Tool Time: Drill suggestion. ARH ARH ARH </Tim Allen>

[ski]

I need a cordless drill for basic home stuff and light to medium weekend projects.

I have an 18V Black & Decker, non-variable speed, and it feels cheap (and WAS cheap, $40 on sale a few years ago).

I'd like one that has variable speed, cordless, and I'd like to pay $75-$150.

- How much would you spend on a mid-shelf brand?
- Which brand would you go for?
- Is 18V the right voltage to look for, for all around use?
- Would you buy it at Lowes/Home Depot, Amazon, eBay, etc?

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/kedooley/tooltime.jpg

[Markel]

I've got the 18V Ryobi One+ that Home Depot sells. I got a kit with the drill, circular saw (something like 5.5"), flashlight, and two batteries for $100. I've been very happy with it. I later picked up the impact driver when they had it on special for around $35.

[Daedalus]

Maybe a bit out of your price range, but I have pretty good results with my DeWalt XRP for the past 5+ years. I've drilled 14 3/4" holes in 4000PSI concrete slab, dropped it from 6' up onto concrete 3 times, and it still works great. I've snapped heads off #12 screws in the past with the torque it puts out. The batteries are expensive and they're getting pretty close to needing replacing, which is my only hang-up so far. Well, that and the drll speed is a little too slow for my preference, though it works fine for most building materials. I got it from Amazon, but considered spending a little more at Costco because of the return policy. 18V is great for everything I've done, and I've done framing, installed a garage door, installed plumbing, wiring, conduit, siding, and many smaller jobs.

Most don't know this but DeWalt is the same company as B&D. Despite their quality, B&D had a terrible image with guys in the trades, and the company couldn't shake it. A carpenter wouldn't dare show up to a jobsite with a B&D drill. So B&D came out with a new brand to open up a market that shunned them. And they kept it hush-hush; you won't find the B&D brand on any DeWalt tool. Maybe you just need to stick with B&D but get a better model?

[renovation]

Dewalt or ridgit are the only brand i buy.
there other good brands like Milwaukee,Bosch .
but i never buy a skil ,Black & decker, Ryobi cordless power tool.
expecting it last me one day on the job.(or a home owner 1 year )
i did buy a skil corded hammer drill once. in 2 hours of what i call light work. i smoked it and peices fell out of it.

now i do still have and use a Dewalt cordless 3/8 14.4 v drill. that i drop from a ladder 2 storys up. to a cement sidewalk. the battery pop out of it.and i was sure it was going to be toast.
(i did replace it last year) i took my pliers readjusted the battery holder clips on the drill. reinstalled the battery and it worked .the battery never held in the drill like factory new . but i have used this drill for 2-3 years now on a everyday basic.

now a word of advice - you don't use your drill all the time day in and day out . pick up a 14.4 v and pick up a 18 v and see how it feels in your hand . you may fine that less is better. if your drill is to heavy it may drill a oblong hole or angle the drill hole up. there not a lot of time life diffrents in the two drill voltages. and the extra power may not be worth the extra $$$$ for your real needs. good luck on what ever you buy and injoy the POWER :)

[cheapie]

agreed. 18v is overkill for the majority of home jobs. 14v is cheaper and lighter and still does pretty much everything you'd use an 18v drill for.

[hapoo]

I got the 18V Ryobi on sale for $29 at home depot a couple weeks ago to put up cabinets. I haven't used any other brands but its been amazing so far.

[SteveB]

I have an older DeWalt that I've had about 11 years.Love it and when It's time to replace I will probavly get another DeWalt.

[uncledaddy]

I had a 14.4 Craftsman that was great and then the batteries wouldn't hold a charge anymore. So I upgraded to the Matco MPTL44DD.

OMG...Talk about power and function. 3/8 keyless chuck, electric brake, 17 clutch positions, 300 in/lbs. torque, high load speed of 1170 rpm, 1 hour charge time, and an LED light.

Of course I know that's not what you're looking for, because it cost me about $270. But I had to tell you guys about it.

I used it professionally as a transit technician. :D

[Jeffbx]

Unless you're using 1/2" bits or need a hammer drill, 18v is overkill. Plus it'll be too heavy if you're doing a big job. If you need that kind of power you're much better off with a corded drill anyway - you'll get more power, longer life, lighter weight & better results (just don't trip over that cord!).

My recommendation is to stay away from the 'handyman' brands - Black & Decker, DeWalt, Craftsman, etc. & get a contractor grade tool.

I like Bosch personally - I got a Bosch 14.4 from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-32614-2G-14-4-Volt-Ni-Cad-Cordless/dp/B000BB407C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1219064491&sr=1-3)a while ago & it actually has more torque than my father in law's 18v DeWalt & the battery lasts longer. LOVE this drill & I would buy it again.

I haven't ordered anything from them, but Hitachi sells reconditioned tools here - prices are crazy cheap:

http://www.reconditionedsales.com

Check out this one - $294 retail for $76 (http://www.reconditionedsales.com/Hitachi_DS14DFL_14.4V_1.5Ah_Lithium_Ion_Driver_Drill_(reconditioned)___i969.aspx) & sports a Lithium Ion battery. Of course, street price is closer to $150, but still a great price for a contractor grade drill.

