1MachineTool vs AlDente
The specialist battery tool, or battery care that knows what is draining it.
Checked against AlDente’s own site, 18 October 2026
Short answer
AlDente is the specialist with more charging controls. 1MachineTool covers the charge limit and health, and connects the battery to what is using it.
- On Apple silicon, 1MachineTool sets the hold point Apple exposes (80%) through a small helper. AlDente has a free charge limiter and more modes in Pro.
- AlDente Pro adds Sailing Mode, Heat Protection, calibration and MagSafe LED control. 1MachineTool doesn't.
- 1MachineTool answers "why is my battery draining?" by naming the app, and tracks wear, cycles and peripheral batteries.
Two ways to do the job.
1MachineTool
Battery is a Pro module: health, cycles, wear history, usage today, AirPods and mouse batteries, a charge limit read from the SMC and set through the helper, and "charge to 100% once" for travel days.
AlDente
AppHouseKitchen's MacBook battery limiter (macOS 12 to 27). Free has the charge limiter; Pro adds automatic discharge, Heat Protection, Sailing Mode, Top Up, calibration, MagSafe LED control and Shortcuts. Pro is €11.49 a year or €23.99 lifetime.
apphousekitchen.comSide by side.
| Feature | 1MachineTool | AlDente |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Price | Free, or Pro $29 once (one year of updates) | Free; Pro €11.49/year or €23.99 lifetime |
| Runs on | macOS now; Windows (v1.1) and Linux (v1.3) on the same licence | macOS 12 or later, MacBooks |
| What it covers | Eleven tools: launcher, clipboard, windows, monitor, clean, power, battery, menu bar, network, security, VMs (when shipped) | Battery charging |
| Tells you why the machine is slow, hot, full or draining | Yes: one sentence, the evidence, the fix and an undo | No |
| Battery | ||
| Charge limit | 80% hold point on Apple silicon, via the helper | Free charge limiter |
| Charge to 100% once | Yes | Top Up (Pro) |
| Sailing Mode, Heat Protection, calibration | No | Pro |
| Health, cycles and wear history | Yes | Not checked |
| AirPods, mouse and keyboard batteries | Yes | Not checked |
| Which app is draining it | Yes | No |
| Everything else | ||
| Keep-awake and Low Power Mode schedules | Pro | No |
| Cleaner, monitor, menu bar | Included | No |
| Licence | One Pro licence for your machines | One key for up to 3 Macs or user accounts |
Scroll the table sideways.
Which one is for you.
Choose 1MachineTool if
- You want the 80% limit and a clear picture of battery health.
- You want to know which app is draining the battery, not just how fast.
- You'd rather have battery care inside one app that does the rest too.
Choose AlDente if
- You want Sailing Mode, Heat Protection or calibration.
- You want limits other than 80%.
- You only need the charge limit, for free.
Questions.
Why only 80% on Apple silicon?
That is the hold point macOS exposes on Apple silicon Macs, and 1MachineTool sets only what the system supports, through a small helper you install with one admin prompt.
Should I run both?
Don't run two charge limiters at once. If you keep AlDente, leave 1MachineTool's charge limit off; it still shows health, cycles and what is draining the battery.
How much is AlDente Pro?
€11.49 a year or €23.99 lifetime on AppHouseKitchen's pricing page in October 2026. It is also included in Setapp.
AlDente’s column comes from its own site on 18 October 2026. Prices and plans change; if something here is out of date, tell us and we will fix it.
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