Quality Cordless Drill?

[PatrickW]

My ancient Craftsman is giving up the ghost, and it's time for a new cordless drill.

I want to buy the best one that I can. Not worried about price too much because if I'm still happy with it 10 years from now it will have been money well spent.

I absolutely refuse to buy anything made in China.

So what do you guys like? I'm leaning towards Milwaukee or DeWalt, but have never had either brand in the past. Are these brands still any good, or have they been outsourced to China too...?

Thanks.

- Patrick

 

[wrenchr]

My ancient Craftsman is giving up the ghost, and it's time for a new cordless drill.

I want to buy the best one that I can. Not worried about price too much because if I'm still happy with it 10 years from now it will have been money well spent.

I absolutely refuse to buy anything made in China.

So what do you guys like? I'm leaning towards Milwaukee or DeWalt, but have never had either brand in the past. Are these brands still any good, or have they been outsourced to China too...?

Thanks.

- Patrick

Either one will more than please you!!! I have a dewalt and my bro has the milwaukee. A+++Drills

 

[l_bilyk]

Haha good luck with that. Milwaukee are made in china now. Dewalt is usually made in mexico.

 

[Merkava_4]

Haha good luck with that. Milwaukee are made in china now. Dewalt is usually made in mexico.

That's right. There's a certain miter saw I like that DeWalt has, but it's made in Mexico. Makita drills are made in China now.

 

[wrenchr]

I missed the usa part...........Good luck for sure!!

 

[eschoendorff]

Hilti has some real nice 18v units that are made in Germany... I saw them at Home Depot on Carpenter Rd. in Ann Arbor. The Jackson HD doesn't have them though. You might want to chekc the HD stores in your area... and FWIW the made in Germany Hilti 18v drill was under $400....

The Milwaukee v28s used to be made in the Czech Republic. Not so anymore?

 

[l_bilyk]

I think the V28 might still be made by the Czech. I know the v18 and the power plus, and the 12v is all china now. Probably the same plant as ridgid, ryobi, craftsman, etc.

If you really look around you may be able to find a makita LXT kit made in japan. The first batch of them were made in japan, then production moved to china.

 

[hobie1dog]

panasonic ...I have two of them....great ergonomics, will set balanced on beams high in the air...great torque.

 

[IDASHO]

I just got a Lith-ion Bosch 10.8V driver.

Holly cow this little guy packs a punch, and is wicked light

 

[wilbilt]

FWIW the made in Germany Hilti 18v drill was under $400....

Well, that's a relief. Under $400.

 

[jay50]

I am using a 14.4v Craftsman that was purchased in 2000 and it has been thru hell and still going strong. I used it to drill holes in overhead floor joist during re-wiring of my house and it was overloaded for the job but still did not burn out. I am on my 2nd set of batteries, but the old beat up drill will not die....

 

[Merkava_4]

Here's some more German made drills incase anyone cares:

http://www.aeg-pt.com/

 

[PatrickW]

Here's some more info: http://www.cordless-drills.net/

 

[T56 Impala]

Milwaukee is my choice. I have built several decks and other structures and it has never let me down. Honestly, I have no idea where it was made. I picked up every one I could and the Milwaukee felt good in my hand.

 

[chad s]

panasonic ...I have two of them....great ergonomics, will set balanced on beams high in the air...great torque.

agree 100%, the Panasonic drills are first rate, I use them everyday on the job.

 

[chad s]

I am very curiouse though, has anyone used this Snap On?

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=19914&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I have seen/held the cordless 1/2 impact from the same series, and its made in the USA, and seemed very nice.

 

[l_bilyk]

Here's some more German made drills incase anyone cares:

http://www.aeg-pt.com/

All the cordless AEG stuff is now made in china too. By TTI no less (same people as ridgid, ryobi, etc). If you look at the line, alot of the tools are identical to ridgid or ryobi

 

[lbgradwell]

All the cordless AEG stuff is now made in china too. By TTI no less (same people as ridgid, ryobi, etc).

Milwaukee is TTI too!

 

[rsanter]

if you want a great tool and will use the heck out of it I would go with the dewalt. I also think the rigid is pretty good as well.
the bargin one is the Riobi but would only get that if the work you do is medium and only touches heavy some times.

bob

 

[MAD]

I just bought a Craftsman Professional 20 volt Lithium-Ion drill kit. It is on sale for Craftsman club members now for $189. I am very impressed with the initial quality. I received the 20 volt reciprocating saw as a gift and it was an easy decision to take back the separate battery and charger for credit towards the drill kit with two batteries on sale. I have not really used these yet for any serious work but so far I am very impressed. I do not know who makes these for Sears but these tools make the Ryobi 18v stuff at HD and the other Craftsman cordless stuff feel like toys. I have not always been impressed with Craftsman power tools in recent years but these are worth a look.

