Cordless Drill Advice
Hi. Can anyone help me figure out what cordless drill to get for my husband for Christmas? I looked online at reviews. One site had a Milwaukee as their top choice, another had a Makita as their top choice & didn't even mention Milwaukee.
He would not need a Heavy Duty Professional drill, but definitely something that can handle a lot of DIY stuff & remodeling. So not light use either.
12V, 18V, 20V?
Brushless?
I figure he can always return it if it's not the correct type, but I"d like to take a stab at something suitable!
Thanks.
Trying2Save 
sackYou will get a lot of varying opinions. Not on your list, but I prefer DeWalt. Go with more than 12v as it does not have much power to do more than light tasks...
iJay Makita is nice, DeWalt is good homeowner, Milwaukee I would look for real advantage before I bought, but that's just personal.
Get lithium battery, lighter. May have to shop for sale. Look for ones with LED guide lights. Extra batteries are nice. Optional quick connect drills use bits with like heavier ends that "snap" in rather than having you chuck the bit in. Nice but may require whole new drill bit set.
Look for "combo pack," usually can get a good deal at xmas.
I got a combo drill and impact driver (like a drill) set. I love the impact driver. It's like a drill but great for screwing and putting bolts on too. But this one is pre-set to a certain torque (strength) and I can bolt and screw and it stops automatically without putting the screw through the wood or twisting the bolt to the point of breaking whatever I am putting together. One of my favorite tools now.
Drill uses normal bits; impact driver uses quick connect and mostly I use screw and nut bits, not drilling.
FYI: if hubby is really doing some projects two devices are nice. One to drill and one to screw. That way you drill your pilot hole, grab the other tool and put the screw in. Beats changing bits every time you put a screw in so if doing a 100-screw project, really saves time.
strangerdanger sack - I was thinking $100-$150, but I've no idea what is a reasonable amount. Hoping for possibly a good Black Friday deal.
iJay - thanks, I'm open to any opinions.
You wont go wrong with a name brand. Milwuakee, Dewalt, Makita. They all make good stuff. The last time I bought a drill I went with a combo kit. Drill and Impact driver. The impact driver is awesome. I use it all the time. This is the only way I'll go for all future purchases.
Here are some nice kits with discounts.
http://www.homedepot.com/c/Holiday_Combo_Kit_Offer?cm_mmc=CJ-_-4485850-_-10368321&AID=10368321&PID=4485850&SID=de1ac0d8937a11e590cffeacace6049c0000&cj=true
Some time ago, I read the reviews for the Milwaukee M18 drill. The reviews claimed it had the best torque and battery life, for a cordless drill. As a professional home remodeler, it seemed like the drill for me, so I bought one. And I was never disappointed. It's a powerful, reliable drill, great for both boring and screw driving. The battery life is very good, and the drill seems to get the most out of each battery--rather than steadily getting slower and slower, it operates at nearly full efficiency, and then just stops working when the battery is dead. (It also has a push button on the battery, which reveals LED lights showing the battery's level of charge, which is great!)
I have owned one for years now, and have since bought the M18 impact driver, as well, and I continue to be very happy with their performance. I have also given the M18 drill as a gift to at least 5 professionals, and all of them claim to be very happy with it. Thus, I can recommend it very highly. (NOTE that there is a similar, less-powerful Milwaukee M12 drill, which I have never used.)
The big question is whether you can get a good deal on one. I have only ever bought them on sale at Home Depot. Also, ideally, you're going to want at least two batteries. If you buy a drill kit that only has one battery (which is typical), the additional batteries can be quite expensive, so figure your cost for the entire package.
There are other good drills out there, and some of them may be as good--or better--than the Milwaukee M18, for an even better price. But I can only speak from my own experience. You can look at reviews for other drills, but be sure to do a full comparison for things like torque, battery life, charging time, drill speed(s), cost for additional batteries, etc.
JerseyWolf I love my Bosch. I have the hex driver version but the drill version is probably the same except for the chuck:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_72896-353-PS31-2A_1z0wciyZ1z0wh03Z1z0yr8x__?productId=3185363&pl=1
justintime We love Dewalt. DH has 3 of them, home, work and truck. 18V or 20V are best. Extra batteries are always a good gift too.
hktownie What exactly is he going to do with it? Will he be drilling a few holes here and there and drive some screws into studs? Or will he need something that can run big drill bits or screw decking down all day?
