Best Cordless Drill/Screwdriver?
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Black&Decker makes a few nice cordless screwdrivers, they also have some nice cordless drills for cheap. What do you want to spend? You could blow a bunch of money on Dewalt or Makita tools that might get little use by your dad, or get something cheap that works good for the occasional user. Check Wal-Mart out for the Black&Decker products.
He has two Craftsman Cordless drills (12V) and the NiCd battery packs keep dying on him.
I've used DeWalt at work and they're wonderful...
I'd be willing to spend $200 on a good Cordless system that uses NiMH batteries. My dad uses the cordless stuff a lot.
I've used DeWalt at work and they're wonderful...
I'd be willing to spend $200 on a good Cordless system that uses NiMH batteries. My dad uses the cordless stuff a lot.
I have a wood working business and we use Dewalt cordless products. They are reasonably priced and hold up well to moderate abuse. Check your "big box" stores like Lowes, they usually have the tools at good prices and have specials frequently on tools, especially around Father's Day.
Whimsey
Whimsey
Really it's the luck of the draw anymore some people have problems with certain brands and others don't and sometimes it depends on what the drill is being used for. Buy one from a reputiable company and a good warranty. I just bought a black&decker pivot 12v for $21 from one of their outlet stores, comes with a 2 year warranty. They also had a 18v heavy duty for $49.
Here is an article on cordless drills:
Cordless Drills
Note: If you're on a tight budget, consider a corded (plug-in) drill. You can get a high quality corded drill for less money. It will be lighter and have more torque (power). And, the battery will never need charging just at the critical moment. If you don't use a drill regularly the battery is likely to need charging when you go to use it. Cordless drills are convenient but, they're more expensive and heavier with less performance.
Another problem with cordless drills is the batteries usually only last 2-4 years, even if you don't use them. Rechargeable batteries go bad just sitting on your shelf. Replacement batteries are amazingly expensive. I see cordless drills including a charger and two batteries on sale for only slightly more than the cost of two batteries. So, you probably want to think of a cordless drill as disposable, and expect to replace it every 3-4 years.
Normally you should expect to pay $60-$100 for a good corded drill. A couple of years ago Makita's model 6408K at $70 was rated high, and (surprisingly) Sears' model 10105 at $40 got a good rating.
Revised April 2004
Tip: My experiences with Black & Decker power tools have been bad generally and their drill ratings regularly bear this out. The same company owns both DeWalt and Black & Decker but, the quality of the two brands is very different.
Exact models are important. The same brand may have both
good and bad models in the same voltage range.
That nationally famous consumer products rating magazine has rated cordless drills again.
If you want a drill that can handle larger jobs as well as routine ones, your best bet for the money is probably the 18 volt Skil 2884-04 at $120 & 4.2 pounds Or, maybe the 18 volt Ryobi SA1802 at $120 & 5.3#, but the Skil is lighter and handles better. If you have big projects in mind and want the top power with greater run time per charge and are willing to pay the price and weight penalty for it you probably want the top rated 18 volt (actually 19.2v) Panasonic EY6450GQKW at $250 & 6.2# or maybe the second place DeWalt DW987K-2 at $270 & 6.0#.
The best 14 volter (actually 15.6v) is the Panasonic EY6432GQKW at $200 & 4.8#. The rest don't seem to be worth considering -- other drills listed here are lighter cheaper and more powerful.
There are now super drills at 24v that can match corded drill for torque/power. The very heavy and expensive Bosch at $330 and 6 1/5 pounds out performed all other drills.
The worst in each category are:
18 v -- Grizzly and Chicago Electric
14 v -- Black & Decker and Grizzly
12 v -- Black & Decker and Skill 2467-02 & 2468-02
9 v -- Black & Decker and Ryobi
That famous rating magazine now says drills lower than 14 volts aren't worth buying. They now call the 14 and 18 volt drills "light." We used to agree when they thought drills weighing 4-5# and more were heavy for all around use. My test was to hold the drill as though you were using it just above eye level and see how long you could hold it there. (Be sure it's with the battery -- display models often aren't.) 5+ pounds may not seem like much until you try this. It's true when you look at price vs performance the recommended (but heavier) 18 volters give you the most grrrrr for your money. But, the whole point of cordless drills is convenience. Adding 2 pounds to a 3+ pound drill is a lot. If it becomes so heavy it's awkward or tiring to use is it still convenient?
