Bosch lithium battery drills

[steve58]

I 'm looking to buy a new drill/driver, bosch has a 12v lithium powered drill for 150.00,, whats the verdict on lithium power ?

 

[jerk_chicken]

Those things are pricey and I'm not convinced Bosch drills are worth the prices they are trying to charge. Out here, it often looks like they're the best brand a store carries, with $20 drills being the alternate choices, or cheap Black and Deckers.

I'm definitely not convinced about Bosch as a brand. As far as the batteries, I'm not a fan of Li-Ion because of their limited life, whether you use them or not. I don't use my drill all the time and it would **** to have a Li battery that's dead in a couple years, even though I used it only a half dozen times.

 

[Chris Adams]

Wow, never knew my batteries would fail if I didn't use them, or did...
Where did you get that info?

I have the Bosch Impactor, with two batteries. They are two years old, both work great. They have been in the garage with temperatures in the 140 to 20 degree range. Use the Bosch several times a week, sometimes to the point of one battery dead, never quite till both are dead.
No problems with the batteries at all. They charge fast.

I have Craftsman, HF, BD, and Bosch cordless. Bosch is the best of these by a wide margin.

 

[Monte]

Those things are pricey and I'm not convinced Bosch drills are worth the prices they are trying to charge. Out here, it often looks like they're the best brand a store carries, with $20 drills being the alternate choices, or cheap Black and Deckers.

I'm definitely not convinced about Bosch as a brand. As far as the batteries, I'm not a fan of Li-Ion because of their limited life, whether you use them or not. I don't use my drill all the time and it would **** to have a Li battery that's dead in a couple years, even though I used it only a half dozen times.

Maybe you have seen too much of the DIY "Bosch-green" models...
ps: Bosch offers a 2 yr. warranty on their batteries....

Bosch as a brand has the widest selection of power tools - they not only offer the "green" (outside the US) DIY power tools, the "blue" professionell series but also is the only manufacturer who offer corded/cordless production power tools as well as service and production air tools and high frequency
(300 Hertz) 3-phase production tools ! Makita has some production tools, Fein (cordless, and high frequency) also, but the most competence has Bosch.

Sorry had to intervene since i have a 1400 watt Bosch angle grinder which easily outperforms all the others....

 

[bb1970]

I have a Bosch 10.8v drill/driver. I use it all the time. It isn't the most powerful thing but it isn't intended to be. I never have had a problem with it.

 

[boiler7904]

I've got a Bosch 14.4v NiCad Drill, 12v NiCad Impact Driver, 10.8v LiIon Impact Driver, and a 10.8v LiIon Drill / Driver. All are great tools and worth every penny that was paid. Would recommend Bosch tools to anyone. The biggest problem with Lithium batteries (besides price) is that they don't like cold weather at all. They don't hold a charge. The positives are that the lithium battery pack is going to be smaller / lighter than an equivalent NiCad pack and you have full power right until the pack is fully discharged. I think you also get more charge / discharge cycles out of a lithium battery than NiCad. Lithium is probably overkill for occassional use around the house but would probably be worth it in the long run if use your tools a lot.

Someone mentioned a 2 year warranty on batteries. In the US, you get a 3 year warranty on the batteries if you register for the ProVantage Warranty online or with the mail-in postcard. At one time, you could by extra batteries at a discount if the tool was registered for the warranty. Don't know if that is still the case. I think the basic warranty is 1 year.

 

[TangoFoxTrot]

I would rate most of Bosch's power tools as being very high quality. Their Lithium/cordless line is also top notch. After you've started using lithium, you won't go back to the old style batteries. Lithium batteries don't discharge when idle like the NiCad or NIMH batteries do.

I have the Lithium Bosch driver/drill and it's amazing for the size and weight. I use it all the time, one of the best tool purchases I've ever made.

 

[steve58]

Thanks for the opinions and info. I have several DeWalt drills (12 and 14v) and old Makita 9.6v drills they are all worn out, batteries included.

I do use them on a daily basis for work (on boats). I think I'm going to get the 12v Lithium powered Bosch at Lowes for $150 , that was one of the least expensive drills they carried.

Steve

 

[nissan_crawler]

first off, which 12v? are you talking the mini one? I have the mini12v drill and love it. I also have two of their impactors, two of their drivers, one of their 14.4 drills, a sawzall, jigsaw...

Yeah, I like bosch. they'll do laps around dewalt, milwaukee, b&d, etc. In fact, I hardly consider another brand anymore.

 

[jerk_chicken]

Good to know about the green vs blue models!

 

[oldgoat]

The only complaint I have with lithium batteries is that they don't give much warning when they have reached their discharge. With mine anyway you can be going along drilling or driving screws and it will just pretty much loose much of it's power. As for me otherwise I love them and won't buy anything else when I start to replace the other drills that I have. Don't the Ridgid line of tools from Home Depot have a lifetime warranty on them?

 

[NotEnough]

Compared with the cheap DIY Ryobi 18v NiCd my Bosch cordless tools are great. The Bosch (s or es for plural??) have great power for their size and weight. I also like the fact that they don't loose a charge (or nearly as much) while it's sitting there. That way, when I've got a quick job I have a charge. With the NiCd I would almost have to pre-plan or go without b/c more than likely there is little or no charge left from the last time I used them. I'm just a DIY homeowner so not as much of an issue if you used them consistently. I've got the right angle drill (fantastic for those tight spots), quick change drill (from free after rebate deal last year), and impact (first one, can't live w/o one now). I just need to add the std adjustable jaw drill and a couple of more batteries and I'm good for awhile.

