Cordless Drill Recomendation

[DarkWing6]

Long time lurker and finally a home/garage owner....

My wife and I closed on our first home a little over a month ago, which means I'm going around trying to fix all the little things as we get settled in. Since this is our first home I haven't hoarded too many tools... yet.

I'm thinking a cordless drill is next on my list of things to get. I'd like something quality and reliable at a reasonable price (ya, ya, ya...). But seriously, I don't need anything that is construction site grade; just a quality drill that can be used around the house.

Any recommendations?

 

[kgmunro]

You can buy a really nice dewalt drill for anywhere from $125.00 and up. I just bought an 18 inch hammer drill for $199.00 with charger,case and 2 batteries.

 

[DPEXP]

Dewalt 9.6v. About 100$ with charger and 2 batteries.

 

[jerkyboy]

I've got a Makita 18v lithium ion and love it. It has been super durable and you can buy one at your local home center but you'd probably get a much better deal on ebay. Mine has the built in hammer drill, which also works great too.

 

[boiler7904]

Can't really go wrong with the well known brands like Makita, Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Bosch. I'd want at least 12 or 14.4 volts. 18 volt units usually have the most tools that are compatible with the battery platform. Hammer drill probably isn't necessary unless you know you're going to be drilling into masonry or concrete. You can always rent or buy a hammer drill down the road as skills improve or need arises and money isn't tight.

 

[padstack]

Long time lurker and finally a home/garage owner....

My wife and I closed on our first home a little over a month ago, which means I'm going around trying to fix all the little things as we get settled in. Since this is our first home I haven't hoarded too many tools... yet.

I'm thinking a cordless drill is next on my list of things to get. I'd like something quality and reliable at a reasonable price (ya, ya, ya...). But seriously, I don't need anything that is construction site grade; just a quality drill that can be used around the house.

Any recommendations?

This is the ONE place that I wouldn't cheap out on a HF version. Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee, etc.

 

[bsaint]

Panasonic 15.6v drill.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009KDGX/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Best drill I've ever owned. My ex boss owns a cabinent shop and road crew. Has about 50 of these drills in service plus 20 or so retired for parts.

 

[trailwart]

i picked up the craftsman drill and impact combo for 99 on sale, these are 19 volt units. it came with 2 batteries and charger. i only went this route because replacement batteries are 20$, and also this line of packs has almost 20 different tools it supports. i am very happy with them, these fit my hands great and are light weight(to me). between the drill and impact i have driven close to 1000#s of screws building decks and doing drywall without an issue.

with that said, my next line of cordless tool purchases will be rigid. with lifetime replacement/repairs it is a no brainer to purchase them.
light and occasional use might be harder on lifespan of battery packs, i dont know. but having a warranty that covers you for anything is priceless, and knowing it will be the last time you will purchase a drill means more money for different tools.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Spend a little more and buy something decent. I'd stay away from the Craftsman stuff, they seem to change their batteries every few years. I'd suggest something like an 18V Dewalt drill/recip saw combo. Trust me when you start on the home projects, they will come in handy.

I had this kit till I got a awesome deal on a bigger kit. I pulled the light out of the new kit and kept the flourescent that was in this one. It is a great light for around the home and garage.

http://www.dewalt.com/tools/cordless-combo-packs-18-volt-combo-packs-dc3ckita.aspx

 

[SCutchins]

I'm a huge fan of Bosch. Their 14.4 compact tough model is surprisingly powerful and nice and light, and their 14.4 brute tough has a 1/2 chuck which is nice. I currently have an 18v hammer drill of theirs that is amazing.

I do hear good things about Panasonic though but have no personal experience.

 

[DarkWing6]

I'm a huge fan of Bosch. Their 14.4 compact tough model is surprisingly powerful and nice and light, and their 14.4 brute tough has a 1/2 chuck which is nice. I currently have an 18v hammer drill of theirs that is amazing.

They're is one available from Bosch for $120 that is factory reconditioned with a 1 year warranty, 2 batteries, charger, etc. Should I pull the trigger?

 

[egdede]

Bosch. Drills for drilling holes, impact drivers for driving screws.

 

[DarkWing6]

Bosch. Drills for drilling holes, impact drivers for driving screws.

At this point I can only afford one... Would one be better than the other for pulling double duty?

And to be the newbie, what is the difference?

