Ridgid or Hitachi drill?

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  • atgcpaul
    Veteran Member
    • Aug 2003
    • 4055
    • Maryland
    • Grizzly 1023SLX
    #1

    Ridgid or Hitachi drill?

    My B&D Firestorm drill is on its last leg. It's been dropped, and glued and taped
    back together twice. Both NiCd batteries are dying and it's just time for
    something new.

    I got this deal from Costco today for some Hitachi drills/drivers.

    link


    $20 less than Amazon, although, after tax it will about the same.

    Anyway, I do need a new drill and having the driver would be nice, too.

    I think Ridgid just got a good review in one of the WWing mags because they
    have lifetime battery replacement and I've seen favorable things about the
    Hitachi's, too.

    What to do?
    Ridgid drill alone (~$190)?
    Hitachi drill alone (~$170 and comes
    with $60 in free bits)?
    Or Hitachi combo above?(~$275)

    Thanks,
    Paul "Itchy Trigger Finger"
    Tags: None
    • BigguyZ
      Veteran Member
      • Jul 2006
      • 1818
      • Minneapolis, MN
      • Craftsman, older type w/ cast iron top
      #2
      Never used the hitachi, but I bought my dad the Rigid Li drill when it was on sale last Christmas. He loves it. Powerful, light.

      Also, all of Rigid's cordless tools have the lifetime guarantee.

        Comment

        • Knottscott
          Veteran Member
          • Dec 2004
          • 3815
          • Rochester, NY.
          • 2008 Shop Fox W1677
          #3
          Can't really comment on the performance of either of those specific models, but there's a huge difference in their specified weights. I did recently get a refurbed 12V Hitachi N-Cad, and I love the feel of it in my hands....small and light...the Li 18V looks similar.
          Happiness is sort of like wetting your pants....everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth.

            Comment

            • bdk5
              Forum Newbie
              • Mar 2004
              • 76
              • Chicago, IL, USA.
              #4
              I'm in almost the same boat--18v Firestorm on its last legs. The April 2008 Popular Woodworking had a review of 18v lithium drills. The Makita got top tool, with the Ridgid as top value. They're both relatively the same price (Ridgid is $187 at HD; Makita is $185 at Amazon), but the lifetime battery replacement for the Ridgid got it best value. I narrowed my choice down to these two and was very close to getting the Ridgid. Then I read about various problems people have had actually trying to get service from Ridgid (including replacement batteries). Do a search at Woodnet or Sawmill Creek regarding the Ridgid service.
              The service plan requires you to either ship the defective tool or battery in (and pay return freight) or bring it to a designated service center. Not all service centers for Ridgid are designated as service centers for the lifetime service agreement. Some people reported that they had to pay a deposit pending a determination as to whether the damage was from normal wear and tear or because the user did something wrong. They reportedly never got the deposit back. I figure between the hassel of shipping dead batteries, the cost of shipping, and potential other costs, the "free" battery isn't really "free." I'm still not totally decided on which drill to get (I'm waiting to see if there are any Father's Day deals coming up), but I'm now leaning toward the Makita.

              -Bryan

                Comment

                • bthere
                  Established Member
                  • Jan 2007
                  • 462
                  • Alpharetta, GA
                  #5
                  I can't speak directly about either of the Ridgid or Hitachi Lion drills, but I have had Ridgid Nicad 18V tools for several years. All of my original batteries still charge and work well. I got a planer when it was being clearanced at about $30 at HD, just to get the extra charger and battery. It turned out that the battery that was in the clearanced model had apparently was not very good. Would only hold a charge for a few minutes.

                  I was able to get a replacement through Ridgid with no issue (I did have to pay shipping one way, which came out to about $10). Of course, this was on a battery that had just been registered for about a month, so didn't invoke the Lifetime warranty many years down the road.

                  Bottom line is that I was lucky enough to have a decent warranty experience.

                    Comment

                    • bigdaddyjohn
                      Established Member
                      • Jan 2006
                      • 129
                      • Fort Wayne, IN.
                      • Jet 10" Contractor
                      #6
                      FWIW. I purchased a Hitachi and did a mini review on this site. Last month I saw the reviews in Popular Woodworking and was suprised by the results. If you look at their review closely, most of the results are extremely close. The total holes drilled and bolts driven per charge are really close.

                      I also saw another article where the chuck was changed out with a newer, soft grip. I think that would greatly improve the drill. Otherwise, the only other complaint I have is their decision to change from the "gooey" grip on the nicad drills to the plastic feeling grips on the lithium drills. Not a huge deal to me though. I like what I have much better than what I had before.

                        Comment

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