Cordless drill recommendations

[Charles Bjorgen]

Both batteries on my seven-year-old 12v Ryobi cordless drill/driver seem to be not holding a charge that is useful. It's my understanding that replacing batteries is nearly equal to the cost of buying a new unit so I'm looking for your recommendations on the best cordless drills. I'll probably want to go to at least 14.4v and maybe 18v. I sure see lots of Dewalt units in use. Are they the defacto standard? :rolleyes:

[Ken Garlock]

Hi Charles. I bought a 12V DeWalt from the Outlet dept. at Amazon.com. Yes, It was reconditioned and had been worked upon, I could smell the oil or cleaning agent on it when it arrived. That has been a couple years ago, and it has performed well, but I am an easy user but I tend to run my batteries down the last groan before switching for a fresh one. You can save a couple dollars by shopping the reconditioned market.

I would definitely buy a DeWalt again, but if I were you, I would also check Milwaukee and Mikita. And lastly, there are currently several models of the DeWalt drills available at the Amazon Outlet store. :)

[Ken Salisbury]

Both batteries on my seven-year-old 12v Ryobi cordless drill/driver seem to be not holding a charge that is useful. It's my understanding that replacing batteries is nearly equal to the cost of buying a new unit so I'm looking for your recommendations on the best cordless drills. I'll probably want to go to at least 14.4v and maybe 18v. I sure see lots of Dewalt units in use. Are they the defacto standard? :rolleyes:

I have 3 DeWalt drivers -- all have performed very well.

[Steve Clardy]

before you give up on the drill and batteries. Several years ago I gave up on a Mikati. It sat around 6-8 months. Decided to pitch it one day, but got to going over it, noticed the charger was not working. Other than finding a charger, I bought some new Porter Cables. I gave the drill and everything away. Present owner had one just like it, and he charged the batteries up with his charger. So my old charger had quite, not the batteries. But, being 7 years old, anything is likely to be wrong. Steve

[Steven Wilson]

Charles,

I mainly use a 14.4v Dewalt in my shop but as soon as mine dies I plan on picking up a 12V Metabo (their grinders are great too). I had the pleasure of participating in an American Woodworker cordless drill test and the 12V Metabo was nice and light, had gobs of torque (more than the 14.4V Dewalt, close to the 18v Dewalt), has a wonderful chuck, and very controllable (easy to set the torque ring for lightly driving brass screws). The Metabo would be my choice, closely followed by the Panasonic. Anyhow, head on down to Seven Corners Ace Hardware in St. Paul and try them out; they have the Metabo, Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Panasonic, and IIRC the Fein. I'm sure you find one you'll like.

[Jim Becker]

Dewalt 14.4v 1/2" chuck XRP is what I'm using and am very pleased with. It's more comfortable in my hand than my older PC 14.4v and really holds it's power for a long, long time.

[Paul Kunkel]

1/2" chuck, 3.5amph NIMH batteries, nice feel, and very good clutch. Panasonic makes the best batteries on the market. This recomadation comes after 2 Skills, 1 Bosch, 2 porter Cables. I wouldn't sell mine for $50 more than I paid.

[Don Henthorn Smithville, TX]

Glad you asked, Charles. I too am looking for a new drill after some low life lifted my drill, pry bars, chain saw and new Toro blower. Grrrrr. If I ever find out who did it and I have a new drill, I'm going to drill him a new one.

[Anthony Yakonick]

I have a DeWalt XRP 18v and the retro B&D 14.4 chrome drill, I thought the B&D was a deal for $50 at Home Depot but I see Lowes has the same drill for $33. You can't go wrong with the big name big volt drills.

[Kevin Beck]

I purchased a Makita 14.4V MFORCE drill earlier this month. Makita is currently offering rebates on these drills. The drill was $179 at Lowes with a $30 rebate. The Makita fit my hand better than any other drill I tried and the 14.4V was barely larger than the 12V drill. The chuck is nice and and the batteries are 2.6Ah NIMH.