A reasonable compromise for general purpose use might be the 12 volt Makita 6227DWE at $130 & 3.4 pounds It's a lower weight drill with a lot of torque for it's weight. Or, maybe the 14 volt Skil 2884-04 at $70 & 3.9#. The Makita would be my choice. It has less weight and better balance. But, the Skil has a little more power/torque and costs almost half as much.
If you look at even cheaper/lighter drills, it's my opinion an important feature is dual speeds -- one for drilling and one for driving screws. Most (none?) of the low end drills don't have two speeds. The higher speeds suitable for drilling are too fast for convenient screw driving. You'll probably find one of the primary uses for your cordless drill is driving screws -- they're often called drill-drivers. I've never seen a single-speed cordless drill geared slow for screw driving, but if there is one I'd probably give it a try -- the drilling may be slow, but it will work. Driving screws at high speeds is a problem.
Just My Opinion
Unless you're going to be doing major, heavy duty projects, or you don't intend to use your drill for routine projects around the house I say get a lighter drill.
I think a good combination for the weekend putterer is to get a light drill like the Makita or Skil mentioned above for routine stuff, and apply any money saved toward a good corded drill for meatier jobs.
The ladies may want to consider this too. Please don't get on me for being a chauvinist -- finding my heavier drill a little harder to wield these days, this old man got one of these lighter drills, and I'm using it almost exclusively. I have to get out my corded drill now-and-then, but I had to do that about as often with my heavier cordless.
Cordless Drills
Note: If you're on a tight budget, consider a corded (plug-in) drill. You can get a high quality corded drill for less money. It will be lighter and have more torque (power). And, the battery will never need charging just at the critical moment. If you don't use a drill regularly the battery is likely to need charging when you go to use it. Cordless drills are convenient but, they're more expensive and heavier with less performance.
Another problem with cordless drills is the batteries usually only last 2-4 years, even if you don't use them. Rechargeable batteries go bad just sitting on your shelf. Replacement batteries are amazingly expensive. I see cordless drills including a charger and two batteries on sale for only slightly more than the cost of two batteries. So, you probably want to think of a cordless drill as disposable, and expect to replace it every 3-4 years.
Normally you should expect to pay $60-$100 for a good corded drill. A couple of years ago Makita's model 6408K at $70 was rated high, and (surprisingly) Sears' model 10105 at $40 got a good rating.
Revised April 2004
Tip: My experiences with Black & Decker power tools have been bad generally and their drill ratings regularly bear this out. The same company owns both DeWalt and Black & Decker but, the quality of the two brands is very different.
Exact models are important. The same brand may have both
good and bad models in the same voltage range.
That nationally famous consumer products rating magazine has rated cordless drills again.
If you want a drill that can handle larger jobs as well as routine ones, your best bet for the money is probably the 18 volt Skil 2884-04 at $120 & 4.2 pounds Or, maybe the 18 volt Ryobi SA1802 at $120 & 5.3#, but the Skil is lighter and handles better. If you have big projects in mind and want the top power with greater run time per charge and are willing to pay the price and weight penalty for it you probably want the top rated 18 volt (actually 19.2v) Panasonic EY6450GQKW at $250 & 6.2# or maybe the second place DeWalt DW987K-2 at $270 & 6.0#.
The best 14 volter (actually 15.6v) is the Panasonic EY6432GQKW at $200 & 4.8#. The rest don't seem to be worth considering -- other drills listed here are lighter cheaper and more powerful.
There are now super drills at 24v that can match corded drill for torque/power. The very heavy and expensive Bosch at $330 and 6 1/5 pounds out performed all other drills.
