DIYer drill/impact recommendations

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Well my old porter cable nicad 18v drill is starting to get tired and all but one battery pack is shot. Looking to replace with a combo pack of drill as well as impact driving with lu-ion batteries. Any suggestions? Top of my list is either black and decker for low cost (and maybe one of their weedwackers also) vs Ridgid for a slightly better tool along with their killer warranty.

Budget is a huge factor as I can't justify a "need" but it should would be nice not to drag out my 1/2" hammer drill every time I need to do something...
 
I get a nearly daily email from bigskytool.com. They have frequent specials on Hitachi refurbs and returns that I've had good luck with. Prices are very good, but you may have to wait a little while until they offer the package you want on their daily specials. They sell other brands as well, but the best deals seem to involve Hitachi.

The Hitachi line may be a step below top of the line DeWalt, Makita, etc, but its been good enough for my needs as a handyman. If I was a professional builder using these tools every day, I would probably upgrade.

The few tools that I have bought from them look brand new, despite being refurbs. I haven't seen any sign of damage or previous use.
 
This...

On clearance for $135.

You get a high quality, high performance drill and impact driver with charger and batteries. Makita will last forever. Still have my first Makita cordless tool...from decades ago...

The 18v li-ion system offers excellent performance, and Makita makes all kinds of tools that run on it, from circular saws, to blowers, to recip saws.

You won't regret it. This is a bargain.

Makita 18-Volt LXT
 
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+1 I have some Makita 18V batteries that are going on 11 years old and still hold a good charge, never a failure with a tool either. My go to brand for this sort of tool.
 
My old Dewalt 18v batteries finally gave out a couple of years ago. I ordered two generic batteries from Amazon for $30 shipped. I couldn't bring myself to throw away a perfectly good drill/driver and flashlight. So far they're holding a strong charge and working fine.
 
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I use a Ridgid 18v Drill and impact, my tools get heavy use. I have had 3 batteries replaced and the drill motor replaced under their Lifetime service agreement. It was easy, and there were no strings attatched (once the tool components registered ) I have had these tools about 5 years.

Prior to this I would replace a drill about every 12-18 months mainly due to batteries that were too costly to replace on there own or obsolete.
 
The reason it's hard to decide is because so many companies make excellent cordless tools. Ryobi and Bosch are good tools, too, in addition to the ones mentioned above. Look for the best deal.
 
Originally Posted by Leo99
The reason it's hard to decide is because so many companies make excellent cordless tools. Ryobi and Bosch are good tools, too, in addition to the ones mentioned above. Look for the best deal.



I agree with you. Look for the best deal.

I finally went to the DeWalt 20V line. Up here in Canada more people buy DeWalt that the other brands. I've bought a lot of used or new stuff that guys had in Sets and didn't want, so I got a lot of pieces for around the $100 price. Even got a Dewalt radio at a pawn shop with a 3 amp battery for $90. Needed a cleaning, but brand new they are over $200.

The Rigid deal looks awesome since you get free batteries for life. Makita is good as well. Just be warned, you may become a tool Junkie! lol.
 
Agreed! I have battery powered Milwaukee tools for everything now, so my air compressor just sits there. Poor thing - well he does get to blow parts off and inflate tires but that's about it...
 
Originally Posted by Astro14
This...

On clearance for $135.

You get a high quality, high performance drill and impact driver with charger and batteries. Makita will last forever. Still have my first Makita cordless tool...from decades ago...

The 18v li-ion system offers excellent performance, and Makita makes all kinds of tools that run on it, from circular saws, to blowers, to recip saws.

You won't regret it. This is a bargain.

Makita 18-Volt LXT



That is a deal, I'm tempted and I don't even need another. I also have very old Makitas that still work perfectly, just get a new battery every few years.
 
Originally Posted by expat
I use a Ridgid 18v Drill and impact, my tools get heavy use. I have had 3 batteries replaced and the drill motor replaced under their Lifetime service agreement. It was easy, and there were no strings attatched (once the tool components registered ) I have had these tools about 5 years.

