What Cordless Drill do you like?

[Mmfh]

Hey there,
My beloved Makita cordless drill has batteries that don't hold a charge anymore. I figure its time for a new drill. I've had this one for probably 15 years and it doesn't have near the voltage the newer drills have. Always had plenty of power but I think its only 9.6 volts.

What kind of drills do you guys really like? I'm talking the go to tool for a lot of stuff. I use the hell out of my drill and want to get another good one. No cheap discount tool place drill.

I want it to have lots of power, be comfortable to hold and use and also not so heavy you get tired using it. Long life batteries and quick charging would also be a big plus.

If you are like me you have a drill you really like, what is it???

Thanks very much!

Mm

 

[bobcatdan]

I really like my SO cordless drills, 14.4 and 18. Assembled in USA is still better then china or mexico. I still use Ni Cad batteries, but the batteries SO use act very simalar to Lin Ion. I had 28v Milwaukee stuff and I really liked it, but the batteries don't really work in cold, thats a problem in WI. I have heard a coiuple places that the new Lin Ion work much better in cold.

 

[american lockpicker]

I really like my made in Switzerland Bosch 18V Lithion.

 

[mossyboy6]

If I was looking for a new drill, I would buy this:
http://www.cripedistributing.com/metabo-bs18-602144520-18volt-lipower-drilldriver-p-7784.html

 

[kissmeimgerman]

if you want the best get Hilti, Metabo, Bosch or Snap-on

 

[kissmeimgerman]

I really like my SO cordless drills, 14.4 and 18. Assembled in USA is still better then china or mexico. I still use Ni Cad batteries, but the batteries SO use act very simalar to Lin Ion. I had 28v Milwaukee stuff and I really liked it, but the batteries don't really work in cold, thats a problem in WI. I have heard a coiuple places that the new Lin Ion work much better in cold.

Red lithium batteries fixed that i think, I don't have one but they are supposed to be much better.

 

[MD11]

I just picked up a Hilti model 144 18v to go with my SnapOn 18v... between the two, I can't say well enough. I live them both more than my old and trusty English made Makita, which is next to impossible to find now.

 

[KnurledNut]

ive used a lot of drills and you cant beat makitas reliability
makita 18v bhp 454

 

[Thedroid]

I really like my 18V Snap On. Ive had it for about 6 months now, and it is super powerful. I have the Li-on battery, and also the two 14.4's that came with my 3/8 impact. Either battery does good in it, and the chuck is great.

 

[DrkMtnDew]

the only cordless drill i own is a DeWalt. good enough for me. I also enjoy using makita.

 

[blstickley]

I had always bought Dewalt but now i stick by Ridgid for home, farm and work i have a lith. 18 volt hammer drill and love it the only tool of rigid i have had fail was a random orbit sander sent it back and got a new one you cant go wrong with the warranties they have ( i used that sander for 3 weeks 8 hours a day cleaning up pitch left by the drum sander and edger on 150+ year old pine floors i refinished)

 

[oldwino]

Replaced a DeWalt 18v with a Milwaukee 18M...never happy with the Dewalt, but love the Milwaukee. Only problem is that two weeks after I bought it I noticed COE China...I should have paid better attention as I really try to buy American or at least American Allies.

 

[Mmfh]

You guys are not making this easy. I figured the Makita's were going to get a few votes, I love them too, but the Bosch ones are nice too. I have the Bosch jig saw and a Bosch Router, I absolutely Love both of them! I've got Dewalt cut off saws and grinders, Love them too.

Metabo, that's a new brand for me. I'm going to do some reading on that one. Also Hilti, I've always known that brand to be about as tough as they come, but damn expensive. I didn't however know that they did cordless drills. Probably too expensive for me.

Right now, before I do anymore research, on the top of my short list, Makita, Bosch, Dewalt, and maybe Milwaukee. I have a Milwaukee cordless Sawzalls, that used to be one of my favorite tools that I own. Batteries died in that also and will not take a charge anymore. Didn't last as long as I think they should have. Not sure about Milwaukee anymore.

