If you could buy any cordless drill, which would it be?

Mike Heidrick

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Location
Bloomington, IL
We are going to do a woodworking club cordless drill review tomorrow at lunch (monthly woodworking meeting). I am looking for input on what the forum community would purchase if you could buy any cordless drill and why. Also if you have cordless impact, and cordless screw driver preference please list that as well. Cordless battery models only please and preferably ones available in the US. Rough cost if you know that too.



Mikie
 
I've been very happy with both my Hitachi drill and impact driver. Both are 14.4v models, and they are both used often. I also have an 18v Ryobi drill and 19.2v Craftsman drill, but the Hitachi is the one I reach for. The Hitachi drill also came with a 14.4v flashlight that we use pretty much every night.

And in case anyone reading this has any doubts, impact drivers are well worth the money. :thumb:
 
Mike,

I have a Makita 14.4V and a Hitachi 14.4V (like Vaughn's) and the Hitachi is the one I use the most... Smaller, lighter, powerful and never let's me down. I'd like to get an impact driver, and would go with the Hitachi 18V.

Here's a review of lots of brands, but I'm not sure of the date...for what it's worth.
 
I have the Makita's 12V, driver and impact. Old, I know, but work fine for me.

However, I was in Lowe's a week ago and the Milwaukee rep was in showing off stuff. They have some new drill, drivers, and impacts. VERY ergonomic, same price as the rest, over a hundred each. LI-ion batteries. Don't remember the voltage. How they fit the hand is more important to me. Some kits available.

Wasn't interested in buying so I didn't really price them.

But if I were in the market, these would get some very serious attention on my part. One fits the smaller hand (mine!) very well. I pointed it out to him and he seemed surprised someone would think that important. :huh:
 
I have DeWalts.

DW-990 14.4V 1/2" drill/driver
DW-054 14.4V 1/4" impact driver

I bought the 990 back about 10 years ago I think. The kit (drill, two batts, charger & case) cost near $200.00 back then. I have used it quite a bit and only bought two new XRP batteries for it about 4 years ago. The original XR batteries were getting weak but still worked for a short while.

I bought the 054 used last year and I have to agree with Vaughn, they are worth the money. I only paid $50 dollars for it (driver, two XR batts and charger) and the seller said the batteries were weak and wouldn't hold a charge. I haven't been able to kill those batteries yet. I just charged them normally and they workgood. Now I have 4 good batteries and two fair ones.

I am very happy with these tools. I had owned older Craftsman 9.6 and 12 volt drills, but they didn't last. I have used Makitas and didn't like the feel.

I guess I would pick DeWalt.
 
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Hitachi or Makita, I've also had some luck with the Panasonic brand.

Stay away from the Green Bosch, they have not worked well for me at all, the Blue Bosch seem to be a lot better than the green Bosch.

Lots to choose from out there, and I'll also say the impact drivers are well worth the money! :thumb:
 
Don't have an impact driver, (sure want one though). I have the 14.4 v DeWalt XRP I bought reconditioned about 3 or 4 yrs ago and have been very pleased with it and it has got a LOT of heavy use. I did wear out several Makita's over the years but the later ones didn't seem to hold up like the earlier ones had.
 
a pair of panasonics 15.6 have worked well and also blue bosch brute14.4 and there little one p20 i thnk and i want one of there little impacks..the little size and litutum batteries are great 10.6 last a long time and has power that you wouldnt think was there.
 
i use milwaukee drills, they make "real" drills that are not offered at the borgs.
metal chuck, steel gears instead of plastic, switches that don`t fail ect.
finding a brick-n-mortar tool store is an eye opener for lotsa folks.
 
My last drill purchase (and I hope it's the last) was a DeWalt 14.4V.
The choice was determined by several factors. One, it was on sale at a super price on Amazon. Two, the brand received high accolades from the guys here. Three, it has a quality charger that handles a range of voltage batteries of the same style. I already had (still have) two Black and Decker 12V Fire Storms and several extra batteries. But the chargers for those had gone belly up and the whole units were, essentially worthless. The DeWalt charger now means I have three good drills and can charge all the batteries. I don't use any of them enough or hard enough to attest to quality. I'll just say they all work. But, the 14.4V DeWalt is definitely a lot more powerful than the 12V units. And also a lot heavier.
 
