Straight Dope on Drills & Drivers

[Digital Ranger]

My wife and I have been apartment living for a while now but are in the midst of preparing for a move to a bigger house and space. I'm trying to ensure I have my tools in order for what I am sure will be a series of projects to update and modernize as we like to make it a home we've shaped and worked on ourselves versus contracting it out.

Most importantly, that's all the justification I need to think about expanding the tool arsenal that has been space limited to this point. First stop is going to be drills and drivers. Much of what I have at the moment are older Craftsman plug in drills along with a Ryobi 12V. Suffice to say, not quite enough. They've been fine for the lighter projects I've worked on but am thinking I'll need a real 18V system for the future. I like what I've seen and used from Makita and Dewalt in other settings and am leaning that way but open to all views on brands, sizing, batteries, systems etc.

So to start I wanted to gauge everyone's view and experience with what they have, what they like, and what they would recommend or suggest I should be thinking about. Cheers in advance and thanks for the advice!

 

[Eslader]

Depends on your budget. I didn't want to spend too much, so I just have the Black and Decker 20v drills. They work just fine. Frankly I abuse them, and they take it and keep going. I mainly chose them because my cordless weedeater was a B&D that uses the same battery system.

 

[tarbellb]

I would look at either Ryobi for a price concious buy and good line up. Or jump into the big boy arena and go Milwaukee / Bosch / Makita / Dewalt.

Or Hitachi if only needing drill/ impact, or Ridgid if warranty is on the check list.

 

[Digital Ranger]

Depends on your budget. I didn't want to spend too much, so I just have the Black and Decker 20v drills. They work just fine. Frankly I abuse them, and they take it and keep going. I mainly chose them because my cordless weedeater was a B&D that uses the same battery system.

Thanks for the tip and good point. In terms of budget this feels like one of the items worth investing in so I'd say interested in qualitative judgements from folks on what is the best out there along with their experience, and then maybe what is the best value as well. But all opinions and views welcome regardless of budgets.

 

[Ign]

I firmly maintain the only reason Phillips is still in existence is because impact drivers came along and saved its ***.

If you sink any screws get an impact driver (in addition to a separate drill, of course). The M12 stuff is compact and incredibly useful and still very affordable. Prices jump a lot at 18V and then you might want to look Ryobi if you're just a weekend warrior.

 

[matt stott]

I agree with the above- for most home stuff, 12V is more than enough. I have Milwaukee 18V at home, and Makita at work. I love the smaller Makita stuff, and I just bought some Milwaukee 12V stuff for the house. Much, much easier to use indoors.

If you are in Cambridge, MA, then most of the houses you are looking at are probably pretty old. Learn to deal with plaster and lathe and old plumbing! Lots of tiny rooms, tiny closets and tiny cabinets- the large 18V drills will often not fit into any of these places. Look for the smallest 12V drills you can find for household work (makita, milwaukee, bosch- my favorites)- and unless you are building a new house, the 12V lines have enough power to deal with most household jobs and can fit into tighter spaces, too.

Good Luck!

Matt (cursing at plaster and knob-and-tube for far too long)

 

[4Kings]

Ditto with above. I've pretty much ditched all the 18V stuff in favor of the Milwaukee 12V. I a avid DIYer and have yet to find anything that my Milwaukee 12V stuff can't handle.

 

[txvwnut]

I've been quite happy with my Ryobi 18v stuff. I do have some Milwaukee 12 Fuel items that I use for my VW repair business and that stuff is stout as hell. I don't think you'd be disappointed with either set.

 

[Digital Ranger]

I agree with the above- for most home stuff, 12V is more than enough. I have Milwaukee 18V at home, and Makita at work. I love the smaller Makita stuff, and I just bought some Milwaukee 12V stuff for the house. Much, much easier to use indoors.

If you are in Cambridge, MA, then most of the houses you are looking at are probably pretty old. Learn to deal with plaster and lathe and old plumbing! Lots of tiny rooms, tiny closets and tiny cabinets- the large 18V drills will often not fit into any of these places. Look for the smallest 12V drills you can find for household work (makita, milwaukee, bosch- my favorites)- and unless you are building a new house, the 12V lines have enough power to deal with most household jobs and can fit into tighter spaces, too.

Good Luck!

