3/8" 18v cordless drill/driver recommendations?

(feel free to move this to OT if it's not bicycle-centric enough)

I want an 18volt 3/8" cordless drill/driver for around-the-house construction & repairs. I'm sure I don't need "the best" but I don't want something that I'll need to replace in another 12 months. I had a modestly-priced Black & Decker several years ago that worked great until exactly two weeks after the warranty expired...since then I've been making do with my grandfather's 50-year-old corded drill.

Last I looked Makita, DeWalt, and Hilti were considered the shiznit. Any specific recommendations?

Thanks.

Rigid has a free battery replacement program if that matters.

This isn't 18v and it's not 3/8" chuck but for most things it is superior to a regular screw gun. Impact is where it's at.

M12â„¢ Cordless Lithium-Ion 1/4" Hex Impact Driver M12â„¢ Cordless Lithium-Ion 1/4" Hex Impact Driver | Milwaukee Tool

I bought a combo from Rigid, an 18v cordless drill and 18v impact driver for about the cost of some other 18v cordless drills on their own. They have been working fantastic, batteries hold their charge for long enough and the build quality seems nice.

I'll echo what Jonathan said, biggest selling feature for me was lifetime warranty including batteries. Batteries dying are pretty common thing to wear out with most cordless tools and a new battery can sometimes cost you $70-$90...so long term, I thought this was good option. There are enough Home Depot's around to support you as well.

Impact driver is nice to have, but it drives the screws in really fast which isn't good for a lot of applications where things are a bit torque sensitive like drywall or certain woods. At least that's what I found. Building a storage loft in my garage out of 2x4's was a breeze with the impact driver though!

I have put Makita, Milwaukee, Dewalt, Rigid and everything else sold in NY State through hard construction site workouts and regular use around the home. I also spent time speaking with a tool repair guy who is a warrantee service center for all of them.

Makita, Makita, Makita. The batteries do die, I got some bad ones and had to trade them in. But I will not buy a different brand again unless something changes dramatically.

I also concur with the poster above, if driving is what you want to do, get an impact driver. It will make a difference and last forever. I have driven literally thousands of ledger lock screws 6"-12" with an 18v Makita impact driver, sometimes as much as a hundred a day. A drill would have burned out long before that. If you must get a drill and make it work for all, invest. The difference between the cheep ones and the good ones is big in real application. Driving with a drill is hard work.

-doug

I bought a Makita 2-piece kit with an impact driver and drill a few years ago. After blowing through several other similar items from Bosch and Milwaukee, the Makitas are night and day better. Hold a charge forever, great torque, good ergonomics, fast charging. They're one of the few tools I have where, every time I pick them up, I think what a great investment they were. Buy from a reputable source and make sure you're getting the real deal (not from Home Depot; many manufacturers must cut costs to meet their price points and provide alternate models with cheaper parts) and you won't regret it.

The whole kit with impact driver, drill, 2 batteries, charger and case was <$300. Worth every penny.

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Originally Posted by echelon_john

I bought a Makita 2-piece kit with an impact driver and drill a few years ago.
every time I pick them up, I think what a great investment they were.
$300. Worth every penny.

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This is spot on with my experience. Well worth the investment.

I have this drill from Hilti. Lithium ion seems key. The batteries have a lot of oomph. But they are also big and the drill can actually get in its own way sometimes, so I have a smaller cordless driver that really comes in handy. Amazingly, it is not a piece of crap, even though it looks exactly like some of those cheaper do-alls. The Hilti is WAY more drill than I need now (I wish I had it when I worked on houses,) but I was weak, it was on sale, and I am a sucker for good tools. The big deal on these things (other than the batteries) is the gears inside. There are fancy drills that go through gears like water and not so fancy drills that last forever. I am definitely not testing the limits on mine, but so far so good.

1 more for Rigid, their tools are awesome. The impact driver is a beast and is likely overkill for many applications.

I prefer a corded drill for stuff around the shop and cordless for construction and up on the ladder. The Dewalt 3/8th corded is a great tool!

+1 and note, usually when they give you the 2 pc kit they give you the low end drill. This is not a problem if you know it and can deal with it. If that is the case, you must not drive with that drill, and keep the drilling to moderate strain applications. These are good deals if you know what you are getting and use it the way it's designed.

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Originally Posted by mjbabcock

This is spot on with my experience. Well worth the investment.

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Originally Posted by nspace

I bought a combo from Rigid, an 18v cordless drill and 18v impact driver for about the cost of some other 18v cordless drills on their own. They have been working fantastic, batteries hold their charge for long enough and the build quality seems nice.

I'll echo what Jonathan said, biggest selling feature for me was lifetime warranty including batteries. Batteries dying are pretty common thing to wear out with most cordless tools and a new battery can sometimes cost you $70-$90...so long term, I thought this was good option. There are enough Home Depot's around to support you as well.

