Cordless Drills

[Brad Wood]

Hey all,

I know the topic of cordless drills comes up a lot. I searched and found a lot of stuff, but most of the conversations seem to be asking for op opinions on one unit, or a comparison between two.

I'd really like to get input from everyone on models/choices in general. There are so many options out there these days it is hard to make a decision.

I am pretty confident I want Lithium, NiCd is old school and you have to worry about the battery too much.

What will it be used for you say? Not for professional or constant use by any means. With my old unit (which I've been without for a few years now), I did stuff like hang pictures, drive a drywall screw into either wood or drywall (what were the odds). I expect basic household use to continue.
Most of my woodworking consists of stuff that doesn't involve using a drill, but I am getting ready to build out cabinets in our mud room. They will match the cabinets in our kitchen, will have drawers, and all the stuff cabinets have. I'd like to have a cordless for doing the drawers... so, this is where I start to get confused... 12v, 14v, 18v, etc, et all.
I've been looking at the Bosch, pretty expensive really. The kit that comes with the impact driver and drill is $279. I really don't want to spend that much, but gee, just the driver is $179. The 12v kit is $159, so that is a little more digestible.
I'm just wondering if the 12v is going to be a disappointment. Also wondering about other options. It sounds like a lot of you like the Milwaukee. Do the batteries on the smaller units come out, and are they replaceable?
I seem to be leaning towards the compact units, particularly in thinking about the cabinet work (I'll also be doing a full buildout in our master closet, lots of drawers). In my past life I'd just by the biggest baddest unit and run with it.

thoughts?

[Ralph Okonieski]

Brad,

I am a weekend warrior also. I have the Bosch driver and the same size drill, both 12V. I do not care for the driver much because the impact starts too soon for my tastes. The drill on the other hand is my favorite drill. It is compact but has a lot of power. The 12V is nice because the battery is compatible with the Multi-X. I just bought a Bosch flashlight that takes the same 12V. I am a Bosch fan no-doubt.

I have a B&D 18V drill also. It is OK but the keyless chuck has to be really torqued so it doesn't loosen during use. It is heavy when trying to get inside cabinets and other tight areas but is a pretty powerful tool. It's OK but I reach for the Bosch first.

[Bruce King]

I recently had to replace some drills so I bought two Porter Cable 18V drills, this way I have 4 batteries and two chargers, all for about $200. This way I will never have to buy any replacement batteries or chargers, just toss it all out when I run out of working parts. One of the kits had a circular saw too.

I have a rare, slightly broken/loose Bosch 24 volt that I got at a tool show in 2000, this was an awesome drill, used it to drill holes when wiring a house etc. I dropped it from 8 feet onto concrete and the damage did not really show up much for 8 years where it cracked the main transmission inside ($80) and now the chuck is kind of loose so I quit using it.

[Glenn Vaughn]

Admittedly not high-end but I recently purchased the BLACK & DECKER 18v High Perf. Drill/Driver w/ Bag from Home Depot (online at $69) and it has been great. Plenty of power and it hs 2 batteries.

http://www.homedepot.com/BLACK-DECKER/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xhfZ2og/R-100671604/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

[Chris Bruno]

Some may roll their eyes, but I'm a big fan of the Sears Craftsman cordless line up. I have a Sears right down the street, which makes a difference, but the C3 lineup is pretty comprehensive and you can get NiCd or Li batteries. Plus they have different drill and driver bundles almost always on sale. I have (2) 1/2" drills, (1) 3/8" drill, the driver, the 5" trim saw, and the flourescent light, as well as 4 batteries and two chargers and I think I've paid $250 for everything. Admittedly, the trim saw has been a bit of a disappointment, but the 1/2" drill and driver are probably my 2 most used tools in the whole garage...

-Chris

[Jerome Hanby]

I've got the 18 volt Ni-cad Black and Decker kit kit that pretty much goes unused. My folks got me this B&D Li-ion 1.4.4 volt drill (http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-SC1400-Lithium-Ion-Technology/dp/B000HI101S) for Christmass a couple of years ago and this Hitachi 18 volt (http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-DS18DFL-18-volt-Li-Ion-Drill/dp/B000WHMRWA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1265392809&sr=1-1) a month or so later. The Hitachi is great, I use it constantly. It has great run time. The B&D works well too, right up to the point where it's out of juice (which is much faster than the Hitachi).

I use the tandem for almost every project. I keep a drill bit in the B&D for pilot holes, and a DeWalt quick change gizmo in the Hitachi for drivers and countersinks.