Matt (cursing at plaster and knob-and-tube for far too long)

Thanks Matt. Great advice and solid points on the MA scene. I tend to agree 12V is probably fine for most projects likely to come up - but frankly, I just am not sure what else will come up, and suspect it would be nice to have the option of an 18V. If nothing else a chance to diversify the current line up too.

 

[Digital Ranger]

Ditto with above. I've pretty much ditched all the 18V stuff in favor of the Milwaukee 12V. I a avid DIYer and have yet to find anything that my Milwaukee 12V stuff can't handle.

Thanks for the points on Milwaukee. Always liked their stuff in the store and will take a closer look.

 

[Digital Ranger]

I firmly maintain the only reason Phillips is still in existence is because impact drivers came along and saved its ***.

If you sink any screws get an impact driver (in addition to a separate drill, of course). The M12 stuff is compact and incredibly useful and still very affordable. Prices jump a lot at 18V and then you might want to look Ryobi if you're just a weekend warrior.

Thanks. I'd say WW is a fair application here but there might be heavier stuff in the initial year or two, so not sure what to expect. An impact driver will go on the list though and maybe can find a good two drill set.

 

[Fcvapor05]

I'm a big Milwaukee fan, and have a boatload of their 18V stuff.

With that said, The other posters praising their 12V offerings are right. 12V tools are MUCH more powerful than they were even 5 years ago. For a home gamer doing occasional projects, I have a hard time imagining any of Milwaukee's 12V tools not doing the job and then some.

 

[fowldarr]

my .02.

I have a Black and Decker Orange monstrosity. I always thought it was fine. Then my wife bought me a DeWalt that was on special at Christmas time. I learned just how oversized and cumbersome the B+D actually was.

Lesson learned, I see how all tools 'feel' when I lift them now. Before making a purchase.

That said, I have been picking up some Ryobi tools as well (my shop looks like a freaking rainbow) I've actually been pretty impressed with them from a power and balance standpoint for the price. I don't have their drill though, jigsaw, bandsaw, and some other stuff.

My advice. Go to the store, lift all the ones on display, think about how you will use it and make a decision against your budget. If you can get one with 2 batteries, all the better. (Special note: Ryobi has started offering a lot of their tools without batteries since they are interchangeable, so make sure that you don't buy one without thinking it has)

 

[LeeG]

Regardless of what you choose, try to keep to as few battery platforms as is possible. It is real handy to not have to deal with a bunch of different chargers, and be able to swap batteries between say your impact driver and your saw if you need to make a few more cuts and your battery is dead.

Personally I went with the Milwaukee M12 line, then added the M18 tools as I needed additional power.

 

[Digital Ranger]

Regardless of what you choose, try to keep to as few battery platforms as is possible. It is real handy to not have to deal with a bunch of different chargers, and be able to swap batteries between say your impact driver and your saw if you need to make a few more cuts and your battery is dead.

Personally I went with the Milwaukee M12 line, then added the M18 tools as I needed additional power.

I've been thinking that too. As I do have some Ryobi gear already, it is an option to stay in that realm. But if moving up a bit to one of the bigger boy lines I'd try to remain in that brand for the system consistency. Thanks.

 

[Digital Ranger]

my .02.

I have a Black and Decker Orange monstrosity. I always thought it was fine. Then my wife bought me a DeWalt that was on special at Christmas time. I learned just how oversized and cumbersome the B+D actually was.

Lesson learned, I see how all tools 'feel' when I lift them now. Before making a purchase.

That said, I have been picking up some Ryobi tools as well (my shop looks like a freaking rainbow) I've actually been pretty impressed with them from a power and balance standpoint for the price. I don't have their drill though, jigsaw, bandsaw, and some other stuff.

My advice. Go to the store, lift all the ones on display, think about how you will use it and make a decision against your budget. If you can get one with 2 batteries, all the better. (Special note: Ryobi has started offering a lot of their tools without batteries since they are interchangeable, so make sure that you don't buy one without thinking it has)

Solid advice on feeling before buying. One reason I was thinking of going for a new drill or two given the older stuff I have just does not compare to the gear on display. Lighter, and as best I can tell, stronger, longer, etc. Thanks.

 

[Cope]

Ranger, figure out what tools you will need in the future and buy a brand that will be able to supply these. I see no reason to have more than one brand/battery size for shop tools. Might make sense to have a second brand for yard tools. 12V will do the job, but buy once (18-20V) and cry once.

