Let’s face it, there's no excuse not to own a power drill — they’re increasingly affordable, totally straightforward and insanely useful. But before you drill, baby, drill, there are a few things you ought to know, baby, know.
Power drills come in many shapes and sizes, each with their own purpose…and price. If you're just looking to install the occasional curtain rod, there's no sense in breaking the piggy bank. A no-frills corded drill with a 3/8" chuck, a variable speed dial and a reversing function will accomplish most home drilling tasks. In this category, the Hitachi D10VH ($56.56 on Amazon) and the DeWalt DWD110K ($50.79 on Amazon) are both well-reviewed and well-priced.
But to the dedicated DIYer, a power cord is nothing more than a chain and shackle. Cordless drills offer the freedom of mobility with few disadvantages other than the purchase price. Battery technology has improved tenfold in the last ten years — the shift from nickel cadmium to lithium ion means lighter, longer-lasting tools with just as much torque (rotational force) as their corded counterparts. Sadly, all batteries eventually go to heaven, and replacements can be costly.
There's no sense in buying a cordless drill with anything less than a 12-volt battery — the Milwaukee 2410-22 is a reasonably priced "driver-drill" with 250 lbs of torque ($127.25 on Amazon). While standard drills simply spin in circles, driver-drills have an adjustable clutch that stops the bit from rotating when a screw is firmly fastened. This useful feature prevents you from stripping screw heads.
But like Vanessa Williams, I save the best for last. The Makita BDF452HW driver-drill ($178.20 on Amazon) is the absolute cream of the crop. Weighing in at a mere 3.5lbs, it has an 18-volt battery that charges in 15 minutes, 450lbs of torque and a built-in LED light. Also, its ½'' chuck offers a bigger drilling capacity than the aforementioned drills. Fine Woodworking and Popular Woodworking both rated it as the best overall model on the market. So if you're looking for a serious drill, you should seriously consider the Makita. Granted, I'm a bit biased — I bought one a few months ago and never looked back.
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I just found out that super fast battery chargers (for any battery operated device - not just drills) actually wear out the battery exponentially faster.
hammer drill.
if you are ever going to try to drill into concrete or brick, you are going to want the pulsating thrust of the hammer drill. brick's like butta baby.
;)
I have to second the Makita drill. It's on the pricey side but it's amazing. I have one at the office that I bought about 2 years ago and ever time I pick it up to use it, I'm shocked that it's running on the same charge.
I love my cordless - but what nobody ever mentions is that if you don't use it for weeks or months at a time, the battery will degrade - it will no longer hold a charge - and you'll need to replace it.
And for large jobs - such as assembling/installing KD cabinets or sheetrocking - you'll need two batteries: one to run with, and a spare to recharge while you're using the first one.
This past weekend, I had to help take apart an outdoor prom dance floor. It seemed like there were about 40 million screws in it. Fortunately, I was able to use a Makita drill. Absolutely amazing!
I disagree with you about cordless drills. They're a pain in the arse unless you have the funds to buy the absolute best. Also, and I know this from owning the best of the best, you STILL need to have a backup battery for when the already-in-use-battery runs outa juice and you're mid-project. And they still have to be replaced eventually. And charged. Which means a cord.
So, yes I love my cordless drill and backup battery. In fact, I have two drills and four batteries (Hitachi and Dewalt, both 18v). But, I think that a first-time buyer would be better advised to put his or her money in a fabulous corded drill with lots of features and torque. Once he or she gets used to it and perhaps finds that absolutely everything in the house/yard needs to be screwed in some way for years to come, then he or she can purchase a cordless model. That's how I started. The best part - the corded model is the one you can loan out to your friends : )
I know its not a drill, but I have a generic "screwdriver" a lot like this Black and Decker: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-LI3000-Lithium-Ion-Screwdriver/dp/B000B8N41S/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=industrial&qid=1272305957&sr=8-7
I think its way more useful than the huge cordless drills. For 90% of the stuff someone is doing at home, its more than sufficient. I've used it for tons of things you wouldn't be surprised: Drilling holes in tile, assembling kitchen cabinets, drilling holes into a butcher block top. Its incredible really. I suggest skipping the big heavy guys and getting a small one instead.
crap... why didn't this article come out BEFORE the weekend..
Oooo!!! Power tools in decorator colors!
the makita LXT (Lithium-Ion) drills and drivers are indeed top-notch. It has been a constant companion during our renovation.
More than the drill, we've gotten a lot of use out of the impact driver. If you've never used one (and drive a lot of screws with cordless drills), you're missing out. The impact helps a lot and the lightness/balance of the tool is quite nice.
Catch them reconditioned and in a 2-piece kit. That way, you'll have a backup battery and save a ton. (The link is for a drill/driver combo pack -- nice!).
I was using mine yesterday (a cordless Porter-Cable) to install curtain rods over 6 windows. The battery hasn't been recharged for months and it had plenty of juice to do the job. It's heavier than most, but I had no problems operating it in some odd positions. Consumer Reports had rated it as a best buy, which is why I picked it.
I hope you come out with a guide on picking a sander or nail gun next. Those are on my list of power tools to buy (going to build some bookshelves).
I also have the Porter-Cable 18 v 440 lb torque cordless drill that verily mentions. Just bought it today when another 18 v drill crapped out on us yesterday as we tried to saw a few holes through some 2 x 4s. So far so good! Consumer Reports did indeed rate it as a best buy, and it ranked second, as I recall. Granted, it has a NiCd battery instead of a lithium one, but at least it has 2, so that when one wears down, the others charged and ready to go. And it only takes an hour to charge. (Nevertheless, when our NiCd batteries bite the dust, we'll probably get some lithiums, as I think this drill will run on those, too.)
The other nice thing is that this drill came in a combo with a circular saw. And the combo was cheaper than the drill alone. I won't turn down a freebie circular saw!
Kawasaki drill set surprisingly (from Costco of all places) has lasted my husband years... and he is more than a DIYer! ;)
thanks everyone for your input! fyi verily, I wrote a buying guide for sanders back in November. check it out here: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/smoothing-the-surface-a-guide-to-hand-sanders-woodwise-102289