I've had 14 volt cordless drills - Craftsman Pro and Makita pro level stuff. The combo impact driver and drill sets are very nice but will run about $200+ (maybe a little cheaper now with Xmas sales.) Those two units were the old nickel metal hydride battereries that wear down as time went on. Granted it was 10 years year but new batteries aren't cheap.
For my latest set (which I bought last Christmas), I went with Rigid's 12 volt lithium ion combo. It's got quite a bit of power ( built a small deck in the garage with them). I've also run auger bits through 2x4 studs for electrical wiring so there is good power in them. The lower voltage usually is paired with a smaller battery though so it won't run all day as the capacity isn't has high.
If he just needs something for general handyman stuff, I wouldn't go higher than 14 volt. The higher the voltage, the bigger and heavier the unit will be. That makes a difference if you're working on a ladder or have to work overhead for an extended period of time. Brushless, in general, will have more power and more run times compared to the same brushed models. You'll have to decide if the extra cost is worth it.
Rigid has a lifetime battery and repair warranty as long as you get it from HD and register it in a timely manner. So, when the batteries die out, I won't have to shell out money for new batteries.
With that said, I didn't need a big powerhouse cordless because I have a Dewalt 1/2" corded for those times I need more power. Best of both worlds IMO.
Personally, if Rigid didn't offer the warranty, I would have gone with Makita as a first choice with Milwaukee as the second choice. Dewalt isn't what it used to be; same with Porter Cable.
emaxxman I have all 18V Dewalt stuff. Drill/Driver, Sawzall, Impact Driver, and even the jobsite radio. Mostly because I started with a DeWalt. Generally they're pretty good. My 12 year old DeWalt Drill/Driver/Hammerdrill finally quit this year. Never really saw heavy duty use, but I guess I can't complain too much. I got a new one which is improved with LED light and it will stand upright (old one didn't).
Another consideration: does your husband have any other cordless power tools? If he does, you might not want to get a different brand because he'll already have a battery and charger. That would solve the extra battery problem. Just a thought.
And I agree with sack, my impact driver might be my favorite power tool. Not only will it drive a 4" screw into anything, it doesn't strip screws on the way out as well.
MeisterNJ Has anyone ever taken the NiCad's apart and put new batteries in: heard that it's do-able?
My power is mid-range and I agree, weight is a consideration. If I need more power, I grab the corded.
Also just got a hammer drill and went homeowner. Big mistake, underpowered to do any real work.
In addition to the voltage rating, be sure to check out the charge rating as well. I thought I was getting a great deal once on a 20V set, but then realized that the batteries were only rated at 1.5 Amp-hrs. If you're only driving a few screws, that's fine... but if you're using the cordless sawzall or cordless circular saw... you'll need to change batteries every hour. So, I returned it and got a set that came with batteries rated at 3 Amp-hrs, which more suited my potential needs. I think they go as high as 5 A-hr, but they're probably heavy as hell and only needed for a pro.
ianimal 
Years of use (can you tell?). Couldn't live without this thing. Always pulling it out for a new project (including this morning), and I never find myself reaching for the corded one. Great all-purpose drill!
Rebecka strangerdanger - Yes you can do it. I never did. I think BatteriesPlus in Ledgewood will do it for you. To be honest, with the cost of rejuvenating two batteries, you could probably buy a new drill/driver set. The only time it pays is if you're a pro with a full set of cordless stuff and don't want to deal with yet another charger or brand.
It would be nice if each brand would make standard connectors to charge their batteries.
I've had BatteriesPlus in Ledgewood refurb a battery for me. Think it was around $37 if I remember correctly. Not too bad.
Mr. G, I think my hammerdrill was a homeowner one too. Power wasn't bad. I've drilled quite a few concrete holes with it. Then one day earlier this year drill was just dead. Wasn't worth trying to fix it. Not when the new one was $60 on ebay.
strangerdanger Yes it can be done, especially if you're handy with electronics and perhaps soldering. A friend has done it and I've re-engineered battery packs for bodyworn security & undercover cameras to provide a longer run time, etc.
If you take the pack apart, you can generally source the internal batteries from somewhere like www.mouser.com or others. If there's room in the casing, you can check the sizes they're using and move to ones with a bit larger amp-hour rating. Reassemble and there you go;-)
Phil D. If I wanted to spend ~$150 I would buy this combo from Home Depot. I have that same drill and like it. But, this kit also comes with an impact driver, and they are amazing tools. Drives screw after screw instantly with much less fuss than a drill.