Anymore Idea's I would love to hear them. I'm off to Amazon and others to do some research. I will have to check the tool truck on Thursday to see if Snap On is affordable or not.

Ever Notice when you do a search on tools usually something Black and Decker shows up? Man I hate that brand almost as much as some of the stuff you find at harbor freight.

Anyway, thanks for all the idea's so far. If you know of a good place to get a deal, I'd love to hear that too!

Thanks very much!

Mm

 

[zer0cell]

@americanlockpicker:

Is that the latest model of the bosch hammer drill? I figured it was made in china...


@blstickley:

Funny you mentioned the ridgid orbital sander failing. I had mine do the same thing on my 90+ year old pine floors. Fortunately, it was repaired at no charge to me



Oh and if my choices were between the chinese manufactured brands (which is most of them) I would probably go with Ridgid. I have had a good experience with milwaukee but when you register your ridgid drill you have free repair and battery replacements for life... you just cant beat that. Not to mention it is a good drill from the start. As you may be aware, home depot has a special going on right now where you get an additional battery for free when you buy a ridgid drill so you end up with three batteries. Pretty good if you ask me... You might want to keep an eye out as milwaukee sometimes offers the same promotion on their cordless drills

 

[blue dog]

Makita 18 volt lit ion kit with impact and drill/hammer drill, 2 years old, not a single issue. I would not hesitate to buy them again.

 

[blstickley]

zer0cell sounds like you enjoying your tools as much as me but i was surprised that it did last as long as it did doing a job it shouldn't have to begin with great tools and probably the only not made in the USA tool line i would indorse for quality and warranty you should at the least look at there reviews and warranty good luck picking one!

 

[metalhead212121]

for years and years I had old drills that people had given to me... Finally one day (a couple years ago) I broke down and bought a 18V cordless Makita drill. I use it on the weekends for all different things. It was one of the best investments I ever made. The new drills they have out in the market are nothing like the old ones I had. After you buy a drill you're gonna wanna buy a set of new drill bits... And then once you buy a set of drill bits you're gonna want a second set because you found out that the FIRST set of bits you bought are great for x, y, and z but you now need a second set because the first set is either too long or short for different things. It never ends...

Good luck.

Dan

 

[fr0mastaj]

Makita 18 volt lit ion kit with impact and drill/hammer drill, 2 years old, not a single issue. I would not hesitate to buy them again.

Also have this set. It is very light weight, powerful, charges fast; just awesome over all.

And hangs ever so nicely on my tool cart!

EDIT: i guess i have the lesser version, without hammer drill and smaller battery.

 

[jjjrmx5]

Have used a company supplied Makita 14.4v cordless drill daily for years with no problems. Light to medium duty with the occasional to weekly need to drill into armor plate.

I keep both a old skool Makita 9.6v and a newer Bosch 14.4v cordless at home with no problems except the 9.6v is rather anemic compared to the new offerings.

Shop floor uses several brands including DeWalts and battery life is often inconsistent but drill innards are rugged. Makitas are a no brainer and generally trouble free. Bosch dealer supplies various shop drills but also throws in mini 7.2v and 9.6v freebies for floor testing to check for failure rate and longevity.

If I could find a Swiss made Bosch 18v cordless , I would jump on it in a heartbeat.

I look at ruggedness and battery replacebility and long term battery availability to fit the tool as my barometer. I haven't bought into just buying one brand of tool to keep buying just one battery quite yet for how I use the tools and which ones I buy.

YMMV of course.

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

Of the last three I've bought (Milwaukee, Bosch and Dewalt), the Dewalt has been my hands down favorite.

I give Dewalt bonus points for the fact that if you need a battery in a pinch, you can find Dewalt batteries virtually everywhere - even in small towns on weekends.