 

[stangfromhale]

I've had the Porter Cable 18v ni-cd set from Lowes for awhile and so far it has passed with flying colors. For ~$130 you get the drill, circular saw, reciprocating saw, flashlight, 2 batteries and the charger. Flashlight isn't all that great, but everything else is excellent.

 

[reldridge]

I've had the Porter Cable 18v ni-cd set from Lowes for awhile and so far it has passed with flying colors. For ~$130 you get the drill, circular saw, reciprocating saw, flashlight, 2 batteries and the charger. Flashlight isn't all that great, but everything else is excellent.

I have the Porter Cable kit with just the Ni-Cad drill and circular saw. I love it! No problems over the year I have beaten on them.

 

[gumbudah]

Doesn't sound like you're in the market for a combo pack, buuuuut if you decide you need a combo pack with circular saw, sawzall, and impact driver, without any need to buy anything more, I'd recommend the Rigid line from Home Depot, for one reason. If you register it, you get FREE BATTERIES FOR LIFE!!! Certainly ask them about it first, but that's the whole reason why I bought my combo kit there. Now the downfalls to be aware of. First, Rigid through Home Depot has an extremely small selection of tools the 18v batteries will work with. meaning thy only make a handfull of tools, in fact the only one I've found that wasn't included in my combo pack is a flashlight. The other thing is the Lithium Ion batteries don't perform well in the cold. You might could have to buy a standard battery or two if you plan to do cold/winter work.

Aside from rigid, I like Dewalt because of their quantity of tools available, and general availability, and Milwaukee for the same reasons.

 

[Walterchang]

One thing to consider is if you plan on buying more tools in the future is to be brand loyal. I own several dewalt tools, it is far easier to have extra batteries and a common charger than multiple different ones. My two cents.

 

[egdede]

An impact driver is like a battery powered air hammer. Buy one or the other in the brand of your choice, and look for the other minus a battery cheap on Ebay.

 

[c_mccann]

I have a Makita 18v Lithium Ion 1/2 drill. Still getting used to it, but it is a powerhouse, nice improvements over nicad in terms of weight and battery life. It is my 3rd cordless in 25 years (all Makitas), my last one was a 18v nicad unit that just let go recently, it lost the high gear, but the batteries still worked and low gear worked- I bought it in 1999 and it had countless hours on it, I sold it for $30 in about 3 hours on CL. I have heard rave reviews on Panasonic, if I wasn't so happy with my past Makitas, I'd get one in a heartbeat- great unit.

 

[MadMechMaster]

I am satisfied with my Ryobi One Plus drill. I would call it a good value for small stuff around the house. It is definitely not contractor grade. I can feel the case separate under high torque and the keyless chuck is worn out.

My next one will most likely be a Dewalt.

 

[Krokodil]

I'm happy with my Black & Decker for what I paid for it.

When it packs up I'll get a Dewalt.

 

[cashishift]

Find a refurbished DeWalt kit.

Having the ability to use their 18v batteries in a multitude of tools as your needs change is invaluable.

I have the following DeWalt 18v tools:

Drill
1/4 impact
1/2 impact (big dog)
6.5 circular saw
right angle drill
fluourescent light
Sawzall

I've gotten them all except the drill and right angle drill super cheap off of Craigslist..

Also have the DeWalt circular saw, and Radio (the new one is NICE)

 

[BigRed390]

I've got the same porter cable NiCad combo pack mentioned earlier. I beat on mine pretty regularly. No problems at all. It's not terribly expensive for the whole combo pack, and there are a LOT of add-ons that use the same 18v system. The flashlight that comes with it was kinda meh, but the flourescent lantern you can get for $30 is awesome! The plethora of additional tools using the same line was what sold it for me. I wanted more than just a 4 piece combo kit, and the PC line had a lot more to offer than most. I'm not a contractor, and i'm not a porter cable salesman. Just a happy customer using these tools for general home and woodworking stuff.

 

[kellyo]

Does anyone have any experience with this rigid drill? Seems like a good deal @ $89 http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hard...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

[sharpshooter]

I bought a Skil a couple of years ago and its been well used, Ive built 2 decks and just got finished building a storage shed with it... Lots of screws, plus the 100 tag from lowes doesn't scare ya off to much

 

[Costner]

I have a couple different 12V DeWalt drills and a 12V DeWalt impact driver.... love them and no complaints. The batteries on my first drill lasted over 10 years!