Btw-They are made in China of course like most of what is out there now.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00928169000P?filter=Brand%7CCraftsman+Professional&vName=Tools&cName=Portable+Power+Tools&sName=Drills

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00926314000P?vName=Tools&cName=Portable+Power+Tools&sName=Reciprocating+Saws

 

[jtaylor]

Makita LXT. I don't care where it's made; it's the best drill I've ever owned.

 

[Vicegrip]

DeWalt 18 volt and never look back. I have been abusing 2 of them for years. The 18 volt platform has many tools in it too.

 

[lbgradwell]

The professional reviews seem to slightly prefer the Milwaukee. I have used my friend's Milwaukee and it is a fine tool, but it seemed too easy to make it slip into the hammer mode. That may not seem like such an issue, but, I assure you, it was very annoying!!

Another friend has the Ridgid, and it seemed like a decent tool as well, but I couldn't tell for sure since he bought it refurbished and it arrived with the chuck off center. I haven't tried it again since he had it repaired.

I've had the DeWalt XRP for ~3 years and I have to say it has been excellent and I am very impressed. It has a 3rd gear that is absent on the others and is of more value than might be expected. The clutch works well, but isn't a feature I use much since I only use it for drilling, not fastening (since I also have the FANTASTIC matching impact driver - a MUCH better tool for the application). But the drill has operated flawlessly even with holesaws and for the light masonry work I've done.

 

[shocker51]

That's right. There's a certain miter saw I like that DeWalt has, but it's made in Mexico. Makita drills are made in China now.

Nope all my makita 18v LXT stuff drill, sawsall, circular saw, impact driver, and impact wrench, grinder, and batterys are made in Japan.

 

[eschoendorff]

I am very curiouse though, has anyone used this Snap On?

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=19914&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I have seen/held the cordless 1/2 impact from the same series, and its made in the USA, and seemed very nice.

Made in USA????

 

[Coach James]

My last cordles drill buy was a Hitachi 14.4V four years ago. Has been a great worker so far. Driven lots of 3"x12 wood screws(with pilot holes of course).

Coach

 

[danski0224]

Nope all my makita 18v LXT stuff drill, sawsall, circular saw, impact driver, and impact wrench, grinder, and batterys are made in Japan.

You have an early production set.

All of the common LXT stuff is now made in China... too bad, cuz I won't buy it. I even faxed a letter to the Midwest Makita offices about the China thing because there is no email contact on their website (as expected, no reply).

Note that the retail price did not come down....

 

[1stwarrior95]

Dewalt!
I've got 2 18v drills. A dw995 and a dw920 I think. Just got the 920 from a local pawnshop for $150, (drill, 2 batteries, charger, and case), in like new condition.
I've built my entire 30x40 shop with the 18v Dewalt tools.

The 920 is stout!

 

[C6H12O6]

I absolutely love my Bosch 18V. Not sure where it was made, but incredible drill and the newer batteries are even better.

 

[chad s]

Made in USA????

The Impact from the series was made in USA, the battery was made in Japan. I havnt seen the drill in person to know though.

 

[l_bilyk]

I absolutely love my Bosch 18V. Not sure where it was made, but incredible drill and the newer batteries are even better.

Older models were made in Switzerland (i have one) and newer stuff is malaysia

 

[Jononon]

I don't think you're going to be in luck, unless you find some NOS somewhere.

Some companies, notably Hilti, have maintained the production of their 'chassis' in Europe, and it looks like Snap-on have done the same in the US, but I've never seen a LiIon cordless tool made entirely in the US or Europe. LiIon research, development, and manufacture is dominated by the Far East.

My NiMH Makitas are British, and they are still manufacturing in the UK, but the new LiIon range is Chinese

At least as sold in the UK, new DeWalts rotary tools are also Chinese, made by Hitachi Kobi (they're internally identical to the Hitachi range), and the saws are Mexican. YMMV.

