Yet more unsubstantiated nonesense - 230 volt tools are not more powerful than their 110 volt equivalents in most cases (see below). 110 volts is required for site use in the UK on safety grounds, but part of the issue we have here is that site management don't understand the need to have enough transformers of sufficient capacity on site (and to power lighting from its' own discrete transformers). Another issue is that a lot of trades (I'd say the vast majority from my own experience) simply don't understand the need for sufficiently large cross section cables to power their tools; if you are using a high starting load tool (such as a 3HP compressor) at the end of a 30 metres cable that is never going to work with a 2.5mm cross section wire - you need to invest in a 6mm cross section 32A one instead. Same goes for heavy routers - the startup/heavy run load of a 2000watt plus router really requires a 4mm 16A or better a 4mm 32A cable. If you don't have that your big router can run like a ruptured duck because of voltage drop along the length of the cable. A small part of the issue with some makers is that they reduce the output of the 110 volt motors over that of the 230 volt motors, possibly because can't get a sufficiently big motor inside the housing (Bosch do this on a couple of their saws, for example). Your Hitachi probably has the same issue (1600 watts down from 2200 watts? I did ask but you didn't give a sensible answer, as per usual). Face it, if 110 or 115 volts was the problem then every tradesman in the USA would be up in arms and clamouring for 230 volts - but they aren't, are they
I have worked in a few European countries where 230 volts is used on sites (Spain, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands) and some of the tricks I've seen used to overcome the tendency of RCDs to trip when conditions are not optimal are frankly hair raising - getting a belt of 230 whilst standing on a wet concrete floor is potentially lethal whereas 55 volts (110 volt supplies are centre tapped so +55/-55) is probably not going to off you
The comment about offering tools in 110 volts is from long experience - 110 volt tools are site tools and need to be durable with parts backup. Firms only offering 230 volt either can''t be arsed and don't want the USA market (e.g Mafell, Festool) or in many cases their tools aren't up to the environment