[James Waters]

I recently bought one of the Rockwell Li-ion kits with a half inch drill and the impact driver and I have been more than impressed. I have been working on my kitchen cabinets and I can typicially run all day with both on a single charge be it countersinking and putting the cabinets together or doing pocket screws on the faceframes. It has a metal chuck like the older Porter Cable drills did and also has a lifetime battery warranty similar to what Ridgid has. I also have used the craftsman line prior to this set and I still use them on occasion but the battery performance is night and day (they are nicad). My biggest complaint with Craftsman drills is their chucks.....you have to tignten and retighten the chucks or you loose bits.

Hope this helps.

[Dave Lehnert]

Some may roll their eyes, but I'm a big fan of the Sears Craftsman cordless line up. I have a Sears right down the street, which makes a difference, but the C3 lineup is pretty comprehensive and you can get NiCd or Li batteries. Plus they have different drill and driver bundles almost always on sale. I have (2) 1/2" drills, (1) 3/8" drill, the driver, the 5" trim saw, and the flourescent light, as well as 4 batteries and two chargers and I think I've paid $250 for everything. Admittedly, the trim saw has been a bit of a disappointment, but the 1/2" drill and driver are probably my 2 most used tools in the whole garage...

-Chris

The Sears Craftsman line is the same as the Ryobi units sold at Home Depot but in a 19.2 volt.

I own a Ryobi 14.4 volt and like it very much. I like it better than my Porter Cable. If I were doing over I would get the 18volt (not available when I purchased the 14.4} You can buy the 18 volt tools without batteries, just use the one that came with your drill kit.
We have an 18 volt Ryobi at work (retail setting) and it has held up very well over the years.

As far as volt goes. I used a 12 volt for years and it worked very well. Got hard to find 12 volt as the "bigger is better" crowd won that battle.

A magazine review once said that 12 volt was all you needed to do woodworking. They were only reviewing drills.

[Brad Wood]

I recently bought one of the Rockwell Li-ion kits with a half inch drill and the impact driver and I have been more than impressed. I have been working on my kitchen cabinets and I can typicially run all day with both on a single charge be it countersinking and putting the cabinets together or doing pocket screws on the faceframes. It has a metal chuck like the older Porter Cable drills did and also has a lifetime battery warranty similar to what Ridgid has. I also have used the craftsman line prior to this set and I still use them on occasion but the battery performance is night and day (they are nicad). My biggest complaint with Craftsman drills is their chucks.....you have to tignten and retighten the chucks or you loose bits.

Hope this helps.

1/2" huh? Seems like that would be a bigger drill. No issues with tight spaces in the cabinet work you are doing?

[Brad Wood]

The Sears Craftsman line is the same as the Ryobi units sold at Home Depot but in a 19.2 volt.

I own a Ryobi 14.4 volt and like it very much. I like it better than my Porter Cable. If I were doing over I would get the 18volt (not available when I purchased the 14.4} You can buy the 18 volt tools without batteries, just use the one that came with your drill kit.
We have an 18 volt Ryobi at work (retail setting) and it has held up very well over the years.

As far as volt goes. I used a 12 volt for years and it worked very well. Got hard to find 12 volt as the "bigger is better" crowd won that battle.

A magazine review once said that 12 volt was all you needed to do woodworking. They were only reviewing drills.

you know, I've never had an issue with Ryobi... mostly because I use them within the niche they are designed for. Is that 12v you speak of a compact unit or full size?

[Dave Lehnert]

you know, I've never had an issue with Ryobi... mostly because I use them within the niche they are designed for. Is that 12v you speak of a compact unit or full size?

The old 12 volt I had was an old Skil Top Gun. One of the top rated drills at it's time. But that has been 15- 20 years ago

[James Waters]

1/2" huh? Seems like that would be a bigger drill. No issues with tight spaces in the cabinet work you are doing?


I have a craftsman right angle cordless that I had to use on the hinges of a 12" cabinet for the screws. Other than that I did not have any problem with any of the others.

I see what you are saying as far as size....i was really referring to overall quality and performance.