 

[maydaymike]

www.makitatools.com/products/details/CX200RB

I've got this 18v subcompact Makita set, and love it so far. Both tools have plenty of power for my needs, and the battery life is amazing. Home Depot had a special a few months ago that included a free third battery.

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[T45]

Really look at milwaukee fuel m12 12v. The non-fuel/regular one is also nice enough if you are on a budget, goes as low as $99 with the impact (2pc kit). Not knowing anything else about what you need, I would say thats sort of a can't go wrong if you got it type of buy.

 

[jd_1138]

With sales and discounts you can buy Makita, DeWalt, Milwaukee tools for about what Ryobi, Porter-Cable, or Ridgid stuff costs.

May not be the brushless latest models, but for a homeowner it's fine. I bought a Makita 18V impact driver for $59 on sale. It came with a 3.0 amp battery, deluxe charger, and a case. Brand new. And there's nothing wrong with having 2 systems -- a more premium line for the main line stuff like impact driver, drill, recip saw, and then a budget brand for your jigsaw, jobsite radio, etc.. That would provide some flexibility.

Lithium batteries are the pricey part of cordless tools, so whether you buy 3 Makita tools with 2 batteries and 2 Ryobi tools with 2 batteries OR 5 Makita tools with 4 Makita batteries. The price will be about the same or less.

 

[SweetD]

I've been really happy with my Ryobi 18V One+ cordless system to date. I have the 1/4" and 1/2" impact, the drill (combo kit with the 1/4" driver), and the portable inflater unit which works awesome. Looking to get the new palm/finish router unit next, when I can find it.

Good value for the $$ for homeowner use.

Good luck!
Dave

 

[Bluedodge]

If your "bigger" plans in the future include a deck, drywalling, drilling concrete, etc....
....don't waste your money on battery operated stuff. Get a good quality corded drill and you can work all day and into the night. Goofing around with recharging batteries is a pain.
Plus corded drills last longer. Heck, I still have my first 3/8" Black and Decker from 1982/1983 and it works fine. I couldn't begin to count how many cordless drills I've been through in the last 35 years.

 

[Fender1325]

Very happy with my 20v DeWalt stuff

 

[jumbojak]

I have the brushed M12 drill and driver and like both of them very much. The drill won't be pushing large hole saws but for smaller jobs it works very well and the batteries chathe very quickly. The impact is spectacular. It's small enough to fit in tight places and powerful enough to handle most jobs. I even have a set of metric nut setters I use on the car.

 

[Voi]

I need to think about expanding the tool arsenal that has been space limited to this point. First stop is going to be drills and drivers.

I think everybody makes a good drill and driver so when I decided to move into a new battery system I barely concerned myself with those.

I went with Makita because they currently have the widest variety of yard tools. I own two properties and move construction tools and yard tools back and forth as well as two battery systems (actually three now that I have Makita) and two types of fuel. The more I can streamline that the better.

But if I were only focused on tools then Milwaukee would have been an easy decision for me. The M12 grinder/polisher, the mid-torque impact and the new M18 Fuel Hackzall really stand out to me and may very well lead me to continuing with multiple battery systems. Not ideal but still better than what I'm currently doing.

My point being really research what tools, lights, fans vacuums the various companies have. Every company has some stuff that stands out, Dewalt, Ryobi and Bosch included.

 

[fivespdcat]

I'll throw my hat in for the Milwaukee M18 Fuel line. The main issue with a homeowner is you never really know how heavy it might get. For instance one day you're hanging pictures the next you're driving 4" lags. For me the 18v fuels have been awesome and I've got just about all I need cordless.

In regards to corded tools, I'm on the other side. I replaced almost all of my corded stuff with M18 stuff and don't regret it one bit. As a matter of fact I won't even look at cordless tools.

Finally, on ryobi, I really want to love them but can't. Some of the tools are phenomenal like the inflator and nailers. Others just feel so cheap I don't care if they work. If I were looking at ryobi, I would just go with the M12 fuel as they have about the same power. All that being said I have no plans to dump my ryobi inflator or nailers.

