Looking for opinions on cordless drills.

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Looking for opinions on cordless drills.

Posted: 6/17/2002 3:51:56 PM EST

Going to buy one next Saturday and am looking at these top manufacturers. I know Milwaukee's been around for awhile and DeWalt is the newest. Any suggestions?

Milwaukee
Porter Cable
DeWalt
Bosch

Posted: 6/17/2002 3:58:31 PM EST

[#1]

I'm very happy with the Makitas I've had. I have 2 Makita cordless drills. A 12 volt and a 18 volt. I have a Makita Circular saw and a Makita compound miter chopsaw.Very happy with them all. I have a Bosch sabersaw thats very nice and my Dad has a Milwaukee circular saw. He had a Milwaukee 12 volt drill when they started making cordless ones. It worked good for a couple years then the batteries stopped taking a charge. Makita is the way to go in my opinion [:D]

Posted: 6/17/2002 4:00:01 PM EST

[#2]

i've got a makita that kicks ass! I bought a millwaukee last year. They had a recall on the batteries. Something to do with them catching fire in the charger. I sent mine in and it took 6 months to get them back.

mike

Posted: 6/17/2002 4:02:59 PM EST

[#3]

Well, I did have a 14.?V Dewalt but somehow the motor burned out prematurely. It was only used a few hours. The 18V I have now has never posed a problem.

Posted: 6/17/2002 4:08:58 PM EST

[#4]

Okay, I've got an answer for this one...Hilti.
They don't sell them in stores because they are a true industrial product. I was ready to go back to a cord when my Makita finally died. A friend of mine hooked me up with the most awesome cordless drill I have ever seen. It's a model SF150-a. The batteries are rated in amp/hrs not volts. This thing, while highly expensive, kicks ass. It is definitely worth trying to find one of these.

Posted: 6/17/2002 4:09:35 PM EST

[#5]

I've had Makitas, Black and Decker's and DeWalts. DeWalt stands far above the rest in quality and construction (and I used them in a construction job on a daily basis).

I went with the DeWalt 18 volt setup - the 24 volt is just too heavy. I also have the 18 volt trim saw(small circular saw), reciprocating saw, jigsaw, and light. All use the same batteries so they work great as a set.

edited to comment to Rabbit9: Hilti is a good company but I have not used their cordless drills. All batteries can, and usually are rated in amp hours, but they have a voltage too - it's a matter of what the company want's to print on the product. The 18 volt batteries I use are rated at 2.4 amp hours.

Posted: 6/17/2002 4:13:56 PM EST

[#6]

Well, I bought a Milwaukee 18V Hammer Drill

PROS
-Battery life is great and recharge time is only about an hour.
-Battery mounts in 2 positions allowing drill to fit in more spaces.
-It has torque and hammer features which were both important to the work I tend to do

CONS
-18V is a tad heavy ("my freakin' forearm is killing me!"

I can't complain since it has done EVERYTHING I've needed it to do. I'm also impressed with the Porter Cable tools I've owned. Just figure out the features you need and purchase whichever one you think is best out of the manufacturers you mentioned. I don't think you can go wrong as they are all reputable.

Posted: 6/17/2002 4:15:33 PM EST

[#7]

I use one of the 18vdc dewalts routinely, it is an awesome unit!

Posted: 6/17/2002 4:16:18 PM EST

[#8]

I have at least one of all of the above mentioned. I currently like the Milwaukee 18 volt for the weight and it has the most torque.

Go to Lowe's, etc., and see how they feel to your hand. They are all good choices.

Posted: 6/17/2002 4:16:53 PM EST

[#9]

I have had my miluakee 14.4v drill for about 6 years with no problems. I work construction so mine is like an extension of my arm. I have replaced both batteries cause when I drop it it usually hits battery first. I have told myself when it burns out I am gonna get me the 118v version but the thing just keeps running.

Posted: 6/17/2002 4:26:22 PM EST

[#10]

I like the Bosch 14.4 volt 400 in/lbs torque.

[url]www.thetoolman.com[/url] has them for $174 there may be better pricing out there.

I have a Bosch 24 volt drill kit, it will break your wrist.

[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid23/pa83d99db32fa2f335262b14c9a061742/fda321dc.jpg[/img]

Posted: 6/17/2002 4:49:02 PM EST

[#11]

First off let me say this: The following is absolutely, unequivocally the correct answer.

Get the DeWalt 18v. You want the model with three speeds and a hammer drill function. It needs to be the model where the motor is mostly in front of the pistol grip, not the more common model where it is over the grip.

That baby can kick serious ass under the most demanding possible commercial/industrial uses.

Posted: 6/17/2002 5:03:49 PM EST

[#12]

I have twice now dropped my Dewalt 14.4 down a flight of stairs while updating my master bedroom. Still runs like a top.

The Costco near me has a wide selection of Dewalts, suggest you go there and pick one out.

Posted: 6/17/2002 5:40:32 PM EST

[#13]

I agree! The dewalt 14.4 is a great drill. I recommend the XRP model. I too have kicked the crap out of it and it keeps on running. It is fan cooled and should last a homeowner for many years.

Posted: 6/17/2002 5:57:52 PM EST

[#14]

We looked at a bunch before buying the 18v DeWalt. We didn't get the kind Rabid_Coyote mentioned - handle behind the motor - but we still are very impressed with it.