[TruckStuff]

OK, some folks are probably going to laugh at me for this, but check this one out:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44849

I know it looks like typical Harbor Freight light-duty junk, but man, you cannot kill these things. I've run these things all day long for years and they will not quit. Buddy of mine has a whole handful of them now for his crew and loves them. And even if they did die (which they have yet to do under heavy load), they are only $50.00.

[Prngr44]

I've got the Ryobi 18v. I've had mine about 8 years now and had a battery go, but I figure that's expected.

I REALLY liked this Skil 7.2v (http://www.skiltools.com/en/AllTools/Category/Product/default.html?pid=2362-01&cid=42) for lighter type stuff. I drilled/screwed all my cabinet hardware, all of my switches/receptacles and covers with this thing. It's ultra portable and holds a charge forever. I liked it so much I'm giving my dad one for his birthday.

[ski]

I worked with a contractor yesterday, and he brought a DeWalt 14.4V to do all the work. Pretty convinced 14.4 will be enough power for the stuff I need to do.

Now, where would you buy it?

Lowes and Home Depot will probably have retail prices, but easiest to make a return if I need to.
Amazon will have a little lower prices.
eBay probably has the lowest prices, but it's just too sketchy for me.

[Prngr44]

I'd avoid ebay... I'd be inclined to buy it online somewhere else. You could probably even exchange at a Lowe's or HD even if you didn't buy it there.

[InfiniteNothing]

Amazon

[johnnymk]

OK, some folks are probably going to laugh at me for this, but check this one out:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44849

I know it looks like typical Harbor Freight light-duty junk, but man, you cannot kill these things. I've run these things all day long for years and they will not quit. Buddy of mine has a whole handful of them now for his crew and loves them. And even if they did die (which they have yet to do under heavy load), they are only $50.00.

I have had good luck with Harbor Freight items, especially their small grinders.

I also have a Craftsman 9.6 Volt drill, which is about twenty years old and has amazing power. I used it for a deck years ago and it didn't lose a beat.

[cruelpupet]

B&D and DeWalt might be the same company, but Im pretty sure that there is a quality difference in the parts used to make them.

[ray]

amazon.com

[Markel]

So B&D came out with a new brand to open up a market that shunned them.
I think B&D purchased Dewalt. The Dewalt name has been around for a long time (since 1924, according to this (http://www.dewalt.com/us/service/company/history.asp), although radial arm saws were their major product in the past. I have a 12" Dewalt Contractor radial arm saw that I bought in the mid-80s.).

[renovation]

B&D and DeWalt might be the same company, but Im pretty sure that there is a quality difference in the parts used to make them.
major quality difference.
ha guys be careful of brands you buy at home and lumber supply stores on power tools .
i found out years ago even Delta power tools . sell two quality levels of there tools .one is for general home owner and one for contractors that use a tool for a living.
i bought a power miter box saw and it died after 2 months . came with a year warrienty but it was void becouse in fine print said not for contractor use .home owner got a full 1 year warrienty commerical use was only 30 days warrienty.
called and complained and found out there was really 2 diffrent line avail .and that was why it seemed like a great buy at the time. on this saw from the builder supply (ERB lumber )they bought a special load in just for a sale.

[Daedalus]

The DeWalt name has been around for a while, but DeWalt never competed in most of the segments B&D competed in, including cordless drills. It was entirely a branding and perception problem, confirmed by market research. B&D had the highest brand awareness of all power tools, but that didn't matter. Their success in the consumer segment actually prohibited success in the pro/industrial/tradesmen segments. Tradesmen did not see sufficient quality in a brand that was targeted to average homeowners, made by the same company that made the Dustbuster, sold in discount stores like WalMart, and advertised as a perfect father's day present. Even those who admitted the performance was good were ashamed to carry B&D at the jobsite.

B&D had their own Pro-Tradesmen line of tools, which was already a step up from the consumer stuff, but the brand failed because B&D was still on the label. They had field tested their products side-by-side with their competitors, first stripping off all identifying labels and colors, and the tests and surveys proved their performance was on par with Milwaukee, Skil, Ryobi and the rest of the "benchmarks". So in 1992 Joe Galli pushed to buy an established company--DeWalt--and used the brand for the tools they were already selling. This time they kept B&D out of the branding and literature completely.

[Prngr44]

The DeWalt name has been around for a while, but DeWalt never competed in most of the segments B&D competed in, including cordless drills. It was entirely a branding and perception problem, confirmed by market research. B&D had the highest brand awareness of all power tools, but that didn't matter. Their success in the consumer segment actually prohibited success in the pro/industrial/tradesmen segments. Tradesmen did not see sufficient quality in a brand that was targeted to average homeowners, made by the same company that made the Dustbuster, sold in discount stores like WalMart, and advertised as a perfect father's day present. Even those who admitted the performance was good were ashamed to carry B&D at the jobsite.

B&D had their own Pro-Tradesmen line of tools, which was already a step up from the consumer stuff, but the brand failed because B&D was still on the label. They had field tested their products side-by-side with their competitors, first stripping off all identifying labels and colors, and the tests and surveys proved their performance was on par with Milwaukee, Skil, Ryobi and the rest of the "benchmarks". So in 1992 Joe Galli pushed to buy an established company--DeWalt--and used the brand for the tools they were already selling. This time they kept B&D out of the branding and literature completely.

Interesting... I never knew that but it makes sense.