The worst in each category are:
18 v -- Grizzly and Chicago Electric
14 v -- Black & Decker and Grizzly
12 v -- Black & Decker and Skill 2467-02 & 2468-02
9 v -- Black & Decker and Ryobi
That famous rating magazine now says drills lower than 14 volts aren't worth buying. They now call the 14 and 18 volt drills "light." We used to agree when they thought drills weighing 4-5# and more were heavy for all around use. My test was to hold the drill as though you were using it just above eye level and see how long you could hold it there. (Be sure it's with the battery -- display models often aren't.) 5+ pounds may not seem like much until you try this. It's true when you look at price vs performance the recommended (but heavier) 18 volters give you the most grrrrr for your money. But, the whole point of cordless drills is convenience. Adding 2 pounds to a 3+ pound drill is a lot. If it becomes so heavy it's awkward or tiring to use is it still convenient?
A reasonable compromise for general purpose use might be the 12 volt Makita 6227DWE at $130 & 3.4 pounds It's a lower weight drill with a lot of torque for it's weight. Or, maybe the 14 volt Skil 2884-04 at $70 & 3.9#. The Makita would be my choice. It has less weight and better balance. But, the Skil has a little more power/torque and costs almost half as much.
If you look at even cheaper/lighter drills, it's my opinion an important feature is dual speeds -- one for drilling and one for driving screws. Most (none?) of the low end drills don't have two speeds. The higher speeds suitable for drilling are too fast for convenient screw driving. You'll probably find one of the primary uses for your cordless drill is driving screws -- they're often called drill-drivers. I've never seen a single-speed cordless drill geared slow for screw driving, but if there is one I'd probably give it a try -- the drilling may be slow, but it will work. Driving screws at high speeds is a problem.
Just My Opinion
Unless you're going to be doing major, heavy duty projects, or you don't intend to use your drill for routine projects around the house I say get a lighter drill.
I think a good combination for the weekend putterer is to get a light drill like the Makita or Skil mentioned above for routine stuff, and apply any money saved toward a good corded drill for meatier jobs.
The ladies may want to consider this too. Please don't get on me for being a chauvinist -- finding my heavier drill a little harder to wield these days, this old man got one of these lighter drills, and I'm using it almost exclusively. I have to get out my corded drill now-and-then, but I had to do that about as often with my heavier cordless.
I asked some of the old timers who work on building maint. where I work and their impressions were Makitas last the longest. Milwaukees are next in longevity and DeWalts don't hold up as well as either.
These guys use their cordless drill daily and they look pretty beat up after a short time.
I bought a Makita.
These guys use their cordless drill daily and they look pretty beat up after a short time.
I bought a Makita.
you can't go wrong with the makita M-force series. I use them every day and they have a ton of power, are durable, and the batteries last a long time on a charge. you can pick them up with a case, 2 batteries, charger and tool belt for $175 at home depot.
I just bought a milwaukee 14.4 lok-tor drill. it was on sale for $60 off at sears. milwaukee builds the toughest tools you can buy, the downside is they are heavy. it rated as one of the best in a recent magazine article. Makita was right there with it.
for the money ryobi makes decent stuff. i would buy it over B&D products.
I just bought a milwaukee 14.4 lok-tor drill. it was on sale for $60 off at sears. milwaukee builds the toughest tools you can buy, the downside is they are heavy. it rated as one of the best in a recent magazine article. Makita was right there with it.
for the money ryobi makes decent stuff. i would buy it over B&D products.
I've been pretty happy with the Black&Decker 14.4V and they are cheap enough you can buy two. They won't stand the Industrial drop test, but good otherwise. I've done several electrical jobs and built a deck with them. I dropped one from 6' ladder onto concrete and busted the case, but it is still functional. I'm not sure the average user needs to pay more. It's convenient for me to have two and alternate.
I don't see much reason to go with a DeWalt or industrial quality if abuse and drop test is not a major concern.
I don't see much reason to go with a DeWalt or industrial quality if abuse and drop test is not a major concern.
dewalt batteries never seem to hold a charge. if i leave the battery or drill laying around for a few days the battery completely discharges. this is a fairly annoying trait.
i have a corded 1/2" makita. good drill. literally unstoppable.
i have a corded 1/2" makita. good drill. literally unstoppable.