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[trainer]

I have a b&d 20 volt lithium drill. The only shortcoming is that it does not have a 1 hour charger, but battery life is very good and I've never had an issue where I couldn't finish a job with 2 batteries.
Great value at under $100 CDN with 2 batteries.

 

[catron44]

I am a big dewalt guy. I had a lot of their 18v nicad stuff and moved onto the 20v brushless line about almost a year and a half ago. The brushless with the 4.0 ah battery for a home owner will last a very long time in between charges. Dewalt has a pretty good line in terms of additional tools.

If I had to do it over I might go Milwaukee only because they have more mechanics tools and I'm a big diy home mechanic.

If you go with Bosch, Makita, dewalt, or Milwaukee you can go wrong. Stick to brushless and whichever is most comfortable to you.

We use the dewalt 12v line at work in a cabinet shop and the guys like them too but when you step up to home improvement you'll want the extra power from the 18/20v line.

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[joseywales]

More on Ryobi below, but if you go that route, understand that the 6-port battery charger will drain batteries if they're left in over time. They can charge in order over night, but if left on the charger for weeks or month, whether the charger is plugged in or not, the batteries will deplete.

For years, I've had the Black & Decker 18V Firestorm: Drills, impact driver, hedge trimmer, leaf blower, reciprocating saw and circular saw.

Shorty story, they've done everything this DIY'r is capable of.

Pros: battery life. it's been ridiculous. I would put my hedge trimmer away in June, pick it up the following year and damn if the battery doesn't get at least half the job done, if not all. I still have new batteries I bought on sale, because I haven't had to replace the old ones. The blower does **** the juice down, but it's not horrible. The circular saw is 7 1/4" Not many saws in that size in cordless these days, unless you step up to Dewalt.

Cons: I really liked the swappable chuck on the one drill, but one day it simply exploded in my hands. Springs and rings everywhere. the drill still works, but I can't believe no one else expanded on that concept. It was a great idea.

Today: Well, the 18V Ryobi Day deals sucked me. I opened a HD credit account and whacked another 10% off. Even as I type this, I'm not totally convinced to release my B&D tools into the wild - and probably won't. I jumped, mostly because Ryobi has a lot of tools B&D does not: the multi-tool (B&D might have that), the air compressor, the hybrid (water) pump. I don't know. I just felt I was due for a change maybe and I grabbed nearly every tool. Their shop light, for $69 is a great light. I got it for $40. I've used the 18GA nailer. Simple and works. My brother says the hedge trimmer is a good balance of function and weight, good blades, so I returned my EGO and went for the Ryobi.

I have an older Makita 9.6 drill/saw set. No complaints there. Great tools. Not sure B&D is the same quality as it was for their Firestorm line, so that also prompted me to try Ryobi. If it matters, I did not see the Ryboi 3/8" drill in any of their reasonable kits. I grabbed the $199, 6-tool kit to start off and it has the 1/2" drill.

My Ryobi tools listed below. I might need to return/sell some ; )
6-piece kit:
Sawzall
Circular 5 1/4"
Jobplus Multi
Flashlight
Compact 1/2" drill P208B
Impact driver
2 Lithium + compact batteries
Rapid charger

Jigsaw - damaged box deal.
Circular 6 1/2" - have to sell off the 5 1/4" that came with the set I think.
compressor
18GA nailer
Shop light - damaged box deal
Vacuum - the newer version
Hybrid Pump
Hedge trimmer
Drill 3/8"

I also have 7 more batteries, 1 more rapid charger and 1 standard charger

All of the above is hard to beat for $1,228. When you take out the extra batteries and chargers value, it's about $58 per tool.

 

[Voi]

For years, I've had the Black & Decker 18V Firestorm.

I really liked the swappable chuck on the drill. I can't believe no one else expanded on that concept. It was a great idea.

I liked it too. I believe Festool has had a couple of models that do this.

 

[Hawk]

I am sure that everyone will laugh, but for the last four years I have been using the Black and Decker Max system. When I was given it I thought it would be lightweight, but after abusing the heck out of it, I am quite happy with it. I use primarily the impact, followed by the drill. I am planning to pick up a weedeater that uses the same battery.

 

[joseywales]

I am sure that everyone will laugh, but for the last four years I have been using the Black and Decker Max system. When I was given it I thought it would be lightweight, but after abusing the heck out of it, I am quite happy with it. I use primarily the impact, followed by the drill. I am planning to pick up a weedeater that uses the same battery.