[Jay Allen]

I work in a commercial cabinet shop, so anything I have gets used constantly. I am not hard on my stuff, it is well taken care of, but constant. I have owned a few brands and styles over the years and borrowed most of the others at one time or another.
Now to sound completely rediculous, I have 6 that I use every day.
2 Makita 18v impact crivers
1 Makita 18v drill
1 Bosch 12v pocket driver
1 Bosch 12v impactor
1 Bosch 12v drill

All of these plus the I-driver and the rest of the Makita 5 piece set are kept powered by 2 chargers that take very little space on my back-bench.
I have both 3.0amp/hr and 1.5amp/hr models, but the both work in the same charger.
Each has a specific use which may be a simple as a certian bit that stays in them all of the time. Since they all get use every day, the best thing for me is the smallest/lightest unit that will do the job and be able to do it all day. The Lithium Ion batteries have been a terrific advancement toward this. I started out with NiCad and mis-matched stuff years ago. This took a whole line of chargers and I had to use them much more often back then.

For a regular guy/home owner, I would look into one of the 2 piece kits with a drill and driver and lithium ion batteries. The L/ion batteries stay charged in periods of non-use, so they are great at waiting for you. The compact units are great for 99% of home owner stuff and if you need to get really serious, get out the corded drill and be done with it. There is no need for dealing with that big clunky thing for that 1% of the time where you "might" need it.

[Brad Schafer]

brad (nice name btw:rolleyes:)- i'm in the same boat ... non-pro wondering what the heck. i've had a 9V Makita drill that's wired 2 houses, built a house, and eaten thru 4 batteries in the process and still works fine. so i haven't been pressed hard into getting a new one.

had a chance a couple years ago when working on a school stage to use 3 different cordless units - a ridgid, a makita, and a dewalt (think they were 14V units ... memory escapes).

the ridgid belonged to a pro - said it was hands down the best drill he'd ever had.

the makita was astoundingly light; the dewalt was heavy; the ridgid was in between. all were very powerful. the makita fit my hand the best. guess which one i used most of the time? as such, my advice would be to not get axle-wrapped on specs, but go see which one fits your hand.

[Steve Griffin]

I'm a little drill kind of guy. I have no interest in hauling around a small motorcycle battery on my drill just to save a 7 second trip to the charger.

Have a pair of makita 9.6 volts, a cute small bosch lithium fellow and 2-12v drills. The bigger 12 volts drills are the least used.

If I need more power, such as drilling 50 pocket holes in hickory, I plug in a $60 power drill. Especially for shop work, how hard is it to find an outlet close by? In my shop, easy.

It's common to question the manhood of someone who likes little drills, but I find I can make up for it in other ways. (like preferring a heavy framing hammer).

-Steve

[Brad Wood]

my advice would be to not get axle-wrapped on specs, but go see which one fits your hand.

gee, that almost makes too much sense ;)

thanks to everyone for the input so far.

[Prashun Patel]

Brad-
I haven't heard too many bad things about ANY new drill. I offer this:

For cabinet-work and driving, I really like the Ridgid 12v LiIon. The combo kit includes an Impact driver, and it can be had on sale for around $100. It's one of the only small drills to have a ratcheting chuck. However, caveat emptor that the combo version is single speed. For driving in tight spots it's great. The batteries are great, and it's light.

For drilling, I like my Makita 18v LiIon Compact. It has smaller bats than many of it's competitors, but the life's still great, and they're quick to charge.

If I had to have only one, I'd take the Mak. Small point, but remember too that the smaller drills with a cartridge style bat are snug, but many don't stand up on their own, which is a pain at times...

[Jay Jeffery]

My folks got me this B&D Li-ion 1.4.4 volt drill (http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-SC1400-Lithium-Ion-Technology/dp/B000HI101S) for Christmass a couple of years ago and this Hitachi 18 volt (http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-DS18DFL-18-volt-Li-Ion-Drill/dp/B000WHMRWA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1265392809&sr=1-1) a month or so later. The Hitachi is great, I use it constantly. It has great run time. The B&D works well too, right up to the point where it's out of juice (which is much faster than the Hitachi).

I use the tandem for almost every project. I keep a drill bit in the B&D for pilot holes, and a DeWalt quick change gizmo in the Hitachi for drivers and countersinks.

I got that 14.4V B&D Lithium-ion drill a few years ago and absolutely love it. The integrated battery has never been a problem for me. All my NiCad drills just collected dust after its first use.

A few weeks ago I got the Ridgid set with a smallish drill. it has a half inch chuck, but is uncomfortable to use because the chuck is so short. The LSA on the batteries is nice.

If you are an occasional user, lithium-ion is the way to go.

[Matt Winterowd]

I've used Bosch, Makita, and Dewalt drills and got onto the voltage treadmill for a while. Now I've got a Panasonic EY6432GQKW and I think it's a great drill. It's 15.6v, but still quite light. Comfortable, plenty of torque, and it hold a charge really well.

