New Cordless Drill

[mburdette]

I want to get a new cordless drill. The one I have is relatively old, 8.4v. It has been great, but I think the battery is dying and overall I'd like more power.

I am price limited, however.

I see that Cummins has a Ryobi 18v drill and circular saw, reconditioned, for $49.99. They also have JUST an 18v drill, reconditioned, for $69.99. Looking at Ryobi's website I see only one 18v drill.. the "One+" line. So.. uh.. is something whacky, or we talking about different drills?

And what about the 'cheap' drills that, I assume, are all probably rolling off the same couple of Chinese (?) production lines... like the "Cummins" branded 18v drill for twenty bucks.

Lowes has a B&D Firestorm 12v drill with 'accessory tool kit' on clearance for $34, originally $60. (edit, I originally said 14.4 volt, but I think it was a 12v drill)

Basically - I've got some birthday money (happy birthday to me), I'd like to have a new more powerful cordless drill, I don't want to spend $200... closer to $50 would be better, and I want to be sure I make a good choice. AND, I trust the advice of a group of guys like we have here.

I've been watching our local "Craigslist" site for used... nothing yet.

Thanks for any advice. I appreciate it. My wife stays home with our 3 kids, and we home school, and I don't get to buy new tools that often, and I hate BAD tools.

OH... also.. the $45 "Kawasaki" corldless drill at Costco... ???

Thanks.

[BigguyZ]

I have several of the Ryobi One+ line of cordless tools- the drill, impact driver, light, mouse sander, and circ saw. I love 'em, and find the fact they they use all of the same low-cost batteries is a huge benefit.

[Russianwolf]

Cummins probably has some of the older Ryobi 18v drills. They had a couple different models at one point, but have trimmed it down to just one or two now (regular drill/driver and the hammer drill/driver). I have never really heard any complaints about the ryobi drills.

The 1+ line is nice since they all use the same battery and they keep coming out with new toys..... er tools. You can get a trim router, a box fan, a radio, an angle drill, etc. etc. I have quite a few myself and the only one I have any issue with is the circ saw goes through the battery quickly (but I was cutting 4/4 hardwood with it).

I just bought a 12v Ryobi ($50) for my office (they pay me to make projects and let me buy tools, I love this place) and for what we need around here, it's great. If I thought we needed other power tools here, I would have gone with the 1+ though.

Check out ebay too. alo of people buy the 8 piece kits, then sell the individual tools to make alittle profit.

[os1kne]

For $50 or so, the 18v Ryobi is the best you can get.

[ragswl4]

Lowes Porter Cable

Lowes has a PC 19.2 volt on clearance for $56, at check out it rang up as $47.34. They are clearing them out so might want to hurry.

[Russianwolf]

Just looked at cummins.

The drill/impact driver and drill/circ saw/flashlight/sander combos are both $99

The impact driver get good props at driving screws without stripping them, and I don't know of anyone who regrets having the flashlight around. The saw is okay for cutting down sheet goods and trimming things in place. And the sander could be useful.

I would go one of these two ways myself, If I already didn't have a drill.

[siliconbauhaus]

I'll put in a vote for hitachi

[Ken Massingale]

See if you can find the PC 19.2 volt that rags mentioned. I got one last month and it is a huge difference from the Ryobi and B&D that I had been using. It also includes a smart charger so you don't have to worry about burning the battery.

[wyc_93]

I've got a 14.4v Ryobi drill for about 7 years, and it's still humming along (I'm on batteries number 3 and 4, the original two that it came with lasted over 5 years). I used it to screw in a couple hundred feet of board-on-board fencing, including pre-drilling a couple of holes for masonry bits. I never had a problem with inadequate power for what I used it for.

I picked up an 18v Dewalt hammer drill a little over a year ago as part of an electric angle nailer combo kit that I wanted (needed), and while you can tell that the Dewalt is nicer, there been nothing that I've used it for that the Ryobi couldn't also handle (I've yet to have reason to use the hammer function).

I'd say, if you expect to expand your cordless tool collection, certainly go the 18v route with whatever brand you feel comfortable with, but if a drill's all you realistically see yourself needing, I think a 14.4'll do you fine. . .

(BTW, having two drills can be pretty convenient sometimes - noting like having both a drill bit to drill pilot holes and then picking up the other to drive the screw in. . .)