No chuckles here. Rule # 1 for tools, until it fails you, why pay more? B&D has been great for me over the years and I'm hesitant to commit to the Ryobi line I just bought. In fact, I might return much of it and keep using my B&D tools as well. I was wanting to consolidate, but the B&D Firestorm line owes me nothing, it's just that Ryobi just has a couple tools hat B&D doesn't, so perhaps I just keep both.

 

[Digital Ranger]

www.makitatools.com/products/details/CX200RB

I've got this 18v subcompact Makita set, and love it so far. Both tools have plenty of power for my needs, and the battery life is amazing. Home Depot had a special a few months ago that included a free third battery.

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This is the set currently at the top of my list. There was some great advice on diversifying by a system, so I can stick with Ryobi for a lot of the tools but move up to one of the big boys for the mainline drill and driver. From an economics standpoint it might make the most sense for someone in my position. Right now this Makita set is probably the front runner but will check out in person along with Milwaukee - thanks for the feedback!

Really look at milwaukee fuel m12 12v. The non-fuel/regular one is also nice enough if you are on a budget, goes as low as $99 with the impact (2pc kit). Not knowing anything else about what you need, I would say thats sort of a can't go wrong if you got it type of buy.

Very cool that I am seeing so many Milwaukee fans in here. I have nothing by them and I'm not sure any of my friends do - but should certainly take a closer look given the feedback here. Thanks.

With sales and discounts you can buy Makita, DeWalt, Milwaukee tools for about what Ryobi, Porter-Cable, or Ridgid stuff costs.

May not be the brushless latest models, but for a homeowner it's fine. I bought a Makita 18V impact driver for $59 on sale. It came with a 3.0 amp battery, deluxe charger, and a case. Brand new. And there's nothing wrong with having 2 systems -- a more premium line for the main line stuff like impact driver, drill, recip saw, and then a budget brand for your jigsaw, jobsite radio, etc.. That would provide some flexibility.

Lithium batteries are the pricey part of cordless tools, so whether you buy 3 Makita tools with 2 batteries and 2 Ryobi tools with 2 batteries OR 5 Makita tools with 4 Makita batteries. The price will be about the same or less.

I am a wheeler and dealer in what I do and teach and appreciate the advice here. Time is not a huge driver right now so I can wait and see when sales happen. I probably just missed a bunch for father's day but perhaps there will be some down the line. Thanks for the tip.

I've been really happy with my Ryobi 18V One+ cordless system to date. I have the 1/4" and 1/2" impact, the drill (combo kit with the 1/4" driver), and the portable inflater unit which works awesome. Looking to get the new palm/finish router unit next, when I can find it.

Good value for the $$ for homeowner use.

Good luck!
Dave

I don't disagree. I have the Ryobi drill already with a few other Ryobi things and as someone else pointed out, if it ain't broke why fix it? I suspect it'll stay in the arsenal in some form or another as the value is huge. Thanks for the feedback.

If your "bigger" plans in the future include a deck, drywalling, drilling concrete, etc....
....don't waste your money on battery operated stuff. Get a good quality corded drill and you can work all day and into the night. Goofing around with recharging batteries is a pain.
Plus corded drills last longer. Heck, I still have my first 3/8" Black and Decker from 1982/1983 and it works fine. I couldn't begin to count how many cordless drills I've been through in the last 35 years.

I do have some corded stuff that is (no kidding) potentially older than I am but keeps on trucking. Decks and the like are indeed something in the future, and I may even help the old man out with this deck this summer...say....that's another reason to go get a drill sooner than later...you are BRILLIANT

I have the brushed M12 drill and driver and like both of them very much. The drill won't be pushing large hole saws but for smaller jobs it works very well and the batteries chathe very quickly. The impact is spectacular. It's small enough to fit in tight places and powerful enough to handle most jobs. I even have a set of metric nut setters I use on the car.

Another point for Milwaukee - noted! Thanks.

I think everybody makes a good drill and driver so when I decided to move into a new battery system I barely concerned myself with those.

I went with Makita because they currently have the widest variety of yard tools. I own two properties and move construction tools and yard tools back and forth as well as two battery systems (actually three now that I have Makita) and two types of fuel. The more I can streamline that the better.