 

[JasonW]

Just adding my 2 cents. I had a 9.6 volt Makita which worked well throughout my teens. I replaced it with a Dewalt 18 volt in 2000. When it came time to replace the batteries this past year I decided to upgrade to the new lithium and for the price it made sense to replace the whole kit. I have to say I do not like the new Dewalt (DCD 760) as well as the old. The old had a Jacobs chuck, the new one I can't identify (maybe it's a promo?). I am having trouble with it chewing up the shafts of the drills. It simply doesn't grab them as firmly as the old one did. I also don't like the size or position of the new forward / reverse switch. Maybe I just got a defective chuck but I have to say I am not the quite the same die-hard Dewalt fan I was six months ago. Call me neutral for the moment. I really liked the first one.

I, like you, have a very negative opinion of Black and Decker. You may be surprised to learn that B&D constructed at least one of the drills used to drill holes in the lunar surface during the Apollo program. Sad that they allowed the brand to die. You may or may not want to know just who Black & Decker is today and you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_%26_Decker

 

[slipjointed]

The new Dewalt 20V Max compact drill/driver KICKS *** on every cordless drill I've ever owned, and that's been a LOT.

Just to give some background, I still own and use my old Makita with a keyed jacobs chuck and the 9.6V NiCd Candybar batteries.



Everything about the unit is just superb. It has the highest RPM of any drill in its class, which makes it great for drilling with small bits. It is very well balanced, and it's the same length as the 12V Bosch, DeWalt, and Milwaukee drills I've tried, but with twice the power.

The way they laid the body out gave it lots of chuck and clutch to grab on to, and not much drill body, which is the way it should be. The handle is nice and long so my hand doesn't feel cramped, and the ergos of the grip design are the best of any brand I've tried.

It has a 1/2" Jacobs brand chuck, that operates very well. It's not the only drill I've had with a great chuck, but it's certainly not going to get any complaints.


The only thing I can possibly criticize is the price, but it just came out so obviously there aren't going to be a lot of deals.


edit: I'd like to add that I'm a pretty ******** Stanley hater, so there's no way I'd have this drill in my bag if it wasn't the real deal.

 

[american lockpicker]

@americanlockpicker:

Is that the latest model of the bosch hammer drill? I figured it was made in china...

No, I seen a newer version at Lowes and its made in malaysia.

 

[american lockpicker]

I, like you, have a very negative opinion of Black and Decker. You may be surprised to learn that B&D constructed at least one of the drills used to drill holes in the lunar surface during the Apollo program. Sad that they allowed the brand to die. You may or may not want to know just who Black & Decker is today and you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_&_Decker

I found that out the other day. It was suprising.

 

[caseyjw]

DeWalt's are super heavy. I use my drill and impact every day (not a mechanic) and I wouldn't pick up anything other than the black and white makita 18v li ion set that someone else showed hanging out the side of their tool cart above.

 

[muibubbles]

i love my milwakees i got from the hot deal index (drill, impact driver, sawzall) its nice and small, weights almost nothing, holds charge well for my needs and uses but if i need something with more beed i use my porter cable with 1/2 chuck... both on the cheaper side but i love em and work perfect for me..

 

[IndyGarage]

For years Panasonic 12V was the best cordless, hands down. Best chuck, best motor/electronics, best batteries. They lost their foothold when everybody went to the bigger batteries, and they didn't follow. I notice their new ones are 14.4 and 21.6 volts.

I bet the old 15.6 volt panasonic would still run rings around anybody else's 18 volt drill. If I were buying a stand alone drill/driver I wouldn't hesitate to go for their new 14.4 volt IP unit.

18V is really overkill for a drill/driver unless you are in continuous use. It makes the tool too heavy to carry around easily.

Depending on what you are looking for I'd also take a look at the Bosch 12v minis right now. They really will do most of what you need in a drill/driver while being much more compact and light. I use them every day and they work well, as do the Milwaukee 12v minis.

 

[slipjointed]

DeWalt's are super heavy. I use my drill and impact every day (not a mechanic) and I wouldn't pick up anything other than the black and white makita 18v li ion set that someone else showed hanging out the side of their tool cart above.

The DeWalt 20V Max drill I recommended weighs 3.4lbs, identical to the Bosch, also 3.4lbs, and nearly identical to the Makita you mentioned, 3.3lbs. So, going by that, the Makita you mentioned must also be "super heavy".