I bought my second drill as a refurbished unit online and it was well worth the price. Also bought the impact driver as a refurb unit and since they all use the same batteries it is great.

12V works fine for most homeowner tasks and I can't say as I need more power. 18V would be nice if you are a serious DIYer or a contractor/professional. However in my case I like the 12V due to lower weight and smaller size. If you only have cash to buy one up front, I'd shop sales and online and buy a 12V drill kit. Then as funds allow you could add an impact driver later if you find yourself doing more projects around the house.

 

[Auzivision]

It’s really about the batteries when it comes to cordless and you are paying a premium for that convenience. However, they aren't as powerful and they all go bad eventually… some especially don’t like not to be used. The high end lithium ions supposedly last longer, but cost 2X+ more and still go bad eventually. Being an average homeowner with occasional use, I’d recommend a two fold approach.

Go to Sears or wherever and get a cheap cordless drill, but skip the 9.6 and get at least a 12 or 14.4 volt. Plenty of good deals between $40 to $50. These will last 5 years plus or minus and are good for light jobs like hanging stuff on walls or a few holes here or there. You’re not going to remodel your basement and drive sheet rocks screws all day long with one of these. This one is strictly for convenience.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/s_10153_...ems=24&pageNum=1&sortOption=PRICE_LOW_TO_HIGH

http://www.lowes.com/pl__0__s?Ns=p_product_price|1&Ntt=cordless drill&Ntk=i_products&rpp=15

Then complement this with a decent ½” corded model. Sure it’s not as convenient as cordless, but far more powerful and you can drive 3” deck screws or build your kids wooden swings set no problem. Just need an extension cord. Plus if you ever find yourself drilling through steel you’ll; appreciate the speed and torque.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/s_10153_12605_Tools_Portable+Power+Tools_Drills#viewItems=24&pageNum=1&sortOption=PRICE_LOW_TO_HIGH&&filter=storeOrigin|Sears^Power+Type|Corded&lastFilter=storeOrigin

Take the rest of the money you saved by not getting a Milwaukee, Makita, or Dewalt and buy yourself a nice set of drill bits. For right around $100 to $125 you’ll have a nice setup for a variety of task that for all practical homeowner purposes is more than good enough. If you shop around, you’ll probably end up with some left over beer money or enough to get one of those handy cordless screw drivers. The best deals always appear around the holidays (including father’s day).

 

[gahrajmahal]

One of the best online retailers is CPOtools.com I especially gravitate towards he factory reconditioned tools of which they carry most major brands. You will not be disappointed.

 

[csp]

You might consider used if it's not going to be in use a lot. My first cordless was a DeWalt 14.4 1/2" hammer drill that came out of a pawn shop with two batteries and a case for $60. I ran that one into the ground after about nine years of use. It was replaced with a combo kit of 18v hammer drill and 18v impact in a DeWalt bag that I got a great deal on ($140).

Keep an eye out on Craigslist and garage sales. Last summer I picked up a DeWalt 18v 5-3/8" circular saw, jigsaw, reciprocating saw, flashlight, charger, and one battery for the grand sum of $10 at a garage sale. The jigsaw is like new and the reciprocating saw hasn't been used much either.

 

[toyota2]

I use a 24 volt lithium ion Milwaukee drill/hammer drill all the time and it has been great. I got the package deal of the drill, sawzall, and circular saw. I have thrown everything at this drill and it has worked perfect for over two years now. Cant say the same for the 28 volt craftsmen professional(read joke)that I had before that, it just fell apart. I would have also chose a Dewalt if they would have had the same deal at the time but the place I got this from only sells Milwaukee.

 

[momswgn]

Rigid 24V line-up

 

[NUTTSGT]

Keep an eye out on Craigslist and garage sales. Last summer I picked up a DeWalt 18v 5-3/8" circular saw, jigsaw, reciprocating saw, flashlight, charger, and one battery for the grand sum of $10 at a garage sale. The jigsaw is like new and the reciprocating saw hasn't been used much either.

Would you like to double, wait no, triple your money ?

 

[nehog]

I had a Rayobi 18V drill/driver when I started my 30 x 60 garage building. Bought a second identical unit. Figured that if they survived the build, I'd gotten my money from them (they were cheap at HD).

