Looking for best cordless drill to purchase

[cdaigle430]

I'm a contractor that does remodels and repairs to houses. I've had most every brand mentioned and none of them compare to Makita. In my opinion, they are the best out there for the money. There are some specialty brands that might be better for a specific tool, but for an overall brand, they are the best. Mine are 18volt Lithium Ion batteries that cost about a hundred bucks each, or two for $150. I can go about two years of heavy use on a battery and I like to have at least four of them. Right now I have 7.

I rarely use my drill. Mostly it's just for mixing mud. I use my impact driver daily, and sometimes all day long. I have attachments for sockets, drills and of course, screws. If you get a driver, be sure to look into square and star drive screws. Once you start using them, you will hate every having to use Phillips heads screws.

Eddie

After using Milwaukee, Makita and DeWalt we find the best brand was and still is Milwaukee though you pay for it. Nothing else compares, I know of several business that use them, I use them, my relatives who can afford them uses them. I just bought the new Milwaukee Hammer Drill and impact driver kit with the M18 18 v 4amp batteries and I can use it two days strait without recharging them. As I write this-nothing else compares yet, don't believe me-prove it. I don't care where its made either, as long as its reliable and lasts. We do a lot of sheet metal garages and the star drive screws are our fav.

 

[/pine]

After using Milwaukee, Makita and DeWalt we find the best brand was and still is Milwaukee though you pay for it. Nothing else compares, I know of several business that use them, I use them, my relatives who can afford them uses them. I just bought the new Milwaukee Hammer Drill and impact driver kit with the M18 18 v 4amp batteries and I can use it two days strait without recharging them. As I write this-nothing else compares yet, don't believe me-prove it. I don't care where its made either, as long as its reliable and lasts. We do a lot of sheet metal garages and the star drive screws are our fav.

just for the record...years ago I was a big Milwaukee tool fan...then I spent extra $ to buy a Milwaukee brand palm sander only to find out it was made in china and made by the same co. that supplied the knock-off brand that sold for a much lower cost...still love my Sawzall though...!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I got this as an amazon deal once for under $100.
Bosch DDS180-02 18-Volt Lithium-Ion 1/2-Inch Compact Tough Drill/Driver Kit with 2 Batteries, Charger and Case - Amazon.com

I got this on amazon for $199 when it was the deal of the day. This set is awesome, especially the impact. I use the impact much more than the drills.
Bosch CLPK232-181 18-Volt Lithium-Ion 2-Tool Combo Kit with 1/2-Inch Compact Tough Drill/Driver, Impact Driver, 2 Batteries, Charger and Case - Amazon.com

 

[QRTRHRS]

One of the things with the Hitachi reviews :reading: it points out that to get light weight some of the gear transmission components are made of non-metal materials that are more susceptible to failure.

We have two to use at work. They really do have an extremely plastic lightweight feel to them

I always thought that Hitachi tools looked more like tennis shoes than tools but then I bought a 14.4 Li impact driver based on a review in Fine Homebuilding. I wanted something midrange rather than a heavy weight just for say deck building.

Though mid range, I have driven alot of 3.5-4 inch screws into aged (read that hard) PT posts. I have even adapted to a 1/2" and 9/16" deep well sockets to secure a number of carriage bolts. Though my usage is personal and not daily, based on having Dewault, Porter Cable and Milwaukee battery driven tools, the Hitachi has held it's own.

Milwaukee has always been my first choice but if the price was right, I would buy Hitachi again.

 

[RobertN]

My use is mostly personal/home use. I have a DeWalt 18V multi-kit(small circ saw, drill driver, recip saw, flashlight, charger) that must be 14 years old.

I have gone thru a couple sets of batteries. Added a charger that work on 12V from my truck. I dropped the AC charger and broke it, so replaced it with that AM/FM radio/charger. Also received a larger circ saw.

I do still have my 20 year old 12V Makita and flashlight(9.6). Used those a lot too, although need new batteries.

The drill and flashlights get the most use. Thought my 6D Maglight was cool, but it coasts a lot for batteries. The flashlights work great; I have used them for hunting, fishing, camping, house work...

My friends that do construction, use a mix of tools...

