Porter-Cable Quality?

[monkeyspanners]

Been thinking about getting a Porter-Cable 12v drill/impact driver set after seeing one on a friends hvac youtube channel.

I fancy something different from the Makita 10.8v equivalents that are available here.

Just after some opinions good or bad as i would have to pay a fair bit of shipping and likely get stung for import duties too.

 

[Stuey]

Build quality is good.

Porter Cable's 12V line was a little light on features a few years ago, and the same is true now.

The tools are a little on the large side, compared to other recent 12V drills and drivers.

Overall, they're okay. Performance, features, and user comfort are all okay. Nothing special, but nothing bad either.

The best part of these tools is their value pricing.

 

[Duarte]

I have the Porter-Cable PC18ID 18-Volt Cordless Impact Driver and drill, plus the circular saw. Over a year now, use the impact driver quite a bit. I think they are great for your average DIYer. For pros probably not the best choice.

 

[neophyte]

Porter Cable used to be one of the top USA manufacturers of hand held power tools. They were probably considered on par with Milwaukee and Bosch (In Europe this would be the blue professional Bosch, not the green Bosch). Porter Cable was the "go to" company for "industrial" woodworking tools such as routers, they also manufactured a number of specialty woodworking tools that nobody else made an equivalent of. They also had some sort of Partnership with or ownership of Flex Tools/Ackermann Schmitt.

Then Black&Decker/Dewalt bought them.

Since the purchase a number of the specialty tools have been discontinued. Most if not all of the production has been shipped to Mexico and elsewhere. The cordless tool models also wound up looking an awful lot like the Black & Decker Firestorm line of tools. I believe some magazine may have asked them about the similarity and were told that the internals of the tools were made with better components, maybe stuff from the Dewalt line. I forget were I saw that though. I believe Black & Decker tried to position the brand somewhere between Dewalt on the high end, and Black & Decker on the economy end. Unless you get a great deal, or really want the tools, I would presume there's an equivalent tool available in the UK from a different brand that would perform as well.

 

[Conductor562]

No experience with the 12V line, but the 20V line seems to be nice quality and on par with Ridgid. The first batch of PC tools under B&D was awful, but they really stepped up the quality over the last 3 years or so.

 

[scaron]

i think for power tools, you have to compare each manufacturer for each different product you want to buy. i picked up a porter-cable jigsaw, my girlfriend and i both found it to be the highest-quality feeling of all the saws out at lowe's. but other stuff they make, i would rather have milwaukee or dewalt. if you can try out or at least hold the various options in hand, or even a similar product by each manufacturer that you're considering, it can help you decide.

 

[Monte]

Been thinking about getting a Porter-Cable 12v drill/impact driver set after seeing one on a friends hvac youtube channel.

I fancy something different from the Makita 10.8v equivalents that are available here.

Just after some opinions good or bad as i would have to pay a fair bit of shipping and likely get stung for import duties too.

import Porter Cable into the UK ??? Why not try something common like Bosch ? (easier to warranty/get spare parts etc...)

 

[Chasbec]

Porter Cable makes fine tools and they were one of my top three choices (PC, Milwaukee and Dewalt) when I bought my last cordless drill/driver. Over the years, I had already been through a Milwaukee and a Dewalt; both victims of dead batteries (which cost almost as much to replace than buying a new tool. The Home Depot staffer talked me into buying a Ridgid, saying that they are covered under a lifetime guarantee, including the batteries. That was about three or four years ago. The batteries died early this year and, true to their word, they replaced them for free.

The only thing you have to watch for is that the warranty process is a bit tedious and confusing, probably to discourage people from completing the process. But if you do, I can vouch that it is a good warranty.

 

[cubicle]

I have the Porter-Cable PC18ID 18-Volt Cordless Impact Driver and drill, plus the circular saw. Over a year now, use the impact driver quite a bit. I think they are great for your average DIYer. For pros probably not the best choice.

I will second that. I have the kit with circular saw, recip saw and drill and have used them over and over. No complaints.

 

[monkeyspanners]

Thanks for all the replies! Sounds like they would be ok for what i'd use them for which would mostly be small screws, nuts and bolts with the impact driver, and drilling cable entries in plastic boxes etc with the drill. I mostly do service work so they would not get that much use.
I have an older Makita 12v combi drill and an sds drill which does most of the heavier work plus a 110v Hilti for site work.

import Porter Cable into the UK ??? Why not try something common like Bosch ? (easier to warranty/get spare parts etc...)

I was just fancying something different really, though your right that there are more sensible choices from a warranty etc point of view.

 

[Stuey]

You guys do know that he specifically asked about the 12V tools, right? Not 18V, not 20V.

This is part of the problem that cropped up in recent years - they created a very contradicting brand image.

12V: pro-ish
18V: really more for DIYers
20V: pro-ish in marketing, DIYery in features
Woodworking: definitely mostly pro-ish

 

[Loscaldazar]

The 20V line is insanely good. Powerful, durable and batteries are made in Japan at least (and assembled elsewhere... probably china). Haven't handled any of their 12V stuff though, but if it is even similar to the 20V line it is worth it.