I vote Makita. They are the only breand still selling with nimh batteries. When nimh batteries first became available for contractor use every major cordless tool maker offered them. After hearing all the complaints from the contractors about the price of replacement batteries all the makers except Makita stopped offering them.
This is a case of Makita knowing more than the contractors who buy their products. For the same size battery a typical nimh battery will have over 30% more amps and do about 100% more work because of the way the voltage drops in a nimh compared to a nicad. Nicad voltage starts to drop immediately and continues dropping until the tool no longer functions. A nimh battery supplies full voltage for the whole time and then the supply voltage just drops to nothing. Both can be recharged 500-1000 times but the nimh can be put back into the charger and charged up from halfway down without causing a memory loss.
A Makita with 2 nimh batteries and a 15 minute charger can run all day on a work site. Try to keep up with a nicad and you will need 3-4 batteries and 2-3 15 minute chargers.
Both batteries loose about 2% of their charge per day when stored.
If you want to compare the real cost of a nicad versus a nimh battery you will have to facter in a 2:1 advantage to the nimh. For example: $60 nimh = $30 nicad.
If the nicad is more than 1/2 the cost of the nimh then you are paying more. Now factor in the cost of extra chargers for the nicads if you use the tools nonstop in your trade.
Nimh and Makitas durability make it the #1 choice among cordless tools for those who know all the facts.
This is a case of Makita knowing more than the contractors who buy their products. For the same size battery a typical nimh battery will have over 30% more amps and do about 100% more work because of the way the voltage drops in a nimh compared to a nicad. Nicad voltage starts to drop immediately and continues dropping until the tool no longer functions. A nimh battery supplies full voltage for the whole time and then the supply voltage just drops to nothing. Both can be recharged 500-1000 times but the nimh can be put back into the charger and charged up from halfway down without causing a memory loss.
A Makita with 2 nimh batteries and a 15 minute charger can run all day on a work site. Try to keep up with a nicad and you will need 3-4 batteries and 2-3 15 minute chargers.
Both batteries loose about 2% of their charge per day when stored.
If you want to compare the real cost of a nicad versus a nimh battery you will have to facter in a 2:1 advantage to the nimh. For example: $60 nimh = $30 nicad.
If the nicad is more than 1/2 the cost of the nimh then you are paying more. Now factor in the cost of extra chargers for the nicads if you use the tools nonstop in your trade.
Nimh and Makitas durability make it the #1 choice among cordless tools for those who know all the facts.
I vote Makita. My old (1988?) 9.6V drill still works great. I even have an older 7.2V Makita that is pretty darn good for the small size......
If you talk corded, then my vote switches to Milwaukee.
If you talk corded, then my vote switches to Milwaukee.
DeWalt and Milwalkie(sp) are in my opion the most reliable and durable. When I was in college I did a lot of construction work on the side under the table. My wife worked at a lumber store so I normaly bought Dewalt as it was the best bang for the buck. Most of the company's I worked for though used Milwalkie and they did hold up better but they cost a lot more.
I have a similar vintage 12V Makita. It's still going strong, the original battery lasted over 10 years.
I also have DeWalt 12V that I bought 3 years ago. It came with two batteries, both of which were shot in less than 3 years.
Except for the much lower battery life and a percieved lower durability, I like the DeWalt better in just about every way. It's a bit smaller, lighter, quieter and smoother and feels better in my hand. It's also more powerful.
I've never had a problem with Dewalt batteries.. Milwaukee batteries on the other hand, suck. we've got a couple 18V 1/2 impact wrenches and about 6 batteries and a 3 bay charger. we're always running out of batteries and if the charger isn't kept in a heated (read about 75F) space they never charge, which is a ***** working in Maine, outside year round.
the only problem I have with my Dewalt 14.4v XRP 3 speed drill is that I knocked it off of a scissor lift at about 25ft above the ground and the trigger is a little messed up now... need to go order a new trigger.
if you want to drive screws though... get a corldess 1/4" hex drive impact. I've got a DeWalt 14.4V one.. 97ft-lbs of torque, it drives wood screws like you wouldn't believe, and can even snap bits on command (which is why I think they de-rate it from the 1/2" drive version). Rigid has one that's rated at like 120 something ft-lbs.. that's too much for a 1/4" hex.