To add a little bit of real world spotting to what Monte said, I toured the BMW plant in SC last month and surprise, all of the power tools on the line were Bosch. Must have been hundreds of various power tools on the line, both cordless and corded. We were close to the line workers, but not close enough to see what brand(s) of hand tools they used in the few spots where power tools were not employed.

 

[steve58]

first off, which 12v? are you talking the mini one? I have the mini12v drill and love it. I also have two of their impactors, two of their drivers, one of their 14.4 drills, a sawzall, jigsaw...

Yeah, I like bosch. they'll do laps around dewalt, milwaukee, b&d, etc. In fact, I hardly consider another brand anymore.

Yes it's the mini one,, much lighter than my 14v DeWalt which I am replacing,,,When hauling my tool bag across marinas and down long docks less weight is easier on my aging tendons.

 

[sk farmer]

i use the dewalt lithiom batteries in my tools. i won't say they are the best, but i don't have a box of old tools i can' use because i can't get a battery or it is cost prohibitive. my old 18 volt drill of the oldest type runs like a top with a lithiom battery. think about this. what if your new sockets were incompatable with your old ratchets? would you be happy? would you have bought them? i venture to say 5 years from now my old drill will still be punching holes and many of these others will be sitting in a box with your other obsolete tools.remember dewalt is backwards compatable with almost every tool in the 18 volt line. is anyone else even close?

 

[musgofasta]

I have the Makita 10.8 Drill and impact driver. Really great, my new favorite tools.

Lithium is the real deal man, lasts longer and weighs half as much.

Moved from a Ryobi 18v to these Makitas. Weight is 1/3 of the Ryobi, and plenty of power for stuff around the house. For spade bits and long screws I use the plug-in drill anyway.

Can't go wrong with the Bosch. They seem to be top notch.

 

[Chris Adams]

The only complaint I have with lithium batteries is that they don't give much warning when they have reached their discharge. With mine anyway you can be going along drilling or driving screws and it will just pretty much loose much of it's power. As for me otherwise I love them and won't buy anything else when I start to replace the other drills that I have. Don't the Ridgid line of tools from Home Depot have a lifetime warranty on them?

On your complaint, yup, they don't slow down, they just stop.

But I like that. On the other cordless I have the drill/driver/saws etc. slow down and I keep trying to use them, not being sure if the battery went down or the wood is just harder at this point till they bog. Then I change the battery. On the Lithium, it just quits and I know to change it right now.

 

[Stuey]

Are you talking about the PS30 drill? If so, check it out in person if you buy it. It is not that much smaller than my 18V drill, with the only differences being about 3/4" along the chuck-motor section, and the length and size of the battery.

Lithium ion is definitely a great way to go, but some of these "compact" tools are not much smaller than full sized ones.

 

[Chris Adams]

Are you talking about the PS30 drill? If so, check it out in person if you buy it. It is not that much smaller than my 18V drill, with the only differences being about 3/4" along the chuck-motor section, and the length and size of the battery.

Lithium ion is definitely a great way to go, but some of these "compact" tools are not much smaller than full sized ones.

Don't know about that. My Bosch is not much bigger than an N-frame Smith&Wesson, easy to carry all day, while my others are huge awkward things.

 

[Stuey]

Don't know about that. My Bosch is not much bigger than an N-frame Smith&Wesson, easy to carry all day, while my others are huge awkward things.

Without batteries, the PS30 and my 18V Hitachi are nearly identical in size. The catch is when the batteries are attached. Even with a lithium battery, the Hitachi will extend slightly more, and is "blocky" while the PS30's cylindrical battery slides right.

For all-day carrying or all-day overhead use, the PS30 will definitely have an edge. But for less extreme usage, a compact non-behemoth standard drill is going to offer much more power, not to mention a 1/2" chuck vs. 3/8" which may occasionally matter.

 

[Chris Adams]

Comparing my Bosch with my Craftsman or BD or HF, the non-lithium is still way bigger.
Since they are paperweights without the battery, I stand by my statment.

of course some models may be different but all the Lithium units I have seen or used have been way smaller for the same power range.

 

[Bo Heck]

Without batteries, the PS30 and my 18V Hitachi are nearly identical in size. The catch is when the batteries are attached. Even with a lithium battery, the Hitachi will extend slightly more, and is "blocky" while the PS30's cylindrical battery slides right.

For all-day carrying or all-day overhead use, the PS30 will definitely have an edge. But for less extreme usage, a compact non-behemoth standard drill is going to offer much more power, not to mention a 1/2" chuck vs. 3/8" which may occasionally matter.

I checked out the PS30 at lowes tonight since I just got the impactor and thought it was awesome. I already have a dewalt 18v 1/2" drill and I think this little PS30 would make a great second drill, or even a primary drill, as I dont know how many jobs I do personally that require that big heavy 18v drill. I love the fact the batteries fit up in the handle, it had good balance with a lighter weight. So its a win-win to me.