Your cordless drill choice for sub-$200

I will add a vote for the Dewalt 20V max brushless drill. I got one this past summer and it has been great. Based things I read, brushless motors require better battery usage tech and mine works full speed and power until about 10 seconds before it dies. The battery charge lasts a long time and recharges in less than an hour. Good luck finding one that doesn't have a slight wobble as it turns though.
 
I've had DeWalt, Makita, and Rigid. Currently using the Milwaukee 18 volt series. Milwaukee has held up great, no complaints.
 
Codger_64 said:
Remember that torque and power usage are just as important as speed, if not more so. A fast drill isn't always best. Keyless chuck and variable clutch are important. And Makita has an excellent rep as well.
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This.

I get the same happiness from using my Bosch HDS181-02L as from using a well designed knife. The ability to set the torque/clutch and the ability to control of the speed using the trigger is great.

Depending on how you use it, the Li On batteries can be awesome.
 
Although I don't think home depot rigid drills are the best,I bought them for their warranty. Free lifetime battery replacement. In my experience it's always the batteries that go bad before the tool. The dang batteries are so expensive you just as well by a new tool. One thought that just came to mind is that batteries plus will rebuild your batteries I think. It's probably a cheaper way to go.
 
I use a 18v Dewalt drill for heavier tasks. Honestly, I don't use it nearly as much as a 12v Ryobi (actually have two of them) that has a lot of torque and great for small to medium sized tasks. Things like 5" deck screws are not a problem for it. It is just so light and easy to handle that I always seem to gravitate to it. By the same token, I met a maintenance person who found the same drill wanting. So..... I don't know. I continue to use what works for me. The original one has lasted 6-8 years of regular use (still ticking) and sometimes for fairly long periods of time.

I have a 20v Dewalt reciprocating saw that I use a lot. No problems with the battery and it charges up quickly.

18v drills are great, but do you really need that much power? It just depends on the kind of things you do and I don't particularly like to hold my 18v Dewalt at arms length using it for very long. It gets heavy.

My back up drill is a corded 3/8" Makita that is a work horse. It doesn't get used much, but it is always available should the need present itself on my jobs. Since it is corded, it is powerful and not as handy to use as my others.
 
I just purchased this set from Dewalt. The impact tool is so small that I can drop my brush guard on my Polaris RZR in about 3 minutes without raising the machine (about 13 attach points). It is more than you want to pay, but buy once cry once is my motto. It is brushless and that adds to the cost. Exudes quality when you use it. Has LED lights aimed toward your work. Looks like the price increased by $20 since I bought mine.

DEWALT DCK281D2 20V Max XR Lithium Ion Brushless Compact Drill/Driver & Impact Driver Combo Kit

Good Luck in whatever you choose.
 
Personally, I wouldn't spend my own money on cordless tools.

But at work we use cordless tools quite a bit and use Makita almost exclusively. For a cordless drill, I like the Makita products just fine but be aware they have multiple product lines of cordless drill. The less expensive models aren't as powerful and don't hold up to heavy use as well. Don't bother with the 'compact' batteries. The good ones are 18v and (I think) they are called "LXT" and they cost about $100. A second battery (you'll need it) costs about almost a hundred dollars also. So $200 for a minimal cordless setup. Maybe they sell a set with two batteries that would save some money?

For $60 you can get a basic but excellent corded DeWalt drill that will run stronger, longer, and harder than any battery-powered tool. That makes corded tools a no-brainer choice in my book. :thumbup:
 
Depends on the application. In my construction work the cordless was great because I didn't have to rig and drag expensive extension cords, worry about them getting nicked, or workers being electrocuted in wet environments. Facing pool stairs was done while standing in water over a foot deep, 75-150 stainless screws..

Yes, I always had an assortment of corded drills as well for special uses like running large hole saws, drilling large holes in steel beams and setting anchors in concrete decks and footings. 3/8" Craftsman, 1/2" Milwaukee and Hilti hammer drill.
 
I got a 14.4V DeWalt over 10 years ago and it worked well, still works well, but I had to buy a new battery last year. I got a new DeWalt 20V Lithium drill and impact driver for Christmas last year and the drill is really nice. I believe at the time DeWalt made 3 different models of the 20V drill, so you could pay for a higher quality drill if you wanted. I noticed last year that the drill was occasionally advertised for $100 right before Christmas.

About 5 or so years ago I bought a Ridgid LiIon set that was on sale at HomeDepot- drill, impact driver, light, sawzall. From the beginning the batteries did not work properly. Despite their advertising, Ridgid refuses to warranty their batteries so I'm stuck with a bunch of tools that don't work. So now I buy the brands that I have had the best luck with and that other people have good luck with. I have a Hitachi miter saw that works well but I would be afraid to buy a cordless tool from them. If the battery fails and you can't get another one, you're out of luck. Batteries will always be available for DeWalt tools.
 
My favorite drill is an old Milwaukee 14.4 was made in Japan.

My favorite currently is Festool , but obviously doesn't meet the price point. The new Dewalt ones are quite nice and some are made in USA. They are my main drills now around the house. . I have a bunch of Bosch tools, just not a drill. They work well.
 
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