-Bret
unless I am drilling steel constantly, I can get by just fine with 2 batteries and a 1 hour charger w/ my Dewalt 14.4V drill. I've had it for going on 3 years now. I rarely ever run out of battery. my Dewalt batteries act just the way you describe the NiMH batteries... when they're dead they're dead. and if you do a little research, both Milwaukee and Dewalt say not to worry about memory, that only happens to batterys with a slow steady constant rate of discharge... i.e. a cordless phone. powertools are heavy and varied current draws and both our Milwaukee and Dewalt manuals say to drop the battery in the charger when just as soon as the drill loses performance, don't draw it down as it'll ruin the batteries. I'm waiting to see how the new 28V Lithium ion Milwaukees perform.
-Bret
I got to agree. I got a 14v Makita and it's lighter and easier to use because it feels so balance.
I have a corded Black & Decker 3/8in that I bought in the early 70s for $20, and it's still holding up as it's built with hobbed steel gears. I bought a Skill corded 1/2in drill a few years ago and it stopped working when I used a hole saw. Taking it apart I found that a lot of teeth on a large cast gear had sheared off. I bought a Milwaukee 1/2in corded drill and have been very pleased with it, on steel, concrete, and anything else that I've tried it on. I picked up a cordless drill maybe 10 years ago for $5, it's an old 'egg beater' drill, and it works just fine on wood, plastic, drywall, aluminum, brass, etc., everything but steel.
A friend and I were working a project using some 1/4in hot rolled plate, and when it came time to drill some holes he pulled out his 18 volt Dewalt cordless. He had used it to build his house, drilling I beams and such, but it wouldn't touch that hot rolled plate. We had to use a plasma cutter to do the holes. As thanks for helping me I gave him a 1/2in drill press that was on sale at Sears, and he said that it worked fine on that hot rolled plate. As Gump might say, cordless drills don't seem to be good for steel, and that's all that I have to say about that :^)
I'd pick a decent quality cordless drill that isn't too heavy, has good battery life, and expect to use a good corded drill for heavy work.
A friend and I were working a project using some 1/4in hot rolled plate, and when it came time to drill some holes he pulled out his 18 volt Dewalt cordless. He had used it to build his house, drilling I beams and such, but it wouldn't touch that hot rolled plate. We had to use a plasma cutter to do the holes. As thanks for helping me I gave him a 1/2in drill press that was on sale at Sears, and he said that it worked fine on that hot rolled plate. As Gump might say, cordless drills don't seem to be good for steel, and that's all that I have to say about that :^)
I'd pick a decent quality cordless drill that isn't too heavy, has good battery life, and expect to use a good corded drill for heavy work.
I have a Skil light duty 2.4 volt cordless screwdriver. It is very convenient for small jobs. It is almost the first screwdriver I reach for. I have never tried to drill a hole with it. Doubt it would drill much of a hole. Maybe not much for prying lids off paint cans either. One thing I love is just moving my finger to the other side of the rocker switch to reverse.
The chuck is a piece of junk. It relies on a little spring wire to hold the bit in place. The first one went bad. They sent me a whole new tool for the price of shipping one way. The second one seems marginal too.
The chuck is a piece of junk. It relies on a little spring wire to hold the bit in place. The first one went bad. They sent me a whole new tool for the price of shipping one way. The second one seems marginal too.
I am an I/C electrician, and I use cordless drills in heavy duty applications everyday (often for things that you shouldn't use a cordless for.....i.e. turning 5 inch holesaws through 3/4 plywood, turning 2 inch holesaws through 1/4 steel plate..etc). I have used most of the major brands available....milwaukee, Dewalt, makita, porter cable, ryobi, etc. In my experience, for a combination of reliability, durability, power and performance......you can't beat a dewalt. Milwaukee and makitas are fairly durable, but the performance falls short of dewalt.....especially when it comes to RPM's (high rpms help with many jobs), and makita gearboxs don't stand up to a great deal of abuse. Porter cables aren't all that durable when abused. ryobi's are just household toys. I have no experience with panasonic.
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