Kevin

[Ernie Kuhn]

DeWalt 14.4V. I've had it over three years. Built a 10 x 16 shed with it, charger and both batteries still working fine. I can lay it down for two months, pick it up and use it. Batteries seem to hold a charge for ever, relatively speaking. I've driven 3" screws into 4 x 4 posts with no problem and used 1/2 " screws in thin stuff. Just be careful of torque setting.
Ernie :D

[Jim Martin]

Earlier this year I purchased a Milwaukee cordless that is also a hammerdrill. This is a great drill. Two of my friends have also purchased the same drill since trying mine. Plenty of power, runs forever on the 18 volt batteries and with the flip of a switch I have a hammerdrill. There is a promotion going where if you buy this drill (and several other Milwaukee models) you can choose from either a third battery or a vehicle battery charger. I chose the charger and it is really handy. I have it plugged into my van and I just throw a battery on it while working at a jobsite.

[Glenn Clabo]

I bought this a year and a half ago. I've used it for every kind of thing that you can think of...from installing a kitchen to mixing floor leveler. I can't say enough about it.

[Charles Bjorgen]

Lots of great help in this thread. Thanks very much to all. I'm quoting Steve Wilson's response because I know him and also because we're both fortunate in having Seven Corners Hardware (Tools on Sale in the magazine ads) as a local firm in the Twin Cities. It appears the Metabo, Panasonic and Dewalt deserve a close look. Also the Milwaukee. Funny, I have lot's of Porter Cable stuff but not many recommended that brand.


Charles,

I mainly use a 14.4v Dewalt in my shop but as soon as mine dies I plan on picking up a 12V Metabo (their grinders are great too). I had the pleasure of participating in an American Woodworker cordless drill test and the 12V Metabo was nice and light, had gobs of torque (more than the 14.4V Dewalt, close to the 18v Dewalt), has a wonderful chuck, and very controllable (easy to set the torque ring for lightly driving brass screws). The Metabo would be my choice, closely followed by the Panasonic. Anyhow, head on down to Seven Corners Ace Hardware in St. Paul and try them out; they have the Metabo, Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Panasonic, and IIRC the Fein. I'm sure you find one you'll like.

[Richard Allen]

Hi Charles

I have had a Dewalt 18 volt for 7 or 8 years. This is a real workhorse. 4 years ago I bought a Panasonic 15.6 volt for my Dad. I inherited the drill a couple of years ago. I have been using both drills for the last couple of years. I much prefer the Dewalt. I haven't analyzed why, I just know that I reach for the Dewalt more often than the Panasonic.

Thanks

Richard

[Christian Aufreiter]

Hi Charles,

my dad has a Festool 12 V CDD which *I* absolutely love. Perfect design and ergonomics, light, lots of power and torque, good 2 Ah batteries, systainer, built like a tank, 3 year warranty,...
Anything to add?
- YES. I forgot the best. Festool has a right angle and an eccentric attachment for the drill (can be used for the Festool TDD, too). You are able to reach any space with these attchachments . Perfect for assembly work.

http://www.heinz-maschinen.de/Media/festool_fastfix.JPG

You might like to check out this tool at http://www.festool-usa.com
Currently they have an attractive special offer.
If you want to read reviews of the Festool drill check out
http://www.cjohnhebert.com/Festool%20Cordless.htm
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/men-fes.htm

Hope this helps,

Christian

[Michael Cody]

Both batteries on my seven-year-old 12v Ryobi cordless drill/driver seem to be not holding a charge that is useful. It's my understanding that replacing batteries is nearly equal to the cost of buying a new unit so I'm looking for your recommendations on the best cordless drills. I'll probably want to go to at least 14.4v and maybe 18v. I sure see lots of Dewalt units in use. Are they the defacto standard? :rolleyes:

I've had sears/craftsman, b&d, HF, milwaukee and makita, (in fact still have a 9.6v makita - best unit I've ever owned but it doesn't fit your criteriea).

But my current tool of choice for all driving/drilling, etc.. is the:

Panasonic 15.6v 2 speed range unit.

- batteries recharge in 15 minutes
- will drive several dozen 10" landscape timber screws w/o complaint
- built a 10x10 deck driving screws & lag bolts on a single battery charge
- sits up on it's battery fine
- best clutch I've ever used outside of the makita
- good friend who owns an office furniture company tested half dozen different makes/models w/his 8-10 install crews -- after 3 months, sold all of his non-panasonic drivers and replaced them w/new panasonics. Got to go with a real power users choice.

[Lynn Sonier]

My Porter Cable cordless drill battery went out. I took it apart and discovered that 3 of the 8 battery cells were dead. At Radio Shack, found sub-C batteries for about $4 apiece and replaced them.
It costs $100 to buy a replacement battery pack and about $140 to replace drill, charger, and two packs - try and figure that one out.