 

[haveissues]

I recently bought a Milwaukee brushless set with the bigger batteries. Best drill and driver I have ever owned! They have tons of power and seem to last forever. On a side note I managed to forget my older Milwaukee set outside in the rain/snow for 3 weeks (don't ask) and they still work great!

 

[IslandTractor]

... Does anyone know if the Ryobi LI batteries/chargers will work with the +1 nicad tools ?

Yes they do. I bought a couple and the work fine. Need new charger though.

On the OP's question: Makita LXT. Superb tool line.

 

[EddieWalker]

After using Milwaukee, Makita and DeWalt we find the best brand was and still is Milwaukee though you pay for it. Nothing else compares, I know of several business that use them, I use them, my relatives who can afford them uses them. I just bought the new Milwaukee Hammer Drill and impact driver kit with the M18 18 v 4amp batteries and I can use it two days strait without recharging them. As I write this-nothing else compares yet, don't believe me-prove it. I don't care where its made either, as long as its reliable and lasts. We do a lot of sheet metal garages and the star drive screws are our fav.

I think it was Fine Home Building magazine or Journal of Light Construction that did a recent test on Cordless batteries and they said that Milwaukee was the best. I don't know anything about them first hand, I've never bought or used any of their cordless tools because I've been so disappointed by their corded tools. They just don't last very long and I think they are way overpriced for being just average in quality. I put them in the same category and DeWalt and Porter Cable. Fine for occasional use, but they don't hold up daily use. The advantage DeWalt has is they are everywhere and cost less then the higher end brands.

For corded tools, I stick with Makita and Bosch, but have started to look at Hitachi. I through away a DeWalt framing gun that was just a few years old and bought the Hitachi last year based on online reviews and it's really impressed me.

My dad was a big Ryobi fan and had a good variety of their cordless tools. My brother started buying Grizzly cordless tools and became a huge fan of them for years. Both of them changed once they used my Makita tools. There IS a difference in power, feel, performance and results with better tools.

Eddie

 

[paulharvey]

I currently have Dewalt Xrp sawzall, drill, 3 dead battrries, 1 working battery; ryobi impact 2 dead batteries, 1 working battery; Rigid hammer drill, sawzall, skillsaw, and 2 dead batteries. Live the impact but ryobi batteries (ni cad) dont last well. Rigid hammer drill is great, but all there tools are heavy. Dewalt drill and sawzall are great but tools and batteries are very expensive. All the dead batteries are almost eniugh to convince me to go cheap corded frim now on...

Rigid wasnt registered cause emplyeer had to have reciept for me to get reinbursed... anyone know if Rigid 18v lithium fit old Ni Cad tools?

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have used Craftsman, Skil (batteries are piece of junk) Black & Decker 20v lithium and recently purchased a Kobalt from Lowes which spouts off to have a 5 year warranty no questions asked. I am going to try that out as batteries usually don't last me that long. I use my drills for everything from putting in screws to tightening bolts. I cant justify paying $250 for a portable drill even though I could afford it, I don't see throwing my money away on one for my occasional use and most any brand (other than the Skil which I don't recommend at all) will do for the homeowner who has limited use for one.

As this thread attests, most brands of drills get the job done. You will find testimonial's from folks for every brand. The best drill I ever bought was an 18v 2 speed Quantum (by Black and Decker). I still have it but the batteries don't hold a charge well after 13 years and it has so much torque it will twist your wrist if you don't keep a good grip on it. It is heavy though with the NiCad batteries. I think they quit making it years ago, I guess because it lasted so well. It had an all metal chuck components (unlike all the plastic on them today)

I don't see a lot of difference in any of the major brands, like Ryobi, Dewalt, Makita, Rigdid etc. other than double or triple price compared to Craftsman, B&D and other entry level drills. I would go with one with the best warranty like the Ridgid as the batteries are the common weakness of all brands.
I bought the Kobalt just to try it out for the warranty claim. It is much heavier than my 20v Lithium Black and Decker but would be ok for use on decks but a bit of a strain for a lot of overhead work.
As for working in inclement weather, my brother in law dropped his new 20 volt Black and Decker into a creek where it stayed for over a day until I found him fishing around it one day and I finally got a magnet to stick to it (when we finally found the actual location in the 3 foot deep creek) It worked and is still working after being submerged in mud and water for 36 hours.