I still use them today, they work well. Two of the four batteries have died, but that is the only problem I have had with them to speak of. I did rebuild both one time (check lubricant, etc.) but even that turned out to be unnecessary.

Now my Milwaukee driver drill has broken three times (three motors toasted on it...) so sometimes you get a name, expensive tool, and it doesn't work nearly as well as the discounted one! (the Milwaukee cost twice the Rayobi ones, too...)

 

[Po'Boy]

I have an old Makita, and an 18v Dewalt. I think I'm going to try one of the higher end Rigid drills next time. I love everything Rigid makes, (the professional stuff anyway.) I have alot of their high end stuff at work, not much experience with the stuff Home Depot sells, but I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt. If it is like the rest of their stuff, it'll be a good buy.

 

[low4life]

Working in commercial construction, I have either used, or know trades who have used most every brand. In my opinion, Makita's 18v lithium ion line is hard to beat, and seem the be the only lithum ion's that have a decent life in the cold. Dewalt, rigid, and milwaukee seem to be decent, though heavy. Ryobi is another brand that seems to be gaining popularity, as they last nearly as long, and cost much less.

 

[Scout Driver]

My experience with my 12 volt DeWalt has been very positive. Had it over 10 years and it still works like new.

Scott

 

[Teken]

Spend money once . . . Buy, 18 volt Dewalt Lithium powered . . .

 

[v7guy]

I like a lot of the Dewalt stuff, it all seems to work well, I like the hilti stuff too, but it's spendy. I used both of these brands extensively at work. I mostly buy Dewalt stuff these days.
With that said I picked up a Black and Decker 18V drill from walmart about 6 months ago with a spare battery. It was on sale for $70. Its a little weighty but I've had no problem driving in 3 in screws for multiple evenings on one battery and it has the torque to get the job done. I was even more surprised that it's still fine after multiple drops from 10ft+ onto concrete. I've been pretty happy.. and I don't generally like black and decker stuff. I have no idea how it'll work 2 yrs from now, but I'm happy so far.

 

[lawfarm]

The advantage of the Ridgid stuff is their warranty. It covers everything (including batteries). I have a belt sander and a corded drywall collated screwgun from Ridgid, and both are good units. I don't have any of their cordless tools, though.

For my cordless tools, I bought a set of Hitachi Li-Ion 18v tools a few years ago when they first came out. Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-KC18DBL-4-Tool-Lithium-Ion-Combo/dp/B000KEP4J8

But I got it on sale at Lowes for much less (around $200, if I remember right). I've used many different cordless tools (DeWalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, Panasonic, Craftsman, Makita, Ryobi, etc.). Any of the big manufacturers (i.e. Dewalt, Bosch, Makita, Milwaukee; not including Ryobi or Craftsman) are good quality, in my opinion, comparing apples to apples (i.e. 18v to 18v), there's not much difference between Yellow, Blue, Turquoise and Red. The big difference is between different size (18v and 24v) and type (NiCad and LiIon) batteries.

If you can swing LiIon batteries, get them. The change in capacity, recharging ability, and battery life is shocking. I went with the Hitachi because I had read good reviews, and I love them. I use them constantly. I even have a cordless drill/driver that lives in my truck because it's so versatile. About every 6 months, I swap out the battery on it, and it's always ready for use. I have their sawzall, impact driver, and 2 drill/drivers, along with a little light. Love 'em. Do note that they have 2 different size LiIon 18v batteries (different maH ratings); mine are the larger size.

 

[Doug B]

They're is one available from Bosch for $120 that is factory reconditioned with a 1 year warranty, 2 batteries, charger, etc. Should I pull the trigger?

At this point I can only afford one... Would one be better than the other for pulling double duty?

And to be the newbie, what is the difference?

At work I have 2 Bosch 14.4 drills,and they are great. Powerful,compact and light weight. Excelent tools. I also have the Bosch impact drivers.I use these for installing threaded fasteners.The drill is what you need for double duty.
At home,I have the Craftsman 19.2 C3 system drill.It's a good homeowner drill,with multiple add on tools available(saw,flashlight,impact,etc.) so you can tool up as you go. I would not use this drill at my work.
Always buy the best tool you can comfortably afford.You will always use it more than you think you will.
Let us know what you end up getting