[Mike Evertsen]

I've had my craftsman 16.8v for 4 years & 2 ryobi 12 v for 5 years
they still work great,,,,

[Charles Bjorgen]

This morning, I motored my way over to Seven Corners Hardware in St. Paul and with the aid of the store's 2003 catalog and its "wall of tools" display, was able to make what I hope was an educated decision. It didn't take long to narrow my choice down to the Metabo 12v and several Pansonic units ranging from 12v to 15.6v.

The Metabo is made in Germany and certainly looked good but the Panasonic looked equally good. As I studied the specs in the catalog, I realized that the Metabo was available only with NiCd battery technology while the Panasonics were offered in both NiCd and Ni-MH battery choices. I finally selected the 12v Panasonic which has the 3.5 ahr batteries. Price was $195 and I also picked up the Panasonic cordless lantern ($9.95) which operates off the same 12v battery.

I think I made a good choice for me but I probably won't know for sure until I've used it for a couple years. I'm primarily a woodturner these days but I still have to knock together some projects that requires quickly driving screws. I also use a cordless drill to screw faceplates to bowl blanks. The old Ryobi was no longer able to do that without pre-drilling.

Again, thanks for all the replies and suggestions.

[Neal Johnson]

I've heard nothing but good things about the Panasonics. I would certainly look at one if I were in the market for a cordless drill.

That said, I have had an 18V Ryobi for four or five years that takes whatever I throw at it and still works like brand new. Great drill.

Neal

[Nick Yaekle]

I know this will cause a lot of "stir" but I bought a 14.4 SKIL seven years ago and worked it to death, literally. Actually, the charger died and a new charger was $39.99. So I went looking. I looked at several and decided on another SKIL as Home Depot had a good little package around Christmas (which included a remote control truck that my son wanted so he kinda won out, too!).

Its a 14.4V, just like the first one, uses the same battery (so I have five now, which is very handy) and all the batteries hold a good charge. Its comfortable to handle, has never failed me on anything (and I use the SKIL more than my DeWalt 18V-its too heavy in general for a lot of quick jobs) and the best part, it was on clearance and it cost me $26.99, drill, carrying case, two batteries, charger and remote control truck!

In fact, I liked this so much that about five years ago I bought a SKIL router and it too has been well worth it.

That's my two or three cents. I'm sure a lot of guys will disagree, but I've had a great experience with SKIL. (Although Porter-Cable, DeWalt, and Craftsman tend to exist more in my power tools.)

Nick

[Clay Crocker]

I have had Ryobi, Dewalt, and Panasonic cordless drills over the years. Based on my experience the 15.6 volt Panasonic has been the best, hands down. I currently own two Panasonic drills and a cordless circular saw. I do own a 12 volt Dewalt angle drill, but use it only occasionally.

Clay

[James Carmichael]

My 18v Dewalt had to be rebuilt after 3 yrs, I was not happy.

If I could justify the expense, I'd go with the Makita 14.4.

[Doug Shepard]

Panasonic. Best cordless drill I've ever used. My only complaint is lack of onboard bit storage slots like my previous DeWalts had. That can be easily fixed with a cheap add-on holder that McFeeleys sells though. They cost a tiny bit more as you dont usually see the deep discount sales on them as often as other brands, but still worth it.

[William Nimmo]

I picked up the Panasonics. 14.4 lithium ion drill and impact driver, together for about 360. Great drills, light powerful, long lasting and love that impact.

[James Carmichael]

Both batteries on my seven-year-old 12v Ryobi cordless drill/driver seem to be not holding a charge that is useful. It's my understanding that replacing batteries is nearly equal to the cost of buying a new unit so I'm looking for your recommendations on the best cordless drills. I'll probably want to go to at least 14.4v and maybe 18v. I sure see lots of Dewalt units in use. Are they the defacto standard? :rolleyes:

You could also try batteryrebuilders.com

[Noel Hegan]

I have had Ryobi, Dewalt, and Panasonic cordless drills over the years. Based on my experience the 15.6 volt Panasonic has been the best, hands down. I currently own two Panasonic drills and a cordless circular saw. I do own a 12 volt Dewalt angle drill, but use it only occasionally.

