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Cordless drills dilemas
BenB - 15/8/09 at 01:39 PM

What would anyone recommend for a good powerful cordless drill driver?

We're doing up a house in a few months and I fancy getting some reasonable ones. I've always had cheap and tacky £15-20 12v jobbies from B+Q which always do about 10 drills / screws before the batteries are flat (probably partially because of the pants chargers that comes with them). In the garage I've got round this by running a wire from the drill to a big car battery (not exactly cordless any more but the low down power of those things make them much better at drilling steel than 240v drills IMHO).

Am I better off getting a cordless drill and a seperate cordless driver (IE it'll last twice as long) or is the best option a good drill driver with spare batteries. I think screwfix have a reasonable deal at the moment for a £75 drill that comes with 3 batteries.

this fella

Or would I be better to stick with the cheap drill and just make up some new batteries packs with Nicad cells and be careful when I'm charging them?!?!?

Also- NiCad or LiPo?
Any recommended makes?

ernie - 15/8/09 at 01:44 PM

yes screwfix, bosh with li-on batts,, 98862.powerful but light

dave1888 - 15/8/09 at 01:45 PM

De Walt or Makita

Flamez - 15/8/09 at 01:47 PM

I've just bought a dewalt

A bit more pricey but powerful.

Blackcab - 15/8/09 at 01:50 PM

I got 2 from wickes , £30 each good battery life - ideal for DIY - I have seperate corded hammer drill ( bosch) that must be 15 years old - old style chuck and key ... does the job though

BenB - 15/8/09 at 01:52 PM

Yup I've got my mains drill and my SDS plus dril for brickwork but for screwing up plasterboard ceilings etc I quite fancy a good driver...

Makita and DeWalt are nice but I've just bought a house so I'm flipping skint!

lexus - 15/8/09 at 02:08 PM

A cordless drill/driver with a spare battery that charges in an hour will see you ok. The Hitachi offer in Screwfix is a stonking buy (and i believe it has a hammer action also)

thunderace - 15/8/09 at 02:19 PM

as a builder i just sold all my dewalt gear im now useing ryobi one 18v 2.4ah Li Ion and cant fault the gear .
screwfix and ebay do good deals on the stuff.
they sell more things cordless than anyone else from 18v radios to grinders i love the Cordless circular saw.

adam1985 - 15/8/09 at 03:22 PM

using my drills everyday for work they get alot of stick i ony use makita or dewalt end of the day you get what you pay.

James - 15/8/09 at 04:19 PM

I would say my 18v Makita is probably the best and most used single tool I have. Came with 3 batteries and a quick charger.

Brilliant!

The 18v was fantastic after my Dad's 14v Black and Decker!

Cheers,
James

chrsgrain - 15/8/09 at 04:36 PM

Makita every time, though my dad who's a chippy swears by his Ryobi stuff....

Chris

JoelP - 15/8/09 at 05:07 PM

quote:
Originally posted by James
I would say my 18v Makita is probably the best and most used single tool I have. Came with 3 batteries and a quick charger.

Cheers,
James



I got that one too, fantastic drill!

hitatchi is a well reputed brand, certainly equal to ryobi and makita. Dewalt isnt what it used to be, the cheaper stuff is crap. Still good if you spend big though.

The hitatchi drill will be fine for what you intend Ben.

BenB - 15/8/09 at 05:46 PM

cheers

l0rd - 15/8/09 at 07:29 PM

I saw a couple of years ago my landlord who was doing some repairs in the house. He was a builder and he had a small Hitachi Impact screwdriver with him.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


4 inches screws throught the wall in 1 sec.