But if I were only focused on tools then Milwaukee would have been an easy decision for me. The M12 grinder/polisher, the mid-torque impact and the new M18 Fuel Hackzall really stand out to me and may very well lead me to continuing with multiple battery systems. Not ideal but still better than what I'm currently doing.

My point being really research what tools, lights, fans vacuums the various companies have. Every company has some stuff that stands out, Dewalt, Ryobi and Bosch included.

Solid advice! As a researcher I am all about doing the research and is half the fun. Did not realize Makita had such a wide array of yard tools and will definitely check that out too. Will probably end up with two systems but trying to keep it there - thanks for the feedback.

I'll throw my hat in for the Milwaukee M18 Fuel line. The main issue with a homeowner is you never really know how heavy it might get. For instance one day you're hanging pictures the next you're driving 4" lags. For me the 18v fuels have been awesome and I've got just about all I need cordless.

In regards to corded tools, I'm on the other side. I replaced almost all of my corded stuff with M18 stuff and don't regret it one bit. As a matter of fact I won't even look at cordless tools.

Finally, on ryobi, I really want to love them but can't. Some of the tools are phenomenal like the inflator and nailers. Others just feel so cheap I don't care if they work. If I were looking at ryobi, I would just go with the M12 fuel as they have about the same power. All that being said I have no plans to dump my ryobi inflator or nailers.

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Another Milwaukee point. I need to take a closer look at these - and thanks for the tips on Ryobi. I think I'll end up in the same boat where I'll have two sets/systems with Ryobi as the baseline, secondary tools but move up to one of the big boys for the main gear. Thank you.

Very happy with my 20v DeWalt stuff

I have a DeWalt drill at work that has been abused like no ones business. I also like what they are doing to focus on USA. Thanks for the tip.

I have a b&d 20 volt lithium drill. The only shortcoming is that it does not have a 1 hour charger, but battery life is very good and I've never had an issue where I couldn't finish a job with 2 batteries.
Great value at under $100 CDN with 2 batteries.

If it works, it works. I haven't seen much Black and Decker these past years personally but what I have seen did not feel like it could take too much abuse. Mind you I'm not some general contractor out 12 hours a day, but I wouldn't label myself the most careful or self aware either - so drops are probable. Thanks for the feedback.

I am a big dewalt guy. I had a lot of their 18v nicad stuff and moved onto the 20v brushless line about almost a year and a half ago. The brushless with the 4.0 ah battery for a home owner will last a very long time in between charges. Dewalt has a pretty good line in terms of additional tools.

If I had to do it over I might go Milwaukee only because they have more mechanics tools and I'm a big diy home mechanic.

If you go with Bosch, Makita, dewalt, or Milwaukee you can go wrong. Stick to brushless and whichever is most comfortable to you.

We use the dewalt 12v line at work in a cabinet shop and the guys like them too but when you step up to home improvement you'll want the extra power from the 18/20v line.

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I do most the work on our cars (though not much needed) and did not know Milwaukee had more auto tools versus the other brands. That's a great point. Also very excited about the brushless motors that I've been reading up on and another reason I'm looking forward to seeing this next generation of drills and drivers. DeWalt can take a hit and keep going, that's for sure. Gracias.

More on Ryobi below, but if you go that route, understand that the 6-port battery charger will drain batteries if they're left in over time. They can charge in order over night, but if left on the charger for weeks or month, whether the charger is plugged in or not, the batteries will deplete.

For years, I've had the Black & Decker 18V Firestorm: Drills, impact driver, hedge trimmer, leaf blower, reciprocating saw and circular saw.

Shorty story, they've done everything this DIY'r is capable of.

Pros: battery life. it's been ridiculous. I would put my hedge trimmer away in June, pick it up the following year and damn if the battery doesn't get at least half the job done, if not all. I still have new batteries I bought on sale, because I haven't had to replace the old ones. The blower does **** the juice down, but it's not horrible. The circular saw is 7 1/4" Not many saws in that size in cordless these days, unless you step up to Dewalt.

Cons: I really liked the swappable chuck on the one drill, but one day it simply exploded in my hands. Springs and rings everywhere. the drill still works, but I can't believe no one else expanded on that concept. It was a great idea.

