Which Cordless Drill to purchase?

[TwinTurboSC300]

Had to build a shed earlier today and my old cordless drill took a dump on me. I had to use my Snap On Tools 3/8'' Cordless Impact 18volts Gun attached to Socket to grab a phillips bit to drive screws in.

I'm going to be laying down $300-$400 dollars for a Cordless Drill/kit. Need some inputs.

Dewalt?
Makita?
Ingersoll Rand?
Craftsman?
Snap On Tools?

Much appreciated.

 

[AA/FC]

Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2 cordless drill.


/thread

 

[Ainsley]

I like makita LXT for my home reno use and the metabo stuff for my work, industrial maintinance.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Ingersoll or Milwaukee. What battery platforms do you own?

 

[mopar65]

m18 Milwaukee fuel you won't go wrong

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you are driving or removing screws, you are MUCH better odd with an impact driver. They rally do work better than a drill.

You should easily be able to find a DeWalt or Milwaukee set with a drill and an impact with a couple of batteries in your price range.

IMHO, Milwaukee Fuel are overkill for the average DIY.

 

[Sureshot]

I have two sets of Ridgid 18v and they have been awesome.

 

[davesnothere]

Milwaukee ftw

 

[RedRabbit]

Makita 18v LXT Brushless. You will love them soo much.

 

[woodstockva]

Here are a couple I reviewed recently....

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[BK13]

Really, you should head someplace that has a big selection and try them all out. They are all so good these days that the one that fits YOUR hand best is the one to pick.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2 cordless drill.


/thread

Yup

 

[markw365]

Milwaukee M18, I'm surprised this thread wasn't closed after the 2nd post. If you have a repair center, they get batteries back from habitat for humanity and let them go for cheap. $25 for a small $40 for the large one. Occasionally they'll have used tools too. Last month was $40 m12 screw driver.

 

[BikerDad]

Brushless. DeWalt XR or Milwaukee Fuel or Bosch or Makita. Home Depot has some very good deals on some sets right now. You can get Dewalt at HD, Lowes, Sears, Ace Hardware, CAL Ranch, and a lot of other retailers. You can get Milwaukee at HD and CAL Ranch, not sure about Sears. Bosch can be found at Lowes, Makita at HD. Specialty tool houses will have most/all four brands, usually with a much wider selection than the big box stores. And you can find any of them online.

Any of the above 4 will work quite well for you, just make sure it fits your hand. Each has their fans, if you want to burn a few hours (or days), you can read the arguments for each, and weigh your options. Me, I lean to DeWalt and Bosch, and have an irrational disdain for Makita. If money were no object, I'd get me some red Fuel just for comparison purposes.

All that said, my recommendation based on what is CURRENTLY available would be either the Dewalt 20 Max XR Compact combo (street price is $279 for the pair) or the similar Bosch EC Brushless combo kit. I don't recommend the Milwaukee M18 Fuel for the simple reason that they don't have compact units.

 

[superchargedv8]

i have a milwaukee fuel and i like it.

 

[99ishvr4]

I have used Milwaukees at the shop I worked at and loved them. Wanted to pick one up but ended up buying Porter Cable because of the price point. I just wrote a review on them, if you are considering Porter Cable, here is the review: Porter Cable Impact/Drill Review

Sadly, they are not brushless.

 

[Rarified27]

I'll toss in another recommendation for the Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2.

If you don't need that kind of power, the M12 fuel is also excellent. I've recently switched everything the M12 and never had a power issue- including masonry drilling.

 

[BajaBound]

I love my M18 Milwaukee Fuel

 

[lightning02]

im also in the market for a new drill/impact combo and keep going back and forth between the Milwaukee Fuel M18 and Makita 18v LXT Brushless. not sure which one to pick.

 

[bob15]

German made Metabo SB18LTX brushless. Has about 800 in/lbs of torque in a drill/driver

http://www.amazon.com/Metabo-SB18LTX-BL-2-Inch-Brushless/dp/B00L47AMRE/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1HPFN8VQCGSH30NXGEV4

 

[bsaint]

Makita 18v LXT Brushless. You will love them soo much.

For sure. Lots of power. I snapped a 3/8" titanium coated bit drilling into a 3/8" plate.

 

[Scsmith42]

I have used a 28v Milwaukee here on the farm for over 6 years. Incredibly strong, tough and long lasting; the 28v provides much more power and longevity as compared with the lower voltage tools.

The original batteries were mediocre, but the replacements have been great.

If I were to purchase something different, for max power and quality a Hilti or Metabo would be high on my list to consider.

These three tools are more of an industrial grade product as compared to the consumer/contractor grade 18 and 20v units from other mfg's.


Scott

 

[Gasgt1]

Another consideration could be, do you plan on adding additional cordless tools?

If so, you may want to look at what else is offered in the same battery platform.