Cordless 18V Impact Driver/drill Combo

[greenv]

I'm in the market for a new 18 V light weight impact driver and drill combo. I think I have narrowed down my search to three sets which are about the same price. Does anyone have any recommendations or first hand experience with any of these?

These 2 sets are just the drill/driver combo

http://www.boschtools.com/Products/T...id=CLPK232-180

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/tools/c...bo-kit/2691-22

And this one comes with a recip saw, which I wasn't really looking for but I probably would use, and its the same price as the bosch and milwaukee sets.

http://www.portercable.com/Products/...roductID=20972

Any comments are much appreciated.

Val

[Bob in Weyburn]

I have used the makita set some, very impressed with the fit in my hand and the power of the driver. The set had the small 18 volt battery which made it lighter for shop work.

[Kbird123]

Haven't used the others but can agree with the Makita comment , think I have 8-10 of their LXT tools , and once you have the charger and batteries getting the tool only deals is pretty economical. Do note though the 1.5 amp/hr batteries dont fit on the Cutting tools without user alteration ( all cutting tools eat battieries even the 3 amp/hr ones.)

Mick.

ps. Even the tech guy at the local Dewalt Service centre commented last time i was there that PC tools aint what they used to be........ymmv.

[John Bartley]

I have had the Makita set (hammer drill & impact driver) for about 5 years now. The two original five year old batteries are doing fine and the third one (four years old) is also fine. It has done every job I've thrown at it and it spent the first two years of its life in a cabinet shop building base cab's - lots of screws!!

I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.

John

[Rusty]

Milwaukee, Bosch and Makita are basically the same tool. I don't know anything that would make one set stand out above the other. I have the Bosch 18 and the Milwaukee M12's. I'd buy both again and if I was you I'd pick the colour I liked the best.

[michaely]

Here's very recent comparative review of 18v. 1.5 and 3amp lithium powered driver drills

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/indus...58896&artnum=7

I believe the same site has reviews of 18 v. impact drivers as well as older reviews of 18v. lithium driver drills.

I've had the Makita black and white 18v. lithium 1.5 amp driver drill and impact driver pair for 2-3 years like them a lot:very light, small form yet very powerful.
Home Depot's current weekly flyer has this pair for $280

Busy Bee's current flyer (expires end of July) has the Makita green 18v. 3 amp lion pair for $299 (slightly larger/heavier, longer duration, has built in belt clip)

There are a lot of good dual pack in this 18v. lion format.

I'm leery of Porter Cable's recent offerrings since the company was taken over and "repositioned" as a cheaper line, for what its worth.

good luck

michael

[Paul O in Paris]

I have the Milwaukee set and love it. I also have a 12v and 9v Makita drill/driver and they are real workhorses. I too would not buy Porter Cable any more for the same reasons as michael.
Paul

[kookie_guy]

What's your budget? If you don't mind spending a little more, the brushless drills and drivers by makita are available from Home Depot. The brushless power and efficiency are a game changer for these tools. No brushes to generate oodles of heat, and no worries about burning motors if they stall. Plus they will last much longer because brushless motors are as efficient as they get.

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/2-to...mbo-kit/995066

[Jeffmacd]

Also vote on makita....if you can get the drill with the metal chuck. dont get the storm trooper colors if you have a choice (or care).

[John Bartley]

dont get the storm trooper colors if you have a choice (or care).

??? why ???

John (curious)

[george in winnipeg]

Val, Bosch is a good choice from the tools you mentioned. Porter Cable, I have the drill and recip, are nice DIY tools, but I would not recommend them to a daily user. Makita, as others have said is also a Good choice.
Rigid at the BORG might be worth a look, if only because of the lifetime warranty, IF you register on line.
Take Care
George

[michaely]

I'm in the market for a new 18 V light weight impact driver and drill combo. I think I have narrowed down my search to three sets which are about the same price. Does anyone have any recommendations or first hand experience with any of these?

These 2 sets are just the drill/driver combo

http://www.boschtools.com/Products/T...id=CLPK232-180

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/tools/c...bo-kit/2691-22

And this one comes with a recip saw, which I wasn't really looking for but I probably would use, and its the same price as the bosch and milwaukee sets.

http://www.portercable.com/Products/...roductID=20972

Any comments are much appreciated.

Val

A further comment: distinguish between driver drill and hammer drill.
The hammer drill has forward and rear motion in addition to a rotary movement of the bit, presumeably making for more effective action with making a hole in concrete. The tradeoff is extra weight and a longer form. When I was in the market several years ago for a cordless duo 18 v. set, the extra weight and longer form was more of a penalty than I was willing to bear for the limited amount of concrete drilling I've done as amateur and homeowner. You still need to use 'concrete' for concret (duh) and each 3/8" diameter hole with a regular drill (used a corded drill) took about 15 minutes of nibbling away.

Here, btw, is an older (2009?) toolsofthetrade review of cordless impact drills

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/indus...05143&artnum=1

good luck

michael

[Born-in-the-dust]

I would suggest the makita kit, if you use it all day every day I would get the 3a kit. I have the milwaukee M18 kit with a bunch of other bare tools and batteries added to the kit. Wouldn't buy it again. I've been through 3 impact drivers in 3 years, had to have my hammer drill rebuilt twice, one of my chargers died and took out one of my batteries. With all those problems it is still miles ahead of my old dewalt cordless stuff....