[Tony Shea]

Drill question hah... Wish I got in on it a bit earlier. I am an electrician of about 10 years or so and use a cordless drill just about every day of my life. I hate to say it but as far as toughness goes you just can't beat the old NiCad Dewalt 18V XRP's. I can rough a whole house without ever picking up a right angle to drill all my holes through studs. And it will do it day in and day out. But this thing is a beast and not very confortable for weekend warrior, just proving the toughness point. This is not my reccomendation for you.

I have heard amazing things about the Panasonic 15.6v drill but have never personally used one. If I was to purchase a new drill I would try this one out next.

But my personal experience and reccomendation to you is for a Makita 18V lithium. The full size model is great and will last a long time on one battery charge. But in all honesty my go to drill 99% of the time around the woodshop and home is the compact Makita 18v black and white model. It is just so comfortable and light-weight. The chuck is 1/2" and has all the torque you need for around the shop and house projects. And I would also reccomend getting the impact/drill combo kit. For driving screws I only use my impact and absolutly love it. So long story short, buy the Makita 18v compact impact/drill combo kit and don't look back. You'll love it. I could go on forever about cordless drills but I wont.

[Mike Rees]

This is probably too pricey, but a DeWalt XRP drill w/ the Nano batteries is really the cream of the crop as far as I'm concerned. I love twisting the collar to switch between drill and fastening, I love the 3 speeds, and I really love those Nano batts.

Gotta love the 3 year warranty on the drill and 2 years on the batts too.

[Ed Taylor Greensboro NC]

Brad: I'll echo another's comments regarding the Bosch. I have their PS20 drill, the I-Driver, and the Multi Tool. Batteries on all are interchangeable and seem to last forever on a charge. Come with two batteries. These are now rated as 12V Mx, in reality are 10.8V, but have good torque. I just finished assembling and installing kitchen cabinets, and the compact size is really a blessing when working in confined areas, not to mention less weight which means less tiring. If you prefer a chuck type drill, they have that too. I've got a shop full of Bosch tools and never had a moments problem with any of them. Of course, if money is no object, go Festool.

[Larry Frank]

I have had several but my current is the Makita 18V model is BDF452HW. It is light weight, holds a charge great, charges in 15 minutes and fits my hand. The weight was a critical issue as I am not getting any younger and some of the drills were way too heavy. This one is great and I even like the LED light built in to it. I bought the kit with two batteries, flashlight and impact driver. I never thought that I would use the impact driver but putting in long deck screws it it much easier on my hands and wrists.

[Gerry Werth]

Brad,
I have had several Craftsman drill drivers, 9.6V, 12V, and now 18V. While they have plenty of power, I am not impressed with their batteries. I may just send my 18V to one of those services that rebuilds them with "better" NiCad cells. The 9.6 and 12V are in the landfill somewhere.
I've also had HF 18V and Handyman Club 14V...NOT worth it. I threw them out!!!
I now have the Makita 18V LiIon drill and impact driver that I bought as a combo unit when HD had a sale. Impressive power and battery performance so far. For lighter duty, I just purchased the Hitachi 12V compact drill and impact driver combo, on sale at Lowes. I am impressed with the power of these 12 compact units. So, depending on your needs, you can't go wrong with either of these. I now pick up the 12V compact units because they are lighter and easier to handle for most of my work. When I really need some power, I grab the Makitas.
I have not used the Craftsman 19V C3 units, so can't comment on on their battery life or power. If $$ are an issue, they sure win in that category.

[John McClanahan]

I'm another non-pro, and another Craftsman 19.2 volt owner. The price fits my budget better. The drills have good power, but Craftsman is slow on updating to a better chuck. The batteries cost a bit less than other brands. I'm banking on the 19.2 volt system to be around for awhile, unlike some of the odd voltage drills that have been sold at Sears in the past.

John

[Tim Null]

I too am a weekend warrior. I do woodworking as well as a bit rougher construction, as I do set construction for the local junior high drama dept.

I have 4. Makita compact 18v lithium ion, the black and white models. The impact driver and matching drill. I use the drill to drill and impact driver to drive screws. I can then keep the drill bit in one and the screw bit in the other. These work great, last a long time between charges and are reasonably light.

For tight cabinet work, I have the Bosch PS20 and 30. These are the impact driver and drill in 10.8v. Small, light and the impact driver packs a good punch. When working in tight spaces, can't be beat. Only down side is that both are hex compatible, not a regular chuck. So the drill only takes quick release bits, not standard. I believe they make a version with a regular chuck as well.

