform from scratch, since battery pricing makes that an expensive way to start.

Craftsman V20 Cordless Fan

Cordless bench fans have been around for a while, with Ryobi widely credited with starting the trend. Most of those early versions were clip fans. Craftsman’s version skips the clip but adds a long, articulated neck, so you can stand it on a bench and aim the airflow exactly where you want it.

These fans are more useful than they first appear. Many people buy one casually and end up using it constantly at the bench, at a desk, or anywhere airflow helps. At 24, this is the cheapest tool in the new batch, and a solid value even accounting for the brand premium.

Craftsman V20 Power Inverter

The power inverter turns a V20 battery into a portable power source, with a 110V outlet behind a flip-up door plus USB ports: USB-A at 2.4 amps and USB-C at 5 volts and 3 amps. That gives you at least two ways to charge small devices on the go.

It runs 49, and the official demonstration imagery is a bit amusing, showing a USB power adapter plugged into the inverter to run a tablet or phone. Functionally, though, an inverter like this makes sense for anyone who wants backup charging or small 110V power away from a wall outlet.

Craftsman V20 Lighted Magnifying Lens

The most unusual of the five is the V20 square magnifying lens. It is lighted, with what appear to be two lights on either side of the lens, which explains why it needs battery power at all. It is listed around 27, though availability has been spotty and hard to find through mainstream retailers.

As a bench accessory for close-up work on electronics, models, or fine detail projects, it is a genuinely appealing idea, and it may be the most distinctive tool of the new five. Just be prepared to hunt for stock.

Buying Advice for the Craftsman V20 Lineup

The honest takeaway: these tools are unlikely to lure anyone into the V20 platform on their own, especially given battery prices and the fact that most of this category is available elsewhere, often during frequent Ryobi sales. The real audience is people already committed to V20 batteries, for whom the rotary tool and soldering iron at 49 each are easy choices and the 24 fan is an almost effortless add.

Expect the lineup to grow. A mini glue gun seems like an obvious next step, since competing hobbyist ecosystems include glue guns, mini blowers, cutters, heat tools, airbrushes, and small saws. Craftsman entering this market is a good sign for makers who like one-battery convenience.

Conclusion

The five new Craftsman V20 hobbyist tools fill a clear niche for existing platform owners. The lighted magnifying lens is the standout oddball, the fan is the value pick, and the soldering iron and rotary tool round out a solid maker starter set. If your workshop already runs on V20 batteries, these deserve a look; if not, compare what the competition offers before committing.