Today: Well, the 18V Ryobi Day deals sucked me. I opened a HD credit account and whacked another 10% off. Even as I type this, I'm not totally convinced to release my B&D tools into the wild - and probably won't. I jumped, mostly because Ryobi has a lot of tools B&D does not: the multi-tool (B&D might have that), the air compressor, the hybrid (water) pump. I don't know. I just felt I was due for a change maybe and I grabbed nearly every tool. Their shop light, for $69 is a great light. I got it for $40. I've used the 18GA nailer. Simple and works. My brother says the hedge trimmer is a good balance of function and weight, good blades, so I returned my EGO and went for the Ryobi.

I have an older Makita 9.6 drill/saw set. No complaints there. Great tools. Not sure B&D is the same quality as it was for their Firestorm line, so that also prompted me to try Ryobi. If it matters, I did not see the Ryboi 3/8" drill in any of their reasonable kits. I grabbed the $199, 6-tool kit to start off and it has the 1/2" drill.

My Ryobi tools listed below. I might need to return/sell some ; )
6-piece kit:
Sawzall
Circular 5 1/4"
Jobplus Multi
Flashlight
Compact 1/2" drill P208B
Impact driver
2 Lithium + compact batteries
Rapid charger

Jigsaw - damaged box deal.
Circular 6 1/2" - have to sell off the 5 1/4" that came with the set I think.
compressor
18GA nailer
Shop light - damaged box deal
Vacuum - the newer version
Hybrid Pump
Hedge trimmer
Drill 3/8"

I also have 7 more batteries, 1 more rapid charger and 1 standard charger

All of the above is hard to beat for $1,228. When you take out the extra batteries and chargers value, it's about $58 per tool.

I think that is where I'm leaning given the incredible value you landed out of that package. Cool. Like Christmas morning. So, Ryobi will compose a sizable portion of the arsenal for some tools but look at some of the bigger lines for the core drill, etc. End up with two systems potentially but try to keep it to that...though who knows five or ten years from now...but it would seem for a basic homeowner set up that likes to have fun, most of the Ryobi tools will get the job done at a great value. Thanks for the details!

I liked it too. I believe Festool has had a couple of models that do this.

Noted.

I am sure that everyone will laugh, but for the last four years I have been using the Black and Decker Max system. When I was given it I thought it would be lightweight, but after abusing the heck out of it, I am quite happy with it. I use primarily the impact, followed by the drill. I am planning to pick up a weedeater that uses the same battery.

I'm not laughing if it works for you. The sense I'm getting from many folks is they have their set up they like, it works for them, and that's kind of awesome as everyone is unique and brings something different to the discussion.

 

[joseywales]

I think that is where I'm leaning given the incredible value you landed out of that package. Cool. Like Christmas morning. So, Ryobi will compose a sizable portion of the arsenal for some tools but look at some of the bigger lines for the core drill, etc. End up with two systems potentially but try to keep it to that...though who knows five or ten years from now...but it would seem for a basic homeowner set up that likes to have fun, most of the Ryobi tools will get the job done at a great value. Thanks for the details!

It's a plan anyway. I bought the jigsaw because it was a cheap with damaged box. I might return the 6 1/2" saw. I only bought that because the saw that came with the kit seemed small and I wasn't certain about keeping the B&D set, which has the 7 1/4" saw. But I did the right thing and joined another forum, where folks enable addiction. So it's all good and I'm keeping both sets!

 

[peteco]

Gotta plug Ridgid here. Bought into the Ridgid system 10 years ago. Followed LSA registration rules. Just had two 10 year old NiCad batteries replaced free. Two chargers also replaced. And a couple of Li-Ion batteries a few years ago. And triggers on a drill and impact. Not happy that the triggers failed and I have an impact drill with a flaky trigger that needs repair. Nonetheless the Ridgid warranty is great for me, though others have reported problems, but probably because they didn't register the tools properly. For long term, I suggest Ridgid.