 

[rsanter]

you may want to look at where it made and where the company is owned..

what do you think of a toyota that is made in the US by a company owned in japan verses a product that is made over seas by a company that is owned in the US?

its hard to buy a product that would be entirely made in any one country with all the parts they have.
housing, motor, gears, screws, wire, etc

bob

 

[Abodyracer]

I just bought a Craftsman Professional 20 volt Lithium-Ion drill kit. It is on sale for Craftsman club members now for $189. I am very impressed with the initial quality. I received the 20 volt reciprocating saw as a gift and it was an easy decision to take back the separate battery and charger for credit towards the drill kit with two batteries on sale. I have not really used these yet for any serious work but so far I am very impressed. I do not know who makes these for Sears but these tools make the Ryobi 18v stuff at HD and the other Craftsman cordless stuff feel like toys. I have not always been impressed with Craftsman power tools in recent years but these are worth a look.

Btw-They are made in China of course like most of what is out there now.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00928169000P?filter=Brand%7CCraftsman+Professional&vName=Tools&cName=Portable+Power+Tools&sName=Drills

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00926314000P?vName=Tools&cName=Portable+Power+Tools&sName=Reciprocating+Saws

A quote of a customer of mine who purchased this drill after his first time using it drilling a 7/8 hole in landscape timbers with a spade bit "This thing has some fu***ng nuts"

Most of craftsman cordless tools are made by Ryobi. The 19.2 volt line is at least and a new LiIon battery will be introduced for the 19.2 sometime this year.

 

[MAD]

A quote of a customer of mine who purchased this drill after his first time using it drilling a 7/8 hole in landscape timbers with a spade bit "This thing has some fu***ng nuts"

Most of craftsman cordless tools are made by Ryobi. The 19.2 volt line is at least and a new LiIon battery will be introduced for the 19.2 sometime this year.

I have read that the Craftsman 20 volt Lion stuff is made by a different company than the rest of their cordless tools but I don’t know which one. These 20 volt tools definitely seem really heavy duty. Even just picking one up with no battery on it you will notice that there is a lot of metal inside them. It is a good thing the LiIon batteries are light because the tools are quite heavy. The reciprocating saw is not the one to get if you want something to use one handed while hanging off a ladder. It is heavier than my corded Makita saw even without the battery. These tools have a standard two year professional warranty as well.

 

[Jay H 237]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Porter-Cable yet. I believe they are still USA made. I have one, an old 12v, that I bought in the mid 90's that's still going strong on it's second set of batteries. This drill has the most use of any drill I own and has even slid off the roof of a house and fell to the ground. It looks far from 'new' but it just keeps going like the Energizer bunny.

 

[Abodyracer]

I have read that the Craftsman 20 volt Lion stuff is made by a different company than the rest of their cordless tools but I don’t know which one. These 20 volt tools definitely seem really heavy duty. Even just picking one up with no battery on it you will notice that there is a lot of metal inside them. It is a good thing the LiIon batteries are light because the tools are quite heavy. The reciprocating saw is not the one to get if you want something to use one handed while hanging off a ladder. It is heavier than my corded Makita saw even without the battery. These tools have a standard two year professional warranty as well.

You are correct. The Lithiom Ion tools are made by a different company. The first 3 numbers of the model # indicate manufacturer.

The advantage of the Cratsman Pro line is better build quality and better materials for heavy duty usage over standared Craftsman.

 

[Joe B.]

I have read that the Craftsman 20 volt Lion stuff is made by a different company than the rest of their cordless tools but I don’t know which one. These 20 volt tools definitely seem really heavy duty. Even just picking one up with no battery on it you will notice that there is a lot of metal inside them. It is a good thing the LiIon batteries are light because the tools are quite heavy. The reciprocating saw is not the one to get if you want something to use one handed while hanging off a ladder. It is heavier than my corded Makita saw even without the battery. These tools have a standard two year professional warranty as well.

Made by Chervon.
http://www.ideo.com/portfolio/re.asp?x=19006926
I have a set and I'm quite fond of them. The drill runs strong after a year.

 

[eschoendorff]

I have read that the Craftsman 20 volt Lion stuff is made by a different company than the rest of their cordless tools but I don’t know which one. These 20 volt tools definitely seem really heavy duty. Even just picking one up with no battery on it you will notice that there is a lot of metal inside them. It is a good thing the LiIon batteries are light because the tools are quite heavy. The reciprocating saw is not the one to get if you want something to use one handed while hanging off a ladder. It is heavier than my corded Makita saw even without the battery. These tools have a standard two year professional warranty as well.

Meh... I've tried it, but I still like the 24v Li Ion Ridgid better.

 

[toolfreak]

I bought the black and white lithium ion Makita drill/impact driver kit and am very happy with it. It only has the 1.5ah batteries but they last quite a while. I bought them since they are small for being an 18 volt, I did look at the new milwaulkee lith-ion and they were my second choice.