Otherwise around $100 you are just getting the drill and usually one battery. So for $50 more, you get a second battery and the impact driver.
Little blurb about the deal: http://toolguyd.com/milwaukee-m18-drill-impact-driver-combo-kit-deal-h2015/
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Drill-Driver-Impact-Driver-Combo-Kit-2-Tool-2691-22/100650378?keyword=100650378
That's a good price for an 18 volt combo. I wish they had that last year.
The Rigid combo kit I got was $99 at Xmas and came with a drill plus impact driver. Because of the lithium technology, the impact driver had more torque than my old 14.4 volt ni-mh set. It came with 2 batteries: 1.5 amp hours and 2.0 amp hours.
Bought my husband a Dewalt 25 yrs ago. Never had a problem. And it's used ALLLLLLLLLL the time. Can't go wrong with tools for man as a gift, unless their a cook. But then again that's a whole different kind of tools. Come to think of it I wish my husband liked the cooking tools. Not as noisy and you don't need a different room (garage) to store them.
auntiel Wow, thank you for all the advice!
It would be used for various projects. Last year he put new decking on the house, so things like that. We always try to do projects ourselves if we can.
I have always been a dewalt guy, but the guys I work with have milwaukee m12 devices. The platform is interchangeable to so many different tools it is incredible. You could start him off with a drill and have enough other add-ons to last a lifetime of Christmases! They even have heated jackets that take the batteries! If I ever have to buy again I will be getting Milwaukee, to no fault of Dewalt, it is just they offer so much.
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/system/m12
Darrin Milwaukee is the best hands down, I recently had to scrap my cordless driver / drill of 20+ years after I dropped it and the case shattered beyond repair.
They are not a cheap to purchase item, but when you amortize over the years, the projects done over the years, the value just keeps coming back ....just my own experience.
Steven We have Royobi and have never had problems, had it almost 10 years.
My suggestion would be, whatever brand you choose, is to buy a backup battery, that way one battery is always charged. Nothing is more annoying than having your drill die in the middle of a project.
Jane123 
Funny lady The Home Depot Black Friday ad has 18v lithium kits for $149 from Milwaukee, Rigid and Makita. Each kit has a drill and impact driver and 2 batteries and a charger.
There is also a Dewalt 20v kit with the same as well as a light and case for $170.
I just got a Porter Cable 20v with 2 batteries and charger for about $99. It is replacing my old unit that i've had for 6 plus years with heavy use. Honestly, with rechargeable tools it doesn't pay to spend a lot, especially for a DIYer because the batteries will stop taking a charge before the drill itself dies, and it is usually cheaper to just buy a new drill than get new batteries (assuming you can, because they keep changing them).
Now if I was going corded, then it pays to spend some more. But I've got a smorgasbord. Dewalt, Bosch, Ryobi, Kawasaki, Porter Cable, Kobalt.
eperot Dewalt 20v max. Get the kit with hammer drill/impact drill combo. Super lightweight, battery life is amazing. And strong enough to do anything thrown at it. You can break lugnuts lose with the little impact drill and some socket adaptors.
Forcefed4door http://www.homedepot.com/p/Panasonic-15-6-Volt-Ni-MH-1-2-in-Cordless-Drill-and-Driver-Kit-EY6432NQKW/203198024
A lot of power..... It'll twist out of your hand if you don't hold it firmly enough.
In the construction field... I started with the Makita baby drills, and then to Dewalt and
Milwaukee ... I laughed when a coworker had one of the Panasonic drills; until I grabbed it to try it. I said,"How can a TV and Video device company, make a half way decent drill?"
I stopped joking about it when I drove a fastener, and had it twist the head right off of it.
Amazing Power.
This one comes with two LI batteries and charger in the kit.
Embryodad I still say you want one that you can buy different devices, like a light, a saw zaw, a screwdrivers, a circular saw, and all use the same battery. Being a dewalt guy it is tough to say that Milwaukee has it hands down. And it gives you years of gifts.
My Makita set is ten yrs old and I beat it up badly. They still run like the day i got them. I even have the origional batteries. Just picked up a impact driver, charger, and battery for 99 at hd. Awsome deal. Makita is proven in the trade world.
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