[LinuxRandal]

Ridgid Drill

I have a local Cummins tool and was wondering about the 14.4 Ridgid drill, since I have the Ridgid impact driver.

My old Makita 9.6's are dying, and the clip that held the chuck key broke on the one with the keyed chuck. I will look for the PC since the price COULD be right, but mine tends to be a lot higher here (high rent location).

Anyone have a Ridgid?

[messmaker]

I may get flamed but I have had great luck out of the EX Craftsman drills. I think they are made buy the same tool group as the Ryobi. They have them on sale about every 3 weeks.

[Bob Bassett]

Try a Reconditioned Bosch

I have gotten two drills and three sanders from http://bosch.cpotools.com/

Their prices are way reasonable and they come with with certificate that the tool has been checked and is warranted.

[Hellrazor]

Anyone have a Ridgid?

I have almost all of the 18v x2 Ridgid cordless tools. They have been great for the 2 years or so I;ve had them. I am not a casual tool user, I tend to use them hard and no complaints.

Someone mentioned craftsman.. a typical home owner is ok with that kind of quality. I am not a fan and will not recommend them for any serious tool user. Same goes for the Ryobi, Skill, etc cordless tools.

[bthere]

I have a local Cummins tool and was wondering about the 14.4 Ridgid drill, since I have the Ridgid impact driver.

My old Makita 9.6's are dying, and the clip that held the chuck key broke on the one with the keyed chuck. I will look for the PC since the price COULD be right, but mine tends to be a lot higher here (high rent location).

Anyone have a Ridgid?

I have several of the Ridgid 18V tools. I got them a few years ago to replace my Makita 9.6V which was great when I got it decades ago. The Ridgid are great for me. I like the feel, they are tough enough to stand up to hard use, the batteries are still going strong with no sign of deterioration, the battery charger is fast. I like them better than the equivalent Dewalt.

[mburdette]

update and Thank You

I appreciate the advice I get on these forums and wanted to share the outcome of my quest.

I was laid off from my job on 3/23, final day was 3/30. That next week we took the sudden opportunity to visit my wife's grandparents. 8-hour drive time; we broke it up on the way there, did it all the way home. Her grandfather, even now at 84 and barely able to get around, still works at a Home Depot (in Customer Service now, since he has trouble walking). In short, grandpa simply cannot NOT buy a good deal. And he has all the "in's" at his HD on returns and clearance items. The guy has tools coming out his ears and he's still buying more even though he can hardly use any of them anymore. So, with that before us, my wife suggested "why don't you wait until after our trip to spend money, you never know what tools you're going to get from Pop." All right. I'll wait.

Second day there we venture out to Pop's newly-built shed that contains what remains of his collection - they'd recently been moved from their house to this assisted-living community, and sold most of his tools in the process, but they let him build his shed and he's been on fire to get the thing stuffed again with things he'll never use. He'd already asked me what tools I needed, and I decided to be honest and told him.. "I need a new, more powerful cordless drill." "OK, let's go see what we got." He also needed help organizing and rearranging boxes in the shed, he just can't get it done anymore. So, we work, and organize, and move stuff around, and then talk drills. He offers up a brand new Ryobi 18v One+ drill and light, in hard plastic case, or gosh, a Dewalt 18v cordless that I think actually had about 10 more pieces of dust on it. I ponied up for the Ryobi... and he threw in a Drill Doctor, and a rolling tool chest, and a DC to AC power converter you hook to your car battery, and a bunch of hardware this and thats. "Ya got screwdrivers? This here's a nice set.. look at that... got all them there..." So, I took his gifts. He sat with my 6yo son and they made an ink pen on a small Jet lathe, covering each other in saw dust. Josh got a new pocket knife, too, and isn't THAT sweet Dad? Yes.. it is sweet, son. Very sweet, and totally cool.

So, I've joined the Ryobi One+ system with a brand-spankin' new drill and light that I might have been able to afford.. refurbished. And my Drill Doctor to keep her true. And yesterday, I saw a man about a llama.. no I didn't.. but I did see a very nice old guy who was helping out his buddy's widow. His buddy had died recently and he had a lot of tools, it seems... so I picked up a used Ryobi 10" chain saw, circular saw, sander, and oh ya, another drill, all on the One+ battery, and he threw in a nice canvas carry bag... for $75.

So I appreciate all the advice guys. I wanted to let you know.. I'm going with the Ryobi. Pop helped me on that one.