Clay
Hi Clay, I've had the Panasonic 15.6v for a few years now and no regrets whatsoever. Got the lamp as well. I see the new model has the Hitachi Spiderman finish on it, not sure about it at all, looks wise, but it seems very comfortable in the hand. What I want to ask was how do you find the cordless trim saw?
Rgds
Noel

[Mike Thomas]

I have the Dewalt 18V and it never fails me. If you're interested the national big box store has them on sale right now. I purchased 2 of them on Thursday for $101 each.

[Clay Crocker]

.......how do you find the cordless trim saw?
Rgds
Noel

Usually I go out into my workshop and look for it:D......To be honest, my Panasonic trim saw does not get a whole lot of use but it sure is handy when I do. It will not do everything that my corded Makita or Festool trim saws can do, but if I am just cutting something down to a more managable size then the Panisonic is the first tool I reach for.

Clay

[Per Swenson]

Ok

Take this with both a grain of salt, part opinion, a little

prejudice, from someone who kills drills for a living.

Get a drill and a impact driver.

I don't own it (yet) but consider that new combo from Makita.

Pricey but all in one.

Festool man I am, but I don't own one of their drills, yet.

Like I said, I kill em. 1 every 8 months, sometimes two a year.

And I have to think long and hard about a five hundred dollar tool

I know I am going to drop. A lot. And far.

Same with corded drywall guns.

I now only buy hiltis drwaller's, they last longer.

Yes, because I go through so many I have opinions on all of them.

Some justified.

Sorry keep your dewalts.

I don't like em.

Porter cable, use to be a fan. No more.

Take a memo to P/C Bob, ( I always say stuff like this on the job.)

The chucks suck.

Bosch, I have battery issues here.

My Milwaukee, walked off the job with not enough time to fail.

Today, and just for today, Makita and the Panasonics.

Maybe on Monday I will spring for a festool......


Then I will be ascairt to drop it.:eek:

Oh yeah, I have a metabo too, the only reason I still do

is I don't use it. Why? I just don't like it.

Battery issues also.

Avoid the harry the home owner tools at all cost's

If you are here and reading this you must be looking for quality

not a bargain. And they are no bargain.

Per

[Charles Wilson]

Bosch 18v Blue Core

Best drilll that I have used to date.

Chuck

[Glen Blanchard]

Just bought some 18V DeWalt stuff from these guys via "Buy It Now". Great prices!! No affiliation - just satisfied customer.

http://stores.ebay.com/Hardware-Sales-Inc_CORDLESS-Tools_W0QQcolZ2QQdirZ1QQfsubZ3QQftidZ2QQtZkm

[Jim C Bradley]

Hi,
First of all I want to say that I am very easy on tools, automobiles, etc. I am still using pliers, handdrill, screwdrivers, etc. from my tools given to me in grade school. Since I am now 81, that has been a long time. I mention this because:
I have had three Black and Decker Firestorm drills. I have had three fail. The first two were 12v. The last one, 18v, literally caught on fire when I installed a new battery. I took it to Home Depot and it caught on fire when they tried it. HD had me contact B&D. Their reply to me was, "Go buy a new one."
I don't think the next drill will be Black and Decker.
However, the drills were powerful, well balanced (the 18v was a little too heavy for my small body), the chucks were great. Changing torque settings required major muscle involvement.

Enjoy
Jim Bradley

[Gary Keedwell]

I had my eye on the Mikita Combo, too. If I used it every day....
Gary K.:o

[John Piwaron]

FWIW, I have a 14.4v Milwaukee drill. It's got a 1 hour charger that stops the charge when the pack is full. Right now it's 2 years old, not very old as these things go but to date, it's done everything I've put it to including functining as a paint stirrer with one of those squirrel cage things.

I highly recommend the Milwaukee with a NiCad battery.

[Bob Aquino]

I've got the 14.4 Bosch, had it for about 2 years, got it with the small circular saw. I like it, plenty strong. Dont know if the battery life is all that great, but I have about 5 batteries all told. Also have the cordless jigsaw, thats a handy tool to have. Seems to cut as nicely as my Metabo, but dont have to jack around a cord. Only thing I would like to have would be another charger.

[Andrew Chavchich]

Hi Charles

I have had a Dewalt 18 volt for 7 or 8 years. This is a real workhorse....

I have had a Dewalt 18 volts for 10 years, unbelievable amount of abuse, fell from stepladder many times sometimes on ceramic tile floor, performed tasks that are simply too much for it and I sniffed something burning inside.
Still running fine. Undestructible!
Now I have 2 more Dewalt cordless drills.