I have a DeWalt 12v that is relatively lightweight, and works well for less than heavy applications. I also have the DW 18 hammer drill/driver and impact driver combo. I was skeptical about the usefulness of the impact driver, but I have to say it is great for driving in screws as well as changing tires and other mechanical efforts. The only downside to the 18v drill is its weight.

I like the look of the Ridgid tiny driver, and with a lifetime replacement on the batteries, that looks like a good tool, but I couldn't bring myself to buy another cordless drill.

My favorite cordless drill is an old eggbeater.

Ken
 
I have a Panasonic 15.6 volt drill has done me very well and a dewalt 18v driver.

But I agree with Todd. I am contemplating this little pair now

http://tinyurl.com/6z4ecp

Both Milwakee and light weight and small. Put a normal chuck on the driver and keep the impact unit for other work.

I have seen the driver on its own on Amazon for $89 US which is the cheapest I have seen it since it was launched. In Canada we are being asked to pay $149 at the local HD.
 
I being a huge fan of Milwaukee tools for all my life just recently purchased a couple of there new M12v drill which at the time had a rebate to recieve a M12v Impact driver both drills with shipping form Amazon cost me $217 and recieved the Impact driver within a week of sending in for the Drive under the rebate and I can attest that even though these are only 12v drills/drivers they carry alot of power for there size. I still have there older 12v Nicad drill (2) and are roughly 14 yrs old and still serve me well. I to believe Milwaukee makes some of the best quaility tools around even though you may pay alittle more than others brands but Milwaukees are very high end tools IMO.
 
I also have Makita's 14.4 impact and 1/2 inch drill. I really like the impact. It's crazy what you can drive with one of those little suckers! I've driven everything from number 6 1/2 inch sheet metal screws to 1/2 by 6 inch lag screws. If I were doing heavy construction all day I'd probably go with the 18v Makita impact.
 
I'd buy another DeWalt 14.4V. I like the size and power to weight. It's a good compromise between 12V and 18V. I currently have three drills, a driver, and a circular saw - and about half a dozen batteries. I'll be getting a couple of the older batteries rebuilt pretty soon, but overall it's been a really good 'system' for me.
 
My company buys Bosch everything for us, which I think has a lot to do with my foremen asking for Bosch, and although I'm pretty satisfied with most of their tools, I am NOT satisfied with their drills. Twice I have had a little part on 2 of the 3 chuck teeth fall off, not allowing me to chuck something straight. Trigger has failed, motor has failed, and have had batteries lose their stamina quicker than expected. One time I also dropped my coworker's Bosch drill off of a 6 ft step ladder (whoops!) but it was enough to crack the battery and destroy it. And all of this is within probably 2 1/2 years. As you can imagine these drills see more abuse out in the field of carpentry compared to a home shop, and I am not lashing against Bosch in general, just not fond of their drills.

I'm all for the Panasonic 15.6 also. Great drill, light weight, the chuck clicks in and grabs nice n tight, and has plenty of power. I'm sure their impact is great too, just haven't had a chance to check it out. I'll second (or third, fourth?) that impacts are well worth the money! Especially using self tappers doing a bunch of doors and door hardware in metal doors and frames!
 
I being a huge fan of Milwaukee tools for all my life just recently purchased a couple of there new M12v drill which at the time had a rebate to recieve a M12v Impact driver both drills with shipping form Amazon cost me $217 and recieved the Impact driver within a week of sending in for the Drive under the rebate and I can attest that even though these are only 12v drills/drivers they carry alot of power for there size. I still have there older 12v Nicad drill (2) and are roughly 14 yrs old and still serve me well. I to believe Milwaukee makes some of the best quaility tools around even though you may pay alittle more than others brands but Milwaukee are very high end tools IMO.

Hey Dan, welcome to the Family! :wave:

I just wanted to ask, you, and or Tod, are the Milwaukee tools still made in the USA?

Just curious, as a LOT of the "Japanese" tools are no longer made in Japan.

Cheers!

PS, I'd love to be able to buy the Milwaukee tools here, but they are not available in Japan.
 
Hey Dan, welcome to the Family! :wave:

I just wanted to ask, you, and or Tod, are the Milwaukee tools still made in the USA?

Just curious, as a LOT of the "Japanese" tools are no longer made in Japan.

Cheers!

PS, I'd love to be able to buy the Milwaukee tools here, but they are not available in Japan.

some are.....most aren`t:(
 
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