All four get regular use. I can set up one to drill and the two impact drivers to drive phillips and square drive. That way the switching of bits is kept to a minimum.

[Sean Ackerman NY]

We sell everything, all major brands. Cordless is our biggest sales volume.

Over the years we've seen everything and you get to know what really is the best vs. what sells the best (market perception, etc).

Right now we're all shocked by how friggin reliable, sturdy, well made and high performance the new milwaukee line of 18 volt lithiums are.

You get five years on the tools AND batteries. That's just about tops in the industry. The kicker is that they've priced them so competitively, you really HAVE to buy these if you're in the market for a new tool.

Looking at the price points and positioning, it's easy to draw the conclusion that Milwaukee is trying hard to launch this cordless line and pull market share from DeWalt and Makita and they're actually doing it with a quality product. The pricing in some cases is $100 less than the exact comparable kits from competitors and we're finding the drills to be SIGNIFICANTLY more reliable than the Makita, DeWalt, etc equivalents. You can't go wrong

[Joe Vincent]

If you use your cordless drill only intermitantly and want to be able to pick it up to drill a hole or drive a random screw without having to recharge it, the lithium ion batteries are the way to go, in my opinion. Once charged, they'll hold a charge a pretty long time on the shelf. If you're using your drill every day, thus charging it frequently, then this would not be as much of an issue.

As for cabinet work, it's great to have a compact, balanced drill and like others have said I like the small 12 volt lithium ions. I have the Milwaukee compact driver that's really great in small spaces. I don't have their compact drill, which I might have purchased instead of the driver if it had been available first, which I guess is why Milwaukee released the products in the order they did. Anyway, I think the Bosch, Makita, or Milwaukee 12 volt LION lines are great. One thing I like about the Milwaukee is the LED lights indicating charge level.

[Brad Wood]

all great stuff, thanks guys.

[John Sanford]

For general purpose advanced DIY, I'd suggest going with an 18v Compact Lithium Ion set.

The 10.6v/12v compacts are very nice, but they don't have the power to run larger/longer screws into tough materials. I have the Bosch 10.6 (now 12) Impact Driver, and two of their straight Drivers. The Impactor struggled mightily running 2.5" #8 screws into predrilled hard maple endgrain, which was a bit disappointing to me. I ended up having to finish running some of them using a big honkin' Milwaukee 3/8" Holeshooter. No shortage of amperage there, but space was really tight and trigger control was problematic given my position and all. Things did improve when I gave the screws the candle treatment, the Impactor could handle it. If you do decide to go with the true compact Bosch, get the actual Drill/Driver, not the basic driver. Having a real drill chuck makes a huge difference in functionality. IIRC, the Makita 10.6 set is an Impact Driver and the Drill/Driver, and Milwaukee also makes a 12v Drill/Driver.

I'd skip the 14.4v tools, and step up to the 18v. The reason for the Compact 18v is, even though they have 1.5amp/h batteries rather than 3.0, is they almost always are truly smaller in size than the 3.0 versions. For most woodworking and cabinetry hanging stuff, I've found that smaller truly is better. The 18v will have enough guts to run 4" #12 screws into 40year old framing lumber, but compact size will allow you to get into the cabinet as well!

Were I starting from scratch right now, I'd go for the Milwaukee 18v Compacts, and hold out to see what the new 12v Bosch (announced at the International Home Builder's Show, but not yet shown) is going to be. I'm hoping that they are fully compatible with the existing tools, or that the existing 12v subcompacts get blown out by Lowe's. Either way, a 12v Drill/Driver is in my future, as is the 18v Milwaukee.

[jason lambert]

just to chime in late here they are all pretty good, my favorite is the Festool it is smoother and has less run out than the others that being said I wouldn't recomend it for the price.

I second the DeWalt XRP drill w/ the Nano batteries for the following reasons,
- power of a 18v drill in a 12v weight!
- no memory battries
- led light
- you can use the battery on any oter 18v dewalt tool, this is a great thing so I hav batts charged all the time.

They have a compaq kit for $200 that has 2 compaq battries, charger 18v compaq drill and there impact driver, if you haven't used the impact driver to drive screws, WOW that is a must have tool. For the price it is a hard kit to pass up. Unless you need a hammer drill that is the bigger drill this kit is great.

[Mike Rees]

I use Kreg screws for pretty much everything now, pocket hole or not. With the various sizes and grips its easy to have the perfect screw for almost any application. Plus w/ the square drive heads on them, damn near impossible to strip them out. I don't need a impact w/ these screws - I can spin away with no worries.