Little bit too heavy though.

[Clint Winterhalter]

I bought this a year and a half ago. I've used it for every kind of thing that you can think of...from installing a kitchen to mixing floor leveler. I can't say enough about it.
I too have a 18volt set from Milwaukee. Great drill! I find the ability to reverse the batteries handy. I bought a kit from the orange borg.. I paid $479 for a 18volt drill, a Cordless circ, chorldless sawzall and a light. All came in a fashionable tote. (note the tote hasn't seen the light of day!) A good friend of mine found the same set reconditioned for $329 Drop me a note if you want the link..
Clint

[Eugene A. Manzo III]

My first cordless was a skill was nice the two months it lasted. Then I Purchased a 9.6 v Makita I was doing extensive home remodeling and that was the best money I ever spent. I have since purchased a 12v Makita and an 18 v DeWalt hammer/drill They both are very nice tools. I think 18v
is a little to heavy for shop use. I'm going to try out the Bosch mini driver.:)



But I can tell you for sure Either choice will be quality Makita or DeWalt

[skip coyne]

I've used cordless drills since "way back when " owned and killed makita (4), Milwaukee (2), dewault (2), all seemed to last me 2-3 years . tried ryobi it went 6 , I'm 3 years into my second .

dropped 'em off ladders to concrete , etc

lots of bang for the buck .

walk on any job site around here and you will see mostly ryobi in use

[Matt Miklos]

I would look at the Bosch Pocket Driver, it is super light and compact at less than 2 pounds and rough dimensions of 6 by 6.5 inches, full recharge in under 30 min, will drive 100 3 inch wood screws on a single charge, around 80 inch pounds of torque, and it comes with a 3 yr warranty!! I was skeptical about buying one and then had a chance to demo one and ended up buying two. Amazon has the best price I could find as of today @ $113.00.

[Brian Dormer]

I have an older DeWalt and a recently purchased Craftsman (it was an impulse buy). The Craftsman is lighter, better balanced, has far more torque and higher speed than the DeWalt (although the batteries don't seem to last quite as long). Drilling Kreg Pocket screw holes is like night and day. The old DeWalt has become a dust catcher and might even be fodder for my next yard sale. Go check them out at Sears before you buy.

[Dick Durbin]

I'm sure a lot of guys will disagree, but I've had a great experience with SKIL.

The first cordless drill I bought was a 9.6 volt Skil. Worked like a charm, but it was recalled and replaced with a 12 volt. It has never held a charge well and is now dead. I did a little research and found that Skil has had trouble with their chargers dying.

I e-mailed Skil about the problem and here was their response:
"Thank you for writing Skil Power Tools. All available parts and accessories for Skil Power Tools can be ordered directly through our parts office at 1.800.346.4103 (menu option 1). You will need to call them directly to verify pricing and availability of the item. You may place your order by phone and they will ship it directly to you. Please write back if you have any other questions."

I'll never buy another Skil product.

[Dan Lautner]

I bought the Makita litheon combo 6 months ago. I had an 18V Bosch before that. The Makita is a true gem. Ergonomics are near perfect. Batties last a long time and hold a charge well when not in use. Here is my ratings. So far nothing has broken and the batteries seem fine.


Impact Driver - 10 This thing is a true workhorse and very light

Drill/ Hammer - 9 Excellent tool a tiny bit chunky

Circ Saw - 9 Light ergonomic with better than average power

Recip Saw - 10 Almost perfect tool, good power, would not use for
railroad ties

Grinder - 9 Comes in super handy for light use applications




Dan

[Roy Harding]

Depends on what you're doing with it.

I used to work in a cabinet shop, assembling cheap cabinets.

I had FOUR cordless drills on my bench at all times (#1 and #2 Robertson drivers, and #1 and #2 Philips drivers - switching drivers for the different screws was just a tremendous waste of time). ALL were 14.4 volts, of various brands. I found the 14.4 the best compromise between weight and power (if you're assembling cabinets for 8 - 12 hours a day, weight is an important consideration). I also have an 18 volt cordless which I use for heavy drilling jobs. In addition, I have a little Black and Decker screw driver (with a light on it) which I find valuable for working in confined and dark spaces (inside cabinets, for instance).