Impact driver is nice to have, but it drives the screws in really fast which isn't good for a lot of applications where things are a bit torque sensitive like drywall or certain woods. At least that's what I found. Building a storage loft in my garage out of 2x4's was a breeze with the impact driver though!

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This is what I eventually moved to as well, the added benefit to the Rigid / Ryobi is that the battery packs can be opened so when they give up the ghost, and they will, I can take them to the local battery shop and get them rebuilt.

Craftsman 19.2v - going on 11 yrs and both batteries still work - perferct for DIYer

seems to me, in my experience that folks who make a living using their tools, in the majority choose the familiar yellow dewalt brand. that was good enough for me, and i have a nice 18v dewalt. it'd done plenty of hard work and keeps going, no complaints.

Get the makita 2 pack for around 220.00. You get a drill and an impact driver. Decent tool. Wanna spend more money? Get a Panasonic IP drill. Nicer fit and finish- better ergonomics, better batteries. Wanna spend even more money? Get a Festool. They make two types: T handle style and a D handle style. They also sell a kit that allows you to put on three different chucks(eccentric, right angle, and quick release). Really, really nice. They recently came out with a smaller Dhandle type drill that is less money. I have the festool and was an rabid panasonic user until the price of their drills almost doubled. The makita is a really good drill for the price. I've a few around the shop and they get the job done.

Might I suggest as an alternative notion the 12v combo set by Hitachi--the drill driver and impact wrench,that you can get for less than $100 refurbed. Not a set for building a deck, but for 95% of the other stuff, you'll appreciate the size and weight of this set, and for the price you really can't go wrong. I'm rebuilding a flooded camp house and always reach for these before the big heavy dewalt stuff. Makita is nice too. Make sure you get lithium ion and not ni-cad or ni-mh whatever you do

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Originally Posted by giordana93

Hitachi--the drill driver and impact wrench,that you can get for less than $100 refurbed.

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I started grown-up life with a Dewalt that was superb. Eventually, the battery withered to a point of worthlessness and it wasn't cost-effective to replace. Tried a Craftsmen that I never liked.
Almost bought the Makita Li-Ion, but my dad, who uses tools for a living, had a horrible time with his set. He's gone through countless replacement batteries that the company has been great in supplying, but he advised against it.
Decided to pick up the Hitachi from BigSkyTool and LOVE 'em. So small, simple, ergonomic and powerful. Charge is super-fast. Way, way, way nicer than lots of the options and pretty darn cheap. Really can't go wrong given the cost when they're on sale (which always seems to be the case with one kit or another).

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Originally Posted by VTMike

I started grown-up life with a Dewalt that was superb. Eventually, the battery withered to a point of worthlessness and it wasn't cost-effective to replace. Tried a Craftsmen that I never liked.
Almost bought the Makita Li-Ion, but my dad, who uses tools for a living, had a horrible time with his set. He's gone through countless replacement batteries that the company has been great in supplying, but he advised against it.
Decided to pick up the Hitachi from BigSkyTool and LOVE 'em. So small, simple, ergonomic and powerful. Charge is super-fast. Way, way, way nicer than lots of the options and pretty darn cheap. Really can't go wrong given the cost when they're on sale (which always seems to be the case with one kit or another).

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Yup. That's the set I got, same source. Like I said, you really appreciate the size getting into tight spots, and working overhead or other awkward spots where the macho big drills just won't go or get dang heavy. And the impact feels like it could just about break a wrist (people get hung up on volts, but don't get that volts don't equal amps--bigger battery and capacity, yes)

Ryobi is just fine, no need to spend more for a home handyman. Even jobbers use Ryobi, not because they are better than Milwaukee but because they are good and stuff gets stolen from job sites. I have had mine for years and done full on large remodel projects. If Rigid has a battery warranty then go for that because the batteries die and they aren't cheap. Rigid is same manufacturer and higher spec (maybe) as Ryobi. Think Buick versus Chevy - same assembly line. As far as I can tell Rigid and Ryobi are Home Depot house brand or near abouts. Unless you need a 1/2 inch drill or a hammer drill don't even consider a corded drill.

Stay the hell away from Rigid imho. We've burned up three of them in the last year and a half. Warranty claims have been a major hassle with all of them (one of them had to go back 4 times).

Makita, Milwaukee, and Bosh are all holding up here.

I've gotten new Rigid batteries a few times. Just a couple of minutes for an over the counter exchange. If you need a more serious repair to a Rigid tool, be prepared to wait. In my case a part needed to be ordered and - get this - it came from China by container ship. Took two months to get the tool fixed. That said, my repair depot claims they'll fix any Rigid product no matter the cause of damage. If you drive your truck over a tool, it's covered. (In the case described above, I dropped the tool and it cracked. All fixed now, good as new.)