 

[dodge610]

I had and used BD until my wife got me the craftsman C3 system last year for christmas. I have loved this drill from day one dont think I will ever go back to BD drills. THE batteries on the VD never seem to hold up the c3 system the batteries have been much better you can controlthe RPM much easier with the craftsmanalso just love the c3 system with all the attachments you can get for it it wins hands down.

 

[Monte]

 

[Subyroo651]

Very Nice! Gets great reviews but is expensive!

 

[Monte]

 

[american lockpicker]

Very Nice! Gets great reviews but is expensive!

If its like the C12 everything including battery and charger is made in Germany which is why it costs more.

 

[NastyNate]

My vote is 100% Makita! I used Dewalt in the past and loved them to death until I got my Makita set. Ill post pictures of what they have gone through. They have been used 5 times a day for over 2 years now and still hold strong. I ran over the impact with a truck, its been dropped, rained on, and just an overall great set.

 

[Monte]

 

[petee_c]

someone asked last month about cordless drills too, and I said Makita then. I'll say it again now. I've got the 18V Li-Ion 3Ah ones. Works well. The forward/reverse switch is a little wonky, but parts should be easy to find...

(I was drilling 2.25" holesaws thru my floor joists for a new drain run.... the hole saw jammed, and sent my wrist and the drill smack into the subfloor above.... lucky the switch is the only thing broken... I had a sore hand for a few hours....)

 

[steven083008]

Question is how much to you want to pay and what are you using it for?

Although I want to pick up an 18V something for the big jobs I absolutely LOVE my Milwaukee M12 set. The drill and impact are amazing and although they might be a tad slow when drilling a 1" hole 8" deep, they still get the job done w/o ever hesitating. I can also pack these around, pilot, and screw 1000+ fasteners in a day w/o ever getting tired or them feeling heavy.

If you want 18V, check out Hitachi. I think they are an amazing "bang for the buck." Very impressive performance and price tag. That is probably what I'll pick up.

 

[speed bump]

I played with one at the hardware store the other day and a Hitachi 18v drill is a much better choice. Lighter, more powerful, and better ergonomics not to mention a stupid amount cheaper. Honestly none of the Festool stuff gave any indication of being that high quality and it wasn't very user friendly either.

My vote would be for a Hitachi, I have been pretty surprised by mine so far especially for the price. Otherwise probably a Bosch.

 

[Mmfh]

Well it sounds like guys are with their drills almost like they are with their cars. Everyone has their personal favorite. I have always like Makita.

Sounds like many of you also like Makita, lots of Dewalts, a few European made units, and I even heard a vote for Hitachi, which I also think are good.

So far I think for all around use, everyday stuff, the drill you don't even think about you just go grab it, is probably going to be either Makita or Bosch.

I was surprised to learn that Black and Decker own Dewalt and Porter Cable. I would have never believed it if I didn't read it on Wiki myself.

I'm going to the depot and Lowers today to play around in their tool department.

Thank You!

Mm

 

[kc-steve]

You guys are not making this easy. . .

Right now, before I do anymore research, on the top of my short list, Makita, Bosch, Dewalt, and maybe Milwaukee. I have a Milwaukee cordless Sawzalls, that used to be one of my favorite tools that I own. Batteries died in that also and will not take a charge anymore. Didn't last as long as I think they should have. Not sure about Milwaukee anymore. . .

Mm

Well it sounds like guys are with their drills almost like they are with their cars. Everyone has their personal favorite. I have always like Makita. . . I'm going to the depot and Lowers today to play around in their tool department.

Thank You!

Mm

It's probably too late to help in a decision now. I also like my 2-year old lith-ion 18v 1/2" Makita and it is powerful enough to break an arm if not careful. The batteries charge super fast. Only takes about 10-15 minutes at the most and you can hear the charger "sing" with high-frequency oscillations while charging.

But I really don't like the prices of replacement batteries. On the other hand, everyone really needs a cordless as well as corded drills.

I have been buying old U.S.A. made corded drills for back up, and using them can also help increase the life of your cordless batteries.

Just some thoughts,
Steve