Ryobi has a much more extensive tool lineup which I take advantage of. If Ridgid has the tool I will get it because of the warranty, especially on the batteries. Otherwise I get a nice inexpensive tool in the Ryobi lineup. The battery adapter in the link below has let me use my Ridgid batteries on Ryobi tools. It has worked well, especially as my Ryobi batteries are starting to fail. I have had 4 Ridgid batteries replaced free over the last 10 years. A few hoops to jump through in registering with Ridgid but otherwise very trouble-free process for me.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4626036

 

[Digital Ranger]

It's a plan anyway. I bought the jigsaw because it was a cheap with damaged box. I might return the 6 1/2" saw. I only bought that because the saw that came with the kit seemed small and I wasn't certain about keeping the B&D set, which has the 7 1/4" saw. But I did the right thing and joined another forum, where folks enable addiction. So it's all good and I'm keeping both sets!

Gotta plug Ridgid here. Bought into the Ridgid system 10 years ago. Followed LSA registration rules. Just had two 10 year old NiCad batteries replaced free. Two chargers also replaced. And a couple of Li-Ion batteries a few years ago. And triggers on a drill and impact. Not happy that the triggers failed and I have an impact drill with a flaky trigger that needs repair. Nonetheless the Ridgid warranty is great for me, though others have reported problems, but probably because they didn't register the tools properly. For long term, I suggest Ridgid.

Ryobi has a much more extensive tool lineup which I take advantage of. If Ridgid has the tool I will get it because of the warranty, especially on the batteries. Otherwise I get a nice inexpensive tool in the Ryobi lineup. The battery adapter in the link below has let me use my Ridgid batteries on Ryobi tools. It has worked well, especially as my Ryobi batteries are starting to fail. I have had 4 Ridgid batteries replaced free over the last 10 years. A few hoops to jump through in registering with Ridgid but otherwise very trouble-free process for me.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4626036

Did not know about the Ridgid warranty and that it was that good. I have not heard much about warranties in general, just assuming most fall under the standard consumer one year blah blah yada yada. Would be interested to know what the other companies do for warranties in terms of registration, replacements, etc. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Ruination Fan]

Another thing to note. Porter Cable 20v and B&D 20v batteries are compatible after a little modification to the battery or the tool. If you modify the battery case, the chargers are then compatible as well. Not to mention the B&D 20v batteries tend to be cheaper. Now I have batteries for my cordless yard tools and drills/drivers and electric nailer.

 

[Fender1325]

Just to add 2 cents here, I previously owned my craftsman c3 drill/driver kit. It's a good value for the home owner but I killed the drill. I replaced with DeWalt and was surprised at the power and smaller refined feel compared to the craftsman. I know guys that swear by Makita, DeWalt or Milwaukee. FYI, last I checked warranty is as follows

Makita - 1 year
DeWalt - 3 year
Milwaukee - 5 year

Rigid has a great warranty with lifetime battery warranty, BUT their tools feel clunky in my hand.

I think you can't go wrong with the big 3 I mentioned. Milwaukee SEEMS to have the most accessories. (My buddy has a Milwaukee 3/8 ratchet that gets all kinds of use in the shop. I haven't seen one for DeWalt yet.

Best advice is to go to home Depot (not Lowe's) and put them all in your hands and see what works for you. Each will have a good better best variant. Better seems the best value. Good luck.

 

[joseywales]

...Best advice is to go to home Depot (not Lowe's) and put them all in your hands and see what works for you. Each will have a good better best variant. Better seems the best value. Good luck.

This I don't understand. Is it me, or did Lowes hand over the power tool sales to HD? When I'm at HD, I feel like a kid in a candy store. When I'm at Lowes, I just don't get the same vibe. I can't open the socket kits, to "feel" them. I understand theft, so string them on a cable, do something, so I can feel the sockets, work the ratchet, etc. Then, at self checkout, if you have light items, the computer calls a cashier, because it assumes you're stealing. Just a bad vibe all the way around and I have been using Lowes for years, but when I chased the Ryboi, I ended up getting two doors from HD as well.

 

[Cope]

This I don't understand. Is it me, or did Lowes hand over the power tool sales to HD? When I'm at HD, I feel like a kid in a candy store. When I'm at Lowes, I just don't get the same vibe. I can't open the socket kits, to "feel" them. I understand theft, so string them on a cable, do something, so I can feel the sockets, work the ratchet, etc. Then, at self checkout, if you have light items, the computer calls a cashier, because it assumes you're stealing. Just a bad vibe all the way around and I have been using Lowes for years, but when I chased the Ryboi, I ended up getting two doors from HD as well.

Funny, but I don't see this at my local stores. The tools are easier to see at Lowe's, and neither has good help.