k1rodeoboater
Well-known member
I'm shopping for cordless drill and impact driver and I've narrowed it down to Milwaukee, Rigid, Porter Cable, Dewalt, and Makita. What are your opinions/experiences with the aforementioned brands? Currently I only need a drill and driver but in the future I may or may not want other cordless tools. Most of the other cordless tools I see offered I'd almost rather have corded for the added power/capability/flexibility that come with corded models, and I have no real need to be cordless with everything.
Porter Cable 20v line seemed to fit the best in my hand, I liked the magnetic bit holder location, and I liked the battery meter. I'm just concerned that these are too cheaply made since Dewalt and PC are under the same parent company and these are the cheapest of all the brands I'm looking at. Tool selection is also the smallest
Rigid has a "lifetime warranty" which even covers the battery....but it seems as though it's hit or miss if you can find a service center to help you out. Also has the battery meter (directly on the battery which is a big plus) and fits well in my hand. Tool selection is smaller compared to the other brands. Though I do start to wonder when they throw in a radio with their drill/driver kit and it's priced at $20 more than Porter Cable if they're not a cost cutting homeowner quality brand.
Milwaukee M18's I could get brushless motors if I step up to the Fuel line, and it has a battery meter like Rigid's. They seem to get plenty of good reviews and have a large tool selection
Dewalt I can also get brushless motors if I wanted, and they had the best lighting setup (though really any of them are an improvement over what I have now...which is none.), they fit "alright" in my hand but not great, though I have been warned by a few close friends who depend on their tools that they're not the company they used to be.
Makita felt really nice in my hand but don't really know anything about them. Tool selection seems about on par with Milwaukee. I'm only looking at the metal chuck versions, not the plastic ones. I also like the battery meter and bit holder locations.
Since I'm not making a living with these tools, and they'll be a home/hobby use only, I doubt I'll kill any of them. More than likely I'll have to replace them when the price of a replacement battery exceeds 50% of the cost of a new set of tools. That said I don't want to buy complete **** either that I end up replacing in a few years.
The one brand I was a little disappointed with was Bosch, they make a hell of a tool but it just doesn't feel right in my hand. And I've learned that if it's not comfortable in my hand I'm less likely going to use it or like using it. I might try going back to the store and giving them another shot just to see if it was a fluke on that day but usually my gut instinct is right.
Right now I'm currently leaning towards Milwaukee and Makita, but the voice of my frugal Polish Grandfather in the back of my head keeps saying go with Rigid for the warranty (mostly for the batteries which I bet will wear out long before the tool)....then again he liked to dumpster dive on the weekends to look for stuff that people were throwing out that were repairable or still good. My current drill is a Black and Decker corded from the 80's that he found in the trash and it still works, albeit long in the tooth
.
Porter Cable 20v line seemed to fit the best in my hand, I liked the magnetic bit holder location, and I liked the battery meter. I'm just concerned that these are too cheaply made since Dewalt and PC are under the same parent company and these are the cheapest of all the brands I'm looking at. Tool selection is also the smallest
Rigid has a "lifetime warranty" which even covers the battery....but it seems as though it's hit or miss if you can find a service center to help you out. Also has the battery meter (directly on the battery which is a big plus) and fits well in my hand. Tool selection is smaller compared to the other brands. Though I do start to wonder when they throw in a radio with their drill/driver kit and it's priced at $20 more than Porter Cable if they're not a cost cutting homeowner quality brand.
Milwaukee M18's I could get brushless motors if I step up to the Fuel line, and it has a battery meter like Rigid's. They seem to get plenty of good reviews and have a large tool selection
Dewalt I can also get brushless motors if I wanted, and they had the best lighting setup (though really any of them are an improvement over what I have now...which is none.), they fit "alright" in my hand but not great, though I have been warned by a few close friends who depend on their tools that they're not the company they used to be.
Makita felt really nice in my hand but don't really know anything about them. Tool selection seems about on par with Milwaukee. I'm only looking at the metal chuck versions, not the plastic ones. I also like the battery meter and bit holder locations.
Since I'm not making a living with these tools, and they'll be a home/hobby use only, I doubt I'll kill any of them. More than likely I'll have to replace them when the price of a replacement battery exceeds 50% of the cost of a new set of tools. That said I don't want to buy complete **** either that I end up replacing in a few years.
The one brand I was a little disappointed with was Bosch, they make a hell of a tool but it just doesn't feel right in my hand. And I've learned that if it's not comfortable in my hand I'm less likely going to use it or like using it. I might try going back to the store and giving them another shot just to see if it was a fluke on that day but usually my gut instinct is right.
Right now I'm currently leaning towards Milwaukee and Makita, but the voice of my frugal Polish Grandfather in the back of my head keeps saying go with Rigid for the warranty (mostly for the batteries which I bet will wear out long before the tool)....then again he liked to dumpster dive on the weekends to look for stuff that people were throwing out that were repairable or still good. My current drill is a Black and Decker corded from the 80's that he found in the trash and it still works, albeit long in the tooth
.
I've gone back through the last 100pgs of threads, there's not 2000 in the last week. In fact there's less than 10 in the last week that are relevant to my thread.