Prior to this I would replace a drill about every 12-18 months mainly due to batteries that were too costly to replace on there own or obsolete.


So the batteries die and the drill let the smoke out but they keep replacing it, sounds like a good quality tool to me. Not.
 
Similar situation here, have an old DeWalt XRP 14.4v drill, original batteries shot and the generic replacements are cheap but pretty lousy. Came to need an oscillating saw and settled on the Makita 12v CXT. I'll get the drill and driver eventually. I don't do enough high volume or heavy duty type sawing or drilling to warrant the higher voltage stuff and the smaller size and weight of the 12v stuff will be nice (the oscillating saw is half the weight of the 18v version). I have a HF 1/2" corded drill for backup.

The 18v Makita set linked earlier shows as not available locally or for order. The drill/driver, 2 battery 12v kit is $140, only $10 more than Rigid. Black&Decker has a 20v drill/driver kit (1 battery) for only $75. Dunno if it's any good.

jeff
 
If you want quality and longevity you cant go wrong with Makita or Milwaukee.
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My dad bought on-sale a little while ago the Bauer 20v impact driver from Harbor Freight. I've been borrowing it from him for projects around the house because it has far more Torque than my 18v one. It's quite powerful and well built.

The everyday price is really high at Harbor Freight but you can catch it on sale and/or use a 20% off coupon on it.
 
Most any will get the job done, so go by price, and look for clearances. Ebay has deals on both new and used ones. I use mine commercially, and usually buy Milwaukee, (only because that's what I started with and they work well, but I wouldn't say they're the best, as they're all pretty darn good).
I needed a cordless impact wrench a couple of years ago and bought a HF 1/2" cordless and two batteries for less than a C note, and it has constantly amazed me at how well it works and how powerful it is. It will easily remove lug nuts and most suspension parts. The good news is, I've used it far more than I EVER dreamed I would, and I'm still on the original two batteries. If I remember correctly I got it all for $79, cant' beat that. They sell some new red and blue cordless drills and they look fantastic.
My helper in HVAC work recently bought the HF blue drill and impact and loves it, plus when the batteries do go bad, they're something like $25 apiece. I dunno, but he loves them.
My SIL has the older maroon HF cordless drill and a saw etc, and it's over 10 years old and still going strong, again, as far as I know on original batteries.
I just think for occasional use, almost any name brand will work well. My Milwaukees are used a lot, and now and then dropped here and there, sometimes a long way, and still work fine, so for normal use, I'd think any Craftsman, Kobalt, Ryobi, or any of the bigger names would do just fine, as well as the HF old or new.
 
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Originally Posted by double vanos
Agreed! I have battery powered Milwaukee tools for everything now, so my air compressor just sits there. Poor thing - well he does get to blow parts off and inflate tires but that's about it...


Same here. Milwaukee M18 Fuel tools.
 
Originally Posted by Trav
Originally Posted by expat
I use a Ridgid 18v Drill and impact, my tools get heavy use. I have had 3 batteries replaced and the drill motor replaced under their Lifetime service agreement. It was easy, and there were no strings attatched (once the tool components registered ) I have had these tools about 5 years.

Prior to this I would replace a drill about every 12-18 months mainly due to batteries that were too costly to replace on there own or obsolete.


So the batteries die and the drill let the smoke out but they keep replacing it, sounds like a good quality tool to me. Not.



Well if you are prepared to pay for Hilti (and risk getting it stolen) go for it.
But as I say, it has outlasted the competition if only because of the LSA.

A tool that dosent pay for itself is a toy!
 
Obviously, your budget will dictate your choices. You mentioned B&D for a budget unit, if you really want to go low price I'd suggest considering a Worx unit. They're Li Ion, run for a long time on a charge, built surprisingly well (especially compared to other cheapie brands), and because they aren't professional level they are noticeably smaller and lighter. I bought one on a whim from Menards about 8 years ago for like $55 and use it a lot. These are great homeowner tools, but do lack the torque of a larger unit. Usually when I need more torque, I switch to my 1/2" corded drill because 80% of the time if the Worx can't handle it, a corded 3/8" drill/driver won't be much better.
 
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