The guy at Home Depot was pushing the Ryobi, saying they had an unlimited warratny, "but they never come back". Turned out at least one friend found his Ryobi to be a piece of crap and had trouble getting them to honor the warranty.

I would definitely not go with anything smaller than the 18v. Even though the 18v is a little heavier than you might prefer, when you have to do some serious work (screwing down planks for a deck, for example) the 18v will handle it fine, while the smaller ones will get hot and tired.

Also make SURE you get at least one extra battery and preferably two.

I have no expreirence with Hilti but a friend has several Makita tools and loves them. I've heard good things about Hilti and Milwaukee.
Black & Decker used to be a good name, but not so sure about them any more.

Posted: 6/17/2002 6:10:19 PM EST

[#15]

Quoted:

Black & Decker used to be a good name, but not so sure about them any more.

View Quote

From what I hear,DeWalt IS Black and Decker... Same company.

I wouldnt buy a Milwaukee if I were you. I knew someone who did ... he died, dog got fleas and his daughter got pregnant.

BUT SERIOUSLY FOLKS, I have had Makitas and to this day all are still working great.... Im sure even the one that was stolen from me is still working.

Posted: 6/17/2002 6:33:46 PM EST

[#16]

For home/hobby I have a Craftsman 14.4 volt that is great, but for serious work as an auto mech I use a Dewalt 18 volt that my shop purchased. They are both very good but the Dewalt has a much higher speed that is better for my work needs. The Craftsman was only $69 on sale last year and the I recall the Dewalt being very expensive at around $150. Any brand name should suit your needs, like guns it is a matter of personal preference.(posting as oneshot1kill, my login is down)

Posted: 6/17/2002 6:55:00 PM EST

[#17]

One word: Makita.

DeWalt is made by...wait for it....Black and Decker. Can you say junk? If you treat a DeWalt like you treat a Makita you'll have a busted DeWalt. I know.

And no, I don't work for either of them. I'm just hard on my tools.

Posted: 6/17/2002 7:01:20 PM EST

[#18]

BOSCH!

I've been using one of their 14.4 volt units for years, don't know how I ever lived without it. If I ever wear it out I wouldn't consider any other brand except possibly Porter Cable.

Posted: 6/17/2002 7:07:32 PM EST

[#19]

DEWALT 14.4v

Posted: 6/17/2002 7:12:28 PM EST

[#20]

I bought a 12V DeWalt in 1996 and used it installing telecom switching equipment for about four years all over the country. Since I got it, I also used it to build half of a 30'X 20' deck all with 2.5" lag screws and to build shelves along a whole wall of the garages in the last two houses I've owned, in addition to many other smaller household projects.

I've dropped it, broken bits drilling through computer floor tiles with it, set small anchors in concrete that I've drilled with masonry bits with it, ran the batteries down countless times and charged them back up again and it works like it's new.

In other words, when the time comes for me to buy another cordless drill/driver, I'm buying DeWalt again.

Posted: 6/17/2002 9:44:09 PM EST

[#21]

Get a Dewalt. I used to sell Milwaukee's & had them returned regularly for repairs. The Dewalt's never came back for repair. >gg<

Posted: 6/17/2002 10:08:38 PM EST

[#22]

I have worked in a harware store for years and I can tell you that the Dewalt's are excellent but the motor brushes tend to wear out with excessive use i.e. construction workers. But they are quiet expensive.

Keving67

Posted: 6/17/2002 10:20:12 PM EST

[#23]

Ive got 2 makitas and a riobi and a black and decker, the b&d is crap, the riobi is ok, but the makitas kick ass, powerfull as hell, and the batts last a long time, but sometimes you have to use a corded one, Ive got a skil and a dewalt and they both kick ass

Posted: 6/17/2002 10:26:39 PM EST

[#24]

I have had a 12V Makita with the NmHi batteries and really do like it alot. I have used it on many of projects and buildings. I just purchased a Milwaukee 14.4 Hammer nice drill but a bit heavy. If more torque is need than A 12volt I would go with a Makita 14.4.

Posted: 6/17/2002 11:06:43 PM EST

[#25]

Quoted:
One word: Makita.

DeWalt is made by...wait for it....Black and Decker. Can you say junk? If you treat a DeWalt like you treat a Makita you'll have a busted DeWalt. I know.

And no, I don't work for either of them. I'm just hard on my tools.

View Quote

Yes, Dewalt is owned by B&D, but the two are NOT comparable. I've got a Dewalt biscuit jointer that has taken serious abuse in my shop (I own a cabinet business), and has yet to fail me. I also had one of their cordless drills that was giving me great service, until some SOB stole it from a jobsite. By way of comparison, I've gone through multiple bases on a Makita plunge router because they insist on using the crappiest pot metal to make the damn things. Makita does make some good tools, but they also make some pretty bad ones, too. I've got a Makita sliding compound miter saw that has so much flex in the slide that I can't use it for precision work.

Whenever I hear people downplay Dewalt tools based on B&D ownership, I can't help but think of all the idiots out there who are buying Delta garbage because of the name and because that's what "Norm" uses. I stopped posting on rec. woodworking because of all of the Delta apologists. Delta USED to make good stuff, but that era is over. Still, people cling to the brandname because their neighbor's friend's cousin's nephew says they're the best.

You think you're hard on your tools? Send me one of your Makita toys for a month and I'll be happy to put it through its paces.

Posted: 6/17/2002 11:14:52 PM EST

[#26]

Very happy with my bosch for the money.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Looking for opinions on cordless drills.

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