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Try and handle the drills before buying (no pun intended). The feel of every brand/model will be different. And you may not need an 18V drill/driver; the Milwaukee M12 and Bosch PS31 are outstanding and are now shipping with next-generation batteries for even better performance. Recent tests of the newest M12 put it on a par with many 18V drills (they also have a hammer version). In the 18V, look at Bosch and Milwaukee (Milwaukee's Fuel lineup is brushless, the latest development in motors). Warranty is important, as noted; Bosch Provantage is unbeatable with two-year replacement in a couple of days after calling.

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Originally Posted by ryker

I've gotten new Rigid batteries a few times. Just a couple of minutes for an over the counter exchange. If you need a more serious repair to a Rigid tool, be prepared to wait. In my case a part needed to be ordered and - get this - it came from China by container ship. Took two months to get the tool fixed. That said, my repair depot claims they'll fix any Rigid product no matter the cause of damage. If you drive your truck over a tool, it's covered. (In the case described above, I dropped the tool and it cracked. All fixed now, good as new.)

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Yup, we had to wait a total of 4 months on the drill they kept sending back to us unfixed. In this case they also tried to wiggle out of the warranty by telling me I was using it improperly. They even went so far as to call Rigid Tech in front of us and asked if the saw was rated for use with a hole saw. You shoulda seen their face when the answer came back yes...

Makita guys with the Li-ion, I HIGHLY recommend picking up the cordless vacuum.
this thing rules
http://toolguyd.com/blog/wp-content/...Vac-System.jpg

Milwaukee. I have both the M18 and M12. For general use in the shop I use my M12. But for work and jobs around the house I use my M18. You will need the extra power even for what may seem like "simple" jobs around the house. I'm really happy with both and I had a Makita for a number of years and am pleased with the switch.

Makita!
- Garro.

Be warned, Toolguyd reviews are just based on press releases, he rarely actually reviews a tool that he uses.

-Joe

Milwaukee. I use the m18 tools daily. M12 is also a great kit. Lots of tools to choose from. Rigid has a good battery program but there tool bodies and chucks don't last. Co workers Makita brushless drill literally melted in half at the transmission. So with about 9 years of Milwaukee experience they get my vote.

Rigid makes good shop vacs. Cordless tools, meh.

Most 18v is more power than you'll need for 95% of the jobs. I've gotten my father-in-law a 12v Li-Ion DeWalt 4-pc kit for $240 (flashlight, drill/driver, sawzall, impact driver), and it's served almost all his needs. And when it doesn't, he has corded tools to back it up.

I myself am an Ingersoll-Rand tool user, their IQV20 series is great and designed with assembly line use in mind, but they're not very affordable and not very popular. Their marketing team needs to step up their game.

I went through this search last year when redoing two bathrooms......

Ended up with Bosch. Milwaukee was neck & neck. Everything else was way back.

YMMV

Look at the rebuilds on CPO

Len

Makita brushless.

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Originally Posted by snekky vikking

Makita guys with the Li-ion, I HIGHLY recommend picking up the cordless vacuum.
this thing rules
http://toolguyd.com/blog/wp-content/...Vac-System.jpg

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oh shit. i need that.

i got a makita kit, drill (bdf452), flashlight and 3/8" impact (btw253) for workin on the beaters...
very happy with them all.
got one of the cordless circular saws recently. works well too.
the drill, i run my grain mill with it. milled many 26# grainbills on the smaller battery at low rpm=long continuous run time. drill gets hot and its kinda loud but fkcn works awesome.

edit: mine are green, came as a kit, charger, bag, drill, impact and light for about $330. prices look crazy with a quick google of the part numbers though...

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Originally Posted by musgravecycles

Yup, we had to wait a total of 4 months on the drill they kept sending back to us unfixed. In this case they also tried to wiggle out of the warranty by telling me I was using it improperly. They even went so far as to call Rigid Tech in front of us and asked if the saw was rated for use with a hole saw. You shoulda seen their face when the answer came back yes...

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You might consider looking for a new repair shop. My Rigid authorized repair shop is easy to deal with, thinks everything is warranty eligible (even "driving your truck over the tool") and does good work. Just a bit hamstrung by lead time on spare parts. My guy does nothing but tool repair, including for many of the brands mentioned in this thread, and his shop has been running for over 30 years. On the subject at hand, this dude prefers Rigid tools based on the warranty support he gets from the vendors upstream. Knowing this, Rigid has become my default choice. Probably got 20 of their tools now...

my POV on tools is
buy shit good enough that you don't have to worry about the warranty department
the tool only breaks when you're using it and then your pretty pissed because your project is now at a standstill

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Originally Posted by ryker

this dude prefers Rigid tools based on the warranty support he gets from the vendors upstream. Knowing this, Rigid has become my default choice. Probably got 20 of their tools now...

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Maybe that's because Rigid tools bring him the most business... :blink1: