Cordless two speed Drills

[grasshopper]

Here we go,
Who likes what brand of 18V unit and why?

I cannot tell them apart other than price.
Looking at USA too, in case it is stupidly cheap and the charger can be made to work here.

Must haves are:
Two speed, Hammer function would be great - but not a game breaker.
Two batteries and 3 Ah power reserve.

Brands i am looking at are:
Metabo, Bosch, Makita, Milwaukee, Hitachi

Edit - funded by sold panelvan

 

[oddkid82]

Makita the way to go. I am a sparky and use it pretty much every day. They are a good work horse with lots of power

 

[Matt76]

I killed a metabo after about 18 months but we do give them a very hard time, using them to drill holesaws theough stainless works them hard. I have got Bosch now and so far after nearly months I am really happy with it, I got the kit with the driver aswell and it is excellent. I'd go Bosch again or maybe even give the milwaukee a go.

 

[Old.Tony]

I don't use mine like a tradie would but my 24V Aldi hammer/dual gearbox variable speed cordless is awesome. For about $80 each, if I was a tradie I'd have bought 3 of the bloody things and I bet I'd still come out in front at the end of the week when my paypacket arrived.

 

[FatBoy89]

I've heard great things about milwaukee

 

[luke91]

For a drill ide go metabo. The speed in the trigger seems to go fairly quickly tho. But now I run a Makita. Great stuff but I don't think the chuck is as good as the metabo. But I did rough in a house with my metabo with a orgar. Done it easy. Thats what I have found anyway

 

[RustyNav09]

I'm a chippy by trade and wouldn't give second thoughts about Hitachi gear. There new brushless gear is even better. I have 2 lots of full 18volt kits and my crew and I give them crap all day long. They are 3-4 years old and still going strong with the only repair being a new chuck on the drill, but that was only 1month ago. Drill is high and low and also has a super low gearing aswell in both high and low. So really 4 speeds.

Goodluck

 

[tweak'e]

i've still got my commercial bosh drill. very good unit thats had a pounding. burnt out the handyman bosh drill tho.
Hitachi are ok as well.

but the big thing is batteries. bosh replaced both batteries even tho it was just out of warranty. the battery is the weak point and you will loose a good drill because batteries are not available or cost as much as a new drill.

if your not using it weekly i would stick to a power drill. it will still be going in 50 years where as a battery drill will be dead in 3-4 years (due to batteries) and batteries won't be available after 5 years.

 

[justdrinkbeer]

I've got loads of Milwaukee gear, all our stuff is Milwaukee actually. The only drama i've had is a charger that died (changed under warranty) and two 28V batteries died, although the drill they were for had been sitting without being used for a while.

 

[KraftyPg]

We've got two 18v cordless Makita's we use nearly every day on the farm. 1 is about 4 years old, three batteries, hammer drill and gets treated like absolute crap, left outside, left in the hay shed, charged when it's thought about and generally not the way Mr "I want my Makita back Mac" intended things to be. The other one is about 2 years old, two batteries, hammer and always gets put in it's case, treated well and charged religiously. Neither of them has failed us once except for flat batteries but we fixed that by using the inverter in the utes to charge the batteries when not near 240V

 

[Diver Dan]

I just went thought a very similar question. For my money the Bosch was best, pretty much hands down. Makita give you multiple tool options for the battery and would be my second choice.

However I went with Hilti as it is for work and their support is un-matched. It is a 22v system and has multiple tools like the makita range.

I believe that Bosch make a few of the other brands.

Dan

 

[reel-sensation]

I just ordered a new Makita Anniversary (black) cordless drill on Ebay. Just got the drill driver and two 3aH lith batts and charger and case for $330 delivered. Have been using a Makita 14.4 volt for four years and it just gave up the ghost. The niCad batts still work but not for as long as they did when new.

Alan

 

[MAD D40]

I run both Makits & Hitachi.
I like the Hitachi drill more but the makita gets used more as the batteries are interchangable with all my other makita gear I use daily.
Both have proven to cop a hiding wouldnt part with either.
But with the price of a Hitachi ill always give the apprentice the makita first

 

[qqc d22]

Panasonic 21.6vlts hands down. unfortunatly the dont make them anymore cause there to heavy for the euroupean countrys (bunch of fairies. its not that heavy). Goes forever on a battery has enough power for the big jobs ive had mine for 3yrs still goes as good as the day i got it. gets used nearly everyday at work.
The newer 18vlt panasonic are a bit pansy imo i also have one of them with 1.5amphr battery but yeah its average. good drill just not enough powa for my likings

 

[joffo81]

I love my 18V Makita hammer drill. Been giving it a fair workout in the bathroom lately. Lithium batteries are awesome. They hold a charge in storage and have plenty of power for a cordless. Charge time is also very fast - by he time you run one battery down the next is ready to go again. Best present the handbrake has given me (with some advice from father in law!

 

[Peteyen86]

I just ordered a new Makita Anniversary (black) cordless drill on Ebay. Just got the drill driver and two 3aH lith batts and charger and case for $330 delivered. Have been using a Makita 14.4 volt for four years and it just gave up the ghost. The niCad batts still work but not for as long as they did when new.

Alan

Got a link for this deal mate?

 

[bradsta]

i swear buy milwakee, have got heaps of people onto em.
iv used makita in the past and there great for small jobs but i find when putting under heaps of load (putting roofing screws into timber) makita cant keep up..

milwakee has battery lights so you know much charge u got left in each battery. very handy.

others wise hitachi are a great piece of kit

 

[Dave]

I have a Panasonic cordless drill. Does everything I need.

For the concrete etc and when I need power, I have the previous model to this.

http://bosch-garden.com.au/papocs-a...en&division=gw&ccat_id=131434&object_id=21601

 

[calcal]

Hitachi all the way!! I give mine the biggest caning 6 days a week and it's never failed me.

 

[stremd22]

qaulified cabinet here and ALL my tools are makita, none have failed me yet. probably slightly one eyed since everyone i worked with from the start of my trade was makita faithfulls.. wouldnt buy a cordless drill that didnt have a lithium battery these days either. good luck choosing ha.