I don't think brand really matters - you've got to decide what you'll be doing with the tool - if it's usually heavy drilling, then get a more powerful (and heavier) one, if it's light assembly, consider a lower voltage (even 7.2 works well) - they're lighter. Make sure it is comfortable in your hand, feels balanced (unbalanced will strain your wrist with continuous use).

I know guys who swear by Bosch 14.4 drills - I find them cumbersome (I have smallish hands). I've got a ten year old Black and Decker that's still humming along - even after using it in a commercial setting. I used to have a Milwaukee that died after one year.

The biggest thing is to find one that's comfortable to hold - and the lightest which will handle your needs.

Roy

[Thomas Monahan]

I have tried Dewalt, Makita but Bosch & Milwaukee win hands down. You'll spend more for these tools but quality and power are unmatched.

[Roddy Thibault]

I have notice that NOT too many of you guys use Makita...
I have the new white 18V Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2" Drill
I use it all most every day (cabinet installer) and love it
the battery life is kinda short but by the time i kill it the next battery is allrdy charge.if you have the larger 3ah Lithium-Ion batterys they seem to last forever.
I would have to say it "has the same weight as a 12volt with the 18volt power" if you use your drill all day long you will like it
if i had to buy a new drill I would buy it again

[Ken Milhinch]

The OP has already made his decision, so it's all a bit academic now, but Panasonic gets my vote, with daylight second. Well balanced, strong and the batteries are the best available.

[Shane Newlin]

I've had both a 12v dewalt, and currently a 18v dewalt. Over the years, they have both been severely abused and used. They feel solid in your hand versus some of the others that feel like my 3yr old son's toys. The new NiMH batteries look pretty interesting. My opinion though would be that whatever brand you buy, look for a combo kit that includes a sawzall in the package. I cant tell you how many times I've had to string a cord all the way across the house that I'm working on to make a 20 second cut in a stud or bottom plate.

[richard poitras]

What about the Ridgid brand I herd they are life time guaranteed and that includes the batteries….

[Michael Schwartz]

My Arsenal

12 Volt Compact Drill Driver Dewalt 3 years old
12 Volt Old Heavy Duty Drill Driver Dewalt (Not Univolt) age? Flea Market Find

18 Volt Ryobi Drill Driver 1 year old
18 Volt Ryobi Hammer Drill/Driver 1 year old
18 Volt Ryobi Impact Driver 1 year old

V28 Milwaukee Hammer Drill/Driver 3 Months Old

Started off with the compact dewalt and it is nice and light but lacks any real power. The Ryobi's are a real bang for the buck and are actually quite nice not gimmicky like B&D Just got the Milwaukee and it rocks and its only fault is that it has enough power to use it for stuff that you should use a big old heavy duty corded drill for trashing the brushes.

Right now I wont buy another corded tool that doesnt have a Lithium Ion Battery, as I am sick and tired of nicads. I love my v28 tools from Milwaukee, and I as much as I like Dewalt their batteries are obsolete and over priced.

An impact drive is so esential as they are great for driving lag bolts and large screws. If you do this alot with a normal cordless drill you will only bog down the motor placing more load on the bearings and brushes dooming that drill to an early grave. I use my v28 drill with up to 3" deck screws, with any other drill I stop at about 2" and get out my impact driver.

[Larry Nall]

I have a Dewalt DW928 14.4v. I forgot and left it outside in a wheelbarrow. We had several days of downpour. I found it a few days later totally submerged. The battery that was with it is shot but the drill works fine. The 14.4 was borderline at screwing in 3" decking screws. I recently bought an 18v which has no trouble at all.

[Justin McCurdy]

For the battery cost, an 18v Ryobi with 2 batteries for under $100 is great. Replacements are $40 for 2 batteries. That is better than the $100 for 1 dewalt replacement. Anyway, I have driven 3, 35 lb boxes of screws and drilled/bored a ton with mine. It is just a lot of bang for the buck.

Just my $.02

Justin

[Michael Schwartz]

For the battery cost, an 18v Ryobi with 2 batteries for under $100 is great. Replacements are $40 for 2 batteries. That is better than the $100 for 1 dewalt replacement. Anyway, I have driven 3, 35 lb boxes of screws and drilled/bored a ton with mine. It is just a lot of bang for the buck.

Just my $.02

Justin

My 18 volt Ryobi's both put out more power and have better battery life than my 12 volt Dewalts and cost about the same with batterys and charger.

For all but the toughest abuse the Ryobis are more than enough. And they even hold up well under hard use.