[Kbird123]

Makita has both $20/$50 rebates on at the moment, both KMS and Summit tools have it in their catalogues that arrived Friday, the 4 tool kit i starrted with is $399 after the instant rebate. ( drill/driver,impact ,skilsaw and recip kit with 2X 3amp/hr batts.) I have since brought extra tools and batteries , some locally and some through Amazon.com which aren't readily available here such as the concrete vibrator and at the time the 1/2 inch impact for driving lagbolts etc.

[Jeffmacd]

Only since I find the white goes yellow pretty quick....and no one likes a yellow storm trooper. That said...storm troopers are still cooler than aquamen.

[matt.mackinnon]

I am left wondering about the need?

I can understand wanting an 18v drill. For that, the extra power and torque is always welcome as you are turning a bit at a constant rotation. I can understand wanting more than 1 battery for any cordless power tool, especially a drill as that process seems to drain the battery in short order. But I get confused with the wanting of an 18v impact driver?

18v is a heavy battery. It's weight that you need to carry when working. An impact driver is great for putting in screws, or tightening in bolts etc. But why does it need the power and torque that 18v offers. 12v in my experiance is more than enough as an impact driver is very efficient in converting power to force. For the function, weight of the unit is more or a factor than it's torque delivery.

I do have two 18v cordless drills. I managed to pick them up on sale at a very good price, and it worked out about the same price to buy a drill as it was to get a spare battery. But I got a 12v impact driver as it's so much ligher to carry and drives in anything that I can throw at it with ease.

I am just wondering if there is some use that I haven't thought off where more power is needed?

[petee_c]

+1 for the Makita 18V kit....

I have the (driver, drill, recip saw, flashlight, 2 battery and charger) kit which I bought in Feb. 2008 from Costco of all places for around $400

My drill needs a new Fwd/Rev switch, it's a bit finicky after trying to holesaw a joist for a plumbing vent tube. Too many screws in the joist, saw bound up, and drill kicked back, which broke the switch somehow...

[michaely]

The black and white Makita 18v. lithium driver drill and impact driver duo (LCT200W) is available - today, June 4th, anyway- from amazon's Canadian website for $245, including shipping...
http://www.amazon.ca/Makita-LCT200W-...8827678&sr=1-5

this package includes built-in belt clips and a soft case (which I have and prefer to hard shell cases as easy to stuff things into)....

HomeDepot, which has same duo pack, except in a hard shell, at their "sale" price of $280, this week. (and I assume they won't do a price match, citing the "difference" in the case - smiley)

John: The sure difference between the black n white dual vs. the green dual 18v. lithium Makitas are the latter come with 3amp vs. 1.5amp for the former (although the batteries are interchangeable). The black n white units initially didn't come with built in belt anchor (although the anchoring point for the clip was there); also no onboard nesting space for a couple of bits; the green units may have this. I know the black n white impact driver has metal gears; don't know if this is the same for the black n white driver drill.
The difference between the black n white vs. the 'traditional' Makita green and black is a puzzle to me. The Canadian Makita website has few of the black n white units while the U.S. Makita website has many black n white units. I suspect a bit of a marketing experiment with a colour change and experiment with slightly 'fewer bells n whistles' (no belt clip initially but now the black n white comes with them).
Btw, when I first saw the black n white units, I thought "star wars" and didn't like the colour but now am fine with the colours.

Matt:
why 18v. vs. 12v.?
I have no experience with 12v. or 10.8v lithium driver drill and impact drill combo packs but I don't doubt that they would be fine in most situations, and have the advantage of a corresponding slight reduction in size and weight over the 18v lithium combo packs.
I do know that the 18v. lithium combo driver drill and impact drill packs outnumber the their lower voltage dual combo packs at the big box stores and in the catalogs at the big box stores, probably by about 15 to 1; so, give sale prices, one can typically buy an 18v. lithium combo pack for the same price as a lower voltage pack as well as having more choice in brands.
When I bought the Makita 18v. lithium combo pack several years ago, the reduction in form size and weight over what I had been using - a couple of older nicads of lesser voltage - was significant so I wasn't tempted to go even smaller and lighter.
If someone wanted to go really light in weight, Makita's 10.8v. lithium dual combo is only 1.9 lb. and 2 lb. (w/ 1.3amp batteries) while the 18 v. dual combo (with 1.5amp lithiums) are 2.8 lb. and 3. 5 lbs. (I think the first Makita 9.6 volt driver drill I had, with a tube pack of nicads, probably weighed 6 lbs and was much bigger in size.

good luck

michael

[Kbird123]

Amazon.com is having a fathers day sale so I was email this link as i have brought Makita Tool only deals from them before . I see they finally have a multitool now too.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=pe_72070...e=1&bbn=551236

M.

[mreza]

If you factor in the cost of replacing the batteries down the road (5-6 years) Ridgid wins hands down easily. They are good solid tools and with the lifte-time service agreement (which covers batteries too), they are IMO the best bang for buck. Note that you should register for this LSA (but it's easy).
I have a light-weight 10.8v (which is now sold with 12v) makita drill and driver combo that is my goto drill for simple/small tasks and have a combo Ridgid kit with a large hammer drill. The batteries didn't hold charge recently and took them to the service center and they ordered new batteries, no questions asked.